introduction
In this meeting we will continue the theme of the renewing of the mind - the changing of our value systems. We want to look at the area of identity. Many Christian counsellors and leaders have often remarked that after many years of trying to help people, they come down to two crucial issues where people have a wrong set of values that can really damage them. The first is their picture of God, the second is how they see themselves, and what values underpin the picture they have of themselves.
If you go into any UK church and ask how many people suffer from a negative self-image you will be amazed to find that over 50% of the group will put their hands up. The reality is that 50% of the group are being robbed of having a positive picture of themselves. This has implications. Often if we think badly about ourselves we will find it very hard to love others well, so in this meeting, we want to explore Romans 12:1-2 in terms of the renewal of our identity.
welcome
Give each person about a minute to disclose their hopes and dreams to the rest of the group.
worship
See if there is any way that you can incorporate creation in your worship. Perhaps you could go outside into a garden or park and use what you see there, or a science student could talk about some of the things they study that make them praise God, or maybe you could collect some things beforehand from outside to use. Whatever you do, it is good to remember how we hear
God through what he has made.
(You could link this to Bible passages that talk about creation’s worship,e.g. Isaiah 42:10-13)
word
discuss
What gives people identity in the world. Make a list of what makes people feel worthwhile on a big piece of paper.
Do those things give us real identity, are they real answers? What gives us our identity as Christians?
In the early days of plastic surgery, a well-known plastic surgeon discovered that if he changed a feature on a woman’s face it not only had a physical impact, it had an emotional impact as well. The personalities of these women were changed. Often they felt far more positive, far more significant and their lives were radically better. In his work over a number of years, in some cases when people came to him for help, instead of offering them surgery he would offer them a course on how to think more positively about themselves and how to see themselves in a different way. He found that many people experienced deep emotional change without the necessity of surgery. They began to see themselves as being beautiful, significant and important. This had a deep impact on them.
read
reflect
Take a moment to consider the implication of these 3 things:
- Christ died for all. What does that say of your value?
- ‘Behold I make all things new. The old has gone, the new has come.’ What does that say about us?
- ‘We are ambassadors for Christ.’ What does that say of your importance in the purposes of God?
Discuss in 2's or 3’s what this means for us.
application
Because of the nature of the subject, it is important to spend a good amount of time at the end praying for one another in 2/3’s and for anything that may have been stirred up whilst talking about identity. Give people an opportunity to express how they feel about this issue and what needs praying for in their lives with regards to a poor self-image. Pray that they will begin to see a new identity in Christ.
witness
Think of the different things that people on your campus put their identity in which lead to insecurity. What could you be doing to help? How can you be demonstrating the true security of a relationship with God through Jesus?
