By Michael C. Mack

1. When have you had to explain your actions to someone? What did you say? What was the result? 

Read Acts 11:1-18. 

2. What were the assumptions of the Jewish Christians (“circumcised believers”)? How valid were those assumptions, considering the information they had so far? 

3. If you had been one of the Jewish Christians who were questioning Peter, how would you have initially reacted when he said God told him to eat the creatures he saw in the vision? Why? 

4. What was the main point of Peter’s story? 

5. What do you learn in this passage about challenging church leaders when their actions seem to go against what God has clearly said? 

6. What do you learn from Peter about how to successfully respond to criticism? 

7. In what ways do Christians stand in God’s way because of their presuppositions? 

8. Who is one “outsider” that you will pray for or reach out to this week?

Michael Mack leads church training events and consults with churches through his ministry, Small Group Leadership (www.smallgroupleadership.com).