Value Alignment

Value Alignment

February 26, 2023

Series: Friendship Essentials

Jason Cusick

Jason Cusick

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Our friendships can help us move toward God or away from God. As we finish our series on Friendship Essentials, will explore the topic of alignment. The closer our friends, the more they should help us move toward God’s great mission of love and forgiveness.

Group Discussion Guide

To see the leader guide for this week, CLICK HERE

Introduction

Spend a few minutes discussing with your group how last week’s application went. How have you developed in the way you view and treat friendships over the past 4 weeks?

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

Memory Verse

Romans 12:4-5  “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

Opening

Alignment within friendships is important for lasting relationships with others because it determines the direction of the relationship. Friendships that are misaligned due to place of life, personal interests, or faith can, unfortunately, be difficult to maintain; if we are not careful, this can cause our friendships to fail. This doesn’t mean we need to abandon those we don’t align with, but instead should seek to connect in the ways we can and try to align ourselves more. In fact, one way we can seek alignment in our friendships is by seeing them as one way to reflect God’s own friendship with us. If we make faith and relationship with God a key component to those we are closest to, then we can grow, not only in our friendships but our faith in God.   This leads us to our big idea for the week:

Big Idea for the week
We can move closer to God through our friendships. 

Connect

  • Do you think you attract friends that are the same or different than you? Why?
  • How necessary do you think alignment, meaning unity of thought or direction, is within friendships? Why?
  • How can alignment of beliefs affect your friendships?

Unpack

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

READ

  • Read Philippians 1:27

DISCUSS

  • Why do you think Paul is confident that his audience will be united in spirit and purpose if they live “in a manner according to the Good News about Christ”?

The next section of verses is an excerpt of Jesus’ prayer right before the Jewish leaders arrest him. Within it, Jesus is asking for his followers (specifically his twelve apostles) to be protected and united after he is gone. As you read, pay attention to how Jesus talks about his relationship with God and how that should affect his followers’ relationship with themselves.

READ

  • Read John 17:20-23

DISCUSS

  • Why do you think Jesus includes this section in his prayer for his followers? How does your alignment with Jesus affect your alignment with your friends? While spiritual alignment in friendships is powerful, why is it also important to have friendships with people who believe differently than us?

READ

  • Romans 15:5-7

DISCUSS

  • Is it always easy to “live in complete harmony” with others? Why or why not?
  • What result does Paul (the author of Romans) describe happens when we are aligned with other followers of Christ?
  • What hinders you from accepting others entirely into your life? How does knowing God accepted you change this?

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 in order to determine what your personal action steps for the week can be:

  • The verses we just read describe a specific way of how to live with others. What is the benefit of living this way? What steps can we take to do this?
  • What friendships do you have that you can be more aligned with? What will that look like?
  • How is your alignment with Jesus? How strongly do you desire alignment with Jesus? Why? How can your group help you to become more aligned with Jesus?

Closing

When we seek to be aligned, not only with God but also with our friendships, we can view each other as a team or a family with a common goal of moving closer to God and spreading his story to the communities around us that might not know Jesus very well. Aligning ourselves well in our friendships is one way we can practice living like Jesus teaches in the Bible while also helping each other grow. This week’s lesson, as well as the lessons from the rest of this series, are important and helpful as we continue to try to build upon the friendships in our lives and encourage others to do the same.

Daily Bible Reading

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

Scripture: Read the verses several times out loud.
Observation: As you read the scripture what do you observe.
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do or feel based on what you have read?
Pray: 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: John 13:35
  • Day 2: Proverbs 27:17
  • Day 3: 1 Corinthians 12:12
  • Day 4: Psalm 133:1
  • Day 5: 1 Peter 1:22
  • Day 6: Galatians 3:26-28

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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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