Alongsiders
Bible study
Pastors and Leaders
Use the Pastor’s and Leader’s Guide as a launching pad for sermons and small group discussions.
Leader’s guide
Print onto A4 paper and fold it in half to make an A5 booklet.
A big thanks to theologian and author, Rev Dr Graham Joseph Hill, for writing this Pastor’s and Leader’s Guide.
Please fill out the form if you would like printed copies mailed to you.
How to use this resource
The Pastor’s and Leader’s Guide has been developed as a launching pad for leaders to explore the key themes of the Alongsiders series with churches and small groups.
Each theme has an introduction of the theme and scriptures, key takeaways, mission stories to use as illustrations, questions for small groups and a prayer. It can be used as a four week series or as standalone sessions.
Session overviews
Each theme has an introduction of the theme and scriptures, key takeaways, questions for small groups and a prayer. Each of the sessions can be used as part of the full Alongsiders series or as a standalone resource.
Prayer changes hearts. It opens us to God and what God wants to say to us and do in our lives. That’s why the Bible says to ‘devote yourselves to prayer’ (Colossians 4:2a).
Prayer creates space for us to listen to God and speak with God. It creates a spaced to grow and change. As we pray, God invites us to become like Him, in love, holiness, mercy, rest and peace. Prayer moves us into mission and enables us to be Alongsiders.
Scriptures
Mark 1:35-39, Colossians 4:2-6 and 2 Chronicles 7:14
Key points
- Prayer empowers us for mission
- Prayer opens doors for the Gospel
- We are empowered by the Spirit
God calls us to be Alongsiders who both bring peace and seek to engage with people of peace. Peacemaking is an action, often carried out with great courage and at a personal price. Peacemakers also look for people of peace who open opportunities for the Gospel, mission and meaningful relationships in society. Alongsiders commit to peacemaking and seeking out people of peace.
Scriptures
Acts 16:11-15, Matthew 5:9 and James 3:13-18
Key points
- Peacemakers seek people of peace
- Peacemakers are called the children of God
- Peacemakers show the wisdom of heaven
We are Alongsiders when we love people and holistically respond to their needs. We witness to Jesus’ love and Gospel when we bless others, both inside and outside the church. We are a people of love when we bless others through words of encouragement, acts of kindness and when we are generous with our gifts, time and life.
Scriptures
1 John 3:16-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:11-19 and 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Key points
- We are people of love in our words and actions
- We are people of love in our encouragement and support
- We are people of love in our prayers and thanksgiving
Jesus invites us to live in a way that proclaims the Gospel and humbly shares about God’s reign of reconciliation, justice, beauty and wholeness. We don’t have our own mission and we don’t do mission in our own strength. It is God’s mission. And God gives us power in the Holy Spirit to be “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Scriptures
Philippians 1:3-8, John 13:34-35 and Matthew 28:18-20
Key points
- We are people who partner in the Gospel
- We are people who partner in love
- We are people who partner in the Great Commission
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