Dining with Jesus: Unexpected Guest

Luke 7:36-50

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This guide walks your group through Luke 7's powerful story of a sinful woman who crashes a dinner party to worship Jesus — and the Pharisee who can't quite see what's happening. As you facilitate, create space for honest, unhurried responses; the best conversations will come when people feel safe enough to be the Simon in the room, not just the woman.

Part One

Getting Started

1. Think of a time you felt genuinely, unexpectedly welcomed somewhere — a home, a gathering, a conversation. What made it feel that way?

2. Has a meal ever turned into something more meaningful than just food? What happened around that table?

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

Those who seem furthest from Jesus are all strangely drawn to Jesus. Like when they meet Jesus, their sin seems to lose its appeal.

1. Keith points out that this woman's act of worship was scandalous on multiple levels — her presence, her tears, her loosened hair, the perfume. Why do you think Jesus didn't redirect or stop her? What does His response tell us about how He receives people?Reflect

2. Jesus says Simon has a debt too — he just doesn't see it. What's the difference between knowing you have a debt intellectually and actually feeling the weight of it? Why does that difference matter so much in this story?Reflect

3. When Jesus asks Simon, 'Do you see this woman?' — He's pointing out that Simon saw her sin, not her. How do you think Jesus saw her differently? What does this tell us about the way Jesus looks at people in general?Reflect

4. The parable of the two debtors makes the point that greater awareness of forgiveness produces greater love. Do you think it's possible to love Jesus deeply without a genuine sense of how much you've been forgiven? Why or why not?Reflect

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Part Three

Personal Reflection

Your problem, Simon, is that while this woman has a debt, you also have a debt. But she knows it and you don't.

1. If you're honest, do you identify more with the woman in this story or with Simon — someone who knows their need deeply, or someone still trying to intellectually sort Jesus out? What does that reveal about where you are right now?Reflect

2. Keith said, 'It doesn't take much for us to size people up, to quietly categorize them based on what we see or what we think we know.' Who in your life might you be seeing through Simon's eyes right now — defined by their reputation or their past?Reflect

3. The woman brought the tools of her trade and used them to worship Jesus. What's something in your own life — a skill, a habit, a resource — that you've kept mostly for yourself, but could be offered as an act of worship or love for others?Reflect

4. When was the last time your gratitude for Jesus felt like that woman's — something you couldn't quite contain? What tends to move you from a quiet, settled faith to something more like overflow?Reflect

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Part Four

Application & This Week

She's the one that welcomes Jesus, not Simon. And it's not even her house.

1. The series challenge from last week still stands: take one of your 21 meals this week and approach it differently — invite someone, see them as deeply loved, and pray, 'Lord, at this table as it is in heaven.' Who might that be for you this week, and what's one small step to make it happen?Apply

2. Is there someone in your life you've been seeing primarily through their sin or reputation — someone you'd be surprised to find at Jesus' feet? What would it look like to begin seeing them the way Jesus does?Apply

3. Simon's problem wasn't that he was too bad — it was that he didn't think he needed much. Where in your life might you be settling for a 'small debt' version of faith, one that produces little love because it assumes little need?Apply

4. Keith closed by noting that the woman welcomed Jesus more genuinely than the host did — in someone else's house. This week, in whatever spaces you occupy, how might you be the one who creates a culture of welcome, for the people others might overlook?Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Lord, make us more aware of our own debt — not so we carry shame, but so love flows freely from us. Teach us to see others the way You see them, beyond reputation and past and what we assume we know. At this table, as it is in heaven. Amen.Description text goes here

Dinner With Jesus

Luke 5:27–32

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This guide walks your group through Jesus' scandalous dinner with Levi — what it reveals about who Jesus sees, who he sits with, and what it means to follow his lead at our own tables. As a facilitator, resist the urge to rush past the reflection questions; the most honest moments often need a little silence to breathe.

Part One

Getting Started

1. Think of a meal that stands out as genuinely meaningful to you — maybe a holiday table, a late-night diner booth, or a simple kitchen with good people. What made it memorable?

2. If someone looked at your calendar or your dinner table over the last month, what kind of story would it tell about who you spend time with?

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

"For Jesus, these meals represented more than just a meal — they were ground zero for the breaking in of his new kingdom, and a new way of seeing others, and seeing the world."

1. Keith pointed out that in Luke's gospel, Jesus is constantly at meals — eating with tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees, and everyone in between. What does this pattern tell us about how Jesus understood his mission?Reflect

2. The Pharisees were fine with serving the marginalized, but not with being associated with them. What's the difference, and why does it matter?Reflect

3. Jesus says, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." What does this metaphor reveal about what Jesus thinks his presence is actually for — and what it means for how we move through the world?Reflect

4. Keith described Levi leaving "everything" — his career, his income, his standing — and the first thing he does is throw a party. What does Levi's immediate response teach us about what it looks like when someone truly encounters Jesus?Reflect

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Part Three

Honest Inward Questions

"Those who avoid the contamination of those far from God are like Pharisees. But those who earn the label friend of sinners are like their Savior."

1. Keith described several marks of a "modern-day Pharisee" — someone who avoids people who might make them look bad, who puts themselves in the "good" category and others in the "bad." Which of those descriptions, if any, landed a little close to home for you?Reflect

2. Our church is in the middle of a 1 of 21 challenge — one intentional meal with someone outside your usual circle. If you've already tried it, what was that experience like? If you haven't yet, what's honestly held you back?Reflect

3. Jesus saw Levi — all of his mess and brokenness — and saw someone worthy of his kingdom. Is there someone in your life right now that you've written off, avoided, or quietly placed in the "too far gone" category?Reflect

4. Keith asked: "Is it possible that it's time for us to reclaim the table?" What would it cost you personally to do that — and what might it open up?Reflect

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Part Four

Application & This Week

"I hope the world might actually accuse us of the same — 'I can't believe you were willing to befriend someone like that. To have someone like that over to your house for dinner.'"

1. The 1 of 21 challenge asks each of us to share a meal with one person outside our normal relational circle this month. Who is one specific person — a neighbor, coworker, family member, or acquaintance — you could reach out to this week?Apply

2. Keith said Christianity didn't take shape behind pulpits or in books — it took shape around tables. What's one practical way you could make your own table more open, more intentional, or more welcoming in the next few weeks?Apply

3. Levi didn't wait to have it all figured out before he invited people in. He just threw a party. What's one small, imperfect step you could take this week toward someone who feels far from God — even if you don't feel ready?Apply

4. As a group, is there someone — a neighbor, a family in your area, a coworker — you could invite to a shared meal together? Spend a few minutes dreaming about what that could look like and who might take the first step.Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Lord, make us people who throw open our tables the way Jesus threw open his. Give us eyes to see others the way you see them — not through the categories the world assigns, but through the lens of your relentless love. May our lives increasingly be lived for the sake of others. Amen.

Memorize

Psalm 119:9–16

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This guide is designed to help your group reflect on Keith's message about Scripture memorization — not as a performance, but as a practice of interior formation. As you facilitate, create space for honest conversation about what's already being stored in people's hearts, not just what should be.

Part One

Warming Up

1. What's something you have memorized without ever trying — a jingle, a movie scene, a phone number from childhood? Where do you think it came from?

2. When you first heard the topic was 'Scripture memorization,' what was your honest gut reaction?

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Part Two

Understanding the Message

Access is not the same thing as formation.

1. Keith described the 'Tetris Effect' — the idea that what saturates your mind begins to shape how you see everything. How does that help you understand what the psalmist means in verse 11 when he says he has 'hidden' God's word in his heart?Reflect

2. Keith made a distinction between 'access' and 'formation.' We have more access to Scripture than any generation in history, yet many of us feel unformed by it. What do you think is the gap between those two things?Reflect

3. The Hebrew word for 'hidden' is safan — to store up, treasure, and preserve something valuable. How does that word change the way you think about memorization? What does it suggest about how we should approach God's word?Reflect

4. Keith said that in Hebrew imagination, the 'heart' is not mainly the seat of emotion — it's the command center of the whole person: thinking, wanting, deciding, choosing. How does that reframe what Psalm 119:11 is actually asking of us?Reflect

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Part Three

Looking Inward

The question is not whether you are storing words in your heart. You already are. The question is which words get to live there rent-free.

1. Keith named some of the things that already live in our hearts rent-free — old wounds, a parent's criticism, a betrayal we replay. Without oversharing, is there something other than Scripture that has been shaping your inner world more than you'd like?Reflect

2. 'We rarely rise to the level of our intentions. We fall to the level of our formation.' When have you experienced this — a moment of pressure where what came out surprised or discouraged you?Reflect

3. This is week four of the Practice of Scripture series, and Keith asked us to 'try on' each practice. How has the practice of Scripture memorization been going for you so far — honestly? What has felt hard, strange, or maybe unexpectedly good?Reflect

4. Keith said your memory isn't bad — it's trained. What does your current memory tell you about what has been training it? What does that stir up in you?Reflect

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Part Four

Moving Forward Together

Memorization carries the word with you.

1. Keith described Scripture memorization not as a solo performance but as part of a shared way of living as a church family. What would it look like for your group specifically to memorize Scripture together — not just individually at home?Apply

2. Is there a verse or passage that has stayed with you lately — something that feels like it wants to go deeper than the page? What might it look like to intentionally store it this week?Apply

3. The practice of memorization works through repetition and return. What's one small, realistic rhythm you could build into your week — not heroic, just consistent — to rehearse a verse until it becomes a reflex?Apply

4. As a group, is there a shared verse or passage you'd want to memorize together over the coming weeks? What would it mean to you to know that the people in this room are all carrying the same words?Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Lord, we want your words to live in us, not just near us. Form us from the inside out. May what we rehearse together become our reflex — so that when life squeezes us, what comes out looks more like you. Amen.

Practice of Scripture: Study

Luke 4:1–13

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This guide walks your group through Tina's sermon on Scripture as a tool of formation — not just information — using Jesus' temptation in the wilderness as the anchor. Encourage honesty and vulnerability; the goal isn't right answers but real conversation.

Part One

Getting Started

1. What's a word that comes to mind when you hear the word 'study'? Does it energize you or make you want to change the subject?

2. Think of something you've gotten really good at — a skill, a hobby, a sport. What did consistent practice actually do to you over time?

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

The question is not whether or not we're being formed, but the question is who or what is forming us.

1. Each time the devil tempts Jesus, Jesus responds with 'It is written' — quoting Deuteronomy. What does it tell us about Jesus that his first instinct under pressure was to reach for Scripture? What do you think that kind of rootedness looked like in his daily life before this moment?

2. The devil's first two temptations attack Jesus' identity: 'If you are the Son of God...' He had just heard the Father say, 'This is my Son, whom I love.' Why do you think the enemy targets our identity, and how does knowing who we are shape how we respond to temptation?

3. Tina draws a distinction between information and formation. What's the difference, and where do you see that tension in how the church — or your own life — has approached Bible study?

4. Tina says, 'Practices don't save us; Jesus saves us. But practices position us.' How does Jesus' life in this passage illustrate that idea — that spiritual disciplines create space for God to work rather than earning His favor?

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Part Three

Personal Reflection

You can know a lot about God and still not be transformed by Him. You can win a Bible trivia contest and still be impatient, still be anxious, still be controlling.

1. Tina describes carrying a fear for years — offering it to Jesus, then quietly taking it back. Is there something in your own life that you've given to God and reclaimed more times than you'd like to admit? What makes it hard to let go?Reflect

2. When you engage with Scripture, which mode tends to be more natural for you — gathering information or allowing it to search you? What does that say about where you are with God right now?Reflect

3. Tina talks about compartmentalizing life — acting as if Jesus cared about her soul but not her body or the rest of her. Are there areas of your life where you've quietly kept Jesus at a distance? What would it look like to give Him access there?Reflect

4. Formation, Tina says, happened not when she figured something out, but when she surrendered and let Jesus do what she couldn't do herself. Have you experienced a moment like that — where transformation came as a gift rather than an achievement? If not, what might be getting in the way?Reflect

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Part Four

Application & This Week

The ride isn't the point. Glacier to Banff isn't the point. Formation is the point — giving God access to areas of life that are vulnerable.

1. This week, choose a passage or theme of Scripture that feels alive or relevant to where you are right now — something that draws you, or something you sense God may be inviting you into. Set aside time to come to it slowly and prayerfully, not to master it but to be met by it. Ask God to speak, and give yourself permission to linger. What passage or theme comes to mind?Apply

2. Jesus was so deeply rooted in Scripture that it came out of him under pressure. What's one concrete step you could take this week to move Scripture from something you read occasionally to something that's forming you — maybe a passage to sit with slowly, a verse to memorize, or a practice you haven't tried before?Apply

3. A Rule of Life is an intentional arrangement of your life around practices that help you be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. Is there one practice — even a small one — you sense God inviting you into right now? Share it with the group so they can ask you about it next week.Apply

4. Who in your life could you invite into the kind of honest, vulnerable community Tina describes — where someone speaks a true word over you when you're anxious, or walks with you through a season of formation? Is there a step you could take this week to deepen that kind of relationship?Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Lord, form us the way only You can. Where we've been managing fear, give us surrender. Where we've been collecting information, give us transformation. Do in us what we could never do for ourselves. Amen.Description text goes here

The Practice of Scripture: Meditate

Joshua 1:7-8; Psalm 1:1-3; Luke 24:44

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This guide walks your group through Keith's sermon on meditating on Scripture, drawing on the ancient Hebrew practice of hagah and the spiritual discipline of Lectio Divina. As you facilitate, create generous space for honesty about how this first week of the practice has actually felt, and gently invite people into the week ahead with curiosity rather than pressure.

Part One

Getting Started

1. When you were a kid, did you have a book, story, or even a song that you returned to over and over again? What kept pulling you back to it?

2. How has the first week of the scripture practice gone for you? Share one high and one low, even if the low is just 'I forgot.'

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

Scripture was designed to be meditated on. That's one of the reasons that it's full of riddles, and puzzling sayings, and phrases with double meanings, and complex plot lines.

1. Keith pointed out that Joshua 1 and Psalm 1 function as 'seams' in the structure of the Hebrew Bible, and both use almost identical language about meditation. What does it say to you that the library of Scripture is essentially framed by this invitation to meditate?Reflect

2. The Hebrew word hagah means to murmur or to growl over, like a lion with its prey or a dog with a bone. How does that image change the way you think about what it means to engage with Scripture?Reflect

3. Keith drew a distinction between study and Lectio Divina. Study asks what a text meant then and how we apply it now. Lectio asks how God is coming to me personally through this text. Why do you think that distinction matters, and where might you have collapsed the two in the past?Reflect

4. Luke 24 shows two disciples who had read the Scriptures but still missed the point until Jesus opened their minds. What does that tell us about the kind of reading Scripture is asking of us?Reflect

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Part Three

Reflection and the Week Ahead

Christians don't simply learn or study or use Scripture. We take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love.

1. Now that you have had a week with the daily scripture rhythm, how has it actually gone? What was one moment that felt alive or meaningful, and what was one moment that felt hard, dry, or that you simply missed?Apply

2. Did anything from this first week surprise you, whether about the practice itself, about Scripture, or about yourself as you showed up to it?Apply

3. As you head into another week, Keith described a practice called Lectio Divina: reading a short passage slowly and repeatedly, not to extract information but to listen for what the Spirit wants to impress personally on you. What feels inviting or uncomfortable about approaching Scripture that way?Apply

4. What is one small, concrete thing you could try this week to move from skimming to meditating? Maybe it is where you sit, how slowly you read, whether you read aloud, or what you do when a word or phrase surfaces and stays with you. Name something specific you want to experiment with.Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Lord, slow us down. Teach us to chew on your words rather than skim past them. May your thoughts inhabit our minds completely this week, and may what we read get metabolized into love.

Practice of Scripture: Read

Matthew 5:17–19

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This guide accompanies Keith's sermon on the practice of reading Scripture, tracing the story of William Tyndale to Jesus' own words in the Sermon on the Mount. As you facilitate, create space for honesty — some in your group may carry real pain around the Bible, and this conversation is an invitation, not a test.

Part One

Starting the Conversation

1. When you were growing up, what was your relationship with the Bible like — did it feel familiar, foreign, exciting, confusing, or something else entirely?

2. If someone handed you a Bible right now with no instructions, what would you most naturally do with it — read it, set it on a shelf, open it randomly, something else? Why?

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

Scripture is more like a map to another world — to a thin place, a place of overlap between heaven and earth, almost like a portal to the kingdom of God.

1. Keith describes William Tyndale and others dying just to get the Bible into ordinary people's hands. What do you think it was about Scripture that made the powers of the day so afraid of people reading it for themselves?Reflect

2. Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that he came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them. In your own words, what's the difference between those two things — and why does it matter how we read the Bible?Reflect

3. Keith points out that Jesus reads the Bible as a story in search of an ending, with himself as the climax. How does that reframe the way you might approach a passage — especially one that feels distant or confusing?Reflect

4. Jesus says that not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will disappear from the law. What does that kind of confidence in Scripture invite from us in return?Reflect

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Part Three

Looking Inward

We don't burn Bibles anymore — we just ignore them.

1. Keith lists several honest reasons people drift from Scripture — busyness, confusion, digital distraction, and even pain tied to how the Bible has been misused. Which of those resonates most with you, and why?Reflect

2. Has the Bible ever been wielded against you in a way that left a mark? If you feel safe sharing, what has that done to your relationship with Scripture?Reflect

3. Think about the disciples on the road to Emmaus whose hearts burned within them as Jesus opened the Scriptures. Have you ever experienced something like that — a moment when Scripture felt alive and personal? What was that like?Reflect

4. If you're being really honest, what would it mean for you personally to move toward Scripture rather than away from it right now?Reflect

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Part Four

This Week's Practice

Whatever Scripture is, it certainly is not ordinary.

1. Keith invites us to try on the practice of reading Scripture this week — not as an obligation but as an experiment. What might a small, realistic first step look like for you given where you actually are right now?Apply

2. Is there someone in your life — a friend, a housemate, a family member — you could read even a short passage of Scripture with this week, the way those early followers of Tyndale read it together by candlelight?Apply

3. Before next week, try sitting with one passage slowly — not to study it or master it, but just to listen. What passage, even a familiar one, might you bring that kind of attention to?Apply

4. Our church is trying on this practice together. As you go into this week, what's one thing you want to pay attention to or notice about your experience with Scripture — so that when we gather again next week, you'll have something honest to bring back and share with the group?Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Lord, open our eyes the way you opened the eyes of those disciples on the road to Emmaus. Let our hearts burn within us as we open your Word this week. Give us courage to draw near to what we've been avoiding, and meet us there.

Living Water

John 4:1–45

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This guide walks through Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman — a story about divine appointment, spiritual thirst, and the freedom that comes from being fully known and fully loved. Encourage your group to move past safe, surface answers. The best conversations will happen when people feel free to bring the real stuff.

Part One

Getting Started

1. Think of a time you took the "long way around" something — a hard conversation, a relationship, a responsibility. What made avoiding it feel easier in the moment?

2. Have you ever tried to satisfy a deep need with something that couldn't actually fill it — a job, a relationship, a habit? Without going deep yet, what did that feel like?

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

"He had to go through Samaria." — John 4:4

1. The text says Jesus had to go through Samaria — but he didn't, geographically. What does this detail tell us about what drives Jesus, and what does that mean for people the world writes off?

2. The woman is drawing water at noon, alone — her way of hiding. Jesus doesn't avoid her; he sits down and asks her for something. What does Jesus' posture toward her reveal about how God approaches people in shame?

3. Jesus offers "living water" — but she keeps hearing it as literal water. Throughout John's gospel, Jesus uses physical things to point to spiritual realities. What is he actually offering her, and why does he go after the bucket-vs-well distinction so directly?

4. When Jesus says "Go, call your husband," he's refusing to let the conversation stay surface-level. Why does real transformation require being fully known? What does this tell us about what the gospel is actually after?

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Part Three

Personal Reflection

"You've been going to the same well over and over, and you're still dying of thirst."

1. Which "bucket" do you most relate to — the bigger bucket, the cleaner bucket, the smaller bucket, or something else entirely? What has that bucket promised you, and has it delivered? Reflect

2. Jesus tells the woman everything she's ever done — and instead of condemnation, she experiences freedom. Is there something you've been keeping in the dark, partly because you're not sure Jesus' response would be grace? What does this story say to that fear? Reflect

3. The woman deflects with a theological question right when things get personal. Do you find yourself doing something similar — staying busy, changing the subject, getting intellectual — when God starts pressing on the real thing? Reflect

4. The sermon drew a distinction between "fake you" and "real you." Which version shows up at church, in your small group, in your prayers? What would it look like to let the real you show up more? Reflect

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Part Four

Application & This Week

"What do you have to do? The conversation you know you need to have, the forgiveness you need to extend, the one hard honest step."

1. The sermon asked: What do you have to do? Not hypothetically — personally. Is there a step of obedience, reconciliation, or honesty that you've been circling around? What's one concrete thing you can do this week? Apply

2. After her encounter with Jesus, the woman's first move was to run and tell her story — the very story she'd been hiding. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear what Jesus has done for you, specifically through your mess? Who is it, and what's stopping you? Apply

3. The sermon said: You fight the devil in the dark, you're going to get whipped. But when you bring it to the light, Jesus fights on your behalf. Is there something you've been fighting alone that needs to come into the light — with God, a trusted friend, a counselor, or this group? Apply

4. Jesus told her, I am — the covenant name of God, spoken to a nobody from nowhere. How does it change the way you approach your week to know that the great I AM is as close as your next breath, and is actively pursuing you? Apply

Close your time together in prayer.

Father, we come to you the way this woman came to the well — tired, thirsty, and carrying things we've been ashamed to set down. Thank you that you already know, and that you are not ashamed of us. Give us the courage to drag it all into the light, to drink from the only well that truly satisfies, and to walk in the freedom you purchased for us. Amen.

Humility

John 3:22–36 — John the Baptist, the Bridegroom & Joyful DecreaseSpeaker: Keith

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This guide is designed for a community group conversation following the sermon on John 3:22–36. The questions move from understanding the passage, to honest personal reflection, to practical application. Feel free to linger where the Spirit leads — there's no requirement to cover every question.

Tip for facilitators: Start with an icebreaker or a moment of quiet prayer, then let the conversation flow naturally.

Part One

Opening & Icebreaker

1. Think of a time you genuinely celebrated someone else's success or recognition — even when it meant less of the spotlight for you. What made that possible?

2. Have you ever had a role that was meant to be temporary — a season of preparation that eventually had to end? What was it like to let that go?

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Part Two

Understanding the Passage

"For John, joy resided precisely in going down while Jesus went up. Decreasing while Jesus increased." — from the sermon

1. John the Baptist's disciples come to him worried — crowds are leaving and going to Jesus. Why do you think they expected that news to trouble him? What does his response reveal about what he truly understood about his own calling?

2. The sermon unpacked the bridegroom metaphor: Jesus is the groom, the people are the bride, and John is the friend of the bridegroom whose job is to bring them together and then step aside. How does that image change the way you think about what faithful ministry or service looks like?

3. The sermon pointed to the significance of the voice — the sheep hear the shepherd's voice, the bride hears the bridegroom's voice and recognizes it. Have there been moments in your own life where you sensed God's voice in a way that felt distinct and unmistakable? What was that like?

4. The sermon suggested that the purification debate of verse 25 isn't really dropped — it's answered by pointing to Jesus as the Lamb who actually cleanses. How does the picture of Jesus as both bridegroom and Lamb deepen your understanding of what he came to do?

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Part Three

Personal Reflection

"That's not the basis of the joy of hardly anybody — except radical Christians to whom something has happened called the new birth, which has so reoriented their joy-producing nerves that they're now rooted in the opposite of what they were once rooted in." — from the sermon

1. The sermon described a kind of joy that runs completely counter to our instincts — joy that increases as we decrease, as attention shifts away from us and toward Jesus. Does that kind of joy feel real and possible to you, or does it feel strange or distant? Be honest. Reflect

2. The NPR interviewer called Jesus an "egomaniac" for demanding to be loved above all others. The sermon's response was that this isn't egomania — it's love, because he's the Lamb who gave himself for the bride. How do you personally respond to Jesus' claim on your ultimate loyalty? Is it a comfort, a challenge, or both? Reflect

3. John the Baptist's entire identity — "the voice crying in the wilderness" — was something that had to be silenced for the real voice to be heard. Is there any area of your life where your identity, reputation, or desire for recognition might be getting in the way of Jesus being seen more clearly? Reflect

4. The sermon drew a contrast between Nicodemus (confused and walking away) and John the Baptist (thrilled and overflowing). Which posture feels more honest for where you are right now in your walk with Jesus? Reflect

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Part Four

Application & This Week

"No one receives anything unless it is given from heaven... God is giving them to his Son." — John the Baptist, John 3:27

1. John the Baptist could watch his entire following move to Jesus and call it God at work — because he knew that nothing happens unless it's given from heaven. Is there a situation in your life right now — a loss, a transition, a diminishment — that you need to reframe as something God might be doing rather than something happening to you? Apply

2. The sermon said that the mark of the new birth is a thrill that your newness can't be traced back to you — you want God to get the credit. In a practical, everyday sense, what would it look like this week to actively point credit, attention, or praise toward Jesus rather than keeping it? Apply

3. John described himself as "sent before him" — his whole purpose was to prepare people for someone greater. Who in your life might you be uniquely positioned to prepare, point, or walk toward Jesus? What is one concrete step you could take toward that this week? Apply

4. The sermon ended with an invitation: the only right response to seeing who Jesus is — the Lamb, the bridegroom, the one who cleanses and gives new life — is to go to him. Is there anything holding you back from going to him more fully right now? Apply

Close your time together in prayer, asking the Spirit to do what only He can do.

"Lord, make us like John — people whose greatest joy is that you would increase and we would decrease. Come and reorient what brings us joy, until our joy is made full in yours."

Born Again

John 3:1–21 — Nicodemus & New Birth

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This guide is designed for a small group conversation following the sermon on John 3:1–21. The questions move from understanding the passage, to honest personal reflection, to practical application. Feel free to linger where the Spirit leads — there's no requirement to cover every question.

Tip for facilitators: Start with an icebreaker or a moment of quiet prayer, then let the conversation flow naturally.

Part One

Opening & Icebreaker

1. Has anyone ever seen through your "put-together" exterior and named something true about you that you hadn't fully recognized yourself? What was that like?

2. Before today, what did the phrase "born again" mean to you — or what do you think it typically means to people outside the church?

· · ·

Part Two

Understanding the Passage

"Jesus comforts the disturbed, and he disturbs the religiously comfortable." — from the sermon

1. Nicodemus was morally upright, educated, and deeply religious — yet Jesus told him he needed to be born again. Why do you think that was so shocking? What does it reveal about what salvation actually is?

2. John tells us Nicodemus came to Jesus "at night." The sermon suggests this detail carries symbolic weight — spiritual darkness can exist beneath outward respectability. Does that idea challenge or resonate with you? Why?

3. Jesus says we must be "born of water and Spirit." In the sermon, water pointed to repentance and Spirit to surrender — something we can't manufacture or control. What does it mean to you that part of this process is genuinely beyond our control?

4. Jesus references Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21). The sermon explained that when we look at Jesus on the cross, we see both the depth of human evil and the depth of God's love simultaneously. How does that image expand or deepen how you think about the cross?

· · ·

Part Three

Personal Reflection

"There is another kind of lostness — a quieter kind, a more socially acceptable kind — hidden beneath success, morality, religion, achievement, and self-reliance." — from the sermon

1. The sermon described two kinds of lostness: the obvious, painful kind — and the quieter kind hidden under achievement and self-reliance. Which do you more naturally identify with, and why? Reflect

2. Tina shared that her first honest prayer was: "Jesus, show me my sin and my need for a savior." Have you ever prayed something like that — or does the idea feel scary? What holds people back from that kind of vulnerability with God? Reflect

3. The sermon argued that the evidence of new birth isn't a prayer prayed in the past, but a life being continuously renewed by the Spirit. By that measure, where do you see evidence of the Spirit's ongoing work in your life — and where might you be running on empty? Reflect

4. John 3:19–21 says people love darkness rather than light because they fear their deeds being exposed. Is there any area in your life right now where you're avoiding the light — avoiding full honesty with God or with trusted people? Reflect

· · ·

Part Four

Application & This Week

"Nicodemus — the man who first came to Jesus in the dark — is now publicly identifying himself with the crucified Christ." — from the sermon

1. Nicodemus's transformation was gradual: from a cautious, night-time visit to publicly giving Jesus a royal burial. How do you make space in your life for a slow, genuine work of the Spirit — rather than just performing spiritual activity? Apply

2. Ephesians 5:18 says to "keep on being filled with the Spirit." What does that ongoing dependence look like practically in your week — in your rhythms, relationships, and quiet moments? Apply

3. Is there someone in your life — perhaps someone moral, successful, or "put together" — whom you've never considered might be spiritually searching? How might God be calling you to be a "Katie" to them (someone who simply offers to talk about Jesus)? Apply

4. If you're honest about where you are right now, which of these descriptions fits best: curious seeker, ready to fully surrender, or long-time follower in need of a fresh filling? What's one next step that fits where you are? Apply

Close your time together in prayer, asking the Spirit to do what only He can do.

"God, reveal what's in our hearts that maybe we don't see, but we need to lay down — that You would come and make us new."

Anger Management

John (2:13-25)

1. Seeing Jesus Clearly

In your own words, what do we learn about Jesus from placing John 2:1–12 (the wedding) next to John 2:13–25 (the temple)?

• Where do you tend to prefer a “one-dimensional” version of Jesus?

• How does this passage challenge or expand your view of Him?

2. What Was Really Wrong?

The temple activity was meant to facilitate worship—but it became a barrier. Where do you see that same dynamic today?

• In churches?

• In culture?

• Even in your own life?

3. The Heart of Jesus

The sermon emphasized that Jesus is “jealous for people,” not against them. What does that mean to you personally?

• Where have you experienced Jesus removing barriers in your own life?

• Is there any area where you’re still trying to “earn access” to God?

4. Making Room

“On Team Jesus—we make room.” Where is it hardest for you to make room for others?

• Preferences (music, comfort, routine)?

• Types of people (background, lifestyle, differences)?

• Time and availability?

5. From Simpson to Us

A.B. Simpson had a moment where he had to choose: protect comfort or follow Jesus outward. When have you faced (or avoided) a moment like that?

• What might it look like for you to take one step “outward” right now?

• Locally? Relationally? Globally?

6. A Response That Moves

The message ended with: “The gospel doesn’t just stop with us—it flows through us.” What is one concrete step you feel God might be asking you to take this week?

• Pray: “God, what is my next step?”

• Go: Is there a person or place He’s putting on your heart?

• Make Room: What’s one way you can intentionally create space for someone else?

Group Practice:

Close your time by actually doing what the sermon invited:

• Sit in silence for 1–2 minutes

• Then pray: “God, here I am… send me.”

• Invite anyone who’s comfortable to share what came to mind

1. When you hear Jesus ask, “What are you seeking?” in this passage, what do you notice rises up in you personally—honestly and without filtering it through “right answers”?

2. In the sermon, we saw how the garden question (“Where are you?”) and Jesus’ question (“What are you seeking?”) are connected. How does it shape your understanding of God that He is not avoiding us in our hiding, but moving toward us in pursuit?

3. Where are you most tempted to chase “fake rabbits”—things that promise life, peace, or identity but consistently leave you empty? What makes those things so compelling in the moment?

4. The first disciples don’t seem to have full clarity—they simply respond, “Come and see.” What would it look like for you to take a simple step of following Jesus more closely this week, even without having everything figured out? Be specific - what might your next step be.  (If you feel lost or stuck or unsure - would you let the group pray for you, and listen on your behalf?)

5. Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael each encounter Jesus and immediately begin drawing others in. What do you think has dulled that instinct in us today—and what might awaken it again in your own life?

6. “One More” Practice:
   Take time together as a group to pray for one specific person God has placed in your life. Who is your “one more”? If you feel comfortable, share their name. Pray specifically for open doors, courage, and simple opportunities to say “come and see.” Then ask: Is there someone our group wants to carry together in prayer this season?

John 1:19–34 | “Behold the Lamb”

1) “Who are you?” (identity pressure + honesty)

John is confronted with a question that cuts through all image and expectation: Who are you?

• When you hear that question honestly—without your roles, reputation, or responsibilities—what tends to surface for you first?

• Where do you feel the most pressure to be someone in your life right now?

2) “Who I am not” (release + freedom)

John’s first clarity is not about identity, but dis-identification: I am not the Messiah.

• What are some roles or identities you tend to drift into that actually belong to Jesus (Savior, controller, fixer, rescuer, etc.)?

• What does it look like in real life to stop trying to be something Jesus never asked you to be?

3) “Who I am” (calling + humility)

John doesn’t just deny false identities—he receives a true one: a voice preparing the way.

• Where do you sense God has actually called you to be faithful rather than impressive?

• What would it look like for you to embrace “being a voice” instead of being “the solution”?

4) “Behold the Lamb” (Jesus-centered gaze)

John’s shift is decisive: Look—Behold the Lamb of God.

• When you hear Jesus described as the Lamb who takes away sin, what part of that feels hardest for you to fully accept or believe about yourself?

• What competes most for your attention when it comes to “beholding Jesus” in everyday life?

5) “What He takes away” (personal response)

• If Jesus really takes away sin—not manages it, not reduces it, but takes it away—what would you bring to Him honestly this week?

• Is there anything you’ve been carrying that you’ve treated as “yours to fix” rather than “His to take”?

6) “Behold” as a practice (worship + response)

This passage doesn’t just inform—it invites response.

• What does it look like for you personally to “behold Jesus” this week in a tangible way (prayer, repentance, silence, worship, obedience)?

• Where do you most need to move from knowing about Jesus to looking at Jesus?

7) Group response moment (optional closing practice)

• As a group, take 2–3 minutes of silence. Then have each person finish this sentence out loud (only if comfortable):
  “Jesus, today I am beholding You as ________.”

John 1:1–18 (Week 1)

Theme: Receiving the Light, Becoming Children, Beholding Jesus

1. What stood out to you most from this passage or message—and why do you think that caught your attention?
(Start with listening for what God might already be stirring rather than analyzing content.)

2. John says we were made by Jesus and for Jesus. Where do you most feel the tension of trying to find life or identity in something else right now?
(Work, relationships, success, comfort, approval, etc.)

3. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Where do you personally need to believe that is still true today?
(Name real areas of darkness: sin, anxiety, doubt, failure, circumstances.)

4. John says we become children of God not by effort, background, or striving—but by receiving and believing.
Which false way of “earning” or “proving” yourself do you tend to fall back into?
(Moral performance, comparison, self-improvement, shame, etc.)

5. Jesus comes “full of grace and truth.”
Which of those do you find easier to receive—and which is harder for you right now? Why?
(Do you resist grace? Avoid truth? Need both?)

6. If transformation comes not just from trying harder, but from beholding Jesus, what would it look like this week to intentionally make space to see Him?
(Scripture, prayer, worship, community, slowing down, etc.)

Getting This Into Us (Practice for the Week)

This week is about letting John 1 move from something we heard into something we live.

Practice One Act of Witness

John the Baptist simply pointed: “He is the Light.”

This week, do one simple act of pointing Jesus out:

• Encourage someone spiritually

• Share how Jesus is helping you right now

• Pray for someone in a conversation (even briefly, even awkwardly)

Take some time in listening prayer to see what encouragement God wants to give to your group around this in the week ahead.

Easter Sunday

1. Where did this message meet you personally?
Was there a moment, image, or idea that stayed with you or stirred something in you?

2. Resurrection & Suffering
You said, “Resurrection means suffering doesn’t get the final word.”
Where in your life right now do you most need that to be true?
What would it look like to believe that God is present in that suffering—not just beyond it?

3. Resurrection & Desire
We all have this “fire” of desire within us.
Where do you see your desires leading you toward life right now?
Where might they be misdirected or leaving you unsatisfied?

4. Resurrection & Shame
You described shame as “not wanting to be oneself before God.”
Where are you most tempted to hide—either from God or from others?
What do you believe Jesus’ expression toward you is in that place?

5. Receiving the Blessing
The resurrection is described as blessing replacing self-cursing.
What would it look like for you to actually receive that blessing this week—practically, not just theoretically?

6. Response: Jumping In
You ended with the invitation to “jump”—to surrender, trust, and receive.
What would a next step of response look like for you right now?
(Is there something to let go of, trust, confess, or step into?)

And if you have jumped - what would it looks like for you to 'look foolish now' - knowing that you will 'one day be victorious'?

Community Group Discussion Guide: Practice of Prayer – Being With God

1. What stirred in you most from this message?
Was there a phrase, image, or idea (Mother Teresa’s story, “beholding,” being “unveiled,” etc.) that stayed with you? Why do you think that resonated?

2. How would you describe your current experience of prayer?
Which of the “dimensions” feels most natural to you right now—

• talking to God

• talking with God

• listening to God

• or being with God?

Which one feels most unfamiliar or uncomfortable?

3. The message suggests that “you are what your mind looks at.” What do you find yourself regularly ‘contemplating’ in everyday life?
How do you see that shaping your heart, your emotions, or your relationships?

4. When you hear the invitation to simply be with God—to sit in silence, to “look at Him as He looks at you in love”—what is your honest reaction?
Does that feel inviting, confusing, frustrating, intimidating… something else?
Why do you think that is?

5. Of the three movements of contemplative prayer—looking, yielding, resting—which one do you most sense God inviting you into right now?
What might that look like in a real, practical way in your daily life this week?

6. Let’s practice together: take 2–3 minutes of silence as a group.

• Sit comfortably

• Become aware of God’s presence

• Gently return your attention to Him when distracted

Afterward, share:
What was that experience like for you? What made it difficult or meaningful?

Practice of Prayer: Listening to God

Invitations for the Week Ahead

1. Continue in Your Daily Prayer Rhythm

   • Use the pre-made prayer from last week—or choose a new one if that feels right. Let this be a daily moment to step into conversation with God.

2. Begin or End Your Day with Gratitude

   • Notice and name gifts God has placed in your life.

   • Ideas: Keep a gratitude journal, jot notes on scraps of paper to carry through the day, or share thankfulness as a family around the table.

   • Pause at least once a day to give thanks for three things—no right way, just notice the good.

3. Try Lectio Divina

   This is an ancient Latin phrase, first used by St. Benedict in the sixth century. It means “spiritual reading.” It’s a way of reading Scripture slowly and prayerfully, listening for God’s word to you. While you do not need to follow this four-step process, there are four

   movements to Lectio Divina that you may find helpful.

   First, get somewhere quiet and as distraction-free as possible. Open your Bible and pick out a passage that’s conducive to Lectio — a Psalm, a portion of the Gospels, or a section of an epistle (another word for letter, such as Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, etc.). Take a few deep breaths. Then:

   Read — A passage of your choice, slowly and prayerfully. Pay special attention to any words or phrases or ideas that jump out to you, or that

   move you emotionally or deeply resonate.

   Reflect — Reread the passage again, slowly. This time, pause over the word(s) or phrase(s) that were highlighted to you during your first reading. Meditate on them. Turn them over in your mind. Savor them.

   Respond — Pray your impressions back to God. You can use your own words or simply pray the text directly to God.

   Rest — Take a few minutes in silence to breathe deeply and rest in God’s loving word to you.

   Repeat this 3-5 times this coming week.

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. Starting with honesty: what happens in you when you think about listening to God?

Jesus says his sheep know his voice in Gospel of John 10, but people experience that invitation differently.

When you hear the phrase “listening to God,” what rises in you most right now—excitement, skepticism, longing, fear, uncertainty, resistance? Why do you think that is?

2. What voices are loudest in your life right now?

Jesus contrasts the shepherd’s voice with the voice of strangers.

What voices most compete for your attention these days—fear, urgency, approval, control, old wounds, cultural messages, other people’s expectations? How can you begin discerning which voices sound like Jesus and which do not?

3. Which of the six ways God speaks feels most familiar—or most unfamiliar—to you?

The sermon named six ways God speaks: Jesus, Scripture, circumstances, desires, the prophetic, and listening prayer.

Which of these six has been most meaningful in your life? Which one feels least developed or most intimidating? Why?

4. Obedience often reveals trust. Is there something you sense God may already be inviting you toward?

The sermon said: Sometimes the clearest barrier to hearing God is not that God is silent, but that we are unsure we want to obey.

Is there an area where you sense God may already be speaking, but trust or obedience feels costly? What would it look like to respond not by trying harder, but by receiving his love more deeply there?

Consider ending your time together by practicing Listening Prayer together. Simply ask the Holy Spirit to speak and wait and listen together. Then invite people to share what came to mind, while holding it gently and testing it in community.

Practice of Prayer: Talking With God

Invitations for the Week Ahead

1. Continue in Your Daily Prayer Rhythm

   • Use the pre-made prayer from last week—or choose a new one if that feels right. Let this be a daily moment to step into conversation with God.

2. Begin or End Your Day with Gratitude

   • Notice and name gifts God has placed in your life.

   • Ideas: Keep a gratitude journal, jot notes on scraps of paper to carry through the day, or share thankfulness as a family around the table.

   • Pause at least once a day to give thanks for three things—no right way, just notice the good.

3. Step into Asking, Petition, and Intercession

   • Bring your own needs, the needs of others, and situations that weigh on your heart before God.

   • Ideas: Create “prayer cards” with names or situations to pray through, or spend time imagining a room filled with people God wants you to intercede for.

   • Ask God, “What do You want to do here?” and, “How can I add my yes to that?”

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. From Talk to Conversation

   • Reflect on the analogy of children learning to speak. How does your current prayer life resemble “talking to God” versus “talking with God”? Where do you feel stuck, and where do you feel conversation beginning to happen?

2. Gratitude as a Lens

   • How does intentionally noticing and naming God’s gifts change the way you see your life, your circumstances, or even your struggles? Can you identify one small thing this week that gratitude shifts for you?

3. Honest Lament

   • What emotions or situations do you most struggle to bring honestly to God? How would allowing yourself to lament—bringing anger, grief, doubt, or confusion—change your relationship with Him?

4. Jesus’ Invitation to Ask

   • Jesus invites us to “ask” as part of the rhythm of prayer. How does simply being invited to bring your requests to God—even the big or small things—affect the way you approach Him in prayer?

5. Praying Promises, Not Problems

   • Scripture models praying God’s promises rather than only our problems. Are there areas of your life or the lives of others where you could bring God’s promises instead of just the struggles? How might that shift your prayers this week?

Practice of Prayer: Talking to God
Scripture: Luke 11:1–4

Part 1: Conversation Questions

1. The Gap Between Promise and Practice:

   • Jesus makes bold promises about prayer in the Gospels. Why do you think, in practice, prayer often feels challenging, frustrating, or routine?

   • Can you share a personal experience of this gap? In general - how do you come into this space feeling about 'prayer' in your life?  

2. “Lord, Teach Us to Pray”

   • The disciples saw Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, and perform miracles—but the one thing they asked Him to teach them was how to pray. Why do you think that stood out to them?

   • What might that reveal about the connection between prayer and the life Jesus lived?

   • Invite each person to share, briefly, what first comes to mind when they hear Jesus’ words: “Lord, teach us to pray.”  What might those words mean for you today?

3. The Lord’s Prayer as Formation:

   • Which part of the Lord’s Prayer resonates most with you today—worship, mission, dependence, forgiveness, or protection? Why?

   • How does using a “pre-made” prayer help you connect with God in a practical way?

Part 2: Practicing Prayer

Practice 1 – Establish a Daily Prayer Rhythm

Invite the group to share ideas for a daily rhythm:

• When will you pray? Morning, lunch, evening?

• Where will you pray? A quiet room, outside, a favorite spot?

• How will you pray? Sitting, standing, walking, journaling?

• How long will you pray? Start small if needed; aim for consistency over duration.

Encourage accountability: could someone in the group check in with you mid-week or at the next meeting?

Practice 2 – Talking to God Through Pre-Made Prayers

Discuss which pre-made prayer(s) each person might try this week:

• The Lord’s Prayer

• Psalms

• Scripture prayers

• Historic liturgy

• A prayer app

Invite sharing:

• How might this help when you feel unsure what to say?

• How can these prayers guide your heart toward God?

Easter Sunday

1. Where did this message meet you personally?
Was there a moment, image, or idea that stayed with you or stirred something in you?

2. Resurrection & Suffering
You said, “Resurrection means suffering doesn’t get the final word.”
Where in your life right now do you most need that to be true?
What would it look like to believe that God is present in that suffering—not just beyond it?

3. Resurrection & Desire
We all have this “fire” of desire within us.
Where do you see your desires leading you toward life right now?
Where might they be misdirected or leaving you unsatisfied?

4. Resurrection & Shame
You described shame as “not wanting to be oneself before God.”
Where are you most tempted to hide—either from God or from others?
What do you believe Jesus’ expression toward you is in that place?

5. Receiving the Blessing
The resurrection is described as blessing replacing self-cursing.
What would it look like for you to actually receive that blessing this week—practically, not just theoretically?

6. Response: Jumping In
You ended with the invitation to “jump”—to surrender, trust, and receive.
What would a next step of response look like for you right now?
(Is there something to let go of, trust, confess, or step into?)

And if you have jumped - what would it looks like for you to 'look foolish now' - knowing that you will 'one day be victorious'?

Community Group Discussion Guide: Practice of Prayer – Being With God

1. What stirred in you most from this message?
Was there a phrase, image, or idea (Mother Teresa’s story, “beholding,” being “unveiled,” etc.) that stayed with you? Why do you think that resonated?

2. How would you describe your current experience of prayer?
Which of the “dimensions” feels most natural to you right now—

• talking to God

• talking with God

• listening to God

• or being with God?

Which one feels most unfamiliar or uncomfortable?

3. The message suggests that “you are what your mind looks at.” What do you find yourself regularly ‘contemplating’ in everyday life?
How do you see that shaping your heart, your emotions, or your relationships?

4. When you hear the invitation to simply be with God—to sit in silence, to “look at Him as He looks at you in love”—what is your honest reaction?
Does that feel inviting, confusing, frustrating, intimidating… something else?
Why do you think that is?

5. Of the three movements of contemplative prayer—looking, yielding, resting—which one do you most sense God inviting you into right now?
What might that look like in a real, practical way in your daily life this week?

6. Let’s practice together: take 2–3 minutes of silence as a group.

• Sit comfortably

• Become aware of God’s presence

• Gently return your attention to Him when distracted

Afterward, share:
What was that experience like for you? What made it difficult or meaningful?

Practice of Prayer: Listening to God

Invitations for the Week Ahead

1. Continue in Your Daily Prayer Rhythm

   • Use the pre-made prayer from last week—or choose a new one if that feels right. Let this be a daily moment to step into conversation with God.

2. Begin or End Your Day with Gratitude

   • Notice and name gifts God has placed in your life.

   • Ideas: Keep a gratitude journal, jot notes on scraps of paper to carry through the day, or share thankfulness as a family around the table.

   • Pause at least once a day to give thanks for three things—no right way, just notice the good.

3. Try Lectio Divina

   This is an ancient Latin phrase, first used by St. Benedict in the sixth century. It means “spiritual reading.” It’s a way of reading Scripture slowly and prayerfully, listening for God’s word to you. While you do not need to follow this four-step process, there are four

   movements to Lectio Divina that you may find helpful.

   First, get somewhere quiet and as distraction-free as possible. Open your Bible and pick out a passage that’s conducive to Lectio — a Psalm, a portion of the Gospels, or a section of an epistle (another word for letter, such as Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, etc.). Take a few deep breaths. Then:

   Read — A passage of your choice, slowly and prayerfully. Pay special attention to any words or phrases or ideas that jump out to you, or that

   move you emotionally or deeply resonate.

   Reflect — Reread the passage again, slowly. This time, pause over the word(s) or phrase(s) that were highlighted to you during your first reading. Meditate on them. Turn them over in your mind. Savor them.

   Respond — Pray your impressions back to God. You can use your own words or simply pray the text directly to God.

   Rest — Take a few minutes in silence to breathe deeply and rest in God’s loving word to you.

   Repeat this 3-5 times this coming week.

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. Starting with honesty: what happens in you when you think about listening to God?

Jesus says his sheep know his voice in Gospel of John 10, but people experience that invitation differently.

When you hear the phrase “listening to God,” what rises in you most right now—excitement, skepticism, longing, fear, uncertainty, resistance? Why do you think that is?

2. What voices are loudest in your life right now?

Jesus contrasts the shepherd’s voice with the voice of strangers.

What voices most compete for your attention these days—fear, urgency, approval, control, old wounds, cultural messages, other people’s expectations? How can you begin discerning which voices sound like Jesus and which do not?

3. Which of the six ways God speaks feels most familiar—or most unfamiliar—to you?

The sermon named six ways God speaks: Jesus, Scripture, circumstances, desires, the prophetic, and listening prayer.

Which of these six has been most meaningful in your life? Which one feels least developed or most intimidating? Why?

4. Obedience often reveals trust. Is there something you sense God may already be inviting you toward?

The sermon said: Sometimes the clearest barrier to hearing God is not that God is silent, but that we are unsure we want to obey.

Is there an area where you sense God may already be speaking, but trust or obedience feels costly? What would it look like to respond not by trying harder, but by receiving his love more deeply there?

Consider ending your time together by practicing Listening Prayer together. Simply ask the Holy Spirit to speak and wait and listen together. Then invite people to share what came to mind, while holding it gently and testing it in community.

Practice of Prayer: Talking With God

Invitations for the Week Ahead

1. Continue in Your Daily Prayer Rhythm

   • Use the pre-made prayer from last week—or choose a new one if that feels right. Let this be a daily moment to step into conversation with God.

2. Begin or End Your Day with Gratitude

   • Notice and name gifts God has placed in your life.

   • Ideas: Keep a gratitude journal, jot notes on scraps of paper to carry through the day, or share thankfulness as a family around the table.

   • Pause at least once a day to give thanks for three things—no right way, just notice the good.

3. Step into Asking, Petition, and Intercession

   • Bring your own needs, the needs of others, and situations that weigh on your heart before God.

   • Ideas: Create “prayer cards” with names or situations to pray through, or spend time imagining a room filled with people God wants you to intercede for.

   • Ask God, “What do You want to do here?” and, “How can I add my yes to that?”

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. From Talk to Conversation

   • Reflect on the analogy of children learning to speak. How does your current prayer life resemble “talking to God” versus “talking with God”? Where do you feel stuck, and where do you feel conversation beginning to happen?

2. Gratitude as a Lens

   • How does intentionally noticing and naming God’s gifts change the way you see your life, your circumstances, or even your struggles? Can you identify one small thing this week that gratitude shifts for you?

3. Honest Lament

   • What emotions or situations do you most struggle to bring honestly to God? How would allowing yourself to lament—bringing anger, grief, doubt, or confusion—change your relationship with Him?

4. Jesus’ Invitation to Ask

   • Jesus invites us to “ask” as part of the rhythm of prayer. How does simply being invited to bring your requests to God—even the big or small things—affect the way you approach Him in prayer?

5. Praying Promises, Not Problems

   • Scripture models praying God’s promises rather than only our problems. Are there areas of your life or the lives of others where you could bring God’s promises instead of just the struggles? How might that shift your prayers this week?

Practice of Prayer: Talking to God
Scripture: Luke 11:1–4

Part 1: Conversation Questions

1. The Gap Between Promise and Practice:

   • Jesus makes bold promises about prayer in the Gospels. Why do you think, in practice, prayer often feels challenging, frustrating, or routine?

   • Can you share a personal experience of this gap? In general - how do you come into this space feeling about 'prayer' in your life?  

2. “Lord, Teach Us to Pray”

   • The disciples saw Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, and perform miracles—but the one thing they asked Him to teach them was how to pray. Why do you think that stood out to them?

   • What might that reveal about the connection between prayer and the life Jesus lived?

   • Invite each person to share, briefly, what first comes to mind when they hear Jesus’ words: “Lord, teach us to pray.”  What might those words mean for you today?

3. The Lord’s Prayer as Formation:

   • Which part of the Lord’s Prayer resonates most with you today—worship, mission, dependence, forgiveness, or protection? Why?

   • How does using a “pre-made” prayer help you connect with God in a practical way?

Part 2: Practicing Prayer

Practice 1 – Establish a Daily Prayer Rhythm

Invite the group to share ideas for a daily rhythm:

• When will you pray? Morning, lunch, evening?

• Where will you pray? A quiet room, outside, a favorite spot?

• How will you pray? Sitting, standing, walking, journaling?

• How long will you pray? Start small if needed; aim for consistency over duration.

Encourage accountability: could someone in the group check in with you mid-week or at the next meeting?

Practice 2 – Talking to God Through Pre-Made Prayers

Discuss which pre-made prayer(s) each person might try this week:

• The Lord’s Prayer

• Psalms

• Scripture prayers

• Historic liturgy

• A prayer app

Invite sharing:

• How might this help when you feel unsure what to say?

• How can these prayers guide your heart toward God?

Community Group Discussion Guide: Practice of Prayer – Being With God

1. What stirred in you most from this message?
Was there a phrase, image, or idea (Mother Teresa’s story, “beholding,” being “unveiled,” etc.) that stayed with you? Why do you think that resonated?

2. How would you describe your current experience of prayer?
Which of the “dimensions” feels most natural to you right now—

• talking to God

• talking with God

• listening to God

• or being with God?

Which one feels most unfamiliar or uncomfortable?

3. The message suggests that “you are what your mind looks at.” What do you find yourself regularly ‘contemplating’ in everyday life?
How do you see that shaping your heart, your emotions, or your relationships?

4. When you hear the invitation to simply be with God—to sit in silence, to “look at Him as He looks at you in love”—what is your honest reaction?
Does that feel inviting, confusing, frustrating, intimidating… something else?
Why do you think that is?

5. Of the three movements of contemplative prayer—looking, yielding, resting—which one do you most sense God inviting you into right now?
What might that look like in a real, practical way in your daily life this week?

6. Let’s practice together: take 2–3 minutes of silence as a group.

• Sit comfortably

• Become aware of God’s presence

• Gently return your attention to Him when distracted

Afterward, share:
What was that experience like for you? What made it difficult or meaningful?

Practice of Prayer: Listening to God

Invitations for the Week Ahead

1. Continue in Your Daily Prayer Rhythm

   • Use the pre-made prayer from last week—or choose a new one if that feels right. Let this be a daily moment to step into conversation with God.

2. Begin or End Your Day with Gratitude

   • Notice and name gifts God has placed in your life.

   • Ideas: Keep a gratitude journal, jot notes on scraps of paper to carry through the day, or share thankfulness as a family around the table.

   • Pause at least once a day to give thanks for three things—no right way, just notice the good.

3. Try Lectio Divina

   This is an ancient Latin phrase, first used by St. Benedict in the sixth century. It means “spiritual reading.” It’s a way of reading Scripture slowly and prayerfully, listening for God’s word to you. While you do not need to follow this four-step process, there are four

   movements to Lectio Divina that you may find helpful.

   First, get somewhere quiet and as distraction-free as possible. Open your Bible and pick out a passage that’s conducive to Lectio — a Psalm, a portion of the Gospels, or a section of an epistle (another word for letter, such as Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, etc.). Take a few deep breaths. Then:

   Read — A passage of your choice, slowly and prayerfully. Pay special attention to any words or phrases or ideas that jump out to you, or that

   move you emotionally or deeply resonate.

   Reflect — Reread the passage again, slowly. This time, pause over the word(s) or phrase(s) that were highlighted to you during your first reading. Meditate on them. Turn them over in your mind. Savor them.

   Respond — Pray your impressions back to God. You can use your own words or simply pray the text directly to God.

   Rest — Take a few minutes in silence to breathe deeply and rest in God’s loving word to you.

   Repeat this 3-5 times this coming week.

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. Starting with honesty: what happens in you when you think about listening to God?

Jesus says his sheep know his voice in Gospel of John 10, but people experience that invitation differently.

When you hear the phrase “listening to God,” what rises in you most right now—excitement, skepticism, longing, fear, uncertainty, resistance? Why do you think that is?

2. What voices are loudest in your life right now?

Jesus contrasts the shepherd’s voice with the voice of strangers.

What voices most compete for your attention these days—fear, urgency, approval, control, old wounds, cultural messages, other people’s expectations? How can you begin discerning which voices sound like Jesus and which do not?

3. Which of the six ways God speaks feels most familiar—or most unfamiliar—to you?

The sermon named six ways God speaks: Jesus, Scripture, circumstances, desires, the prophetic, and listening prayer.

Which of these six has been most meaningful in your life? Which one feels least developed or most intimidating? Why?

4. Obedience often reveals trust. Is there something you sense God may already be inviting you toward?

The sermon said: Sometimes the clearest barrier to hearing God is not that God is silent, but that we are unsure we want to obey.

Is there an area where you sense God may already be speaking, but trust or obedience feels costly? What would it look like to respond not by trying harder, but by receiving his love more deeply there?

Consider ending your time together by practicing Listening Prayer together. Simply ask the Holy Spirit to speak and wait and listen together. Then invite people to share what came to mind, while holding it gently and testing it in community.

Practice of Prayer: Talking With God

Invitations for the Week Ahead

1. Continue in Your Daily Prayer Rhythm

   • Use the pre-made prayer from last week—or choose a new one if that feels right. Let this be a daily moment to step into conversation with God.

2. Begin or End Your Day with Gratitude

   • Notice and name gifts God has placed in your life.

   • Ideas: Keep a gratitude journal, jot notes on scraps of paper to carry through the day, or share thankfulness as a family around the table.

   • Pause at least once a day to give thanks for three things—no right way, just notice the good.

3. Step into Asking, Petition, and Intercession

   • Bring your own needs, the needs of others, and situations that weigh on your heart before God.

   • Ideas: Create “prayer cards” with names or situations to pray through, or spend time imagining a room filled with people God wants you to intercede for.

   • Ask God, “What do You want to do here?” and, “How can I add my yes to that?”

Reflection & Discussion Questions

1. From Talk to Conversation

   • Reflect on the analogy of children learning to speak. How does your current prayer life resemble “talking to God” versus “talking with God”? Where do you feel stuck, and where do you feel conversation beginning to happen?

2. Gratitude as a Lens

   • How does intentionally noticing and naming God’s gifts change the way you see your life, your circumstances, or even your struggles? Can you identify one small thing this week that gratitude shifts for you?

3. Honest Lament

   • What emotions or situations do you most struggle to bring honestly to God? How would allowing yourself to lament—bringing anger, grief, doubt, or confusion—change your relationship with Him?

4. Jesus’ Invitation to Ask

   • Jesus invites us to “ask” as part of the rhythm of prayer. How does simply being invited to bring your requests to God—even the big or small things—affect the way you approach Him in prayer?

5. Praying Promises, Not Problems

   • Scripture models praying God’s promises rather than only our problems. Are there areas of your life or the lives of others where you could bring God’s promises instead of just the struggles? How might that shift your prayers this week?

Practice of Prayer: Talking to God
Scripture: Luke 11:1–4

Part 1: Conversation Questions

1. The Gap Between Promise and Practice:

   • Jesus makes bold promises about prayer in the Gospels. Why do you think, in practice, prayer often feels challenging, frustrating, or routine?

   • Can you share a personal experience of this gap? In general - how do you come into this space feeling about 'prayer' in your life?  

2. “Lord, Teach Us to Pray”

   • The disciples saw Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, and perform miracles—but the one thing they asked Him to teach them was how to pray. Why do you think that stood out to them?

   • What might that reveal about the connection between prayer and the life Jesus lived?

   • Invite each person to share, briefly, what first comes to mind when they hear Jesus’ words: “Lord, teach us to pray.”  What might those words mean for you today?

3. The Lord’s Prayer as Formation:

   • Which part of the Lord’s Prayer resonates most with you today—worship, mission, dependence, forgiveness, or protection? Why?

   • How does using a “pre-made” prayer help you connect with God in a practical way?

Part 2: Practicing Prayer

Practice 1 – Establish a Daily Prayer Rhythm

Invite the group to share ideas for a daily rhythm:

• When will you pray? Morning, lunch, evening?

• Where will you pray? A quiet room, outside, a favorite spot?

• How will you pray? Sitting, standing, walking, journaling?

• How long will you pray? Start small if needed; aim for consistency over duration.

Encourage accountability: could someone in the group check in with you mid-week or at the next meeting?

Practice 2 – Talking to God Through Pre-Made Prayers

Discuss which pre-made prayer(s) each person might try this week:

• The Lord’s Prayer

• Psalms

• Scripture prayers

• Historic liturgy

• A prayer app

Invite sharing:

• How might this help when you feel unsure what to say?

• How can these prayers guide your heart toward God?

Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control

1. Discussion Questions

1. How have you experienced the battle between flesh and Spirit in your own life? Can you identify what you’re feeding most

2. Any there any “walls” in your life feel weak or broken? Where are you most vulnerable to being controlled by impulses, habits, or fear?

3. What are some practices or rhythms (Sabbath, prayer, scripture, generosity, fasting, service, witness, community) that could help you “hand the controller” to the Spirit?

4. How does understanding self-control as Spirit-produced rather than self-produced change your perspective on struggles and failure?

5. How does accountability in community help you allow the Spirit to work in your life?

2. Personal Reflection / “Where I Am / Where I Want to Be” Exercise

Invite group members to take a few minutes to reflect individually and write down answers to:

Where I am…Where I want to be…Examples: I give in to worry, comparison, or distraction.I want to respond in peace, patience, and Spirit-led decisions.I struggle with consistency in prayer, scripture, or Sabbath.I want these practices to become rhythms that shape me.I let fear or anxiety control my decisions.I want to choose life by letting the Spirit guide me daily.

• Encourage members to share one line or insight with the group.

3. Shared 'Rule of Life'

• A rule of life is a set of intentional rhythms that help us be Spirit-led.  Invite the group to brainstorm 3–5 practices they could adopt individually or as a group in the next month (or for whatever amount of time seems right for your group) to strengthen self-control and Spirit-led living. Examples:

• • Daily scripture reflection / prayer time

  • Weekly Sabbath or intentional rest

  • Monthly fasting or focused discipline

  • Acts of service within or outside the group

  • Accountability check-ins on temptations, habits, or areas of struggle

• Write them on a shared board or digital document. Decide which practices the group will commit to trying together this month.

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

1. Power Under Control

Tina used the image of a horse under control to describe gentleness as “strength yielded.”

• Where do you see power in your own life (influence, competence, personality, drive, opinions)?

• When does that power become beautiful and life-giving?

• When does it become reactive, defensive, or controlling?

What would it look like for that strength to come more fully under the steady hand of Jesus?

2. Identity: Achieved or Received?

The “achievement binder” illustrated how easy it is to root identity in performance.

• What has most shaped your sense of worth — achievement, failure, approval, comparison?

• In what ways are you still trying to “finish what grace began”?

• What would it mean for you this week to receive your identity again rather than prove it?

How can this group help re-gospel one another when we drift back into earning?

3. Striving vs. Yielding

Paul rebuked the Galatians for beginning by the Spirit and then striving in the flesh.

• Where do you notice striving in your life right now? (Productivity? Perfectionism? Control? Spiritual performance?)

• How does striving affect your gentleness toward others? Toward yourself?

• What would yielding look like instead of white-knuckling change?

4. The Gentle Heart of Jesus

In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus describes His own heart as gentle and humble.

• When you picture Jesus looking at you in your current season, what expression do you imagine on His face?

• Is it easy or difficult for you to believe that His heart toward you is gentle?

• Are you more likely to relate to “the achiever who cannot slow down” or “the bruised reed who feels barely holding on” — or both?

What would it look like to actually come to Him this week?

5. Practicing Gentleness (Fruit, Not Effort)

The sermon emphasized that gentleness grows as fruit when we are yoked to Jesus — not as self-improvement.

• Where is God inviting you to relinquish control or compulsivity right now?

• Is there a specific relationship where Spirit-formed gentleness needs to grow?

• What is one concrete way you can practice yielding to Jesus this week instead of striving?

Close by praying for one another — specifically asking the Spirit to form gentleness as power rooted in love.

Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness

1. “Taste and see.”
Psalm 34:8 invites us not just to believe God is good, but to experience His goodness.

• Where in your life have you genuinely tasted God’s goodness—not just known about it?

• Where do you realize you may know the idea of God’s goodness, but still struggle to trust it personally?

2. Who gets to define what is “good”?
The message challenged the ways we casually define “good” for ourselves—relationships, choices, success, comfort.

• Where do you see yourself most tempted to define “good” apart from God’s standard?

• How has that played out in the past—for better or worse?

3. God’s plumbline (Micah 6:8).
God defines goodness as doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him.

• Which of these feels most natural for you right now?

• Which one feels most challenging or costly in this season?

4. Goodness as action and attitude.
Goodness isn’t just what we do—it’s why we do it.

• Where is God inviting you to take a concrete step of goodness this week?

• How might God be inviting you to check or realign your motives as you act?

5. Leaving a trail (Psalm 23:6 & Galatians 6:10). (Optional)
The image of goodness and mercy following us as a trail invites reflection.

• If someone followed you for a week, what kind of trail would they see?

• What would it look like for your group to intentionally “do good” together—especially toward those closest to you?

Closing Prayer Suggestion for Groups:
Invite the group to pray simply:
“God, would You let Your goodness pass by us again—form us, heal us, and send us out as people who reflect Your heart.”

Sermon: Fruit of the Spirit – Kindness

Opening Thought / Icebreaker

Take a moment to check in with one another. Share a recent experience where someone showed you unexpected kindness. How did it impact you?

Scripture Focus

2 Samuel 9:1-13 – The story of David and Mephibosheth

Discussion Questions

1. Story Reflection

Question:
What stood out to you most in the story of David and Mephibosheth? Why?

Leader Note:
Encourage people to notice David’s repeated use of hesed—his intentional kindness—and how it transformed Mephibosheth’s life. Invite reflection on the emotional and spiritual impact of God’s kindness in our own lives.

2. Personal Connection

Question:
When you think about your own life, where do you feel “Podunk” and in need of God’s hesed? How might His kindness move you from that place toward the “palace”?

Leader Note:
This is a reflective question; allow silence if needed. Guide the group to consider areas where they feel unseen, overlooked, or discouraged, and invite them to see God’s promise of transformation.

3. Recognizing Niceness vs. Kindness (Awareness)

Question:
Looking back at the sermon, which of these nice vs. kind contrasts felt most revealing—or most uncomfortable for you?

• Nice is surface-level. Kindness costs something (sacrifice).

• Nice acknowledges. Kindness acts.

• Nice is considerate. Kindness is compassionate.

• Nice is selective. Kindness is selfless.

• Nice is passively agreeable. Kindness is powerfully anchored.

• Nice is self-improvement. Kindness is Spirit-empowered.

Leader Note:
This isn’t about “fixing” yourself—just noticing. Where do you see yourself leaning toward “nice” instead of “kind,” and why might that be? Encourage honesty and self-reflection.

4. Application to Relationships

Question:
Where is God calling you to show Spirit-empowered kindness in your life—perhaps in your marriage, friendships, family, church, or workplace—even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable?

Leader Note:
Invite concrete examples. Help the group think beyond polite gestures to sacrificial, active kindness. Encourage the Spirit to guide them in identifying specific steps.

5. Prayer / Commitment

Question:
As you consider the difference between “nice” and “kind,” what is one attitude, relationship, or response you want to surrender to the Spirit this week to allow kindness to grow?

Leader Note:
Close the discussion with a time of personal reflection and optional sharing. Encourage participants to write down a prayer or commitment. Remind the group that the goal is not performance but yielding to the Holy Spirit.

Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

1. Opening the Conversation (Surface / Relational)

When you think about waiting, what’s one thing in your life right now that tests your patience the most—big or small?

• This could be traffic, relationships, work, finances, unanswered prayers, or something else.
  (Leader note: Keep this light at first—this helps everyone get in the room.)

2. Culture vs. Formation (Awareness)

The sermon talked a lot about how our culture trains us for speed, convenience, and instant results.

Where do you notice “convenience culture” shaping your expectations—especially in your faith or relationship with God?

• Are there areas where you feel pressure to rush growth, clarity, or outcomes?

• How does that tension show up emotionally (frustration, anxiety, control, disappointment)?

3. The Cost & Currency of Promise (Deeper Reflection)

We heard the phrase: “For some things, the only payment is patience.”

Is there a promise, hope, or desire in your life right now that feels delayed?

• How have you been tempted to “take matters into your own hands” instead of waiting?

• What do you think God might be forming in you through this waiting—not just after it?

(Optional Scripture tie-in: Hebrews 6:12 — faith, patience, promise)

4. How You Wait Matters (Heart-Level)

The sermon reminded us that waiting isn’t passive—it’s formative.

When you’re waiting on God, how do you usually wait?

• With trust? Anxiety? Complaining? Control? Numbness?

• What might it look like for waiting to become an active act of worship or obedience?

5. Invitation to Practice (Response / Application)

Patience is a fruit produced by the Spirit—but it grows in real-life situations.

What is one specific area this week where you sense the Holy Spirit inviting you to practice patience on purpose?

• A relationship?

• A decision?

• A response you don’t need to rush?

• A prayer you need to keep praying?

How can this group pray for you or support you as you wait well?

AN INVITATION:

Living Out Our 2026 Mission Objective

On Celebration Sunday we introduced our 2026 M.O.’s, and the Missions Department is especially encouraged by M.O. #4:

We will resolve to be people who use our gifts to serve in our church, in our neighborhoods, and in the nations.

As you gather with community groupswe encourage you to begin conversations—maybe even many conversations—about how your unique gifts might meet the needs around you. Where do the needs of the church, our neighbors, and the nations intersect with the passions and abilities God has placed in you as a Community Group? What might God be inviting you into, and what could it look like to say “yes” to that invitation together?

Fruit of the Spirit: PEACE

1. Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23, John 16:33, John 14:27, Romans 12:18, Matthew 5:9

   Opening Reflection:
   Take a moment to reread the passages above. Think about what Jesus said: “In this world you will have trouble… but take heart, I have overcome the world.” Peace is not the absence of trouble—it is a presence that holds steady in the middle of it. As you reflect, invite the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts and reveal where He is already at work.

   Discussion & Reflection Questions

   1. Peace with God – Receiving what’s already given

   • Reflect on your relationship with God. Is there any guilt, shame, or distance you’ve been carrying that keeps you from fully trusting His love?

   • How can you personally respond to Jesus’ invitation to peace with God this week? What might it look like to simply say, “God, I want a relationship with You” and rest in that reality?

   2. Peace of God – Experiencing His presence in your life

   • Consider the pressures, anxieties, or uncertainties you are currently lifting on your own. Where do you need to invite the Holy Spirit to help carry the weight?

   • How does the idea of abiding in Jesus and leaning into His Spirit change the way you might face these pressures?

   3. Peace like God – Extending His peace to others

   • Are there relationships, conflicts, or grudges where God is inviting you to reflect His peace into the world?

   • What is one step you could take this week to pursue peace like God, trusting the Spirit to work through you?

   4. Practicing the Way – A rule of life

   • Thinking about your rhythms and habits, where could you intentionally practice abiding in Jesus, listening to the Spirit, or trusting Him in the small, daily pressures?

   • How might these practices cultivate a life of love, joy, and peace over time, rather than seeking temporary escapes?

   5. Prayer Together (Optional Group Exercise)

   • Invite the group to pair up or share in small triads. Pray with, for, and over each other:

     • For those needing peace with God, pray for courage to receive His forgiveness and trust.

     • For those needing peace of God, pray for the Spirit to guard hearts and minds under pressure.

     • For those needing peace like God, pray for wisdom, grace, and strength to extend His peace in relationships and conflicts.

   Closing Reflection:
   Take a moment to sit in silence and invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you personally. Ask Him to reveal where He is at work, where He wants to carry your weight, and how He wants to grow His fruit of peace in you.

Fruit of the Spirit: Love

1. How do I want to Cultivate my heart as a place for the Holy Spirit to take root?

2. In what ways do I no longer want to let the culture of the world tend my spirit?

3. In 2026, where is God inviting me into a new space of spiritual formation?

4. Do I believe that God can meet me in this change?