We read this statement together before every group discussion! It helps transition the group to discussion time, it reaffirms our highest values, and sets a tone of trust, consistency, and safety for everyone in the group.

We are a group of imperfect people pursuing a perfect God. We exist to help each other find and follow Christ. These are some things we want to be true of our group:

We create a safe and honest environment, staying transparent and authentic.
We keep it inside the circle. Confidentiality is necessary for a healthy group.
We look together to the Bible for help and guidance, and keep out our own politics, sales, or agendas.
We do not try to fix each other, preach sermons, or give unsolicited advice. We instead encourage, listen to, and celebrate each other.
We handle conflict between us quickly and honestly by going to the person, owning our part, and practicing forgiveness.
We respect each others’ time by starting and ending when we say we will.
We trust that it is God’s role to change people, not ours.
We believe that in Jesus Christ, there is hope for everyone.

We all wear labels. We're labeled by others, ourselves, our accomplishments and also our failures. Some labels we wear with pride; others with shame. But when we start to see ourselves as God sees us, things really start to change.

CONNECT

What's your favorite movie or story about redemption or freedom?
When in your life have you felt most free?

DISCOVER

Read Galatians 5:1 (NLT) together.
“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

Because of Jesus, we are set free from the need to uphold God's perfect law to be in good standing with Him. What does it tell you about humankind to know that so much of the New Testament is telling churches to "stay free"?

APPLY

Like the story of the Shawshank Redemption that Jodi talked about, what "crap have you crawled through" to get to freedom?
Jesus doesn't give us another chance to get our lives right... He makes us completely new. Why is being made new so different than being given a second chance? What does it mean to you to be made new?
In Romans 6 Paul says that we become slaves to whatever we choose to obey. What masters have you been a slave to throughout your life? When did you start to realize it?
Jodi said that we are free TO serve a new master and become slaves TO righteousness instead of sin. How would thinking of yourself as a slave to righteousness impact your day-to-day life?
Once we are set free by God, we often get comfortable and try to live free without God's help. Have you done this before? In what areas of your life do you go back to trying on your own instead of asking God for help?
Jodi said that to walk free, we need a few new pairs of shoes:
- slippers (the first thing we put on in the morning, surrendering our day to God right away)
- flip-flops (to relax in the truth that God is for us, loves us, and is with us)
- dancing shoes (we need to celebrate all that God is doing in our lives)
- cleats (so we can be ready to fight, together, against our enemy, who tries to derail us)
- everyday shoes (unique shoes that are just like you, so we can be exactly who God made us to be)
Which shoes do you need to introduce into your life? How would they help you live free?

EXPERIENCE (FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK)

Pick a shoe and create one new habit around it. Whether it's surrendering to God first thing in the morning, celebrating, relaxing, or anything else, introduce one new habit to reinforce the fact that we are free!
Jodi read almost all of Romans 6 to tell our story of freedom! Sit down and read it this week, all the way through. Underline the things we are set free FROM, and circle the things we are set free TO BECOME. Then thank God... because it's a great list of freedom!

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.”

— Ephesians 1:3-7

* Chosen
* Forgiven
* Free

Set Free from Law

Galatians 5:1
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1 (NLT)
“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Set Free from Punishment

Romans 3:23-25
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.”

Set Free from the Power of Sin

Romans 6:6-7
“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Set Free from Death

Romans 6:8-11
“And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.”

Living Free with a New Identity

2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Living Free with a New Master

Romans 6:12-14
"Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace."

Galatians 3:3
“Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”

Philippians 2:13
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

Living Free with New Desires

Romans 6:15-18
"Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living."

John 10:10 (NIV)
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Living Free with a New way

Romans 6:20- 22
“Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.”