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Navigating Pressure

What if the pressure you're experiencing isn't there to break you... but to reveal what God is building in you?

In the opening message of our Family Month series, we explore James 1:2-4 and discover that pressure doesn't create our character. It reveals it. James challenges us to see life's unexpected trials through a different lens, not as interruptions to avoid, but as opportunities God uses to shape us into people who are mature, steadfast, and complete.

Whether you're navigating family stress, difficult relationships, uncertainty, or unexpected hardship, this message will encourage you to stop asking, "How do I get out of this?" and begin asking, "What is God producing in me?"

James 1:2-4

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

The sermon pointed out that James assumes pressure is coming ("when," not "if"). Why do you think we often act surprised when life gets difficult?

One of the key ideas from Sunday was: Pressure doesn't create what's in you. It reveals what's been built in you. How does that change the way you think about difficult situations?

James says God uses pressure to produce perseverance, maturity, and completeness. Which of those words stands out to you most? Why?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

When pressure shows up in your life, what usually comes out first?Anger?Anxiety?Control?Withdrawal?Blame?Humor?Prayer?

Something else?  How has that worked so far in your life?

Can you think of a recent situation where pressure revealed something in you that surprised you?

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

Which step of P.A.U.S.E. do you think will be the hardest for you this week?

What situation do you already know you'll probably face this week where you'll need to practice it?

Who in this group can help keep you accountable?

Family Month Check-In

Did anyone use the Family Take-Home Kit this week?

What was the funniest or most memorable part?

What conversation happened at home because of it?

Did your kids teach you anything from Sunday's lesson?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

The Open Seat

We all know what it's like to search for a place to belong. Whether at a lunch table, in a friend group, or in a crowded room, we're constantly looking for an open seat. The good news is that God's table has always been a place of invitation, not exclusion. In this special Youth Takeover Sunday, we explore Isaiah's vision of God's great banquet and discover that the open seat isn't just about where we've been welcomed—it reminds us of who we're called to welcome. Through powerful testimonies from students whose lives were impacted this summer, we'll be challenged to remember our own "open seat" moment and make room for someone else to experience God's grace. 

Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 12:11

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?  

Read Isaiah 25:6-9 together. 

What stood out to you most from the message, Scripture, or student testimonies?  

What does this passage teach us about God's invitation and who is welcome at His table?  

How does the image of "The Open Seat" help you better understand the heart of the Gospel? 

HEART – How did it make you feel?  

As you listened today, what emotions surfaced when you thought about your own "open seat" moment—when someone welcomed you into faith, community, or a deeper relationship with Jesus? 

Did any of the student testimonies or message points challenge, encourage, or convict you? Why? 

How do you feel when you think about the people in your life who may still be looking for a seat at God's table? 

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?  

Who is one person God may be asking you to intentionally make room for this week? 

What is one way you can use your table of influence—your home, workplace, neighborhood, friend group, or church—to extend God's invitation to someone else? 

What part of your story could you share this week to encourage someone or point them toward Jesus?  

NEXT STEP CHALLENGE FOR GROUPS:  

The Open Seat Challenge 

Before your group leaves, have every person write down the name of one person who may need an invitation—to church, to coffee, to dinner, to a conversation, or simply into community. 

Commit to three things this week: 

Pray for them every day. 

Reach out to them personally. 

Create a seat for them—literally or figuratively—by inviting them into a meaningful space where they can experience belonging. 

At your next gathering, share what happened when you made room at your table. 

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Riches Through Giving

What is the richest thing a person can give? Is it money, possessions, opportunities, or something more? In this Father's Day message, Pastor David explores a surprising truth found throughout Scripture: while the world says riches come from accumulation, God says riches come from generosity. Drawing from Proverbs 11, Luke 6, Acts 20, and the powerful example of John 3:16, we'll discover that generosity is about far more than finances. It's about living with open hands and open hearts.Through a personal story involving a green pillow, a son, a daughter, and a lesson in character, we'll explore how some of the most valuable things we can ever give away are attention, patience, wisdom, identity, direction, honor, and love. Along the way, we'll uncover a Kingdom principle that appears again and again throughout Scripture: what leaves your hand is not always lost. Often, it is planted.If Proverbs teaches that giving creates flourishing, Luke teaches that giving multiplies, and Acts teaches that giving blesses the giver, then John 3:16 reveals the foundation beneath them all: giving is the very nature of God. Because the richest gift ever given was not something God owned. It was Himself.

Proverbs 11, Luke 6, Acts 20, John 3:16

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

Pastor David shared that:

Proverbs teaches that giving creates flourishing. (Prov 11:24-25)

Luke teaches that giving multiplies. (Luke 6:38)

Acts teaches that giving blesses the giver. (Acts 20:35)

John teaches giving is the nature of God. (John 3:16)

Which of the four points from this week's message stood out to you the most, and why?

How did this message expand your understanding of generosity beyond money? Or did it?

What's one lesson you learned from your dad, or father figure, that you still carry with you today? Was it a lesson you want to repeat or one you hope to avoid? How has it influenced your life?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

Pastor David said, "The things we give away often become the things that make us richest." Where have you experienced that to be true in your own life?

Which of these is hardest for you to give away right now?

Time

Attention

Patience

Forgiveness

Encouragement

Wisdom

Money

Trust

Why do you think that is?

Which statement from the sermon resonated most with you personally?

"The world says riches come from accumulation. God says riches come from generosity."

"What leaves your hand is not always lost. Often, it is planted."

"The life you pour out eventually becomes the life you experience."

"The greatest inheritance isn't what you leave behind. It's what you place inside."

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

Who is one person you can intentionally invest in this week through your time, encouragement, wisdom, or presence?

Is there an area of your life where you have been holding on too tightly? What would it look like to trust God with open hands instead?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Foolish Confounds the Wise

What if the very thing you trust most is the thing keeping you from seeing God clearly?

For centuries, people have struggled with Jesus for the same reason. The Jews wanted power. The Greeks wanted wisdom. The Romans wanted strength. Yet God sent a crucified Savior. What looked foolish to the world became the very wisdom and power of God.

In this message, we'll explore Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1 and uncover why the gospel still challenges our assumptions today. Why do some people embrace the cross while others reject it? Why do we so often trust our own logic, intelligence, expectations, and abilities instead of God's ways? And what wisdom have we embraced that might be making Jesus harder to recognize?

The gospel is not advice about how to become a better version of yourself. It is the announcement of what God has already done through Christ. Because every culture has a kind of wisdom that makes Jesus harder to recognize, but God's wisdom is still greater than our own.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What do you think Paul means when he says, "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise"?

Which of the five points from this week's message stood out to you the most, and why?

The gospel doesn't fit our logic.

The gospel cannot be discovered through intelligence alone.

The gospel offends our expectations.

God uses the wrong people.

God's method doesn't impress the world.

Pastor David said, "The gospel is not advice. It is news." What is the difference between those two ideas?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

The message challenged us with this question: "What wisdom have we embraced that might be keeping us from seeing Jesus clearly?" How would you answer that personally?

Examples of things that some people trust:

Your own logic?

Your own experience?

Your own abilities?

Other people's opinions?

Have you ever found yourself disappointed with God because He didn't work the way you expected Him to work?

Which statement hits closest to home right now?

"The cross starts where self-help ends."

"Information can inform the mind, but only revelation transforms the heart."

"God often chooses people human wisdom wouldn't even interview."

"The power was never in the packaging. The power was always in the message."

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

Is there a situation you're currently trying to solve through effort, strategy, or control that may require surrender and prayer instead?

Who is one person in your life that needs to hear the hope of the gospel? What is one practical step you can take to engage them this week?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Weakness is Strength

What happens when the thing you trust most about yourself finally fails?

In this message, we explore the life of Peter and the surprising journey from self-confidence to Spirit-dependence. Peter loved Jesus. He wanted to obey Jesus. He believed he would never abandon Jesus. Yet time after time, Peter found himself relying on his own courage, understanding, devotion, and strength. It wasn't until his confidence in himself finally collapsed that he discovered the power of God's grace.

Through Peter's story, we'll wrestle with some honest questions: Where do we trust ourselves more than God? Where do we rely on our own effort instead of His presence? And what happens when life reveals we're weaker than we thought?

Drawing from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, we'll discover that God's power is not perfected through our strength, but through our surrender. Because before Pentecost, Peter was drawing strength from Peter. After Pentecost, Peter was drawing strength from the Spirit. And that changes everything.

God is not looking for impressive people. He is looking for dependent people.

Philippians 2:5-8

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What stood out to you most from Peter's journey?  Was there a specific moment in Peter's life where you saw yourself?

Before Pentecost, Peter was drawing strength from Peter. After Pentecost, Peter was drawing strength from the Spirit.  What do you think is the difference between self-confidence and Spirit-dependence?

Which of Peter's "strength strategies" do you relate to most?

Courage

Understanding

Performance

Helping others

Devotion

Passion

Control

Why?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

Have you ever experienced a season where God exposed a weakness you didn't know was there? What did that experience teach you?

One of the sermon questions was:  "Where do I trust me more than God?" How would you answer that honestly today?

Which statement impacted you most?

"Peter was not lying about his love. He was wrong about his strength."

"The rooster did not expose Peter to Jesus. It exposed Peter to Peter."

"Jesus did not restore Peter's ego. He restored Peter's calling."

"God is not looking for impressive people. He is looking for dependent people."

Why?

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

What is one area of your life where God may be inviting you to stop relying on your own strength and start relying on His? Please be specific.

Peter's turning point came when he stopped drawing strength from himself. What practical step could you take this week to depend more on God?

Examples:

Begin your day in prayer.

Ask for help.

Admit a struggle.

Invite accountability.

Spend time in Scripture before making a decision.

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Love Your Enemies

What does it really mean to love your enemies? And how do you respond when people hurt you, oppose you, or work against you? In this message from our Upside Down Way of God series, we explore one of the most challenging teachings of Jesus from Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:27-36. While culture teaches outrage, retaliation, and tribalism, Jesus teaches a different way: bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you. Together, we unpack how hatred and bitterness shape the human soul, how modern culture profits from outrage, and why Jesus calls His followers to refuse becoming what wounded them. Most importantly, we discover that loving enemies is not weakness—it is one of the clearest ways we resemble our Father in heaven. Because while we were still enemies, God moved toward us through Christ.

The world understands revenge.

What shocks people is mercy.

Matthew 5:43-48

Luke 6:27-36

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What stood out to you most from this week’s message?  Looking at Matthew 5:43-48, what was wrong with the religious teaching Jesus was correcting?

Why do you think people naturally drift toward instead of Kingdom love?

tribal love

conditional love

transactional love

Which one of these four commands that Jesus gave feels the hardest to you personally, and why?

love your enemies

bless those who curse you

do good to those who hate you

pray for those who mistreat you

HEART – How did it make you feel?

What did it look like when bitterness or resentment began shaping:

your thoughts

your speech

your attitude

your peace

Which line impacted you the most, and why?

“The Kingdom refuses to become what wounded it.”

“Hatred punishes the person carrying it.”

“The cross is proof that God loves His enemies.”

“You cannot love enemies while protecting ego.”

Is there anyone you have quietly stopped seeing as an image-bearer and started viewing only as “the enemy”?

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

What is one practical way you can actively show Kingdom love this week?

praying for someone

refusing gossip

blessing instead of retaliating

doing good quietly

showing compassion

releasing bitterness

Take a moment and ask yourself:

Is there someone I need to forgive? 

Is there bitterness I’ve been rehearsing?

Is hatred quietly discipling my heart?

Now pray together for:

healing from offense

freedom from bitterness

compassion for difficult people

the ability to love like Jesus

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Power Through Patience

What if patience is not the absence of power, but the pathway to it?

In this Pentecost Sunday message, Power Through Patience, Dallas Amsden explores the upside-down way of the Kingdom, where true power does not come through control, speed, or self-reliance. It comes through surrender, waiting, and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Looking at Philippians 2, Acts 1–2, and John 14, we’ll see how Jesus models surrendered power through Kenosis, how the disciples waited in unity and prayer before Pentecost, and how the Holy Spirit empowers believers to live as witnesses of Jesus in the world.

The world says, “Move faster. Take control. Force the outcome.”

The Kingdom says, “Wait on the Lord. Empty your hands. Receive the Spirit.”

Because in the Kingdom of God, the Spirit fills what surrender empties.

Acts 2

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What stood out to you most from this week’s message on Pentecost and patience? Why do you think waiting is often uncomfortable for people?

Looking at Acts 1:4-8, why do you think Jesus told the disciples to wait instead of immediately sending them out?

What is Kenosis from Philippians 2:5-8, and how did Jesus model surrendered power?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

Which of these hit closest to home for you:confusing control with peaceconfusing speed with obedience

confusing self-reliance with strength

Why?

Where in your life do you currently feel like you’re in a “waiting room”?relationshipshealingfinancespurposefamilyclarity

spiritual growth

What are you most tempted to control when life feels uncertain? What does that reveal about your trust in God?

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

What is one area of your life where you need to stop rushing and start trusting God more deeply?

What would it practically look like for you to:wait with God instead of rushing ahead of Him?surrender control instead of forcing outcomes?

seek God’s presence instead of merely quick solutions?

Take a moment and honestly share: Where are you emotionally exhausted from trying to hold everything together yourself?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

First Will Be Last

What sits on the throne of your heart?And what happens when the pursuit of being first quietly becomes the center of your life?

In this message, we confront one of the deepest struggles of modern culture: the obsession with visibility, influence, comparison, and self-promotion. We live in a world where attention has become identity, where followers can feel like significance, and where people are constantly pressured to perform instead of simply live. But Jesus introduces a completely different Kingdom—one where greatness looks like servanthood, humility, surrender, and faithfulness.

Through the teachings of Jesus in Mark 9:30-37 and the Parable of the Workers in Matthew 20:1-16, we uncover how comparison creates entitlement, how pride turns life into competition, and why grace feels offensive when we believe we deserve more than others. We also explore the powerful theological idea of Kenosis from Philippians 2:5-8—the self-emptying of Jesus—not as weakness, but as ultimate surrender.

Because the Kingdom of God does not reward the loudest voice, the biggest platform, or the most recognized name. Heaven’s scoreboard is different. The world climbs ladders… but the Kingdom washes feet. This message is a challenge to stop building the kingdom of self and surrender the throne to the true King. Because in the end, the goal of Christianity is not self-promotion… it’s self-sacrifice.Message Description

Mark 9:30-37

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What stood out to you most from this week’s message?  What does Jesus mean when He says, “the first will be last and the last first”?

How does modern culture define greatness differently than the Kingdom of God?

Looking at Matthew 20:1-16, why were the workers who came first upset even though they received exactly what was promised?  Do you think they had a legit reason to be upset?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

Which line hit you the hardest and why:            “Visibility is not the same as significance.”            “Comparison is the birthplace of resentment.”            “Pride turns life into competition. Humility turns life into calling.”

When someone else succeeds, do you naturally celebrate with them… or compare yourself against them?  What does that reveal about your heart?

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

Where are you tempted to build your identity around visibility instead of obedience?

What is one practical way you can choose humility over self-promotion this week?serving quietlyencouraging someone elsecelebrating another person’s success

stepping away from comparison

choosing faithfulness over attention

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Strength through Surrender

What if surrender isn’t weakness… but trust?And what if the interruptions in your life are invitations from God?

In this Mother’s Day message, we look at the story of Mary and discover a powerful Kingdom truth: God often does His greatest work through surrendered people. Mary’s life was interrupted by a promise she didn’t fully understand, a process she didn’t control, and a future she could not clearly see. Yet her response became one of the most courageous statements in Scripture: “Be it unto me according to your word.”

Together, we explore the biblical idea of Kenosis—the emptying of self—not as becoming less human, but as becoming fully surrendered to the God who created us. From Mary’s “yes” to Jesus surrendering Himself in Philippians 2, we discover that the Christian life is not about clinging tighter to control but learning to trust God more deeply through the process.

Because the truth is, most of us want the promise without the preparation. We want the destination without the journey. But God is not only concerned with where He is taking you… He is shaping who you become along the way.

This message is an invitation to loosen your grip on fear, control, and self-preservation—and trust that surrender in the hands of God is never wasted.  Because sometimes the very thing that feels like interruption… is preparation for purpose.

Luke 1: 26-38

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What stood out to you most from this week’s message?

How is biblical surrender different from weakness or giving up?

Why do you think God often reveals purpose progressively instead of giving us the whole picture at once?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

Which line hit you the most:“God’s plans often arrive disguised as interruptions.”“The process is not punishment—it’s preparation.”“Faith trusts God before it understands God.”

What area of your life is hardest for you to surrender and why:controltimingfuturecomfortreputationunderstandingother?

DEEP HEART QUESTION… Are you more focused on the destination God promised… or the person God is forming?

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

What is one practical way you can surrender control to God this week?

Where do you sense God may be developing your character instead of simply changing your circumstances?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

Fear of Loneliness

What if the loneliness you feel isn’t a flaw… but a signal?And what if the life you’re trying to build was never meant to be built alone?

In this final week of BRAVE: What Faith Does to Fear, we take an honest look at one of the most common—and most hidden—fears people carry: loneliness. In a world where we’ve never been more connected, we’re discovering that connection doesn’t always mean community.

From the beginning, God said it was not good for man to be alone. Scripture consistently points us toward something deeper than independence—a life of shared purpose, shared burdens, and shared growth. Because you can believe alone… but you grow together.

We explore the tension between a culture that celebrates self-sufficiency and a Kingdom that calls us into interdependence. We look at what true community looked like in the early church, why it wasn’t forced but fueled by transformed hearts, and how real connection is still possible today.

This message isn’t just about understanding loneliness…It’s about stepping out of it.

Because at the end of the day, you don’t just need a plan from God— you need people from God. And maybe the step you’ve been avoiding…is the one that changes everything.

Psalms 68:6

Discussion topics

HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?

What is the difference between being connected and being known?

Looking at Genesis 2:18, why do you think God said it was not good for man to be alone?

How does Acts 2:42-47 challenge the way we typically think about church and community today?

HEART – How did it make you feel?

When do you feel loneliness the most—crowds, quiet moments, stress, or something else? Have you ever experienced a season where you had “everything”… but still felt alone?

Which line hit you the most:“You can believe alone… but you grow together.”“If you have everything… but no one… you’re still missing something.”

HANDS – What are you going to do with it?

Do you tend to:      - isolate when things get hard      - or move toward people

Loneliness is real—and it’s felt deeply.  Take a moment and share (if comfortable) Where have you felt alone recently?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next