In our October 12 Sunday gathering, we kick off a new series about what Christians believe and what the Bible is all about, and we start with belief #1, God is a transcendent being who has made himself known. This week's discussion. questions are below:

When people today hear the word “Christian,” what kinds of assumptions do you think they make? Which of those assumptions are true, and which are misunderstandings?

If someone asked you, “What is Christianity all about?” how would you answer right now, in one or two sentences?

Why do you think so many people (even lifelong churchgoers) struggle to summarize what the Bible is really about?

The sermon proposes seven core beliefs that summarize the story of Scripture. Which one stands out to you most, and why?

How does seeing the Bible as one unified story leading to Jesus change the way you read or understand individual stories—especially the strange or difficult ones?

Have you ever been taught a version of Christianity that focused only on “going to heaven when you die”? How does the idea that heaven is coming to earth shift your understanding of what God is doing?

Tim Keller said, “There is a thirst in the human heart that will not be denied... that thirst is for transcendence.” Where do you see that thirst showing up in our culture today? How have you seen people try to fill it apart from God?

Do you agree that every person has a “God-shaped hole,” as Blaise Pascal put it? What evidence do you see of that in your own life or in the world around you?