Por encima de todo
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Above It All
What Did You Expect?
Above It All
What Did You Expect?
Por encima de todo
¿Que esperabas?

Crew Leader

Introduction (2 minutes)

Use the Zoom chat feature to keep everyone connected. As people join in, ask for their first and last name, email address, and where they are tuning in from. Save the chat as an attendance record.

Reflect

Ask Crew members to share their favorite points from the talk. What phrase or moment did they relate to the most?

Icebreaker: Reflection or Conversation Starter or Virtual Icebreaker (5 minutes)

For your icebreaker, choose from the options below. Have Crew members unmute themselves to share.

Conversation Starters (Choose One)
  • What's something you did this week that you feel proud of?
  • What did you eat for breakfast?
  • Name the best book you’ve ever read.
  • What’s your morning routine?
  • What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
  • If your life was a story, what would the title be?
Virtual Icebreakers (5 minutes)

Preaching Game - Choose random items and allow individuals to find ways to encourage others using that item. (Pick 2-3 volunteers)

Show-and-Tell - Pick an object in your home that has significance for you, something with a funny story behind it, anything unique, or something you've used to simply pass the time.

Crew Discussion

The Art of Joy: Class is in Session

Pastor Manouchka Charles

Continuing the Conversation
Last Crew's Call to Action

God calls for us to forgive while maintaining boundaries necessary to steward and nurture our souls. This week, lean in to the wisdom of Solomon and study the book of Proverbs to help you develop tools for cultivating Godly relationships while asking God for the courage to forgive. Don’t forget to check out additional resources at https://www.vouschurch.com/care.

Scripture

Philippians 4:4-13 NIV


“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Main Idea

Was the Apostle Paul happy when he was writing his letter to the Philippians from a prison cell with a painful thorn in his side? We don’t know. What we do know is that Paul went deeper. He had the joy of the Lord and was content despite his difficult circumstances. Paul understood that joy and contentment came from within through communion with God, unlike happiness, which is fleeting because it depends on circumstances that are beyond our control. Joy is the assurance we have in Christ and its resulting effects. And contentment is knowing that this assurance is where everything we value and steward originates from.


We will never find contentment from an external source, only from God.

1.  Learning Contentment  

No matter our circumstances, we can learn how to be content. As we grow our confidence in God’s goodness, we grow a contentment on the inside that produces joy and peace regardless of outside events. Learning to be content comes from learning the word of God.

When you stop learning, you stop growing.
You can learn to be content, but you have to practice.
Don’t create limits for how much joy you can receive. We serve a limitless God.

Contentment may not come naturally, but we can learn it

What is a limiting belief that God helped you overcome and grow out of? What were the results?

2. Practicing Contentment

It is not enough to just know about contentment as a principle. As we learn how to practice it, we are to put these lessons to work within our lives, especially during dark seasons. By consistently incorporating gratitude, prayer, and peace in our walk, our contentment in Christ Jesus will remain strong.


“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 4:6-7

Our gratitude protects our contentment
We make prayer a priority by establishing a rhythm. The rhythm of prayer fills us with his presence which brings about joy
To be content from within starts with practicing peace. Practice peace by removing comparison, covet, and complain from your thoughts

As much as joy is a gift, it takes skill and practice

What is something you have found that can keep you from being content?

Summary

Our experiences in life can shape our belief systems, however when you place your belief in Jesus, he can shape your life. Trust the Lord to direct your path into a life of limitless joy and peace. Only when you surrender to Jesus can you experience the full power of God.

Call To Action

Start a gratitude journal or add a gratitude section in your notes. Write down 3-5 things that you are grateful for at the start or end of your day. Starting or ending your day with gratitude provides hope for what’s next to come!

Announcements

New VOUS Text Platform

All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.

VOUS Junior High | Sunday Services

VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.

Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.

For more information and to RSVP your student, click here

VOUS Thanksgiving Bash and VOUS Bowl 2024

Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.

To serve, click here

Date: Saturday, November 23rd

Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM

Location: Charles Hadley Park

1350 NW 50th St

Miami, FL 33142

VOUS Turkey Trot

Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!

To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here

Date: Thursday, November 28th

Time: 6:00AM

Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133

VOUS Tree Lighting

On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!


Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City.
Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.

Date: December 1st

Time: 7:30PM

Location:

VOUS Miami Gardens

17801 NW 2nd Ave

Miami, FL 33169

VOUS SoMi

6767 Sunset Dr

South Miami, FL 33143


To serve, click here

Sundays at VOUS

VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM

VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM

VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM

VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM

Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español

Visit VOUS


Growth Track

After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack

Sign Up

Crew Leader

Introduction (2 minutes)

Use the Zoom chat feature to keep everyone connected. As people join in, ask for their first and last name, email address, and where they are tuning in from. Save the chat as an attendance record.

Reflect

Ask Crew members to share their favorite points from the talk. What phrase or moment did they relate to the most?

Icebreaker: Reflection or Conversation Starter or Virtual Icebreaker (5 minutes)

For your icebreaker, choose from the options below. Have Crew members unmute themselves to share.

Conversation Starters (Choose One)
  • What's something you did this week that you feel proud of?
  • What did you eat for breakfast?
  • Name the best book you’ve ever read.
  • What’s your morning routine?
  • What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
  • If your life was a story, what would the title be?
Virtual Icebreakers (5 minutes)

Preaching Game - Choose random items and allow individuals to find ways to encourage others using that item. (Pick 2-3 volunteers)

Show-and-Tell - Pick an object in your home that has significance for you, something with a funny story behind it, anything unique, or something you've used to simply pass the time.

Crew Discussion

What Did You Expect?

Pastor Luke Barry

Continuing the Conversation
VOUSCon 2023: Reflect

VOUSCon was nothing short of a miracle! We're still praising God for all He did. Reflection builds gratitude. Spend the first few minutes of Crew sharing a testimony or reflection from VOUSCon 2023.

Continuing the Conversation
Last Crew's Call to Action

God calls for us to forgive while maintaining boundaries necessary to steward and nurture our souls. This week, lean in to the wisdom of Solomon and study the book of Proverbs to help you develop tools for cultivating Godly relationships while asking God for the courage to forgive. Don’t forget to check out additional resources at https://www.vouschurch.com/care.

Scripture

Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Additional Scripture References: John 11:32; Job 13:15; John 11:5; Matthew 14:31

Main Idea

Life often doesn't meet our expectations, leading to frustration and disappointment. We may hope for one outcome, only to be met with something entirely different, creating a gap between what we expected and what we experienced. This gap can lead us to question God, our faith, and our hope. But through stories like that of Lazarus and Job, we learn that God isn’t in the business of just meeting expectations, He’s in the business of exceeding them.

God’s power to perform exceeds our ability to ask

1. Hope and Expectation

Faith grows through hope and trusting God’s timing. Positive expectations can fuel faith, while unmet expectations can lead to disappointment. Often, we expect something specific from God but find ourselves limiting Him to only a particular outcome. When we don’t see Him come through just as we expected, we can find ourselves frustrated and disappointed — where was God? The truth is, God is always at work. We may not always see Him moving, or understand His plan, but He has something greater in mind.

Disappointment can tempt us to give up on expectations, but it’s an opportunity to strengthen our faith
God’s plans always exceed our expectations
Don't allow your expectations of what God was “supposed” to do get in the way of what He wants to do

If God always met your expectations, how could He ever exceed them?

What areas of your life are you waiting for God to show up? How can you operate from faith in the present as you hope for the future?

2. Endurance and Enjoyment

Job’s story is a powerful example of enduring pain and disappointment without losing faith. Even in his suffering, Job declared, “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” Despite the immense loss, he continued to trust God, showing us that our hope can remain, even in the midst of struggle. Endurance is the ability to trust that God is working, even when we can’t see it.

Endurance strengthens our faith through trials
God hasn’t called us to merely endure life, He’s called us to enjoy it
Enjoying life is appreciating the little, it’s not a pain-free life, but a grateful one

We can say: “God, I don’t understand everything but I trust you in everything”

How has a difficult season strengthened your appreciation for God’s blessings?

Summary

Possibly the greatest source of frustration in life is unmet expectations. The difference between what we expected versus what we experienced often leads us to stop expecting. But there’s an invitation of faith amidst the frustration. Don’t lower your expectations; lift your faith. Give God something to exceed. God can do it, the question is: can you believe it?

Call To Action

Identify areas where you may be limiting God by expecting a specific outcome. Practice finding gratitude by celebrating the little things.

Announcements

New VOUS Text Platform

All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.

VOUS Junior High | Sunday Services

VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.

Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.

For more information and to RSVP your student, click here

VOUS Thanksgiving Bash and VOUS Bowl 2024

Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.

To serve, click here

Date: Saturday, November 23rd

Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM

Location: Charles Hadley Park

1350 NW 50th St

Miami, FL 33142

VOUS Turkey Trot

Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!

To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here

Date: Thursday, November 28th

Time: 6:00AM

Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133

VOUS Tree Lighting

On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!


Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City.
Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.

Date: December 1st

Time: 7:30PM

Location:

VOUS Miami Gardens

17801 NW 2nd Ave

Miami, FL 33169

VOUS SoMi

6767 Sunset Dr

South Miami, FL 33143


To serve, click here

Sundays at VOUS

VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM

VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM

VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM

VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM

Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español

Visit VOUS


Growth Track

After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack

Sign Up

Sign Up for a Crew ->