"Faithfulness of God: to His Covenant" (July 27, 2014)

"Faithfulness of God: to His Covenant"

from Genesis 17:1-8

Faithfulness series week 1

What is the source of your hope?  What have you placed your trust in?  What is the substance of relationships that you have with others? Is it trust?  In week 1 of our “Faithfulness of God” series, we look at the foundation of God’s faithfulness, and from His encounter with Abraham in Genesis 17, we see that God is first, faithful to His promises.  What if you embraced God’s promises for your life?  What would change?  How would you live each day?  As we look at Abraham, we must consider that there is something transformative that takes place in us when we choose to walk on the foundation of what God has promised us.  

As you are in your own quiet time or time with your group this week, consider the following:

• We all make promises and we've all been on the receiving end of promises as well.  
• What is a promise that has been made to you that wasn't kept?
• How did that make you feel?
• Has there ever been a promise that you've made and didn't keep?  If so, why not?

• What are some of the promises of God that you are familiar with from Scripture?

• Have you ever made a life-decision or moved in a direction based on a promise of God?  When was that?

• Has God ever called you to something you weren't sure you could do?
• How did that play out?

• When have you settled for less than the fullness of what you knew God wanted for you (what is your Ishmael)?
• Why settle?

Sermon Audio

From Sanctuary services (w/ Jason Byassee)

From Crossroads (w/ Vern Collins)

"Signs of Life: Invite to Life" (July 20, 2014)

“Signs of Life: Invite to Life”

from Acts 17:16-34

In the final week of our “Signs of Life” series, we look at the outworking of all of our other measures: “When have I invested and invited others into life in Christ?”  If you are a follower of Christ, then you know that sharing the Gospel is not merely meant to be a suggestion, it is meant to be what flows out of our lives, yet for many of us it feels awkward at best.  Bringing the Gospel into the lives around us tends to feel out of context and trite in this world that offers everything, yet in reality it is the only thing that matters.  What if we had a different perspective on what it means to share the Gospel and invite others into life with Christ?

As you have your have your personal quiet time or time with your Group, consider the following:

• What do you think of when you hear the word "evangelism?"

• Who invested in you toward life in Christ?

• How can you be that for another person?
• Do you have someone or some people in your life your are pouring in to toward that end?
• What are ways that you are doing so?

• What are productive ways to do so?

• What are counter-productive or harmful ways to do so?

• How are you building bridges with people you regularly encounter?

• What are some things in our culture that we (like Paul) need to speak over-against?

Sermon Audio

From Sanctuary Services (w/ Jason Byassee)

From Crossroads (w/ Vern Collins)

"Signs of Life: Friends and Enemies" (July 13, 2014)

"Signs of Life: Friends & Enemies"

from Acts 16:25-32

In week 6 of our "Signs of Life" series we look at the measure that both demands the most of us and is perhaps the greatest measure of whether or not we are becoming more like Jesus.  In this week's passage we see what seems to be an interesting response to an unpleasent situation...until we dig in to the heart of what Paul and Silas have experienced as followers of Christ.

As you have your own personal quiet time or time with your Group consider the following:

• Do you remember your first, "best friend?"
• What was that friendship like?  
• What cemented the bond?

• We might tend to think "enemy" is a word reserved for terrorists or traffickers, but considering that enemy is defined as someone, "actively opposed or hostile toward someone or something", can you say that you have ever had an enemy?  Someone who is opposed to you?  Someone who treated you differently as a result?  Or someone YOU treated differently as a result?

• While we might agree that Jesus tells us to love our enemies, we must ask ourselves what that looks like...the love that Jesus is speaking of is "active."  There is meant to be action attached to it.  
• With that being said, are you loving your enemies?  
• If so, how?
• If not, why not and what would need to change in order for you to do so?

Sermon Audio

From Sanctuary Services (w/ Jeff McClain)

From Crossroads (w/ Vern Collins)

"Signs of Life: Scripture" (July 6, 2014)

"Signs of Life: Scripture"

from Acts 15

Week 5 has us asking the question, "Did I apply Scripture to a decision this week?"  This can be a difficult question for us to wrestle with.  It is one thing to think about Scripture being an important part of our lives, and another entirely to allow it to have bearing in our direction and decision-making process.  

Some questions to consider in your own personal quiet-time or in your Group time:

• What is the most significant decision you feel like you've made in the past year?
• What led you to the decision you made?

• When faced with a big decision, what factors do you consider movement in one direction or another?
• Is Scripture ever a part of your factoring process?

• Has there ever been a decision you've made in which Scripture had bearing?  Over what?
• Can you think of a time when you felt led toward something that didn't make sense on any level, other than it seemed to fit with Scripture?
• How might that affect future decisions?

• Do you read Scripture as if it is relevant in your life today?
• If not, how might you begin to do so?

Messages from all morning worship gatherings:

"Signs of Life: True Worship" (June 29, 2014)

"Signs of Life: True Worship"

from Acts 13:1-3

In week 4 of our "Signs of Life" series, we ask the question, "Where did worship send me this week?"  In order to answer that question, we must deal with our understanding of worship.  In Acts 13:1-3, we look at the calling and sending of Barnabas and Saul and what created the environment for God to call them and set them apart.

• What is "worship" to you?

• Describe the most meaningful worship experience you've had.
• What sets it apart for you?
• What came from that in your life or your understanding of the Lord, or community, or the church?
• Has it been replicated since?

• Is there a time when worship has empowered you and invited you into life beyond yourself?
• Talk some about that.

• Why might "sending worship" seem less frequent in today's Western Culture than what we read about in the book of Acts?

Message from Crossroads worship gathering

"Signs of Life: Alongside" (June 22, 2014)

"Signs of Life" Alongside"

from Acts 8:26-40

In week 3 of our "Signs of Life" series, we look at the Measure, "Have I walked with someone not like me this week?"  From Acts 8:26-40, Philip's encounter with the Etheopian Eunuch challenges us with what God is able to do when we are willing to enter into relationship with those "outside" of our natural circles…

Questions to consider in your Quiet time or time with your Group:

• What do you share in common with the people closest to you in your life?

• When you think of spending time with people you care about, what is fulfilling to you about that?

• When you think of people "not like you" what does that mean to you?
• Who might some of those people be?

• Does the rhythm of your life take you into circles with people "not like you?"

• What keeps you from intentionally seeking time with people "not like you", people you wouldn't normally gravitate toward?

• In the beginning of Acts, Jesus tells His disciples that they will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth...Samaria was a place that Jews would just as soon walk around than go through (there was no love lost between Jews and Samaritans).  What is your "Samaria"?

Message from Crossroads (w/ Luke Edwards)