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F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
Definition
Purpose
Composition
Necessity of Household Membership
The Household Head
Definition
Role of the Household Head
Qualifications of a Household Head
Attitudes of a Household Head
Areas of Challenges
Practical Considerations
Others
The Household Members
The Household Meetings
Frequency
Venue
Ingredients of a Household Meeting
Duration
Social Night
Topics for Meetings
Group Activities
Chapter 2: Annexes
A. Workshops
Conducting One to ones
Leading a Prayer Meeting
Worship Leading
B. Orientation of New Household to SFC
Introduction
Objectives
Role of Household Heads
Content of Meetings
C. Bible Sharing
7-Step Method
D. SFC Household Supplementary Topics
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5-6
6-7
7
8
8-10
10
10-11
11
11-14
14
14-15
15
18
19
20
21
24
29
34
35
35
36
36
41
42
44
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I. THE HOUSEHOLD
A. Definition
A household is a grouping of singles who meet regularly during the week for
personal sharing and for mutual support and encouragement in the Christian
life. As such, the household is the basic unit in the pastoral structure of CFC
Singles for Christ (SFC).
B. Purpose
The purpose of the household group is to build an environment for the
support of the Christian life of singles and to provide a means of encouraging
and hastening growth in the Christian life. As such, the household:
1. Builds faith and provides for mutual encouragement through the
sharing of life experiences and Gods practical wisdom.
2. Provides friendship and brotherhood/sisterhood, without which our
Christian life lacks joyful expression.
3. Provides support for each others needs.
4. Helps people overcome obstacles to growth in the Christian life.
C. Composition
A household is composed of four to seven (4-7) singles including the
household head. The household is comprised of singles who finished the
Christian Life Program (CLP) and who have made their commitment to the
covenant of the CFC Singles for Christ. The household is set up immediately
after the end of the CLP.
In succeeding years (at least, after one year), there would be occasions when
households would be reorganized. During these occasions membership will
be changed and redistributed to other households, units and chapters.
meeting
sharing/discussion
honor and respect
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growing spiritually
good order in personal life
a good appreciation of the vision, mission and culture of SFC
faithful to SFC commitments
has taken the COW
c. Personal Characteristics
emotionally stable
able to accept correction and direction
has a good reputation
d. Skills
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H. Practical Considerations
Some of the concrete things the household head can and should do are:
1. Handle the practical concerns for household meetings.
a. places of meetings
b. topics for discussion/sharing
c. regulating an over-sharing member
d. how to stop gossip in the meeting
e. bringing the discussion to the agenda and keeping it on course
2. Know each member well. Keep notes on each one.
3. Be prayerful.
a. Pray for each member regularly during his own personal prayer time.
b. Spend time praying before the household meeting and entrusting it
to the Lord.
c. Pray over members when appropriate (birthdays, anniversaries,
when sick, for inner healing, etc.)
4. Be prepared and have an agenda. In other words, rely on the Lord, but
also do your part.
5. Focus on spiritual growth and God's power rather than on problems.
However, be sensitive to personal problems.
6. Get the group to make agreements and account to one another
regarding:
a. time of meeting, punctuality
b. right way of speaking about others
c. negative humor
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B. Attendance
1. Each member is expected to attend the twice a month meetings
faithfully, and indeed this is part of one's commitment to the covenant of
SFC. Of course, certain obstacles will come up, such as sickness. What is
important is that one should accord top priority to these meetings and
really desire not to be absent from them.
2. Since attendance is part of one's commitment and since the very purpose
of household groups would be defeated by frequent absences (indicating
a lack of interest), such absences form sufficient ground for one's
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B. Venue
The household meeting is to be held in the home of one of the members of
the group. The meeting place is rotated among the homes of each member.
Having the household meeting in the homes of the household members has
the following values:
1. Worshipping the Lord in our homes makes the truth that the home is a
small church a concrete reality. And God's blessings will surely descend
upon the home where God's people can be found, worshipping Him
together and growing in their faith together.
2. The people in our home our brothers and sisters, maybe our parents,
our household help, the people who are closest to us and whom we love
will be aware of what we are involved in and what we do every week.
To them we will become people who are living their Christian faith
openly and powerfully.
3. What we do in our homes can be an effective tool for evangelism,
especially to our residential household, to our neighbors and to other
relatives and friends.
singing
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praising
thanksgiving
prayers of petition
intercession
Every member should become familiar and comfortable with our way
of worship and praise, and the household head shows the way.
b. A typical format for the time of worship could be as follows:
come before the Lord (may be a short period of silence and/or a
short exhortation from the leader)
sing a lively song of praise
simultaneous vocal praising
sing another song, then more praising
sing a worship song
singing in tongues, followed by a short period of silence
bring forward words from the Lord (prophecy, inspired Scripture
verses, exhortations)
individual prayers of thanksgiving
individual prayers of petition and intercession
closing prayer by the leader
c. Members should be exhorted by the head to participate actively in the
singing, praising and prayers of thanksgiving and petition. They should
also be encouraged to exercise the spiritual gifts of prophecy, inspired
Scripture reading and exhortation.
d. The household head leads in the worship. As a general rule, he/she
should not delegate his/her responsibility to the others. However,
every once in a while (not too often), he/she may ask another
brother/sister to lead, for the purpose of training. But most if not all
the time, he/she leads.
e. Ideally, someone in the group should play the guitar. A piano or other
musical instrument would be alternatives, if available and practicable.
If no one can play, then it would be advisable to make use of our song
tapes/cds, where songs have been arranged in groups of three
precisely for use in household worship.
f. The worship is done standing up for the whole duration. Exceptions
would be sick or weak members.
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Other than that, the male and female households would meet
separately. Anyway, interaction among the households occur
twice (2x) a month during the monthly Chapter Prayer Assembly
and Chapter Teaching Assembly.
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D. Duration
1. Ordinarily, the household meeting is held after dinner on a weekday.
However, other mutually acceptable times are possible. The whole
meeting would typically run for about 2 1/2 hours, as follows:
Worship
30 minutes
Sharing/teaching/discussion 60-90 minutes
Fellowship
30-60 minutes
Of course, there is some flexibility and there could be variations on the
above time frames.
2. As much as possible, household meetings should start at the agreed time,
even if not everyone has arrived. The household head should not wait for
everyone. He/she should not make the meeting and everyone else a
captive of someone else's lack of commitment to punctuality. Besides,
this may be the only way to get chronic latecomers to mend their ways.
So if necessary, the household head should start the worship even if only
he/she and the host are around.
3. The meeting should not end too late, say, not later than 11 p.m. If the
meeting can start earlier, so much the better. If the meeting goes beyond
11 p.m., this should be the exception rather than the rule.
E. Social Night
1. The household may decide to have a social night on occasion. A social
night is a time devoted to fellowship, with no formal worship, discussion
or sharing.
2. It is recommended that a social night be held once a quarter, on the
month where there is a 5th week. If the members want to have a social
night more often, then it should be done outside the time allocated for
regular household meetings. Some possibilities: meet during the Chapter
Prayer/Teaching Assembly week; or have a Lord's Day celebration
together.
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Year 1
3 months
3 months
3 months
3 months
Teaching
CLP
COW
KT/PD
Household Topics
Introduction to new Household
COW Follow-up topics
KT/PD Follow-up topics
In the second year and beyond, the topics of the household meetings are also
a follow up of the SFC teaching formation (Topics can be found in the
Household Heads Manual) or it could either be any of the following:
Personal Sharing
Bible Sharing
Topical discussions
Aside from the household meetings, the members will still have their regular
monthly Chapter Prayer Assembly and Chapter Teaching Assembly.
The above cycle provides enough variety so as to make household meetings
always interesting and life giving. Of course, the household head is free to
deviate from this cycle as he/she sees fit.
B. Personal Sharing
Personal sharing is telling our brothers and sisters about what has been
happening in our lives for the past month, with a particular focus on what the
Lord has been doing in our lives. Personal sharing is an essential element in
building up our relationship with our brothers and sisters. As we open up our
lives to them and they become an intimate part of our lives.
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C. Bible sharing
Bible sharing is a way for us to be more familiar with the Word of God, as we
share about it every month. Bible sharing is not Bible study as such, but a way
of drawing insights from the Bible and allowing God to s peak to us personally
through His written Word. Various methods of Bible sharing could be utilized.
We however recommend the "7 step" method of Bible sharing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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D. Topical discussion
This is a time for formal discussion of a Christian topic. These topics could be
anything that has to do with the Christian life, which would be profitable for
our members to gain greater understanding. Especially recommended are
those topics that have to do with the life, mission, covenant and culture of
SFC.
1. For example, such topics are:
a. Personal daily prayer time
b. Daily reading of the Bible
c. Living fully the Christian life
- avoidance of wrongdoing
- good order in private life
- participation in Church life
d. Living as a good Christian in our family
e. Christian manly and womanly character
f. Christian courtship
g. Christian service
h. Christian fellowship
i. Priority setting/weekly schedule
j. TV and media
k. Spiritual gifts
2. Furthermore, certain publications, sharing or teachings may be used
as a household meeting topic, to wit:
a. Teachings contained in our newsletter.
b. Topics contained in the various books that we publish.
c. Articles of interest in "God's Word Today" or other similar praye r
or Scripture guides.
d. Teachings or exhortations given at the monthly prayer meeting.
e. Taped talks or teachings by renowned personages.
It should be noticed that this cycle of topics for the second year and beyond
is such that there is no burden on the household head to be always thinking
up of what to take up during the household meetings.
1. For personal sharing, the household head would simply moderate the
sharing and keep the interaction active and life giving.
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V. GROUP ACTIVITIES
A. Aside from what has been taken up as proper to the activities of a household
group, there are many other things that can be done as well. It is up to the
household head to discern the needs of his/her members individually and as
a group, and to act accordingly. These other activities may be in lieu of the
normal household activity (with approval of the Unit Head) or in addition to
it. Some such activities are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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ANNEXES
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HHO WORKSHOPS
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Personal Life
Family Life
Career Life
Prayer Life
Love Life
Service Life
3. Give advice on the topic of the one-to-one so that he/she can also pray for
leading, revelation.
4. Set up the one-to-one in an appropriate venue at an appropriate time.
Appropriate venue a place where both parties can discuss with ease
and comfort; a quiet, private place.
- preferably at home of either party.
- free from disturbances, phone calls.
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C. Post One-to-Ones
1. One-to-one dialogue between the HH head and SFC member should be
scheduled every quarter. The entire dialogue may take a maximum of two
hours.
2. For succeeding one-to-ones, Household Head should refer to outputs of
previous one-to-one.
3. Leader should follow through with the SFC member action points of the oneto-one in between the scheduled sessions.
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3. Leader should have a mental picture of the key points of the sharing,
especially those items with pastoral implications.
4. Writing down key points is not an option as this can intimidate the member
and affect the openness with which the sharing is being made.
5. Leader should take care that the discussion does not fall into a corporate vs.,
personal tone. This is still a personal dialogue, even if guidelines are given for
order and efficiency.
Workshop Proper:
1. Divide the participants into a group of three members.
2. Every member of the group will be assigned a specific role.
Member the one who will act as the member who was invited for a
one-to-one.
Household Head the one who will conduct the one-to-one.
Observer will take note of the good practices and things to improve
on in the one-to-one that was conducted.
3. If time allows it, the group members can rotate roles to make them
experience the actual workshop.
4. The workshop facilitator will process and give more inputs as needed by the
group.
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I. Introduction
During households, an atmosphere is created wherein the members receive
learnings in the form of talks or teachings. After which, they are encouraged to open
up and share about Gods messages to them as inspired by the teachings.
Therefore, it is the Household heads important task to prepare and deliver
effectively a discerned talk or topic and facilitate a healthy participation from his/her
members in the sharing that follows.
This workshop aims to give the Household head a basic guide on how to deliver talks
or share a personal testimony that can be a source of learning and life for his/her
members in the household.
7.
Time
Be ready to adjust your talk depending on the time.
The ideal time for a talk usually ranges between 30 to 45
minutes. For a Household Prayer Meeting 15 minutes will
do.
c. Attitudes
1.
2.
3.
4. Love the people you are speaking to. As Christ allowed you to
experience this love, He wants the people you are speaking to,
to experience it as well.
5. Remember that they need the Lord, and thats why you are
speaking to them.
6. Availability
a. Accept assignments to speak or share.
b. Not accepting would be tantamount to saying that God
has not been able to do anything in your life.
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A. Attitudes
Be confident. It is good to note that nobody will disagree with your
sharing because its subjective.
Whatever you are sharing, somebody out there needs to hear your
story. Somebody will be able to relate with your experience.
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Workshop Proper:
1. Divide the participants into groups of four (4) members each.
2. Assign a leader who will act as the Household head of the group.
3. Sample household topics will be prepared and written on pieces of paper
(e.g. CLP talks, etc.) and distributed randomly to the assigned household
heads.
4. The assigned household heads will be given 5-10 minutes to prepare a short
talk/topic about it.
5. As the household heads prepare, the workshop facilitator will instruct all the
group members to actively listen to their assigned household heads later.
After the talk of their household heads, their task is to give
feedbacks/observations as to how their household head delivered his/her
talk and sharing.
6. Once ready, the assigned household head will go to his/her group and then
deliver the talk/topic like in a normal household and then give his/her
sharing afterwards. Allot about 15 minutes for this.
7. After the talk, the group will now discuss among themselves their feedbacks
and observations.
8. The workshop facilitator will process and give more inputs as needed by the
group.
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I. Introduction
Household is about coming together as brothers and sisters, worshipping God,
communicating in prayer and sharing life-giving testimonies of realizations and
experiences to each other. It is our basic venue to grow in faith and relationship
with God. It is important that we strive to make our households true to its
purpose.
As household heads and leaders in our community, it is important for us to have
thorough understanding of worship, which is an integral part of our household
meetings. We use this tool for us to connect and experience Gods holy presence in
our gathering. And as household heads we must know how to lead worship for our
members to grow closer to God.
Days before your household pray and discern for the songs you will use, as
much as possible they are in line with your exhortation. Songs are very
important in worship because they act as vessels for us to worship fully. They
aid us in leading. That is why we need to choose the songs we will use
carefully.
4. Listening and sharing Gods message.
After singing a lot an ample time for listening to God, exhort your members
to listen to what God is telling them and then share it to the group. As the
leader, you can share a bible verse or gospel for the day or a personal
message from the Lord based from the leading of the Spirit.
5. Prayer proper
This is the part where you vocalize your prayers. You may follow the ACTS
(Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication) format. Encourage your
members to vocalize their prayers and express themselves in prayer.
Adoration
6. Concluding prayer. End by reciting Catholic Prayers (like the Our father, Hail
Mary and the Glory Be) as a sign of our faith.
VI. Conclusion
And all of us, with our unveiled faces like mirrors reflecting the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the image that we reflect in brighter and
brighter glory; this is the working of the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NJB)
Like Moses, when people are brought into Gods presence, they are changed
from one degree of glory to the next. This is the privilege we have as household
heads and leaders of our communityto help people experience the pure joy
and ecstasy of Gods presence in worship. It should be our intention to always
bring people into this level of communion and reconciliation with Jesus in spirit
and our own joy to see them somehow changed.
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I.
Introduction
This manual is for the use of household heads in conducting their household
meetings right after the Christian Life Program (CLP). It covers the threemonth period between the CLP and the next part of our formation program
which is the Covenant Orientation Weekend.
II. Objectives
Following are the objectives of the Orientation Phase:
A. This orientation program seeks to develop an atmosphere where
members in the household feel comfortable with one another and are
growing in their relationship as brethren.
B. The program also aims to explain the purpose and dynamics of
household meetings.
C. It intends to establish among the household members clear expectations
of the:
1. Role of the household head.
2. Role of household members.
3. Meeting place, time and schedule.
4. Attitude of members to the household head and to each other.
D. The program also seeks to develop an atmosphere of trust and openness
among the members.
E. It sets-up the structure whereby household members can begin to share
and experience a life lived under the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Meeting No. 1
1. Have a short prayer to start. Have one song and then a prayer by the
household head.
2. Start off with brief introductions by each member of the household,
including the leaders, who should go first.
a. These should be only basic information, such as: name, age,
residence, work, children.
b. It should be only about 5 minutes per member.
Note: It would be good to collate basic information about the household
members and give these out to everyone for their respective references.
This can include: names, residence, birth dates, telephone, work and
family info.
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Meeting No. 2
1. Have full worship.
2. If anyone was late, exhort all to punctuality.
3. Examine the time of worship.
a. Did people participate actively?
b. Discuss the dynamics a bit.
c. Exhort all to greater participation and openness to the leading of the
Holy Spirit.
2.
3.
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4.
Encourage all to read one spiritual book a month, drawing from our
publications in CFC/FLAME Ministries.
5.
6.
Meeting No. 3
1.
2.
3.
4.
Topic:
a. How they were introduced to SFC and what made them decide to
join.
b. What changes are they observing or experiencing in their lives
home, office, and relationships.
5.
Surface any concerns they might still have regarding SFC and their
household group.
6.
Meeting No. 4
1.
2.
Meeting No. 5
1.
2.
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Meeting No. 6
1.
2.
Meeting No. 7
1.
2.
Topic: Share on how they are experiencing growth in and through SFC.
Meeting No. 8
1.
2.
3.
Meeting No. 9
1.
2.
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Note
1. Whenever there is a fifth week in the month, this can be devoted to a time of
fellowship or a purely social activity. You may choose to do a variety of
activities, either in a home or outside.
2. The next phase after this Orientation of New Households is a two-day retreat
or weekend retreat referred to as the "Covenant Orientation". In case this is
scheduled early, some of the topics of the above mentioned meetings will
have to wait for another time. In case the recollection is late, then there will
be added household meetings where the topics will have to be decided on by
the household head. You have a variety of sources for topics: the CLP talks,
Christian books, etc.
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BIBLE SHARING
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STAGE 1
Covenant Orientation Weekend
His Presents or His Presence
Team Pilgrims
The Danger of Compromise
Christian Character Weekend
Anger Danger
Be Not Afraid
Humility is the Key
Who is in Control
Knights Tale
Disciplined Disciples
Ever Mans Battle
Unleash the Lion
Princess Diaries
Never Alone
True Beauty
Waiting
STAGE 2
Christ Pursuit Weekend
In Pursuit Of
Relentless Suitor
The Pearl of Great Price
Intimacy Weekend
Chastity Rocks
Freedom to Love
Search is Over
The Broken Pot
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One of the most essentials in the life of a believer is prayer. Just as breathing is vital
to our physical being, prayer is vital in our spiritual life. Prayer is our intimate
connection to God, who is the source of our life (Jn 15:5).
The life Jesus lived is a life full of prayer. Most of the times, His disciples would find
Him praying. Every time Jesus faced a tough trial, an important decision, or after
performing a miracle He devoted time to pray. Before He chose His disciples, He
prayed (Lk 6:12). When the roman soldiers arrested Him, He was praying (Jn 17).
After performing miracle that fed thousands, He went alone to pray (Mtt 14:23). Just
like Jesus our life must also be a life of prayer.
Many times we come to pray because we want to ask for something from God.
Though this is isnt bad, but prayer is more than just asking. It is more than just
presenting to God our wish lists before rushing to our next schedule. Prayer is also
about being grateful -- presenting to Him our thank you list more than our give me
lists. Prayer is really about talking to God whatever in your heart, your desire, your
longing, your hopes and dreams and more importantly, it is allowing Him to talk to.
The more we spent time in prayer (talking and listening), we will come to know Him
more, understand Him better, love Him even more, discover His plan for us, in other
words, a deeper relationship with Him.
In the apex of prayer, His presence is the ultimate present. His presence is the
greatest gift.
Guide question(s):
How is your prayer life?
Which do you present God more, thank you list or give me list?
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God designed to belong in a community. We are not created for isolation but to be
together in a community. Our families are our communities, where we work is our
community, our school is our community, in our hobbies and sports our team is our
community.
As followers of Christ, we are also to be belonged in a community a community
who has the same belief in God, a community who desires in seeking Gods will in
their lives. This community of believers can build us up, inspire us to continue the
good fight, correct us when we sin, celebrate with us in our victories and comfort us
in our defeats.
God did not create us for isolation. We cannot live and function well alone. We
cannot fulfill our purpose without a community. Gods mandate to us is more
revealed as we participate in the life and mission of the community were we belong.
St. Paul reminds us to not absent ourselves from the assemblies because he
understands the guidance and support from the community can help us in becoming
the person that God meant us to be
But we also need to understand there is no perfect community. If well search for
one, well never find one. This is because communities are composed of imperfect
beings. Each community has its own strengths and its own weakness. We must not
focus on the flaws; instead, focus on God and how He is using imperfect people for
His glory.
Aside from what we can get from taking part in a community, we can also give and
share our spiritual gifts. Our time, talent and treasure will help build up the church
and make it even stronger.
Guide question(s):
What benefits do you receive in being part of a community?
On the other hand, what are you doing in building up your community?
How will you positively respond to the imperfections of your community?
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Guide question(s):
How can we live our faith without compromise?
Is it possible to maintain our integrity, when external pressures are
constantly alluring us to put aside our Christian values/beliefs?
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Everyone struggles, to varying degrees, with anger. Most of the times, our anger
ends up us sinning. It is because we fail to distinguish righteous anger from s inful
anger. Thats why proper handling it is a must. More then 50 percent of people who
undergo counseling have problems have problems in dealing with anger. It can break
communication, destroy relationship, and to some extent have a negative impact on
ones physical health.
Anger acts as a signal. It notifies us that there are other people attempting to or
have intruded our and/or other peoples boundaries. It can become sinful when it is
motivated by pride, distorts Gods purposes or when it is allowed to stay remain in
us. One obvious sign that anger has turned to sin is when, instead of attacking the
problem at hand, we attack the wrongdoer. It can lead us in cursing, screaming,
attacking physically, and hurling hurtful words. Nor it does lead in self-pity, despair,
or withdrawing from people.
Righteous anger on the other hand, focuses not on the sinner but the actual sin. It
focuses on how people offend God and His kingdom, not ours and our name. The
Christian way to handle it is by seeing Jesus in the trial up to his death on the cross.
He was abused, rejected, betrayed, hurt physically, maligned but instead of hurling
at them cosmic matter, wiping them out of the face of the earth, which He can, He
chose not to. Proverbs 29:11 says it all, Fools give vent to all their anger; but the
wise, biding their time, control it. The necessary provision is that there is no shade
of hatred and no intention of revenge.
We cannot control how others react or respond, but we can definitely choose to
respond positively. Rising above our anger cannot happen overnight. But through
discernment, prayer and constantly asking for Gods grace.
Finally, when we fail to manage it, we must be humble to accept it and ask for
forgiveness. After all The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and
abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 145:8).
Guide question(s):
What makes you angry / what annoys you?
How do you intend to manage it the next time it happens?
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Fear, just like the other emotions, is a God-given emotion. It is our default reaction
when we feel threatened. It warns us of an impeding danger. It also protects us from
incoming risks. If not handled properly, it can prevent us from fully experiencing
Gods will and plan for our life.
Generally, there are two types of fear: External, which caused by outside factors. We
usually acquire it if we had a negative encounter in the past. The other type is
internal, which still caused by outside factors but can have a devastating effect in our
personal character. The later, is more harmful because it can change our views in
life, doubt Gods power over it, lead us to sin, and to some extent, immobilize us and
thus preventing us from experiencing the fullness of life.
The best antidote to this fear is courage. Courage believes that in spite of the fear,
we are to face it squarely and with Gods grace surpass it. Because most of Gods
succeeding instructions are given after we overcome our fears (Noah feared that
people might ridiculed him; Moses feared that might he not be able to lead the
Israelites to the Promise land; Virgin Mary feared that people might ostracize her
because she is pregnant without a man.).
If we will think about it, most fears are just the results of our mights. My boss
might turn down my proposal, the audience might not understand me, I might get
hurt again, et al. We need to see it in Gods perspective. Our fears and our mights
are nothing compared to the MIGHT of God.
Courage lets us look beyond our fear which, if used properly and submitted to the
Lord, is actually one of Gods finest gifts. Whenever we face the uncertainties of life,
or the certainty of suffering and trials, we must: We go to Him. We bow before Him.
We trust in Him.
Our aim is not to remove our fears, but to overcome it. It might come again, but if it
does, we know how to face it. Our fears must not become stumbling blocks but
instead be stepping stones for us to achieve greater heights for God.
Guide question(s):
What are my deepest fear(s) in life?
How do God wants me to overcome it?
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In this world, there are two ways to achieve high self esteem, the worlds way and
Gods way. The worlds way is to strive and push your way up. Grabbing every
opportunity, even if you step on others, for praise and recognition. Sometimes even
manipulating others just to get their attention.
But Gods way is totally different. It is only by humbling ourselves that we receive
recognition not from people but from Him who created us. We dont work our way
up, instead, we let God increase and ourselves decrease.
Jesus warned us about striving for position and praise (Lk. 14:7-11). Where a man,
while attending a banquet, tried to take the places of honor. Only to be humiliated
because the owner asked him to move to the least honorable seat. Jesus advised us
to take the lowest seat and allow others to exalt you.
And when we get praises and recognition from others, which is unavoidable, we
must not take the credit. Instead, we are to point to God who is the One who must
receive all the praises. Because when the praises go up, the glory of God comes
down on us.
Guide question(s):
How can I exercise humility in my workplace? In my community (SFC)?
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Emotions, we all have it and they are here to stay. We may hide it, ignore it or even
fake it, but sooner or later, if not handled properly will take its toll on us. They are
ever present in us. They are present as the weather surrounding us. Thats why, it is
vital that every believer must strive to be emotionally stable. Not handling it
properly, may not only hurt us but also the people surrounding us.
We must be above our emotions and not the other way around. We must not be
easily get affected with or stirred by emotion; neither have a tendency to heavily
rely on emotion. We must not be easily swayed by it or make any major decision
while we are experiencing emotional high. While wisdom says wait, our emotions
say hurry.
God designed our emotions to be gauges and not guides. They are meant to reveal
to you and not to dictate you. How we deal with it reveals so much about us. If we
believe that we are not able to manage our emotions properly, we need to begin to
pray, seek God and ask for His grace for emotional maturity.
Emotions cannot be avoided, but surely through the Holy Spirit we can learn to
manage them. As the saying goes, he who lives by emotions lives without
principle.
Guide question(s):
Cite an experience where you did not able to control or manage your
emotion(s). How did it affect you and other people?
How will you handle if it will happen again?
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Most of the worlds top athletes highlights disciplined as one of their core
ingredients. From Manny Pacquiao who does hundreds of sit-ups a day to Michael
Jordan who spent his off season taking hundreds of jumpers a day until it was
perfect. These and other men spent hours a day, putting time, effort and energy just
to be the finest in their chosen fields.
On the other hand, discipline is a prerequisite for a disciple of Christ. This is what
modern disciples need the most but wants the least. A well disciplined disciple
knows how to stay focused on the most essential things in life, learning to prioritize
first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in his daily living. He has clearly
defines goals and take the necessary steps in achieving them without jeopardizing
his Christian values.
To be a disciplined disciple always starts in small things. You will never develop this
character instantly. It does not happen overnight. One must start in small things,
patiently doing it everyday until it becomes part of your character.
Guide question(s):
In which areas of my life can I apply disciple to better reflect a disciple of
Christ?
a) Finances
b) Health
c) Job
d) Prayer
e) Relationships
f) Others
What would it mean for you to trust God by allowing His Holy Spirit to work
in that area?
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Sexual purity is one of the major issues that every person is facing with, especially
men. Men struggle intensely against this. Some even live much of their lives
dominated by purity issues. It has become so prevalent, even within followers of
Christ. In 2006, the pornography industry with its $97 billion revenue, is larger than
the revenues of the top technology companies combined: Microsoft, Google,
Amazon, eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, Netflix and EarthLink
As Christian men, we need to address this with the sense of urgency, since thi s issue
is one of the most pressing issues in our society today. It has created havoc in the
personal lives of men, destroyed relationships and families, and shattered their
dreams. It has even said that 99% of men admit they struggle on sexual purity and
the remaining 1% are lying.
We need to pursue purity of heart, mind and soul at all cost. It is not just an option
but a necessity.
There is no point in pursuing Gods will in other areas when you are choosing to live
in sexual impurity in your mind or body. Rather than giving in to sexual impurity for
pleasure, instead, we need channel our desire in building our relationship with Christ
the greatest pleasure and joy that we can have. We can do this by basking in the
presence of God in prayer, meditating in His words and promises, reading Christian
books, singing and listening to Christian songs, and being with other Christian
brethren who can guide and help you in pursuing sexual purity, knowing that sexual
purity is the healthiest physical, emotional and spiritual choice.
Finally, be determined to seek first God and His righteousness. Loving God and loving
others is the ultimate experience and the purpose God made us for.
Guide question(s):
Why is sexual purity important?
Which area in your sexual purity are you most struggling to?
Are you ready to commit or recommit yourself to a life of sexual purity?
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Lets be real, its is very hard to be a real man, much less a Christian man. In our
world today were there are so many distractions, quick fixes and all those instant,
real men seems hard to find or to be. We see men destroying instead of building;
harming instead of protecting; taking advantage instead of self-giving. Satan has
seems to be successful in concealing the Godly man in us.
Since time immemorial God has been looking for real men to lead His people. He has
been searching them to be His guiding light from Abraham to David, from John to
Paul; Real men who will stand up for Him whether its popular or unpopular thing to
do; Men who are not just pretending to be followers of God, but men who will stand
up for God and His people.
If there ever was a time when we needed the true men of God to stand up and be
counted, this is that time. Deep inside us is a lion that sleeps. Within our heart is a
passion waiting to ignite. God has placed in us a powerful desire to take charge with
passion, stand firm in the faith, fight the good fight, serve and protect, give and
sacrifice. God has intended us to be lions who take charge of the jungle. We are
meant to be warriors, taking lead in His mission. The real roar of the true man of
God should be "whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of
the word." (Acts 6:4).
The real gauge of real manhood is what St. Paul describes it until we all attain to the
unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of
the full stature of Christ, so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by waves and
swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery, from their
cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming (Eph.4:13-14). We are to be real men
of faith, integrity, and uncompromising character. Men who will be stand firm in the
truth, disciplined and anchored in the Spirit, faithful and devoted in prayer. The men
who build Christs church are warriors, fighters, and defenders who lay their lives on
the line and teach us how to run His race.
Unleash the victor in you. Unleash the lion in you. Stand up and be counted. Be what
God has intended you to be.
Guide question(s):
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Think about a challenge or opportunity you currently facing (or may face in
the future) that will require courage. What steps are you going to make in
order to prepare yourself?
Consider the consequences you may face as a result of doing what is right
and just. Are you willing to pay the price
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There are a couple of things that single women ask today: What will I do to make
myself more beautiful and attractive? When will my knight in shinning armor ever
come? Is he the right one? How will I know if hes the one? How do I know if God has
prepared someone for me? How long will I have to wait?
Many times single women think that marriage will complete them, that by marrying
their prince charming will finally make the jigsaw puzzle complete. We dream that
one day God will let them walk the aisle as if their sole purpose in life is to get
married. Even at times, the emphasis communities put on marriage is so great that
the single life is deemed as second best life. This often leads to Christian women to
settle for men who are selfish, insecure and mediocre just to fulfill Gods will in
their life.
Whether youre single or married, you can still be complete. Its all about Finding
God in your pre-marital state. Your singleness is part of your journey and not a
dungeon where you need to get out as soon as possible. This moment is Gods
moment for you. This is His perfect moment for you. Dont waste this season. Dont
throw this moment. Live this day fully knowing that as long as you God in you, youll
be complete. It doesnt matter what season you are in right now. What matters most
is God is always present in every season of your life.
Its not about enjoying or doing anything while you are single, its really about
savoring every moment of your journey because you know that Jesus is waking with
you. This is the time where God is molding you, building your faith and making you
more ready for His plan; devoting your life to Jesus and serving Him faithfully. Learn
to find joy in Him more than anyone else. Once you have Him by your side, you will
never walk alone, ever.
Guide question(s):
Are you happy and contented in you being single right now?
How do you feel when you hea r and/or witness your other women friends
marrying? how do you deal with the sometimes excess pressure towards
married life?
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What it means to be a woman of beauty? Weve seen how much the world has
redefined beauty. From television, movies, magazines, billboards all are picturing the
perfect beauty. If a woman wishes to be beautiful, she has to follow certain
standards. And when women look at themselves in the mirror, they can so easily find
a part of their body that is not beautiful.
Most women, in some point of their life, wished that they could change at least one
part of their physical body that is not up to the standard: the type and length of their
hair, the shape and color of their eyes, their body shape, their weight, color of the
skin, their height, they can easily spot their individual flaws.
This does not mean that women should not be beautiful from the outside and
theres nothing wrong about physical beauty; however, the physical appearance is
just a part of what makes a woman truly beautiful. It will be useless if you are
beautiful physical but deep inside you are decaying that is your values and your
character stink.
The Scripture says God looks beyond the visible, But the LORD said to Samuel: Do
not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him.
God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the
heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Our hearts are definitely more important to God than our
physical appearance.
It doesnt matter how people see you. What matters most is how God sees you. You
are wonderfully made by God (Ps 139:14). You are not a mistake (Jer.1:5). You are
created in his image and likeness (Gen 1:26). You are not a junk. You are His most
prized possession (Jam 1:18), His masterpiece (Eph 2:10).
Guide question(s):
How do you see yourself? Are you happy about your physical appearance?
Does your focus on your appearance take your eyes off the Lord?
Are you more focused on your weight, clothes, or makeup than you are on
God?
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We are living in society who loves instant. What we desire, we want it right at our
doorstep. From instant food, to instant beauty, to instant pleasure, we want
everything at our fingertips. Waiting and having patience is no longer the norm. We
think waiting has no material and discernable value. And it seems that in our
Christian faith, we also expect God to act instantly the moment we request or ask
something from Him.
The Scripture tells us that there are great blessings in waiting. In the book of Psalm
40:1 David says, I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my
cry. God delights to who trust in His ways. But oftentimes, we believe that if we are
ready for something, God must immediately answer and grant our request. We see
God as an ATM machine where He will instantly dispense answers to our prayers.
Waiting is hard if you are longing to be married. You begin to compare yourself with
your friends who are already dating, engaged or happily married.
God is a sovereign God. He is in control. He knows whats best for you. We may not
understand Him sometimes; we just have to trust Him. He knows you better than
you know yourself. He knows every detail of your life. He knows what your longing.
He knows how you are feeling and the worries and frustrations you may have. He
knows your future and He is preparing you for it.
God wants you to focus on Him, to fix your eyes on Him. Hell take you from where
you are to where you are supposed to be. Wait on the Lord and trust that His perfect
time is the best. Devote your time in serving Him. Be on your best while waiting on
Gods best.
Guide question(s):
Do you feel pressured when your friends are starting to get marry or are
already engaged or is in a special relationship?
What do you do while waiting on the Lord?
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Guide question(s):
Have you pursued God with all your heart today? This week?
What do you think about the most?
Where is most of your time spent?
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Why does God love us so much? This questions seems to very difficult to
comprehend that we are so precious in His eyes. In Jeremiah 31:3, the Lord says ,
With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Can you
imagine what kind of love can this be? A love that is so much greater than any other
love, Jesus tells (John 15:13) No one has greater love than this, to lay down ones
life for ones friends. There really no greater love than this.
It is breathtaking to know that the One who created us is on a relentless pursuit of
each of us. Throughout the Bible, we can see how God pursues His people, wanting
to establish a covenant relationship with them. Jesus said he was like a shepherd
who has lost a sheep, and left the ninety-nine just to find the one; He is like a woman
who lost her coin, who searched all over the house to find it. And it was to their joy
that the sheep and the coin were found. God is relentless in His pursuit of us.
God loves us so much that He pursues us every second of our lives. He is in a
constant pursuit of an intimate relationship with us. No amount of sin can stop Him
from loving us. No ifs, no buts. His love cannot be diminished by our mistakes,
failures and sins. Jeremiah 31:3, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore
with loving-kindness I have drawn you.
In the scripture it tells how Jesus is the groom and we are His bride. He has chosen
you. He is wooing you and He wants to take care and love you like his precious bride.
Whether youre broken, in deep pain, rejected or just committed sin, He longs to
take you in His loving arms. He will never get tired of pursuing you until youll come
home to where you really belong. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die,
we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lords. Rom.14:8
Guide question(s):
How do we respond to Someone (God) who loves us beyond our failures and
sins?
Evidently, God is showing us how to love. Are we ready to love like Him?
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There is practically everything to substitute what God intended us to have but it will
always not be the real thing. In our lifetime, we will encounter hundreds of
situations that will confuse us from what is most important in life. Most of us
become so preoccupied with acquiring things which we thought are important but
later in life realize that we just wasted so much time and energy in acquiring those
things. Each of us struggles with conflicting desires that we find within ourselves. We
get so distracted that we easily exchange the best from just the second best.
The driving desire of men for earthly riches is the complete opposite of the desire of
the soul for heavenly riches. The Kingdom of God is like finding a pearl of great price
in the field and selling everything in order to have it. Jesus reminds us to discern
what is of lasting value and commit our whole lives to it. There is a hunger in us that
only God can fill. There is something we need that only God can suffice. When we
become aware of this hunger, we realize that nothing is too great to sacrifice for this
fulfillment.
This is the reason why we need to continually remind ourselves of who we are and
whose we are. What we truly long for and to whom we only belong. We are created
by God and for God alone (so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lords. Rom
14:8). And there we discover that it is Christ who is our only and real treasure. He is
the only who can quench our thirst and satisfy our need.
So, today, may we ask Jesus for the grace to keep our hearts and minds conformed
to what is important in His eyes the things that have everlasting value. We can only
find the pearl of great price when we earnestly seek it. When you look for me, you
will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jer. 29:13).
Guide question(s):
Have you found the pearl of great price? What are the things in life that
distracts you from buying it?
What are we willing to do for Him? Can we sell all that we have? (e.g. give
up unhealthy relationship, vices, or a job to be able to s erve Gods people)
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In our society today, Christians find chastity much more difficult to uphold than older
Christians. It has even become a source of ridicule for those who are practicing it,
branding them as updated. As what C.S. Lewis said, Chastity is the most unpopular
of the Christian values. But little did they know that chastity is the authentic love.
Chastity is a call no matter what state (single, married) you are in life. Its more than
just abstaining from sex and remain a virgin. Chastity is the virtue that orients all of
our sexual desires towards the truth of love (Christopher West). Sexual intimacy and
sexual relations must only be between man and woman united in marriage for
procreation and love.
Chastity is a virtue that requires real courage. By choosing chastity, we choose more
happiness, not less. It means, we prioritize our Godly-purpose rather than our sexual
desire. And when we abuse our sexuality, we distort the true meaning of love. The
relationship will be jeopardized. Bitterness and hatred will soon crawl in and replace
the once happy relationship.
Chastity is a mark of a Christian. It is going beyond your sexual appetite rather than
allowing it to control you, for what you cannot say no to is your real master; the one
controlling your life. Purity and chastity are the habits that cleanse our hearts and
put our sexuality in right order. So choose purity not for others or for your
community, but because you believe that it is the path that God has called you to.
Guide question(s):
Where do you struggle in your pursuit of chastity?
How are you going to deal with your sexual urges?
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One of Gods special gifts to us is freedom. It is a very powerful gift. A gift He did not
bestow on other creatures but only to us, His most prized possession. He entrusted
this gift of liberty. Only this freedom is not for you, but is for the service of others.
God has set us free to serve others. This may sound illogic but this is the paradox of
true freedom that is freedom to love like God. It is only in freely giving our love
that we can attain true freedom. God frees us to serve one another not to take
advantage of them. He freed us to love and serve others and through this act we find
our greatest fulfillment.
Our call as Christians is to love a life of radical love, a love that is extraordinary, a
love like Jesus. St. Paul describes this kind of love in the book of Corinthians : Love is
patient, love is kind. It is not jealous..It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all
things, endures all things. This kind of love allows us to participate in the very being
of God, for God is love (1 Jn4:8). This is our calling no matter who we are, where we
are, whatever state of life we are in.
Guide question(s):
What are the obstacles that you are facing now that hinders you from freely
loving others?
Are you ready to give up these obstacles and leave your comfort zones to
love like Jesus?
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Everyone wants to love and be loved. Love is a human need. But there are still so
many of us who dont feel loved or dont want to give love. Many go through life
looking for love in the wrong place. We hop from one place to another searching and
hoping to find love.
As we look in our society, it reveals how much we are desperately looking for love or
at least cheap substitutes for it. Some of us even stay contented with the cheap
imitation of it going for temporal love rather than the true essence of it. We turn
to money, sex, vices, to beautifying our outward self, to fancy cars, up to date
phones, to fame, power and honor. All these things lead to failure in our search
simply because these cannot fill the space hunger in our heart. All these things are
mere substitutes and substitutes are not the real thing. They dont last for a long
time and sooner or later we will loose all those things.
The Good news is that we can have this kind of real love and that there is Someone
who deeply love us. Gods love is the most uplifting, life-giving and life-changing
love: but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. Rom.5:8 His love for us is infinite. It never changes. It doesnt diminish. His love
is perfect just as He is. Theres nothing we could ever do to make Him love us, and
theres nothing we could ever do stop Him from loving us. He never stops. He never
takes a break.
When we grasp the reality of Gods love, we will no longer search it in material
things and other cheap imitation of it. We will rest in Him, believing that when we
have Him, we have everything: the Lord is my shepherd, theres nothing I lack.
Ps.23:1
Guide question(s):
Have you experienced Gods love today?
Do you still search love in the wrong place?
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Guide question(s):
Are there brokenness in us that the Lord restored into something more
beautiful lately?
How has the Lord used our broken self to magnify His love to others ?
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