Appendix

Have one person in the group read aloud Colossians 3:9-10. In this passage, Paul refers to the “new self,” which can be seen as indwelt by Christ and as residing in God’s kingdom. The “old self,” which Paul invites us to take off, is isolated from God and God’s resources. As we put on the new self, lying is less necessary and less attractive because of who we are and where we are.

Conclude by having someone in your group pray aloud this verse:

In chapter seven we will see how living in the kingdom enables us to bless those who curse us. The soul-training exercise for the week will be praying for our competitors.

Begin with five minutes of silence followed by a brief prayer for God’s wisdom and peace to work within your group.

If you are in a group of six or more people, divide into groups of three or four. Use the following questions to discuss your experience of praying for the success of your competitors.

The main idea of this chapter is that in the kingdom of God we are able to reach for something higher than retaliation and justice, and actually bless people who would harm us—just as Jesus did.

Have one person in the group read aloud Matthew 5:38-48. Jesus gives specific situations as well as ways kingdom-dwellers would respond. The author notes, “Kingdom identity (I am one in who Christ dwells) and kingdom awareness (I am in the strong and secure kingdom of God) are the keys to doing what Jesus calls us to do. With these we can learn how to become radically generous and to live extraordinary lives” (p. 130).

As a group, create three or four modern examples of the situations Jesus describes and how the follower of Christ might respond.

Conclude by having someone in your group read aloud this Dallas Willard quote:

In chapter eight we will be exploring vainglory. The soul-training exercise for the week will be five acts of serving in secret. You will want to read the chapter early so you have plenty of opportunities to serve.

Begin with five minutes of silence followed by a brief prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s love to the group.

If you are in a group of six or more people, divide into groups of three or four. Use the questions below to discuss your experience of serving in secret.

The main idea of this chapter is that vainglory is the need to be thought well of by others; it is driven by the notion that the opinions of others determines our worth; when this vice is fully grown in our hearts we find ourselves more interested in others’ opinions of us than actually being a genuinely good person or doing good for the sake of doing good.

Read through the following questions before you begin discussion. Note any questions you especially want to discuss. Depending on your group size and the conversation, you may not have time to discuss all the questions.

The author writes, “No matter how many worldly ‘trophies’ we acquire, we won’t be able to lay our head down in peace because we are only as good as our last success. But our loving Father—the only One who matters—tells us that we are loved, that we are of immeasurable worth” (pp. 148-49). Using the steps below, prayerfully read 1 John 4:16-17 as a way to encounter God’s love for you.

Conclude by having one person in your group say this prayer, which is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi:

In the next chapter we will discover how living in the kingdom is the cure for avarice. The soul-training practice for the week is de-accumulation.

Begin with five minutes of silence followed by a brief prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to lead you and your group into perfect freedom.

If you are in a group of six or more people, divide into groups of three or four. Use the following questions to discuss your experience of deaccumulation.

The main idea of this chapter is that we are all stewards of the money we earn or are given, and we can invest them in either earthly or heavenly treasures.

First Timothy 6:6-10 is a great passage to reflect on. The author says “Paul advocates contentment with adequate provisions. Beyond that we are tempted to serve mammon and not God” (p. 167).

Have a volunteer read 1 Timothy 6:6-10 aloud.

Close your time together by having someone in the group read these valuable words:

In chapter ten we will explore how living in the kingdom is the cure for worry. The soul-training exercise for the week is a specific form of prayer. It will be best to engage in this prayer throughout the entire week.

Chapter 10: Learning to Live Without Worry

Begin with five minutes of silence followed by a brief prayer inviting the Holy Spirit to lead you and your group deeper into God’s kingdom.

If you are in a group of six or more people, divide into groups of three or four. The soul-training exercise for the week was prayer. Regarding the relationship between prayer and worry, the author says,

Use the following questions to discuss your experience of prayer.

The main idea of this chapter is that people who live in the kingdom of God never need to worry about their lives.

The author tells us that Matthew 6:33 “is the key to the entire Sermon on the Mount” (p. 178). Go to section “One Day at a Time” (pp. 180-81), and highlight points that are especially helpful or challenging to you. Once everyone has had a chance to discuss, prayerfully engage Matthew 6:33 using the following steps.

Close your time together by having someone in the group read this quote:

In chapter eleven we will discover how living in the kingdom is the cure for judging others. The soul-training exercise is to go an entire day without gossip.

Begin with five minutes of silence followed by a brief prayer asking the Spirit of Christ to keep teaching you new ways of living.

If you are in a group of six or more people, divide into groups of three or four. Use the following questions to discuss your experience of going a day without gossiping.

The main idea of this chapter is that judging others is a common way we try to control them, but it fails. Jesus’ method is to pray for, to ask, to seek and to stand with those we want to see change.

Have a volunteer read John 8:1-11, then discuss these questions as a group:

The author finishes the chapter by reflecting on the situation with his son. Close your time together by having someone in the group read this paragraph aloud:

In chapter twelve we will explore how living in the kingdom is a way of life. The soul-training exercise for the week is to live a day devotionally. You may want to observe this practice for several days, so read the chapter early to give yourself time to try it.

Begin with five minutes of silence followed by a brief prayer inviting Christ to guide the group into his way of life.

If you are in a group of six or more people, divide into groups of three or four. Use the following questions to discuss your experience of living one day (or more) devotionally.

The main idea of this chapter is that we cannot live an effective and joyful Christian life if we do not practice spiritual disciplines.

Have a group member read Matthew 7:24-27 aloud, then discuss these questions as a group:

Close your time together by having someone in the group read this paragraph:

Your study of The Good and Beautiful Life has come to an end, but there are many options for your group. One is to begin the next book in the Apprentice Series, The Good and Beautiful Community, which explores how we can live as apprentices of Jesus in our everyday lives.

Another option is for members of the current group to form new groups and invite their friends to go through The Good and Beautiful God together, which is the first book in this series. This would be a great way to continue “pickling” in these narratives and falling more deeply in love with God. Whatever you decide, select a date for your group to begin.