About the Author
Steven T. Norris has served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Griffin since May of 2020. In addition to ministry, he loves music, photography, hiking, books, and good coffee. He is married to Michelle and they have two amazing boys.
Question...
How are you investing your life in the Kingdom of God right now?
First Baptist Church of Griffin, GA was founded in 1841. At the heart of 180 years of faithful service to our community lies certain core commitments that animate our common life together. This book represents an attempt to identify the DNA that lies at the heart of our calling to be “A Community of Grace.” We believe that grace calls us to a concrete way of living in community with one another — one centered on welcome, worship, discipleship, service, and generosity. As we explore the implications of these commitments, it is our sincere hope that this book might assist us as we move in harmony to the rhythms of God’s grace.
Steven Norris discusses his book in the video below.
Reflection Questions
At the close of each chapter in A Community of Grace, you will find reflection questions. Those questions have been provided here, as well, to assist in group discussions about the ideas.
Reflection Questions: A Community of Grace
Once you have read the chapter, take a few minutes to answer these reflection questions.
- When you hear the word grace, what ideas and images immediately pop into your head? Take some time to unpack that for yourself.
- Who are the people that have shaped your understanding of what it means to live a grace-filled life? How did they model that grace in their own lives?
- How has your understanding of grace been impacted by the thoughts and descriptions of this chapter? What will you do differently as a result?
- What do you think a grace-filled community would be like? What characteristics and actions would definitely be involved? What characteristics and actions would definitely be absent?
Reflection Questions: ...a grace that welcome openly
After reading the chapter, take a few moments to answer these reflection questions.
- When have you gone into a situation where you felt like a complete outsider? What was that experience like? What emotions do you remember feeling?
- By contrast, how have you experienced God’s welcome through a church or faith community? How did that make you feel?
- How have you experienced exclusion from those in the church or faith community?
- Are there any people or groups of people that you would find difficult to welcome openly? Why?
Reflection Questions: ...a grace that worships authentically
Once you have read the chapter, take a few minutes to answer these reflection questions.
- Early in the chapter, we looked at a number of different definitions for worship. Which one of them resonated most deeply with you? How would you define worship in your own words?
- How have you been shaped by your experiences in worship throughout your life?
- Of the three characters in the scriptural story (Uzzah, David, and Michal), which one resonates with you and your own journey? How is God challenging you with their example?
- One of the temptations discussed in this chapter is the temptation to look at “those people” and how they worship. Who are “those people” to you? What worship expressions have you struggled to appreciate in your own journey?
Reflection Questions: ...a grace that grows continually
Once you have read the chapter, take a few minutes to answer these reflection questions.
- Where can you see evidence of growth in your own faith journey? How are you different today from who you were when you began your journey with Christ?
- What habits or practices are you cultivating to intentionally grow in your faith?
- How are you centering your life around the person and teachings of Jesus?
- What would you say is the “next step” that God is calling you to take in your spiritual journey?
Reflection Questions: ...a grace that serves passionately
Once you have read the chapter, take a few minutes to answer these reflection questions.
- Which approach to faith comes more naturally to you: orthodoxy (right belief) or orthopraxis (right action)? In other words, are you more of a thinker or a doer? How has that tendency impacted your faith journey?
- Go back and read Isaiah 58 in its entirety. What stands out to you about the kind of “fast” (worship) that God wants from us?
- In the chapter, it was suggested that “God doesn’t care so much what you do in worship nearly as much as God cares about what worship does in you.” What is your reaction to that statement? What do you think God is doing in you in regards to your life of service?
- In this chapter, we talked about some tangible ways that grace shows up in the life of the believer. What other actions would you add to that list?
Reflection Questions: ...a grace that gives generously
Once you have read the chapter, take a few minutes to answer these reflection questions.
- Do you find it hard to live out of an abundance mindset as opposed to a scarcity mindset? Why?
- What is your reaction to the idea that an economy of grace is not based on merit? Does that rub up against what you have been taught to believe about the world?
- How have you been tempted to view others through a utilitarian mindset?
- How are you practicing the biblical command of gleaning in your life? How could you take that a step further and sow for the purpose of blessing others?