Small Group Guide: Week of 9/21
To view this guide as a PDF, click here.
Acts of the Spirit: The Name Above Every Other Name
This week’s guest preacher is Reverend Thomas Bowen, a nationally recognized leader in faith engagement and social justice. He served as Senior Advisor for Faith Engagement at The White House (in the Biden-Harris Administration) and now serves as Interim Assistant Pastor and Earl L. Harrison Minister of Social Justice at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, DC. He is the Founder of EngageFaith and a Founding Partner of Black Diary 1887, a cultural initiative uplifting Black legacy and storytelling.
Acts 19:21-41 (CEB)
21 Once these things had come to an end, Paul, guided by the Spirit, decided to return to Jerusalem, taking a route that would carry him through the provinces of Macedonia and Achaia. He said, “After I have been there, I must visit Rome as well.” 22 He sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he remained awhile in the province of Asia.
23 At that time a great disturbance erupted about the Way. 24 There was a silversmith named Demetrius. He made silver models of Artemis’ temple, and his business generated a lot of profit for the craftspeople. 25 He called a meeting with these craftspeople and others working in related trades and said, “Friends, you know that we make an easy living from this business. 26 And you can see and hear that this Paul has convinced and misled a lot of people, not only in Ephesus but also throughout most of the province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands aren’t really gods. 27 This poses a danger not only by discrediting our trade but also by completely dishonoring the great goddess Artemis. The whole province of Asia—indeed, the entire civilized world—worships her, but her splendor will soon be extinguished.”
28 Once they heard this, they were beside themselves with anger and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 The city was thrown into turmoil. They rushed as one into the theater. They seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from the province of Macedonia. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the assembly, but the disciples wouldn’t allow him. 31 Even some officials of the province of Asia, who were Paul’s friends, sent word to him, urging him not to risk going into the theater. 32 Meanwhile, the assembly was in a state of confusion. Some shouted one thing, others shouted something else, and most of the crowd didn’t know why they had gathered. 33 The Jews sent Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd directed their words toward him. He gestured that he wanted to offer a defense before the assembly, 34 but when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” This continued for about two hours.
35 The city manager brought order to the crowd and said, “People of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you must calm down. Don’t be reckless. 37 The men you brought here have neither robbed the temple nor slandered our goddess. 38 Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftspeople with him have a charge against anyone, the courts are in session and governors are available. They can press charges against each other there. 39 Additional disputes can be resolved in a legal assembly. 40 As for us, we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since we can’t justify this unruly gathering.” 41 After he said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Opening Discussion
Introductions & check-in
Introductions: Have small group members introduce themselves and share if they are new or returning members.
Icebreaker suggestion: What is your current season song (hype song, fight song, theme song, etc)?
High/Low exercise
Go around the group giving each member a chance to share highs and lows. Feel free to use a different check-in structure if helpful.
Additionally or alternatively, you can invite the group to share a word or phrase to describe how they’re coming into the group this week.
Orienting to the group
Spend a few minutes orienting folks to the small group.
Share your vision/hopes, and identify discipleship as the purpose of the small group and the aim of keeping Christ at the center.
It may be helpful for newer folks to hear about the history of the group.
Share your plan for the fall (bible study, following the sermon series, reading a book, etc.).
Share any established community care practices, expectations, or discussion guidelines. Consider inviting the group into conversation, asking for feedback or additional suggestions. (Find more on community care practices here.)
Digging Deeper
Beginning of the Semester
Including the same questions from last week. Take some time to reflect with your small group, looking back at the summer and looking forward to the fall. Invite members to share as they are comfortable.
Although the fall comes towards the end of the year, it is often a season of new beginnings. As you look towards the last 4 months of 2025 and a potential new season ahead:
How would you describe your summer?
What is hopeful for as you look ahead?
What are you grieving as you look behind?
Other questions to consider for sharing:
What are you hoping for this small group semester?
Where are you now, where do you hope to be in your spiritual journey at the end of the year?
How would you describe your current pace of life? When, or in what season of your life would you say you lived at a pace that felt life-giving? What did that pace look like?
This Week’s Sermon
Consider reading this week’s text aloud. (Options: listen to it read aloud on an app/YouTube; one person in the group reads; each person in the group reads a section or a few verses).
From Sunday’s sermon:
What resonated with you?
What comforted/challenged you?
Did you learn something new?
What might the Spirit be prompting you to remember and consider?
Read Acts 19:21-34.
In these verses, the crowd was loud and confused, with many not even know why they were there. Where do you see parallels to that kind of confusion and noise in our context?
When the noise is loud around you, what helps you center into God’s voice and seek light rather than just heat?
Reverend Bowen reminded us that confusion is a weapon of the enemy. As a church community, what would it look like to stay rooted in the way of Jesus and address the issues of our context without being swept up in cultural chaos?
We are reminded in verse 21 that Paul is guided by the Spirit in his movements.
How is this good news for us? For you?
Where are you seeing the Spirit guide in and around you?
Reverend Bowen said, “Idols must always be defended…idols must be carried, but Jesus carries us.”
Where do you see this contrast playing out today?
How does the Spirit empower us not just to resist idols but to speak truth to power with love and courage?
We are encouraged this week to call on the name of Jesus.
When you hear the phrase “in Jesus’ name”, what comes to mind? How have you experienced or understood that in your own faith?
What’s the difference between simply saying Jesus’ name and actually acting or praying in alignment with who Jesus is? What does that look like?
Prayer
Praying for one another regularly is an essential part of small groups. You’re welcome to design your gathering however you’d like, but encourage you to include prayer time each week.
Prayer Requests
Give the group a chance to share prayer requests. If it’s helpful, utilize categories like praises/requests.
Spend time praying for one another and the requests made.
Depending on the group size, it can be helpful to break into smaller groups to share requests and pray for one another.
Some groups use prayer partners throughout a semester.
Community Updates
Miner PTO
Christ City is working with Miner Elementary to provide childcare during their monthly Tuesday PTO meetings. This allows Miner parents to attend and be engaged at the school and in their child’s education.
We’re hoping small groups can mobilize to provide childcare from 5:45-7:30p. Christ City will provide craft materials and pizza! Once you choose a week with your group, sign up HERE.
Missional Grants
The vision behind Missional Grants is to provide funding for neighborhood outreach efforts that those within the Christ City Church community feel led to initiate, support, engage, or elevate. The aim of this is to spark a movement of neighbor and neighborhood blessing that emerges from within the Christ City Church family. We want to empower you - those that call Christ City home - to be agents of God’s Kingdom in your communities and neighborhoods and we see Missional Grants as a tool - not the only tool - but a tool for that.
If you want to
Host a block party or neighborhood cookout
Provide a meal, or needed items for a neighbor in need (elderly, new parents, etc).
Put together care packages for neighbors experiencing homelessness
Hold front porch concert with neighborhood musicians
Sponsor a neighborhood clean up / clean up along Anacostia Trail
Resource the local community garden
Support back to school needs for your children’s school
Or some other idea that the Spirit has been beckoning you towards…we want to encourage you to apply for a Missional Grant. Encourage those in your small group to consider what they can do in their community and have small groups serve together!
You can find a flyer with additional information and links to the application out on the hospitality table. And you can apply at: go.ChristCityDC.org/MissionalGrants.
