Advancing the Kingdom Together
Week #7: Experiment Till You Get it Right
Good Question: These lessons have groups talking.
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Big Idea: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

Ecclesiastes 11.6; Galatians 6:7 ⁽¹⁾

OPEN

• Let's each share our name and anyone in your family who was a farmer. Did you ever spend any time on a farm?

ACCOUNTABILITY

• How are plans for our second monthly fellowship going? Who is planning the fellowships? Who is geared up to call every member? Every prospect?
• Last week we talked about trying to invite every visitor to this church who is a prospect to this class to a hospitality event. Who wants to sign up this week?

DIG

1. Ecclesiastes says to sow your seed in the morning. Why the morning? ⁽²⁾
2. Why the temptation to procrastination?
3. Confession is good for the soul: what is one project around your house that you have procrastinated on?
4. This verse commands us not to be idle. Can you think of any other verses that speak to this? ⁽³⁾
5. Ever known anyone who paid a price for being idle? What is the price for violating this command?
6. What are the benefits of not being idle?
7. Obviously, this can be overdone. We can work too hard. The Bible also speaks of the importance of rest. Can you think of any verses that speak to the need for rest? ⁽⁴⁾
8. Would you say you are more tempted to work too hard or rest too much?
9. The writer says, "You do not know which one will succeed." If the writer were writing today, and he were writing to non-farmers, what illustration might he use to communicate this? Think of some illustrations from several businesses.
10. Why do you think God sets it up where we don't know? Wouldn't life be easier if we would pray and God would just tell us?
11. Could you make this application to church life: try lots of programs and approaches in your attempt make disciples, because you can never be completely sure which one will work?
12. Someone might argue, "Why not just pray about it?" rather than trying all kinds of different things. How would you respond to this?
13. Let's look at Galatians 6.7. What does he mean in this passage about mocking God? What would you do in this context to mock God?
14. I saw a poster once with the following letters. Anyone have any idea what this means?

I.Y.K.D. W.Y.B.D.

you will. . .

K.G.W.Y.B.G. ⁽⁵⁾

15. If you want different results, is it enough to pray for different results even though we don't do different things?
16. Think about this in several areas of life. Say with your personal finances. Are you pleased with the way things are going? If not, what could you do differently this year so that next year things were different?
17. What about with your relationship in your marriage or with your kids, are you pleased with how things are going? If not, what could you do this year so that things are different next year?
18. What about your relationship with God-how is that going these days? If not so well, what might you do differently so that things are different a few months from now?
19. Why don't we do this-why don't we change? Why do we keep doing the same things expecting different results?
20. Ever heard the definition of insanity? What is that? ⁽⁶⁾
21. Ever known any insane churches-churches that hoped for different things, but did the same things?
22. Why do people do this-expect different things even though they do the same things?
23. Let's apply this idea to us and to the goal of doubling our classes every two years or less. What are some things that we know won't work? What are some things that might work? What are some things we could try?
24. If the things we try don't work, what do we do, just give up? ⁽⁷⁾
25. Again, let's pray God's hand of blessing on us as we seek to reach people for Him, in His power for His glory through His micro-church, this group doubling every two years or less. What else shall we pray about today?

1. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Eccles. 11:6 [NIV]

Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow--perhaps it all will. Eccles. 11:6 [Living]

Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never know which will grow--perhaps they all will. Eccles. 11:6 [NLT]

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Galatians 6:7 [NIV]

2. I see it as an admonition not to procrastinate-get with it; do it right away.

3. He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11 [NIV]

The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions. Proverbs 12:27 [NIV]

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23 [NIV]

A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. Proverbs 16:27 [NIV]

One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. Proverbs 18:9 [NIV]

Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry. Proverbs 19:15 [NIV]

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. Proverbs 26:15 [NIV]

He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty. Proverbs 28:19 [NIV]

4. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:2 [NIV]

5. I recommend you make a little poster and put it on the wall. If you keep doing what you been doing you will keep getting what you been getting?

6. Doing the same things, expecting different results.

7. No. Try something different.