Let's talk about the practice almost no one wants to do: memorizing Scripture. It sounds old-fashioned, like rotary phones and casseroles with Jell-O. But here’s the thing—when the bottom drops out, what comes to mind isn’t your favorite podcast quote. It’s something your soul remembers. A line of truth you tucked away long ago. The words we carry shape who we become. So we’re going to take this practice out of the dustbin of history and hold it up to the light. Not to show off but to stay grounded. Anchored. Loved. 

Spoiler: the Bible is not a book. It’s a whole bunch of them, bound together by duct tape and divine mystery. It’s poetry and protest songs, ancient emails and cosmic dreams, and if you read it like it’s all one thing, you’ll miss what makes it beautiful. This week, we learn to study the Bible like it’s a weird, beloved collection of stories and songs and not a vending machine of inspirational quotes. It’s messier than we thought but way more human. And, therefore, even more divine.

The Bible isn’t fast food. It’s slow bread. In a world of scrolling and skimming, we’ve forgotten how to pause with a single verse, sit in silence, and let it speak to us. This week, we’ll rediscover the ancient practice of meditating on Scripture, not as an escape from life but as a way of soaking in truth that transforms us. You don’t need a seminary degree to hear from God. You just need time, attention, and a willingness to listen. 

Many of us were taught that the Bible is something we have to defend against critics, culture, or even our own doubts. But what if we’re missing the point? In this opening message, we’ll explore why the Bible doesn’t need our protection — it needs our attention. Rather than smoothing over contradictions or anxiously proving its reliability, we’re invited to approach Scripture with humility and joy. This week, we’ll learn to stop defending the Bible and start delighting in it.

Yogi Bera famously quipped, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” There’s something about facing big choices that simultaneously piques our curiosity, while reminding us that we long for security and control. What can we learn from Paul’s dramatic encounter with the Lord on the Road to Damascus about what it looks like to choose Christ? 

What's next when your picture of God doesn’t match your experience? In the midst of processing their own disappointment and confusion two travelers encountered Jesus on the Road to Emmaus. Their story reminds us that our journey of faith isn’t about having it all figured out; it’s about walking with Jesus until our eyes are opened to something deeper, fuller, and more alive.

Some roads you never choose: pain, loss, betrayal. But you still find yourself walking them. Jesus did too. We’re talking about how His journey to the cross meets us in our worst moments and gives us something better than just survival; it gives us a way forward.

Buckle up for a summer series through four powerful stories in Scripture! From compassion on the Road to Jericho, to resilience on the Road to Calvary, discovery on the Road to Emmaus, and transformation on the Road to Damascus, these journeys remind us what it means to follow Jesus. Each week, we’ll journey through core elements of discipleship: spending time with Jesus, learning from Him, and becoming more like Him.

For the first week of our series, we'll dive into a story that shows that knowing the right thing and doing the right thing are two different things. The story of the ambushed traveler rescued by a good Samaritan on the Road to Jericho reminds us that love is inconvenient, and offers a great road map for how the way of Jesus is radically counter-cultural. 

Josiah stepped into a world already on fire. The temple was in ruins, the Scriptures were forgotten, and the people had traded purpose for idols. He could’ve coasted. He could’ve inherited the throne, played it safe, and passed the blame. But something inside him broke when he heard the words of the forgotten Scriptures. Josiah shows us what it looks like when someone refuses to be shaped by the past and decides to rewrite the future. He was young, bold, and unshakable. Perhaps the most radical thing he did was believe that change was still possible. 

In the midst of global turmoil, what does it mean to follow the way of Jesus? It's not enough to just love peace – we’re called to make it by committing our allegiance to a kingdom that transcends every border. As headlines fill with conflict, polarization, and competing narratives, our primary identity is not national or political, it’s spiritual. If you’ve ever felt the tension between faith and patriotism, peace and power, this message is for you. Don’t fit in. Fit out. Be the misfit who heals the world.