Encounter at Illinois State University / ISU

Practicing Celebration – In our lives, joyfulness, prayer, and thankfulness should be a part of the language we speak to those around us. In fact, this is literally “God’s will” for our lives. How do we do this on a daily basis?

(I Thess 5:16-18)

Jesus wants us to understand how His Kingdom works, and gives us 2 small parables that help us understand the incredible value of His good news and the high cost of accepting it.

(Matt 13:44-46, Matt 23:13, Matt 13:33, Matt 16:25, Matt 20:16, 2 Cor 12:9, I Peter 5:6, Eph 2:1-2, 4-7, I Jn 1:9, Eph 1:13-14, Rom 8:11, Eph 2:19-21, I Cor 3:9a, Rev 21:3-5, Matt 16:24-25, Rom 12:1, Rom 6:4) 

We all desire a deep sense of peace, but the path to shalom requires us following Christ into some very hard places.

(Matt 7:1-6, Isaiah 26:3, Jn 14:27, I Jn 4:1, Gal 6:1, Eph 5:11, 2 Tim 4:1-8, Is 33:22, Ps 75:7, Rom 2:16, Matt 18:5+, Prov 18:2)

Jesus shatters our expectations on who “deserves” our love. Who is our neighbor? Connect this to our prayer discipline for the month. Who are we praying for? Who have you decided it is “ok” to hate?

(Luke 10:30-36)

Prayer is the conduit by which we experience God in relationship. Let’s experience what prayer is and what it does in and through every follower of Jesus.

(Luke 3:21, Matt 14:23, Mk 6:46, Lk 6:12, Mk 1:35, Lk 5:16, Lk 9:18, Matt 26:36, Matt 17:20, Jn 14:26, Jn 16:13, Jn 16:8, Acts 1:8, Matt 5:23-24, Is 1:8, Lam 3:22-23, Jn 10:27, I Thess 5:17)

Winter Retreat – Session 4- Sunday AM

Winter Retreat – Session 3- Saturday PM

Winter Retreat – Session 2- Saturday AM

Winter Retreat – Session 1 – Friday PM

In Jesus’ short parable about light, we learn a great deal about how our faith, connected to our behaviors, is a powerful beacon in a very dark world.

(Matt 5:14-16, Matt 5:3-12, I Jn 1:5, Ps 4:6, Ps 27:1, Ps 28:28, Ps 89:15, Jn 1:9-10, Col 1:11-14, Jn 15:19, I Cor 6:11, Eph 5:3-8, Jn 12:47, Jn 13:35, Jn 8:12, Ps 36:9, Ps 119:105, Jn 3:20, Is 9:2)