Continuing

the Journey
A guide to equipping young adults for loving
service in life and ministry.

The Well Church

Reach Youth
Ministries

Young Adult

Life and Ministry

Bible Study Guide
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REACH Youth Ministries: Reach Up. Reach Out.

As REACH, through relationship and instruction, we aim to disciple young

people so they may grow to understand who they are in Christ as well as
their place in His church. In order to do so we must first present them with
the Gospel in terms that are relevant to them. Paul himself states that he
became all things to all people, that he might save some (1 Cor. 9:19-23). We
understand that we must reach young people on their level in order to bring
them to a true understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that will transform
their lives. Furthermore, we strive to help them develop a real and personal
relationship with God. Our goal is to guide them along the path that leads to
them knowing God by experience, and not just by explanation. We desire
them to come to know that God speaks to them in prayer and through His
word, the Bible. Therefore, we emphasis the importance prayer and the
study of scripture has in one’s life. We also make every effort to build Christ-
likeness in each individual, as well as in the group as a whole. Therefore, we
all work towards letting the Spirit teach us to be more humble and obedient
servants of our Lord, and to one another. Moreover, we aim to instill young
people with the knowledge and boldness to be able to live out and speak the
Gospel in their respective communities (i.e. schools, homes, sports teams,
etc.) in love. All and all, our goal is to guide our youth to becoming Christ-like
leaders, who in loving service, will live out the Gospel and impact the world
for Christ.
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Life and the Journey

Life is a journey of self-discovery, but it is not a journey we are meant to

make alone. As we enter into young adult life, this journey becomes more
hectic, stressful, inspiring, and in many ways fulfilling. To travel such a path
without a companion is very dangerous. Continuing the Journey was written
for the very purpose of helping us along this path together. Our aim is to
move toward a better understanding of who we are in Christ. It is our hope
that coming together and applying a biblical perspective to the myriad of
issues that arise during this time in our lives will serve as a guiding light and
bring us all to better understanding of our call to ministry and our place in
the Church. The journey we are on is long and trying. But, as we walk
together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can find the direction,
hope, strength, love and community that is needed for us to see it through to
a fruitful completion.
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Sorting Through the Pieces

"Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle." - Lewis Carroll

The question, “Who in the world am I?” is a question that we seek everyday
to answer. Sometimes we like what we find, and sometimes we do not.
Whatever the case may be, it is a question needs to be addressed so we may
begin to discover who we are in Christ and our place in His kingdom.
However, the pieces to this puzzle are scattered and mixed with pieces that
do not fit. As people, we tend to define ourselves by many things; we tend to
look to our past, our achievements, our friendships, our culture, or our
church background to determine to ourselves who we are. In order to begin
to see an accurate picture of ourselves we need to sift through the pieces
and do away with the ones that do not belong.

Fill in the blank after each “I am” statement with something true that you
would use to define yourself.

1. I am _____________________________________________________
2. I am_____________________________________________________
3. I am_____________________________________________________
4. I am_____________________________________________________
5. I am_____________________________________________________
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6. I am_____________________________________________________
7. I am_____________________________________________________
8. I am_____________________________________________________
9. I am_____________________________________________________
10. I am_____________________________________________________

Take some time to look over your list. Read over each one carefully. Think,
and ask yourself “why”? Why have you listed these things? As you are
reflecting, consider this:

I. I affirm that I am a finite physical

body.

My body is right here. It can't be

anywhere else. {I reflect on how my
body is feeling at the moment, e.g.,
tired, sore, full, hungry, or whatever.}
My body is limited. It needs rest and
care. I can only do so many tasks at
once. I cannot meet everyone's
wishes. I cannot meet even my own
ambitions and desires. I am grateful
for the fact that I am not God. Only
God can meet all the needs that
surround me.
(Confess any idolatry.)

Now, using the same items from your first list, fill in the blanks below.

1. I am NOT_________________________________________________
2. I am NOT_________________________________________________
3. I am NOT_________________________________________________
4. I am NOT_________________________________________________
5. I am NOT_________________________________________________
6. I am NOT_________________________________________________
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7. I am NOT_________________________________________________
8. I am NOT_________________________________________________
9. I am NOT_________________________________________________
10. I am NOT_________________________________________________

Read the list to yourself a few times. Is there anything in particular you have
a difficult time declaring you are “not”? Why is this?

II. I affirm that I am a finite spirit.

A. Disregard all the potential idols of
your soul.

I confess my idolatries and false

identities. I expose and invalidate all
the ways I have tried to find my
identity in the wrong way or have
tried to find my value in my roles and
functions and abilities. I affirm that I
am not defined by my abilities, my
virtues, or my vices. At my deepest
place, I am not my behaviors, my
feelings, my personality quirks, my
gifts and talents, my good or bad
choices. I am not defined by how I
perform or what other people think of
me.

At the core of my spirit, I am not a

father or a mother. I am not a
husband or a wife. I am not a
daughter or a son. I am not a friend. I
am not a student. I am not a kind
person. I am not an angry person. I’m
not a……….

We must come to the realization and acceptance that we are not our past hurts, our
failures, or even our success. We are not our parents, our siblings, or our church
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family. We are not who we say we are, and we are not who others say we are. We
are who Christ says we are. While this is liberating, it is also frightening.
Nevertheless, in Christ, we are new creatures, and therefore not defined by the
ways of old. Look at the pieces of your puzzle and sort through them some more.

Affirm the reality of your soul’s true

identity.
I affirm the truth of my soul's true
identity. I am God’s beloved created
for union with Him. In my deepest
place, I am a naked spirit clothed in
the righteousness of Christ. I am
precious in God's eyes. From all
eternity, God calls me His beloved. He
holds me in an everlasting embrace.

As we continue on this journey, we will take some time to again sort through some
more pieces. Our aim is to grow in our understanding of God as well as ourselves,
so that we can be who He has destined us to be.

III. Examine how you have been approaching God

Have I been praying to God as if He was a genie? Have I been praying to God
know that He, too, has a will? Has my will alone been consulted? Have I been
using God as an idol to meet my needs? Have I been acknowledging him as if He
is the Good Shepherd of my life?

I have not been praying to you as if you were really here holding me in love all
day. I have not prayed to you as if you really love me as I am, your beloved. I
have not sought your will or relied on you; I have relied on myself again all
day.
Please forgive me for my idolatry. Help me to hide in your loving embrace and
seek your will and direction throughout the day. Help me become secure,
abiding in that loved place with you, that I may go out from here to love and
serve others without confusion about who I am or what you would have me do

Resolve to keep your heart and mind attentive to God. Align your will to His
will. Be receptive, silent, and still.
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In preparation for our next study please read Genesis chapter 3. Read the
narrative multiple times to get a “feel” for the story. Right down your
questions, thoughts, or reflections in the space below.
Consider this: What was Adam and Eve’s sin? What can this story tell you
about yourself?

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In the Mirror

The story of Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden of Eden reveals more about humanity
that we realize. The traditional point of view taken with this story centers around
obedience and disobedience, and while this is important and should not be
overlooked, there is another issue needs to be examined. Instead of simply looking
at the story of Adam and Eve as two people who committed the first sin, we should
look at the account as our own personal failure to remain obedient to God.
Therefore, the focus should be more on the cause or motivation of the sin as
opposed to the action in and of itself.

The serpents appeal to Eve can serve to give us insight as to the reason behind her
consequential disobedience. Let us take a closer look at this.

Genesis 3:1-6 (taken from The Message): The serpent was

clever, more clever than any wild animal GOD had made.
He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told
you not to eat from any tree in the garden?" The Woman
said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees
in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the
garden that God said, 'Don't eat from it; don't even touch
it or you'll die.'" The serpent told the Woman, "You won't
die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree,
you'll see what's really going on. You'll be just like God,
knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to
evil."When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good
eating and realized what she would get out of it—she'd
know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then
gave some to her husband, and he ate.
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After reading this passage over, what do you think was the cause for Adam and
Eve’s sin? Write your thoughts below. Be prepared to discuss.

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In his cunning, the serpent spoke in order to pervert her perspective. He

attempted first to get her to take her eyes off everything God had given her
and to focus on what she did not have. She understood that God had given
her more than she could use, she understood that his provision was eternally
sufficient; she knew she could eat of all the trees and plants of the garden
except for one. Consequently, he made his next appeal to Eve on the basis
that her disobedience would make her “better” that she would be “just like
God”. Seeing that he could not pervert her perspective of God, he worked to
pervert her perspective of herself.

The sad truth is that Adam and Eve were more like God than they could ever
be. After all, they were made in His image-likeness. However, once they took
their focus off who God had made them to be, and what He had blessed
them with and focused on what He did not give them they opened the door
for sin.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s masterpiece. The Greek word that
is translated is (po ), from which we get our English word poem.
Think about that for a second. You are God’s poem! Every stanza beautifully
constructed, every word carefully chosen. You are his masterpiece, his
wonderful work of art. Every color, shape, and image intimately designed,
and not a drop of paint wasted. God has created you, just as you are, and he
calls it beautiful. He has created you as to express his innermost passions and
desires to the world.

Unfortunately, we have a way of making what is beautiful into something

hideous. Our self-hated or arrogance ruin God’s masterpiece. We must strive
to submit ourselves to his will, and understand who we are before him so we
can have a proper perspective, otherwise, sin will be free to reign in our lives.

When we think of ourselves negatively, we are telling God that his work of
art is not pleasing to us. When we desire to be something that we are not
because we are not happy with who we are, we subject ourselves to an
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existence of depression and self-loathing. We are not created for such an

existence. We are created to express God’s beauty, and that begins with
understanding that he has created us, and that we are beautiful.

Our passions, talents, and personalities are all gifts from God. In order to
begin to express his beauty we must acknowledge our giftedness for what it
is and embrace it.

In the space provided below, list your talents, passions, and personality
traits, then jot down a few ways you might be able to use them in ministry.

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Once you have finished filling in the space above, say a short prayer over it
asking God to help you see where you can use your gifts for his glory. When
we take an active approach to using our gifts to help the world in which we
live, we will find that we truly are beautiful.
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Walking Together

“…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy
people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to
know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all
the fullness of God.”- Ephesians 3:17-19

In life’s journey, it is crucial that we not walk alone. As a part of the body of
Christ, we are not, and never will be, lone rangers. Living like one is working
against what our Lord has set out to establish here on earth. It is easy,
especially as young adults, just coming in to our own, to live a life “secure” in
isolation. However, we must ask ourselves a simple question. Is that the
better choice? The easy road is not worth taking if we want to grow along the
way. Sure, we may reach the same destination: But will we be better for it?
Will we arrive knowing that we gave life our very best? Knowing that we
grew along the way? True growth comes when we tread the difficult path
together. We fight together (and at times, with one another), we cry
together, laugh together, and we grow together. In order to be what we have
the potential to become, we must allow ourselves to be challenged and loved
by one another.

Remember this: The strength of the Church is the Christian, and the
strength of the Christian is the Church.
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Migrating geese can teach us a lot about the value of community. Consider
this:

The next season, when you see the geese migrating, going to a warmer
place, to sort the winter...

Pay attention that they fly in a “V” formation. Maybe you will be interested
in knowing why they do it this way...

By flying in a “V” formation....

The whole flock increases the flight efficiency by 71%

Compared to just one bird flying alone

Lesson 1:

Sharing the same direction and working as a team, get us to the destination
quicker and easier. But not quickly, or easily. It still requires hard work!
However, when working together, the accomplishments are greater!

When a goose leaves the formation…

He feels the resistance of the air and the difficulties of flying alone....

Then, he quickly comes back to the formation to take advantage of the

flock’s power in front of him.

Lesson 2:

By staying in tune and united beside those who are going in the same
direction, the effort will be less. It will be easier and pleasing to reach the
goals, everyone will be inclined to accept and give help.
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When the leader goose gets tired of flying...

He goes to the end of the “V” formation, and another goose takes the lead.

Lesson 3:

To share the leadership,

There must be mutual respect between us all the time...

Sharing the hardest problems and tasks…

Gathering our abilities and combining our faculties, talents and resources….

The geese flying on a “V” formation quack to encourage to the ones in the
front.
In that way, they keep the same speed.

Lesson 4:

When there is courage and encouragement, the progress is greater…

A sincere and timely word of encouragement always motivates, helps, and

strengthens…
It produces the best of benefits...

When a goose gets sick, is injured, or gets tired, and he must leave the
formation...

Other geese leave the formation too, and they fly with him to help him out
and protect him. They remain with him until he dies or he is able to fly again.
They reach their bevy or they just make another “V” formation.
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Lesson 5:

Let’s stay beside each other no matter what the differences.

Especially in times of difficulty and great challenges…

If we bond together and support each other…

If we make true the spirit of teamwork…
Regardless of our differences, we can rise to meet our challenges.

If we understand the real value of friendship…

If we are aware of the feeling of sharing…

Our load will be lighter

And the passing of years

More fulfilling

Only together can we rise above the clouds!