Pastor Ralph

Q4. (4:19-20) In this context, what is the condition that must be met for the promise to be valid? What is the limit of the fulfillment of the promise? In your own words, what does the promise mean to you?

Q3. (4:14-16) How were the Philippians' financial gifts credited to their heavenly account, do you think? How was their giving linked to temporal blessings?

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment?

Q1. (4:11-12) How can a "prosperity doctrine" threaten Christian ministry? To what prime motivation in us does such a teaching often appeal? In balance, what does the Bible teach about poverty and riches?

Q4. (4:8) Why is mind control necessary for success? For mental and spiritual peace? What have you decided to focus on instead of your anxieties? How is this working for you?

Q3. (4:7) How does making our requests known to God help build a relationship and trust? What is God's part in the promise of peace?

Q2. (4:6) How is a request in prayer altered by the presence of thanksgiving in the prayer? How does thanksgiving affect our faith as we pray?

Q1. (4:4-5) Is rejoicing in the Lord a feeling or an action? How should you seek to fulfill this command if you don't feel like it? What is the effect of rejoicing?

Q4. (3:18-21) Why is recognizing and affirming your citizenship and allegiance vital to discipleship? How does it keep us from the temptations outlined in verses 18 and 19? What are the dangers of a church combining and confusing the concepts of temporal patriotism with a Christian's true citizenship?

Q3. (3:17) How can Paul be so bold as to ask others to imitate him? Why are we so hesitant to do this? How does God use imitation in building disciples? Who is likely to imitate you?

Q2. (3:14) What is it like to be called upwards by God? Have you ever experienced this? What causes God's call to become dim in our hearing? How can we renew our hearing of his call? What is the content or specifics of this message or summons or call?

Q1. (3:13) How can the past get in the way of our quest to know Christ? What do you need to "forget" so that you may focus on Christ today and tomorrow? Is there forgiving you need to do so you can grow in Christ?

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ?

Q3. (3:9) How does righteousness obtained through faith differ from righteousness obtained through law observance? How seriously does righteousness by law observance infect your congregation? Society's view of Christianity in general? Why is this concept of justification or righteousness by faith so difficult to grasp?

Q2. (3:2-6) Why isn't Paul merely neutral about his religious pedigree? Why does he consider it loss, dung, an obstacle? In what way could your religious background be an impediment to your faith?

Q1. (3:2-6) How does "confidence in the flesh" show up in your congregation? Have you ever struggled with it?

Q4. From what you've read in Philippians so far, what seems to be the Philippian church's chief problem? How does Paul's description of Timothy's character speak to this problem? How does Paul's call to honor men like Epaphroditus speak to this problem?

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference?

Q2. (2:22) Who has come alongside you to teach you? What potential leader in your church needs someone to come alongside them? Do you have a person or two that you are mentoring "as a son with a father" or "a daughter with a mother"?

Q1. (2:19-21) Why was Timothy's selfless concern so rare among church leaders? Rather than pointing the finger at others in your church, consider yourself. What things has Jesus had to deal with in your life that has helped you to become genuinely selfless and focused on the concerns of others? How has he refined you? (Of course, he is still at work in us!)

Q4. (2:17) You have gone through struggles and obstacles to your faith. If you were to look at your sufferings as a "drink offering" poured out before God, how does that honor God? How does that bring value to your struggles?

Q3. (2:16) In what sense are we Christians to "hold fast" the Word of Life? In what sense are we to "hold forth" this Word of Life? How does this relate to the purpose of the church?

Q2. (2:14-15) How does ceasing complaining and arguing enable a church to shine as stars in a dark sky? What does this shining as stars signify? Have complaining and arguing compromised your church's witness as a God-place? If so, what can you do to change this?

Q1. (2:12-13). In this passage, what does it mean to "work out your own salvation"? Is this referring to salvation from sin? If not, what kind of salvation is it referring to?

Q4. (2:9-11) We know we're supposed to humble ourselves like Jesus did. But how can we know whether or not God will exalt us? Why do we get impatient with this? What does our impatience sometimes lead to?