Pastor Chris

Habakkuk: Shortcuts to Death

Faith Steps:

  1. Take time to identify your idols by completing this sentence (as many times as it takes to get them all).  LIFE ONLY HAS MEANING/I ONLY HAVE WORTH IF…

  2. Practice preaching the Gospel to your soul.  Look up Bible truths on what Christ has promised.  Seek to walk in those promises by faith. 

Advent: The Faith of a Forgotten Carpenter

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Faith Talks:

  1. After hearing the depth behind this Christmas story, how is your faith increasing?  What piece of your faith do you most long to see? (2 Corinthians 5:7)

  2. Talk about what you learned about this story today, that you didn’t know before, that could help enrich your (or someone else’s) faith.

  3. Make an “even though / God” list, and answer it with Scripture.  Example: Even though I feel persecuted, God will not abandon me.  (2 CoR 4:9)

Vision: Life on Life Discipleship

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Faith Talks:

  1. On Discipling Others:

    a. On a scale of 1 to 10, how competent/confident/responsible do you feel in discipling others? How does your past experience in discipleship affect that?

    b. What beliefs/thoughts/feelings about yourself hinder you from discipling others?  

  2. On Being Discipled: 

    a. What obstacles are stopping me from engaging in life on life discipleship? List them. What step can you take to overcome those obstacles? 

    b. Make a list of a few people who you would consider to be like Barnabas, (a good person, full faith and the Holy Spirit). Through prayer, ask God which of these people you could approach to start pursuing life on life discipleship.

Encountering God in Sovereignty - The Butterfly Effect

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Faith Steps:

Step 1:  Surrender your life to Jesus.

Do you believe that Jesus was sent by God to die on a cross to forgive your sins?

Do you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and that He is still alive in heaven today?

Do you believe that Jesus is Lord, Savior, and King and will come again to set the world free from sin and death? 

Step #2: Write a 100 Year Life Vision:

Because of the gospel, what is it you most want to see changed in this world? 

What has to happen for it to really change?  List the changes.

Pray and pick one change to start on, and start on it this week. 

Encountering God in Inadequacy

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Faith Steps:

Step 1: Let’s recognize places we are inadequate.  Where do most often catch yourself saying         “I can’t do that”.  (e.g. Speaking up at work, Dealing with conflict, A particular task, Serving in a ministry, Sharing the story of Jesus, etc). Make a list of those things. 

Step 2: Pick one area from your list that you want to give room for God to provide what you lack. Take Joseph’s phrase and move in that area of inadequacy - “I Can’t do it, but God will give it…”   That one place of inadequacy might just be the place God wants to do something through your life.   

When that area comes up this week, do what Joesph did.  Recognize your inadequacy and lean on God to provide.  Pray about it, and use a similar phrase to Jospeh.  “I can’t do ______________, but God can/will ______________________.

Colossians - A New Life On Mission

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Faith Talks:

When you pray, what do you ask for? Track this for one week. Then take one week to focus on “keeping the Lord before you.” Then share with a friend any ways you would change what you ask God for.

Make a list of moments in your life when you are around people who don’t believe in Jesus. Set a reminder for those times to remind you to pray and ask God for the Holy Spirit in those moments.

Colossians - An Invisible Threat

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Faith Talks:

Of the list of things that Paul says to put to death, which three do you struggle the most/least with? Explain your answer.

Culturally, which parts of your cultural heritage help/hinder you in living for the Kingdom of God? Explain your answer.

What issue(s) of your heart do you most long for Jesus to touch and change? Ask a friend to pray for you about these issues.

Colossians - Stay on the Path

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Faith Talks:

  • Are there any areas in your life that you are looking to find fulfillment or fullness that cause you to reduce or reject Jesus?  Are any of these issues creating doubt of confusion in your walk with Christ?  If so, actively repent and ask some trusted friends to pray with you. 


    Walk with Jesus, Rest in Jesus, Focus on Jesus - What is one thing you can do on a daily basis to help you live these three things?  Share those with someone who can hold you accountable. 

Colossians - Simply Jesus

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Faith Talks:

  • Jesus above all things: Which aspect of Christ creates the most “wow” in your heart? Share that with someone this week.

  • Jesus In every moment: What moments is it easiest for you to see Jesus above all things? What moments are the hardest for you to see Jesus as supreme? Share these with a trusted friend and pray for each other.

Advent 2018: Mighty God

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Faith Talks

  1. When Jesus comes and brings everything to light in your life, will His might be for you or against you?  Will his arrival be a ‘rising’ or a ‘falling’ for you? 
    Sit with a good friend and talk these question over. 

  2. Read 2 Chronicles 27:6.  In what ways is this true in your life?  Are there any areas that need to change based on this verse?  If so, pick one and take one action to affect change in that area.  

Vision: Lead Like Jesus

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Faith Talks:

1.  If Jesus has such a high view of what we can become in Him, why do we consistently keep selling ourselves short?  Name 2 ways you sell yourself short. 

2, Are there any areas of your life that are either off limits, or have not be submitted (surrendered) to the Lordship authority of Jesus Christ? What are they, and why are they off limits? 

Judges: The Death of Samson

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Faith Talks:

  1. Examine your heart for God.  Would you say your heart is alive, numb, or mostly dead toward God?  Explain your answer to a trusted friend. 

  2. In Samson’s life we see many sinful issues: pride, lust, anger, vengeance, complacency, rejection of God’s call.   Are any of these causing your heart to drift from God?  If so, make this a matter of repentance and process.  Ask God to realign your heart so you rely on Him and live from a heart aligned with the will of God for your life. 

Judges: Samson Begins

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Faith Talks:

  1. In Judges 14, we find the people of Israel very comfortable among the Philistines. In what ways does the story indicate that Samson and Israel have assimilated into Philistine culture, that they are no longer distinct as God’s people?

  2. Why is assimilation into culture so attractive to God’s people? In what ways have you felt that pressure in your own life?

  3. In the story of Samson, what does God do for his people who have assimilated into the culture of the Philistines? In what ways has God worked in your life to rescue you from being assimilated into a culture that is against God?

  4. There are many things Samson did that were empowered by the Holy Spirit, yet his life was filled with compromise. What is the warning you receive from Samson’s life?

Judges: The Birth of Samson

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Faith Talks:

  1. What’s one way you would want God to use your life to shape the next generation? Write it down and share it with a trusted friend. Commit to pray over this for 1 year.

  2. What ‘good things’ in your life can you set aside to devote yourself to God? Name them and setup an accountability relationship to help you.

Judges: The Need for a Unifying Leader

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Faith Talks:

  1. What causes you to lose sight of God? 

  2. What are patterns in your life that need to be broken? 

Judges: The Fallout of Compromise

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Faith Talks:

  1. Are there any compromises in your life that are (or have been) affecting your faith?  Intentionally repent of these and ask Jesus to help you.
  2. Are there any values in your life that have become idols?  What is one step you can take to remove that idol from your life? 

Knowing God: Living Resurrection Reality

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Faith Talks:

  1. Write down an issue in your life that involves suffering or frustration.  How can this situation increase your hope in the resurrection? 

  2. What truth about heaven and the resurrection did you find most interesting? Email that to one of the pastors.  

  3. In what way can you see your current life affected by your belief in heaven and resurrection?  Share this with a trusted friend.

Knowing God: Atonement Past, Present & Future

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Faith Talks:

  • Which of the three views of atonement we looked at today (Christus Victor, Christus Exemplar, Regeneration) stick out to you as most/least accessible?   Explain your thoughts to a trusted friend.
  • Do you tend to think of atonement more as past, present, or future?  Share your thoughts with a trust friend this week. 
  • How does being ‘at-one’ with Jesus change the way you approach each day?  Be specific.  List 2-3 things that you want to change.

Shout It Out - Shepherding the Heart of the Next Generation

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Faith Talks

  • Talk together about 1-2 positive aspects of the culture of your household. What positive things would you say characterize your time together? 
  • Talk together about 1 of the 5 areas of culture you would want to pay attention to as a household. What steps might you take? How might Greg’s sermon on the “4 G’s” help you?

When Jesus Arrives

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Faith Steps

What are some things you were hoping God would do for you?  Commit to making these things  a daily prayer list.  Try matching these desires with specific Scriptures.  

Pick one day a week to fast  during Advent - feel what hunger feels like.  Do you long for God like you long for food ?  

Carve out a 15 minute block once a week to be in silence with God.   Ask Him to speak to you, and just listen for Him in your heart. 

Lament - Psalm 119

Faith Talks:

  • How has God used affliction in your life to shape your character and address issues of the heart?  Be specific.  Look for an opportunity to share that story this week.  (Practice with a friend first). 

  • Make a list past resolutions you have made in following God?  Pick two of them to that you want to renew this week.  Share why you want to renew these with a trusted friend. 

Worship is.....? - Psalm 99

Faith Talks: 


1. How real is Jesus to you?  Has he taken up residence in your heart? Is He the sole object of worship?  If not, what are the false god’s that need overthrown?  Name them and share them with a trusted friend.

2. Are we ‘verbing’ worshippers?  Are there views or practices of worship that we need to repent of?  Are there points of legalism we need confess and repent of?  If so, name them and share them with a trusted friend.

Raiders of the Lost Praise - Psalm 145

Faith Talks: 

1. Read Romans 15:9 & Psalm 42:5, 11.  What is the role of praise for the believer & the non-believer?  

2. Make a praise list and share it with someone this week.  Write down anything about God that fits any/all of these categories: 

  • His character
  • His attributes
  • His habitual and/or universal actions (e.g. nature, creation, history, personal action in your life, providence, preservation of life, rescue, salvation, redemption, judgment, personal or communal blessings.)

The Making: Discovering Jesus Through His Church - Part 2

The Making: Discovering Jesus Through His Church - Part 2

Faith Talks

What are some ridiculous things you have asked of God? Has He answered any of those requests?  What do His answers tell you about the will of God? Talk about this with 2 people this week.


Which of these five statements about Jesus is most true of you because of your faith in Christ? If Jesus were to make you more like Him in one of these areas, which one would need the most attention?

  • Jesus loves to answer our requests.
  • Jesus always answers according to the will of God.
  • Jesus is not held captive the agendas of man.
  • Jesus lives out His words.
  • Jesus Love to Make the Last First.

The Story: Fall

The Story: Fall

Faith Talks

Sin is lawlessness.  How does this compare to your own definition of sin?  How is it the same or different?  

Which phrase describes you best:
- The law I live by asks "what serves me best"
- The law I live by asks "what does God desire"Explain your answer to a trusted friend. 

John Piper writes, " Let every heart prepare him room . . . by cleaning house."  What are some things that have replaced God in your heart that need to be dethroned?  Share them with someone this week. 

Try using this reading plan as you prepare to celebrate Christ-mas.  "Good news of great joy" link: http://bible.com/r/C7

Discover and Follow Jesus - Part 2 Mark 8:27-38

Discover and Follow Jesus - Part 2.  Mark 8:27-38

FAITH TALKS

In Mark 8, the disciples hear about Jesus’ sufferings, death, resurrection, and second coming for the first time.  They also hear that they are to deny themselves and carry the cross for the first time.  Why do you think Peter struggled with this?  Are any of his struggles the same as your struggles?  Explain. 

When was the last time you discovered & treasured something about Jesus?  Share that story with 2 people.  

What are your three biggest obstacles in following Jesus into every are of life?  Ask 2 friends to pray for you this week.