That question is not meant to be cynical. It is meant to be personal. In this message, we were reminded that the church exists for more than comfort. We are called to care, to serve, and to let Jesus be visible through our lives.

Ephesians 2 tells us we are saved by grace, but also created for good works. Service is part of our design. It strengthens us spiritually, builds up the church, and impacts the eternity of those around us.

If God is bigger than us and He lives within us, He should show.

Discussion Questions:

1) Where in your daily life do you have the greatest opportunity to serve others?
2) Have you ever grown comfortable in your faith instead of active in it? What contributed to that?
3) How does serving others strengthen your own spiritual health?
4) Who in your sphere of influence might God be calling you to care for more intentionally?
5) What is one practical step you can take this week to put feet on your faith?

Faith that transforms does not stay seated.

In Mark 10, Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus despite resistance, discomfort, and uncertainty. His story reminds us that real faith moves, persists, and acts even when it costs something. A dangerous God dream is not about ambition. It is about trusting God enough to step forward when He calls.

This sermon invites each of us to consider whether we are living cautiously around the edges of faith or fully stepping into the calling God has placed on our lives and our church.

Discussion Questions

1) What would a dangerous God-given dream look like in your life right now?
2) Where have you been tempted to settle for safe faith instead of active faith?
3) What fears or voices tend to tell you to stay quiet or stay put?
4) How does Bartimaeus’ persistence challenge your own approach to prayer and faith?
5) If you look five years down the road, what kind of follower of Jesus do you hope to become?

The Christian life is a journey of ongoing growth and transformation.

This sermon focuses on how God shapes us over time as we remain grounded in His Word and responsive to His leading. Rather than chasing quick change or spiritual shortcuts, Scripture calls us to a steady, faithful walk that allows God to renew our minds and form our lives according to His will.

True growth takes place when belief moves beyond words and begins to shape daily life.

Discussion Questions

1) Where do you most clearly see God shaping or transforming you right now?
2) What habits or influences tend to pull you away from spiritual focus?
3) How does renewing your mind affect the way you live out your faith?
4) What role does obedience play in long-term spiritual growth?
5) What is one intentional step you can take this week to stay grounded and growing?

The Christian life is shaped by values that guide how we live and follow Jesus each day.

This sermon brings together the core values of our church and calls us to examine how they are reflected in our daily lives. Grounded in God’s Word, compelled by love, faithfully obedient, and empowered to serve, these values are not goals to achieve but rhythms to live by as we grow in Christ.

When these values take root, faith becomes visible, active, and transformative in both personal life and community.

Discussion Questions

1) Which of the four values do you find easiest to live out, and which feels most challenging?
2) How does being grounded in God’s Word influence the other values?
3) Where do you see love and obedience working together in your own faith?
4) What tends to hold you back from serving consistently?
5) What is one intentional step you can take this week to live out these values more clearly?

God has given every believer gifts, abilities, and opportunities for a reason.

This sermon challenges the idea that church is a place to sit back and consume. Instead, Scripture paints a picture of a body where every person is empowered to serve and every light matters. When believers fail to use what God has given them, darkness grows. When everyone steps in together, the light multiplies.

Through Scripture, story, and practical application, this message invites us to stop drifting, stop waiting, and step fully into the mission God has placed before us.

Discussion Questions

1) Where have you been tempted to treat church like something you attend rather than something you participate in?
2) What gifts or abilities do you feel God has given you, even if they feel small or unfinished?
3) What fears or excuses most often keep you from serving?
4) How does serving others help your faith grow and mature?
5) What is one specific step you could take this week to move from watching to participating?

Faith is more than a belief. It is a way of life.

In this message, we are reminded that salvation is the starting line, not the finish line. Following Jesus means walking a path shaped by trust, love, and obedience. The earliest believers called this path “the Way” because faith was never meant to be a label, but a direction.

As we stay grounded in God’s Word and compelled by love, obedience becomes the natural response of a transformed life. This sermon challenges us to stay out of the ditches and keep moving forward, trusting God with both our beliefs and our actions.

Discussion Questions

1) Why do you think “Am I going to heaven?” can be the wrong question for Christians to focus on?
2) Where do you most often drift off the path, doing what you should not do or avoiding what you know you should do?
3) How does obedience reveal what we truly believe about God?
4) What is one area where you know God has already spoken clearly, but obedience feels difficult?
5) What would it look like this week to take one intentional step forward on the Way?

To be compelled by love means being moved to action, even when love does not come naturally or easily. In this message, we explore how Jesus makes love the defining characteristic of His followers, not as a suggestion but as a command.

This sermon challenges the idea that discipleship is private or convenient. Through Scripture and everyday examples, we are reminded that authentic relationships, honesty, and sacrifice are essential to following Jesus. Love is how the church moves forward together and how the world comes to see Christ clearly.

Discussion Questions:

1) How does the sermon’s definition of “compelled” change the way you think about love?
2) Where do you find it hardest to love sacrificially, especially in the context of church relationships?
3) What are some ways we hide behind being “fine” instead of being authentic with others?
4) Why do you think Jesus ties love for others so closely to how the world recognizes His disciples?
5) What is one practical way you can choose love this week, even if it costs you something?

As we begin a new year, Pastor John invites us to think beyond resolutions and consider a deeper question. Are we simply students of Jesus, or are we truly disciples?

This message explores the biblical call to abide in Christ and allow Him to transform our lives. Drawing from John 15 and 2 Timothy 3, we are reminded that God’s Word is not just informative, but life-giving. When we remain connected to Jesus and grounded in Scripture, God produces fruit that lasts.

This sermon challenges us to move beyond surface-level faith and embrace a life shaped by Christ, lived on mission in our homes, our community, and the world.

Discussion Questions

1) What stood out to you about the difference between being a student and being a disciple?
2) Why do you think lasting change often requires more than good intentions or resolutions?
3) What does it look like for you personally to abide in Christ day to day?
4) Why is it easy for God’s Word to get pushed down the priority list in busy seasons?
5) What is one step you can take this week to move from learning about Jesus to living like Him?

While Pastor John was out of town, Pastor Nathan opened Scripture in Hebrews 11 to remind us that faith is not passive optimism, but confident trust that moves us forward even when we cannot see the full picture.

This message challenges the idea that discipleship is reserved for church leaders and invites every believer into active participation in the work God is doing. We reflect on what it means to be equipped as part of the body of Christ, why transformation happens together, and how ongoing growth requires honest self-examination and alignment with Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1) How does Hebrews 11 reshape the way you think about faith being “blind” or uncertain?
2) Where do you see a gap between believing something and actually living it out?
3) What does it look like for you to be equipped for ministry rather than waiting for others to act?
4) When you ask, “Do I look more like Jesus today than I did yesterday,” how do you honestly answer?
5) How does being part of a local church change the way you pursue faith and growth?

Why do we light everything at Christmas?

This message explores the meaning behind Christmas lights and how they point us to the true Light of the world. Jesus stepped into a dark and broken world to bring hope, clarity, forgiveness, and life. Through Scripture and story, we are reminded that Christmas is about more than tradition. It is about a choice to step out of darkness and into the light of Christ.

Discussion Questions:
1) Why do you think light is such a powerful image throughout Scripture?
2) What does John 3 reveal about humanity’s response to light?
3) How does Jesus bring clarity to life when things feel uncertain?
4) What keeps people from fully stepping into the light of Christ?
5) How can your life reflect Christ’s light to others this season?