Preparing for Sunday | October 23
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Your Love Never Fails | [listen]
by: Chris McClarney, Anthony Skinner
Forever Reign | [listen]
by: Jason Ingram, Reuben Morgan
In Your Presence | [listen]
by: Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, London Gatch, Wade Joye, Jane Williams
Hosanna | [listen]
by: Brooke Ligertwood
Cornerstone | [listen]
by: Eric Liljero, Reuben Morgan, Edward Mote, and Jonas Myrin
SERMON TEXT
Matthew 4:1-4
Sunday Rewind | 10.16.2016
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
GREAT THINGS (Isaiah 12:5)
Cartee, Furtick | Elevation Worship Publishing
UNSTOPPABLE GOD (Matthew 17:20)
Brown, Furtick, Joye | Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
BE THOU MY VISION (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
Norsworthy, Hull, Byrne | Heartsong Music
BUT GOD (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Bleecker, Hall, Chandler | Bleecker Publishing
OUR GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4:9-10)
Houston, Ligertwood | Integrity Music
TEACHING: The Hard Truth, Part 3
Naked and ashamed, we are far more broken that we are willing to admit. Shame sculpts the soul and gives birth to fear. Only the gospel paves the way back.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO & VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this Sunday?
- Would you consider yourself a vulnerable person? Is it easy for you to open up to others? Why or why not?
- Read and discuss Genesis 2:25-3:13. What do these verses tell us about us? What do these verses tell us about God? What do you observe about shame from these verses?
- Share a time when you were ashamed. How does shame drive us away from vulnerability?
- How does shame “sculpt the soul” and give birth to fear? What does fear lead us to do? What kind of people does fear lead us to be?
- How do we hide from God, others and ourselves?
- In what ways do we tend to cover our brokenness? What are your go-to “fig leaves”?
- How does scripture provide us with a reference point through which to view ourselves, others, and the world?
- How does the gospel of Jesus call us out of shame, fear and self-atonement?
- Read and discuss Hebrews 12:1-2. What shame in your life do you need to despise? Where do you need to be vulnerable and honest with someone else? With yourself? With God? What is one step toward vulnerability that you can take in each of these areas? Spend some time in prayer in prayer about this and ask the members of your group to help you be accountable to take those steps.
Preparing for Sunday | October 16
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Great Things | [listen]
by: Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Wade Joye
Unstoppable God | [listen]
by: Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, Wade Joye
Be Thou My Vision | [listen]
by: Eleanor Henrietta Hull, Mary Elizabeth Byrne; Arrangement: Ascend The Hill
But God | [listen]
by: Michael Bleecker, Hunter Hall, Lauren Chandler
Our God Is Love | [listen]
by: Joel Houston, Scott Ligertwood
SERMON TEXT
Genesis 3
Sunday Rewind | 10.9.2016
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
FOREVER (Revelation 17:14)
Pierce, Gifford, Wilson, Johnson, Taylor, Jobe | Bethel Music Publishing
HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE (Galatians 6:14)
Townend | Thankyou Music
GREAT THINGS (Isaiah 12:5)
Cartee, Furtick | Elevation Worship Publishing
O PRAISE THE NAME (Romans 5:8)
Hastings, Ussher, Sampson | Hillsong Music Publishing
NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD (Ephesians 2:13)
Lowry | Public Domain (Arrangement by Citizens and Saints)
GOOD GOOD FATHER (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
Brown, Barrett | Sixsteps Music
TEACHING: The Hard Truth, Part 2
You can’t see spiritual warfare, but you can observe its fruit.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO & VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this Sunday?
- Read and discuss John 8:42-47, Ephesians 6:10-20, Ephesians 2:1-9, 2 and 2 Corinthians 10:1-6. What do these verses tell us about us? What do these verses tell us about God?
- What do these scriptures tell us about spiritual warfare? How do they reveal something we otherwise would not know about?
- What do you think of when you hear the phrase “spiritual warfare”? Does this line up with what the scriptures reveal?
- What firsthand experience have you had with spiritual warfare?
- The world takes the truth it learns and either denies it or twists it. How have you observed this?
- What weapons of spiritual warfare does the enemy wield against us? What weapons of spiritual warfare do we have at our disposal?
- What is one specific area of spiritual warfare that you are currently struggling through? What weapon do you need to wield in this struggle? Spend some time in prayer together about this.
Preparing for Sunday | October 9
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Forever | [listen]
by: Brian Johnson, Christa Black Gifford, Gabriel Wilson, Jenn Johnson, Joel Taylor, Kari Jobe
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us | [listen | lyrics]
by: Stuart Townend
Great Things | [listen]
by: Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Wade Joye
Good Good Father | [listen]
by: Anthony Brown, Pat Barrett
O Praise The Name | [listen + lyrics]
by: Benjamin Hastings, Dean Ussher, Marty Sampson
Nothing But The Blood | [listen + lyrics]
by: Robert Lowry, (1876)
SERMON TEXT
Ephesians 6
Sunday Rewind | 10.2.2016
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
COME THOU FOUNT (Psalm 16:11)
Robinson | Public Domain
GREAT THINGS (Isaiah 12:5)
Cartee, Furtick | Elevation Worship Publishing
O PRAISE THE NAME (Romans 5:8)
Hastings, Ussher, Sampson | Hillsong Music Publishing
ONLY KING FOREVER (1 Timothy 1:17)
Brock, Brown, Furtick, Joye | Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
TEACHING: The Hard Truth, Part 1
Tourists go with the current of this world. Pilgrims go against it.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO & VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this Sunday?
- Read and discuss Hebrews 11:8-16. What do these verses tell us about us? What do these verses tell us about God?
- What’s the difference between a pilgrim and a tourist? What are the parallels of this analogy in the Christian life?
- Compare and contrast tourists and pilgrims in these areas: time, money, relationships, suffering, sin. What other areas of life does this apply to?
- Discuss Pastor Mike’s definition of joy: Joy is the inner confidence that God’s grace will see me through my earthly pilgrimage. What is the difference between joy and happiness? What gives you joy?
- How does the gospel of Jesus Christ compel us toward joy? How does joy sustain us in our journey?
- How was Jesus the perfect pilgrim? What does that mean for us?
- Is there an area of your life where you’ve left the pilgrimage to become a tourist? Spend some time in prayer together about this.
Preparing for Sunday | October 2
My hope and prayer for this blog each week is that God would use it to stir your affections for Him and for His Word, and to help you prepare for and eagerly anticipate what God will do through our time gathered together on Sunday. Here’s the first Preparing for Sunday post with a more in-depth explanation of why we do this.
PREPARING FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Keeper Of My Heart | [listen + lyrics]
by: Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram, Kari Jobe
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us | [listen | lyrics]
by: Stuart Townend
O Praise The Name | [listen + lyrics]
by: Benjamin Hastings, Dean Ussher, Marty Sampson
Great Things | [listen]
by: Mack Brock, Chris Brown, Wade Joye
SERMON TEXT
Hebrews 11:13-16
Sunday Rewind | 9.25.2016
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
Open Up the Heavens (Psalm 108:4-5) – Worth It All by Meredith Andrews
Always (Psalm 121:1-2) – Here For You by Kristian Stanfill (Passion)
But God (Romans 5:8) – Look and See by Village Church feat. Aaron Bleecker
Revelation Song (Revelation 5:12) – Passion 2013 by Kari Jobe
Come To Me (Matthew 11:28-30) – Look and See by Village Church feat. Lauren Chandler
TEACHING: Matters of the Heart – Lessons from Counseling
There are a lot of abnormal people in the world. Chances are, you are one of them.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO & VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this Sunday?
- What do you believe defines you?
- Read and discuss Psalm 20:5, Psalm 139:13, Jeremiah 1:5, James 1:13-15, Romans 5:12, Romans 3:23, Luke 6:45, Psalm 37:4 and Psalm 115:3-8. What do these verses tell us about us? What patterns or trajectories do you notice? What do these verses tell us about God?
- “Because of sin, our greatest desire is to please ourselves.” How have you seen this to be true by observation and experience?
- “All Christians are counselors.” How do you react to this statement?
- “The heart will always struggle to be satisfied as it looks for something to worship.” Have you found this to be true? What examples can you think of?
- Are there ways in which you are currently trying to fill an eternal longing with a temporal thing?
- Are there any areas where you are suppressing the truth in unrighteousness by justifying ungodly behavior?
- What do you long for the most?
- “Anxiety is a liar.” Is there an area of your life where you need to take your feelings and set them next to the truth of Scripture? Spend some time together in prayer about this.
Preparing for Sunday | September 25
My hope and prayer for this blog each week is that God would use it to stir your affections for Him and for His Word, and to help you prepare for and eagerly anticipate what God will do through our time gathered together on Sunday. Here’s the first Preparing for Sunday post with a more in-depth explanation of why we do this.
PREPARING FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
SONGS WE’LL BE SINGING TOGETHER
Open Up The Heavens | [listen + lyrics]
by: Meredith Andrews, Stuart Garrard. James McDonald, Andi Rozier
Always | [listen + lyrics]
by: Jason Ingram, Kristian Stanfill
But God | [listen]
by: Michael Bleecker, Hunter Hall, Lauren Chandler
Revelation Song | [listen]
by: Jennie Lee Riddle
Come to Me | [listen]
by: Elizabeth Akers, Jeff Capps, Michael Bleecker
SERMON TEXT
Proverbs 20:5
Sunday Rewind | 9.18.2016
MUSIC & SCRIPTURE
Your Great Name (Philippians 2:10-11) – Love Revolution by Natalie Grant
Good Good Father (2 Thessalonians 2:16) – The EP by Zealand Worship
I Will Look Up (Deuteronomy 7:9) –Only King Forever by Elevation Worship
This I Believe (The Creed) (Romans 1:16) Fielding, Crocker | Hillsong Music Publishing
Revelation Song (Revelation 4:8(b)) – Fearless by Philips, Craig and Dean
TEACHING: Until All Are Free
Prosperity blinds us to a world of injustice.
CLICK HERE FOR THE SERMON AUDIO & VIDEO
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR SHEPHERD GROUPS
- What was one thing you found particularly interesting, insightful, helpful or difficult to understand from this Sunday?
- What do you think of when you hear the word slavery? What is your understanding of modern slavery?
- Read and discuss Ecclesiastes 4:1, Psalm 146:6-7, Isaiah 1:17, Micah 6:8, and Psalm 10:17. What do these verses tell us about God? What do they reveal about us?
- What do these scriptures reveal about God’s heart on the topics of justice, slavery and oppression? How does your heart need to move closer to His on this?
- What is the significance of the phrase “under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 4:1)? How does this frame the topic of slavery, oppression and injustice?
- How do we confuse inconvenience with injustice? What examples can you think of?
- “Prosperity blinds us to a world of injustice.” Have you seen this to be true?
- How does the gospel compel us toward justice for the oppressed?
- Is there an area or situation in your list from where you need to act justly or “do justice” (Micah 6:8)? Spend some time in prayer about this.