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Alive Together - Ephesians study intro

Alive Together
 Alive! together
alive Together! 

Religion and even secular philosophy constantly ask whether we are wrong or right. But the Apostle Paul (and Jesus too for that matter) gave first importance to whether we are dead or alive. The New Testament letter of Ephesians is one of the clearest accounts of how the Gospel offers us the gift of life in Christ. 


American life in the early 21st century has made an idol out of individualism. As a result, even the well adjusted among us tend to live for our own little kingdom instead of living faithfully in the covenant community that God brings together in Christ.


These are two of the great purposes of the letter to the Ephesians. I hope you enjoy the Alive Together series of talks and will benefit from studying the book together in your discipleship groups.


Study (Written and Edited by Trent and Emily McEntyre for GT cru)


Welcome Disciples,
  We have an amazing privilege to help one another follow Jesus Christ. Through Gospel-driven Discipleship Groups in Atlanta we have seen God create new life changing friendships. We have seen that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly the power of God to face all of life. We have seen God use us to serve and reach out to the lost together in the power of the Spirit. And most importantly, we have seen God give us a greater passion to worship and adore our beautiful Savior.
   So, our prayer is still that God would use D-groups to transform the students of Atlanta, Bosnia, Croatia, and East Asia into communities of Christ-centered laborers.
   Ephesians is a book that God used to transform my entire understanding of Him and the Christian life during the summer of 1991 in Yellowstone National Park. Before I encountered Ephesians I subtly believed that salvation was cooperation between God and me. I was not really convinced that Christ had done everything to assure me of salvation now and forever. Ephesians also helped me realize what a blessing God has given us in the body of Christ, the new community of God. Instead of a lose association of individuals, God is creating a close-knit, interdependent family to glorify Him and fulfill our mission on earth. Today this powerful book is challenging me to not seek happiness apart from Christ and live boldly by faith because we have an inheritance in Christ who is over all things
   We believe that Ephesians will be a rich and satisfying book for us to explore and apply to our lives together in our D-groups this Spring 2002.

Grace be with y'all,
Trent McEntyre
Crusade Atlanta Staff

Part 1 - Our standing as God's new community (Being in God’s new community)
Outline and Background of Ephesians.
1 The New Community - Christ and the Church   Ephesians 1–3.
2 Blessing Him for blessing us. Ephesians 1:1–14.
3 “I Keep Asking” Ephesians 1:15–23.
4 Amazing Grace Ephesians 2:1–10.
5 One new house Ephesians 2:11–22.
6 Prisoner, Preacher & Man of Prayer Ephesians 3:1–21.
Part 2 - Our walking as God's new community (A new way to walk in community)
7 Unity and Uniqueness Ephesians 4:1–16.
8 Off with the Old, On with the New Ephesians 4:17–32.
9 Live in Love, Live in Light Ephesians 5:1–21.
10 Submit to One Another Ephesians 5:21–6:9.
11 Prayer Wars Ephesians 6:10–24.
12 Looking Over the Letter Again  Ephesians 1–6.
Gospel Application - Sin beneath the Sin.

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