Blessed in the Mess: The Costly Call to Peacemaking

  -   November 17, 2024

Use these discussion questions with your small group, friends, family, or for individual reflection.

1. What does shalom mean to you? How do you understand God’s peace in your own life?
2. Have there been times when pursuing peace – whether in relationships, community, or in the world – has cost you something? What was the cost, and what did you learn from that experience? 
3. Joash said, “Peacemaking (restoration) is the core mission of the body of Christ.” What does this look like in practical terms in your life? How do you feel about the idea that peacemaking is not optional for Jesus followers but a core part of our mission?
4. Are you willing to continue (or start) taking risks for peace, justice, and reconciliation in your own life? What would it take for you to make that commitment?
5. The call to peacemaking often involves giving up personal privileges or comforts. How do you currently use your privileges to help others, and what are some practical ways you can be more intentional about this? How can you actively lay down your privileges to bring shalom to others?
6. Reflect on how poverty, injustice, or violence can affect not only a person’s physical well-being but their emotional and spiritual life as well. Can you think of any examples from your own life or history where these forces were linked?
7. Jesus’ teachings often challenge the powers and structures of empire. In your opinion, what are the modern “empires” that contribute to division and oppression in the world today? How can we, as individuals and a church community, resist these forces and work toward shalom?
8. Reflecting on the statistics and efforts of organizations like IJM, what role do you think the global and local church (and individuals) have in advocating for justice in places of extreme injustice? How can you personally contribute to this work of peace and justice?
9. What steps will you take this week to find your shalom?

These questions are connected to the message, Blessed in the Mess: The Costly Call to Peacemaking from Sunday, Nov 17, 2024.