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The Healing Self
The Valuable Self | Part 3
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
October 5, 2025

What if you could see yourself the way God does? Sunday’s message will help you reframe your self-worth through the Imago Dei: God’s image in you. We’ll explore how early wounds distort our view of God and ourselves. You’ll come away with practical steps for breaking free of self-defeating patterns, reclaiming dignity, and treating others (and yourself) as sacred. Come discover the God Who delights in and made you a unique reflection of Himself.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 

1. When you hear the phrase “made in the image of God,” what does that mean to you personally?
 
2. How have early relationships (family, parents, teachers, friends) shaped the way you view yourself, or even the way you view God?
 
3. Why is it so important to distinguish between denying selfishness and denying self? How has that misunderstanding caused harm for some Christians?
 
4. C.S. Lewis said, “You have never met a mere mortal.” How might this truth affect the way you see others, especially the marginalized, overlooked, and mistreated?
 
5. What lies have you believed about your worth, and what truths from God’s Word can you use to replace them?
 
6. Adoption in Christ means intimacy, security, and belonging. Which of these speaks most to you right now, and why?

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The Healing Self
The False Self | Part 2
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
September 28, 2025

We all wrestle with the temptation to project a version of ourselves that hides our true fears, flaws, and struggles. As a result, many of us chase after approval, admiration, and accomplishments to fill the deep need of belonging. Pastor Keith shows how true freedom comes not through pretense, but by being fully known by God and anchored in His acceptance. Discover how to let down the mask and recover the true self God designed you to be.

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Discussion Questions 

1. Where do you notice yourself most tempted to “wear a mask” or live out of a false self?
 
2. Why do you think seeking admiration, appearance, or accomplishments can feel so rewarding but ultimately leave us empty?
 
3. How does it change your perspective to realize that God is never disappointed in you because He already knows you completely?
 
4. What “useful lies” have you believed about yourself, and how have they shaped your behavior?
 
5. How has genuine community (friends, family, church) helped you see the “real you”? What makes an authentic community both risky and essential?
 
6. What is one practical step you can take this week to live more vulnerably and authentically with God, yourself, or others?

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The Healing Self
The Broken Self | Part 1 
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
September 21, 2025

We live in a world that throws away what’s broken whether it’s dishes, electronics, or people. But God is different. He seeks out the broken, treasures the shattered, and transforms our cracks into something beautiful. Like stained glass, He takes the pieces of our story and makes them shine with His glory. If you’ve ever felt discarded, unwanted, or beyond repair, this message is for you: God does His best work through broken people.

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1. Have you ever felt discarded, overlooked, or “broken pottery”? How did that shape the way you see yourself or others?
 
2. Why do you think God values brokenness when the world rejects it?
 
3. Which “coping style” (stuffer, pretender, firefighter, manager) do you most relate to—and what are its costs?
 
4. In what ways can admitting our brokenness actually open the door to healing and freedom?
 
5. What would it look like in your life for God to take the “shattered glass” of your story and turn it into something beautiful?

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Strong Women Strong World
Whataboutism | Part 10 
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
September 14, 2025

Step-by-step throughout this entire series, we’ve been laying the foundation for Biblical, female leadership. We’ve looked at the two most commonly cited Scriptures (1 Corinthians 14.34-35 and 1 Timothy 2.12) that have been used to prohibit women from teaching or leading in church. What followed were 8 of the best examples of women who did in fact teach and lead, explaining their stories with the same detail Scripture affords each of them. As we wrap up the series, we’re going to examine a handful of other Bible passages that are often misunderstood and misapplied as it relates to women in leadership. These messages have been an opportunity for us all to let Scripture speak for itself, sharpen our study skills and celebrate how God has used women and men throughout history for His kingdom purposes. 
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1. At the close of the series, Pastor Keith addressed some of the other more frequently asked questions regarding women in leadership? Have you ever been asked any of these questions? Which questions challenged you most? Would you answer any of these questions in a different way?
 
2. To be able answer objections to our faith, we need to be good students of the Word. In 2 Timothy 2.15 (New Living Translation), Paul reminded Timothy, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” How do we become better students of the Bible? How do we find answers to questions we’re asked? What resources have you found most helpful?
 
3. Christianity, especially in its earliest days, enjoyed tremendous popularity with women. Many had never heard or experienced such a liberating message. To this day, women still make up the majority of professed Christians. What do you think draws women to the faith? Do you think the Church (as in the universal church or as it exists in the USA) is still valuing women like they were in the New Testament or are things changing? What has been your experience in church as a woman?
 
4. What impact, if any, has this message or series had on you personally? Do you feel better equipped to address the question of female leadership in the Bible? Which messages stood out to you most and why?

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Strong Women Strong World
Huldah | Part 9 
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
September 7, 2025


Over the many years I have been a pastor, I’ve often heard people say, “God only raised up women as leaders when there was no man to lead.” It’s such an ignorant statement and this Sunday’s message is proof of that. Huldah was a prophet in the Old Testament. She lived at the same time as two other well-known prophets - Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Yet God used her mightily to turn the nation back to Himself and not because there were no men speaking up for God. God used Huldah because she had the message the king and the people needed to hear. If you don’t know her incredible story, don’t miss this message.

Discussion Questions 

1. Take some time to consider some of the parallels between the movie Hidden Figures and the women whose stories we’ve been learning about in this series. In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different? Can you think of other historical examples where the achievements of women have been largely unacknowledged? 
Why do you think this has been true in history? Why do you think the stories of women in the Bible are often not told well or with the same level of detail that Scripture records them?
 
2. When you think about the span of time that passed between Solomon’s generation and that of Josiah, 300 years seems like a long time but at the same time, it doesn’t seem that long to actually forget God’s Word, to abandon the Temple and stop celebrating the very feast that reminds you of why you are a people (Passover). What should we be learning from their failures? How might churches face the same threats externally and internally? Was anything in this account of how far God’s people had strayed shocking or surprising to you and why?
 
3. Huldah is a prophetess whose authority and trusted position is beyond dispute. She is the first one sought out for an answer from God. Everything she said is received without debate or pushback. She validates the book they found as the Word of God and then interprets the book for their present situation. What stood out to you most in the telling of Huldah’s story? Why do you think Huldah was unaffected and uncompromised by the corruption of Jewish society all around her? What can you learn from her example about being a thermostat instead of a thermometer? What spiritual disciplines do you engage in regularly to help protect you from corruption from within or without?
 
4. Take some time to look over the chiastic structure of the telling of Huldah’s story. Why do you think the writer of Chronicles chose to emphasize Huldah over Josiah? Why does her prophecy occupy center stage in this narrative?
 
5. Huldah left an unmistakable mark on history, Jewish history, Christian history and even American history. What are some of the things that stood out to you about Huldah’s legacy? Why do you suppose this woman, who inspired so many in history, and is the only woman to have gates in Jerusalem named after her, why is her story so relatively unknown today? What can you do to make sure others know about Huldah’s inspirational story?

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Strong Women Strong World
Lydia | Part 8 
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
August 31, 2025


Lydia stands out in Scripture as both the first recorded European convert to Christianity and a model of faithful leadership. She turned her home into the earliest meeting place for the Philippian church. She also invested her resources and reputation in the spread of Christianity. As a businesswoman, she embodies the integration of faith, enterprise, and generosity, leaving a legacy as a trailblazer for women of influence in the story of the church.

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Discussion Questions

1. In Pastor Keith’s introduction to today’s message, he mentioned how not only in Scripture are more women than men recognized for their financial support of Jesus and Paul but in practical terms, that still is the case when it comes to giving among Christ followers today. Why do you suppose this is? Has this been a factor in your present or past relationships? 
 
2. There are those in the church who object to women in leadership inside and outside of the church. How would I answer those objections today? What did you find most compelling in the Biblical argument that Pastor Keith presented today? Who are some of the women today that you admire as strong leaders, especially in regard to their Christian witness?
 
3. Lydia represents a convert who had some level of knowledge of the Hebrew God, His laws, His promises, and His people. Besides Jewish people, the God fears were a group specifically targeted by the Apostle Paul and his entourage because of that baseline understanding. In light of that, who are the people who are easiest to reach today and what groups represent a greater challenge? Why do you feel that way?
 
4. The two best evidences of the genuineness of Lydia’s conversion were her immediate willingness to publicly identify with Christ in baptism AND to welcome these strangers into her home (hospitality – love of the stranger). How well does the American church show these two pieces of evidence today? If you feel like the church is lacking in one of these areas, what do you think needs to be done to change that?
 
5. There are two themes running through the book of Acts. One is the transition from being an exclusively Jewish faith to becoming a more inclusive Christian faith. What are some of the challenges the church faced? How did they overcome the challenges? The other transition was from a centralized faith around the institution of the Temple to a decentralized faith built around the household (oikos). What are the challenges the church faced with this transition?
 
6. As we rapidly approach the conclusion of this series, where have you been challenged most? What have you learned that you didn’t know prior to this series? What new appreciation do you have for the female leaders of Scripture? How does any of this affect your daily walk with God?

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Why Church?
All In | Part 2
Dr. Jessica Fernandez 
August 24, 2025

The Church thrives when ordinary people say yes to an extraordinary mission. This message is a call to move beyond passive attendance and step fully into God’s purpose—offering our time, talents, and resources to something far greater than ourselves. Jesus invites us into a radically generous, mission-driven community where sacrifice becomes joy and service becomes worship. We’re not just filling roles—we’re building the Kingdom. When we give our lives to the Church, we’re investing in what Jesus gave His life for. Your presence matters. Your gifts matter. Because the Church isn’t just worth your time—it’s worthy of your life.

Connect. Serve. Grow. Give.

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Discussion Questions 

1. What area of your life has been the hardest to surrender to Jesus—and why do you think that is? Reflect on your personal "life balls" (e.g., time,relationships, career, past, control). What are you still trying to carry?

2. What does being “All In” for Jesus look like in your current season of life? In what ways are you following Him with full devotion, and where might you be holding back?

3. How has surrendering to Jesus in the past brought freedom, healing, or direction in your life? Share a testimony of a time you let go of something and saw God show up in a powerful way.

4. Which area—Connect, Serve, Grow, or Give—do you feel God is inviting you to step into more fully right now? What’s one action you can take this week to lean into that area?

5. Why is it important to surrender in community instead of trying to do it alone? How can your group support each other in taking the next steps of obedience and trust?

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Why Church?
Plan A | Part 1
Dr. Jessica Fernandez 
August 17, 2025

What if the Church wasn’t just a good idea—but God’s idea? From Genesis to Revelation, God has been forming a people to carry His love, truth, and hope into the world. The Church—imperfect as she is—isn’t a side project or a backup plan. She’s Plan A. In this message, we’ll rediscover the Church’s true identity: a spiritual family, a beacon of truth, a place of healing, and a launchpad for mission. The Church may be flawed, but she is chosen—called to bring light to the darkness and hope to the hopeless. This message invites you to see the Church not as something you attend, but as something you’re invited to become—a vital part of God’s redemptive mission in the world. 

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1. How do your personal wounds or disappointments with the Church reflect a deeper theology of grace, brokenness, and sanctification?
In what ways has the Church’s imperfection challenged your view of God's redemptive plan through flawed people? (Read Ephesians 5:25–27. How does Christ’s love for an imperfect Bride reframe your expectations of the Church?)

2. Ephesians 3:10 says that through the Church, God's "manifold wisdom" is made known even to the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” What does this verse suggest about the heavenly significance of the Church?
How might underestimating the Church reveal a limited view of God's eternal purposes?

3.In what ways do you wrestle with consumerism or individualism when it comes to the Church?
Reflect on your current engagement—are you primarily receiving or contributing? How does 1 Peter 4:10 challenge your understanding of your role within the Body?

4. Paul describes the Church as both a spiritual family and a functioning body (1 Corinthians 12:12–27).
Where do you see yourself in this metaphor? Are you fulfilling your spiritual function or remaining disconnected? What obstacles—emotional, theological, or practical—are preventing full participation?

5. What legacy are you building through your investment in the Church? In light of Matthew 6:20 and Ephesians 3:21, how does your current life rhythm reflect an eternal mindset? How would your calendar, budget, and priorities change if you believed that every act of faithfulness in the Church echoed into eternity?

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Strong Women Strong World
Mary | Part 6
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
August 3, 2025

Mary is the fourth-most mentioned New Testament character after Jesus, Peter, and Paul. Yet in the average Protestant church, she is typically ignored. Rarely will you hear a message devoted just to telling Mary’s story. Or if you do, it sounds more like a sappy Hallmark commercial than the portrait we actually see of her in Scripture. It’s time we get to know this prophetic, powerful woman who consistently points us to Jesus.

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Discussion Questions 

1. What perceptions did you have of Mary before hearing today’s message? If you have a church background, what sort of teaching did you have from pastors or other leaders in your church? If you have no church background, what was your understanding of Mary?
 
2. The level of poverty in first century Palestine was severe – affecting the vast majority of those who lived there. It’s something that the holy family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus) experienced daily both personally and socially. People were hungry for hope in the midst of economic despair. Mary’s song prophesies a new reality. In what ways has the church throughout the ages addressed the problems of poverty? If you don’t know the answer to this question, use it as your homework assignment.
 
3. In this message, Pastor Keith addressed Mary’s calling, her prophecy, how she prophecies, her Scriptural knowledge, and the things she predicted about her Son. Have you ever thought of Mary as a prophet? What stood out to you most about this? Why do you think so many churches downplay Mary’s role as a prophet? 
 
4. When it comes to the telling of the Christmas story, Pastor Keith laid the blame at the feet of the Church that has often watered down the radical and revolutionary message of Mary. Why is the church often the ones most guilty of telling a truncated, sanitized, overly simplified Christmas story? Luke’s gospel is the most common Scripture read as it relates to Christmas, but the part about the Magnificat is almost always left out. Why is that?
 
5. There are definite and intentional parallels between the story of Eden and the story of Golgotha. Take some time to review this part of the message. List the parallels you remember. Why does this matter? How does it reflect the amazing unity of Scripture?

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Strong Women Strong World
Elizabeth | Part 5
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
July 27, 2025

Though only a minor character in the Christmas story, Elizabeth plays a major role among the leading women of the New Testament. Besides Elizabeth’s influence on the young, pregnant Mary, there are many “firsts” associated with Elizabeth that the average Christian doesn’t even know. Largely because there’s been a tendency in church history to diminish Elizabeth and treat her time with Mary as little more than a protracted baby shower. It’s past time we restore her rightful place among Bible leaders. 

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What surprised you in this message today?

2. Why do you think Mary wanted to see her relative 
Elizabeth? What do you think Mary hoped to get out of the visit? 

3. How does Elizabeth respond to Mary and why? How else could she have responded?
 
4. Have you ever had someone like Elizabeth in your life? Studies have found that adolescents thrive when they have at least one strong, sustained relationship with a significant adult, this can be a coach, a teacher, an extended family member, youth pastor, small group leader, etc.. Who besides your parents have made significant contributions to your life especially in an area where you were struggling, growing, or learning? How did they help you? How are you different today as a result of their influence? Have you ever been that kind of person for someone else? Why or why not?
 
5. We often have the opposite view of blessing from Scripture. Too often, we equate blessings with money, health, and happiness. In the Bible, to be blessed was to be used by God for His kingdom purposes. How have you been Biblically blessed? Why are people so hungry to be blessed today?
 
6. Take a few minutes and bless one another. Remind one another of their belovedness just for being who they are. Think beyond what people do or even what they do for you and think about what it is about them that makes them the kind of person they are. Praise and bless that quality.
 
7. Mary is emboldened by her time with Elizabeth to see things as she never has before – especially as it relates to her purpose. Luke’s telling of the Christmas story is revolutionary and so unlike the way we typically tell it today. Why do we do this to the Christmas story? Together read the Magnificat (Mary’s song and next week’s message) in Luke 1.46-55.