Respond to Worship

10 Reasons: #6 Jesus Claims it is True, and Lives It

April 28, 2024 • Kirk Roberts

10 Reasons: #4 Unified Message and #5 Archeology

Brad Strait

Conversation Starters ╬ Do you think of the Bible as one great, cohesive message of salvation? Ask the Holy Spirit to draw you into this message, guiding you into all the truth. ╬ How does this unified message of salvation bring you encouragement and comfort?

10 Reasons: #3 Real People Accounts (Eyewitnesses & Women)

April 14, 2024 • Brad Strait

Conversation Starters ╬ Have you ever been called upon to testify to what you have seen, heard, or known to be true? What was that like? Did you wrestle with telling “the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”? ╬ When has your life been changed by an encounter with the Living Word, Jesus Christ? Tell someone these stories and celebrate God’s redemptive life in us.

10 Reasons Why Christians Trust the Bible

April 7, 2024

Conversation Starters ╬ God promised the Israelites, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Deut. 31:5, 8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5). When have you wondered if God had abandoned you? What story can you tell of how God brought you back to Himself? Today, do you feel abandoned or forsaken or in need of clarity and hope? Tell God the Spirit that you are stuck. Ask Him to lead you into God’s truth. ╬ Do not despise God’s correcting Spirit. A radical openness to receive His Word will lead to life abundant and reconciliation with God and others. What scripture has the Lord used to teach, rebuke, correct or train you? When has your youth been renewed like the eagle’s by His steadfast love, faithfulness, and compassion? Tell stories of your encounter with the God of the Word. 

Easter Sunday

March 31, 2024 • Brad Strait

Conversation Starters ╬ Who do you know today who needs the blessing of God’s redemption? Pray that the Lord would rescue and redeem, in His time and in His way.  ╬ Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed for you and me (John 17:20-21). Read again His prayer for us and ask Him to fulfill these requests in your own life today and in the lives of generations to come.

Why We Pray

March 24, 2024 • Brad Strait

What We Pray

March 17, 2024 • Scott Wenig

Conversation Starters ╬ Linger for a moment with your Father in heaven who is Abba. Are you comfortable and drawn into His loving embrace? ╬ Paul tells the Colossian church to “Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). Remember when you’ve been forgiven. Pass along the joy.

Service of Lament

March 10, 2024 • Brad Strait

Conversation Starters ╬ What are the greatest losses or hardships that you are currently facing? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and enable you in candidly crying out to God for his guidance and enablement. ╬ As you consider your greatest losses or hardships, is there a part of the “bigger picture” of God’s long-term faithfulness to His people that you may not have noticed before now? If so, how might this “bigger picture” help you to face and pray and engage, with the help of the Holy Spirit, these losses or hardships?

Inconvenient Faith

March 3, 2024

Conversation Starters ╬ Peace, grace, and hope are lived realities in the with-God life (v. 2-3). We all need to re-hear the good news stories of God’s peace, grace, and hope that populate our faith journeys. Listen to the Lord’s promises and provisions for your life and salvation.   ╬ Our actions and words speak the Gospel story to our kids. How might you encourage the next generation with your stories of God’s good news? Pray for the right time to share them with our kids who need to hear them too.   ╬ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly (v. 6). And we are still powerless to save ourselves! We did not have to earn God’s love (v. 8). We need Christ and our kids need Christ. Take time today to receive the love of Christ. And this very day, there is someone who will cross your path who needs to know that God loves them. Be ready to extend the love you yourself have received today.

The Household of Faith

February 25, 2024 • Brad Strait

Consider - ╬ As you reflect on how you can carry someone else’s burdens, think of one person whose burdens God has brought to your attention. (Or you can start by asking God to bring someone to mind.) How can you help carry their burdens? Start by praying regularly for this brother or sister, while also asking the Father to show you ways that He might want you to help.  ╬ Take time this week to thank God for the freedom that He has given you. Ask Him to give you opportunities to use that freedom to do good to those in the family of believers and to others.

Free to Die

February 18, 2024 • Brad Strait

Conversation Starters ╬  Paul accuses the false teachers of being afraid of “trouble” and says that “the world (and all its troubles) has been crucified to [him] and [he] to the world.” How does the assurance of the cross of Jesus mitigate your own fears of trouble?   ╬  Galatians 5 is where we find the beloved “fruit of the Spirit.” As we face the worlds’ troubles and our fears, return again to the “fruit” and Paul’s encouragement to “keep in step with the Spirit.” 

Free to Give

February 11, 2024 • Mark Grapengater

Conversation Starters ╬  The Dead Sea has no outlet while the Sea of Galilee flows with life into the Jordan. What are the outlets of your life that keep your spirit flourishing? Is giving to the church one of your outlets? Does giving to the church feel like an ought/should obligation that you resent? Or does the invitation to generosity give you life and joy?  ╬  Each of us grows weary from time to time. Like pouring water into a bucket without a bottom, sometimes it feels like we try to “*do good to all people*” without seeing fruit. Be honest about your weariness. You will be encouraged as you listen to and share stories of God’s great mercies with your friends. 

Free to Serve

February 4, 2024 • Phil Bremerman

Conversation Starters ╬ The fruits of the Spirit are marks of a Christian who is “keeping in step with the Spirit.” Read again the fruit of the Spirit list at the top of this page. With humility, give thanks to God for those where you see his gracious work in your life. Also, ask the Lord to show you how you can continue keeping in step with the Spirit to grow in patience, kindness, gentleness, and more.  ╬ Carrying each other’s burdens means that we love and serve others. Remember a time when the Spirit helped you care for and serve another. Give thanks. Is there someone in your life today who needs some compassion and care? Ask the Lord how you might help them carry their burden.

Free to Love

January 27, 2024 • Brad Strait

Conversation Starters: ╬  How does setting our focus upon ourselves lead to sin and create divisions among us? How does loving others as we would love ourselves root out divisions, dissension, and community disintegration?   ╬  Jesus loved others in practical ways. Remember stories from the Gospels and name some of the ways that Jesus loved. How can we seek to love like that today in our own life and relationships? Who in your life needs these practical ways of loving?

Free to Relax

January 21, 2024 • Brad Strait

Conversation Starters ╬  We know that we are justified by faith in Jesus, but it’s easy to think that there are also certain rules that we must follow in order to be right with God. As you read Galatians 5:1-12, consider what Paul is saying about how we are to live in grace.   ╬  If, as Paul says, “faith expressing itself through love” is “the only thing that counts,” what does that look like in your life? As you explore that question, ask God to reveal what He has for you.