1 INTRO No matter who you are or how far you ve made it in life, the topic of wealth touches each and every one of us. It is possible we experience some spiritual anxiety as we consider how to manage our finances. We all want to be grateful to God for the good things He has provided. This study will enable us to better reflect upon our God-given financial responsibilities, the topic of stewardship, and how we better manage our wealth and resources. Your financial status affects your job, career opportunities, and position in life. Money can open doors to those with financial resources in ways the cash-strapped will never know. But life s not perfectly easy once you have wealth. In certain cases, having money can hurt work ethic or ambition. Money, or a lack thereof, affects our relationships. On one hand, money can be a useful tool and a resource to create a sense of loving intimacy. However, money can also contribute to painful relational conflicts and divide even the closest of friends and family. The topic of money and wealth tends to be highly emotional. It can bring out a variety of feelings and responses; guilt, happiness, confusion, desire, anxiety, and may result in some sleepless nights. The Bible has much to say about wealth. Jesus Christ Himself spoke a great deal about money. One of the great strengths of this book is its heavy reliance upon scripture. Steve Perry has lived the seemingly fortunate struggle of wealth through-and-through. He enjoyed a successful career as a pastor, is a beloved husband, father, and grandfather who has enjoyed a lifetime of rich family experiences. Steve is a man who knows how to make and keep long-term friendships and partnerships. What really makes this book unique is Steve s experience of wealth from both sides of the equation. He was not born into wealth, but was welcomed into a family of great means when he married his wonderful wife. Marrying into the Segerstrom Family was a shocking surprise to Steve, who now had to learn to accept the idea he was a man of means. Steve s marriage began his lifelong adventure of learning and developing a profound perspective of money. Readers will find Living With Wealth to be thoroughly Biblical. Steve s insights are comprehensive and precise. Many of the familiar passages you read will be seen in a whole new light. Steve s healthy view of wealth is both vulnerable and comical while discussing this highly controversial topic. In no way does Steve pretend to have it all together, but he is open and honest as he leads us to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a good steward of God s gifts. Living With Wealth is a challenging book, yet easy to read. It will encourage us readers to stretch our thinking, behave in improved ways, and lead us to new depths of maturity. You will find this book on wealth has a very casual and relaxed feel. The topic is not addressed with any degree of extreme seriousness. However, you will feel you have entered Steve s world, and you are, perhaps, enjoying a cup of coffee with him on the back porch. You are in for a treat! Welcome to the world of living with wealth in a very healthy, biblical, and God-honoring manner. Here we go.
2 USING THIS BOOKLET OF SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS This booklet is designed to assist you in leading and guiding a series of small group studies around. In addition, other recommended uses for this booklet are as follows: A PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL TIME TO COMPLIMENT A SUNDAY MORNING TEACHING SERIES To add some variety to your daily Quiet Times, consider reading Steve Perry s book at a rate of just one chapter per day. This would take you approximately five weeks to complete the book, chapter by chapter and question by question. 1. Start each day with prayer in a quiet place. 2. Leave your book out and ready to be studied and enjoyed. 3. Bookmark where you leave off each day so that you will be ready for the next day s reading. 4. Keep a running journal of your thoughts by writing down your answers and ideas. A pastor may consider teaching through Steve Perry s book on four or five consecutive Sunday mornings. All Believers need a reminder of the importance of money from time-to-time. If we had no need of repetition, Jesus would not have consistently reviewed the importance of wise wealth management in His preaching. You may start by looking at some preaching ideas provided in the resource section of the book s website. There you will find seven messages you can draw from and use to preach in your own way. Follow this by selecting four, five, or more messages to create your own unique series for Sunday mornings featuring the content of the book in a fresh new way. Next, encourage the members of your congregation to read one chapter of the book each day. This allows parishioners to continue thinking and meditating on what they learned on Sunday. This encourages a Daily Quiet Time with God to answer the following booklet questions corresponding to each chapter in the book. 1. Preach the messages in the order you prefer. 2. Encourage members of your church to take notes on the messages. 3. Inspire members to keep a daily journal of thoughts and readings using the questions provided. 4. Gently nudge your members to join a small group with others readers of the book. If you study this book from four to six weeks, the continued exposure to the content helps ingrain the rich teachings on money and wealth.
3 AS A SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE Anytime you encourage your congregation to read, study, and think about the same topic, all at the same time, you will experience a period of fast and condensed growth. This is a very powerful way to align your congregation in heart and mind. Preach the Word. Journal your thoughts. Talk it over. In a small group setting, one of the most powerful techniques to encourage the spiritual growth of your people is discussion centering on the Word of God. Get people talking about their daily walk. This booklet contains a series of questions for each chapter. The questions are designed to encourage participation in group discussion. When your people get talking, the Holy Spirit steps in and stimulates powerful conversations. The booklet questions are not written with right or wrong answers in mind, but are written so anyone in the group can participate with their own thoughts and opinions about what they have read. The more mature members of the group can gently and confidently align any mistaken thinking with solid guidance. However, in general, people grow fastest in an environment of unconditionally positive acceptance. 1. Encourage your group members to faithfully complete their daily book reading. 2. Push members to record answers to the daily questions in a journal. 3. Come to group prepared for discussion and carry a few key thoughts from the week s reading. 4. Participate fully as a group member without the need to be called upon by the leader. These suggestions take any Christian from being pretty good to pretty great quite quickly. God bless you as you give this a solid go! LEADERSHIP TIPS FOR THE ASPIRING SMALL GROUP HOST The following eight habits take a small-group leader, and the group, to a new level. These eight habits allow the group to work toward fruitfulness and multiplication while experiencing greater fulfillment in your ministry. The eight habits of effective small-group leaders are: 1. Dream of leading a healthy, growing group. Think big and be positive! 2. Pray for group members each day. Your prayers unlock the power of Heaven. 3. Invite new people to visit the group. Your group often grows rapidly with fresh-faces. 4. Contact group members regularly. Stay in touch and show you care. 5. Prepare for the group meeting. Don t be surprised by the content and invest yourself in the study. 6. Mentor an apprentice leader. Don t go it alone. Instead, always ask someone to serve alongside you. 7. Plan group activities. Make each meeting a blessing and a joy-filled experience. 8. Be committed to personal growth. Show interest in the growth of others as well as your own.
4 SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS TO ASSURE YOUR SUCCESS 1. HAVE A PLAN, AND BE READY TO CHANGE IT. If great discussion and interest flow from your introductory question, do not force the group to move to the next question for the sake of the agenda. Go with your youth and dig deeper into the areas with which they connect. That is what processing is all about. 2. GIVE YOUR PEOPLE PERMISSION TO SPEAK. Emphasize this is a safe place to share. Students are not required to give their deepest thoughts with the group, but encourage them to speak with someone with whom they feel safe. 3. ALLOW TIME TO ANSWER. Our tendency is to answer the questions we ask. Two seconds of silence can seem like an eternity. A good practice is to ask a question and count to five in your head. It may seem awkward at first, but this technique allows your group to think and answer when they are ready. 4. REPHRASE EFFECTIVELY. If you ask a question, wait several seconds, and if it seems as though no one understands, rephrase the question, but do so carefully. Keep the question open-ended. Do not answer the question yourself or change it to a yes or no question. Questions with one-word answers do not promote processing. 5. REDIRECT WHEN NECESSARY. Abandoning your plan when your group is engaged in great group discussion is important, but remain keenly aware of the tone and redirect the group if it wanders into unhelpful territory. As the facilitator, pull the conversation back by gently jumping in (try not to interrupt, wait for a natural break) and reframing the conversation. 6. LISTEN. The only way you know where your people are and understand the conversation is if you are giving your full attention to the group. Do not plan your next question or next announcement while students are sharing. Let your student s responses shape the movement of the discussion. Your role is an attentive and compassionate listener, ready to care for those who express hurt, uncertainty, or a strong emotion related to their spiritual progress. 7. DO NOT FORCE CONCLUSIONS OR ANSWERS. There is a time to teach and a time to listen. Before you or your fellow leaders jump in with the right answer, allow students to grapple with the hard questions. Injecting your answers will silence productive conversation. 8. SHOW RESPECT. Set boundaries for listening to others. Do not allow group members to interrupt or interject. 9. DIG DEEPER. Listen for underlying beliefs/opinions/feelings and help bring them out. Give permission for questions and answers to be discussed. Help students go deeper by asking: What are some reasons for that? or Can you explain why? Repeat the answers given by group members. Turn the conversation toward others: Did anyone else see/notice that? or What do all of you think? 10. FOLLOW-UP WITH STUDENTS. After the discussion, do not miss the opportunity to follow-up with students about what they have said. Ask a student if he still has questions. Invite further conversation. Tell a student you appreciated what she said. Small group discussion can lead to incredible one-on-one conversations. We are very happy you have chosen to download our materials and make them your own. God Bless You!
5 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INTRO 1. What is your perspective on wealth? 2. What scripture references immediately come to mind when you think about money and wealth? 3. What part(s) of being wealthy (in whatever capacity you are wealthy) feels burdensome to you? 4. Do you believe it is possible for the wealthy to live righteously before God? 1 A DIVINE COMEDY 1. Is there anything in your life you ve felt zealous, passionate, or excited about, but was not a calling from God? Explain how you navigated the situation. 2. How has wealth or lack of wealth led to complication in your life? 2 THE POVERTY GOSPEL 1. What beliefs and assumptions do you have about people of wealth and how their wealth has impacted them? 2. What gospel do you preach about money and why? 3 THE RICH YOUNG RULER 1. What treasures do you have that consume you? 2. In what ways have you observed similarities between the rich and the poor as defined by their material wealth? 3. What equations have you created about the ways you believe the Lord and wealth operate? 4. Where in your life do you lack joy? 5. What area of your life has yet to come under God s rule and guidance?
6 4 THE PROBLEM OF IDENTITY 1. What ways has the idol of usefulness had a hold on your life? 2. What temporal things do you define yourself by? 3. Where do you find your identity? 5 THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL 1. What is money magnifying in your life? 2. Where do you find yourself in the tension of living simply and consumption? 6 JUDGING THE WEALTHY 1. What are your expectations of people with means (unspoken and spoken)? 2. What judgments do you place on the wealthy? 3. Based on conversations and interactions you ve had with people of means, what challenges are you aware of that they face? 7 THE WIDOW S MITE 1. Where do you fall on this scale? HAVE TO GIVE WANTS TO GIVE How willing is the giver? Reluctant Eager How great is their effort? Minimal Maximum The effect on the giver Regret Joyful The impact on the recipient Ambivalent Thankful 2. At the risk of being relativistic what does the story of the widow s mite mean to you? 8 STEALTH BOMBER 1. Are there things you own or want to own that you feel like you shouldn t own or that you feel guilty about? 2. How do you check your own motives when it comes to building relationships with wealthy individuals?
7 9 10 SCHINDLER S CURSE 1. How would you respond to these questions? a. How much should we keep for ourselves of the material things God has given us to steward? b. How do we find a godly balance between generosity and enjoying what God has given? 2. As is referenced in Luke 12:48, how would you define your much? A NOTE FROM MILLARD FULLER 1. How have you counseled individuals with wealth? 2. In what ways have you tried to box-in God or encourage people along one path instead of understanding God s specific call for their life? 11 THE SHREWD STEWARD 1. In what ways are you lacking shrewdness in your affairs? 2. How can you be more creative in using your God-given wealth, talent, connections, hobbies, etc. for the work of God s kingdom? 3. How are wealth and faith bifurcated in your life? 12 THE MILLION-DOLLAR CHECK 1. With whom do you feel safe enough to celebrate your blessings? 2. What can you do to foster an atmosphere of celebration in the lives of those around you? 3. What keeps you from sincerely rejoicing with and for others? 13 SAFE COMMUNITIES 1. What vision are you holding onto that makes your life purposeful? 2. What safe places do you have in your life? 3. What could make those safe places even safer?
8 14 THE FIVE PURPOSES OF WEALTH 1. How do you define wealthy and why? 2. Why are you wealthy? 15 GOD OWNS IT ALL (AND HE MAKES SOME WEALTHY) 1. How does what s described in this chapter impact your view on having wealth? On poverty? 2. What else in scripture points to the fact that Jesus had means? 3. How does the fact that Jesus lived with means impact your wealth paradigm? 16 ALL IS SACRED TO GOD 1. Where do you see Gnosticism playing out in your life, church, and/or ministry? 2. What do you think are some of the eternal implications of how we steward resources during our time on earth? 17 A FAITH JOURNEY 1. As best as you understand, what is God s purpose for your wealth? 2. How do you navigate the tension of always becoming and never arriving in your life? 3. What is the one step God may be telling you to take right now? 18 STUFF HAPPENS 1. What are examples in your life when you obeyed a prompting and stuff happened? 2. What recent promptings have you forgotten or resisted? What is holding you back?
9 19 THE APPLE ORCHARD 1. Where are you in your own discovery-driven-planning? What have you discovered about your purpose in life up to today? 2. How are you managing your apple orchard? 3. To what approach of wealth management has God called you? 20 BLESS TO BE A BLESSING 1. What do you think is true of men and women who hoard blessings and never give them away? 2. Who is God calling you to bless? 3. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate yourself in utilizing your wealth as a blessing to God and your neighbor? Why? 4. What parts of your life are you holding back from being a blessing to others? What are your greatest challenges on this front? 21 BE GRATEFUL FOR THE GIFT 1. What fears inhibit or hold you back from gratitude? 2. Have you in some way rejected the wealth God has given you? How? 3. What did the process of consecrating your wealth for God s use involve for you? If you haven t consecrated it yet, what s holding you back? 22 RICH IN GOOD DEEDS 1. Have you experienced temptation to drift or have you drifted as a result of money on the table? 2. Have you asked an organization to drift from their founding mission? Why? 3. What does holistic ministry look like in your life? Where can you improve? 23 AH, CONTENTMENT! 1. In what areas of your life do you lack contentment? Ambition? 2. Do you question the way the Lord values you? If so, why?
10 24 CHECK YOUR MOTIVES 1. In what areas of your life do you wrestle with comparison? 2. Where have you seen an impure motive rear its head in your journey with wealth? 3. What is your perspective of whether people should give anonymously? 25 A VESSEL FOR NOBLE PURPOSES 1. On a scale of noble to ignoble, how would you classify your wealth and the way in which you have or haven t set it apart for God? 2. What, if anything, prevents you from making the full switch from ignoble to noble? 3. What are some examples of leaders you consider vessels for noble purposes? Why do you feel this way? 26 HUNTERS AND NESTERS 1. Where do you and your spouse/significant other fall on the spectrum of hunter and nester? 2. How do you and your spouse/significant other honor each other in your money and wealth differences? 3. How have you and your spouse/significant other navigated difficult conversations around wealth and money? 27 CAN HE USE WHAT HE ALREADY OWNS? 1. What is your process of discerning how God wants you to use the wealth He has given? 2. What do you still need to sign over to God? 28 HONOR THE LORD WITH YOUR WEALTH 1. How do you make decisions about where to make charitable gifts? What factors do you consider? 2. What is your philosophy on tithing with regard to how much should go to the church versus to para-church ministries or other charitable causes? 3. How do you determine how much you will give away annually? What factors do you consider?
11 BE WISE 29 1. What do you feel is the maximum percentage of an organization s operating budget a single donor should provide? Why? 2. As is 3. What are some ways to pave a healthy forward path with an organization you ve done harm instead of blessed? 30 A WORD TO PASTORS 1. What are the greatest challenges and/or fears you face in building genuine relationships with people of wealth? 2. Have you ever misused or taken advantage of a relationship with a person of means? If so, how did you rectify the situation? 3. Where is there room for improving the integrity and character of your organization? 31 GET CREATIVE (HE DID!) 1. In what ways have you creatively (or encouraged creativity) funded various initiatives? 2. What are some creative ways you can use your wealth in the near future? 32 WHAT S IN A NAME 1. Who are you intentionally influencing for good and how? 2. How have you seen your name used in positive ways for the kingdom? Negative? 33 MAZEL TOV 1. In what ways have you substituted Two Buck Chuck or the finest wine in your ministry work? 2. How can you help others in your sphere of influence cultivate celebration in their lives?
34 JOY IN THE JOURNEY 1. Has there been instances in your life where giving has lacked joy because it has become obligatory, dutiful, or habitual? Please describe. 2. What can you do to transform your giving experience to experience the fullness of joy? 3. What are some ways you can spark joy for yourself and others in the way you spend money and utilize your assets? 12 35 THE LAVISHNESS OF GOD 1. What is something you are afraid to ask for from God? What is holding you back from asking? 2. When in your life have you experienced God s lavishness? 3. What, if anything, causes you to hesitate in believing in this element of His nature? EPILOGUE 1. How would you describe the ways you have been obedient or disobedient to the Lord with the resources He has entrusted in you? 2. What anxieties or fears do you face when it comes to listening to the Lord? 3. At the present, what step of faith do you feel the Lord leading you to take in your wealth journey?
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