"Have everyone guess how many times heaven is mentioned in the Bible? (Over 900 times depending on your translation) If you had to give a description of heaven, how would you imagine it?"
There is a debate that is as old as human conversation. This ancient debate started in the garden where God walked and talked with the first of His created images. The debate continued on a mountain where He spoke of love and obedience with the chosen leader of His people. He did not personally participate in the debate but God did give plenty of input into the issues at hand. As much as God's voice is deeply desired to hear to clarify the right from wrong and true from false, He allows us to continue this debate to this day. It's almost like He wants it to continue.
Jesus often spoke to His disciples on this debate by changing the dynamics of the conversation. This was never about a power struggle to Jesus. On the contrary, Jesus embraced the challenges as a useful way to reveal the true heart of God. He often spoke of the driving question at the heart of the conflict as if He understood both sides. But He always had the insight and the understanding that we all wish for in the midst needing to make a decision or clarifying the confusion in our world and our lives.
Speaking of confusion, I am confident God never intended this debate to confuse any of us. He does allow the struggle, the back and forth, the bantering and the opinions to fly, however. In the midst of the debate the conversations become obvious underlying causes for many wars, movements, shifts of thought and countless ways to encounter and entice God. This debate is one you very know well, since you actively participate in it every single day.
Ok, enough of the shenanigans of getting you to play a guessing game!
The debate is over the question; "what is sacred?" It progresses through our thoughts that become our individual attitudes and actions. But let's be honest, the sacredness of an item doesn't come from our thoughts but the source of what we value and believe. Our thoughts are born in the debate. The concrete is poured in later.
I have been convinced lately that this debate and the underlying question is as necessary as the question from Jesus to Peter and His disciples "who do you say that I am?" I am also convinced that the world in what we live in needs us to participate in the search for its correct answer. If no debate occurs then dangerous conclusions will be assumed and the set concreted items can quickly lead people down a dangerous and deadly road.
"This is an incredible tool to help out small groups have sacred conversations. I would strongly encourage you check out Mark's conversational guides. We have used them in our own church for years and they have been a great help to our small group leaders."