Reading
Group Questions:
The following list of questions is designed to
enhance a group or individual's thinking
about or discussing some of the issues we hope you will consider
after reading this book. This is
designed as a starting point only and is not meant to limit the
discussion.
The author has already provided “Home Work” with each
chapter. Use the following questions and topics to supplement what
is already supplied for consideration in the book.
Dreams
1. In Scripture, the word house encompasses
two key meanings—the
physical structure which a person or group inhabits (i.e., housing)
and the person or group who inhabits that home (i.e., household). When
Joshua swore, “As for me and my house, we will serve the
Lord,” he was referring to his household—to his family
and all those dependent on his family for a livelihood. When David
dreamed of building a “house for God”—the temple—God’s
response was to prioritize building David’s house—his
dynasty—first. When you consider seeking a blessing on your
house, how is your household encompassed by that prayer? Consider
how your dreams, plans, and decisions concerning your housing affect
your household.
2. Whether you are anticipating your first home, your fourth,
or your fifteenth, you have dreams about what that home will be
like. What factors figure into those dreams? Why? Don’t neglect
to consider the following:
- Location, location, location! Consider the
geography of your home search, especially as it relates to proximity
to your circle of support (family, friends, church); to critical
or desirable services (medical care, food or fuel, public transportation
or thoroughfares, etc.); to frequent destinations (work, school,
medical facilities, ministry sites); to cultural or recreational
resources (parks, museums, theatres, sporting venues, children’s
entertainment).
- Won’t you be my neighbor? Think about
the village in which you prefer to live. Are you a city or country
mouse—or do you prefer the middle ground of the suburbs?
What are the pros and cons of each? Do you enjoy your space,
or do you crave the bustle of other people—or both in varying
proportions? What population and population density are encompassed
by this neighborhood? What are the demographics of your ideal
neighborhood? Do you crave racial or socioeconomic solidarity—or
diversity? Investigate the community’s reputation for public
or private schools, trash pickup, and emergency services. Find
out what the taxes are—and what is included in them!
- What I want vs. what we need. Give detailed
consideration to what kind of home you want at this
time in your life—and what kind of home you need.
The two are not necessarily the same. You may want a
modest but modern, 3-story townhome in a cooperative community
in the sultry South, where you don’t have to worry about
landscaping or dozens of rooms to keep clean or the cold harsh
winters of the Great Lakes where you grew up—but your household
may require a sprawling, century-old ranch house in the Southwest
where your young child with allergies and your aging father with
a walker can share space indoors and enjoy room to roam outside.
- Write the vision—even if it is twofold. Now
that you have recognized the difference between your desire and
your need, write down both visions—and commit them each
to God. Be detailed: square footage (indoors and out), number
of bedrooms and baths; modern conveniences vs. old-world charms;
multilevel or ranch style; closets and storage space; basement
or attic, finished or unfinished; garage and/or shed; driveway
and sidewalks. Think about practicalities such as plumbing, windows,
roof, and appliances. Do you want to design your own or identify
a “fixer-upper” that needs your TLC? Do you prefer
new construction or a place with a history? If the latter, how
much history? The more specific you are about the vision(s),
the more awed and grateful you will be when God brings that vision
to pass!
Decisions
3. Once the dream is clear, you
are faced with some decisions. How long are you willing or able
to wait for the dream? Do you believe God is calling you to hold
out for the desire of your heart—or do you sense the Spirit
saying, “Accept
this for now and trust the rest to me”? Both decisions
are intensely spiritual—and personal.
4. Proverbs reminds us that there is wisdom in a multitude of
counselors. A common adage is that two heads are better than one.
It is also true that there can be too many cooks in a kitchen!
Whom will you consult in making the necessary decisions related
to your housing? Don’t forget that renting or buying a home
is not only a matter of faith; it is also a decision that can involve
a tangle of strings attached. Seek spiritual counsel—and
legal and financial advice. Ask God for wisdom in choosing all of
your advisors, from a real estate agent to an attorney to a loan
officer to a management company.
Decorations
5. You have dreamed your dreams
and made your decision—and
now you stand on the threshold of your new home. Or perhaps, you
have decided against a new home at this time—and you are
resolved to do a new thing in your old home! Consider
your space carefully and again, think about your wants vs. your
needs.
- Not just outward appearances. Keep in mind
the biblical exhortation about God’s concern with the spirit
inside more than the outer dressing. A beautiful home may house
a cold or dying spirit. A crowded and cluttered house may harbor
the warmth of hospitality and peace. Are you as effective a steward
of your household as you are of your house? Does your home reflect
the spirit and personality of your family?
- Something old, something new. What things
do you enjoy surrounding yourself with? Do you love the newest
trend in decorating, something with sleek modern lines and stark
colors—or are you a traditionalist who prefers country
or wicker? Do you adore antiques or love knowing that no one
but you has planted her—hands!—on that spotless piece
of furniture? Consider also how changeable your likes and dislikes
are. Do you like to build a nest and settle into it for the long
haul, secure in having what is beloved and familiar around you?
Or are you one who revels in novelty and change, craving something
new to see and touch and smell and taste? Take those personality
preferences into consideration as you decorate your home—and
make responsible investments.
- Kids will be kids. If you have young children
in your home (or are planning to add some in the near future),
please be mindful of that as you design your home’s interior.
Safety is the key issue: How safe are children with your possessions—and
how safe are your possessions with children? It is possible to
have nice things and toddlers in the same home, but there is
a price tag on that decision. Count the cost—monetary and
in peace of mind—now so you don’t rue it later.
Doors
6. Shakespeare wrote, “All
the world’s a stage” and
in life as in theater, entrances and exits are important. Does
that artwork come in? Does that story go out? Does that language
make an entrance? Does that attitude make an exit? Do we make solo
or group exits? What caregivers or influences are permitted entrance?
Now that you are in your home, give prayerful consideration to
what and whom comes in and goes out from your house—and household.
7. Throughout Scripture, God’s people are urged to practice
hospitality. However, because each person is unique—in personality
and gifts—each house (and household) will welcome others
differently into the sanctuary of home. Ask these questions, among
others, about the opening of your doors.
- To whom should the door be open? To whom will
you grant entry—only friends and family, or also strangers
and enemies? At issue is not only the question of hospitality
and generosity, but also of safety and wisdom.
- On what occasions should the door be open? Will
your home have a revolving door, open to guests whenever the
impulse strikes? Or will you make your hospitality special, even
sacred, in some way, by choosing specific events to welcome people—holidays
or meals or a monthly fellowship?
- Where will you open the doors? What parts
of your home will be public territory? Will you serve them in
the dining room or welcome them in the kitchen? Will every inch
of your house be offered to your guests, or will you reserve
special rooms for entertaining? If the latter, will the rooms
be formal or informal spaces?
- When should the door be open? At all times
of day and night, or only during “business hours”?
Twenty-four/seven, or perhaps not on specific days that might
be reserved for family or cleaning or rest? Will you have a special
day or weekend or timeframe set aside for entertaining—or
will you throw open your doors without notice?
- Why will you open your doors? To celebrate
or to provide refuge? For fun or for ministry? Out of a sense
of Christian responsibility—or because you are the quintessential
extrovert? Do you enjoy having people around and sharing your
space—or does “company” stress you out and
make you long for solitude?
- Whether to open the door—or not? There
may be times when you shut the doors of your home. It may be
a decision to shut out certain influences, at least for a season.
It may also be a time of refuge or of intimate fellowship—when
you, as an individual or as a family, just need some “me/us
time.”
8. Because of the physical and spiritual significance of doors,
seriously consider having a “Home Blessing” ceremony
in your new or renewed home. Many pastors or church leaders are
willing to visit a home and say a prayer of blessing over it, even
anointing the doorway(s) with oil as a sign of sanctification.
If your church does not have such a convention in place, explore
introducing the idea to the leadership—or invite a trusted
friend of faith to share in a ceremony with you.
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