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.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

Technology makes sure we are more connected than ever, but what about a connection with God? Some of us really want to know God and connect with Him, but don't know how. Others of us have been in relationship with God for a while, but for whatever reason maybe feel a little out of sync.

Jodi finished the series by talking about the different words in the Bible used to describe worship. Worship is what all of creation was designed to do - everything declares the greatness of God. Worship is something we HAVE to do when we see and experience the greatness and goodness o God. But it's also something that helps us retune our hearts and minds to the truth of who God is and how loves us.

CONNECT

Have you been able to sync up with God throughout this series? What has this series taught you about how to connect with God in everyday life?
Do you naturally enjoy the musical worship time during a church service? Is that a natural way for you to connect with God?

DISCOVER

Read Psalm 67:2-7 together.
2 May your ways be known throughout the earth,
your saving power among people everywhere.
3 May the nations praise you, O God.
Yes, may all the nations praise you.
4 Let the whole world sing for joy,
because you govern the nations with justice
and guide the people of the whole world. Interlude
5 May the nations praise you, O God.
Yes, may all the nations praise you.

What Holds You Back
Jodi said that one of the biblical words for worship is "TOWDAH: An extension of the hand. Thanksgiving. A sacrifice of praise. Thanksgiving for things not yet received."
Jodi said that in the Bible, worship is not just an invitation - it's a directive. But it's not always easy to join in and engage in worship with comfort and abandon. What stands in your way when it comes to engaging completely in musical worship?

APPLY

- Significant Moments in Worship
  Have you had any significant, impactful moments during musical worship? If you have, what made them so memorable? If you haven't, what do you think might make a worship moment impactful for you?
Consumer Mindset
Have you found yourself approaching church services as more of a consumer than a worshiper? How does that affect your connection with God?
The Posture of Praise
Jodi said that we have to put ourselves in the posture of praise: to kneel, to bless God as an act of adoration, to praise, to salute, to thank. How do you put yourself in that posture, in that mindset?
Connecting with God this Christmas
Coming up on the holiday season, with all of its busyness and hustle, how can you intentionally connect with God more regularly? What would it take to make sure this Christmas season is full of the right things, not just the urgent things?

READ. PRAY. DO.

Check in on how last week's READ / PRAY / DO went. What did everyone learn about themselves or God by reading, praying, or doing?

READ
- FINISH THE SYNC CHALLENGE - Using a Bible reading tool called SOAP, people at Mission are taking the challenge to connect with God through a Bible reading plan throughout this series. Read all about it at missionventura.com/sync.
PRAY
- Prayer is simply talking honestly to God, in your own words or sometimes words written by others. Try praying this prayer, or something like it, throughout your week:
  - Great, Huge, Incredible God, You are the Key Note of creation. You created everything, and everything exists to give you the glory that you deserve. Help my life be tuned to your greatness, your goodness, and your plan. Give me the courage and perspective to worship you with all of my heart, all of my attention, and all of my mind.
DO
- Pick a song and cement it in your head and heart.
  Pick a song that has had an impact on you, that you've heard at church, that's a part of the SYNC Challenge this week, or anything else. Make sure it's one that speaks plainly of God's greatness, his goodness, his love; one that connects with you on a deep level. Dedicate this week to putting it on repeat so that you can memorize it. Make it your car song. Your running song. Your wake up song. Whatever it takes to sink the words down into you head and heart so that you can have a "new song in (your) mouth, a hymn of praise (tehillah) to our God."

The hands of praise

YADAH: to revere or worship with extended hands. To hold out the hands. To throw a stone.

Psalm 67:3

“May all the peoples praise (yadah) you, God; may all the peoples praise (yadah) you.

The fools of praise

HALAL: to boast. To rave. To shine. To celebrate. To be clamorously foolish.

Psalm 149:3

“Let them praise (halal) his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.”

The music of praise

ZAMAR: To make music. To celebrate in song and music. To touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument.

Psalm 144:9

“I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises (zamar) to You.”

The expectation of praise

TOWDAH: An extension of the hand. Thanksgiving. A sacrifice of praise. Thanksgiving for things not yet received. A choir of worshippers.

Psalm 56:11-12

“In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises (towdah) to You.

The posture of praise

BARAK: To kneel. To bless God as an act of adoration. To praise. To salute. To thank.

Psalm 103:1-2

"Praise (barak) the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name. Praise (barak) the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

The songs of praise

TEHILLAH: A hymn. A song of praise. A new song. A spontaneous song.

Psalm 40:3

“He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise (tehillah) to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.”

The shout of praise

SHABACH: To address in a loud tone. To shout. To commend, glory and triumph.

Psalm 145:4

“One generation will praise (shabach) your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”

Psalms 93:3 (NIV)

The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

Psalms 96:11-12 (NLT)

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise

Psalms 98:8 (NLT)

Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord.

Isaiah 55:12 (NLT)

You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!

Psalms 19:1-4 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Isaiah 43:7

"Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

T.D. Oakes

“In a loud world of dissonance... Worship is our opportunity to re-tune our lives to Christ. It's in worship that we hear again the clear tone of God, remember His goodness, His love and adjust our lives to match Him.

It's just like tuning an instrument or an orchestra you need a key note or tone to "Tune" to for everything to match up, and allow us to play together. That's what worship does. Slows us down, focuses our hearts and lives on the ultimate "Key Note" our Creator, God, Father, Savior.”