Global Purpose
Fulfilling God’s Heart for the World
User Guide
Congratulations for choosing this resource: an introduction to the big picture of God’s global purpose! The goal of this communication tool is to introduce believers to the central theme of the Bible and motivate them to become involved.
This resource has been designed primarily for use is in a group setting, which would begin by showing the visual presentation and be followed by a time of discussion. If the visual is not used, the discussion can follow the reading of the portions of the Study Booklet.
This resource can also be used for four different lessons with further presentation and discussion on each of the four major parts. These four parts are as follows:
1. What is God’s desire? Biblical. Why is this important?
2. What has God been doing? Historical. What has happened up to now?
3. What is God’s focus now? Unreached people. What is the need today?
4. What is God’s desire for His people? Personal involvement. How can a person get involved?
Suggested uses
Church Service
Show the DVD at a church service, possibly as the introduction to a time of global focus, with the written material being provided for further study.
Family or Individual Study
A family or individual may use this material as part of a personal or family study that would be an introduction to missions and global issues.
Small Study Group Home Fellowship Group
Sunday School Classes Adult Fellowship Group
Show the visual presentation, and then use the discussion questions for a time of interaction, possibly beginning with the whole group or class together and then going to a grouping of two to four people for more personal interaction.
For all of the above, the Global Purpose Study Booklet can be used for further reading and discussion. It has been designed to accompany the presentation. It could be distributed in the previous class for study ahead of time or at the time of the class. Some may choose to use it at a separate study time following the DVD presentation. This booklet can be purchased from the William Carey Library publishers. (www.missionbooks.org)
Discussion Guide
Making it understood—the discussion time.
Good group dynamics recommends that the leader prepare the group by asking them issues to look for in the presentation, for example:
• What does this show is God’s global purpose?
• Given God’s global purpose, what is His focus today?
• How can we today be involved in this global purpose?
Many groups like to start beginning the discussion time with general questions for the whole group and then, as the leader feels appropriate, divide into groups of three or four so everyone can discuss personal application questions. Also if there is time and interest, people could look up the scriptures in the text and discuss the implications of these texts to the group.
Questions to initiate discussion
The leader can select the questions which seem most appropriate. In fact leaders may choose to use their own questions or none at all, depending on the nature of the group. These questions are to help people see what God is doing, and catch a vision of what He could do through them, there are no right or wrong answers.
Discussion questions:
I. Begin with the whole group, involving some questions and discussion. The following questions emphasize more the content and general concepts of the presentation, which are less threatening and give people a chance to review the material presented.
• What is God’s overarching, or global purpose, for his human creation?
• What are some of the ways this presentation describes how God’s church has been growing since the time of Christ?
• Given God’s global purpose, what is His focus today?
• What are unreached people groups, and why should they be a priority in our outreach?
• How can we today be involved in this global purpose?
• What process would you envision might help your church consider adopting, that is, partnering with, a people group as mentioned in the presentation?
• What would it take for your church to be involved in the way described?
• Do you sense any ways that God would like you personally to be involved?
• Is God saying anything to someone here, through this presentation, that they would like to share with the group?
• What inspired you about the presentation?
II. In a small group of no more than three to four people, use the following questions as a basis for discussing the material presented. These questions are more personal and more of the style which will give people a chance to envision themselves carrying out the concepts of the presentation in their personal lives.
Would you like to describe what impacted you most while viewing this presentation?
What would it be like for you if you were to become involved in global outreach?
Do you sense any ways that God would like you personally to be involved?
What dreams do you have for your part in God’s global purpose?
Describe something in your life that will be different as a result of experiencing this presentation.
III. If there is extra time:
Look up scriptures referred to in the biblical section, and discuss what they may be saying to the people here today.
Would anyone like to describe any personal travel and interaction they may have had with the people in places where unreached peoples are located?
Have people describe their relations with Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist people they may know, and their experiences in befriending them, blessing them or sharing Christ with them.