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MIDPOINT OF THE SHAKEN INITIATIVECOURAGEOUS

ACTS 4:31AND WHEN THEY HAD PRAYED, THE PLACE IN WHICH THEY WERE GATHERED TOGETHER WAS SHAKEN, AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CONTINUED TO SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD WITH BOLDNESS.

THIS GUIDE BELONGS TONameEmail or Phone NumberWhite Oak Christian ChurchCentral Oces3675 Blue Rock RdCincinnati, OH 45247Please return to

TABLE OF CONTENTSA Note from NathanWhat We Set Out To DoWhat God Has DoneWhere We Are GoingWhat is Your Role?Commitment Card ExampleJourney of a GiverMessage Notes and Life Group GuideWeek 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 55 6 8 10 1214 16 18 2228344249For More Shaken Content, Scan this QR Code or VisitSHAKENCHURCH.COM

5It’s one thing to ask God to shake up your faith. It’s an entirely different thing to experience Him doing it. That’s what we’ve seen here at White Oak in the rst year of our Shaken journey. I am amazed at the ways in which God has been shaking our church and guiding us to deeper steps of trust. I’ve witnessed many people step into cross-cultural ministry trips stretching them beyond their comfort zones in obedience to Jesus’s invitation to them. I’ve seen teenagers explode with passion for faith, inviting friends to experience Jesus alongside them, and some who are pursuing ministry as vocations. I’ve seen dozens of people submit their lives to Jesus through baptism. I’ve experienced God shaking up my life as He calls more out of me in the areas of spiritual practices. The generosity of our White Oak family has been remarkable! You have given more than just your nancial resources to fuel ministry in obedience to God; you’ve given your lives for His Kingdom! I believe our Heavenly Father is preparing us to be shaken even more. It’s going to require us to be strong and very courageous. In Joshua 1 God calls Joshua to be “strong and courageous” three times. There was something that God was going to ask Joshua and Israel to do that would require a tremendous amount of faith. And if they stepped out into these places of trust, they would experience blessing and a movement of God that would be remembered for generations! A few thousand years later, I sense this is what God is still saying to us. When we ask God to shake us and move powerfully in and through us, it will take a reliance on the Spirit’s power to see it through. We can go our entire lives and never step out into anything that takes great courage! We don’t want to settle to do the things for God that only leave us comfortable and safe. Our communities coming to know the hope of Jesus and the global impact of our ministry demands that we step up, trust, and give with strength and courage! In this next season of our Shaken journey, I am excited for you to join me in taking more steps of trust as it relates to our generosity. It won’t be easy. In fact, we’re promised it won’t be. That’s ok. We journey by faith. Let’s move boldly and see all that God will do in and through us! Nathan HinkleA NOTE FROM NATHAN

WHAT WE SET OUT TO DO100%ENGAGEMENTOUR PRIMARY GOAL IN SHAKEN IS FOR EVERYONE WHO IS A PART OF THE WHITE OAK FAMILY TO TAKE A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH US AND LEARN WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU AS IT RELATES TO GENEROSITY.6

BOLD MOVES$6.2M OVER TWO YEARS *DECEMBER 2022-DECEMBER 2024BOLD IMPACT - $3.95MFUNDING WHITE OAK’S BOLD LOCAL AND GLOBAL MINISTRY FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE WOCC EXISTS TO SHOW JESUS TO THE WORLD. BOLD STEWARDSHIP - $2.0MMOVING BOLDLY BY REDUCING OUR DEBT TO POSITION OURSELVES FOR FUTURE MINISTRY IN THE LIVES OF FAMILIES EVERYWHERE WHITE OAK HAS INFLUENCE!BOLD HOPE - $250,000REIMAGINING HOW WE TAKE JESUS TO OTHERS BY BOLDLY BRINGING HOPE, SERVING COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND CONNECTING NEW PEOPLE TO FULL LIFE THROUGH OUR COLERAIN TWP. MINISTRY.7www.SHAKENCHURCH.com

WHAT GOD HAS DONE70 BAPTISMS1082WEEKENDATTENDANCE8

56 MISSION TRIP PARTICIPANTS430 KIDS + STUDENTSIN SUMMERDISCIPLESHIP

FAITHFUL AND OBEDIENTWe will continue to be faithful and obedient to where God leads. We are continuing to pray and trust God. We will courageously go where God leads, not because of our might or strength or greatness but relying on His.HOPE AND IMPACTWe will continue to take Jesus to others by using our properties to serve community needs. At our Colerain building we are updating all the rooms on our third oor, installing technology tools to connect our building and consolidating our Kid’s Ministry into one area to create a better functioning space for families and community partners.NEXT BIG THINGOur White Oak Leadership is already considering the next big thing that God is leading us to do in our communities for reaching more people and connecting them to Full Life in Jesus. As we focus on paying down the debt of the Ross building, we’ll be freed up to go when God says go!www.SHAKENCHURCH.comWHEREWE AREGOING10

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?THROUGHOUT THE LAST TWELVE MONTHS, GOD HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS THROUGH WHITE OAK AS A CHURCH AND THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS HERE AT WHITE OAK. GOD HAS GIVEN US EVERY REASON TO TRUST HIM, AND WE RESPOND BY HONORING HIM WITH OUR FIRST AND OUR BEST.12

NEW COMMITMENTMaybe you are newer to our church family here at White Oak. SHAKEN is for anyone who calls White Oak their church home. Our primary goal is that we would have 100% engagement, that’s everyone anticipating and participating in what God is doing in our lives, our church, and our communities. We invite you to consider making a twelve month generosity commitment to SHAKEN.FINISH STRONGOthers made a commitment one year ago, and perhaps for some of us, the journey has been dicult. Maybe you went to a completely new level in your generosity and are still adjusting your life to your commitment. Maybe you have experienced job loss, job change, or unexpected nancial expenses. We know the Lord is faithful. He will provide, and we want to nish strong in our SHAKEN commitments.INCREASESome of us made our SHAKEN commitment one year ago, and it is possible that we had an increase in faith or nances. Keeping that commitment has not been easy and has likely required a lot of sacrice. However, you may be sensing the Lord stretching you to take an additional step of faith in your generosity. We challenge those of you to respond to His generosity by increasing your commitment. Generosity is not a one-time event; it is a journey. Consider asking yourself these questions: Am I still giving in a way that challenges me? Am I still trusting Him? Pray and ask yourself if He is inviting you into another step of faith with an increased commitment.13www.SHAKENCHURCH.com

COMMITMENT CARDEXAMPLEWE WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE THEIR NEXT STEP IN FOLLOWING JESUS AND GROWING IN GENEROSITY. IF EVERYONE ENGAGES AND TAKES THEIR NEXT STEP, THEN OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS ACCOMPLISHED.WE’VE INCLUDED AN EXAMPLE SO YOU CAN BEGIN TO PRAY ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT AND WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR YOUR JOURNEY WITH GOD AS WE APPROACH THE MIDPOINT OF THE SHAKEN JOURNEY. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO THINK AND PRAY THROUGH YOUR COMMITMENT.WE WILL PROVIDE A NEW HARD COPY ON COMMITMENT WEEKEND, NOVEMBER 19.WE ARE TRUSTING GOD FOR THIS AMOUNT TO COVER ALL OUR EXPENSES FOR TWO YEARS. THIS INCLUDES FUNDING BOTH OUR ONGOING GENERAL BUDGET AND MINISTRY EXPANSION AT ALL OUR CAMPUSES. THIS IS A ONE FUND INITIATIVE.PRIMARY GOAL 100% ENGAGEMENTSECONDARY GOAL $6.2 MILLION *DEC 2022-DEC 202414

1515LAST FALL, WE SET TWO, BIG GOD SIZED GOALS THROUGH SHAKEN: » 100% engagement in generosity from the people who call White Oak their church home. » $6.2 million dollars in giving over two years at White Oak.SINCE WE MADE OUR COMMITMENTS, WHITE OAK HAS SEEN THE FOLLOWING: » 70 people surrender their lives to Jesus in baptism. » Our loan on the Ross Twp. Campus building go from the original loan amount of $4,514,606 to under $3.5 million! Because of this, we’ve been able to save $1,152,172 of interest on the life of the loan.WE INVITE YOU TO CONTINUE OR JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY OF DEEPER TRUST WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER29 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 A er they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all fi lled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.Acts 4:29–31 (NIV)GOD IS USING YOUR BOLD GENEROSITY TO SHAKE UP OUR COMMUNITIES$$$I AM/WE ARE NEW TOI AM/WE ARE ALREADY COMMITTED TOI/We would like to make a twelve month commitment to the SHAKEN initiative in the amount ofIncrease my/our two-year total commitment toCon rm my/our commitment to  nish strong.At the midpoint of SHAKEN, I/we would like toMy/Our current two-year total commitment is* This includes any regular giving over the next twelve months,(December 2023-2024) as well as any expanded giving and stored resources.*December 2022-2024

Journey of a GiverAN INITIAL GIVERA CONSISTENT GIVERThis tool is designed to help a person move from money being their “god” to money being a tool for God’s kingdom. The Journey of a Giver focuses on behaviors and attitudes of our hearts rather than on amounts or percentages that we give. Each step of the journey represents growth in a lifestyle of generosity and sacrice, further transforming us into the likeness of Jesus. These are not steps you ascend to get to God but simply a way to evaluate your growth in generosity. Scripture encourages us to grow in every facet of our walk with Christ, including the grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7).An Initial Giver is someone who decides to give for the rst time out of a response to God’s Word about giving. This is someone who decides to give something and trust God and the leaders of the Church with this gift. They experience the initial joy of putting Jesus’s words into action (Matthew 7:24).A Consistent Giver is someone who decides to give something and to give it on a consistent basis to exercise the discipline of giving as a disciple of Jesus. Often, someone who decides to make their gift an online recurring gift will be someone who is learning the joy of consistency. Non-online givers can be consistent givers as well of course; it just requires more discipline. They experience the joy of excelling in this grace of giving (2 Corinthians 8:7).16

A PRIORITY GIVERA Priority Giver is someone who understands the pre-eminence of Christ and that He is before all things—that all things were created by Him, for Him, through Him,and to Him. This giver places such a signicant priority on their giving that it drives their spending and their saving, as opposed to their spending and saving driving their giving. They experience the freedom of serving “one master” and declaring Jesus is rst (Matthew 6:19-24 and Colossians 1:15-20).A SURRENDERED GIVERA Surrendered Giver is someone who recognizes that Christ surrendered His whole self for us, and therefore, we desire to surrender our whole selves to Him in love (Ephesians 5:1-2). This giver would say, “My giving is not just changing my spending and saving. It’s also changing me!” They also look at what they’re not giving away and ask, “Is it surrendered too?” This informs how they use everything they’ve been blessed and entrusted with—whether that be through direct monetary giving or through a God-honoring use of an existing resource (e.g., honoring God with the use of your home).AN ETERNAL GIVERAn Eternal Giver is someone who sees the eternal impact of their giving—on them and on others—not just the immediate programs and ministries it helps accomplish. This giver has been captivated by the knowledge that the more they are led to “do good, to be generous, and ready to share,” the more they “take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19). This encourages them to keep growing! They make all decisions (big purchases, savings, giving, relationships, areas of service) in light of how it will aect their eternal impact.17

WHAT TYPE OF SHAKEN EXPERIENCE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?GOODCommit to what is good being a part of the weekend service for the next ve weeks.18

MESSAGES & LIFE GROUP GUIDE(If you have to miss a Sunday service or a Life Group meeting, you can listen to the messages and nd the COURAGEOUS Videos online at SHAKENCHURCH.COM.)BETTERCommit to the better and working through this guide on your own.BEST Commit to the best and to a Life Group for the next four weeks.19

IMPORTANT DATESNOVEMBER 19MIDPOINT COMMITMENTThis is the weekend when everyone who calls White Oak home will celebrate what God is doing in their life by submitting their MIDPOINT Commitment Card. This card is for EVERYONE, not just those new to SHAKEN. An example of this card can be found on page 15.DECEMBER 3REVEAL + BIG GIVEThis weekend is an opportunity to give in a big way. Whether your gift represents your rst gift toward SHAKEN, a larger percentage of your overall commitment, or the continuation of yourSHAKEN generosity, the Reveal + Big Give weekend will act as a starting line for year two of SHAKEN.20

LIFE GROUP INSTRUCTIONSWhether you are going through this study in a group or on your own, these tips will help you get the most out of this study.LIFE GROUP VIDEO: Life Group videos can be found at WWW.SHAKENCHURCH.COM/RESOURCESWatch the video when instructed in this Life Group Guide. GATHER Everyone participates, by choosing one of the two questions from this section to answer. This is a place to help the group connect with one another.GROW With questions designed to help process the theme for the week in it’s biblical context. And an accompanying video this is the bulk of your group time together. GO Once we’ve gathered and grown, we must go. Participants should choose at least one action step to live out what we’ve learned.21

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUSBIG IDEAKEY VERSESWHAT DO I WANT TO REMEMBER?WHAT QUESTIONS DO I HAVE?WHAT NEXT STEP WILL I TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE? WEEK 1 MESSAGE NOTESMESSAGE22

FOCUSWhen God says move, we move. We can trust Him with the future because He has been faithful in the past. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9Please share your answer to ONE of the following questions. (10 minutes) » Do you have a good memory? Share about a time when your memory helped you or failed you. » What are “helps” you use to remember things? How well do they work?WATCH VIDEO “Remember.” (7 minutes)Since the time of Abraham, God had been promising His people, the Israelites, that He had prepared a land for them to live. After he rescues them from Egypt, He gives them the Law on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) and then says it’s time to go to the land He’d promised them. Read Moses’s summary of what happened found in Deuteronomy 1:19-36.BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUSWEEK 1 LIFE GROUP GUIDELIFE GROUP23

Read Deuteronomy 1:19-36. (15 minutes)1. The Israelites would not enter the land the Lord was giving them. What were they afraid of? 2. What had the Lord done for them that they were forgetting? 3. How can remembering the good from your past (successes, help received, fears that never materialized, unexpected but good outcomes) help you overcome fears that you’re facing today? Now after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites once again stand on the edge of the Promised Land. Moses, their leader, has died, and God appoints Joshua to replace him. Read Joshua 1:1-9. (10 minutes)4. God repeatedly told Joshua to be “strong and courageous.” On what promises was God asking Joshua to base his courage? 24

5. When you are facing a dicult or frightening task or situation, do you nd your courage and strength in your own abilities and resources, or does your courage and strength come from your trust in God? Place yourself on the scale. In smaller groups of 2-3, answer questions 6-8. (15 minutes)6. Share the reasons for where you put yourself on the scale. 7. Which of these could help you move closer to a 5? Put a check next to your choice and then share it.  Remember what God has done for me in the past. Write it down so I can read it often.  Talk to another believer about why their trust in God is high. Create a reminder for myself of what I learned.  Release control over my life and ask God to lead me instead. This might require getting professional help to address my general issues of anxiety or trust OR asking someone who seems to do it well to help me grow in this.  Explore one or more of these trust-growing truths in the Bible. Consider asking someone to do this with me: » How God provides for His people over and over again.1 2 53 4Trust GodTrust Myself25

» God’s incredible power to fulll His will in His people’s lives. » The deep and unconditional love God has for me.  Is there something else? 8. What are you facing now that is an opportunity for you to rely on and trust God more? Come back together as a large group for the remaining questions. (10 minutes)9. On your Shaken journey this past year, share how you have been challenged to trust God instead of yourself. (If you haven’t yet started your Shaken journey, share an example from your life in general.) 26

Choose one or more of the following activities to do this week that will help you grow in trusting God and responding when He asks you to move. The group will spend a few minutes next week checking in with each other on how the activities went. (3 minutes)APPLICATION:  Read Psalm 145 to remind yourself why God is trustworthy. Make a list of the “wondrous works” He’s done in your life.MEDITATION:  Think about and then memorize Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”ONE ANOTHERING:  Get with a member from your group or another friend to pray for each other for courage to face a dicult task as you trust in God rather than yourself.SHAKEN:  Demonstrate a growing trust in God by doing one of the following: » Staying faithful to the commitment you have made. » Responding to God’s nudging to increase your trust in him as you increase your commitment. » Joining the Shaken journey with a bold step of faith in your nancial giving.27

WEEK 2 MESSAGE NOTESMESSAGEBIG IDEAKEY VERSESWHAT DO I WANT TO REMEMBER?WHAT QUESTIONS DO I HAVE?WHAT NEXT STEP WILL I TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE? TAKING RISKS28

TAKING RISKSFOCUS:Saying “yes” to God is a risky choice because it costs you everything. But it is the best choice because it also gives you everything. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15Break into smaller groups and talk about your experiences with the GO activities from last week. (10 minutes) » Which activity did you choose and how did it go? » If you didn’t choose one, which one appealed to you the most? What would help you to give it a try this week? WATCH VIDEO “Choose.” (8 minutes)Joshua and the Israelites are poised to step into the land God had promised them. Once again, though, they send spies into the area before entering themselves.Read Joshua 2:1-24. (15 minutes)WEEK 2 LIFE GROUP GUIDELIFE GROUP29

1. As a group, identify all the decisions that were made in this account. 2. There were risks involved with every decision made here. How might the outcomes have been dierent if dierent choices were made? 3. When it comes to decision-making, what are the main factors that you consistently consider? How do these considerations dier for decisions of little consequence versus those that hold greater signicance? At the end of Joshua’s life, he calls the people together to share with them his nal words of exhortation and encouragement. He challenges them to choose who or what they will build their future on.Read Joshua 24:14-18. (10 minutes)4. What decision is Joshua calling the people to make? What are their options? 30

5. Look again at Joshua 24:14 in several dierent translations (e.g., NIV, ESV, NLT, NKJV, MSG). List the dierent words the translators use to express how the people are to serve the Lord. 6. What does it look like to serve the Lord like this? Consider lifestyle, priorities, inuence, generosity, relationships, character, and legacy. Choosing to serve the Lord comes with risk. The gains of making this choice can be many, but it can also come with loss. Break into smaller groups of 4-5 for questions 7-8. (15 minutes)7. Read the passages and ll in the chart with the losses and gains that come with following Jesus:Look up the passageWhat can you lose by following Christ?What can you gain by following Christ?Matthew 16:24-26Philippians 3:3-11Colossians 3:1-431

8. How have you experienced this sense of “loss” and “gain” in your own life of following Jesus? Come back together as a large group. (10 minutes)9. In your Shaken journey, what are some “earthly things” you have sacriced in order to gain “things from above”? (If you aren’t on the Shaken journey yet, what “earthly things” would be hard for you to lose?) Choose one or more of the following activities to do this week that will help you demonstrate your choice to follow Jesus with your whole life. The group will spend a few minutes next week checking in with each other on how the activities went. (3 minutes)APPLICATION:  Create a list of daily practical decisions you want to make that demonstrate your choice to serve God with total commitment. Follow this pattern: “Others may . . . but I will choose . . .” Here are some examples: » “Others may occasionally read the Bible, but I will choose to spend daily time in the Word.”32

» “Others may attend Sunday worship services sporadically, but I will choose to attend and engage weekly.” » “Others may spend all their time serving themselves, but I will choose to seek out opportunities to serve others.” » “Others may choose to be anxious and worry about things outside of their control, but I will choose to trust God with my future and the people I love.”MEDITATION:  Think about and then memorize Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”ONE ANOTHERING:  Share with someone why you follow Jesus. Help them understand why the “loss” is worth the “gain.”SHAKEN:  Act on your decision to follow and serve Jesus with your whole life by: » Remain steady in your commitment and even make up any that you have neglected. » Increase your commitment as God leads you to risk more for His sake. » Decide to join the Shaken journey as a demonstration of your choice to put God rst.33

THE CROSSINGWEEK 3 MESSAGE NOTESMESSAGEBIG IDEAKEY VERSESWHAT DO I WANT TO REMEMBER?WHAT QUESTIONS DO I HAVE?WHAT NEXT STEP WILL I TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE? 34

MESSAGEFOCUS: When we stray from God’s path, repentance is the only way to get back on it.“Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” Joshua 24:23Break into smaller groups and talk about your experiences with the GO activities from last week. (10 minutes) » Which activity did you choose and how did it go? » If you didn’t choose one, which one appealed to you the most? What would help you to give it a try this week? WATCH VIDEO “Repent.” (7 minutes)God has a plan for the Israelites to enter the Promised Land. Joshua shares that plan and tells the people it’s time for them to execute it.Read Joshua 3:1-17. (15 minutes)LIFE GROUPTHE CROSSINGWEEK 3 LIFE GROUP GUIDE35

1. As a group, identify the steps in God’s plan for the Israelites to cross the Jordan. 2. From the passage and your knowledge of Israel’s history, what motivations do the people have to obey and follow God’s plan? 3. What are some challenges we have in obeying God completely? What are our motivations for obeying Him (or at least trying to)? People often disobey God and wander from His path. That’s the experience of the Israelites throughout their history. We read last week Joshua’s call to the people to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. This week we’ll look at their answer.Read Joshua 24:16-18. (12 minutes)4. What answer did the people give and what were their reasons? 36

Now read Joshua’s response to them in 24:19-24.5. Joshua is laying out some serious consequences if the people pollute their relationship with God by worshipping foreign gods as well. Why do you think a divided heart matters so much to God? 6. What might it look like for the Israelites to repent of the foreign gods they’ve adopted and return to wholehearted devotion to God? It’s true for us, too, that our hearts can be divided and we can stray from God’s path. We are surrounded by counterfeit gods that vie for our attention and hearts. 37

Break into smaller groups of 4-5 to read the following and answer questions 7-8. (15 minutes)Read this quote from Tim Keller on his denition of idols:What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.…An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I‘ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.” There are many ways to describe that kind of relationship to something, but perhaps the best one is worship.—Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Maers, (xvii).Name some idols in our culture.How do they draw people away from God?7. What is an idol that you struggle with? 8. What might repentance from this idol and returning to God’s path look like? 38

Come back together as a large group. (10 minutes)9. In your Shaken journey, what idols in our culture make it hard to stay faithful to your commitment? (If you aren’t on the Shaken journey yet, what idols make it hard to make a commitment?) Joshua called his community to “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” To close out your time together, have someone read Solomon’s prayer for his people in 1 Kings 8:57-61 as a prayer for the group.Choose one or more of the following activities to do this week that will help you consider needs for repentance in your life. The group will spend a few minutes next week checking in with each other on how the activities went. (3 minutes)APPLICATION:  Sit down with yourself or your family and inventory the past week. Is there anything that requires your repentance? Take steps to “incline your heart back to God.” » What took up your time? » Where did your resources and money go? » What situations took your focus and attention away from Jesus? » What idols do you serve?39

MEDITATION:  Think about and then memorize Joshua 24:23, “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”ONE ANOTHERING:  Join with a few people to read Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller, and then help each other address the issues the book brings up for you.SHAKEN:  Do you need to repent of anything in this initiative and turn back toward God? » Are you remaining faithful to the commitment you’ve made? » Are you holding back when God is calling you to give more? » Are you resisting God by not participating in providing nancially for His work around you?40

WEEK 4 MESSAGE NOTESMESSAGEBIG IDEAKEY VERSESWHAT DO I WANT TO REMEMBER?WHAT QUESTIONS DO I HAVE?WHAT NEXT STEP WILL I TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE? THE TESTIMONY41

THE TESTIMONYWEEK 4 LIFE GROUP GUIDELIFE GROUPFOCUS: Our lives are a witness to the covenant we have with Jesus. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Joshua 4:24Break into smaller groups and talk about your experiences with the GO activities from last week.(10 minutes) » Which activity did you choose and how did it go? » If you didn’t choose one, which one appealed to you the most? What would help you to give it a try this week? WATCH VIDEO “Witness.” (7 minutes)The Israelites are nally crossing the Jordan River. On the other side they will set foot in the Promised Land for the rst time. Under Joshua’s guidance God directs His people to set up a memorial so they can remember what He had done for them this day.Read Joshua 4:1-24. (15 minutes)42

1. What elements made this memorial meaningful for the Israelites? 2. What are the benets to remembering important things that have happened? Share any specic ways you do that for yourself or your family. In Joshua 24, Joshua is not calling the people to create a new covenant with God; he’s calling them to return to the covenant they’ve already made. Moses reminds them of this covenant as he prepares them to enter the Promised Land.Read Deuteronomy 7:6-16. (5 minutes)3. In the covenant between God and His people, what was each side committing to? The people declare to Joshua that they will recommit to the covenant. But despite their enthusiasm and the memorial they erected to remember it, their commitment doesn’t last.Read Joshua 24:24-25 and Judges 2:6-13. (5 minutes)43

4. Why do you think the people’s commitment was so short-lived? Name as many reasons as you can based on what you know of Israel’s history and human nature. Christians have a similar covenant with Jesus. Let’s look at it. Break into groups of 5-6 for questions 5-6. Assign two or three passages to each person in your small group. Have them look for the answers to the questions and write them down (see the examples provided). When the group is ready have them share their answers with each other. (15 minutes)5. What is Jesus’s side of the covenant?John 1:1-12He gives us the right to become God’s children.John 14:26-27Romans 8:1-2Ephesians 1:7-10Ephesians 1:13-14Ephesians 2:1, 4-5Revelation 21:1-544

6. What is the believer’s side of the covenant?Matthew 28:18-20Make disciples in Jesus’ name, baptizing and teaching them.John 14:15John 15:4Acts 2:38Romans 10:9Ephesians 4:1-3Ephesians 4:22-24Galatians 5:13-14Galatians 5:161 Timothy 6:17-18Come back together in the large group. (15 minutes)It’s reassuring to know that Jesus will never be unfaithful to His side of the covenant because that’s His nature. We struggle with faithfulness on our side because that’s our nature. But Jesus’s work on the cross covers that for us, too. His grace is both the foundation of the covenant we have with Him and our motivation to stay committed to it. 45

7. What practices do you have that help you stay committed to your side of the covenant? 8. Our practices are witnesses to our covenant with Jesus. Some of our practices are done with others. How do these corporate practices make an impact as a witness to others of our faith? » Baptism » Communion » Sunday Worship Service » Loving one another » What We Believe statement (See White Oak’s What We Believe statement on the website under I’m New/Who We Are) 9. In our Shaken journey, how do you think our giving and generosity will serve as a witness to those who come after us—in our families and in our church? 46

Choose one or more of the following activities to do this week that will help you stay committed to your side of your covenant with Jesus. (3 minutes)APPLICATION:  Choose a “covenant reminder” that will help you remember your commitment to Jesus. Place this reminder in a prominent place in your home or workplace. Every time you see it, pause to celebrate the covenant relationship you have with Him. ***If you have not yet established a covenant with Jesus, identify what’s holding you back. Seek out someone to help answer your questions.*** MEDITATION:  Think about and memorize Joshua 4:24, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” ONE ANOTHERING:  Get together with other believers and spend time talking about your covenant with Jesus. Share celebrations of what Jesus is doing in your lives. Share struggles you’re having to stay faithful to your side of the covenant. Pray for each other. End your time with singing your praise and thanksgiving to Jesus for always being faithful to His side of the covenant. 47

SHAKEN:  Think about the commitment you’ve made to Shaken. Does it represent a good witness to your covenant with Jesus? » If your commitment IS a good witness to your covenant then determine to remain faithful to it to the end. » If you feel your commitment IS NOT a good witness to your covenant, then what changes do you need to make? » If you have NOT YET joined the Shaken journey, take time to evaluate if stepping into a Shaken commitment will more accurately reect the covenant you and Jesus share.48

SHAKEN TO GENEROSITYWEEK 5 MESSAGE NOTESMESSAGEBIG IDEAKEY VERSESWHAT DO I WANT TO REMEMBER?WHAT QUESTIONS DO I HAVE?WHAT NEXT STEP WILL I TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THIS MESSAGE? 49

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