This Life Group Study Guide focuses on loving God and others. It discusses how God lavishes deep, sacrificial, and amazing love upon us through Jesus. Members are called to reflect on how God's love affects them and to love their neighbors, enemies, and one another in the ways described in the Bible. This includes speaking the truth in love, bearing with others in love, and expressing faith through love. The guide provides discussion questions to help members understand these concepts and identify practical ways to apply them.

1. Life Group Study Guide
B.E.L.O.N.G.
Connected to God and to each other
LOVE each other as God loves us.
Key Memory Verse:
1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we
should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
The reason the world does not know us is that it did not
know him.
NOTES:
Defining
Love
1
John
4:16
and
1
Corinthians
13:4-­‐7,13
The
Love
of
God
is:
LAVISHED
upon
us
(1
John
3:1)
POURED
out
upon
us
(Romans
5:5)
DEEP
(Ephesians
3:18)
a
GIFT
(John
3:16)
SACRIFICIAL
(Romans
5:8)
AMAZING
(1
Corinthians
2:9)
PURPOSEFUL
(Romans
8:28)
CONQUERING
&
PERMANENT
(Romans
8:37-­‐39)
The
Priority
of
love
FULFILLS
the
law
(Romans
13:10)
GREATEST
command
(Matthew
22:38-­‐39)
BUILDS
up
(1
Corinthians
8:1)
How
FAITH
is
expressed
(Galatians
5:6)
Loving
Each
Other
I
am
to
love
my
NEIGHBOR
(Galatians
5:14)
I
am
to
love
my
ENEMIES
(Luke6:32,35)
I
am
to
INCREASE
and
ABOUND
in
love
(1
Thessalonians
3:12;
Philippians
1:9)
I
am
to
SPEAK
the
truth
in
love
(Ephesians
4:15)
I
am
COMPELLED
by
the
love
of
Christ
(2
Corinthians
5:13-­‐15)
I
am
to
BEAR
with
others
in
love
(Ephesians
4:2)
I
am
to
love
DEEPLY
(1
Peter
4:8)
I
am
to
WALK
in
love
(2
John
1:6)
LIFE GROUP GUIDE
Part I: Opening
1. Memorize together (1 John 3:1)
Defining Love Section
Describe What it means that God is love.
Discuss Paul’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13
The Love of God Section
Explain which of the way that God loves you stands out
the most to you
Q: As you examine all the ways God shows his love
towards you, how do it affect you?
Describe someone you know (without names) that is
struggling with the fact they are loved by God.
Which of the ways that God’s love is described is difficult
for you to grasp?
The Priority of Love Section
Q: What does it mean that love is the fulfillment of the
law? What law?
Discuss ways the Summerville Family can build one
another up in love.
Provide some practical examples of how the only thing
that counts is faith expressing itself in love.
Loving Each Other Section
According to Jesus, who is my neighbor?
Read and discuss 1 Peter 4:8
What do you think Jesus meant when he commanded us
to love our enemy? What might that include and what might
it exclude? What if you enemy refuses to love you back?
Select from the list your favorite way we are to love each
other and discuss why with the group.
REFLECTION
1. How do these verses reinforce the idea that love is
more of a decision than just an emotion?
2. Think of someone that you need to show greater love
towards. What action step can you take to begin this
process?
3. How is Jesus my example of loving some difficult
people in the church and in the world?