Made for More

Table purpose statement (Share at the start or before the Discovery section):

This group exists for the purpose of discipleship. A disciple is someone who loves and obeys Jesus. (John 14:15) That means our focus is hearing from God and taking steps of faith. Our goal is to multiply another healthy Table. One day, some of you will lead a group like this! 

Table Talk (⅓ of meeting)

• High/ Low/ Buffalo. Briefly share a part of your week that was good, bad, or weird.
• Encounter is October 23-24. Have one or two people share their story of attending Encounter and the impact it made.
• If nobody from your group has attended, use the provided link and watch the video testimonial together. For more info and to register, visit: table.org/encounter

Discussion Guidelines

1. Be deep but brief. Give everyone an opportunity to share.
2. Focus only on what this passage is saying. (This keeps everyone on the same page) 
3. Share from your perspective – we won’t argue or give advice. 
4. Give everyone time to respond. Silence is OK. 
5. The facilitator will facilitate discussion, not teach. 

Discover what God is saying to you. (⅓ of meeting) 

Context: Esther was a young Jewish woman whose people were living in exile under Persian rule. After she lost both of her parents, her cousin Mordecai took her in and raised her as his own daughter. She eventually became queen, and God used her position to help save her people from destruction.

Ask someone to pray and invite the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Read Esther 2:5-20

• What’s the first thing that caught your attention in this story?
• Esther did not choose any of her circumstances. What challenges did she face as a result?
• Where do you see God’s providence or hidden activity in these verses, even though God is not explicitly mentioned?
• Have you ever found yourself in circumstances you did not choose? How did you respond?
• How can we remain faithful to God when our circumstances are outside our control?
• What can Esther’s story teach us about trusting God when we cannot see what He is doing?

Go do it. (⅓ of meeting)

• Is there a situation in your life right now where you need to trust God with the unknown?
• Pray for one another over these situations.
• As you pray for the Empty Chair, who do you know going through a difficult situation that needs a group or faith community?

You may not be able to see what is happening, but God is working.