We’re all searching. Sometimes the search is easy: simply type a question and the answer pops up. But sometimes our questions are complicated, and the answers are difficult to see and harder to articulate. How do we discover and examine the truths that give meaning and purpose to life? Adam Hamilton believes that some powerful answers are contained in the Apostles’ Creed, an early statement of foundational Christian beliefs. In this six-week study, Hamilton considers important questions of life, reality, and truth. He explores not only what Christians believe, but also why they believe it and why it matters. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the 6-week study for Lent and Easter, including session plans and discussion questions, as well as multiple format options. Explores what Christians believe, why they believe, and why it matters through the Apostles Creed. Adam Hamilton is senior pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, one of the fastest growing, most highly visible churches in the country. The Church Report named Hamilton’s congregation the most influential mainline church in America, and he preached at the National Prayer Service as part of the presidential inauguration festivities in 2013. Hamilton is the best-selling and award-winning author of The Walk, Simon Peter, Creed, Half Truths, The Call, The Journey, The Way, 24 Hours That Changed the World, John, Revival, Not a Silent Night, Enough, When Christians Get It Wrong, and Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White , all published by Abingdon Press. Learn more about Adam Hamilton at AdamHamilton.com. Creed Leader Guide What Christians Believe and Why By Martha Bettis Gee Abingdon Press Copyright © 2016 Abingdon Press All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5018-1374-0 Contents To the Leader, 1. God, 2. Jesus Christ, 3. The Holy Spirit, 4. The Church and the Communion of Saints, 5. The Forgiveness of Sins, 6. The Resurrection of the Body, Notes, CHAPTER 1 God Planning the Session Session Goals As a result of conversations and activities connected with this session, group members should begin to: • examine the evidence for the existence of God; • explore what kind of God is revealed in Scripture; • explore the implications of why our beliefs matter; • affirm ways we might appropriately respond to a personal Creator God. Creedal Foundation I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. — The Apostles' Creed Special Preparation • On a large sheet of paper or a board, print the questions from the Introduction for the opening activity (see below). • Make available copies of the entire ecumenical Apostles' Creed, as shown in the study book, or display it on a large sheet of paper or a board. Alternatively, plan to project it with a video projector. You will need to use the Creed in all the sessions. • Also display the lines from the Apostles' Creed that are under consideration in this session. • Decide if you will do any of the optional activities. For researching scientists' views, there will need to be enough smartphones that each group or pair can have access to one. Or access and print out Internet articles on each scientist. For the expressing gratitude activity, you will need large sheets of colored construction paper cut into pennant shapes, as well as colored markers. After checking with your pastor or someone from the church leadership, decide where and how to display the pennants, and get some tape as well as either string or dowel sticks. • For the closing activity, post the following statement: If you seek a monument to the architect of the whole cosmos, look around you. Getting Started Opening Activity As participants arrive, welcome them to the study. If there is someone who did not bring a notebook or an electronic device for journaling, provide a notebook or paper and pen or pencil. Gather together. If participants are not familiar with one another, provide nametags and make introductions. Invite volunteers to respond to the following posted question from the Introduction to the study: • What do we mean when we say we believe? Form pairs and invite them to respond to the following questions, also posed in the Introduction to the study book: • What are some of your deeply held beliefs or convictions? • How did you come to hold these convictions? After allowing time for pairs to discuss, come together in the large group. Ask each pair to comment on one insight that came out of their discussion together. Tell participants that in this study, they will be exploring what Christians believe, why they believe it, and why it matters, using as a basis one of the oldest and most widely used creeds, the Apostles' Creed. Opening Prayer Eternal God, we gather here to explore what we believe about who you are. Open our minds and hearts, that together we may encounter the mystery and wonder of your being in n