Commitment

Commitment

October 8, 2023

Series: Positive Influence

Jason Cusick

Jason Cusick

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Jesus is one of the most influential leaders in history!  The secret to his lasting influence was something he called “abiding.” It involves remaining in an intimate spiritual connection with God. In our last message of this series, we’ll explore one of Jesus’ stories that shows what it takes to find and nurture this abiding relationship with God and how we can invite others to experience it too!

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Group Discussion Guide 

To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here.

Introduction

Spend a few minutes discussing how the application from last week’s discussion went.  

After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.  

Key Verse for the Week

*Read this verse with your group first, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  

John 15:5 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. 

Opening Thought  

Often, we try to prove ourselves by depending on our own power as we walk through life. This feels good when things are going well but terrible when things are not going well. Sometimes people get mad at themselves or feel ashamed when things go wrong. Instead, God wants us to discover and embrace the transformational power of mercy and humility that is found only in him. We are invited into an intimate relationship with Jesus where we can find healthy dependence on God’s grace. And as we abide (or “remain in”) and build this intimate spiritual connection with God, we learn how we can invite others to experience it too. This leads us to our big idea for the week:  

Big Idea for the Week
We can be a positive influence by staying intimately connected to God 

Connect   

  • What is an activity you do that has a positive effect on your life (i.e. exercise= physical and mental wellness, practicing a hobby= improving your skills, spending time with friends= growing relationships)?  
    • How do you stay intentional in these activities when they become difficult? 
  • Have you ever tried to have this same kind of intentionality in your relationship with God? How do you think it would look different if you did?  

Unpack 

Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions. 

Read

John 15:1-8

1 John 2:5-6 

Discuss

  • In John 15, Jesus repeats the phrase “remain in me” several times throughout this passage. What does it mean to “remain in” God?  
  • How can we put this concept into practice in our lives? What is a specific area in your life where you find it difficult to be faithful to God? 
  • In 1 John, we see that, as Christ followers, our lives should reflect the life of Jesus, one of the most influential leaders in history. What are examples of your spheres of influence?   
    • How are you using your sphere of influence to reflect Jesus’s lifestyle and teachings?  

Read

Luke 18:9-14 

Luke 5:30-32 

Discuss

  • What is mercy, and why do we need it from God?  
  • God invites us into forgiveness from our wrongdoings. What can keep us from accepting God’s forgiveness?  
  • What is the value of imitating God’s mercy in our own lives? How can we harness the power of mercy, forgiveness, and graciousness to invite others to grow relationship with God? 

Apply 

Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be: 

  • Abiding means to ‘keep in step’, which means sometimes we need to get moving and/or speed up. Often, though, abiding means we need to slow down. What do you need to do to abide with God in your life? What do you hear God saying to abide with him? 
  • We would not have salvation if it were not for God’s mercy. Consider one relationship in your life that you can exercise mercy, forgiveness, or graciousness?  

Closing 

*Read this with your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section. 

This week we talked about commitment to building an intimate spiritual connection with Jesus so we may learn how to depend on God’s grace more than on ourselves. We learned we need to “remain in” God like the branches on the vine to embrace the transformational power of mercy, humility and forgiveness that is only found in him. With a healthy dependence on God’s grace, we are able to positively influence others and help others find a new life with God. 

Prayer and Verses 

Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group. 

Daily Devotional Verses  

Use the S.O.A.K. method to reflect on the verses below. 

Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. 
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? 
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? 
Kneel in Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. 

Day 1: Proverbs 16:3:  

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. 

Day 2: Matthew 18:33:  

Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 

Day 3: Psalm 27:4:  

The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord ’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 

Day 4: 1 John 2:5:  

But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 

Day 5: Ephesians 2:4:  

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 

Day 6: Micah 6:8:  

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. 

Key Verse for the Week:  

John 15:5 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

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PAUL & HOLLY ZWIERZYNSKI

  • Translating the Bible Support
  • North Carolina

Paul and Holly Zwierzynski serve at the JAARS Center in Waxhaw, North Carolina, where they support Bible translation efforts around the world. Paul specializes in solar power and computer networking. He helps missionaries use low-power computers in remote areas and sets up reliable internet connections using tools like satellite and radio links. His work has supported over 180 field sites, allowing translation teams to collaborate across long distances. Holly works in the translation office as a project assistant. She helps develop Old Testament translation guides and reference materials used by Bible translators worldwide. Before moving to North Carolina, Paul and Holly served in Cameroon, where their passion for this work first began.

JERRY & BETH TUCKER

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Southern California

Jerry and Beth help prepare new missionaries for the field by leading orientation, providing training, building teams, and offering mentorship during the first year of overseas service. They serve with Wycliffe, a Bible translation organization, and bring years of experience to this important work. Their work began in 1995 in the Philippines, where they served as dorm parents and teachers. Both Jerry and Beth grew up at Journey of Faith, and the church has been supporting their ministry for 30 years. They remain committed to serving for many years to come.

TOM SHECK

  • Youth Development
  • South Bay

 Tom serves as the South Bay Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His goal is to see lives changed through the influence of athletes and coaches on middle school and high school campuses. FCA focuses on values like integrity, serving, teamwork, and excellence. The ministry equips students and coaches to grow in their faith and lead others by starting small group gatherings on campus, known as “Huddles.” These groups become places of encouragement, leadership, and spiritual growth within the school community.

CODY & LEXI SCRIVENS

  • Meeting Community and Church Needs
  • Dublin, Ireland

 Cody and Lexie are serving in Ireland, partnering with a local church to build relationships and share the message of Jesus. Their work takes place in a culture shaped by both deep religious tradition and growing secularism. Navigating this tension is challenging, especially in light of Ireland’s complex religious history, but they remain committed to reaching people who often feel distant from faith.

BRYAN & JACINDA MARTIN

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Philippines

 The Martin family is planting churches in the Philippines through World Team. One of the key ways they serve is by caring for creation. They work with vulnerable communities that are struggling as natural resources become scarce. By teaching sustainable practices for managing the environment, they help meet practical needs while also creating space to share about God’s design for humanity and introduce people to the Creator.

BARBARA LEE

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • San Diego, CA

Barbara supports missionary families by helping their children access quality education and navigate the many transitions that come with cross-cultural life. She currently leads the Indonesia MK (Missionary Kid) Care and Education Team, providing guidance, resources, and support for families across the region. In late 2025, she will join the U.S.-based MK Care and Education Team, where she will train new missionaries, equip education consultants, offer academic testing, and provide personalized educational help for families preparing to serve.

K & L

  • Starting New Churches
  • Southeast Asia

L and K are working to start churches among ten large, unreached, and unengaged people groups in Southeast Asia. They also lead a growing team that has expanded from 11 to 22 units since the pandemic, increasing their reach and impact in the region.

TIM & ERICKA HARRIS

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Oregon

 Tim and Ericka Harris understand the preparation, training, and lifelong commitment it takes to serve in missions. Their work has included cross-cultural ministry throughout Latin America, including eight years living and serving in Costa Rica with their family. Out of a desire to support those serving in demanding ministry roles, they provide pastoral care to missionaries, pastors, and ministry leaders around the world. Through their R.E.S.T. initiative—Retreat, Encouragement, Safety, and Transformation—they offer spaces for leaders on every major continent to step away, recharge, and return to their work with renewed strength and clarity.

MARK & BRENDA HALL

  • Starting New Churches
  • Guadalajara, Mexico

Mark and Brenda Hall moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2018, where Mark now serves as a teaching pastor at English Fellowship. The church brings together people from different cultures, backgrounds, and denominations, serving both international residents and Mexican nationals living in the city for work. Although their focus is now in Mexico, they remain connected to their previous work in Guatemala, where they spent 18 years investing in the lives of young people. Their move to Guadalajara opens new doors to build relationships, support the local community, and share the message of Jesus in meaningful and relevant ways.

RICH FRAZER

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • Nepal and North India

The Fraziers serve with an organization called SOS, which stands for Spiritual Overseers Service International. Rick serves as the president and helps lead the organization’s three core objectives. The first is evangelism, which focuses on spreading the message of Jesus. The second is discipleship, aimed at strengthening the global Church. And the third is compassion, which means meeting the physical and spiritual needs of fellow believers. The Fraziers train Christian leaders and partner with Tabernacle Ministries in Nepal and North India. Through this work, SOS is mentoring more than 100 leaders who are reaching urban migrants with God’s love.

MARK & LISA DENEUI

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • France

 Mark is a Bible teacher focused on the New Testament who trains church leaders and church planters in French-speaking Europe. Lisa teaches English as a Foreign Language and French, using her skills to build relationships and serve the local community while sharing her faith. Together, Mark and Lisa serve with a network of church plants in the city of Strasbourg. They are committed to making Christ’s love known by partnering with the local French church to love their neighbors, share the gospel, and disciple new believers.

D & J

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Southeast Asia

D and J are building relationships with an unreached people group in Southeast Asia. Their hope is to see a new community of believers grow through intentional disciple-making and personal connection.

JOSEPH BRADFORD IV

  • Meeting Community Needs
  • Los Angeles, CA

Joseph launched his nonprofit, B.A.R.E. Truth, Inc., in 2018 to serve individuals and families in Los Angeles facing homelessness, food insecurity, and other critical needs. Through mentorship, independent living support, housing assistance, and wellness services, Joseph and his team help people move toward healthier, purpose-filled lives. They also host weekly feeding events on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. B.A.R.E. stands for Balance, Ambition, Respect, and Encouragement.

BILL ANKERBERG

  • Developing Indigenous Pastors
  • Estonia

Bill leads a missions movement in the Nordic-Baltic region, focusing especially on Estonia, where fewer than 2% of people identify as Christian. His work includes supporting church planters, developing local leaders, strengthening compassion ministries, and mentoring pastors and missionaries across both the Baltics and Scandinavia. This ministry began in 2008 and continues to grow in reach and impact.

PAT & BETH ANDREWS

  • Bible Translation
  • Arlington, TX

 Pat serves with Seed Company, a subsidiary of Wycliffe Bible Translators, as Director of Field Projects for the Pacific Region and as a Translation Consultant. He helps oversee translation work in more than 60 languages, coordinating efforts across 11 organizations and 28 internships. Many of Pat’s teams are based in remote island communities, which often presents communication and travel challenges. Even so, Pat makes it a priority to visit his project teams and interns each year.

DENNIS & DENISE AHERN

  • Caring for Christian Workers
  • Washington State

Since 1992, the Aherns have provided counseling and care to missionaries in more than forty countries. They have a deep understanding of the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities that come with full-time ministry. Their commitment to supporting ministry workers led them to open a retreat center in Washington state called Selah Glen, where they host and lead pastoral care retreats. Through this work, the Aherns are able to care for those who spend their lives caring for others.

MIGUEL & MARIA ADAME

  • Church Planting
  • Baja Mexico

Pastor Miguel leads a growing church in Mexicali, Mexico, where he and his family have been serving the community since 2013. Their church runs weekly Bible studies, monthly outreach events, and provides a steady, welcoming presence in the neighborhood. In 2024, they opened a free private Christian elementary school that supports students with special needs or who are considered at-risk. Journey of Faith has partnered with this ministry through more than a dozen short-term mission trips.

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