Alliance Bible Church - Mequon, Wisconsin

Many of us know what it's like to watch someone we love run from God. In a word, it's painful. Through the helplessness, we claw and scratch for ways to bring them back. But there are no easy answers and no shortcuts. In the end, we have to trust God knows what He's doing. Join us as we take some time to reflect on, and pray for, the prodigals in our lives.

1) What prodigals do
2) What the father does

Text: Luke 15:11-24

The most productive kinds of questions a Christian can ask are “How?" questions. Understanding how to apply what you believe is a game-changer, and with a question like “How do I know I’m saved?” the stakes couldn’t be higher. Join us as we dive into a big question with practical takeaways.

The truth of this answer helps us diagnose and address some common struggles that come up when this question crops up:
1) Steadies the fearful
2) Challenges the faltering
3) Exposes the false

Text: 1 John 4:7-5:12

Lament is a spiritual skill God has provided to triage our wounds in dark times. But how is lament done? We'll look at a map for lament that will make this practical and applicable to everyday life.

A basic map to lament:
1) Remember the past
2) Grieve the present
3) Petition for the future

Text: Psalm 44

The death of a loved one.
The dissolution of a marriage.
The loss of a job.
The betrayal of a friend.

So many things can go wrong in life. What do you do to cope with hardships like these? On the whole, Christians are missing a spiritual skill that would serve to triage our wounds. The skill is called "lament." Join us for Part 1 of this two-part series.

1) The validity of lament
2) The occasion for lament
3) The fruit of lament

Text: Psalm 22

Do the Scriptures teach anything about religious liberty? Or is it a modern construct? Join us for an interesting dive into a hot topic.

Theological moorings:
1) The Noahic Covenant and religious liberty
2) The imago Dei (“the image of God”) and religious liberty
3) Christian mission and religious liberty

Applications:
1) Christians should be advocates for the religious liberty of all people
2) Christians should work for Christian conceptions of justice in the public square
3) Christians should pray for national leaders to govern according to a biblically moral framework

Text: Genesis 6:9-9:7; Matthew 22:17-22; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Daniel 2:44

Inconceivable. Unthinkable. Impossible.

Humanly speaking, faith in the crucified and risen Christ is impossible. But the tomb is empty. God's messenger has told you the crucified Jesus is no longer there. He has risen. It’s decision time. How will you respond?

The resurrection highlights...
1) The impossibility of faith
2) The necessity of fear
3) The decision that must be made

Text: Mark 16:1-8

Finger-pointing: we're all skilled at it. Parents blame kids. Husbands blame wives and so on. Why? The reason we continually pass the buck is that we know we can't bear the weight of our own guilt. If we have to answer for what we've done, we'll be crushed. But there was One who took the finger-pointing in our place. It's the good news of Good Friday.

1) The peculiar roles he plays
2) The unthinkable act he endures
3) The freeing condition he provides

Text: Isaiah 52:13-53:12 

When we think of royalty we may think of the red carpet and flashing lights. We probably wouldn't think of a king coming in humility, yet that is how Jesus came. What does this mean and what are the implications of this for his church? Join us as we take a look at the one true King!

1) The Nature of the King
2) The Nature of the Kingdom

Text: Matthew 21:1-11

A common approach to giving comfort in suffering is to reassure the sufferer that there are good reasons for the suffering; compelling answers to "Why?" questions. The book of Job teaches us consolation may be better given through a different question: "What?" Join us for the final installment of "Trusting God in the Darkness," where we will explore an unexpected approach to finding comfort in dark times.

1) What God says
2) What God doesn’t say
3) What it means for handling suffering well

Text: Job 38-42

When tragedy strikes, where do you turn? We usually turn to our friends and family. Why? Because we're looking for comfort and counsel. But not everyone is good at giving it. We'll learn from Job's "miserable comforters" to see what we can learn about how to offer good comfort to those grieving.

1) How not to counsel
2) How to self-counsel
3) The best counsel

Text: Job 3-37