How did the early church worship? When Christians gathered in the New Testament, was the meeting centered around a worship service led from the front, or around believers participating together for the building up of the body?

In this conversation, we look at 1 Corinthians 14:26–40, where Paul describes a gathering in which each person could bring a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation, with everything governed by one purpose: building one another up. We also consider Colossians 3, Acts 2, the churches that met in homes, the role of gifted teachers, and why mutual participation does not mean disorder or the absence of leadership.

Along the way, we ask a larger question: what is the purpose of church when believers gather together?

Read the companion study and join the conversation:
https://wakinguptograce.com/how-did-the-early-church-worship/

What does the New Testament actually show about church leadership roles and responsibilities? Did the first-century church gather under one ruling pastor, or did elders share the work of oversight, shepherding, teaching, and care?

In this conversation, we examine Acts 20 and several supporting passages to consider elders, overseers, shepherds, deacons, apostles, and the participation of the whole body. The biblical picture is not leadership without order. It is leadership shaped by service, example, protection, generosity, and Christ as the Chief Shepherd.

Read the companion study and join the conversation:
https://wakinguptograce.com/church-leadership-roles-and-responsibilities/

What does a Christian look like? Is there a visible standard that proves someone is a genuine believer, or have we confused Christian identity with religious performance?

In this conversation, we examine the impossible picture of the “perfect Christian,” the pride and fear produced by comparison, and the difference between asking what we must do next and understanding who we are now in Christ. Grace gives us a settled standing with our Father, and the Christian life grows from that identity instead of striving to earn it.

Read the companion reflection and join the conversation:
https://wakinguptograce.com/what-does-a-christian-look-like/

Sometimes life reaches a place where our feelings can no longer reassure us that God is near. In this conversation, Melissa speaks honestly about suffering, and Jack Eldridge shares how grace held him through a sixty-day hospitalization, time on a ventilator, and a moment when a doctor told him he would likely die.

Together, we reflect on trusting who God is when emotions fail, why hardship is not evidence of His abandonment, and the unforgettable assurance that God is always below the bottom.

Read the companion reflection and join the conversation:
 https://wakinguptograce.com/god-is-always-below-the-bottom/

Music from Jack Eldridge:
 https://open.spotify.com/artist/4R9fSByHAgqkdsbcJSYraE

Messages from Dr. Bruce Morgan:
 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdbXwHy7GM4gNEmt51GWF-w/videos

How could David commit such grievous acts and still be remembered as a man after God’s own heart?

In this episode, we walk through Nathan’s confrontation with David in 2 Samuel 12. We consider David’s repentance, the Lord’s remarkable declaration that his sin had been put away, and the important difference between punishment and consequences. David’s story ultimately points us beyond his failure to the grace of God revealed in Christ.

Read the companion Bible study and join the conversation:

https://wakinguptograce.com/how-could-david-be-a-man-after-gods-own-heart/

Grace is not about following religious rules or checking spiritual boxes. In this episode, we discuss children, faith, baptism, and the joy of knowing Christ apart from fear-based religion.

Read the companion study and join the conversation in the comments:

https://wakinguptograce.com/knowing-christ-or-checking-boxes/

This Bible study explores whether infants and young children who die are automatically saved, working through several key passages. Starting with 1 Corinthians 7:14, the group concludes that a child’s “holiness” describes the covenant environment a believing parent provides, not a guarantee of salvation.

They apply the same logic to circumcision: it set Israel apart outwardly, but that never meant every Israelite was individually redeemed. Looking at Jesus’s own infancy, the discussion contrasts dedication (an act of parental faith and commitment) with baptism, arguing that Jesus’s baptism symbolized His inauguration into a Melchizedekian priesthood rather than modeling infant baptism. Since biblical baptism is consistently tied to conscious repentance, the group finds infant baptism doesn’t fit.

The strongest case examined is Matthew 19:13–15, where Jesus blesses children brought to Him. While this beautifully illustrates salvation by grace, the study pushes back on using it to establish a fixed “age of accountability,” noting the theological and practical problems that creates (like an arbitrary cutoff age). The post lands on humility rather than a firm doctrine, resting the unanswered questions on trust in God’s character.

Read the companion Bible study and join the conversation: https://wakinguptograce.com/are-children-holy-1-corinthians-7-14/

This episode presents a full preterist interpretation of biblical prophecy, arguing that Christ's Second Coming, the final judgment, and the establishment of God's kingdom were fulfilled in the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The discussion examines passages from Revelation, Thessalonians, Hebrews, and the Gospels to support the view that these prophecies describe spiritual realities rather than future physical events. The conversation concludes by addressing common objections, emphasizing that believers already live in the fully established kingdom of God and challenging traditional expectations of a future Second Coming.

Episode Page: https://wakinguptograce.com/097-thy-kingdom-come-thy-will-be-done-part-2/

This episode explores the meaning of “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done” in the Lord’s Prayer, arguing that Jesus was speaking prophetically about the coming New Covenant and the establishment of God’s kingdom. The discussion examines Matthew 24, Luke 21, Revelation 21, and Galatians 4, presenting the view that many end-times prophecies were fulfilled in the first century through the destruction of Jerusalem and the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant age. The conversation emphasizes understanding biblical prophecy through its original Hebrew context and encourages believers to live as citizens of God’s kingdom today.

Episode Page: https://wakinguptograce.com/096-thy-kingdom-come-thy-will-be-done-part-1/

This episode explores the difficult theological question of the eternal destiny of infants and those unable to consciously believe the gospel. The discussion examines biblical passages about resurrection, original sin, faith, and predestination, emphasizing that Scripture clearly teaches salvation through faith in Christ while offering no definitive answer regarding infants. The speakers argue that God's sovereignty, goodness, and mercy provide the strongest basis for hope, suggesting that believers should trust God's righteous judgment rather than speculate beyond what Scripture reveals. The conversation also contrasts predestination, free will, universalism, and the role of faith, ultimately concluding that salvation rests in God's hands and that Christians can find peace in His character even when some questions remain unanswered.

Episode Page: https://wakinguptograce.com/095-are-babies-saved-part-2/