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Learning From Influential People



I recently came across a list of the 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived. It's interesting to think about how these fictional characters have impacted our lives. Here are 10 of the people from the list (not necessarily in order):

Most Influential People in History (from: smart-kit.com)
1. The Marlboro Man
2. Big Brother
3. King Arthur
4. Santa Claus (St. Nick)
5. Hamlet
6. Dr. Frankenstein's Monster
7. Siegfried
8. Sherlock Holmes
9. Romeo and Juliet
10. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Reading this list gave me an idea for a fun activity a small group could do. You could use this as a simple relationship building opportunity, or if your group really made the investment, it could be a powerful time of spiritual examination.

Even though the characters in the Bible are most certainly NOT FICTIONAL, a list similar to the one above might be beneficial. As a group, make a lit of the 10 Most Influential People in the Bible (after Jesus). Once your list is complete use the following questions to discuss your list:

  • Which one of these people do you most want to be like? Why?
  • Which one of these people do you most want to avoid being like? Why?
  • Choose one person and talk about an admirable character trait they had.
  • Choose one person and talk about a weakness of their's with which you identify.
  • After talking about these people, what is one virtue you want to pursue this week?

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