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Brief Outline:
Discussion starter
1. Share with one another how you came to the Christian Life Program and what you
expect or seek to experience. Start with a brief introduction about your life.
The Challenge
God has loved you with an eternal love that creates, forgives, and redeems. The ultimate
manifestation of this love was sending God's own Son to suffer and die for you. Will you open
your heart to receive the fullness of His love?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline:
Realizing the importance of Jesus to us and to better understand who he really is, we ask: “Who
is Jesus Christ?”
A. Jesus of History: Three things that make Jesus an absolutely unique figure in
human history:
Jesus is the only person in history ever pre-announced.
He was born in Bethlehem of a virgin named Mary. Once he appeared on the
scene, he struck history, dividing it into two periods: BC and AD.
Every person who came into this world came into it to live. Jesus came into the
world to suffer and die. His death was the goal and fulfilment of his life.
B. Chirst of Faith: What did Jesus do or say about himself that, in spite of his humble
and short human life, he created such an impact in history?
Jesus did many signs or miracles; Jesus forgave sins; Jesus gave life; Jesus claimed
to possess all power in heaven and on earth; Jesus claimed that he will sit on the
right hand of the Father and come to judge all mankind; Jesus claimed
straightforwardly to be God; Jesus’ contemporaries came to the realization that he
was God.
The most conclusive proof that Jesus is Lord and God is his resurrection. When we truly know
Jesus, when we take him as our Lord and God, when we develop a personal relationship with him,
then we become truly Christian.
Discussion starter
1. Share about your Christian background.
2. Discuss how you saw or thought of Jesus before, and what new insights you have gotten through
the talk.
Jesus is God. Are you willing to accept him as Lord of your life? As Lord, will you allow him to rule
your life totally?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
After Stephen was stoned to death, many of the persecuted followers of Jesus fled to Antioch
from Jerusalem. As a result, there developed in Antioch one of the largest and most active
communities of the followers of Jesus. It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first
called Christians.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the model Christian, the perfect disciple of Christ. As Christians, we
become Christ disciples. And as Christ’s disciples, we ought to put our lives completely in his
hands, and experience the tremendous peace of Christ flowing into our lives and into our families.
Discussion Starters
1. What misconceptions about Christianity do you identify with?
2. Are you experiencing the practical implications of Christianity in your life?
The Challenge
To be a Christian is to have a loving, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Will you continue
to be open to discover the fullness of being a Christian? Will you be willing to be Christ’s
disciple?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
Our proper response to God’s love for us is repentance and faith. Repentance and faith go together.
It is a double-action response. We cannot just have one without the other.
A. What is Repentance?
1. What repentance is not.
Not dependent on feelings; not being sorry for sin because of fear of the adverse
consequences of sin
2. What then is true Christian repentance?
a change in direction and not just a simple confession of wrongdoing;
turning away from sin, evil, and wrongdoing. It means asking God for
forgiveness and availing of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
breaking away from running our own lives
3. Two essential characteristics of authentic repentance: honesty and humility.
B. What is Faith?
1. What faith is not.
Faith is not just a feeling; not wishful thinking; not a blind leap
2. What then is faith?
Faith is man’s response to God
Faith is a grace from God.
Faith is belief in the gospel
Faith is a personal act and decision
Discussion starter
1. Share with one another areas where you need to turn more fully to God.
2. Share areas where you need to grow in faith.
The Challenge
Jesus sounded the call to repentance and faith 2,000 years ago. This is the same call to us today. Turn
away from sin and all obstacles to God, and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then take God up on all
His promises.
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
Goals and ideals are important to move us on. Goals can direct our behaviour and plans for life.
As Christians, loving God is our highest ideal. This is God’s first and greatest commandment.
Mk 12:28-30
We love God with all our mind and soul by keeping our mind clean and holy; using
our mind according to God’s truths and not according to the ways of the world;
preoccupying our mind with things of God; protecting and preserving our mind
from unholy influences; using our mind for God’s purpose
Loving God with all our strength means giving God all our resources – time, talent
and treasure
We cannot love God with all our heart, mind and strength by merely deciding to do so. What will
make it possible is the power of the Holy Spirit.
Discussion starter
How have I loved God in a concrete way?
The Challenge
Loving God is not as vague and impractical as you may think. It involves specific, practical actions,
decisions and commitments. Can you make loving God your first and highest ideal? Are you ready to
make Jesus and Mary the model of your life?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
Loving God and loving neighbor form the inseparable core of the Christian life.
Jesus said that we should love one another as he loves us. Jesus loves us regardless of who we are.
He does not care if we are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, Samaritan or Jew. He died for all of
us. He is “neighbor” to us all.
Discussion starter
1. Do you understand the Biblical meaning of love as contrasted with that of the world?
2. How have you failed to love in everyday life?
The Challenge
Jesus showed us the way to true Christian love by the parable of the good Samaritan, by his
washing of his disciples' feet, and most of all by his dying for us on the cross. Are you prepared to
love others in the way Jesus loved you?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
The family as an institution is under attack from many fronts. We need to prevent the breaking up of
families, to make our marriages more resilient. For this we need to put on God’s mind and to follow his
plan for the family.
God has a plan for our families. But the evil one wants to prevent this plan from happening. We should
seek the protection and guidance of the Holy Family of Nazareth to make God’s plan happen.
Discussion starter
1. For the men: Have I assumed full responsibility for the spiritual and material needs of my family?
2. For the women: Have I supported my husband in his role and done my share in building up a Christian
family?
The Challenge
God is trying to restore the Christian family back to His original plan. We are called to respond to His
divine efforts and to be a part of His work. Will you take the steps necessary to have God's plan happen in
your family?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
Much of Christianity today looks weak and lifeless. The early Christian movement was dynamic,
strong and attractive. The source of this power was the Holy Spirit. We need to know and
understand the Holy Spirit as a Person who can truly affect and change our lives.
Discussion starter
Share about your experience of God's Spirit in your life.
Brief Outline
Like many Christians today, many people during the time of the prophet Ezekiel were enmeshed
in sin and spiritual lifelessness. Ez 36:24-28. The Holy Spirit that God promised through Ezekiel,
Jesus gave to his disciples and to us. With the Holy Spirit, we gain:
A new nature, spiritual power. Gal 5:16-23. The inward dimension.
A power to serve. Acts 1:8. The outward dimension.
B. This is a prayer session for the release of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Challenge
You have claimed Christ's promise of the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. You have begun a new
life in faith. Will you commit yourself fully to Jesus Christ and grow into the life in the Holy
Spirit?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
The Christian life can be pictured as a wheel that has three components:
the outer rim: This represents daily Christian life, where we encounter the realities of daily
living.
the hub: The hub represents our Lord Jesus Christ, who is or should be at the center of our
lives. The power is that of the Holy Spirit.
the spokes: The five spokes represent the five tools or means for us to grow in the Holy
Spirit, namely, prayer and study, service and fellowship, and the sacraments.
C. Sacraments
1. The fifth and most important tool for Catholics to grow in the Holy Spirit is the regular
reception of the sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the
Sacrament of Holy Communion.
We are still “babies in Christ” and we need to grow. This will happen if we make use of the 5 tools
provided by God.
Discussion starter
What tools to Christian growth have not been fully utilized in your life?
Brief Outline
1. Couples for Christ (CFC) is a Christian community for the renewal and strengthening of family life
and making the love of God felt among the poor. It started in June 1981 in Manila, Philippines,
with 16 couples.
Through Building the Church of the Home, CFC has established the Family
Ministries (since 1993): Kids for Christ (KFC), Youth for Christ (YFC),
Singles for Christ (SFC), Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD), and Servants of
the Lord (SOLD).
Through Building the Church of the Poor (BCOP) CFC lives out the social
teachings of the Church through CFC ANCOP (Answering the Cry of the
Poor) and the CFC Social Development Programs.
Think and pray about “The Covenant of CFC”. Look at the covenant as an ideal, not yet fully in place, but
as what God calls us to.
Discussion starter
1. Do you agree with the CFC statement of philosophy, which embodies its beliefs and ideals?
2. Do you see the covenant of Couples for Christ as the ideal of Christian family life that God calls us all
to?
The Challenge
God is trying to restore the Christian family back to His original plan. We are all called to respond to His
divine effort and be a part of His work. Are you ready to do your share in renew-ing, strengthening and
supporting Christian family living?
COUPLES FOR CHRIST
CHRISTIAN LIFE PROGRAM
Participant's Handout
Brief Outline
We need to allow the Lord to continue the process of our transformation in Christ. The Holy Spirit
is at work so that we can grow to know, love and serve God more. As we come to the end of the
Christian Life Program, we should ask ourselves, have we achieved this transformation in Christ?
Let us all rejoice and be glad. Let us praise and thank the Lord for calling us, for opening our eyes,
and for starting the process of our transformation in Christ.