John Townsend - Friends Study Guide: Encouraging Each Other

ZONDERVAN

Friends Study Guide

Copyright 2015 by The Daniel Plan

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Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

ePub Edition July 2015: ISBN 978-0-310-82351-3

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Cover photography: iStockphoto

Interior photography: Robert Ortiz, Kent Cameron, Don Haynes, Robert Hawkins, Shelly Antol, Matt Armendariz, the PICS Ministry at Saddleback Church, iStockphoto

Interior design: Kait Lamphere

First Printing May 2015

Contents

I am so glad you have joined us for this Daniel Plan study. I am excited for your journey, as I have seen firsthand that change is within reach as you embrace the Daniel Plan lifestyle. This groundbreaking program will equip you with practical tools to bring health into every area of your life. It has been transformative for thousands of people around the world and can be for you as well.

I speak from experience. Ive not only witnessed endless stories of life change but have personally benefited from these Daniel Plan Essentials for many years now. Working full-time with five grown children, including identical triplet girls, I understand what it is like to juggle many priorities and have my health impacted. The key elements of The Daniel Plan have been completely restorative in my life as I have integrated them one step at a time.

As you go through this four-week study, the perfect complement to maximize your success is reading The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life. The book includes a 40-day food and fitness guide, complete with a meal plan, recipes, shopping lists, and exercises that will energize your efforts. It will complement any of The Daniel Plan studies you dive into. There are also numerous articles and free resources on our website (www.danielplan.com), along with a weekly newsletter filled with tools and inspiration to keep you flourishing.

Congratulations on taking the next step to gaining vitality in your life. My prayer is that you will be inspired and fully equipped to continue your journey, and that you will experience a whole new level of wellness in the process. I pray that you will feel Gods presence and will be reenergized to follow all he has planned for you.

For His Glory,

Dee Eastman

Founding Director, The Daniel Plan

There are five video studies in The Daniel Plan series, one for each of the five Essentials (Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends). Each study is four sessions long. The studies may be done in any order. If your group is new, consider starting with the six-week The Daniel Plan Study Guide and companion DVD, which offers an overview of all five Essentials.

GROUP SIZE

Each Daniel Plan video study is designed to be experienced in a group setting such as a Bible study, Sunday school class, or any small group gathering. To ensure that everyone has enough time to participate in discussions, it is recommended that large groups break into smaller groups of four to six people each.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Each participant should have his or her own study guide, which includes notes for video segments, directions for activities, discussion questions, and ideas for personal application between sessions. This curriculum is best used in conjunction with The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life, which includes a complete 40-day food and fitness guide that complements this study.

TIMING

Each session is designed to be completed in 60 to 90 minutes, depending on your setting and the size of your group. Each video is approximately 20 minutes long.

OUTLINE OF EACH SESSION

Each group session will include the following:

Coming Together. The foundation for spiritual growth is an intimate connection with God and his family. A few people who really know you and earn your trust provide a place to experience the life Jesus invites you to live. This opening portion of your meeting is an opportunity to transition from your busy life into your group time.

In youll have a chance to check in with other group members to report praise and progress toward your goals of healthy living. Youll also be able to share how you chose to put the previous sessions insights into practice and what the results were. Theres no pressure for everyone to answer. This is time to get to know each other better and cheer each other on.

Learning Together. This is the time when you will view the video teaching segment. This study guide provides notes on the key points of the video teaching along with space for you to write additional thoughts and questions.

Growing Together. Here is where you will discuss the teaching you watched. The focus will be on how the teaching intersects with your real life.

What I Want to Remember. Youll have a couple of minutes after your discussion to write down one or two key insights from the teaching and discussion that you want to remember.

Better Together. The Daniel Plan is all about transforming the way you actually live. So before you close your meeting in prayer, youll take some time to think about how you might apply what youve discussed. Under Next Steps youll find a list of things you can do to put the sessions insights into practice. Then the Food Tip of the Week offers a bonus video with a great recipe or food idea. It is on your DVD if you want to view it together with your group. It is also available online for you to view on your own during the week. Likewise, the Fitness Move of the Week is a bonus video with a simple exercise you can add to your fitness practices. It, too, is on your DVD and online.

Encourage each other to be specific about one or two things you plan to do each week as next steps. Consider asking someone in the group to be your buddy to hold each other accountable. Create an atmosphere of fun and positive reinforcement.

Praying Together. The group session will close with time for a response to God in prayer, thanking him for what hes doing for you and asking for his help to live out what you have learned. Ideas for group prayer, as well as a written closing prayer, are provided. Feel free to use them or not. Consider having different group members lead the prayer time.