Mondays | 6:30 - 8:00PM | Sept 16 - Nov 11 | Kid’s Building
"Who Created God?" is a weekly intergenerational small group where we address challenging questions of faith, religion, and philosophy. This fall we will be covering topics like “Did Jesus have to die?”, “Why would a loving God allow people to suffer?”, and “Is the end near?”
In our discussions we are not looking to aggressively argue for any one perspective, but rather to present differing ideas of how theologians and philosophers have made sense of these questions. Ultimately, we want you to make informed decisions about what it is you believe. Even when engaging in topics that famously bring out polarizing opinions, our goal is to inspire everyone to think openly and critically about all facets of life—to question dogma and make sure we can honestly examine why we believe what we believe. This group is open to everyone regardless of your present beliefs or level of confidence.
This group will run for 8 weeks and will be facilitated by 3 of our young adults: Noah Killeen, Jonathan Hinds and Morgan Reeves. There will be a mix of up-front presentation and discussion in smaller groups.
Weekly Topics:
Week 1 // September 16
How does God decide what is good and what is evil?
For many believers, God is the ultimate standard of right and wrong—no questions asked. But to others, God might seem like a ruthless dictator, enforcing his moral opinion on the world with no one to challenge him. How does God decide the “right way” to live, and why is it such a big deal when we fall short?
Week 2 // September 23
Did Jesus have to die?
Many have heard the phrase “Jesus died for your sins,” but how exactly does that work? To some it seems like God is angry and petty, only able to forgive after his wrath has been satisfied. But there is more to the story—a rich history of unique and interesting views about what Jesus accomplished and how it matters to our lives right now.
Week 3 // September 30
Are people predestined for Heaven or Hell?
A famous debate echoed across church history: Is human free will an important part of salvation, or did God already decide—long before any of us were born—who was going to be saved, and who was not?
Week 4 // October 7
Are there supernatural forces in our world?
A belief in the existence of spiritual beings is extremely common in christian traditions across the world. Are such ideas reasonable? How much of these stories of Angels and Demons are actually found in places like the Bible, and how much of it emerged from superstition?
*** No meeting on October 14
Week 5 // October 21
Is the end near?
The End Times have been a fascination of nearly every religious tradition on this planet. How will the world end? Will it be the result of human folly or divine judgment? Is it a reality soon to come or something a long way off? This week we break down the many strange and interesting views people have on how it will all go down.
Week 6 // October 28
Why would a loving God allow people to suffer? (Pt. 1)
We are told over and over again that God is "good" and that God "loves" everyone who has ever lived... but every day countless children die of starvation and preventable diseases, and entire families lose their homes to natural disasters. Where is this loving God amidst such a cold and uncaring world? When millions cry out in prayer, why is there no answer?
Week 7 // November 4
Why would a loving God allow people to suffer? (Pt. 2)
It’s one thing to have an intellectual explanation for why God might allow atrocities to happen. It's another to insist that God is "worthy of worship" in spite of great tragedy. How is anyone supposed to "love" and "pursue" a God who—in our darkest hours—could easily do something to help us... but who does nothing?
Week 8 // November 11
Open Q&A
