Pastor Amanda challenges us to deepen our roots in our relationship with The Lord. 

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1.    Icebreaker question: What infomercial is the most memorable for you?

a.    Are you easily talked into buying things

b.    What’s the silliest impulse buy you’ve ever made?

2.    Share about the moment when you realized that Jesus was your Lord as well as your Savior.

a.    Was this an easy decision to come to? Or were there difficult things you had to lay aside?

b.    What gets in the way of a disciplined daily rooting of yourself in Christ?

3.    What is the condition of your heart? What kind of soil are you?

a.    Leader’s Note: Read description of soil types, then be super honest about what type of soil you’ve been lately. The more transparent, the better. 

b.    Extra Credit: We have all be each type of soil at one point in our lives. What has been the consistent thing that pushed you to grow into “Good Soil?”

·      PATH – Unresponsive -  You hear the gospel but you don’t do anything with it

·      ROCKY – IMPULSIVE - Passion that lacks discipline will inevitably burn out

·      THORNS – PREOCCUPIED – Busyness or money or popularity take priority over God

·      GOOD SOIL – RESPONSIVE - Hear the Word: Accept it – Retain it, Persevere in it, Continue to live in it

4.    What keeps you from trusting God for the growth? 

a.    Have you added anything to your soil that would prevent God’s Word from growing the fruit He wants you to grow?

b.    Fruits of the Spirit

5.    We know a few things are absolute…

a.    The Sower is good & faithful…

b.    The Seed is good & truth….

                                      i.     What changes need to be made in your life right now that would produce Good Soil for the Seed?

6.    Pastor Amanda’s Prayer for you today:

a.    You understand the gospel.

                                      i.     Good news that Jesus rescued you.

b.    You pursue more of Christ in your life.

                                      i.     Get God’s word deep in your heart – GROW

c.     You allow your beliefs to take action.

                                      i.     The truth of God’s word is solidified (rooted) in your heart by action

Join us today as Pastor Ryan leads us in a conversation about something we all desperately need yet often overlook; Sabbath Rest.

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

Join us as Pastor Ryan helps us to Reset our spirits so we can operate at full capacity... 

Discussion questions for Small Groups:

Read Psalm 51:10-12

1. When you think of the word Fasting, what crosses your mind? 

    a. Share a story about a previous Fast you've done. Tell the good, the bad, & the what came from it. 

2. Pastor Ryan defined Fasting as: replacing something you Want with Some One you Truly Need

    a. What are some things in your life that feel like Needs, that are truly Wants?

3. Read Jesus' teaching on Prayer & Fasting: Matthew 6:5-18

    a. What stands out to you? 

    b. How do you think your spiritual life stacks up in lieu of Jesus' teaching?

4. Fasting connects God's desire to be with us with our desire to be with Him. 

    a. What do you think your life would look like if you had the same desire to know God as He has to know you?

5. Share with the group what you are fasting from so we can be accountable to one another. 

    a. What are you seeking The Lord for in this season of Prayer & Fasting?

Pastor Ryan walks us through the question, "How do we walk in The Light while Surrounded by Darkness?"

1. Go to God's Word
2. Know God's Word
3. Activate God's Word

Pastor Amanda sheds some "LIGHT" on the power of the Incarnation of Jesus. 

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1.     Read John 1:14 and Philippians 2:5-7 together

a.     Have you ever thought about the gravity of the incarnation; God taking the form of man and living the life of a human being?

b.     What significance has this held to you up to this point in your life?

2.     Pastor Amanda said that if the incarnation is true – if Jesus was truly God in the flesh then we should:

a.     Stand in Awe of Him

                                      i.     In what ways have you stood in awe and reverence of Jesus?

                                    ii.     What can you do to add the awe factor back into the awesomeness of God?

b.     Center our lives around Him

                                      i.     Over the last few weeks, what has your life been centered on? 

1.     Knowing what we know now, what can you do to course correct if your life hasn’t been centered around Him?

                                    ii.     Pastor Amanda suggested these:

1.     Sacrifice with your lips 

2.     Sacrifice with your life 

3.     Sacrifice with your finances

c.     Embrace that He is our salvation

                                      i.     The only way that we can even have the opportunity to go to Heaven is because of God taking on flesh, all because He loved YOU so much

1.     Have you ever thought about how radical His love is for you?

2.     What can you do to radically love Him in return?

3.     What changes could you make, whether in activity or approach, that might make this Christmas a season of greater wonder, awe, gratitude and worship — real joy — at what Jesus has done?

In Jesus we have Life, Hope & Confidence. Join us as Pastor Ryan digs into the weight of Light vs. Darkness

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

John 1:1-5 (read as a group)

1. Share a story or two of something that went wrong, that darkness made even worse. 

    a. Example: Flat Tire / Getting Lost / Getting Sick

2. Light is Light

    a. Read Matthew 5:14-16 

        i. Looking objectively at your life, how would you rate your effectiveness as "The Light of the World?"

    b. Read Matthew 11:28-30

        i. If Light is truly Light, why does life seem so heavy?

        ii. Which areas of your life could use a bit more light?

3. Darkness is Heavy 

    a. Pastor Ryan said, "Sin adds so much heaviness to our lives that we've become accustomed to the weight."

        i. What area of your life is it the easiest for darkness to creep in?

        ii. Which areas do you feel your light shines the brightest?

4. Darkness Doesn't Win

    a. Can you describe a season when you were Chasing Jesus with everything you had & how that felt compared to a different season when maybe you were focused on things besides The Lord?

    b. Pastor Ryan said, "Real Light Offends Darkness."

        i. Share about a time when your light (your relationship with Jesus) offended someone else & how you & they responded.

5. When we combine our lights, they shine even brighter...

    a. How can we pray with you this week? 

Pastor Amanda kicks off our Christmas series. Join us as we dig into the battle of Light vs. Darkness. Spoiler Alert - Light Wins!!!


Discussion Questions for Small Groups
1. Are you afraid of the dark? Or have you ever had an experience that made you glad for even a little light? Share about it. 

2. Pastor Amanda said "You don’t fully appreciate the LIGHT until you’ve experienced real DARKNESS - It’s the absence of light (or darkness) that makes you appreciate the light so much.

- Have you ever walked through a dark season that you are willing to share with the group?

3. Read the following to the group and then read the scriptures and discuss together:

Living in darkness looks like: 

a. Living with no hope for tomorrow - Romans 15:13

b. Living with an uncertainty about eternity - 1 John 5:13

c. Living with no purpose to life - Jerimiah 29:11

4. We've seen the end of the book (Bible) and Light always wins over darkness - and, because of Jesus, we will never know complete darkness. What can/do you do when things seem dark around you, to remind you that darkness will never prevail? 

So Thankful that you've joined us today. Pastor Ryan helps us walk through what Thanksgiving truly is. 

Discussion Questions for Small Group:
Read the quick story: Luke 17:11-19

1. Share about a time when you saw something great in someone & you did not tell them what you thought. 

    a. Share about a time when you did tell them. 

    b. Are you quick to 

2. What are some things in your life that you are easily thankful for?

    a. Think a bit deeper now. What are some things that you are thankful for, but maybe you've never acknowledged how much of a blessing they are in your life?

3. Pastor Ryan said, "The truth is that none of us deserve anything The Lord has done for us & yet He continues to Give & Give out of His Great Love for us."

    a. When you spend time thinking through how gracious & loving God has been to you, what thoughts & emotions come to mind?

4. Pastor Ryan said, "Thanksgiving is Trust."

    a. If God has been so faithful to bring you to where you are now, why is it so difficult for us to Trust Him to be faithful when a new trial presents itself?

5. Pastor Ryan said, "Thanksgiving is Giving."

    a. What are some reasons that hold us back from being Thankful through our finances? 

    b. Pastor Ryan said, "Show me your bank statement and I'll show you what you're thankful for."

        i. What are some things that your bank statement would say that you're thankful for that you're not really thankful for? 

        ii. (Leaders note: The more open & honest you are here, the more open & honest your group will be)

Follow along as Pastor Ryan treks through a fantastic story in God's Word & brings some challenging concepts out of the story. 

Discussion Questions: 
1 Kings 18:16-40

1. Read Vs. 21

    a. Does the life you live Monday through Saturday reflect your choice of Who you follow? 

    b. If there's a difference in the person you are through the week versus the person you are on Sunday, how can you reconcile this?

2. Read Vs. 30

    a. Is there a sacred place where you continually meet with Jesus? An Alter?

    b. Are there Repairs that need to be made in your relationship with The Lord? 

    c. Pastor Ryan said, "When we read about God's Miracles, they are always attached to Changing Someone's Heart. So Maybe God's Miracle is waiting on a Heart that's willing to change."

        i. Are you even willing to make the necessary changes in your life, in your schedule, in your family to repair or prepare God's Altar? 

3. Read Vs. 33-34

    a. Pastor Ryan said, "Make sure everything ends up on the altar." 

    b. What are some things that are truly difficult to lay down? 

        i. Why are we so afraid of giving these particular parts of our lives to God?

        ii. Do we not trust that He is still a Good, Loving God? 

4. How do you think this story affected the rest of Israel? 

    a. If you saw this event firsthand, how would your life change? 

    b. After digging into this story, what effect do you think it'll have on your life moving forward? 

Jesus is the Savior AND Lord, yet we treat this as a choice.
1. The Lord is the Leader
2. The Lord is the Defender
3. The Lord is the Ultimate Authority

Discussion Questions:
Read Psalm 23 / Multiple versions 

Jesus is Savior AND Lord

1. How did you come to the realization that you needed to be saved? 

    a. What was it that you felt you were being saved from?

2. When you signed up with Jesus, did you subscribe to a savior alone? 

    a. When did Jesus' Lordship come into play with your theology?

3. Pastor Ryan said, "The first act of following Jesus is not acceptance by the Christian Community, but an act of Denying One's Self." (Luke 9:23)

    a. How well do you deny your own wants, hopes and dreams?

    b. What does it look like to truly deny yourself for the sake of The Gospel?

4. Pastor Ryan said, The Lord is The Leader, The Defender, and the Ultimate Authority. 

    a. How can we truly be ourselves when every aspect of life is already spoken for by The Lord?

    b. Are we even willing to submit fully to The Lord, or are we going to continue to pick and choose the aspects of Jesus that fit our lives the way we like it?