Unexpected things happen in life. Will we respond in faith... or with something else? Responding in Faith When Life is Unexpected Think of a time God has, "moved your fridge," or something unexpected has happened in life. How did you react? Looking back, could you have responded with more faith? Read Luke 1:26-56. What challenges did Mary face? What were her questions? How did she respond in faith? Find another biblical example of a person choosing faith in the face of a challenge. How does this story help you respond in faith to challenges?

Your questions. Honest, biblical answers. Digging Deeper Into Bible Passages About the Nature of God: God Is Beyond Time - 2 Peter 3:8, Psalm 90:2-4, 2 Timothy 1:9God Knows Everything - Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5God Created Everything - Genesis 1:1, John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 11:3God Rules Over Creation - Psalm 115:3, 135:6, Isaiah 40, Job 38-42God is Three-in-One - Deuteronomy 6:4, John 1:1, John 10:30 Questions to Discuss: What does it mean to you that God is beyond time?What does it mean to you that God knows everything? How is that thought comforting?What does it mean to you that God is Three-in-One?How does knowing God's eternal power affect how you relate to Him?How does knowing God's love and closeness affect how you relate to Him?

Answering the Top Questions that YOU asked about faith last Easter. Digging Deeper into the Bible’s Teaching on Hardship Benefits We Experience from Following Jesus: 1. Assurance of Eternal, Abundant Life (John 3:16, John 10:10) 2. Increased peace, strength and guidance (1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7, James 1:5) 3. A God-anchored sense of self-worth & identity (Ephesians 2:8-10) 4.A sense of family & community (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) 5. Knowing you are part of something larger than yourself (Matthew 16:18) 6. Miraculous intervention (sometimes) (James 5:14-16) Factors That Make Life Harder: 1. Elevated conscience - You care more. (James 4:17, 1 Timothy 3:9) 2. God’s discipline/ training - Hardship God allows for your benefit. (Hebrews 12:7-11) Why - Jesus invites you to come and die to yourself. (Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24) 3. Spiritual Resistance - There is an enemy who will do anything he can to cause you to pull away from God, God’s people and God’s work. (1 Peter 5:8, Ephesian 6:10-18, James 4:7-8) Questions to Discuss: How have you found yourself caring more as the result of your relationship with Jesus? How? What about? How have you experienced God’s discipline/ training in your life? What did it result in? How have you experienced spiritual resistance? How do you stand firm against the enemy’s attacks? What truths do you especially want to remember the next time you experience hardship?

Answering the Top Questions that YOU asked about faith last Easter. Starting with the most frequently asked category of question. Digging Deeper into the Bible’s Teaching on Heaven Key Verses to Study: Genesis 1 & 2 - What the earth was like before sin.Revelation 21 & 22 - What the New Heaven and the New Earth will be like after God restores everything.2 Corinthians 5:8‭-‬10 - Being absent from the body. Jesus’ judgment.Hebrews 12:1 - The great cloud of witnesses.Luke 6:21 - Laughter in heaven.1 Thessalonians 4:13‭-‬18 - Meeting Jesus at His return.1 Timothy 2:3‭-‬6, 2 Peter 3:9 - God’s desire for all to know Him.Psalm 16:11 - God the source of eternal pleasure.Matthew 25:31‭-‬32 - Jesus’ judgment of the world.Revelation 20:11-15 - The “Great White Throne” judgment. Another Recommended Resource: Heaven by Randy Alcorn Questions to Ask: Jesus’ assurance of life with Him and each other after death gave His followers great courage in the face of hardship.How has Jesus’ teachings on heaven affected you?What assumptions about heaven do you have that have been challenged by deeper bible study?What are YOU looking forward to about heaven?What are your questions or concerns about heaven?

Why we affirm women in ministry. Women and Spiritual Leadership - Where is It Written?Two Passages That Prohibit Female Leadership:1 Corinthians 14:33-351 Timothy 2:11-12Celebrated Female Leaders of the Old Testament:Exodus 15 - Miriam the Prophet and Worship LeaderJudges 4-5 - Deborah the Judge2 Chronicles 34 - Huldah the ProphetHow Jesus Treated Women:As disciples: Mary of Bethany - Luke 10:38-42As missionaries: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome - Mark 16:1-8Celebrated Female Leadership in the Early Church:As Potential Prophets - Acts 2:17-18Tabitha the Disciple - Acts 9:36Phoebe the Deacon - Romans 16:1Junia the Apostle - Romans 16:7

Jesus said... "Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." But ACTUALLY loving other Christians can be a huge challenge sometimes. Let's talk about it.

We spend much of our waking hours doing it. Let's talk about living an authentic faith while at work, and how engaging in conflict in Biblical ways can make our work environments better.

The same grace that saved you has the power to change you. So don't condemn who God has redeemed. A study in Romans 7 & 8.

Why we can trust in the historicity of the resurrection - and why it makes such a difference for us today.

Remembering Jesus journey to the cross through storytelling and Scripture.