Groundwork: Biblical Foundations for Life

Judgment and consequences can feel unfair. They can even feel mean, especially when we don’t understand why they’re occurring. The prophet Ezekiel received many messages of judgment for Israel—so many that, at times, when reading the book of Ezekiel it can feel like God’s judgment is relentless. But by studying these judgments, we can learn about the character of God and better understand where God’s judgment comes from, what it means, why it’s necessary, and why it’s also a source of grace. 

God delights in dwelling among his people, but in a vision, God shows Ezekiel one of the most painful consequences of Israel’s unholy ways: God’s glory must depart from Israel’s midst. Studying this vision gives us the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between our behavior and God’s reputation. It also reminds us that God does not leave us without hope. Even as God grieved and gave Ezekiel a painful message about consequences, he promised his glory would one day return and dwell among his people again. A promise we now know God kept in Jesus Christ and continues to keep through the presence of the Holy Spirit today.

One defining characteristic of Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry is the visual nature of the messages he received from God. In the book of Ezekiel, God repeatedly gives his prophet both a verbal message and instructions on how to also convey that message visually. God goes to these lengths because he wants his people to see the consequences of sin and rebellion and to help the people understand why exile was necessary. Through Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry, we witness God’s heartbreak and grief. We discover he is not an angry God, but rather a God who deeply loves his people and goes through great effort to get their attention. 

It can be hard, even shocking to follow God’s call on our lives.  Join Groundwork as we study the story of Ezekiel’s call to ministry as a prophet of God. We’ll see Ezekiel wrestle with his calling and listen as God warns of the difficulty Ezekiel will face speaking truth to an audience of people that don’t want to hear his message. Together, we can learn from Ezekiel’s experience and discuss what it means to be called, to be a prophet, and to speak truth in a hostile context. All while we’ll also examine our own hearts by asking: Are we receptive to God’s truth or rebellious like Israel?

The Christian belief in the Holy Trinity significantly influences our worship, prayer, and daily living. As we reflect on the Lord’s Prayer, the Great Commission, and the apostolic teachings in the New Testament, we see how these biblical truths shape our worship and prayer. Together, let’s discuss the implications of our trinitarian theology on our sanctification and Christian community. Along the way, we will witness the essential work of our triune God in every aspect of our lives. 

Within the triune nature of God, each person of the Trinity is distinct from the others. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have important traits, attributes, and roles. Three persons, united as One. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must accept the Trinity as a mystery. Yet, we can study Scripture to better understand the nature of each person of the Trinity and the awesome phenomena of their unity as One. Together, let’s discuss what this reality means for our faith, what we believe, and how it transforms our worship and daily Christian living.

Christians believe there is only one God. Since its beginning, the Christian faith has always been monotheistic. But after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, early Christian teachers recognized the divinity of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit and formulated the doctrine of the Trinity to encapsulate these truths. Join us as we explore passages in both the Old and New Testaments that provide the rich foundation for our belief in the Holy Trinity. Together, we’ll discuss how the Church creeds have helped us articulate this mystery, aiming to give believers a deeper understanding and experience of God's triune nature.

After God’s people had returned to Israel from exile in Babylon, Malachi prophesied a message of caution and warning to them. Spiritual apathy was once again beginning to settle into their hearts. Through Malachi, God called out Israel’s indifference and unfaithfulness to him. In our study of Malachi, we’ll witness how out-of-sync life gets when we go through the motions of faith without investing our hearts. We’ll examine our own hearts in light of Malachi’s warnings about spiritual apathy and discover how our everyday faithfulness to God impacts our lives and communities. Together, let’s explore how the timeless wisdom of Malachi illuminates our faith and transforms our worship.

Life is full of struggles and challenges. Even as we follow God’s lead, the way forward isn’t always straight. The Israelites felt this truth acutely when they finally returned home after living in exile in Babylon. As the people began to rebuild, God provided guidance and help through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Join us as we glean biblical wisdom from the books of Haggai and Zechariah that gives us the courage to trust God as we navigate and endure our own physical and spiritual challenges. 

When evil seems to be winning all around us or when we don’t understand how a good and loving God can also be angry and vengeful, we will find answers by studying the minor prophets of Nahum and Zephaniah. Both prophets urge God’s people to examine their hearts and act in ways that honor God and reflect his character. They don’t mince words about God’s anger and judgment, but both Nahum and Zephaniah point to God as the people’s only hope. We learn from them, that ultimately, God longs to show us mercy. God urges us to repent and humbly join him in bringing justice, transformation, and reconciliation to this world as his ambassadors.