FG Students (HS)

This week, Jim Thompson finishes up our series, “Splinters of Doubt,” and talks about the problem of evil in our world. He talks about 6 unhelpful answers to give people when asking about why bad things happen in our world, and then gives 3 responses we SHOULD have when talking about the problem of evil. Jim encourages us to think about how we don’t have an answer that solves the problem of evil, but we do have a relationship… a relationship with Jesus who defeated evil and brings us peace.

This week, Matt Densky continues our series, “Splinters of Doubt,” and talks about the current of culture and how we can easily be swept away by things of our culture if we aren’t firmly planted in our faith. We look at Daniel 1:1-8 and how the culture and the king wanted to change Daniel and his friends. Matt talked about how we can maintain our faith in Jesus and still be in the world, but not of the world. He talked about how we can follow Daniel’s lead in being anchored in the Word of God, anchored in God’s presence, and anchored to God’s people.

This week, Matt Densky continues our series, “Splinters of Doubt,” and talks about conditional faith and disappointments when Jesus isn’t who we expected. Matt challenges us to think about if our faith in Jesus depends on our conditions we’ve placed on him. We look at Luke 24:13-35 when the two men are on the road to Emmaus and have a conditional faith for who they thought Jesus should have been. They were sad and disappointed, and Matt reminds us that we will never truly see Jesus if we’re only looking through the lens of our conditions.

This week, Matt Densky continues our series, “Splinters of Doubt,” and talks about personal pain and doubts that can stem from that. We look at Matthew 11:1-6 where John the Baptist is in prison, and the personal pain he experiences that brings doubt about Jesus. He struggles to believe God is still who he thought he was, and we can go down this path in our minds, too, throughout painful circumstances. Matt reminds us that Jesus loves the doubter, He invites questions, and He provides answers.

This week, Dallas Greenaway teaches a message on encouragement from Ephesians for our United Night with middle school and high school. He walks us through Ephesians 1:3-14 and the encouragement we receive as Christ followers from this passage. Dallas gives us three takeaways from this passage: that “thank you” can sometimes be the best prayer we can pray, daily spending time with God and walking worthy of the gifts that you’ve been given.

This week, Matt Densky continues our new series, “Splinters of Doubt,” and talks about self doubting. We look at Matthew 3:13- 4:11 and how Jesus is tempted - physically, emotionally and spiritually, just like we are. Matt talks about how doubting ourselves can lead to doubting God, a dangerous slope to go down. But we can remember who God says we are and who God says He is.

In session 4 of EPIC, Dallas Greenaway talks about the Origin of the Mission. We look at Acts 9:1-6 and how God is in the business of saving even the hardest of hearts, even Saul’s. God has a plan for Saul, taking him from the villain of the story to growing the Kingdom. Dallas talks about how God uses places, people, and passions in our lives to send us on mission and grow the Kingdom through our lives!

In session 2 of EPIC, Dallas Greenaway talks about the Origin of the Heroes. We look at Acts 4:1-8 and how the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to believe in Jesus and then gives us the strength to live the life He’s called us to live. Dallas encourages us to make space for the Holy Spirit to work, just like the heroes in Acts did. 

In session 1 of EPIC, Matt Densky talks about the Origin of Power - the power of the Holy Spirit. We look at Acts 2:1-5 and verse 8, and how we receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us. Jesus gives us power through his spirit in us to accomplish the works of God and proclaim the words of God.

In session 3 of EPIC, Matt Densky talks about the Origin of the Villain. We look at Acts 7-8 and the story of Saul. Matt talks about how God’s plan has always prevailed, even when people have tried to stop what God was doing. He also talks about how control and comfort can become idols that distract us from what the Lord is doing - the same way control became an idol for Saul as he tried to stop people from talking about Jesus. Matt challenges us to set these idols aside and pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is doing in us.