Journey of Faith Messages Podcast

The earliest followers of Jesus were made up of people who believed the message of Jesus and chose to follow him. But there was one man named Saul, who began his journey as an ardent opponent of Jesus – even arresting and wanting to kill Christians. But God had a different plan for Saul to become one of the most influential and dynamic followers in history – the first Christian missionary. This week we’ll read the story of Saul’s dramatic conversion and be inspired to trust God to breakthrough to even the people most resistant to his love. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Blinded by the Light appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Some of the first followers of Jesus found that their finest moments were defined by how willing they were to cross cultural boundaries to share God’s love. This week we’ll read the story of a man named Phillip who faced the same challenging limitations and prejudices we still face today, but chose to follow God’s loving plan past his hesitations, with incredible results. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post A Growing Family appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What does it take to stand strong when everything is against you? The growth of the first family of Jesus-followers was full of joy and excitement – but that first family also faced extreme challenges and heartache. This week we’ll read the story of the very first Christian martyr – the first Christian to lose his life because of his faith. From the story of Stephen, we’ll learn to be humble and truthful, even in the face of adversity, and find out how we can share God’s love, against all odds. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Standing Strong appeared first on Journey of Faith.

As the earliest followers of Jesus were trying to decide how to keep his movement of love going, they landed on a surprising theme: sharing. They shared meals. They shared their time. They shared their possessions. They shared the journey with one another in order to reach new height of connection and strength. This week we’ll take inspiration from the first family of Jesus in order to become more open and generous ourselves. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post The Power of Sharing appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The first and most important thing the early followers of Jesus decided to do was WAIT; wait for the Holy Spirit to inspire and motivate and guide them. Though it may have first seemed like inaction, waiting on God resulted in a explosion of growth and miracles. This week we’ll explore the arrival of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the first followers of Jesus, and learn how we can be transformed by that same experience. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post The Ultimate Catalyst appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The spiritual life extends beyond our personal fulfillment; it is about guiding all of humanity to reconnect with God and thrive in His goodness. This profound mission calls for collective participation, which is why God invites each of us to play a part. This week, we’ll explore The Great Commission—Jesus’ final instructions to His first followers—where He calls them, and us, to embrace a spiritual life far greater than ourselves. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Share the Good News! appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Easter 2025 appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Isn’t it comforting to know that someone is praying for you? Even more amazing, Jesus Himself prays for you! He prays that we can endure life’s challenges and that our love for one another will guide others to Him. This week, in our series The Summit, we’ll explore John 17, where Jesus prays for His followers, and uncover how His prayer can shape the way we live. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Jesus Is Praying For You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

No one wants to feel alone. While we all need moments of solitude, none of us want to feel abandoned, rejected, or unsupported during life’s challenges. The good news is that Jesus promises we will never face those moments alone. This week, we’ll explore Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit, our constant companion and source of help. Together, we’ll reflect on how God has been present in our lives all along and how He continues to guide us—and others—into a future filled with hope. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post You Will Never Be Alone appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Have you ever felt like what you have to give isn’t enough to matter? What if generosity isn’t about the amount we give, but about what it does in us? In this final week of our True Value series, we’ll explore Jesus’ perspective as He watches a widow offer a small yet deeply sacrificial gift at the temple. Through her example, we’ll see that true generosity is measured by the heart, not the sum. Together, we’ll invite Jesus to examine our hearts, relieve our financial anxieties, and show us how giving to God can lead to deeper spiritual growth. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Drop in the Bucket appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if the way you handle your finances could make it easier for others to experience God? While culture often pushes us to focus on getting ahead, God calls us to help others move forward, especially toward Him. This week, we’ll explore one of the most striking moments in Jesus’ ministry—when He overturned tables to clear the temple of money-changers. Through this powerful story, we’ll be challenged to choose generosity and purpose over personal gain and discover how we can remove obstacles to create clear pathways for others to encounter Jesus. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Generosity Helps Others Come to God appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How does your faith influence the way you handle money? As we kick off our new series, True Value, we’ll dive into a conversation between Jesus and a rich young ruler. In this powerful exchange, Jesus challenges us to move from a mindset of clinging to what we have to trusting God and letting go. Together, we’ll reflect on what might be competing with our faith and discover practical steps toward trusting God more with our finances. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Let Faith Guide Your Finances appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The Kingdom of God can begin right now as we choose to let Jesus lead our lives. But Jesus also promised that he would return someday, wrap up history, and establish his full Kingdom. Are you ready? What would Jesus find in us if he returned right now? How should we live our lives if he waits another 2000 years? How do we operate without knowing his timing? This week we’ll explore Jesus’ descriptions of his second coming and take to hear the challenges he gives his followers to stay ready, invitational, and faithful. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Thy Kingdom Come appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Even Jesus used multiple illustrations to help people grasp the idea of the Kingdom of God. This week, we’ll explore several of the powerful images he used—a treasure, a seed, and a fishing net—to reveal what life looks like under his leadership. Each of these examples gives us a clearer picture of God’s love and his desire for us to live in deep connection with him. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post “How Can I Illustrate It?” appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God, but on one special day, he gave three of his disciples an in-person demonstration of his true power in that Kingdom! This week, we’ll read the story of “The Transfiguration,” witness Jesus’ glory for ourselves, and learn how we can invite him to bring powerful transformation to our own lives. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post The Ultimate Transformer appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Have you ever faced a situation so hopeless that it felt beyond repair? The good news is that nothing is beyond Jesus’ power to change. In our hopeless situations, Jesus shares in our pain and can transform even the most irreversible circumstances. In our third and final message of our series It’s a Miracle, we’ll witness Jesus’ miraculous ability to overcome the most hopeless situation of all… death itself. And learn to invite Him into our unmet expectations and struggles. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post May Hope Arise appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life’s storms, wondering if your faith is enough? In this second message in our series It’s a Miracle, we’ll explore Jesus’ miraculous power over what overwhelms us, showing that He helps us even when our faith falters. And we’ll discover even when we are struggling to have faith, that Jesus responds graciously to our needs despite our doubts. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Jesus Calms the Storm appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Have you ever wondered if God cares about more than just your religious life? When we read about the life of Jesus, we discover that he has a deep concern for our physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This concern is seen so clearly in his miraculous and holistic care of people. In this first week of our three-week series called It’s a Miracle! We’ll explore Jesus’ desire to heal every part of our lives. And invite him to meet us in practical and unexpected ways. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Jesus Cares For Every Body appeared first on Journey of Faith.

As we gather a spiritual support team for 2025, it may be exciting to think of all of the ways we can encourage and challenge each other. However, we may quickly recognize that our efforts to help others are limited – we’re busy, we’re weak, and we don’t know any more answers than anyone else. Before those moments come, it is important to recognize that our true benefit to others comes from a deep faith in God. As we close out the first message series of the new year, we’ll see how the faith of an unexpected biblical character amazes even Jesus, and learn the power of fully trusting God to make us a powerful part of his team. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post When Jesus Was Amazed appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What kind of people would help us the most as we commit to growing spiritually in 2025? Who would be the perfect members of a spiritual growth team, and how to we find those people? In this second week of our 4-part series, we’ll look closely at the qualities Jesus was looking for as he assembled his first disciples and learn how we can build the best team for our own spiritual journey. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post What Makes The Dream Team? appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Pursuing God cannot be a journey we take on our own. For as much as we’d like to fly solo, none of the personal and spiritual growth goals we may have for 2025 will be reached without the support, challenge, and encouragement of other people. But who should be on our support team? What does it look like to assemble the spiritual friends and family we’ll need to focus on God and get closer to him this year? In this first week of our 4-week series, we’ll see that Jesus started his own team-building journey by making sure he was rooted in a relationship with God. We’ll follow his lead and set some God-focused goals together to launch into a vibrant new year! Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post God As Team Captain appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Ever feel anxious about the unknown? The story of 12-year-old Jesus getting ‘lost’ at the temple is surprisingly relatable. His actions show us how to navigate uncertainty with confidence, trust, and a sense of purpose. It’s a powerful reminder that even in life’s most confusing moments, there’s a way to grow and find peace. The post Sabbath Sunday 2024 appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Zechariah, Elizabeth, and Mary are three people who responded to life-changing news with heartfelt songs of faith and joy. These ancient songs remind us to pause and reflect on God’s faithfulness, even in silence, and to open our hearts to His mission with joyful anticipation. Join us as we uncover how their stories invite us to trust God’s plans and embrace hope this Christmas season. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post A Tale of Two Songs appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What should we do when we see injustice all around us? This is the question asked by the ancient prophet Malachi. He saw his country worn down immoral leadership, financial recklessness, and abuse of power. God answered him with the promise of a brighter future. This week, we’ll explore God’s promise of a coming “Sun of Righteousness” and look at what we can do to be part of the solution to the problems we see. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Here Comes the Sun appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Isaiah, an aged Hebrew Prophet, is gazing into the horizon and sees his nation and people facing a dark future. He knows he won’t be there to remind them of God’s presence and love. Weighed down by the darkness before him, Isaiah is given a message for God’s people: “Comfort my people.” This week, we’ll look the pinnacle of Isaiah vision for the future, the role of a coming Suffering Servant and King who will carry the sins of the world and bring about God’s good plans for the world. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Our Servant King appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Sometimes things appear to be at their worst, right before they get better. There’s an old saying that ‘it’s always darkest before the dawn.” We live in a dark world, full of disappoints, hurts, and fears about the future. What helps you have hope when the world is looks dark? How can we face this darkness with hope of a coming dawn? This week, we begin a four-week series where we’ll explore what the ancient Hebrew Prophets said about the light they saw on the horizon, their promised Messiah and Savior of the World. We’ll see how their words can help us look with hope and celebrate the arrival of Jesus, our coming dawn! Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Our Hope for the Future appeared first on Journey of Faith.

As the period of exile came to a close for God’s ancient people in the Bible, they were reminded of how God had walked them through even their darkest of times. How can we do the same? How can we root ourselves in God’s love and guidance, and celebrate his presence with others? This week we’ll read a famous story of a prophet named Ezra in the Bible as he and his people are overwhelmed by God’s goodness – and learn how we can have that same experience. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Read It and Weep appeared first on Journey of Faith.

One minute, the things of life are falling into place and you’re gaining momentum. The next, a curveball comes your way that forces you to rethink your whole life plan. Where is God in those moments of unexpected complication? How does he respond to the breakdowns and pitfalls of our lives? Can God use us, even when we’re facing situations and challenges, we didn’t plan for? This week we’ll read the inspiration story of Esther from the Bible and learn that God isn’t held back by our unexpected challenges; instead, he wants to use you exactly where you are today. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post For Such a Time as This appeared first on Journey of Faith.

In a world where disagreement is common, it can be easy to use our morals and values as a tool to insulate ourselves from others. God’s plan for his people is quite the opposite: his desire is that by living out his values, we’d be able to share his love and comfort with everyone. This week we’ll see how an ancient young prophet from the Old Testament, Daniel, went from being a scholar in captivity to a blessing to an entire nation because he lived and shared God’s values. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Prepare to be an Influence appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Have you ever had the feeling that you’re a stranger living in a strange land? Have you ever felt like you’re not quite at home in today’s culture? These feelings can be small annoyances, but they can also lead to major worry and anxiety as we seek to live in a world that can seem hostile or uncaring. During this 5-week series, we’ll explore a period of biblical history in which God’s people were conquered, removed from their homeland, and forced to live in exile, under the thumb of foreign rulers. They experienced, first-hand, what it meant to wrestle against their surroundings, yet still feel and share God’s love and hope. Though every feeling of exile is challenging, we’ll learn how it’s also an opportunity for followers of God to embrace their true connection to him and grow the ability to see themselves as citizens of God’s Kingdom Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Instructions for the Exile appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How quickly do you respond to good advice? In this final week of our GET WISE series, we’ll look at the story of King Josiah – a sixteen-year-old who had a heart for God and a quick response to wisdom.  We’ll see how he prioritized God in his life and how we can do the same. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Respond Quickly to Wisdom appeared first on Journey of Faith.

We are people who like to be prepared and in control. In fact, there’s almost nothing that will interrupt our lives as much as situations that turn out to be different than our expectations. How, then, do we process God’s directions that might look different than our life plan? How can we navigate the moment when God’s instructions shake up our expectations? This Sunday we’ll learn from the story of an ancient warrior in the Bible who overcame his own self-protective instincts to let God completely transform his life. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Be Open To Wisdom appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Making decisions is challenging! And the bigger the decision, the more pressure! How can we learn to grow in our decision-making ability? This week, we begin a new series of messages called Get Wise. We’ll be looking at three leaders in ancient Israel who responded to advice in very different ways and the impact they had. And we’ll start this Sunday with the story of King Rehoboam. We’ll see how his rejection of wisdom brough division and how we can welcome wisdom in ways that bring unity! Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Don’t Reject Wisdom appeared first on Journey of Faith.

When we think of the benefits of successful leadership, the list seems obvious: money, fame, power, control. But what if there was something even more valuable, more life-giving than any of the worldly rewards we usually chase? This week, we’ll finish up our exploration of the greatest kings of the Bible and see how they pursued wisdom above all other goals. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post How to Get Rich appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The are many dangers that can tank our leadership: bad decisions, pride, over-extension, even bad luck. But what if the greatest danger to our leadership was something completely avoidable? What if it’s the comfort and idleness that our growing leadership brings that could be our greatest undoing? This week we’ll explore a famous biblical leader’s fall from grace, what seemingly-insignificant problem caused his fall, and how God eventually restored him. We’ll find out that God can help protect us from that same danger, and offers us that same forgiveness. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Idle Hands appeared first on Journey of Faith.

When it comes to leadership, they say it’s “lonely at the top.” But the truth is, it can be lonely as we grow in leadership at any stage. The pressure to become a breakout star, to rise above others, and to achieve self-made success can leave us cold and isolated. But what if the key to real leadership wasn’t flying solo, but developing rich and supportive friendships? This week we’ll take a look at one of the most powerful friendships in the Bible and see how God uses deep relationships to help us maximize our personal influence. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Jonathan and David appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Climbing the ladder of leadership and success is exhausting. And we’ve all heard the horror stories about the stress and fickle rewards that wait for us, even if we reach the top. So, what if there was a different path to becoming a person of powerful influence – a path that didn’t come at the cost of our families, our standards, and our own sense of wholeness? As we kick off this new fall season, we’ll start by exploring the story of how one of the most famous people in the Bible, King David, was called into leadership by God. We’ll discover God’s new and refreshing perspective on how each one of us can maximize our personal impact. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post The Lowly Leader appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Who is your leader? Not at work, or school, or home… but over your whole life? Who do you look to for wisdom and warnings about how to live your life? As we finish our three-week series in the Old Testament book of Judges, we’ll see how this dark season in Israel’s history ended with a movement away from God, not toward God. We’ll see what their story can teach us about keeping our hearts and minds open to God’s loving leadership of our lives. Watch Full Service The post Who Is Your King? appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Someone once said: “Knowledge is learning from your mistakes; wisdom is learning from other people’s mistakes.” This week in our series from the Old Testament book of Judges, we’ll explore the story of one of the Bible most tragic leaders – Samson. We’ll discover that it is better to follow God’s desires, than our own… and we should live with the end of our story in the front of our minds. Watch Full Service The post Samson’s Story appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What does it mean to be “called” by God? We sometimes have this image in our minds that people who are called by God have a heroic certainty about their calling, make big decisions all by themselves… and are impervious to big mistakes. But the stories of the Bible give us a different picture. As begin our three-week series in the Old Testament book of Judges, we’ll look at one of the most celebrated female leaders in the Bible – Deborah. Through her story, we’ll see how God brings us not only his presence in all the details of our lives, but also the people we need so we don’t have to face life’s battle alone. Watch Full Service The post Deborah’s Story appeared first on Journey of Faith.

You’ve hit the wall. You’re out of energy. The obstacle is too big to overcome. Maybe it’s a work, in a relationship, a health crisis, or in your relationship with God. What do you do when you are facing a battle that is too big for you to fight? In our last message of our series, The Great Rescue, we’ll look at the story of the Battle of Jericho, and unlikely military victory that can remind us of the unusual plans and partnerships that get us through the everyday battles of our lives. Watch Full Service The post God Fights For You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

We are all told to plan the future, but it’s easy to be so invested in the future that we miss what God has for us right in the present. This is especially difficult when “the present” isn’t what we would like it to be. How can we thrive in the present without getting ahead of ourselves. This week, in our series The Great Rescue, we’ll look at the story of God miraculously providing food for the Israelites as they wandered the desert. We’ll see how they learned to trust God for their “daily bread” and how the “desert experiences” in our lives can help us to grow in trust as well! Watch Full Service The post God Provides For You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

We live in an instant culture. We are used to quick results and fast changes. When things are slow or take time, we assume something is wrong with us or the system. But some of the most important events in life require great patience. In this second week of our four-week series called The Great Rescue, we’ll spend time in the story of “Passover.” We’ll see how this long night of waiting for God’s divine rescue can help us find confidence and connection with others as we wait for importance changes in our lives. Watch Full Service The post God Delivers appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Many of us experience what is called “Imposter Syndrome.” It’s the feeling of anxiety when called to something important or being afraid someone will see you as fraud or phony. This is a common experience, especially in the spiritual life. This week, begin a four-week series The Great Rescue, looking at the greatest imposter syndrome story in the Bible – when God calls Moses to deliver the Hebrew people from Egyptian slavery. We’ll see how this Moses’ calling by God can encourage us with our everyday callings to work, relationships, and our own relationship with God! Watch Full Service The post God Is Calling You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The story of Joseph in the Bible is so dramatic, it became the basis for a Broadway musical! It’s full of incredible highs, but even more intense lows. Through it all, we’re able to see how God’s promises are consistent, even in times of hardship and testing. This week we’ll learn to trust God’s promises more, find him active even in our seasons of difficulty, and share his love with people in need around us. Watch Full Service The post Drama Worthy of a Musical appeared first on Journey of Faith.

During this three-week message series, we’re exploring how some of the founders of our faith connected with God, put their trust in his unique promises, and changed the world.  In this first week, we’ll meet Abraham and see how he responds to God’s call to radically transform his life.  Abraham’s story will inspire us to consider our own trust in God and what it feels like to bravely walk into his plans. Watch Full Service The post An Abraham by Any Other Name appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Where do you find your identity?  What is your mission in life?  We tend to find our identity in what we can build and our mission in our own causes.  In the last of our four-week series, IN THE BEGINNING, we’ll arrive at the ancient “Tower of Babel.”  We’ll discover that we tend to build moments to ourselves and huddle close together to play it safe, but God has a much bigger plan for our lives!  Watch Full Service The post Make God Famous! appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Noah’s Ark is a story we often think we know well, but beneath the familiar children’s storybook surface lies a profound message about sin, judgment, and God’s love. This tale isn’t just about animals on a boat; it’s about understanding the seriousness of sin and the hope of rescue through God’s love. Noah’s obedience and faith led to salvation for him and his family, illustrating that God always provides a way out of our brokenness. This story reminds us that God offers a fresh start and calls us to live connected to Him, embracing His guidance and promises. Watch Full Service The post The Great Flood appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The world seems to be falling apart all around us… and our personal struggles seem worse than ever. This doesn’t seem to be what God intended life to be like. In this second of our four-week series, IN THE BEGINNING, we’ll journey to the ancient Garden of Eden and discover how we are like Adam and Eve – crossing boundaries that lead to destruction, but thankfully, never outside God’s forgiving love.   Watch Full Service Worship Song List Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be Groups Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here.   Introduction Last week, we began the Story Project where we will be going through the overarching narrative story of the Bible for about a year and a half; to do this we started at the most logical place to do so: the beginning! The Bible’s begins with the story of God creating the world. The main idea we took from this story in order to apply to our lives was that we can celebrate God’s goodness in the Creation story.    Start this week’s discussion by explaining what action steps you decided to take since last week. How are you doing with them?  After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  Psalm 25:4  “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Connect   If something you have breaks, would you rather fix it or get a new one? What factors contribute to how much effort you put into this choice?  Are you someone who likes boundaries or someone who likes to cross them? What makes you feel this way?   Opening Thought   When we know there are lines of what we should and shouldn’t do and cross them, it can be easy to justify and rationalize our reasons for doing so. While we can sometimes want to believe everything is alright in these situations, we also have an innate understanding that there is something wrong with the situation as well. This is where God tries to meet us to not only see what the results of our actions are but to trust him to move past them. This is one way we learn to follow God better, by moving from sin and shame to his forgiveness and life with him.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week Even in this broken world, we can experience a life-giving connection to God.  Unpack  To be able to know the story of God, we have to read the story! This week, we will be unpacking the story of how sin came into the world sequentially. Read each set of verses as a group then discuss the connected questions before moving on.   **Context: Immediately before the verses you are about to read, God has placed humans in a Garden called Eden where they had everything they needed to live, there was no sin or shame, and they were safe. God said that they can enjoy everything in the garden except for the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.   Read  Genesis 3:1-6  Unpack  Why do you think God put boundaries in place around what the man and woman were allowed to do in the garden?  What do you think the serpent is supposed to represent to the reader?   If you feel comfortable sharing, what in your life is the thing that usually tempts you to disobey God? What boundary is hardest to resist for you? Read  Genesis 3:7-13  Unpack  Why did the man and woman hide after eating the fruit? Why is this significant in the story?  Have you had a moment of realization like this in your life? How did this change you?   How often do you take personal responsibility when you have done something wrong? How do you react when you know you’ve done wrong? What do you think God wants us to do in these times?  Read  Genesis 3:14-24  Unpack  How do you feel about the consequences God gave the man, woman, and serpent? Were they too harsh?  Why do you think God gave the man and woman clothing in verse 21?   When was a time you deserved greater consequences for something you did wrong, but were shown compassion and mercy instead?  What does this section of verses show the reader about God and his character?  Apply  Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be:  How will you thank God for the good boundaries that God has put in your life this summer?  What is one way that you will try to turn from sin to experience God’s forgiveness this summer?  How w

What wakes you up in the morning?  What shapes your view of the day?  Perhaps our days should begin where God’s story begins – with goodness and gratitude.  In this first of our four-week series, IN THE BEGINNING, we see how the Creation Story in the book of Genesis reminds us that when the world seems out of order, we can trust in a God who makes all things good.  What a Wonderful World Groups Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction Last week, we went through the last week of our preparatory series for our 18-month long journey that we will be going through as a church community. Specifically, we talked about how we can grow through the journey of learning the Bible together, not just by getting to the end.   What are some of the action steps you decided to take since last week? How are you doing with those action steps?  After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  Isaiah 40:28  “Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Connect    What is something you like about the area you live in? If you could live anywhere in the world where would you live? Why is that place significant to you?  When you think of the world, what are some good things that come to mind?  Why are they good? What makes something good or not good?  Opening Thought  When we look at the world, it can appear chaotic and like nothing works how it is supposed to, sometimes. It can be easy to think there is no hope for any kind of order. The good news, however, is that God actually created the world and us to work together well, thriving in order. This is something to be excited about because it is a reflection on the goodness of God, and we can see this from the very beginning of the Bible.  This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekWe can celebrate God’s goodness in the Creation Story  Unpack  To be able to know the story of God, we have to read the story! This week, we will be unpacking the entire story of Creation in the book of Genesis as the basis for our conversation. You can divide up the reading or elect one person to read.   Read  Genesis 1:1-1:25  Unpack  What stood out to you in the verses you just read so far stood out to you? What makes that significant?  Why do you think this story was placed in the Bible? Why do we need to have a story about how the world was formed?   What do you think the author of this story is trying to help his audience understand about God?  How does recognizing that the world reflects God’s goodness affect how we see and feel God’s goodness in our own lives?  How does knowing God brings order out of disorder help you trust him in challenging times?  Read   Genesis 1:26-2:3  Unpack  In the verses we just read, we see that God didn’t call creation “very good” until he had made humans. Why do you think this is? What makes us so special?  How often do you feel like you and others are uniquely important?  What do you think it means that God made humans in his image? What implications does this have for how we treat ourselves and others?  How does knowing this story help us reflect on God’s goodness in our world?  How does knowing this story help us reflect God’s goodness to the world?  Apply  Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be:  How will you reflect on God’s goodness by engaging with the natural world this week?  How will you honor someone in your life because you are both made in God’s image?  How can we as a group seek to remember and show God’s goodness in our lives this week?  Closing  Read the first section to your group, then read the verse out loud to the group, and finally, move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When we spend time paying attention to God’s careful creation of the world around us, as well as ourselves, we can see his goodness reflect back at us. We ourselves are a part of this reflection process when we honor others as valuable and full of God’s divine dignity. As you go through this week, remember this and try to give glory to God in the way you spend time with creation and each other.   Pra