Leaving A Legacy of Peace. Sunday December 17, 2017

Here's a small group discussion guide on peace that was preached by Jason Chang.

Living a Legacy of Love December 3, 2017

Hi all,
Tomorrow Pastor Ray will be preaching on our first advent Sunday on love. Here's our small group leader's guide for this Sunday's sermon. It is simple, but I hope it is helpful.
God bless.
Ethan

Living a Legacy of Hope November 26, 2017

Hi all, My computer is freaking out so I'll make this short. Here's the discussion questions for this week. Since it is advent, these are shortened with no "answers". I hope it helps. God bless.
Ethan

Living A Legacy of Thanks November 19, 2017

Hi leaders,
This Sunday we are breaking away from Luke for the rest of the year and Pastor Ray will be starting a Legacy series. He'll start the series with Living a Legacy of Thanks.

Here's some very simple and generic questions to get us thinking about being thankful. Please feel free to use these questions or your own. These are not closely related to Pastor Ray's sermon. For those of you who do small group right after the sermon, feel free to take some notes, come up with your own questions and ask for reflections from his sermon.

God bless and I'll see you at the Thanksgiving feast. Please invite your small group to furnish a full meal, but invite everyone to bring something, even if it is for the potluck table. We'll eat from any and all tables!!!

I am thankful for all of you.
Ethan

Luke 20:1-26 November 12, 2017

Hi leaders,
Sorry this is late this week and I hope you have time to digest it before your groups start. Pastor Ray skipped the end of Luke 19 because we taught on it earlier in the series. So now he is in Chapter 20. He will cover all the chapter, but my questions are only up to verse 26. I think that is enough to read and discuss.  It is all about Jesus authority as it is questioned by the religious leaders in Jerusalem. You can feel the tension build. I hope you enjoy learning together. Please let me know how I can pray for you all. If you have any specific requests for the prayer guide, please let me know.

Here's the Leaders Guide and the Participants Guide. 

This will be the last Sunday in Luke for the year as we will be starting our new series for the holidays next week.


Blessings.
Ethan

Luke 19:11-27 November 5, 2017

Hi leaders,
This Sunday Pastor Ray will preach on the parables of the Minas. Jesus says a lot in this parable about his kingship, but it will not happen as they expect by kicking out the Romans in the coming week and bringing Israel back to it's previous glory. Instead, Jesus will be gone and will eventually return. We live between verses 14-15. This parable tells us how to live between these two verses.

Pastor Ray will focus on how we live Monday-Friday. How do we serve God in our places of work? How do we serve him every minute of every day. 

Here's the leaders guide and participants guide.

Please let me know if I can help you in any way!

Ethan


PS, if you haven't responded to my email about who is attending your small group, please do so soon.

Also, you are the first to know that on Sunday November 19, we will be having two worship services at the Sunkist campus. We asked Iglesia to move to Brea at 10:45 and the Brea campus will be worshiping with us in Anaheim at 10:45. We will have a child dedication in both services and a wonderful Thanksgiving Banquet following second service.
***We need each small group to prepare a Thanksgiving meal (as we have done in the past) and we'll have a large potluck table for those who are not in a small group. Each small gorup will be reimbursed for a turkey, ham, etc. If your group is large, you can be reimbursed for two turkeys, etc. It will be a highlight of the season. Please let me know if you have questions.

Luke 18:34-43 October 22, 2017 & Luke 19:1-9 October 29, 2017

Hi everyone,
I ended up writing questions for the rest of October to get ahead. I hope you enjoy both of these wonderful stories of love, compassion, and redemption!

Luke 18:34-43 is the story of a blind man outside Jericho who cries out to Jesus for mercy. The crowd is annoyed at him and tells him to shut his mouth, but Jesus stops and talks with him. He heals him instantly and the man becomes part of Jesus' traveling companions.

In Luke 19:1-9, another man wants to get Jesus attention and once again, he stops to talk with him. This time the man is in a tree. Jesus tells Zacchaeus he wants to go to his house and that evening Zacchaeus experiences new birth!  It is a wonderful story of Jesus continuing to show mercy to those off the beaten path...who are overlooked and annoyed by mainstream society.

Here's the leader's guide and the participants guide for both weeks. 

I hope you have a fantastic group and I look forward to helping you however I can.

Luke 18:15-30 October 15, 2017

Jesus continues talking to his disciples and talking about the kingdom of Heaven. He uses real life experiences to talk about the values of God's Kingdom people!
Note: Last week, Pastor Ray only taught on Luke 18:1-8, but did not cover verses 9-14. I will be preaching this Sunday and will not go into depth with verses 9-14, but you are free to include those in your study, if it helps you.

Here's the leaders study guide and the participants guide.

Please let me know how I can help or serve you and your groups!

Ethan

Luke 18:1-14 October 8, 2017

Here's another week's study from Luke 18. This week Pastor Ray will speak on two parables about prayer. However, make sure to look deep as there is a lot more than just prayer.

Here's the Leader's Guide and the Participant's Guide.

Enjoy your study together!

Luke 17:20-37 October 1, 2017

Hi everyone,

This has been a very busy week for Ambassador Church. On Sunday, we will have our first service in Anaheim as Ambassador Church. We are so excited but it has been a wild week getting our office moved, attending a conference in Kansas City (poor timing), getting Sunday ready, and much more. Sorry this is late on the arrival to the web, but thanks for your patience.

This passage is on the Kingdom of God and Jesus' second coming. I hope you enjoy studying it with your small group.

Here's the leaders guide and participants guide.

Also, can I make a plug for our moving day tomorrow? Click here for more info. I'd appreciate it if you can pass it on to your small groups! The more the merrier!

God bless.
Ethan

Luke 17:11-19 Sunday, September 24, 2017

Hi small group leaders!

Congratulations on voting to merge with Sunkist Community Church. We are so excited and very thankful to the Lord bringing this process to pass. With the thankfulness on our lips, this next passage is appropriate to study. We'll be reading about 10 men with an incurable disease finding healing through Jesus, but only one man returns to him with overflowing thanks!

Pastor Ray will be using this thank God for these merge with Sunkist church. Take time in your small group to thank God for all he has done and Give him Glory!

Here's the leaders guide and participants guide.

Special Small Group Prayer Guide

On Sunday, our church votes to join with Sunkist Community Church to become one church. This is the biggest vote we have ever had in the past 10 years. We need you to continue to pray through this process.

Can you take time with your small group this Friday to pray for this vote and potential merge?

Here's a simple prayer guide you can download to use. The outline is simple as we want to pray for Sunkist, it's members, leaders, and emotions they are carrying.

Second, we can pray for our church and how we process what this means and how it will change the dynamics of our church body.

Last, pray for our churches as we seek unity and continue to reach out into our community. 

Thank you for taking time to pray!!!

Luke 17:1-10 Sunday, September 17, 2017

Here's another week of small group material for our upcoming sermon on Luke 17:1-10. Jesus is talking to his disciples and get very serious with them. He is direct and to the point on how to act in terms of sin and young believers. He talks about sin, forgiveness, repentance, and humble service. Take a look at the material. Pray for the Lord to move and have you a lively, powerful conversation.

Here's the leaders guide and participants guide.

Luke 16:19-31 Sunday, September 10, 2017

Welcome back small group leaders!  I hope you had a great summer and we can't wait to get back into the fall swing of things!

First--This Sunday is Small Group Fair! Please bring a table and decorate it for sign ups. This will take place between services and after second service. Please set up before first service or during first service.  Let me know if you need a table.

Second--Here's the leaders guide and participants guide of Luke 16:19-31. It is the parable of Lazarus and the rich man who goes to hell and begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers. Pastor Ray told me he will be talking a lot about evangelism and our responsibility before it is too late!

Third--Know I appreciate you and am thankful for you. Keep up the great work but let me know how I can support you or help make your job easier! 

Thank you and God bless all your groups!

Ethan

June 25 Esther 9-10

This concludes our study on the great book of Esther, but his series wont finish until Sunday June 25. This Sunday, Pastor Ray will preach a message honoring our Fathers.
Starting in July, we'll start a series called LOL (Love Out Loud) on 1 Cor. 13. I will not be writing small group questions during the summer, but if you'd like something, let me know. I'll get you a book to use.

Also, please let me know if your group is ending for the summer. Email me your plans.

Thank you for leading so faithfully!

Leaders Guide
Participants Guide

Small Group Leader and Facilitator Appreciation

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you have done this year to lead, shepherd, and guide our people in your small groups. You are worthy of a great reward in heaven!  However, I'd like to offer you a small appreciation gift on Sunday, June 25. We won't have a meeting, but there will be a table with a gift for you. This is for all leaders, hosts, and facilitators for each small group!  Please let your team know to keep an eye open for it.

Thank you for serving the Lord and Ambassador Church.

June 11, 2017 Esther 8

Hi everyone,
Here's the latest in our study on Esther. We are almost done and I hope it has been helpful for you and your small groups.

In the study guide, there is a question at the end on advocating for the persecuted and defenseless. I suggest you look at some websites like Open Doors, Voice of the Martyrs, the petitions on ACLJ, and IJM. Take a look at them and recommend them (or your favorites) to your group.

Leader's Guide
Participants Guide

June 4 Esther 7

Good evening everyone.
Chapter 7 of Esther is the story of Ester's request to the king to save her people and of Haman's demise. He has been full of hate and pride and evil and it has finally caught up to him. The pole he built to kill Mordecai would be used to kill him. It is a story of justice as God answers the prayers of his people and slowly unfolds his will.
Thank you for leading and caring for your small group.

Leader's Guide
Participants Guide

May 28 Esther 6

Hi all,
Here's the latest small group material for this coming Sunday on Esther 6.
Please see that nothing happens by accident but everything happens by God's hand in his perfect time. Enjoy the study.

Leaders Guide
Participants Guide

Esther 5 May 21, 2017

The story of Esther keeps getting better and more gripping. In this passage Queen Esther takes a giant step of faith and we see God answering many prayers. We see Esther getting stronger and the evil Haman is self destructing! 

Leader's Guide
Participant's Guide

Esther 4 Mother's Day May 14, 2017

Sorry I am late to post this, but here's Esther 4. This is a wonderful passage about Esther's purpose as queen. God will use her more than she could ever imagine.

Leader's Guide
Participant's Guide

Have a great week. Let me know how I can pray for you and your group.

Esther 3 May 7, 2017

Hi everyone,
Sorry I am one week late with this material. Here's the discussion guide for Esther 3, which I preached on last Sunday. I hope it helps you in your discussion time.

Leader's Guide
Participants Guide

Esther 2 April 30 2017

Hi leaders,
Here's another study for your small group.
This is both Esther 1 and 2.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great week! My prayers are with you.

Leader's Guide
Participant's Guide

Esther 1 April 23, 2017 Leader's Guide

Hi leaders,
This week we start a new series in Esther! It is called The Invisible God and we'll be in this book for the next two months.
We'll be back in Luke in the Fall so hang in there. We will finish the book in 2018!

I'll be posting all the leader guides like I did with Luke. The pdf looks a little different but is the same basic idea.

Please let me know how I can help or assist you in any way.

Here's your leaders discussion guide and the participants guide!

Have a great spring studying this great book!

Palm Sunday And Easter Sundays

Hi Leaders,
There is no published material for these two Sundays. We'll start up again after Easter as we begin the book Esther!

Holy Week Schedule:

Palm Sunday Picnic: After church at Wildcatters Park in Brea. We'll celebrate with a baptism after lunch.

Good Friday Service:  7 PM in the Curtis Theater.

Easter Services: 8 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM.

Have a great week!

Luke 15:11-32 "The Lost Son" (part 2) April 2, 2017

This Sunday we will finish the parable of the Lost Son. This portion of the story could be called "The Lost Brother" as we meet his older brother and he appears to be equally lost. Before you write off the older brother as being an ungrateful son, take time to see things from his perspective. You might find that he is more like you than you think.

Enjoy the discussion and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

God bless.

Leader's Guide

Participants Guide

Luke 15:11-24 "The Lost Son" March 26, 2017

Hi Small Group Leaders,
Thanks for coming to our lunch yesterday. I hope you enjoyed it and felt encouraged. I appreciate you so much and am so thankful for all you do. There were some good ideas on promoting small groups and how to make the small group fairs better for those who are new to the church. Thanks so much.

This coming Sunday we will be studying Luke 15:11-24 on the famous parable of the Lost Son. Here's the leader's study guide and the participants study guide. Hope you enjoy the discussions.

Next week we'll focus on the older brother, which is very interesting! 

God bless your week.

Luke 15:8-10 "The Lost Coin" March 19, 2017

Hi small group leaders,
Hope you are doing well and having a great week.
This coming Sunday, Pastor Ray will be preaching on the second "Lost" parable which is the "Lost Coin". This parable is very similar to the last one on the Lost Sheep. If your group did not discuss the Lost Sheep, you may want to combine both parables into one discussion. The questions for both of these are similar, but this one talks a bit more about the emotion of the woman who searched for her coin.

Here's the leader's guide and the participant's guide.

Remember that we have a leader's meeting on Sunday after second service in the conference room. Food will be provided but please RSVP with Ethan.

Thanks for all you do!

Two sermons in one discussion guide

Hi leaders,
Our original plan was to preach the whole parable of the Lost Sheep on March 5, but Pastor Ray decided to emphasis Luke 15:1-2 and set up the whole Lost series.
Therefore, the material I wrote last week will cover March 5 and March 12.

If you want to stick with the sermon from Sunday, focus on the first two verses and talk about evangelism and outreach. A couple things to consider:
   
-Why do those who are lost feel so comfortable with Jesus?  Why do they continue to “draw near” to him while the religious elite keep distancing themselves from him?  Who do we attract?  How can we live differently to attract the lost?

-What does it mean to “receive sinners and eat with them”? What are the ways we can be in closer relationships with those who do not know Jesus?  Who are you praying for that you can invest in as we approach Easter? Will you invite them to services on Easter?

Thank you and have a great week. Let me know if you have questions or how I can pray for your group.

Luke 15:1-7 "The Lost Sheep" March 5, 2017

This Sunday, Pastor Ray will kick off a 5 week series on the three parables found in Luke 15. We'll start this Sunday with the parable of the Lost Sheep.
Before you get into the parable, it is most important to understand the context found in Luke 15:1-2.  Jesus is talking to Pharisees who were complaining that Jesus does not spend enough time schmoozing with the religious elite, but with "sinners"!  These parables are directed to them, but they show a lot about God's heart for the lost, hurting, struggling! Praise God that he seeks us out and rejoices over our salvation!

Here's the leaders guide and the participants guide.

Luke 14:25-35 "Costly Discipleship" February 26, 2017

In this Sunday's passage, Jesus is clearing out the followers by requiring deep commitment to what Jesus has called them to do and be.
There is a lot to say about discipleship and following Jesus.

Here's the Leader's Guide and the Participants Guide.

Have a great weekend.

Luke 14:12-24 "The Great Banquet Invitation" February 19, 2017

Hi Small Group Leaders and Facilitators!
I'm happy for you. Thank you for all you do to lead our people through these studies. You are making an incredible difference in their lives and I'm thankful for your time and energy!

This coming Sunday, we will be looking at part two of the dinner party we studied last week. Jesus was the guest of honor, but not so much because they loved him, but because they wanted to trap him. But now he turns the tables on them. This week he teaches the host on what is true generosity and instructs one guest on who will really be at the banquet table of God in Heaven.

The two themes this week are Generosity towards those who cannot repay you and receive the invitation to enter God's Kingdom. Please be praying for some to receive his invitation this Sunday!

God bless your weekend.

Here's your leaders guide and the participants guide.

Luke 14:1-11 "A Humble Wedding Guest" February 12, 2017

Good afternoon. Here's another discussion guide for the upcoming sermon on Luke 14:1-11. In this passage, Jesus is invited to another Sabbath lunch, which means trouble. In true Jesus fashion, he healed someone on the Sabbath and went on to tell a parable about the need to be humble in this life.

Here's a participation guide if you want to pass it to your group.

May God bless your group this week. Let me know if there is any way I can help you.

Blessings.

Luke 13:31-35 "What Do We Weep For?" 5 February 2017

Greetings everyone! Here's this weeks Small Group Discussion Guide for Ray's upcoming sermon. In this passage, Jesus gets threatened and told to leave the area for fear of his life. He holds tightly to God's timeline and plan for his life. Enjoy discussing this important passage.

Luke 13:22-30 "A Narrow Door" January 29, 2017

Here's another installment of our weekly Small Group discussion guides for this coming Sunday on Luke 13:22-30. In case you are wondering where Luke 13:18-21 went, Pastor Ray combined that in the last sermon.
Thanks for attending our small group leaders meeting last Sunday. It was great to have such wonderful participation.

God bless your week.

Luke 13:10-17 "Healing on the Sabbath" Sunday, January 22, 2017

Hi Leaders,
Here's the latest discussion guide for this coming Sunday on Luke 13:10-17. In this story, Jesus heals a lady who has been bound by Satan for 18 years. The synagogue ruler is upset, yells at the crowd, is rebuked by Jesus, and the people rejoice!  Jesus is in the business of bringing freedom and we must see that as part of our mission too.

Luke 13:1-9 The True Fruit of Repentance Sunday, January 15, 2017

Here's a small group discussion for this coming Sunday as Pastor Ray preaches on Luke 13:1-9.  It is a rare passage that is found only in Luke regarding current events of the day. We are introduced to Pilate, and are encouraged to repent and follow Jesus.
Have a wonderful time with your small groups.

Luke 12:49-59 A Sign Of The Times January 8, 2017

Hope you are enjoying 2017 so far. I know many of the small groups are not meeting now, but for those that are, I'll be posting small group questions as we continue through Luke.

Here's questions for this past Sunday.  If you didn't hear the sermon, you can find it on the app or online (webpage, FB, podcast).

Have a great week and I'm praying for you all. You are allstars!

Remember we have a small group leaders meeting Sunday, January 22 at noon. We'll have the small group winter kick off on Sunday, Feb 5 between services and after 2nd service.