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November 30, 2025

12/1/2025

Advent 2025 - The Promise of Hope

Icebreaker
Have you ever experienced a moment when you felt like you were lost, in darkness, or moving blindly through a blizzard?

Study Questions

Isaiah 9:1-7 speaks to people living in “deep darkness.” What forms of darkness were they facing, and how does that help us understand the weight of their hope?
In Isaiah 9:6, why is the promise of a child so significant? What does this reveal about how God chooses to bring hope into the world?
Isaiah describes the Messiah using four names—Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Which of these titles strikes you most deeply right now, and why?
1. Wonderful Counselor—the Messiah brings wisdom where there is confusion.
2. Mighty God—the Messiah provides strength when there is weakness.
3. Everlasting Father—the Messiah has love that never quits.
4. Prince of Peace—the Messiah brings calm in the midst of chaos.
Pastor Jim is encouraging us all to choose one of these titles or words to focus on for centering our prayers and hope this Advent season. Which one are you choosing?
What does it mean that the government rests on His shoulders and not ours or that it's the zeal of the Lord, not ours that accomplishes this? How does that shift the way we think about hope?

Application Questions

Where do you feel the greatest “darkness” in your life right now—confusion, weakness, chaos, loneliness, or something else—and what would it look like to invite Jesus into that space?
Jesus is the source of wisdom in confusion, strength in weakness, calm in chaos, and love in loneliness. Which of these do you most need this week, and why?
Advent calls us to press on in hope. What is one concrete step you can take this week to “fix your eyes on Christ our Light”?
Where do you see God still redeeming the world—or your story—even in small ways?

Prayer
As a group, pray for one another by naming specific places of darkness where you need the hope of Christ this week. Ask Jesus, our Light, to shine into those places with wisdom, strength, calm, love, and renewed hope. Then take time to share and pray for one another’s personal requests.

November 16—The Teachings of Jesus

11/18/2025

Go the Extra Mile

Icebreaker
When has someone gone the "extra mile" for you?

Study Questions

Read Matthew 5:38–42. In this passage, Jesus is rooting the human desire for retalitation and resistance to helping others. What stands out to you most in Jesus’ examples of the cheek, the shirt, the mile, and the borrower?
How does understanding lex talionis (“eye for eye, tooth for tooth”) help you see what Jesus is doing when He calls us beyond retaliation?
Why do you think Jesus’ command in verse 41—“go with them two miles”—would have been shocking in a world where Roman soldiers used angareuo to humiliate and control civilians?
In your own words, how would you describe the difference between protection (healthy boundaries) and retaliation (getting even) as Jesus teaches it?
How does Jesus connect the teaching on retaliation (vv. 38–42) with His next teaching, “love your enemies” (vv. 43–45)? What does this reveal about God’s heart?

Application Questions

Where or with whom in your life do you most easily feel the “first mile” frustration—at work, at home, in your neighborhood, online, or in a difficult relationship?
What typically triggers your impulse to retaliate—anger, wounded pride, feeling disrespected, feeling powerless, or something else?
What might choosing the “second mile” look like in one real relationship or situation this week? What small act of generosity, patience, or love could break the cycle?
How might praying the “Second Mile Prayer” (“Jesus, help me see them as You see them. How can I choose the second mile?”) reshape your response to someone who has frustrated or hurt you?

Prayer Prompt
Take a moment to pray for God to help you recognize your “first mile” moments this week and respond with the Spirit’s strength instead of your instincts. Pray for Jesus to give you His eyes for people who frustrate or oppose you, His courage to choose the second mile, and His love to replace your resentment. Then take time to share personal prayer requests and pray for one another’s needs and relationships.

October 26 - The Teachings of Jesus

10/26/2025

Let Your 'Yes' Be 'Yes'

Icebreaker
What’s the funniest or most creative excuse you’ve ever heard (or used) for being late?

Study Questions

Read Matthew 5:33–37. Why do you think Jesus links honesty with the heart rather than just outward behavior?
According to the Old Testament passages cited (Deut. 6:13; 10:20; Lev. 19:12), why were oaths originally permitted, and how had they been misused by Jesus’ time?
How does Jesus’ command to “let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’ ” reveal the difference between external religion and inner transformation?
From the list of modern Forms of Deceit (lying, spin, half-truths, omission, etc.), which do you see most often in today’s culture—and why do you think it’s so common?
How can followers of Jesus practice truthfulness without becoming harsh or self-righteous toward those who are deceptive?

Application Questions

Which form of deception do you personally find most tempting—and what might it look like to repent of that tendency this week?
How can your words at home, at work, or online become more reliable reflections of God’s truth?
What step could you take this week to “speak truthfully to your neighbor” (Eph. 4:25) and “keep your oath even when it hurts” (Ps. 15:4)?

Prayer
Pray for hearts formed by truth rather than image—asking God to expose any place where deceit or half-truths hide within us.
Invite group members to share prayer requests and to pray that each person’s words and actions would reflect the character of Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

October 19 - The Teachings of Jesus

10/19/2025

Go and Be Reconciled

Icebreaker
What’s a moment this week when you caught yourself getting irrationally angry about something small? Bonus points if it’s funny.

Study Questions

Read Matthew 5:21–26. What contrast is Jesus making between the command “Do not murder” and His teaching about anger?
In verse 22, Jesus warns about anger, insults, and contempt (“Raca,” “You fool”). What do these words reveal about the heart behind our anger?
How does Jesus connect reconciliation with worship in verses 23–24? Why do you think He says to leave your gift and make things right first?
What does Jesus’ teaching show us about God’s priorities—justice, mercy, and relationships—within the kingdom of God?

Application Questions

Think of a situation where anger has taken root in your heart. What “cause beneath the crime” might Jesus want to heal in you?
Who might God be bringing to mind as someone you need to reconcile with? What first step could you take this week?
Of the five steps in The CLEAR Path—Confess, Level, Embrace, Align, Release—which one do you find most challenging right now?
How could practicing holy indifference (letting go of control and trusting God’s will) change the way you respond when you feel angry?
What would it look like for God’s peace to “take root” in your heart this week—in your home, workplace, or community?

Prayer
Take time to share prayer requests and pray for one another. Ask God to forgive anger, bring reconciliation where it’s needed, and let His peace take root in every heart and relationship.

October 12 - The Teachings of Jesus

10/12/2025

Love God. Love Neighbor.

Icebreaker

What’s the most “neighborly” thing someone has ever done for you — and what’s the most un-neighborly thing you’ve seen?

Study Questions

Read Matthew 22:34–40 and Matthew 7:12. Why do you think Jesus links loving God and loving neighbor together instead of treating them as separate commands?
In what ways does the Golden Rule (“do to others what you would have them do to you”) help explain what it means to love your neighbor as yourself?
Jesus said all the Law and the Prophets “hang” on these two commands. What does that image suggest about the relationship between love and obedience?
According to 1 John 4:19–20, why is it impossible to truly love God without loving others?
How does Jesus’ redefinition of “neighbor” in Luke 10:25-37 challenge cultural or religious assumptions about who is “worthy” of our love?

Application Questions

When you think about loving God with your heart, soul, and mind, which area feels most natural for you — and which area needs the most growth right now?
What barriers keep us from loving people who are different from us — in background, beliefs, or politics — the way Jesus describes?
How does remembering that “we love because God first loved us” change the way you approach difficult people or strained relationships?
Jesus changed the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “Who can I be a neighbor to?” Who might God be calling you to be a neighbor to this week?
How would our community look different if every believer lived as though loving God and loving neighbor were truly inseparable?

Prayer
Spend time thanking God for His love that pursued you first.
Pray for a heart that loves God more deeply — and for eyes to see the people around you as He sees them.
Invite each person to name one specific person or group they feel called to “neighbor” this week, and pray for opportunities to show mercy and love in action.

October 5 - The Teachings of Jesus

10/8/2025

Righteousness

Icebreaker
What’s a show, podcast, or documentary you’ve watched that revealed “the inside story” about someone or something—and what surprised you most about it?

Study Questions

Read Matthew 5:17–20. Why do you think people in Jesus’ day accused Him of “abolishing” the law? How does Jesus’ response correct that misunderstanding?
Pastor Jim talked about three categories of Old Testament law—moral, civil, and ceremonial. The moral law is eternal, while the other two are no longer binding because the civil law was tied to the theocratic biblical nation of Israel (which is no longer in existence), and the ceremonial law was tied to temple worship and the sacrificial system (which was fulfilled in Jesus). How does understanding these categories help us read the Old Testament more faithfully today?
In verse 20, Jesus says our righteousness must “surpass” that of the Pharisees. How did Pastor Jim explain the meaning of the Greek word perisseuō (“overflow”)? What difference does that make for how we think about righteousness?
Which of the modern examples stood out most to you—the driver, the friend, or the employer? What truth about “inside-out” righteousness did it illustrate?

Application Questions

The Pharisees focused on outward compliance. Where are you most tempted to settle for external “rule-keeping” instead of allowing God to transform your heart?
Jesus fulfills the Law by embodying God’s character. What would it look like for that same character—justice, mercy, and love—to “overflow” from your life this week?
Pastor Jim listed several practical tips to allow yourself to see your own "inside story" as we learn the teachings of Jesus—reflection, openness, noticing reactions, and receiving grace. Which of these could help you most in uncovering what’s going on in your own heart right now?
Think of a recent reaction—anger, defensiveness, avoidance—that revealed something deeper in you. What might Jesus want to heal or change underneath that reaction?
How might your relationships or workplace look different if your righteousness flowed “from the inside out” rather than being motivated by rules, pressure, or reputation?

Prayer Prompt
Close by praying Psalm 139:23–24 together:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Then invite each person to silently ask God to reveal one area of their “inside story” that He wants to transform this week and pray for each others' prayer requests.

September 21 - Real Good News

9/24/2025

Good News for the Stuck

Icebreaker
What’s the funniest or strangest way you’ve ever been “stuck” (literally or figuratively)?

Study Questions

Read Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18. What differences do you notice between Isaiah’s prophecy and Jesus’ reading in the synagogue, and why do you think that matters?
In what ways did Israel’s exile serve as both God’s judgment and His discipline of love? (See 2 Chronicles 36:15–20; Jeremiah 29:10–14.)
In what ways did the people of Israel and Judah experience captivity?
How does the Good News of Jesus fulfill and expand God’s promises of freedom in the Gospels?

Application Questions

Which kind of captivity (spiritual, emotional, economic, physical/social) feels most relevant in your life or in the lives of people around us right now?
How can you personally rely on Jesus to bring freedom in the area where you or others feel most “stuck”?
What might it look like for our group to be “beautiful feet” bringing good news of freedom to others (Romans 10:15)?
Who in our community might be experiencing a kind of captivity, and what’s one step you could take to bring encouragement or practical help this week?

Prayer
Spend time naming areas where you feel “stuck” and pray for one another to experience Jesus’ freedom. Pray also for God’s Spirit to convict oppressors of their sin and to empower us as His people to bring comfort, justice, and hope to those still in captivity.

September 14 - Real Good News

9/14/2025

Real Healing for Hurting Hearts

Icebreaker
What’s the most memorable injury you’ve ever had that needed to be bandaged—and how did you respond in that moment?

Study Questions

Read Isaiah 61:1 and Luke 4:18. What similarities and differences do you notice? What do you recall from the message about why Luke’s account doesn't contain the phrase “bind up the brokenhearted”?
The Hebrew word for “bind up” (khaw-bash) can mean to wrap, compress, or stop. What does it mean for a broken heart to be bound up?
In what ways were Israel’s hearts broken during the exile ...
1. By ruin and disappointment?
2. By grief and disorientation?
3. By oppression?
4. By sin?
How does this history connect to the hope Jesus proclaimed?
Read Hebrews 10:23 and 2 Corinthians 4:16–18. How do these passages encourage us to hold onto hope when life feels overwhelming?
What do these texts reveal about God’s character when it comes to caring for the poor, the oppressed, and the brokenhearted?

Application Questions

Where do you personally feel most like Israel after the exile—longing for “glory days,” grieving loss, feeling oppressed, or weighed down by your own sin?
Which of God’s promises brings you the most comfort right now? Why?
Jesus binds up broken hearts gently, not with shame. What would it look like for you to extend that same care to someone else this week?
How can our group be a place of healing for people who are brokenhearted?

Prayer
Invite members to share areas where their hearts feel broken. Use the bandage activity if possible: tie a bandage around one another’s wrists and pray, “Lord Jesus, bind up this broken heart. Bring healing and hope.” Close by thanking God that Jesus still heals, still restores, and still gives hope.

September 7, 2025 - Real Good News

9/8/2025

Real Good News for the Poor

Icebreaker
What’s the best piece of good news you’ve ever received? How did it change your mood, perspective, or even your life?

Study Questions

Read Luke 4:18–19 and Isaiah 61:1-2. What stands out to you about the specific people and situations Jesus names in His mission statement?
During Sunday's message, we looked at different kinds of poverty—physical, social, moral, and spiritual. Read the following passages and discuss the different kinds of poverty you see among the people.
Isaiah 3:14–15; Amos 2:6–7; Haggai 1:6, Nehemiah 5:1–5; Malachi 3:5
The Greek word for “good news” is euangelion. In the ancient world it meant a proclaiming the good news of a battle victory, a new king, or some other positive, life-changing news. How does that deepen your understanding of the word “gospel” as Jesus used it?
Jesus says in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." How does the life Christ promises contrast with the life that led to the exile?

Application Questions

How do you see spiritual poverty leading to the other forms of poverty in your life and the world around us?
When have you experienced “moral poverty”—either being hurt by others’ sin or wrestling with your own? How has Jesus met you there with forgiveness and renewal?
Where do you see signs of physical or social poverty in our community today? How might our Life Group or church be part of God’s good news in those places?
Pastor Jim emphasized that God sees every kind of poverty and the good news of Jesus brings real change for everyone. How might remembering that truth change the way you see yourself—or the way you see people around you?

Prayer
Begin by thanking God for sending Jesus to bring real good news to the poor in every sense. Pray about the kinds of poverty that is most on your hearts. Close by praying for each other's needs and that God would make your group and your church a living sign of His good news in your community.

July 13, 2025

7/13/2025

Welcome to A New Way of Thinking

Week 6: What is the Bible?

What did you learn this week about how the Bible was written and recognized as Scripture, and how does that impact your trust in it?
Why is it important to understand the historical and cultural context of a Bible passage before applying it today?
Why is it important to have a trustworthy and consistent source like the Bible to know who God is and what He is like, rather than relying only on personal feelings, opinions, or cultural ideas?
Which verse, truth, or story from the Bible has encouraged or strengthened you recently—and why do you think it spoke to you?
What is one step you can take this week to become not just a hearer of God’s Word, but a doer?

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Forward>>

November 30, 2025

Advent 2025 - The Promise of Hope

November 16—The Teachings of Jesus

Go the Extra Mile

October 26 - The Teachings of Jesus

Let Your 'Yes' Be 'Yes'

October 19 - The Teachings of Jesus

Go and Be Reconciled

October 12 - The Teachings of Jesus

Love God. Love Neighbor.

October 5 - The Teachings of Jesus

Righteousness

September 21 - Real Good News

Good News for the Stuck

September 14 - Real Good News

Real Healing for Hurting Hearts

September 7, 2025 - Real Good News

Real Good News for the Poor

July 13, 2025

Welcome to A New Way of Thinking

ABOUT

CATEGORIES

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
9:00 AM (TRADITIONAL)
10:30 AM (CONTEMPORARY

Advent 2025 - The Promise of Hope

Go the Extra Mile

Let Your 'Yes' Be 'Yes'

Go and Be Reconciled

Love God. Love Neighbor.

Righteousness

Good News for the Stuck

Real Healing for Hurting Hearts

Real Good News for the Poor

Welcome to A New Way of Thinking

ABOUT

CATEGORIES

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP9:00 AM (TRADITIONAL)​10:30 AM (CONTEMPORARY

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
9:00 AM (TRADITIONAL)
10:30 AM (CONTEMPORARY