Group Guide

October 26th, 2025

This Week's City 7:

6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)

Ice-Breaker:

How many pairs of shoes do you have?

Scripture

2 Corinthians 8
Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

Discussion Questions:

God has done so many amazing things in the past 7+ years at The City Church. How did you first hear about the church, and when did you start attending?
At The City, we don't talk much about money. We don't pass an offering plate. We don't beg from the stage every Sunday. But we will, occasionally, challenge our church family to be radically generous with all that God has given them. What was your experience growing up with churches and money? What has been your relationship with giving since you've been following Jesus?
That's exactly what Paul was challenging the church in Corinth to do... be radically generous like the church in Macedonia . Paul is teaching that an overflow of a heart that is surrendered to Jesus is a generous heart. The overflow of GRACE is GENEROSITY. When we truly realize how much we've been given, and forgiven for, and blessed with, our hearts will respond with generosity. Grace turns "it's a PAIN" into "it's my PLEASURE!" Do you ever think of giving as a pain? What does it look like to be a cheerful giver?
Verse 5 says that it was the Macedonians' FIRST action to give. These were not rich people. In fact, they lived in poverty. And still they gave to the Lord FIRST. Grace turns "it's a PAIN" into "it's a PRIORITY!" Jesus said that if we seek God FIRST then He will take care of our needs. When you make what should be a priority a priority, then the secondary things fall into place. CS Lewis said, "When we put first things first, God multiplies second things. When we put second things first, we lose not only first things, we also lose second things.” What does the way you spend your time, energy and money say about your priorities? What is out of whack?
Claytons' challenge on Sunday was for all of us to go ALL ALL IN! This has been a consistent theme for our church over the past several years, challenging people to get in the game and go ALL IN with us as we reach people for Jesus. He challenged those of us that don't give regularly to the ministries of The City to START giving. He challenged those of us that already give regularly to either INCREASE our giving or CONTINUE in our giving. How have you been challenged by this message? What might God be saying to you?

Prayer Topics:

That we would respond to God's grace with generosity.
That we would make His Kingdom a priority.
That God would turn us into cheerful givers.

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