Calvary Vero Home Groups

Week of 09/14/25

Pastor Jim Gallagher

Philippians 1:1-2

Introduction - The Birth of the Church of Philippi

Today we learned about the beginning of the church in Philippi and how the work began from a move of God’s spirit.   

Christians as Bondservants

In Philippians 1:1, the term bondservant translates in the Greek word doulos, meaning “slave” or “servant.” In first-century Rome, slavery was widespread. The term literally means “one bound to another”. While the term generally carried negative connotations, Paul uses it positively, emphasizing the honor of belonging to Christ as his true Master.

  • How does this idea of being a slave sit with you? In what ways are you a bondservant of Christ?

Paul could have pointed to many impressive accomplishments—risking his life for the gospel, traveling far and wide to share the good news, and writing letters that continue to shape the church today. Yet, above all these things, what he treasured most was simply that Jesus was his Lord. 

  • How does this speak to the way you see yourself? When you introduce yourself to others, is your focus on what you have done, or on who you are in Christ?

Saints, Bishops & Deacons

Paul refers to all Christians as “saints”. A saint is someone who has put their faith in Christ and has been made holy (set apart) for God through the finished work of Jesus. The Philippian church was a healthy, functioning church filled with saints, some serving as “bishops” and some  as “deacons’. Bishops ministered primarily to the spiritual needs of the body and the deacons ministered to the physical and practical needs of the body.

Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, wrote to the Philippians 80 years after Paul. He praised them as an “example of true love” and as “ornaments of the saints,” recognizing that their faith was still impacting the world generations later after the birth of the church in Philippi.

  • Have you considered the legacy you would like to leave as a servant of Christ?

  • How about the impact and influence Calvary Vero will have in the years to come? Do you think we are the kind of church that is doing the things we ought to in order to have a long lasting impact for Jesus and His gospel for many years to come?

The Move of the Spirit

Read these key verses Acts 16:6-10

Acts 16 covers the story of the beginning of the church in Philippi. It’s a great testament to the ways of God and how He leads and moves us by the Holy Spirit.

The clearest and most common way God directs us is by His Word. For example, we know God doesn’t want us to lie, because He tells us in His word. By reading His word, we will know Him and His ways making it easier to discern what His will is.

Another way God directs us is through His Spirit. There are great examples of this in Acts 16. 

We see how sometimes the Spirit directs us. Sometimes He redirects us, and sometimes he does both by preventing or forbidding us from going somewhere or doing something. We need to be sensitive to the Spirit so we can be in alignment with God’s will and walk in the things the Lord has for us. John 3:8  

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in [a]Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the [b]Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

In the Book of Philippians Paul prays that the believers will abound in knowledge and discernment and “approve the things that are excellent.”

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.” (Philippians 1:10)

  • Give an example of how God has led you by His Word.

  • Give an example of how God has led you by His Spirit or a closed or open door.

  • How has daily reading of the word given you a better ability to hear His voice?

  • Have you had a time when you have let go of something “good” to wait for something “excellent”?

Prayer Points

  • Ask the Lord to help us be sensitive to His Spirit’s leading and guiding in our lives and as His church.

  • Ask the Lord to help us be diligent to seek Him in His word each day in order to know Him better and to become more in tune with His will and His ways.

  • Ask the Lord to help us be obedient to obey His word and to step out in faith as the Holy Spirit directs us.

  • Pray for more boldness to go where he tells us to go and to do what He calls us to do, regardless of whether it makes sense to us or not. Steps of faith lead to great moves of God.