Big Idea

You belong.

Scripture

Romans 12:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:25-26

Ice Breaker & Opening Thought

1. 1. Who were some of your best friends as a child or teenager?
2. We want the church to a community where people belong to each other. In January of 2020, the health insurer Cigna released a study that found that more than three in five Americans report feeling left out, poorly understood, and lacking companionship. Can you identify a time when you felt this way? Share.

Bible Discussion

3. Read Romans 12:1-21. What does this passage say about belonging to one another? What encouragements and challenges do you see?
4. Read 1 Corinthians 12:25-26. How might we care for people in our church who are suffering or feel like they don’t belong?

Life Application

5. We want the church to be a place where everyone can belong. Brene Brown makes a distinction in her work between belonging and fitting in. Read the quoted material below and then discuss the difference between belonging and fitting in.

In the book Daring Greatly, Brene Brown writes, “One of the biggest surprises in this research was learning that fitting in and belonging are not the same thing. In fact, fitting in is one of the greatest barriers to belonging. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.”

6. When do you feel like you belong without having to fit in? How can we create a community where we can all belong and not feel the pressure to be someone we are not?
7. Look at the Leader’s Guide and read through the four spaces of belonging. How might knowing about these four “spaces” help our church be a place where everyone can belong?

Challenge

This week, let’s reach out to three people to let them know you are thinking about them, and you value them. Maybe it’s someone in the small group or someone you’ve served with on a ministry team. Just reach out to three people. And if you feel comfortable, maybe even make plans to meet together safely. Who are those people for you?

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, be sure to check out our mental health resources page at communitychristian.org/mentalhealth