Journey of Faith Messages Podcast

Next week we’re going to begin a journey of walking through the entire story of the Bible over the course of 18 months.  In the end, we’ll all understand the Bible more and have a renewed connection with God.  But is it only AFTER the project is over that we’ll see the benefit?  Or is there transformation to be found along the way?  We’ll spend this Sunday walking through the plan for our journey through the Bible, and discover how God will use every Sunday to show us more of his love as we explore the Bible together. Watch Full Service It’s in the Journey 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 started our two-week series to help us prepare for the 18-month long “story project” where we will be going through the entire Bible as a church community. Specifically, we talked about how we can be transformed by understanding that we are a part of God’s story.    Take a few minutes to connect as a group: How have you been in prayer about what God is going to teach you through this upcoming series?  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.  2 Timothy 3:16  “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”  **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 was a memorable trip or vacation you’ve been on? Why does this trip stand out?   What was the journey to get to that destination like?  How often do you reflect on the experiences that made you who you are today? Which moments stand out to you?  How important do you think it is to pay attention when going through a season of growth is? What makes it important to you?  Opening Thought   At the beginning of any project or destination it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the whole task. We can get stuck trying to get to the final goal we want to accomplish. Reading the whole Bible can feel this way, too, if we’re not careful. As we prepare for the upcoming Bible series we’re doing as a church, we can remember that it’s not ONLY about the goal of getting through the ENTIRE Bible; Instead, the goal is to be changed as we go through this series together.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big Idea for the WeekEach of us will be positively transformed by the JOURNEY of understanding the Bible.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   Psalm 25:8-10  James 1:22-25  Unpack  Why is it important to know the story of God in the Bible? What do you think the purpose of us knowing the story of God is?   How can knowing this story help you grow closer to Jesus and become more like him?  What is your experience with reading (or listening to others read) the Bible lately?   How have you been putting what you’re reading or hearing into practice as you’ve gone through your life?  The next section we are going to read is a longer section from a letter the Apostle Paul, the most prominent contributor to the New Testament writings in the Bible, wrote to the church in Rome. He is writing this letter to both Jewish and non-Jewish Christians to instruct and encourage them to be unified, no matter their differences, because they are both followers of Jesus. Pay attention to how Paul presents his instruction to his audience as you read.    Read  Romans 15:2-13  Unpack  What evidence did the Apostle Paul use for his encouragement to the church in Rome? How does this strengthen his instructions to his audience?  Why does Paul so strongly call his audience to unity and harmony with each other?  How necessary do you think harmony between believers is today?   What experiences have you had in your life that has caused you to believe that?  How can spending time knowing the Bible with other followers of Jesus help us to live in harmony with them?   How can this help us spread the news about who Jesus is to those that do not know him and believe differently?  Apply  Pastor Alex explained during the message on Sunday that the goals for “The Story Project”, Journey’s upcoming 18-month series through the whole Bible has three goals:  Understand God’s Big Story.  Grow closer to God and become more like him.  Be more connected to others that share our faith/and be more prepared to navigate conversati

Starting in June, we’ll begin a full 18 months of walking through the whole story of the Bible.  During this project, each of us will gain a better understanding of how God wants to speak to us through the Bible, how he has related to people throughout history, and how he wants us to relate to him today.  We’ll spend this week prepping for the journey, wrapping our minds around all of the benefits of understanding the message of the Bible better. Watch Full Service God’s Story is Our Story 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 talked about worship and how worshipping in community with others not only brings glory to God but also allows us to view ourselves more wholly in the story of God.   Take a few minutes to connect as a group: How have you been able to incorporate these actions steps into your lives this week?  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 119:18  “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.”  **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’s your favorite story? This can be a book, movie, fairytale, etc.   Why is this your favorite story?   What makes a story “good”? Why do you think the world finds so much value in stories?   How much experience do you have with reading/hearing the stories in the bible? How has your understanding of these stories changed from when you first heard them to now? Opening Thought   Stories can be powerful and help us understand the world. When we don’t have the full understanding of a story, however, we can misunderstand what the purpose of the story is. Similarly, when we only know parts of the story of God in the Bible, we won’t be able to fully understand it as much as if we know the whole story.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekWe can be transformed by understandingthat we are part of God’s story Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   Isaiah 40:8  Proverbs 30:5  Hebrews 4:12  Unpack  How important is the Bible to you? What gives it value to you?  How often do you spend looking to the Bible for guidance in your life? Why do you think there are times when it’s easier or more difficult to do this?  Read   Psalm 1:1-3  Psalm 119:17-18  1 John 3:1-2  Unpack  Why is it important to remember that the Bible is the story of God and his people? How can knowing the story of God help you know yourself and others better?  Have you ever felt disconnected from the story of God? How did you overcome this?   How do you think understanding your place in God’s story can affect the way you approach challenges in your life?  How do you think going through the story of God together as a community can allow us as a group to grow?  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:  As we begin to go through the story of God together as a church community, how can you prepare yourself for what God is going to do in your life?  How will you try to live like you are a part of God’s story from this week on?  How will we as a group commit to actively spend time reading the Bible over the next 18 months of “the story project”?  Closing  Read the first section to your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  Knowing only small parts of the story of the Bible can be unhelpful for understanding the story of God. When we learn the whole story, we can see how we not only fit into God’s story, but that we are a part of it. As we go through the story of God together as a church community over the next 18-months, let’s commit to being open to what God is going to be doing not only in our lives, but the lives of those around us.   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have r

Worship is a fantastic was to connect directly to God.  But what difference does it make when we all have that experience at the same time on a Sunday morning?  What benefit could my worship be to others?  This week we’ll explore the true potential of worshiping God together, and how that could bring all of us closer to each other, and to him.  Watch Full Service Worship Together 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 talked about how, while not being solely confined to music, worshipping through music is one of the ways that God has given us to praise him. Specifically, we talked about how we can incorporate musical worship into our daily lives throughout the week, as well as challenging ourselves to openly take part in worship through music this week.   Take a few minutes to connect as a group: How have you been able to incorporate these actions steps into your lives this week?  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 95:1  “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.”  **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    Who in your life would you consider helpful? What characteristics does this person have that makes them stand out to you?   Would other people consider you a helpful person?   How often do you think of yourself as a part of a group? How often do you focus on yourself and your needs?  How can it be more beneficial for someone’s growth to be unified with others instead of trying to grow alone? Why is this important?  Opening Thought   When we approach God in worship, sometimes we can find ourselves focused inwardly. “What are my needs?”, “God I am here to worship you”, etc. The words we read in the Bible show a different way to approach God, however. We see people gathering to worship God together, not only for their individual desires, but for the needs of others as well. By doing this, we focus on others and their needs as well as looking to follow Jesus better as a community, which helps us draw even closer to God.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week We can unlock the power of worshipping together.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   John 13:34   Hebrews 10:24-25   Psalm 133:1   Unpack  How often do you think about helping people around you?  What is difficult/what is easy about living with other people in mind?  What do you think it means to motivate others to acts of love and good works?   How often do you try to do this within your life?  How can this promote harmony between people? Why is this important?  Read Psalm 95:6-7   Psalm 34:3   Colossians 3:16-17   Unpack  Keeping what we’ve already discussed in the previous questions about harmony and love between followers of Jesus—how do we motivate others to love and good works when it comes to worship (whether that be through music or otherwise)?  Why is it important to praise God within the context of a community of other believers? Why does this matter?  How can we actively use our worship of God to help other people?  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 take steps to see yourself as a part of the community of God while you worship God throughout this week?  What steps will you take to be more present in the lives of those around you during the main Sunday gathering this week?  What strategy will we as a group make to help those we don’t know within the larger community of the church? How will we be consistent with this?  Closing  Read the first section with your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When we worship God together, we can more easily see God’s love for all creation. Our purpose as followers of Jesus is not to simply worship God, but to help others draw closer to him, as well. This week, as we look to worship God, let’s do our best to be conscious of those around us that need God’s help. This is one more way to glorify God and honor him as a part of the community of Jesus’ followers.   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer

What makes the singing time at church special and important?  How can I participate in worship if I’m not a good singer or musician?  What’s the correct way to bring my emotions into worshiping God?  This week we’ll explore the connection between worship and music and practice whole-heartedly engaging in worship together.  Watch Full Service Can’t Help But Sing Groups Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Take a few minutes to connect with your group. How is everyone doing?   Last week we talked about looking for ways to prioritize God in your life and worship him in ways besides the common notion of worship being only through music. How have you been able to worship God throughout the week?  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 146:2  “I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.”  **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    How do you express how you are feeling to those around you?  How important do you think body language is in a person’s life? What are some examples of this in your life?  How does loving someone or something deeply affect how you interact with the person or item?  What usually affects your ability to express yourself to God throughout the day or with other followers of Jesus? Why are these factors important to you?   Opening Thought    Throughout the bible we read about multiple examples of how worship is tied to music and open expressions of gratitude and praise to God, yet sometimes in our church culture it can be seen as something that isn’t always necessary. We can get into the thought that we all worship in diverse ways. While this is true, and though worship is intended to be a lifestyle and heart condition, that does not exempt believers from the command and example in Scripture to worship with music and song.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekWe can use music and song to bring God the praise he deserves.  Unpack  The first section of verses we are reading comes from the book of Psalms, which is written by various leaders of Ancient Israel. Ask 1 person to read through these verses. Listen as the verses are read and respond to the questions afterwards.   Read Psalm 146:1-10   Unpack According to the verses you just read, what is there to praise God for? How often do you think about these reasons to praise God?   Why do you think we tend to become numb to the praiseworthy characteristics of God?   What other things do you find yourself making more important than God throughout your daily life?  Read Psalm 96:1-3  Colossians 3:16-17  Psalm 105:2  Psalm 149:1-5  Unpack Why do you think external and creative expressions of praising God are emphasized often in the Bible?  Why do you think people normally only associate worship through music with a church building? What do these verses say about when and where we should praise God?  How can praising God with our whole body help us orient our lives towards Jesus better?  What does it look like to others when you love something with everything you have? How often do you show your love for God like this?  How does consistently participating in open worship of God inspire others around you to follow suit?   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:  Beginning this week, how will you integrate worshipping God through music into your life?  How will you take a vulnerable step toward participating in worship through music this week?  How will we as a group take steps to draw closer to Jesus in the way we take part in and interact with musical worship?  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:  Participating in worship through music and song is one way that we can praise God for the things he has done and express our emotions to God. As we whole-heartedly spend time in worship to God, we can show our expectation that God is going to respond by both drawing us closer to him and inviting those around us to spend time with God in the same way. Let’s all do this together!   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer

You must love yourself. Practice self-love. I can love myself better… Loving oneself is a strong message today, but with so much self-love, why are we will not happy and why is the world so broken?  In this third and final week of message series, Relationship Goals, we’ll look at what Jesus and early Christians thought about God’s love and how this can help us find a healthy sense of self-love and identity. We ‘ll also discover how self-love is only truly life-giving if coupled with self-accountability! Watch Full Service Note To Self Groups Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Welcome, everyone! Last week, we focused on being intentional in strengthening our relationships. How did that go for you throughout the week? Were you able to take steps toward improving any particular relationship? Share with the group about your experience. After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer. Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization throughout the week. *Matthew 22:37–39 is the foundation for this three-week sermon series, Relationship Goals. We already memorized the majority of the passage about loving God and your neighbor, let’s add the final section! “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) **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    Share with the group one thing that you like about yourself – something that you’re thankful God created about you. Discuss what self-acceptance means to you. Do you find self-acceptance to be a challenge? Why or why not? Opening Thought   In today’s culture, the concept of self-love is often discussed. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves, implying a natural inclination toward self-love. However, true fulfillment in self-love comes not from ego or achievements but from understanding our value through God’s eyes. Big idea for the week Through a relationship with Jesus, we can love ourselves as God loves us. Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.   Read   John 3:16–17 – “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” Unpack In Sunday’s message, Pastor Jason shared with us that God’s essential posture towards each of us is love. How do these verses reflect that posture? How does knowing that you are loved by God change how you treat yourself and others? Read   Genesis 1:27 – So God created human beings in his own image.    In the image of God he created them;    male and female he created them. Isaiah 64:8 – And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.    We are the clay, and you are the potter.    We all are formed by your hand. Psalm 139:13–16 – You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.You saw me before I was born.    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out    before a single day had passed. Unpack  What do these verses say about how God views us? How can having an understanding of God’s intricate knowledge of us help us grasp God’s acceptance of us? What do these verses teach us about God’s plan for us in the world? In our families, friendships, workplaces, etc.? Romans 12:3-8 – Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership abili

One of the most frequently quotes sayings from the Bible is “Love Your Neighbor as Yourself.” Other religions and even non-religious people believe and practice this powerful principle. Unfortunately, it is easier quoted than done. In this second week of our series, Relationship Goals, we’ll see how we can overcome the common barriers to loving our family, friends, neighbor and coworkers and how Jesus taught that loving people who are different than us was like loving him directly.  Watch Full Service Be Intentional With Your People Groups Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Welcome, everyone! Last week, we focused on having a flourishing relationship with God. How did that go for you throughout the week? Were you able to connect with God in a new way through one of the suggestions Pastor Jason gave us: 1. Attending church and inviting friends, 2. Joining a life group, 3. Serving, and 4. Personal Spiritual Practices. Share with the group about your experience.  After you have connected, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  *Matthew 22:37–39 is the foundation for this three-week sermon series, Relationship Goals. Last week we memorized the first part of the verse, let’s add a new section!  “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor…” Matthew 22:37-39 **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    Think about someone who has had a positive impact on your life. What did they do that made such a difference?  Share a recent interaction with someone that made you feel appreciated or valued.   Opening Thought   Good relationships require more than just good intentions; they require action. Like tending a garden, cultivating strong connections with others involves regular care and sometimes even hard work. Without intentionality, our relationships suffer, but there are simple, everyday actions that can strengthen our relationships with others. Big idea for the week We can be intentional in strengthening our relationships.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.   Our memory verse for this week is: “Love your neighbor.” When Jesus used the word “neighbor,” he was referring to anyone close to you—family, friends, people in your social group, and people you associate with at work, school, or church. We can think of our neighbors as our “people.” As you read the following verses, keep your people in mind.  Read   In this passage, Jesus is referring to himself as the King.  Matthew 25:34-40 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’  Unpack What do these verses teach us about Jesus? What do they teach us about how we act toward the people we interact with as followers of Jesus?   Can you think of any relationships in your life that are difficult to show these kinds of actions towards? What is it about those relationships that make them complicated? Do you think Jesus gives us a pass in those relationships because they’re complicated? What would Jesus tell you to do to nurture these relationships?  What are some small, practical acts of kindness we can offer to the people around us?  In Matthew 25:40, Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” What do you think happens in your relationship with Jesus through the process of nurturing relationships with the people around you?   Read   James 3:13-18 “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t

We all want to have great relationships in life, but where do we start?  Jesus suggests we start at the beginning with our relationship with God.  We all have some kind of relationship with God (or the idea of a higher power).  In the first week of our series, Relationship Goals, we’ll explore what it takes to have a flourishing relationship with our Creator by looking at one of Jesus famous parables – the Sower and the Soils. Whether you are new to faith, recovering from a challenging religious upbringing, or a deeply committed believer, we’ll discover the joy that comes from being open to God and seeing meaningful change in our lives.  Watch Full Service Be Open to God Groups Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  As we begin this new series on Relationship Goals, take a few minutes at the beginning of your group to check in with one another. How was Easter? Spring Break? What can we celebrate together? 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.  Matthew 22:37-38 “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” *Matthew 22:37–39 is the foundation for this three-week sermon series, Relationship Goals. Let’s memorize the first part of the verse this week and we’ll add to it each week! **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 words come to your mind when you think about healthy, flourishing relationships? Have you personally experienced, or witnessed, a flourishing relationship in your life? What stands out to you about that relationship? What kinds of things keep you from developing flourishing relationships with others? To what degree does spending undistracted time with another person affect your relationship with that person? Opening Thought   We all want to have great relationships in life, but where do we start? Jesus suggests we start at the beginning with our relationship with God. Sometimes we might see a relationship with God as secondary to our other relationships but when we pursue a connection with God, every other aspect of our lives will be impacted, which is exciting news! This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week We can enjoy a flourishing relationship with God.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions. In Sunday’s message, Pastor Jason talked about how we can experience a flourishing life with God when we have an openness to Jesus’ teachings in our lives. He referred to this openness as being “good soil.” As you read the following verses, keep this concept of being “good soil” in mind. Read   Ephesians 3:16-20 Unpack What do these verses teach us about having a flourishing relationship with God? What do they teach about the character of God? Why is allowing Jesus a space to “make his home in your heart” key to flourishing in a relationship with him? What does allowing Jesus to “make his home in your heart” look like in your life? Are there areas of your life that you’ve allowed Jesus to make his home in your heart? What about areas of your heart where Jesus needs to feel more at home? How would keeping the theme and spirit of this passage at the forefront of your mind cause you to seek Jesus when you are facing fears, uncertainty, or anxiety? What about when you are experiencing times of joy, or just having an ordinary day? Read   Matthew 14:23Mark 6:46Luke 5:16Mark 1:35 Unpack  These are just a few of the examples we read of Jesus spending time in prayer with God. How do you think having this time of connection with God helped Jesus grow in relationship with God? What do you think Jesus is teaching us through his example? What do Jesus’ examples teach us about the importance God places on building a relationship with us? How does having this time help us to create “good soil” for our relationship with God? Many times, after Jesus spent time in prayer, he went on to perform a miracle or teach people about God. What role does your relationship with God play in your life and your decision-making? Apply  Based on the verses we just read, and Sunday’s message, 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: In Sunday’s sermon, Be Open to God, Pastor Jason mentioned four things that can help us flourish in our relationship with God: 1. Attending church and inviting friends, 2. Joining a life group (You did it!), 3. Serving, and 4. Personal Spiritual Practices. Is the

This Easter message focuses on discovering peace through Jesus. Through stories like Mary finding the empty tomb and the fearful disciples, we see how Jesus offers comfort in times of uncertainty. It’s about trusting in Jesus to overcome our fears and find hope. Easter invites us to experience God’s love and forgiveness, especially during tough times. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that Easter isn’t just about the past—it’s about finding peace and courage in our lives today, regardless of our challenges. Watch Full Service The post Peace Be With You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Palm Sunday which commemorates Jesus’ humble entry into Jerusalem on his way to the cross. On this Sunday 2000 years ago, those who knew of Jesus’ miracles and teachings dropped what they were doing and made his entrance into Jerusalem their priority! In this final message in our BE WELL series, we’ll explore the topic of Vocational Wellness and ask: Who or what gets our best time, energy, and resources? We’ll be challenged to make God’s priorities, our priorities. Watch Full Service Who’s the Boss? Groups Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Last week we talked about how we can have great relationships by following Jesus’s example of humility. The application questions from the sermon discussion guide asked, “How will you choose to humbly serve others in your relationships this week?” and “How will you allow yourself to be vulnerable and authentic in at least one relationship this week?” Take a few minutes to share with one another what role the application questions played in your life this week. Were you able to serve others with humility? What steps did you take to follow Jesus’s example of humility in your relationships? 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.  Colossians 3:23 “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” **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 do you want to be when you “grow up?” How do you feel about where you work and what you do? Where does your energy, time, and focus usually end up going throughout the week? Do you tend to separate your spiritual life from your work life? Opening Thought   In Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Jill described vocational wellness as finding satisfaction and fulfilment in your job, whether its paid work, volunteer work, or schoolwork. This is usually the primary way that you spend your time, energy, and effort. Sometimes we separate our work in the world from our spiritual life, but God doesn’t want us to see these as separate things, in fact, Jesus is the key to vocational wellness. He cares about our work and wants to partner with us for our own flourishing and for the flourishing of those with whom we work. This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week We can make Jesus’ mission our mission. Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions. Read   Colossians 3:23–24 Colossians 3:17 Psalm 37:4 Unpack When you consider vocational wellness, how does the way you spend most of your time, energy, and effort reflect that you work willingly for the Lord, rather than for people? Why does vocational wellness grounded in Jesus matter for us personally, and for those we interact with most often? Does Jesus have your attention at your job? How is this demonstrated in your work environment? In what ways could you give Jesus more of your attention in challenging work situations, whether that’s in your interactions with people or completing assigned tasks and projects? Do you find it difficult to “take delight in the LORD” within your current work situation? How could shifting your mindset to delighting in your work change how you view your work? If you do “take delight in the LORD” through your work, share with the group what that looks like. Read   1 Corinthians 3:4-11 Unpack  In this passage, Paul is addressing divisions happening in the church because some people were finding their identity in prominent church leaders, instead of in Jesus. Paul is reminding the reader that their identity is found in being servants of Jesus and doing the work given to them by God. What do you think Paul means when he writes, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow…The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose?” How could you do more “planting” or “watering” in your current work situation? How could you invite the God and his Holy Spirit into this process with you? Have you ever considered that you are God’s co-laborer in helping people know about faith in Jesus and/or do you see your work as something given to you by God to complete his mission in the world? How would having this mindset change the way you work? What does this passage teach us about Jesus as it relates to our vocation? 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:  What is one way that you can begin to delight in your work and wor

Wellness is not just about you… it’s about US!  This week in our BE WELL series, we’ll look at an unusual story in the life of Jesus, when he washed his disciple’s feet, and we’ll see how this humble and intimate act illustrates God’s vision for relational wellness. Watch Full Service Made For Each Other 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 talked about how we can invite Jesus to help us pursue financial wellness. Relying on Jesus’ guidance in how we use our finances leads us to be generous and wise in how we spend money. Jesus calls us to use our resources for others more than for ourselves.    Take a few minutes to ask how everyone is doing and what steps they take to follow Jesus’ teachings of using our finances for others.  After you have connected, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization throughout the week.  1 Peter 1:22  “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.”  **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 relationships around you are the most important? How are you doing in these relationships?   What role models did you, or do you, have in your life for what a relationship should look like? Why are these relationships so meaningful?  How are your relationships similar or different?  What mindsets and actions do you think are necessary to foster growth in relationships?  Opening Thought   Relationships are discussed a lot in our culture, but unfortunately, our culture can also set us up for fake relational connections. Often, we’re encouraged to look at ourselves and what we think we need as the determining factor for how to build relationships. Jesus, however, gave us a different example of how to live. Instead of thinking of ourselves and our needs in relationships, he calls us to think of others more and serve them sacrificially to build lasting relationships.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week By following Jesus’ example, we can have great relationships.   Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   John 15:12-13 Philippians 2:1-4 Ephesians 4:1-4  What is the importance of humility and gentleness? Why does this matter in a relationship?   How should this lead you to interact within your relationships?  How often do you honestly do your best to “make allowance for each other’s faults”? What hinders you from this?   What does it look like to “lay down your life for your friends” on a regular basis?   Read   1 John 4:9-12 Romans 12:10 1 Peter 4:8-9  Hebrews 10:24  Unpack  How can following Jesus help us understand and experience that we’re a part of the family of God?  How can viewing your close community as part of the same family help you be vulnerable and authentic in your relationships?   What does it look like to invest in a relationship in a way that doesn’t directly help you?  What does it look like to sacrifice yourself for others in your relationships?  How can you sacrifice for others without it becoming detrimental to yourself?   How do you balance sacrificing for others while setting healthy boundaries so that your sacrifice comes from a place of health for yourself and others? Who can speak into your life when your level of sacrifice is damaging to yourself or others?   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 choose to serve others in your relationships this week humbly?  How will you allow yourself to be vulnerable and authentic in at least one relationship this week? How will you do this in your relationship with God?  How can we as a group keep each other accountable for consistently following Jesus’ example of humility and service in our relationships?   Closing  Read the first section with your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  Building great relationships can be challenging. By following Jesus, however, we have the best guideline for how to not only grow in those relationships but to grow in our relationship with Jesus. We do this through following Jesus’ example of humility, thinking of others more than ourselves, serving other

Does your relationship to money come to mind when you think about the topic of wellness? It should! Jesus talked about money more than any other topic! How we earn, save, and generously give money to others is a key component of God’s intended life of wellness. This week in our BE WELL series, we’ll explore ‘Financial Wellness’ by looking through the eyes of a woman who gave all she had to Jesus. Watch Full Service Your Spiritual Net Worth 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 talked about how Jesus cares for our minds and our bodies. As we seek to follow Jesus, we should be taking care of our mental, physical, and emotional wellness; this helps us glorify God by reflecting his image to the world around us.   Take a few minutes to ask how everyone is doing and what steps they have made to seek wellness in their mental, physical, and emotional health over the past week.  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.  1 Chronicles 16:34  “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”  **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    How much value do you put into finances? What, in your opinion, is the most important reason for money in your life?   How often do you consider others with how you use your finances?  What do you think should be the priority for how to use money in your life? How does this affect the way you spend your time and energy?  Opening Thought   Many times, we can think about our financial situation in terms of what we want to save or what we want to spend. We might want to earn as much as we can so we don’t have to worry about being able to pay for our needs in life or we might want to earn just so we can spend money on the things we want. Jesus invites us to look at our finances from a different lens than ourselves so we can trust him, be grateful to God for his gift of the finances we have, and be generous to others because God is generous to us.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week We should make Jesus the priority in our financial life.   Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Hebrews 13:5-6  1 Timothy 6:6-10  Unpack Why do you think that pursuing money can become a trap for people?   Is this always true? What do you think is important for a follower of Jesus to remember and implement in their lives when it comes to money?  Why do you think the biblical authors of the verses we just read called their audience to be content with what they have?  Why is it important to remember that what you have is a gift? Why is it important to be grateful for what God has given you?  The verses in 1 Thessalonians we read encourage the audience to “always be joyful” and “be thankful in all circumstances”.   What place do joy and thankfulness have in your life when you think about your financial wellness?  Read   Proverbs 3:9-10  2 Corinthians 9:6-10  Acts 20:28  Unpack  How can being faithful in giving to the church help us be faithful in our relationship to God?   How can you expand your generosity to more than just your immediate church community? How can this doing this broaden our view of God’s plan for his people?  What role should your community have in the way you use your finances? How can this help us view our finances as not our own?  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 re-center your value of money around God?  How do you plan to intentionally prioritize Jesus in your finances?  How will your group start thinking about ways to be more financially well together?  Closing  Read the first section with your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When we prioritize ourselves our finances with Jesus at the center, it helps us to remember that God is the reason we have what we have. This week, take time to be with God and thank him for his gift of finances. As we are grateful, it causes us to be generous. All these things are ways to grow closer to Jesus as we become healthier financially.   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then sh

What is the relationship between the body and the spirit? Many of our greatest successes (and struggles) are rooted in how we understand the body|spirit connection. This week in our BE WELL series, we’ll look one of Jesus’ most celebrated miracles – raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. We’ll see what this event has to say to us about God’s loving plan for the intersection between our physical, mental, and spiritual health! Watch Full Service God Loves Every Body 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 talked about paying attention to our wellness as it relates to our food and how food should help us worship, show gratitude to, and remember God and his relationship with us. This should point us to seek nourishment from Jesus and his teachings.   Take a few minutes to ask how everyone is doing and how they have been seeking God in the way they view and interact with food over the past week.   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 64:8  “And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.”  **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 do you think of when you hear the word “wholeness”? What does wholeness mean?  How often do you feel like wholeness is present in your life? What is the main reason you do or do not feel this way?  How necessary do you think having a healthy connection between our emotions, our mind, and our body is? How often do you feel misaligned when it comes to your mind and body?   What do you do to address this misalignment?  Opening Thought   Our culture is great at trying to emphasize good emotional, mental, and physical wellness for people. The ways in which these things are encouraged can at times be off-balanced with the spiritual life. This can sometimes cause a sense of separation. Jesus invites us to integrate a relationship with him for true wholeness when pursuing good wellness in our lives.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekWe can live in the truth that Jesus loves our mind + body   Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   Genesis 1:27  Ephesians 2:10  Unpack  How do you view yourself? How often is this view negative? How often do you view yourself as a being with worth and purpose?  What is an image? What do you think being made in God’s image means?   Why is it important that we remember we are created to reflect the good works of God?   Read  1 Corinthians 9:24-27  1 Thessalonians 5:23  1 Corinthians 6:19-20  Unpack  Based on these verses, how do you think you can you train yourself to be like Jesus? How does this relate to your mind and body?   How do these verses apply to the way you think about your mental and physcial health?   Read  The next section we will read is a longer section so feel free to split it between readers. This section is the Missionary/Apostle Paul speaking to the people within the church of the city of Colossae (a city in modern-day Turkey). This section is Paul talking about what the practical realities of living a daily life with Christ should be for those who follow Jesus’ teachings. Pay attention to the way he calls his audience to act both mentally and physically:   Read   Colossians 3:1-10   Unpack  In verse 5 it says: “put to death sinful, earthly things”. Sin is anything you do, say, or think that places our hearts in a place that is separated from God.   How does separating yourself from God affect a person’s emotional, mental, and physical wellness? Why do you think the Apostle Paul emphasized this?  Based on these verses, what part of living a new life of wholeness in Jesus do you think is the most difficult to practice? Which part is the most exciting?  Verse 4 in the section talks about us sharing in Jesus’ glory as we believe and live out our faith according to his teachings. How could us practicing wholeness bring glory to God?  How can living a life dedicated to prayer and connection with Jesus help your physical and mental wellness flourish?  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 invite Jesus into yo

We all gotta eat! But what’s the best way to navigate our relationship with food? There are endless approaches to feasting and fasting, but if we are not careful, we can miss the beautiful simplicity of God’s gift of food. In this second message in our BE WELL series, we’ll explore the connection between food and faith and see how Jesus not only invites himself to our meals but wants to be the source of our ultimate nourishment! Watch Full Service You Are What You Eat 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 talked about evaluating how everyone is doing with their wellness and asking everyone to take an honest look at themselves. This week let’s start by following up on that conversation: How has the last week helped you recognize aspects of your wellness that you have needed to address? Take a few minutes with your group to talk about this and ask people to share, if they are willing.  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.  1 Corinthians 10:31   “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  **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 your relationship with food like currently?   Take a moment to reflect on your life in relation to food and health. Where do you think your perspective on food came from originally?   How has this caused you to react positively or negatively to the idea of what nutritional health looks like?  What else in your life influences your perspective on food? Why are these so influential in your life?  Opening Thought   Food is something that we all need in our lives but people have different views on it. Some people see it as something you should be careful about using too much while others see it as something you should indulge in however much you want. Either way, sometimes we can attach too much meaning (positive or negative) to food while ignoring what God says about it. Food is one more way God draws us near to him.  This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big Idea for the WeekWe can enjoy food as a good gift from Jesus  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  The first verses we are about to read comes right after the Jewish people (referred to as ‘Hebrews’ or ‘the people of Israel’ at this time in history) were delivered out of slavery in Egypt. As you read, pay attention to the way the people of Israel interactions happening in this story.  Read   Exodus 16:1-12  Unpack  What do you think these verses say about how God cares for his people?   How often do you believe that God will provide for you in your physical needs? Does your life reflect this?  What could this say about God’s desire for us to trust him with our wellness?   Read  Romans 12:1  1 Timothy 4:4-5  Unpack   In what ways do you view your body as a living and holy (meaning “set apart”, unique, or separate) sacrifice to God?   Why does this matter when thinking about food wellness?    How can eating food be a form of worship and gratitude to God? How could thinking this way influence how you view and interact with food?  Read   Mark 7:14-20  John 6:35  Matthew 4:4  Unpack  How does having a healthy understanding of God’s gift of food help guide you to look for nourishment in Jesus?   How can viewing food with this in mind help you become a more mature follower of Jesus? What should be done when you become more mature in following Jesus?   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 take steps to remind yourself that food is a good gift from God this week?  What is one way you will look to be nourished by Jesus this week? How will you take steps to work out this nourishment?  How will we, as a community, support each other in how we take care of ourselves?  Closing  Read the first section with your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When we remember that food is a good gift meant to lead us to God, we can see one more aspect of this world that God uses to show us he loves us and desires for us to be with him. This week, try to place God at the center of how you view and interact with food. Spend time with hi

We all want ‘wellness’ in our lives, but it is easy for us to find ourselves at two extremes. We either idolize wellness by making our personal self-betterment the most important part of life or we villainize wellness, seeing it as something counter to putting Jesus first. In this first message in our BE WELL series, we explore the topic of biblical wellness by going behind a question Jesus asked a man who looking for healing: “Would you like to get well?” Watch Full Service Would you like to get well? Groups Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.|To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Take a few minutes with your group connecting about how they’ve been applying what they learned in the last series and how it’s going. How is everyone doing right now?  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.  Matthew 6:33  “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”  **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  Which areas of your life do you feel like you are doing well in? Which areas of your life could you do better in?  What causes you to put these categories of your life in either the “win” or “work on” area?  What is your typical approach to wellness/trying to get or be healthy? What strategy do you typically take?  How has this worked throughout your life? What results have you seen?  What relationship do you think spiritual wellness has in regard to general wellness?   Opening Thought The culture we live in usually has a healthy understanding that to do well, you need to be well. Many times this is seen in two perspectives: over-emphasis OR apathy. Both extremes are not the best reaction so balancing these perspectives is important to do in order to live healthy lives. Furthermore, for followers of Jesus, a problem occurs when the focus on either perspective of wellness doesn’t match up to what God says because Jesus calls us to be well with and through him! To live a life of true wellness, we must begin by rooting our spiritual wellness in Jesus, which will help us grow in the other areas of our lives.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big Idea for the WeekWe can experience true wellness through Jesus.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   Romans 12:1-2  1 Peter 5:7  1 Corinthians 4:20  Unpack  What do you think a life lived as a holy sacrifice to God looks like?   In light of your answers, why does it matter that we should try to pursue wellness in our lives?   What barriers do you have to seeking wellness? How long do you think you’ve had these barriers and how have they affected your life so far?  Read   Hebrews 6:18-19  Psalms 103:1-6   John 8:12  Unpack   Why do you think God cares about our health? How has your life reflected this?  The verses in the book of Psalms we just read talks about the author wanting every part of their lives to be an instrument of praise to God as a result of how God has worked in his life.  How often have you had this same perspective? How can we each make all of ourselves instruments of praise to God when it comes to how we pursue all forms of our health?  What do you think following Jesus by pursuing health could look like? How could this help spread the name of Jesus to others in your overall community?  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 invite Jesus to help you with one of your barriers to seeking wellness during the next few weeks?  What is one realistic wellness goal you will make between now and Easter (aka the season of Lent)?  How can we actively support each other in these goals?  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 look at the topic of becoming healthy in all aspects of our lives, we have to make sure we are putting God at the center of our efforts. We can do all these things by ourselves but without listening to the way God is leading you, we miss out on where he is wanting us to walk and miss out on the most crucial aspect of the wellness he wants for us: our connection and relationship with him. Let’s move forward during this time of Lent, the

Discover the results of our recent church survey and learn how to grow in your faith and connect with our community. Explore the demographics of our church, the importance of relationships, and our goal of spiritual flourishing. Together, we will learn how to commit to relationship building, turn spiritual problems into clear questions, and explore the Bible to answer those questions. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow in your faith and connect with our community. Watch Full Service Our Playbook for Flourishing Groups Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Spend a few minutes discussing with your group how the application from last week went. What specifically is everyone trying to apply and how has practicing that application gone?  After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week  Read this verse to your group first, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  Hebrews 10:24-25  “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”   **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   How often do you evaluate how you are doing in your life (spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally)? How can processing how you are doing lead you to better growth?   Which aspect of your life have you done this the most?  How can you observe growth in a person’s life? What does this look like in a person’s relationships?  How much do you want to grow this year?  Opening Thought   It can be easy to want to just keep doing life as “normal” and not try to evaluate where we are emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. We often try to think that we don’t need to even, especially when it doesn’t feel like anything is wrong. Unfortunately, however, this can sometimes lead us to being complacent and stagnate our growth. God calls us to not just live life normally, but to flourish with him. To do this, we should be aware of where we are and how we are doing, so we can see where we need to go to flourish with God. We can do this together by following God’s words and being honest with ourselves with how we are following them.   This leads us to our big idea for the week:   Big idea for the weekTogether we can follow God’s playbook for spiritual flourishing  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions:   Read  Colossians 1:16  John 1:12  2 Corinthians 5:17  1 John 3:2  Unpack  How do you think God view us?   How often do you see yourself in this way? How does this affect you?  How do these verses help us know how we should view ourselves? When you evaluate how you are doing, why should you consider this?   Read   Philippians 2:2  Ephesians 4:3  Unpack  How often do you view others as “having the same mind”? How could viewing others in this light foster a desire for relational growth?  How much emphasis do you place on growing in relationships with others?   What factors could hinder you from valuing growing in this area? What factors could help you?  Read   Colossians 2:6-7  Ephesians 2:20-21  Unpack  The verses in the book of Colossians we read said we should let our “roots” grow in Jesus and our “houses” built on Jesus. What do you think these analogies mean in regard to how we should live with Jesus?  Where are the areas in your spiritual walk with Jesus where you could be better “rooted” in him and have more of a foundation on him?  Apply  Take a moment to discuss this section as a group to decide what your action steps for the week can be:  Pastor Alex during the service on Sunday talked about one way we can address places we see as a problem or struggle in our spiritual lives into a question. (i.e instead of “I don’t know how to pray” change it to “How do I pray?”).   What “problem” could you explore as a question in your spiritual life?  How can you be unified as a group to explore all these areas in each other’s lives together?  Closing  Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When we follow God’s playbook, we can flourish, and we can (and should!) do this together as the Church of God. To know how to do this, we must remember to evaluate our lives together to see what direction we should go. To put this into action, however, we need to rely on God’s direction and by developing the

There is only one thing that we can say for sure will happen this year: change.  But, for some of us, that’s the most terrifying guarantee of them all.  How can Jesus help us face challenges with more confidence?  What does it look like to follow Jesus into a world of change?  This week we’ll finish our series by looking at Jesus’ promise to be with us and guide us through even the biggest challenges 2024 has to offer. Watch Full Service Into the Unknown 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 discussed trusting and dedicating our lives to God in the way we view and use our finances. How has the application from last week’s group gone for everyone?   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.  John 14:1  “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.”  **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 are some upcoming events or life changes you know are potentially happening this year?   How do you feel about them, considering they carry a certain lack of clarity for what will happen?  Why do you think people are worried about unknowns or changes in the world? What about it in their personal lives? How are these ideas of change different?  How are we able to prepare ourselves for the year if we don’t have a way to foresee what will happen?   How do you personally try to prepare yourself?   Opening Thought   Sometimes life brings challenges that can cause us to be afraid and unsure of what is going to happen. New experiences, whether good or bad, can bring these feelings of uncertainty to our minds, potentially causing us to withdraw and live in the fear of “the unknown”. Jesus asks us to do otherwise, however. Jesus calls us to go to him in times where we’re not sure what’s going to happen or we have a new job or we have a tragedy in our family, or whatever may come in our lives. Jesus says we can trust him and follow him to come to a place where we feel confident and sure that no matter what comes, he will lead us through it.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big Idea for the WeekWe should lock ourselves onto Jesus to face the unknown Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses. After reading, discuss the connected questions.  Read   Acts 9:3-9  Luke 5:1-11  Unpack  The verses you just read described the beginning of the apostles Peter, Andrew, and Paul’s (originally named Saul) life of following Jesus. How do you think these people were feeling about their futures during these experiences?   When have you felt a similar way in your life while following Jesus?  The next two verse segments were written much later, likely while in prison near the end of both Peter and Paul’s lives. As your group reads these, pay attention to the mindset these two apostles of Jesus were encouraging their audience to have, despite their circumstances.  Read   1 Peter 5:7-11  2 Timothy 4:16-18  Unpack Why do you think Peter and Paul held the perspective they had, despite being in difficult situations, at the end of their lives? What do you think made going through the uncertainty of their situations easier?   What are some ways we can begin to prepare ourselves for difficult circumstances this year? How have you asked Jesus to prepare you for upcoming changes or unknown circumstances in the past?   If you are comfortable, please share that experience with the group  Read   Hebrews 13:8  Colossians 1:17  John 16:33  John 15:9  Unpack  How do the verses you just read encourage you for any uncertainty you may feel this upcoming year? Why do these verses matter when thinking about preparing for change or unknowns?   How can we “remain” or “abide” with Jesus regularly? How often do you make time to do this? Why would this help prepare you for any unexpected events?  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:  What is one way you can begin to look for how God is working in your life from this week on?  How are you going to take more opportunities to “remain” or “abide” in Jesus from now on?  What’s a practical way your group can encourage each other this year while going through life changes and potenti

We like to imagine that our income is what brings us security – but what if the truth is just the opposite?  What if our reliance on our resources is exactly what brings us the most stress, panic, and worry?  This week, we’ll explore God’s economy and how trusting him fully can bring us the hope, peace, and engagement we’ve always wanted. Watch Full Service Upside Economy Group Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Take a few minutes to chat as a group! How have you been doing this past week? Last week, we talked about making intentional time to spend alone with God and how that should be the basis for our external expressions of faith. How has this application from last week’s group gone for everyone?  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 26:3  “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”  **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 an item you grew up with that would comfort you? What was so comforting about that item?   What are some of the main things you rely on in your life? What do you normally find yourself having too much of? What do you not have enough of?  Why do you feel this way about those things?  How do you feel about money? Do you find this to be a stress point for you? What makes money so stressful?  Opening Thought Many times, when we are in stressful situations, such as the beginning of a new year, a life change, or a hardship, we can tend to hold the resources we have tight. One of the main fears we get caught up in is the aspect of money. Do we have enough to pay the bills? How am I going to afford to fix my car? Will I have enough money for taxes?? These are all valid concerns! God, however, calls us to think differently. Instead of calling us to a life of fear, Jesus calls us to trust him in every aspect of our lives, especially the more challenging things to trust him in.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big Idea for the Week We can trust Jesus with our finances Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read  Leviticus 27:30 Deuteronomy 14:22  *Throughout the Bible, one thing God continuously instructs his people to do is give the first and best part of their resources (called their “firstfruits” in the Old Testament) to God first, each according to their ability to give. God did this so his people would learn to trust him and know that God will provide and take care of his people.   Unpack  How difficult is it for you to trust God to take care of you? What worries you the most about this?  What part of trusting God in this area is the easiest and most difficult?  What do you think your life would look like if you viewed your money and/or possessions as a gift that God has given you, instead of something you made happen completely through your own effort?  Read   1 Timothy 6:17-19 1 John 3:16-18 Luke 14:12-14  *In addition to using the tithing system to teach his people to trust him, God would ask his people to give their possessions and money away to teach them not be tied down to material things and show compassion to others. Tithes would be given to the priests (who didn’t earn money) and the poor.  Unpack   What is your relationship with generosity? What kind of people/organizations do you feel good about giving to?  What people/organizations do you find yourself resistant to giving to?  Why do you have resistance to certain people or organizations vs others?  Often there is a separation of what people are comfortable giving to (ex.: This mission trip is fine to give to but this person on the street is not okay to give to). Why do you think this is? What’s the difference?  Jesus does not seem to make a differentiation in who he calls us to love through generosity. Why do you think we try to make that differentiation?  What do you think real love looks like when it comes to our possessions and finances? When have you experienced this real love by someone giving something to you?  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:  What can you do to reduce some of the possessions that you rely on too much for the benefit of others? What one possession that’s important

Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking that if what happens in our lives doesn’t get recognition, doesn’t get likes, doesn’t get people’s attention, then it isn’t valuable.  But in God’s view of life, our most important connection – the one that we have with him – thrives in secrecy.  Why is that?  What’s the benefit of developing a healthy personal relationship with God?  How can we become more intimately connected to Him this year? Watch Full Service The Secret Life Group Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this guide, click here.To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Take a few minutes to chat as a group! What were some highs and lows of your week? How has the application from last week’s group been going for everyone?  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.  Galatians 5:25  “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”  **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    How private of a person are you? Which aspects of your life do you typically want to be less public?  How often are your actions driven by a desire to be acknowledged by others? Why do you think you live this way?  How do you typically evaluate how strong someone’s relationship with others is? What is the benefit to carving out intentional alone time with valued relationships?   Opening Thought   Our world looks more different now than it ever has when it comes to connection and interactivity. There are so many options to see, speak, and experience time with other people and their lives that we don’t need to worry about distance or time separating us from most everyone in the world. Unfortunately, with all these options, we tend to have less quiet time by ourselves. We might have time alone, but this doesn’t mean it’s quiet or even genuinely restful. This can influence our relationship with God as well. If we look at the life of Jesus, there were many times when he would have solitary times praying with God. Jesus knew that time alone with God is crucial to relationship with him.  This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekIn an all-too public world, we should double-down on our private relationship with God.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Matthew 6:1  Mark 6:31-32  Unpack Why do you think Jesus placed so much emphasis on solitude? Why is this important when it comes to how you spend your time with God?  Why do you think external spiritualism is commonly seen as the best way for evaluating how faithful someone is to God? How necessary do you think external expressions of faith are?  This next two sections show how those faithful to God understood the importance of solitary time with God. The first section is from one of the historical books of the Bible called “2 Kings” and describes how one of God’s prophets Elisha goes with his servant to bring a woman’s son back to life. Pay attention to how they act in their first moments of seeing the child.  Read 2 Kings 4:32-33  Unpack What did Elisha do when he saw the child on his bed? Why do you think he did this first and why do you think it’s important?  The next verse is from Exodus and describes one of the ways Moses (one of the most holy prophets in Judeo-Christian history) set up a system to talk to God.   Read Exodus 33:7  Unpack This verse says that Moses set up a “Tent of Meeting” away from the camp where the people of Israel stayed. Why do you think Moses decided to intentionally set it up away from the rest of the camp? How would this have helped orient God’s people to prioritize their time with God?  Without going into too much detail (it’s private after all), what aspects of your life do you share only with God? How does sharing these with him, and him only, directly contribute to a strong connection with him?  Read 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NLT)  Philippians 4:6-7  Unpack On a score of 1-10, about how much time do you spend living a quiet life vs trying to be seen for what you do? Why is this the case?   What about in your faith? How much of your faith is private vs seen by others? How do we balance private faith with public faith?  How would your life be different if you took the time to make your private life of faith even more important than the way you express your faith publicly? What challenges and concerns do you have about doing this?  How can making intentional

This year will be full of opportunities to respond to other people’s poor decisions, unkind words, and unwise actions. But what if we didn’t wait for the moment of those events to see what our response would be? What if we prepared for our inevitable stresses by practicing Jesus’ upside-down way of living? This week, we’ll explore what it means to really put Christlike characters into action and prepare to share God’s love at every opportunity. Watch Full Service For Every Action… Groups Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Introduction Take a few minutes to chat as a group! Are there any new faces in the group? Get to know them. How did everyone’s Christmas and New Year holidays go? After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization throughout the week.  Matthew 11:28-29  “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls”  **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    How are you feeling about 2024 so far? Are you hopeful, concerned, or doubtful? Reflect on the past few years and compare that to how you feel about 2024.   2024 is an election year. During the last election year, 2020, we were in the middle of a global pandemic, dealing with various sociopolitical conflicts, tensions, and controversies.   Take a moment and discuss with your group. How did you handle what was happening in the world at that time?   How did you reflect Jesus’ life and teachings well through your thoughts as well as your actions? How did you not?  How did this affect your outlook on the following years?  How do you think we can approach this year with a hopeful and positive attitude?  Opening Thought:   Each new year always brings new challenges, many of which are fueled by uncertainty, which can cause stress. Add onto this that the year 2024 may potentially have some specifically challenging situations politically, socially, or even personally for some. Thankfully, Jesus has given us some guidelines to build a foundation for how to think and act this year, both in how we prepare ourselves to live and how we can react to those around us who may live or think differently than us.  This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week:We should let Jesus change our lives this year and reprogram our negative responses into love with Jesus’ help.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Matthew 5:1-9  These verses are from a section referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount.” It was one of Jesus’ first major sermons in his ministry. Pastor Jason, in the introduction of this series, talked about how this specific section is referred to as “The Beatitudes”, which translates to “the blessedness”, meaning this section is what Jesus taught will make you blessed by God if you do them.  Why do you think Jesus chose to start his first public sermon this way?   Which of these characteristics or “beatitudes”, as they are called (humility, gentleness, purity, peace, etc), are easy, and which are difficult?   Why do you think Jesus taught that these characteristics are so important to being a follower of God?   How do you react to being offended? How does that match up to what Jesus taught in these verses?  Jeremiah 17:7-8  Philippians 4:5-9  1 Peter 3:8-9  When you are stressed, which character traits arise in your life that affect others negatively? How can you reprogram yourself to react with love instead?  What does it look like to trust in God when difficult circumstances come? Why is it important that people see you living this way?  Why is it so difficult to love people who don’t love you back? How can we bless these people in a sacrificial way instead?  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:  Which beatitude is going to be difficult to practice this year? How will you try to live this way anyway?  What would it take for you to be more practically and sacrificially loving this year? Will you do this? How can your group help?  What practices can we as a group put into place this year that will help you follow the teachings of Jesus better?  Closing  Read the f

Many of us enter 2024 with a healthy bit of trepidation: What will our lives be like?  How will the 2024 election season shape our culture?  What big decisions and challenges will we face this year?  Thankfully, Jesus has a message of hope and peace in times of challenge – but that message comes from thinking and acting in ways that are far out of the ordinary.  Instead of opinionated and strong, Jesus tells us to be tender and meek.  Instead of fighting to be right, Jesus tells us to be pure and peacemakers.  We’ll begin this year by taking an important look at Jesus’ upside down teachings and how they can help us transform our 2024 for the better. Watch Full Service The post I Resolve appeared first on Journey of Faith.

This year, our church has focused on understanding ‘The Mission of God’, a concept that goes beyond personal salvation. It’s about following Jesus and working together as a community to help people live better lives through His teachings. We’re encouraged to think about how, as a church, we can join in this mission, aiming to create a world that flourishes under God’s love and guidance. The post Follow the Call appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Christmas Eve services at church can feel like just another thing to get done during this hectic holiday season. And with the possibility of an even more hectic year looming, is there any hope of a little rest? This Christmas Eve at Journey, we’ll explore how Jesus’ arrival made way for his new Kingdom where he will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father” and, most importantly for us this year, “Prince of Peace.” Let’s discover together how to experience the peace that only a true connection with God’s love can bring. Watch Full Message The post The Christmas Kingdom appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The story of the Three Wise Men visiting the baby Jesus may be familiar to us, but those Magi were anything but familiar to Jesus’ parents – they were almost from a different world!  What does this say about the type of people Jesus wants to bring into his Kingdom?  What role do we play, then, in the beautiful diversity of Jesus’ family?  This week we’ll explore a classic Advent story from a refreshingly new and challenging angle and discover how God is calling people from every walk of life to be part of his Kingdom. Watch Full Service The post They Three Kings appeared first on Journey of Faith.

We may have heard the classic Christmas story of the shepherd’s hearing that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  But what if we had been those lowly shepherds?  What would our reaction have been?  How far did Jesus go to share his love with me?  This week we’ll explore this famous Advent story and find that we, just like the shepherds, are seen and called by the God of love. Watch Full Service The post Silent Night appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Many of us have heard the story of the angel Gabriel visiting the virgin Mary to tell her that she would have a son, Jesus.  But we often overlook a pivotal promise from that interaction: that Jesus’ birth would usher in his Kingdom, and that Kingdom would have no end!  But if that Kingdom started 2000 years ago on that first Christmas, where is it now?  How can we experience Jesus’ leadership and rule in our lives?  This week we’ll see how the classic Christmas stories take on new meaning as we see them as a reflection of Jesus’ character and mission. Watch Full Service The post The Angel and the Kingdom appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Filled with God’s Comfort Group Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .doc version of this guide, click here. Introduction  Spend a few minutes checking in with everyone! How did the thanksgiving holiday season go for everyone?  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 143:10  “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.”  **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 your first reaction to going through something difficult?   Where do you seek comfort when you are going through a tough experience? Where do you look for comfort in your daily frustrations?  How healthy would others find your mindset when seeking comfort is?   Opening Thought   When we’re going through difficult circumstances, it can be easy to search for experiences or things in our lives to find comfort in. Now, some of these are not inherently bad things in and of themselves, but when we seek them as our source of comfort we miss out on one of the purposes of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which is to be our advocate and our comforter in times of struggle. This leads us to our big idea for this week: Big idea for the weekThrough the Holy Spirit we can know and experience divine comfort.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read John 14:15-17  John 15:26-27  Discuss These two verses are from a time when Jesus was teaching his disciples. What do you think advocacy here means?   If we follow Jesus, we are also known as Jesus’ disciples. Why is it important to know that we have this advocate (the Holy Spirit) with and in us?  When have you experienced someone testifying or advocating on your behalf? How did it feel to go through that experience?   Read 2 Corinthians 13:14  Romans 8:26-30  Discuss The verse in 2 Corinthians you just read was the final words the author, the Apostle Paul, chose to write to the church in a place called Corinth.   What do you think this verse, being the final words of the letter, says about the level of importance Paul placed on a person’s relationship with the Holy Spirit? How can this lead us to trust in the Holy Spirit more?  What are some practical ways we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us in our comfort?   How do you feel about looking towards the Holy Spirit as the source of comfort in your life. Do you feel confident? Unsure? Confused as to how? Share your thoughts if you comfortable.  How could having the Holy Spirit as your source of comfort change how you go through challenging circumstances?   How could doing this affect how others see you and your relationship with God?  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 be more open to the Holy Spirit being your source of comfort from this week on?  How will you be open to the Holy Spirit’s directions more than your own plans from this week on?  How can we as a group be more active and open to follow the Holy Spirit on a weekly basis?  Closing  Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When the Holy Spirit is the source of our comfort, we can have confidence that we will be provided with what we need in our challenging times. Now, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that life will always be easy, but when we rely on him for our comfort, we can flourish and be a light to those around us as well.   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group.  Daily Devotional Verses   Talk about the Daily Devotional Verses, send them to your group, and check in next week to see what people are learning in their time spent using them.  Use the S.O.A.K. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Kneel in Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17  Day 2: Ephesians 1:13-14  Day 3: Acts

The Holy Spirit can seem like a mysterious, ethereal being in our faith journey, but who is the Holy Spirit, how does the Spirit participate in our lives, and how do we become more attentive to the Holy Spirit? Knowing the Holy Spirit is more than just studying him or reading about him in a book; we are meant to experience the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives which impacts our relationship with God and others.  Watch Full Service Holy Spirit 101 Group Discussion Guide To view the Group Leader Guide for this week, click here.To view a .doc version of the discussion guide, click here. Introduction Spend a few minutes checking in with each other as a group: Ask about everyone’s highs and lows of the week, as well as what they are looking forward to for the rest of the year.  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.  John 6:63  “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”  **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  Are you someone who likes to receive help from others? What makes you feel this way?   How would your life be different if you always had someone available to rely on for help and direction?   What are your thoughts on who the Holy Spirit is? How often do you think about the Holy Spirit and your relationship with him?   What is your experience with the Holy Spirit? How do you think you can tell the voice of the Holy Spirit from your own voice or voices of the world?  Opening Thought   When thinking about following Jesus, sometimes we can get to a place where we have a desire to follow him but get caught up in the how part. Thankfully, God has given us a helper through Himself called the Holy Spirit! Who is the Holy Spirit, though, and how can he help us follow Jesus? We can learn some answers to this through discovering what the Bible has to say about who the Holy Spirit is and how to interact with him. By learning these things, we can start to answer the question of how we can follow and relate to Jesus well.   This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the week We can relate to God through the Holy Spirit Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions:  Read John 16:13-15  Romans 15:13  Discuss Based on these verses, what do you think the role of the Holy Spirit is in your life?  How can the Holy Spirit guide us in our lives? How does the Holy Spirit help you understand Jesus better? Why is this important in how we follow Jesus?  What do you think “overflowing with confident hope” looks like? How could trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit to do this change the way you live?  Read 1 John 2:24-27  2 Corinthians 3:16-18  1 Corinthians 2:11-14  Discuss In what ways do you think the Holy Spirit teaches or challenges us in our lives?   How can relying on the Holy Spirit for guidance help us follow Jesus well? How can this lead us to be more like Jesus?  Why can you trust what you feel the Holy Spirit leads you to do or say?   If you are comfortable, share a time you have experienced the Holy Spirit guiding you in a major decision in your life? How did you know it was the Holy Spirit? Why did you decide to follow this guidance?  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:  What is one way you will invite the Holy Spirit to be present in your life before doing something challenging over the next couple of weeks?  What is one way you will ask the Holy Spirit to teach you more about Jesus and how to follow him over the next week?  How will we focus on inviting the Holy Spirit to be present in the way we spend time together from now on?  Closing  Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  When we spend time with the Holy Spirit, we can connect with God more completely in our lives. Part of how we do this is to rely on the Holy Spirit to illuminate who Jesus is. This week, spend time trying to focus on this relationship so we can learn how to follow Jesus better in our lives and grow closer to God.   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group.  Daily Devotional Verses   Talk about the Daily Devotional Verses, send the

Following Jesus is a lifelong, everyday Journey.  What can we do when we grow weary in our pursuit of a simple, flourishing faith or when our lives go off course? We will answer that question this week as we close out this series from Galatians.  We will see in chapter 6 that we can help one another through accountability and encouragement to stay focused on the goal of the spiritual life.  Watch Full Service Share Each Other’s Burdens Group Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.To view a .doc version of this guide, click here. Introduction Last week, we discussed God’s desire for his people to follow where he leads us, not to try to follow our own way of living, whether that be trying to keep rules we impose on ourselves because we think that means we have more faith or to live without relying on the Holy Spirit. When we live by following God’s direction, we gain freedom in our lives that produces loving emotional and practical attributes (or Fruits of the Spirit) that help our relationships with those around us, as well as ourselves.   Spend a few minutes discussing how your group put their personal action steps from last week into practice.  After connecting with each other, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.   John 15:12   “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”    **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses an be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought   Humans were created with the intention to have needs. God made us this way so that when we come across a need we have, we rely on him to satisfy that need. A problem we have, however is that we also have a, sometimes unhealthy, self-importance, which makes us try to fulfill our needs by ourselves instead of turning to God. The Apostle Paul described that we can do things a better way: turn to Jesus, then serving one another.  This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekWe can freely serve each other   Connect    How would you define what it means to struggle? Using this definition, what does it practically look like to help someone who is struggling?   Why do you think empathy is an important trait to have and practice?   When have you felt the positive effects of others caring about your needs during a challenging time? How would your experience during this time have been different if others were not around?  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Galatians 6:1-5  Discuss What does it practically look like to “gently and humbly” help someone “overcome” with sin or a burden to return to the way of Jesus?   Verse 5 in the verses you just read says, “you are not that important”. Why do you think this part was included?   Why do you think the Apostle Paul wrote that his audience should share each other’s burdens, then say they should take care of their own work? How is this not a contradiction?  Read Galatians 6:7-10   Discuss Why is it important for you to be watchful and remind those around you to live like followers of Jesus? How do we do this without unhealthy judgment?  How can you invite the holy spirit to help you with challenges in your community?  What does it look like to “do good to everyone”? How can you be a person of perseverance in this effort?  Read Galatians 6:14-16  Discuss How can you live with no interest in the world while also trying to care for those around you? Why is this important in our culture today?   How can you remember to live as a new creation of God daily? Why is it important to remember that we are a new creation?    Apply  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 be open, available, and ready to share someone’s burden(s) this week?  How will you be intentional with how you live this week and over the next holiday season in order to extend yourself to someone else?  How will we as a group continue to use our freedom because of Jesus for the good of others?    Closing  Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  A simple faith is not about keeping rules or checking off boxes to know you’re a good Christian. Simple faith in Jesus leads us to live in freedom because we rely on the Holy Spirit, and that leads us to love others. We are called to bear one another’s burdens and remind them of their identity in Christ with love and grace. Let us not grow tired of doing good

What does a real Christian look like?  You can’t a Christian by their ethnicity, income level, what they wear, or who they vote for.  The best way to identify a real follower of Jesus how they relate to other people.  This week in our Simple Faith series, we measure ourselves against what the letter to Galatians calls “the fruit of the Spirit.”  We’ll exchange our old “spiritual success measurements” for a simple faith of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentles, and self-control. Watch Full Service Let the Holy Spirit Guide You Group Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a word .doc version of this guide, click here. Introduction Last week we discussed that to embrace the simple faith that Jesus wants us to have, we need to remember the connection we have with God. Instead of trying to be perfect or follow all the rules we think we need to for the approval of others, we have to remember that an uncomplicated faith is how we live well as a follower of Jesus.  Spend a few minutes discussing how your group put their personal action steps from last week into practice.  After connecting with each other, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  Psalm 143:10  “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought   Life can be complicated with everything our culture claims to be important. As a result, sometimes, it can be easy to think that by relying on advice or guidelines from those who ‘have it all together’, we can do life better or find the secret formula to make life less complicated. The problem we can run into though, is that now life is still complicated and now we have these rules we’re trying to follow. Faith can sometimes feel like this too. We can fall into the trap of thinking there are certain rules to being a Christian that will make our life with God easier or for us to gain more faith. God, however, just wants you to follow where he leads you and he has given us the ability to rely on the Holy Spirit for help. This leads us to our big idea for this week:   Big idea for the weekThe best way to grow in simple faith is learning to follow the Holy Spirit.  Connect    Why do you think people want clear instructions and rules for life? Would you say these are a help or a hindrance?  What are some unhealthy ways that people can end up relying on rules, laws, or regulations?   What comes to mind when you hear the word freedom? Does having freedom mean that we can do whatever we want?  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Galatians 5:1  Galatians 5:18  Discuss Jason spoke on Sunday about a critical difference between religion and the teachings of Jesus: God doesn’t care about doing religious actions; God cares that you trust him and follow where he leads you.  Why do you think people might struggle with this simple, uncomplicated way that God wants us to be with him?  What rules and traditions do you no longer follow (in faith or otherwise) that you sometimes find yourself falling back into? Why do you think this happens?  Read Galatians 5:13-15  Romans 8:11-16  Galatians 5:22-23  Discuss What do you think the “freedom” these verses refer to looks like in the life of a follower of Jesus? How can we live this way?  How can pursuing a life of freedom that comes from following the Holy Spirit change the way you personally follow Jesus?   How can living in this freedom change the way you interact with those around you?   How often do you pursue the process of producing “fruit of the Spirit” in your life? Which ones do you feel are more difficult for you to cultivate?  Apply  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 begin to guard yourself against falling into legalistic rule-keeping from this week on?  How will you seek to cultivate one “fruit of the Spirit“ this week?  How can we as a group help each other to remember to live in the freedom of Jesus and rely on the Holy Spirit?  Closing  Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  As we grow in our connection with God and realize how relationship with him is not reliant on religious rule-keeping, we can learn to trust his leading in our life without seeking to go back to our o

A Christian’s life should be full of love, kindness, compassion, and good works but is that what MAKES someone a Christian, or do those qualities flow from a deeper source?  Does where our goodness comes from make any practical difference? This week we’ll explore chapters 3 and 4 of Galatians and be encouraged to explore how vital and life-giving a faith-fueled connection with God can be.  Watch Full Service Let Faith Be Your Fuel Group Discussion Guide To view the leader guide for this week, click here. To view a docx version of the discussion guide, click here. Introduction  Last week we discussed that to embrace the simple faith that Jesus wants us to have, we can share space with people who are different than us. When we forget that Jesus called us to show mercy, peace, and love to others, we can become legalistic and distance ourselves from others.  Spend a few minutes discussing how your group put their personal action steps from last week into practice.  After connecting with each other, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.  John 7:38  “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought   Christians are taught that loving and showing compassion to others are signs of a person living out their faith, which can be true! What if someone simply acts that way to try to play a part of being a good Christian, however? What if someone is just trying to follow rules because they think it’s what they need to do? By looking at the things Jesus taught, we can see that life spent following him first starts with a simple faith and love of him.  This leads us to our big idea for this week: Big idea for the weekWe should firmly plant our connection to God in simple faith.  Connect   What is the point of following rules or expectations?  What level of importance do you place on excellence in your life? Where do you believe you developed it from?  Have you ever been so focused on trying to do something correctly that you lose sight of the goal? If you are comfortable, share your experience.  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Galatians 3:23-38  Galatians 4:1-7  Discuss Paul uses the analogy of children in both of these sections of verses. What were you not allowed to do or say when you were a child? How did you interact with your parents?  Compare your answers to your life now that you are an adult: What are you not allowed to do or say? How do you interact with your parents now?   When you first became a follower of Jesus, what did you think it meant to be “a good Christian”? What did you need to do or say?  How has your perspective of what it means to be “a good Christian” changed as time has passed and you have matured in your faith?  Read John 14:23-25  2 Corinthians 3:13-18  Discuss Do you think that living like Jesus and following his teachings causes you to have more faith? Why or why not? Have you always lived like this? How do you think Jesus wants us to live according to the verses you read in John? How well do you do this?  What do you think the section of verses in 2 Corinthians you read means when it talks about freedom? What could it practically look like to fully embrace the fact that you have freedom in Jesus?  Apply  Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be:  What do you think the focus of how you live out your faith in Jesus has been? How does this line up with what Jesus taught?  How will you take a step to return to a living a life of simple faith in Jesus this week?  How will we as a group change our mindset on how we live out our faith this week?  Closing  Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section:  Jesus says in the book of John that we prove we are his followers by how we live our lives (John 15:8). This is true! How we live our lives is a testament to our relationship with Jesus. We must be careful to evaluate the underlying reason for why we live the way we do. Jesus called his followers to simply believe in him and as we do that and love him, we will live according to his teachings. We can do this together as a community of people looking to keep our simple faith in Jesus.   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the gro

What keeps us from living a simple faith in Jesus?  It’s often a natural but unhealthy focus on ourselves. Sometimes we are scared that we are measuring up to expectations set by us, others, or what we think God’s expects from us. Other times, we are tempted to sit in judgment of others rather than moving toward the very people God is wanting us to befriend.  This week, we’ll see how Paul’s letter to the Galatians challenges us to move from fear to faith. Watch Full Service Die To Your Old Self Group Discussion Guide To see the leader guide for this week, click here. To see a .pdf version of this week’s guide, click here. Introduction Last week we discussed how Christians can tend to create add-ons to our faith instead of remembering the simple faith that Jesus calls his disciples to and how we can live out our faith like this. Spend a few minutes discussing how your group put their personal action steps from last week into practice. After connecting with each other, begin your meeting with prayer. Key Verse for the Week *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week. Romans 14:8 “If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. Opening Thought The urge to protect ourselves and our faith can be strong sometimes. We get caught up in trying to pursue Jesus to the point where people who disagree with what we know to be true can seem harmful to the mission that we know we have from Jesus. The problem happens when we start to forget that Jesus taught mercy, harmony, peace, and inclusion into his people. We are made to be a loving, kind, and warm presence, not people that separate ourselves based on what we think is the most important. Jesus made it clear that no matter our differences, our identity is in him and we should bring others to be a part of that. This leads us to our big idea for this week: Big idea for the week Through Jesus, we can share space with people who are different than us. Connect  Would others consider you an accepting or agreeable person? What kind of topics do you normally find yourself disagreeing with people on? How do you normally go about discussing these disagreements? What is your relationship like with people you find yourself at odds with the most? How often do you find yourself pursuing intentional time with them? Unpack Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions. Read Galatians 2:11-21 Discuss Verse 14 of this section says “when I saw they were not following the truth of the gospel message”. What do you think the author (the Apostle Paul) means by this? Why does it matter if Peter didn’t eat with Gentiles (or non-Jews)? What do you think this section means when it says, ”It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”? If you are comfortable sharing, who are your “gentiles” or the ones you have a challenging time spending time with? What makes them challenging to spend time with? When can it be better to not actively pursue interaction with someone we disagree with? How can we still represent Jesus well with these people? The next section of verses we are going to read comes from a letter written to the church in Rome by the same author of the verses before, the Apostle Paul, who was addressing a similar situation as in Galatians: What Jewish practices should non-Jewish Christians follow? Paul tells them what matters now is following Jesus. Notice how he calls them to practice unity, not judgment.  Read Romans 15:1-7 Discuss What does it mean to live in harmony with others? Why can this be difficult to pursue in our lives? How can pursuing peace and harmony with everyone help us and other know that we find our identity in Jesus? Apply On Sunday, Pastor Jason described how to evaluate yourself for  ‘Pharisee-ism’, meaning “when you take your faith to the extreme and become legalistic, prideful, judgmental, and/or unhealthily politically “. These (paraphrased) points can help us know if we are becoming unhealthy in our faith and how we relate to others. The six points are:   1. Disdain for those who are not where we are spiritually.   2. A spirit of exclusivity towards others spiritually, culturally, or socially.  3. Adding extra-Biblical rules/expectations those new to faith have trouble following.  4. A pattern of idolizing the “old way”/past leaders criticizing current leaders.  5. A quest for clone-like uniformity of people in our live that only look like us.  6. Gift projection– The belief that your calling is everyone else’s calling.   Now, take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week will

What is the Christian Faith really about?  Put simply… Jesus.  We tend to make it complicated.  We find Jesus and then we start adding things on – cultural traditions, politics, personal preferences – and by the time we are done, we might be following a different Jesus! This complicated faith is not only spiritually exhausting, but it makes it harder to get along with other people. In this first message of our Simple Faith series, we look at the basic message of the Christian Faith, what’s called the Gospel and start the process of removing the religious “add-ons” that we’ve collected along the way. Watch Full Service Believe the Good News Group Discussion Guide To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To see a .pdf of the discussion guide, click here. Introduction  Last week we discussed commitment to God and how we can make the effort to stay connected to him. Spend a few minutes discussing how your group put their personal action steps from last week into practice.  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.  Romans 12:2  “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought   Often, when people talk about what is necessary for faith in Jesus, it can be visualized as a three-ring target or a bullseye: The beliefs we can discuss without it affecting our faith are in the outside ring, the beliefs we should defend and have serious discussions about because they are important live in the second ring, and the most core foundational beliefs we should die for find themselves in the center ring. When we think about how to live a life for Jesus, it can be easy to listen to many different sources: people, traditions, music, popular culture, etc. Most of these sources fall into the outer ring of the bullseye, and while they are not bad things to think through, they can make our thoughts convoluted sometimes when we’re trying to pinpoint how to follow God best. Jesus didn’t really pay attention to these outer circle beliefs when it came to people’s faith. His words implied a much humbler kind of life and faith: believe in Jesus and follow him.   This leads us to our Big Idea for the eek:   *Big Idea for the Week*We can follow Jesus best by holding strongly to a simple faith.  Connect What are some simple aspects of your life that you find yourself making more complicated?   Which customs or traditions did you grow up with that became too important? What about in your faith?  What do you think are necessary elements you need to prioritize to make sure you follow Jesus?  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Galatians 1:1-12  Discuss In this section, the Apostle Paul is addressing the churches in the region of Galatia (Modern-Day Turkey) because he has heard they are listening to a different teaching than he taught them about the good news of Jesus.   Why do you think Paul is upset about this? Why is it important to pay attention to the original source of information?   How can it be helpful to listen to other people’s perspectives on faith? When can this become negative?  Discuss During Pastor Jason’s message on Sunday, he described how sometimes we like to place “add-ons” to our faith in Jesus–meaning we make aspects of faith important which are not actually part of what Jesus taught.   How do you measure what is an add-on versus what is essential in your faith? Why do you think we make these add-ons in our faith? How can this be harmful to our faith and to those we share our faith with?  What aspects of your faith have you complicated by adding on to them?   Read John 14:23-27  Discuss How can we rely on the Holy Spirit to remember the teachings of Jesus?  Why is holding strong to the simple faith in Jesus and his teachings the most crucial aspect of a relationship with God?  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:  What is one unnecessary belief you have about following Jesus that you need to change this week? What step can take this week towards making this happen?  Sometimes our disagreements with someone concerning faith and/or our lives are mainly due to a non-essential belief.

Jesus is one of the most influential leaders in history!  The secret to his lasting influence was something he called “abiding.” It involves remaining in an intimate spiritual connection with God. In our last message of this series, we’ll explore one of Jesus’ stories that shows what it takes to find and nurture this abiding relationship with God and how we can invite others to experience it too! Watch Full Service Commitment Group Discussion Guide  To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here. Introduction Spend a few minutes discussing how the application from last week’s discussion went.   After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week *Read this verse with your group first, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.   John 15:5  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought   Often, we try to prove ourselves by depending on our own power as we walk through life. This feels good when things are going well but terrible when things are not going well. Sometimes people get mad at themselves or feel ashamed when things go wrong. Instead, God wants us to discover and embrace the transformational power of mercy and humility that is found only in him. We are invited into an intimate relationship with Jesus where we can find healthy dependence on God’s grace. And as we abide (or “remain in”) and build this intimate spiritual connection with God, we learn how we can invite others to experience it too. This leads us to our big idea for the week:   Big Idea for the Week We can be a positive influence by staying intimately connected to God  Connect    What is an activity you do that has a positive effect on your life (i.e. exercise= physical and mental wellness, practicing a hobby= improving your skills, spending time with friends= growing relationships)?   How do you stay intentional in these activities when they become difficult?  Have you ever tried to have this same kind of intentionality in your relationship with God? How do you think it would look different if you did?   Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read John 15:1-8 1 John 2:5-6  Discuss In John 15, Jesus repeats the phrase “remain in me” several times throughout this passage. What does it mean to “remain in” God?   How can we put this concept into practice in our lives? What is a specific area in your life where you find it difficult to be faithful to God?  In 1 John, we see that, as Christ followers, our lives should reflect the life of Jesus, one of the most influential leaders in history. What are examples of your spheres of influence?    How are you using your sphere of influence to reflect Jesus’s lifestyle and teachings?   Read Luke 18:9-14  Luke 5:30-32  Discuss What is mercy, and why do we need it from God?   God invites us into forgiveness from our wrongdoings. What can keep us from accepting God’s forgiveness?   What is the value of imitating God’s mercy in our own lives? How can we harness the power of mercy, forgiveness, and graciousness to invite others to grow relationship with God?  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:  Abiding means to ‘keep in step’, which means sometimes we need to get moving and/or speed up. Often, though, abiding means we need to slow down. What do you need to do to abide with God in your life? What do you hear God saying to abide with him?  We would not have salvation if it were not for God’s mercy. Consider one relationship in your life that you can exercise mercy, forgiveness, or graciousness?   Closing  *Read this with your group, then move to the Prayer and Verses section.  This week we talked about commitment to building an intimate spiritual connection with Jesus so we may learn how to depend on God’s grace more than on ourselves. We learned we need to “remain in” God like the branches on the vine to embrace the transformational power of mercy, humility and forgiveness that is only found in him. With a healthy dependence on God’s grace, we are able to positively influence others and help others find a new life with God.  Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the g

Power is not meant to be held; it’s meant to be given away. It’s a natural urge to want to acquire and retain power, but real influence is a dynamic process of “catch and release.” Rather than holding onto our power, God invites us to share who we are and what we have with others. This week, we’ll see how Jesus believed that we are better together and teaches us to intentionally invest in others. Watch Full Service Empowerment Group Discussion Guide  To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here Introduction Last week, we talked about this idea of compassionate candor and how we can be a positive influence in our communities by connecting with the people around us authentically. Spend a few minutes discussing how the application from last week’s discussion went.   After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse to your group first, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.   Ephesians 3:20  “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought  Have you ever approached a task that someone else should do, but it would take too long to teach them how, so you just did it yourself? Then you are like everyone around you! Every day we make the choice of how to spend our time and resources. It can be faster, easier, and less complicated to do it your own way! But, in the long run, it will make a more significant impact if you bring others in and share what you know.  Jesus modeled what it can look like to bring others in and empower them to carry out his mission.  His time on earth would be limited, so Jesus intentionally developed the people? How could your influence multiply if you spent some intentional effort multiplying yourself in others?  Big idea for the week We can be a positive influence by empowering others.  Connect    What is the main difference between empowering or encouraging? Which is more difficult?  Share a time when you were empowered to do something.  How did you feel during that moment?  What are some reasons that can get in the way of empowering others?  Gatekeeping means to withhold information or access that would be beneficial to others.  How does that give you power over others versus power through others?  Unpack   Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read   These 5 sections of scripture are just a few examples of the way Peter, who was one of Jesus’ most faithful followers throughout the course of his life, was empowered by Jesus to make a huge impact on the early church.   Have each person in your group take a passage of scripture and read through them all before moving on to the discuss portion.  Matthew 4:18-20  Matthew 14:22-31  Matthew 16:15-19  John 13:6-17  Acts 2:36-41   Discuss   When reading these scriptures, did you read them from the perspective of Jesus, or the perspective of Peter. What did you notice about the process of empowerment?   Now change perspectives. Does anything different stand out to you?  In her sermon, Pastor Jill talked about 5 steps we can take when raising others up:   Recruit (identifying, vetting, inviting),  Ready (equipping, preparing, clarifying),   Release (giving opportunity with the right authority level),   Reflect (constructive feedback and debriefing),  Renew (ongoing nurturing for rest, growth, redirection as needed).   Go through each section of scripture again and discuss as a group how Jesus modeled one of these steps in each passage. (There is no correct answer; more than one step can be seen in each passage).   Revisit each of these steps and discuss the ramifications if it were left out of the process of empowering others.  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:  Which one of the five steps for raising others up are you good at? Which one could you grow more from?   Which relationships in your life can you be more intentional with empowerment, moving beyond just encouragement?   Think of someone in your life with untapped potential. How could you invest in them this week?  Which area in your life can you see yourself having more of an individualistic mindset? How could bringing others into this benefit that specific area?   How can we as a faith

Sometimes good leadership means treating everyone the same.  But great leadership that bring true justice and transformation is often more nuanced than that.  This week we’ll explore the underutilized power of candor and connection, learning to treat people as individuals and adapting our influence to be the most helpful in each unique situation.   Compassionate Candor Group Discussion Guide  To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here Introduction Last week we talked about how we can have a positive influence by pushing forward, despite the obstacles. Spend a few minutes sharing how your personal application from that discussion has gone.  After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.  Key Verse for the Week *Read this verse to your group first, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week.   Proverbs 16:21  “The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought  When it comes to telling the truth, we can often go to one of two extremes. We can either keep silent and keep things to ourselves while letting it be someone else’s problem, or we can choose to tell the truth in order to cast harsh judgement on someone that benefits us and not them. Admit it, we’re often a mess at this! Thankfully, Jesus gives us a great model on using the perfect mix of real candor, or real truth-telling, and compassion to be a benefit to others.   This leads us to our big idea for the week:   Big idea for the weekFollowing Jesus’ example, we can become people who partner truth with authentic connection.  Connect:   Take about 5-10 minutes to discuss a few of the following questions. Afterwards, move into the unpack section:  Why is it necessary to tell the truth to those around us? What purpose is there to being sincere in our interactions with others?   What usually prevents you from telling someone the truth, even when they’d benefit from hearing it?  Share an example of when you told someone a truth that was hard, and it ended up working out to be a positive thing?  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-6  1 Peter 1:22  Discuss What do compassion and love have to do with telling someone the truth?   How can compassionate truth-telling be an example of modeling God’s heart well in your relationships and communities?  **The next two sections of verse we are going to read provide two different examples of how Jesus showed compassionate candor to those he spoke with. Pay close attention to the difference in tone Jesus uses in each interaction.  Read Luke 13:10-13  Discuss Verse 12 from this section reads, “When Jesus saw her, he called her over…” Why do you think Jesus did this? How does Jesus show compassion in the way he speaks truth to this woman?  How does Jesus’ interaction with this woman challenge you to act?  Read Luke 13:14-17  **In the verses we just read, the leader of the synagogue was using a common tactic of that day by debating with Jesus because he doing a healing on the Sabbath (the day God established for his people to rest). See, the law was viewed as a type of “fence” in Hebrew thought. God’s intended rationale was that if his people didn’t cross the “fence” (the law given), they wouldn’t come into contact with and, therefore, violate the true offense within the fence. Therefore, the heart of the law concerning the Sabbath was to keep the Sabbath holy and set-apart and avoid getting distracted from focusing on God. The synagogue leaders had missed the point of the law, however, instead considering all work on the Sabbath to be sinful. Jesus knew this and responded to the leader in the same debating style the leader was used to as a result.  Discuss Why do you think Jesus responded in these verses this way? What factors could cause him to interact with the leader how he did?   How was Jesus compassionate in how he spoke truth to this synagogue leader? How can we learn from his example?  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:  The balance between candor and compassion doesn’t have to be an either/or thing. Actually, they can work together simultaneously as Jesus modeled for us. What’s one aspect of your life you’re going to remember this week to put that balance into action – in your family, job, personal life, and even in your self-talk?  What are some possible roadblocks tha

Accomplishing good things requires effort. It’s easy to get discouraged when we face obstacles, challenges, and roadblocks.  Rather than negatively reacting to our circumstances, we can be a positive influence by finding resilience with God!  This week, we’ll see how Jesus pursued God’s good plan for his life by expecting challenges and wisely bringing people along with him in his goals. Resolve Group Discussion Guide  To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here Introduction  Last week we talked about the topic of how to have good character in the way you use your influence with those around you. Spend a few minutes sharing how your personal application from that discussion has gone.  After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.   Key Verse for the Week   *Read this verse as a group first, then encourage each other about the practice of memorization through the week:  Galatians 6:9  “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought Sometimes the sheer number of reasons to give up are overwhelming: it’s too hard, it takes too much sacrifice, it’s out of my way, I’m not seeing results, I can’t seem to make headway, I just need to focus on myself. These statements can cloud our minds, giving us a false hope that waving a white flag might be the relief we’re looking for. But what if the truth is that the breakthrough God has planned for our lives requires the road to go through our challenges, rather than around them? What could we miss out on if we throw in the towel, and what new life could we experience if we let God keep us rooted in and committed to him?  These questions lead us to our big idea for the week:   Big idea for the week We can be a positive influence by pushing forward, despite the obstacles.  Connect    Take about 5-10 minutes to discuss a few of the following questions. Afterwards, move into the unpack section: Can you remember a time from your childhood when you faced a challenge and gave up?   In your current life, what are the areas in which you’re the most tempted to give up? What has kept you going in those areas so far?  What have you accomplished or experienced in life that you would have regretted missing out on if you hadn’t pushed through a big challenge?  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read Hebrews 12:1-2  Discuss In previous verses just prior to these, the author lists inspiring Biblical characters that persevered in the faith – he now calls them the “huge crowd of witnesses.” Are there a few Bible characters that you’re familiar with that are inspiring to you, and that we can we look to as a positive influence?  Just like us, the early Christians faced challenges. Even though we live in different times, what common challenges do you think they may have shared with modern people? What challenges do you think may be unique to our time?  The author of these verses talks about “fixing our eyes on Jesus.”  What do you think this means?  What would it look like to fix our eyes on Jesus in our daily lives?  Read Philippians 3:12-14  Discuss Paul talks about “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” What kind of things could Paul be leaving behind/forgetting? What is the benefit of letting go of past experiences?  What are some areas of your life in which you’ve found a need to let go of the past?  Paul talks about someday arriving at a goal/prize that God has planned for him. What type of prize could Paul be after? Are there any clues in these same verses that could help us understand how he perceives this prize?  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:  Who are the positive Christian influences in your life?    What areas of our life are holding you back or distracting you from focusing on God?   What practical steps can you take to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus as you face the challenges that may come your way this week?  To help us persevere, it’s helpful to acknowledge both how God has blessed us today and to have a goal for the future.    What good things has God given you that you can praise him for?  What is your picture of the prize that God has for you?  How would your life be different if you adopted Paul’s view of reaching the goal?   Closing  Read this to your group a

What you do matters, but who you are matters more. It’s easy to get keep our eyes on the best results, largest profits, and the most followers and miss the foundation of true influence and leadership – character. Instead of focusing on the right kind of outcomes, we should be attentive to being the right kind of people!  This week, we begin our series by seeing how Jesus viewed God’s good gift of power and how we can follow his lead by practicing humble influence! Watch Full Service Character Group Discussion Guide  To see the Leader Guide for this week, click here. Introduction Spend a few minutes discussing how your summer went! Take some time to catch up or get to know the people in your group.   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.  Philippians 4:5  “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.”   **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Opening Thought   We live in a fast-paced world where the main focus is doing whatever it takes to accomplish the goals we set in life. While there is nothing inherently wrong with working hard and wanting to accomplish our goals—this can very easily become a struggle when that is our primary focus. This can be problematic because not only can we begin to idolize these goals we are striving for, but we can begin to care less about those around us while striving to accomplish them. If we aren’t careful in how we strive to accomplish our goal, we can miss out completely on demonstrating of God’s love and mercy to those around us. This leads us to our Big Idea for the week Big Idea For The Week We can be a positive influence by staying focused on our character.  Connect What does being a “positive influence” to others mean to you?  What do you believe good character in a person looks like? How can that affect your influence on others?  If comfortable, share a time when you accomplished a goal under poor leadership. Was this a positive or negative result, in your opinion? Why did that stand out to you?   When were you in an influential role where you could have demonstrated better character?  Unpack  Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions.  Read 1 Peter 2:12  Discuss What do you think this verse means when it says to “live properly”? Why should we live like this?  Why does it matter if others see us live this way?   Why is it important that people who do not believe in God or follow Jesus see us live this way?  The next section of verses we’ll be reading from was written by Peter, one of the original 12 disciples. In this section, Peter is writing a letter to the Christians of scattered churches throughout Asia Minor (most of modern-day Turkey) to remind them that God has given them promises and knowledge of how to live a godly life. Pay attention to how the audience of the letter is called to respond to these promises of God.   Read 2 Peter 1:5-7  Discuss How are these verses different than how our culture responds to leadership/influence?  Why do you think the author of these verses gave these instructions to his audience?   Read Romans 12:1  Discuss What does it mean to be a living sacrifice in your life? How can we use our influence to do this in our relationship to God and others?  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:  What is an area of your life where you need to evaluate either your motivations to lead or the type of leader you are?  How can you stay focused on being a positive influence in the busy-ness of the world and life?   What is one area this week you are going to focus on being a living sacrifice?  How can this group support you and keep you accountable in your action steps this week?  Closing  This week we talked about the challenge of leading in a way that is glorifying to God. Whether it is leading in our home or in the workplace, it is so easy to become results focused—rather than character focused. It is easy to get distracted from the way we lead, and simply focus on our goal. What we see from the life of Jesus is that we should instead, live a life of sacrifice and humility as we use our influence and leadership of others. Remember these things as you practice your action steps this week and discuss how it went with your group next week!   Prayer and Verses  Ask for prayer requests, conclude your tim

Many of us know that engagement with God and the church are life-giving.  Growing together in our relationship with Jesus can be fun, exciting, and transformational.  But what about those aspects of the Christian life that are a little less glamorous, like the challenge to sacrifice and rely on God for strength?  What would it take to overcome the hurdle of personal comfort and enter into real, vulnerable dependence on God?  In this week’s message we’ll explore how each of us can embrace the value of sacrifice for a vibrant connection with Jesus. Watch Full Service The post Dive Into Serving appeared first on Journey of Faith.

You’ve spent enough time this summer lounging on the side of the pool, drinking your iced tea in the shade.  Now it’s time to really join the fun and dive in!  During this 3-week series, we’ll look at what it would look like to do a cannonball into full engagement with God and his mission.  We’ll launch this first week of the series by looking at what a huge difference participation can make as we prep together for the best fall of helping others connect with Jesus.  Alright, on the count of three… Watch Full Service The post Dive Into Invitation appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Its always easy to have faith, right? Well, if you have been a follower of Jesus for more than an hour, you know this isn’t always true. While we live here on this earth, Jesus himself said we will have trials and sorrows. So how do we maintain our faith when its hard? This week we will discover just that as we hear one of the most famous stories of the Old Testament! We will see how resilient faith makes it possible to face any circumstance. Watch Full Service on YouTube The post Faith Surrounded appeared first on Journey of Faith.

In our culture, it’s easy to think that the issues we’re the most passionate about or against are the most important issues. But God wants us to remember that He’s the most important thing, and that giving him our singular focus would lead to a much stronger and more life-giving connection. How do we take the necessary steps to center our lives more on God? This week we’ll talk through a famous story from the Old Testament of the prophet Elijah, and learn the value in letting God alone have the most important place in our hearts. The post God’s Awesome Power appeared first on Journey of Faith.

We don’t always understand the ways in which God shows us his faithfulness through the difficulties, disappointments, hardships, unmet dreams, unanswered prayers, joys, and ordinary times in our lives. Join us this weekend as we learn through the story of Ruth how we can trust in the faithfulness of God. Watch the Full Service The post God’s Faithfulness appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What does it mean to worship God?  Is it just great singing and great songs at church?  How do we know if that worship we’re giving is the worship that God wants?  What would it mean to really give God the worship he deserves?  In this week’s message, we’ll explore the famous Bible story of Cain and Abel and discover how we can experience the fullness of what it really means to worship God. The post The Best Worship appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What’s the difference between how followers of Jesus live and the way the rest of the world operates? Should there be a difference? How can people see God’s love through the way Christians think and act? This week we’ll explore different aspects of how our daily lives can reflect Jesus. We’ll look at key ways we can explain a Christian life to people that may be interested in pursuing God. The post How We Talk About the Christian Life appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What is the Church? What does it really mean to be part of a church like Journey of Faith? Are we defined by the buildings we meet in, the songs we sing, or the pastors that lead us? Or is the real definition of the Church something more, something bigger, something more vital? How can we have a better understanding of what the Church really is to help the people in our lives who have never experienced God and his people before? This week we’ll hear from our Student Ministries pastors as they help us consider the best ways to introduce our friends, neighbors, and coworkers to the family of God. The post How We Talk About The Church appeared first on Journey of Faith.

For Christians, the Bible is the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, the Good Book. We believe it’s fully inspired by God and ultimate authority for the way what we believe and how we act. But how can we explain that to someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus? How can we capture the beauty and importance of the Bible to someone who is spiritually interested, but has no faith background? This week we’ll work together to learn how to introduce people to the Bible in a way that would allow them to take a step closer to God. The post How We Talk About The Bible appeared first on Journey of Faith.

When we talk to people about God we are talking to people who may have personal skepticism, questions, and doubt.  It is so important for us to recognize about how we have conversations with people in our lives about God!  Over the next four weeks, then, we’re going to learn about and practice that skill together.  Starting this week we will find motivation to have spiritual conversations with people in our lives, recognize and honor where our friends/coworkers/neighbors might be on the continuum, and then actually have 2-3 spiritual conversations with someone who isn’t a follower of Jesus yet. These are VERY lofty goals, but I think we can do it.  In fact, I know we can, because these are part of God’s heartbeat for the world! We can learn to have great spiritual conversations that will help people we love move toward Jesus. The post How We Talk About God appeared first on Journey of Faith.

When is the last time you received a letter that encouraged you… or challenged you?  A powerful letter from an important person can have an amazing impact on what we believe and how we live!  This is why much of the New Testament is made up of spiritual correspondence from Christian leaders to everyday people like us! This week, as we finish our series the genres of the Bible, we’ll learn how to read and apply the Letters or “Epistles” in the Bible.  We’ll see how these ancient letters can help us to follow Jesus and find spiritual community with others! God is Speaking to You Group Discussion Guide To see the leader guide for this week click here. Introduction Spend a few minutes discussing with your group how their application of last week’s group discussion went. What were the highs and lows of their last week? After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer. Key Verse Psalms 32:8“The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.’”  Opening Part of the difficulty of growing up is how many decisions we need to make as an adult. Now, we learn and get better at handling these choices but that doesn’t make the world less confusing, we just get better at navigating. Thankfully, through the genre of Epistles (or Letters), we are given some directions for how to live our everyday lives, making it a little easier for us to know which decisions we should make as we go.  Big Idea For The WeekThrough biblical letters we can see God’s direction for our everyday lives. Connect What is the value of a letter? Are there meaningful letters you’ve gotten? What is the typical structure of a letter? What are some different types of letters and what is the purpose of them? How can knowing someone’s writing style help you understand what they are trying to communicate? Unpack This week, we will be reading an epistle the way its authors intended: as a letter. Similar to when we went through the genre of narrative together, spend some time reading through the given epistle. Take turns, make notes about which parts stick out to you, but mostly, just listen and try to understand what was being communicated to the original audience. Afterwards, discuss the connected questions together. READ Philippians 1-2 DISCUSS  What can we learn from the introduction to this letter? What is the author trying to communicate so far in this epistle? What does this say about his perspective on life? What belief is Paul trying to encourage his audience to have? READ Philippians 3-4 DISCUSS Now that you have read the entire letter, what is the author’s main point? What are some ways they illustrate this point to the audience? How is your understanding of Philippians different than it was after only reading part of the letter? Why do we only read pieces of epistles then? What are a few ways that Paul is calling the church in Philippi to live? What does this say about how we should live today? 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: Paul is encouraging the Philippians to not only believe but to live out their belief in his letter. What is one way you can do this from now on? How can you live your beliefs out in spiritual community in a new or more intentional way from now on? What is one way your group can grow more like Jesus together over the course of this summer? How will you keep each other accountable in this goal? Closing The writers of the epistles wanted other believers around them, not only, to understand but to apply the teachings of God. Jesus taught that for his lessons to be understood and lived out well, they must be done in community with others because the love his disciples show for each other will prove that they follow Jesus. The life of a Christian cannot be done apart from others. As we learn how to live everyday life through the genre of Epistles, let’s do it together to show those around us that God is the one giving directions to our lives! Daily Bible Reading Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. Scripture: Read the verses several times out loud.Observation: As you read the scripture what do you observe.Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do or feel based on what you have read?Pray: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read, and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. Day 1: James 1-5 Day 2: James 1 Day 3: James 2 Day 4: James 3 Day 5: James 4 Day 6: James 5 The post God is Speaking to You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What can we do when we see suffering and injustice in the world?  In ancient times, God chose special messengers called “prophets” to call people to live with compassion and fairness.  This week, we’ll explore the genre of biblical prophecy and see how it guides us to remember what God has said, repent from sin, and ready ourselves for God’s good future with Jesus! God Speaks Truth Group Discussion Guide To see the leader guide for this week click here. Introduction Spend a few minutes discussing with your group how their application of last week’s group discussion went. What were the highs and lows of their last week? After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer. Key Verse 1 Corinthians 14:33“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.” Opening The world can be confusing and difficult sometimes, especially when we don’t pay attention to God and his design for our lives. Similarly, this was the problem the people of Israel found themselves falling into throughout much of the history we read in the Bible. As a result, God sent his messengers, or prophets, to remind his people of what he wanted the design of their lives to look like. While this genre was written in a specific context in time, the truths we can learn from them about God and his future for the world are still just as perfect today as when they were first written. Big Idea For The WeekThrough biblical prophecy we can see God’s vision for the world. Connect When you think of the word “prophet”, what comes to mind? What stereotypes does our culture associate with the word prophecy? What is your experience with reading biblical prophecy? What do you think the purpose of this genre is? Unpack This week, we will be looking at some examples of prophecy in the Bible to see how God used messengers to get the attention of his people. All the verses this week were written when the people of Israel had disobeyed God and/or been attacked and exiled by other nations. God used prophets in these times to send messages to the people of Israel to communicate how he felt about their actions, remind them of who he is, and call them to follow him. Try to identify the purpose of each prophecy as you read the following verses. After, discuss the connected questions together. READ Hosea 13:4-6 DISCUSS Why was it important that the people of Israel remembered that God took care of their ancestors and brought them out of slavery? How can remembering what God has done in the past help people follow him? READ Jeremiah 7:1-7 DISCUSS What is this prophecy communicating to the audience at the time? These verses speak about justice to those around them. Why do you think it was important that the people of Israel lived this way? READ Isaiah 49:8-12 DISCUSS What does this section of prophecy communicate to the original audience? A section like this is common in prophetic writings. Why do you think it was important that God said these things to his people? How does Jesus fulfill some of the prophecies in the Bible? 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 can you take practical steps to remember what God has said and done for you this week? What is one area of your life you need to turn back to God in this week? How can you take a step to be prepared for what God is going to do in your life this week? Closing Prophetic writings can be difficult to read because of the language but also because sometimes we might relate to the people of Israel in the way we are. It can be easy to forget what God has done for us and be focused on our own life. At times, we can get caught up in some sort of sin that we do not want to give up. Even if those cases aren’t true in your life, there can be times we look around and notice that we haven’t been preparing ourselves very well for what God wants to do in our lives. Either way, while the genre of prophecy was written to a specific people and time, one of the good news about God’s Word is that they are timeless in the truth they hold. This week, try to apply these truths to your life and use your group as a way to stay accountable in that. Daily Bible Reading Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. Scripture: Read the verses several times out loud.Observation: As you read the scripture what do you observe.Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do or feel based on what you have read?Kneel in Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read, and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. Day 1: 2 Peter 1:20-21 Day 2: Psalm 106:3 Day 3: Isaiah 30:18 Day 4: Luke 16:10 Day 5: Matthew 22:37-39 Day 6: John 14:15 The post God Speaks Truth appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Great poetry awakens the imagination and appeals to our emotions. Simple artistic writing and imagery can surprise us with life changing wisdom. God is the creator of all things beautiful and speaks to us through Psalms, Proverbs, and other “wisdom books.” This week, we’ll learn how to read these genres of the Bible and how can help us express ourselves to God and wisely follow Jesus. God Makes All Things Beautiful Group Discussion Guide To see the leader guide for this week click here. Introduction Spend a few minutes discussing with your group how their application of last week’s group discussion went. What were the highs and lows of their last week? After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer. Key Verse Matthew 7:24“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Opening Expressing ourselves can sometimes be a tricky practice. Even with the many ways people are invited to share their experiences in our culture, it can come with a measure of fear that we will not be accepted for who we are. God, however, through the inclusion of poetry and wisdom literature in the Bible, shows that he is always inviting us to be fully human. Reading the genre of biblical poetry gives examples of how we can be vulnerable or praise God for the good things of this world through creativity and art. Wisdom literature gives instructions that start and end with how we can live well if we live through the love of God, inviting us to be genuine and share what we learn through our experiences in life. Both poetry and wisdom are forms of writing that can inform us of the invitation that God gives for us to be real and expressive and to follow his wise direction in life at the same time. Big Idea For The WeekThrough the lens of biblical poetry/wisdom, we can see God’s accepting love for us.  Connect Growing up, how were emotions and/or creativity viewed in your home or church? How was wisdom viewed? What kind of creative activities did you like to do as a child? Why did those specific activities appeal to you? How do you still find time to be creative? When do you take time to listen to the wisdom of others? Why do you allow your life to be guided by this wisdom? Unpack This week, we will be looking at some examples in the genre of biblical poetry and wisdom to see how we can grow in our relationship with God better through our interaction with them. Read the following verses, paying attention to how the author expresses themselves within them, then discuss the connected questions together. Read + Discuss Psalms 18:1-15 Sometimes, biblical poetry expresses an experience that, most likely, did not literally happen; however, the author expresses the way an experience felt, in the moment to relay truth about God and to praise him. What do you think the author was trying to explain about how they felt in the verses you just read? If you are comfortable, share a time in your life when you have felt like the author. How can expressing yourself in a vulnerable and/or creative way be beneficial in growing your relationship with God? Read + Discuss Proverbs 3:13-18 What do you think the author of these verses is trying to explain? Why did they use poetry to express this?   What do you think the relationship between emotional expression and wise living is?   How often do you try to “embrace wisdom”, as it says in verse 18? How has this affected your life? 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: What is one way you can begin to express yourself creatively to grow in your relationship with God this week? What steps can you put into place to embrace Godly wisdom this next week? How can the group help make these action steps a priority in our lives from now on? Closing Thankfully, God is multifaceted and has given us examples of how to follow him in many ways. He wants us to be fully human and be able to be creative and express ourselves in ways that are healthy, while also listening to wisdom that will help us obey him better. This week, try to use both poetry and wisdom literature as a basis for how to see his love and grow closer to him. Daily Bible Reading Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. Scripture: Read the verses several times out loud.Observation: As you read the scripture what do you observe.Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do or feel based on what you have read?Pray: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read, and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. Day 1: Proverbs 2:1-2 Day 2: Song of Solomon 5:1-2 Day 3: John 5:20 Day 4: Ephesians 5:15-17 Day 5: Proverbs 16:16 Day 6: Philippians 4:8 The post God Makes All Things Beautiful appeared first on Journey of Faith.