It’s dangerous and foolish to do strength training using weights without help. A “spotter” is a person who provides support and is quick to intervene or assist as needed. Christians do that for one another. Let’s discover how we can support, intervene, and assist one another as believers in the church.
As believers, we often don’t think about spiritual warfare or spiritual battles. However, it’s important to realize we are in this fight with our enemy, Satan. God does not send His people into battle ill-equipped. He provides spiritual armor by which we can engage and triumph over the enemy. Let’s discover the weapons available to us this week as we study Ephesians 6:10-20.
How does prayer help us experience the power and presence of Christ? For many people, prayer is something they use when they need something specific and concrete for themselves. Prayer encompasses more than that. Even as we pray for our own needs, we’re to pray for others. We have an opportunity to pray for one another in relational and spiritual matters. And, as we pray, we experience God’s power at work. Join us this week as we study Ephesians 3:14-21.
You’ve heard the quote by John Donne, “No man is an island, entire of itself.” An interconnectedness exists between us all. That is especially true of the church. This week we will consider the example of the human body as an illustration of this point. Join us as we study Ephesians 4 this week.
The Christian life can be hard at times. Encouragement from fellow believers is a great help to us. Their words of support push us forward when we might be tempted to give in or give up. We need the encouragement of other believers—and they need ours. Join us this week as we study Ephesians 4:17-32.
Because Christians have been given eternal life in the coming kingdom of God we have hope. The trials of this life will one day give way to lives of eternal joy. How does our hope for eternity influence our everyday life? Join us this week as we discuss that hope together!
What responsibilities do Christ-followers have in relation to our government? The United States is divided over important issues. Each side in the political arena is convinced they’re right; consequently, passions run high and the rhetoric and debate is often less than civil. God calls His people to respond not based on emotion but with actions that honor government and its leaders. A love for Christ and a love for others is to permeate every way we engage in and express ourselves in the political arena. Join us this week as we study Romans 13:1-10.
How is being a part of a church different from being a part of any other organization? Since we know human beings are social creatures, we also know that we weren’t designed to live in isolation. We desire to belong, whether it’s belonging to a family, a group of friends, or a group with a shared interest. The church is a family, the body of Christ. Being a part of Christ’s church isn’t an option. God’s design is for us to live and serve together as His body. Join us this week as we study Ephesians 1 and 2!
Christians are to stand out from their culture. We live in the culture, but we also stand apart from it. In our ongoing study on hope from 1 Peter, we see that the transformed life that results from faith in Christ should lead to a marked difference in the way a believer thinks and behaves. Join us this week as we consider the question, “How can we live unashamed in today’s culture?”
When have you needed endurance to complete a task—maybe even something you signed up for? Certainly no one signs up for pain or sorrow, but they happen in life. Join us this week as we learn how we can endure suffering because of our hope in Christ.
How can we bring glory to God through our suffering? No one wants to suffer, but when we do, we can let God be glorified through it. Let’s not waste what He wants to do through the painful places of our lives. This week we’ll learn how we can let God deepen our walk with Him.
How do you decide what’s not worth arguing about? Who’s to blame for the spread of the Coronavirus? We don’t always see eye-to-eye. The question for each of us is: what do we do when we disagree—when the other person seems to miss our “right” way of seeing things? A lot of us spend an enormous amount of time persuading—trying to get others to subscribe to our point of view. But what if that approach doesn’t work? What happens when you talk until you’re blue in the face and the other person still stands his or her ground? Let’s consider a different approach to deal with our differences.
In what things do you place your hope? We can place hope in a lot of things. We place our hope in investments and financial planning. We place our hope in diets, hoping this one will get us back on track. We place our hope in candidates we think will make a difference and turn our country around. While we might feel a sense of confidence that our hope is rightly placed, such hope is never certain. Join in this week as we start a new study about a real and certain hope. We’re jumping into a study of 1 Peter and what it tells us about hope.
Ever been fooled by something that didn’t live up to its claims? I think we all have at some point. We chase the things of the world only to come up short. In our study this week on living with hope, we’ll see how hope in Christ can change our perspective on what we gain from the world.
How dependent is your forgiveness on someone else’s apology? How do we forgive someone who has hurt us? Can you forgive the person who infected a loved one with the Coronavirus? It’s hard and seems counter-intuitive but forgiveness is always the right thing to do. Join us this week as we take on this difficult topic.
When have you received stellar service? Good customer service is about doing what’s right and helping the other person. We have seen this played out during the COVID-19 crisis. People doing the right thing and helping others. When we’re talking about relationships, the principle still applies: we strengthen our relationships when we help and serve the other person. Serving is a tangible way to love others. Join us as we discover the biblical mandate to serve by carrying the burden of others.
When have you wanted to be first in line? We are amused by news stories about people who camp out overnight to be one of the first to purchase the latest phone, tablet, or gadget. Being first isn’t always a good thing. Nobody would want to be the first to have the Coronavirus in their church or community. Being first can be a detriment to relationships. Join us this week as we consider a better way: being more concerned for others than ourselves.
How have you seen someone sacrifice for another in these weeks dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak? Likely, you’ve seen one example after another. In times of crises, we do what’s needed for those we love. Jesus is our perfect example of this kind of sacrificial love. When we seek to love others the way Jesus does, our relationships are transformed. Join our discussion this week as we study John 15:9-14!
For many, these past few weeks of social distancing have provided extra time at home. Many are putting that time to good use by trying their hand at something new. Have you learned any new skills? Taken up a new hobby? Most times, the simplest way to learn a new skill is to watch someone else complete it. As the old adage goes: Some things are more caught than taught. And Barnabas is someone worth watching. By his example, he showed us three ways we can encourage others. Join our discussion this week as we dig into Acts 9 and 11!
With the world responding to the COVID-19 health crises, the events of this past month have been anything but “business as usual.” The daily news brings more reports of how our country, and other countries, is responding to a pandemic. However, for Christians, this presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate our faith. As Christians, we anchor our hope securely in Christ.