Merry Christmas! We're so thankful you joined us for our Christmas Arise Gathering. We pray this message is encouraging to you and your groups!

Discussion Questions

1.How do you personally view celebration in your walk with God? Are there times when you find it hard to celebrate due to circumstances or personal feelings?

2.Have you ever had an assumption about God (ex.being disappointed in you, being distant) that has made it difficult to celebrate in relationship with Him?

3. Why do you think God commands us to celebrate—what is the deeper purpose behind it? The Bible often links celebration to remembering God's faithfulness and the good news of the gospel. How do celebrations help you remember God's goodness and what He has done for you?

4.How does celebrating even in difficult seasons show faith in God's ultimate victory? Can you think of a moment when choosing to celebrate, despite hardship, brought you closer to God or helped you see His provision?

5.Are there ways you can cultivate a childlike faith that leans into celebration and joy?

6.How does living a life of celebration impact those around us, especially those who don’t know Christ?

Mind Renewal Scriptures

If you’d like to listen to the meditation Pastor Melodi referenced, you can click here. You will need to download the app for FREE to listen. The specific date of entry, is October 30, 2024 on “Surrender.”

Questions for Reflection:

1. What kinds of burdens do we try to carry on our own instead of giving them to Jesus?

2. How does Paul’s command to "not be anxious about anything" challenge the way we normally respond to worry? How can we create space in our lives to "come to God" with our worries and burdens?

3. What role does thanksgiving play in finding peace, according to Philippians 4? How can this practice shift our perspective?

4. How does seeking "the Kingdom of God above all else" change our priorities and concerns?

5. Why do we often struggle to cast our anxieties on Jesus instead of on others? What happens when we try to carry them alone?

6. How do we struggle with the simplicity of Jesus' invitation to trust Him? What are we tempted to add to this simple act of faith?

7. How did Jesus prioritize God’s will over the expectations of others? How can we follow His example in our own lives?

*Trigger Warning: This podcast contains a brief story with a mention of sucide that may be triggering for some individuals.*

Download the Guidebook

Check out the lion images

Discussion Questions:

1. Recap Encounter Weekend together! If you and your group attended, what were stand-out moments for you? Did the Lord speak anything specific to you? Take a few moments for each person to share a little about their experience. 

2. It’s time to share! As you were doing each Guidepost, can you share about what God showed you? Was there a thread in these moments? 

3. What did you like about the Guidebook? What was challenging for you? 

4. Did you recognize any lies that you were believing? What does the Word say about what you believe? How are you renewing your mind with this Truth? 

5. How can you apply what you’ve learned from the Guidebook in your regular quiet time? 

Be sure to close your time together praying with and for one another.

Thank you for coming along on this journey with us. Now that you're equipped with the tools, we hope you see it is possible to have a direct, intimate, and dynamic relationship with God. God-Encounters can and should be a normal part of a believer's everyday life. And our prayer is that they will now be part of yours! The journey has only just begun.

“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you.” Jeremiah 30:2 

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:

Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.

With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: For My Good by Maverick City – ⁠Listen Here⁠.

God's Word is concrete, objective certainties about who God is and how He feels about you, as revealed by God Himself, in the Holy Scriptures. How do my Core Beliefs about God hold up to what He says in His Word? 

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:

Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.

WORSHIP:

With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: Man of Your Word by Maverick City – Listen Here.

We're defining Core Beliefs as belief systems (developed over time) that drive your behavior and affect how you interact with God. Have I believed things about God that aren’t true? 

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:

Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.

WORSHIP SONG:

With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: The Father's Song by Upperroom – Listen Here.

We're defining Crossroad Events as life-altering circumstances that dramatically change the trajectory of your life. Think of these as “fork-in-the-road” life moments—good or bad—that set you on your current course. Could these events be affecting more of my life than I realize? 

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:

Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.

WORSHIP SONG:

With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: Good Plans by Red Rocks Worship – Listen Here.

We're defining God-Moments as moments of relational communication (or attempted communication) between you and the LORD. Often subtle, think of these as the connection points in your relationship with God. “Could God be speaking to me without me knowing it?” 

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:

Download the Arise Encounter Guidebook HERE.

WORSHIP SONG:

With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: Just As I Am by Carrie Underwood – Listen Here.

Welcome to our Encounter 2024 Arise Encounter Guidebook podcast mini-series! We're so grateful to have you joining us on this journey. We're praying for you every step of the way. Lean in, we believe God is waiting to have an encounter with YOU!

My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”  Psalm 27:8 

DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:

Download the Arise Encounter Guidepost HERE.

WORSHIP SONG:

With each podcast, we've selected a worship song that we feel will encourage you on your journey. Today's Song: This is Why by Lifeline Worship – Listen Here.

If you’ve ever wondered how to facilitate group conversation with multiple personalities, this conversation with Pastor Addy and Kayla is for you! They share about the seven personality types and how you can confidently approach any personality. Thanks for tuning in!