• Welcome everyone and particularly any newcomers this week.
• Remind each other of the vision of CIS and the purpose of the weekly group meeting. (Consider using CIS videos and resources to keep this fresh each week).

1. In pairs look back on your week of sport and discuss how last week’s group meeting helped you. Follow up with anything people asked for prayer about.
2. In pairs share prayer points for the week of sport ahead and spend time praying for each other.

Some weeks pray more widely for other clubs and teams in your university which are not represented in the group. Alternatively, you can also use the CIS prayer diary to pray for the whole mission of CIS.

You might also want to use this slot to discuss and plan your evangelistic event for the term and pray specifically about it.

Week 10 | Power of a Mighty God

Introduction

As we Pray Play Say Together as a group this session will help us understand how God is the only one with the power to open our sports friends eyes to see Jesus for who he is.

Read

Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

Reflect

How do these verses help us understand what only God can do in salvation?

Explain

In this passage Paul helps us see clearly what our role is in evangelism and what God does in peoples hearts when they come to trust in him. Paul talks about how his role is simply to present the truth plainly not leaving anything out, preaching Christ and not himself and being honest and genuine as he does this. However ultimately it is God who brings people to salvation (v6). Remember what happened when He said ‘let there be light’, in Genesis 1? There was light! In the same way, Paul helps us see that as someone hears the Gospel, God will powerfully shine his light in their hearts in order to see Jesus for who he truly is.

Knowing this truth can humble us and reassure us. Your friends salvation does not depend on you, rather we must faithfully hold out the truth of the gospel to them and then pray for God to graciously open their eyes to see it clearly for what it is. That’s why we are described as jars of clay (v7), who have been given this beautiful treasure of the Gospel to share with our friends in our sports clubs. All the glory goes to God because he has the power to save.

Discuss

1. How does knowing God’s role in salvation encourage you to pray more?
2. How can you ensure you are clear and faithful in sharing the gospel with your sports friends?
3. How might we lose sight of this truth and approach evangelism differently?

Pray

• Praise God for his power and authority over every human heart and every salvation story.
• Ask God to shine his light into the hearts of your friends in your sports club.
• Pray for opportunities to hold out the truth of the gospel to someone in your sports club this week, and trust God to be working in their heart.

Update everyone on the key messages for the week. These might include:

• Sharing the student sign up link
• Promoting your evangelistic event for the term
• Plugging New Year Training
• Reminding people about carol services and other events the group can make use of.

Share these resources with your group at the end or immediately after the meeting to encourage them.

Listen

Can I really do "all things" in God's strength?

Watch

What's our role in speaking about our faith in Jesus?

Read

What is my role in pointing sportspeople to Jesus?