Break the ice. Where were you born?

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Read Ephesians 2:19-22.

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

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Discuss the eighth core, essential belief of Citizens Church: the Doctrine of the Church.

We believe that the Church consists of all who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation and is sent into the world to shine forth the glory of God.

1. What do you think creates community? What makes strangers friends?
2. What do you think “Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” means? What is he the cornerstone of? What does a cornerstone do?
3. When you talk about Citizens Church, do you think of Jesus Christ as being the head and cornerstone of our church, or is it someone else—maybe a pastor or the elders?
4. According to verses 21-22, what is God’s goal for the Church? What should this look like?
5. Three cultural distortions of the Church are that she is political not theological, supplemental not essential, and transactional not formational. Of the three distortions, which one do you see and experience most? Which distortion are you personally prone to wrestle with most?
6. The good news of the gospel is that you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Are you a member of Citizens Church? Why, or why not?

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Rest in God’s promises. God has given spiritual gifts to every believer to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (Ephesians 4:11-15)

Close in prayer, giving thanks to God for the Church which exists because the lifelong need and process of progressive sanctification exists!