Max Lucado - Come Thirsty DVD Study Leaders Guide

COME
THIRSTY
LEADERS GUIDE

RECEIVE WHAT YOUR SOUL LONGS FOR

Based on the book by
MAX LUCADO

2008 by Max Lucado

The publishers are grateful to Kate Etue for her writing skills and collaboration in developing the content for this book.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from New Century Version. Copyright 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-4185-3389-2

Printed in the United States of America
08 09 10 11 12 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE PRAYER OF
THE THIRSTY

Lord, I come thirsty. I come to drink, to receive.
I receive your work on the cross and in your resurrection.
My sins are pardoned and my death is defeated.
I receive your energy.
Empowered by your Holy Spirit, I can do all things
through Christ who gives me strength.
I receive your lordship. I belong to you.
Nothing comes to me that hasnt passed through you.
And I receive your love. Nothing can separate me from your love.
Amen.

Week 1: Introduction and Chapter 1

Week 2: Chapters 25

Week 3: Chapters 69

Week 4: Chapters 1013

Week 5: Chapters 1416

Week 6: Chapter 17

Over the next six weeks youll be leading a group of peopleyour peers, your friends, your fellow believers on a journey to the WELL of God. This will be a time to grow. To share. To become community, in the true sense of the word.

Each week your group will come together prepared we hope!to discuss the life-changing truths in Come Thirsty. The Participants Guide is formatted to start with some reading and preparatory study at home, then moves into group discussion starters based on the books themes.

The READ sections of each chapter explain what to read at home and give a brief summary of the main points in those chapters. The REFLECT sections are intended to get you into the Word and study a bit on the topic before the discussion starts. That way everyone will be a bit more informed and will have had time to think deeply about these concepts before talking them over with the group. And the DISCUSS sections are just thatdiscussion questions for you to explore together as a group. Finally, well leave you with some ideas for continuing the application of these truths in the WRAP UP section at the end of each chapter.

Here are some more tips for getting your group off to a great start:

Create a physical environment thats conducive to good conversationchairs arranged in a circle, warm lighting, few distractions, although you should have a TV/ DVD player available for watching the video segments.

As the group leader, be willing to answer questions first if it looks as though people are hesitating to chime in.

Keep in mind the goalincreased intimacy in your group. Dont get distracted by focusing on minor bits of theology, but rather focus on emphasizing and establishing the truths that bring us closer together.

Stick to the schedule as best you canthe people in your group are busy, and if they can trust you to be a good steward of their time they will be more willing to come back week after week.

Dont be afraid of silence or emotionwelcome quiet or profound moments.

Even though you are the leader, you are also a member of this small group, so dont steamroll over others in an attempt to lead well. If you feel that taking a tangent is important, then by all means, take it.

Prepare for your meetingsspend time in prayer and going over this Leaders Guide before each meeting in order to be most effective in guiding your group through this experience.

In order to create the greatest sense of community and intimacy in your group, we recommend aiming for a group size of no more than eight members.

Note: You will want to have a copy of the Come Thirsty book available during your discussions, as some questions refer to specific passages in the book.

WEEK
THIRSTING AFTER
RIGHTEOUSNESS

Getting Started

Option 1Have you ever been so thirsty you really thought you might not make it another minute without something to drink? What drink do you usually crave when youre thirsty?

Option 2Read the story of the woman at the well (John 4:426), and compare it to the story of Meagan from the Introduction to Come Thirsty.

Option 3There is power in reading Scripture aloud. Ask anyone to read their favorite verse from the study or the book in their preferred translation.

Notes on the Discussion Questions

How does your body let you know youre runninglow on water, food, energy, and so forth?

While the point of this question is a light, get-to-know-you exercise, its important to remember that God has designed our bodies and our spirits to work in tandem to alert us to our areas of weakness. Keep a holistic attitude to the discussion.

How does your spirit let you know youre runninglow on God? Today, does your heart feel dried up?Shriveled? Dehydrated?

This is taking the thirst topic to the next level, and in your first meeting this may be an awkward moment. If the members of your small group do not know each other well, allow for varying levels of response, but as the leader be willing to set the bar for vulnerability and honest discussion. Your community will only deepen if you are able to be transparent with one another. This may be the moment when you define what kind of group this will be.

What did you think of this retelling [of the storyof the woman at the well]? Did it shed new light on aclassic story for you? What similarities or differencesfrom your own life stood out to you?

Bringing the story of the woman at the well to a modern-day setting makes it accessible for people in a way that is fresh and insightful. Yet there are many differences that cannot be avoided. Focus the discussion more on the truths that were revealed in a new way than the interesting details that were surprising. And bring the discussion around to personal reflectionWhat does this story say about me and my life?

So, where do you find water for your soul? Doyou feel as though you have rivers of living waterflowing from your heart?

The easy answer to the first question here is, of course, Jesus. But what does that mean? Explore the practical ways a person can find water for his soul. What does that really mean on a day-to-day basis? And when discussing the second question, dont miss the inherent subtext there that when we have hydrated, overflowing hearts, we will be able to lead others to the well. Our hydration has a direct effect on other people.