Philippians 2:19-30

1. Read Philippians 2:19–24. Who is somebody you know personally that fits the description of Philippians 2:20–21? How have you seen that embodied in their life?

2. Regardless of your everyday proximity to your spiritual leaders, could they accurately describe you the way Paul describes Timothy in Philippians 2:20–22? If not, why not? What could it look like for you to grow into the example Paul sees embodied in Timothy?

3. Read Philippians 2:25–30. The church in Philippi models something essential in the kingdom of God on earth. It is this: churches must regularly send out people from the body for the sake of saints and future saints in other places. How have you seen that modeled in your own church? What would it look like for you to raise your hand to go, as Epaphroditus did, and be the sort of person the church can trust to handle such a task?

4. Who have been some of the key leaders in your life who have suffered to minister to and encouraged you to press on and grow in your faith? Philippians 2:29 says to honor such people! Spend some time talking about them and giving God glory for their presence in your life!

5. As followers of Jesus today, we are debtors to generations of ordinary saints whose faith-filled obedience carried the gospel across borders and through the centuries to us. Regardless of where you are in your spiritual maturity, you have a role to play in adding and training up the next generation of Christ-followers. Who is one person you could personally invest in? What could it look like to disciple them and see them grow in their faith, love, knowledge, and obedience to Christ?