Journey of Faith Messages Podcast

What does it really look like to live a life of love with people who aren’t just like us? This week in our series The Road, we’ll explore God’s vision for Christian community—a place where everyone is valued, even when we don’t all think, act, or grow at the same pace. Drawing from the wisdom of Romans, we’ll discover how love calls us to show up with humility, patience, and grace, learning how to honor one another while remaining faithful to God. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before we begin, let’s take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction of our time together. Then we’ll take a couple of minutes to go around and share where we’ve seen God at work in our lives this week.  Introduction  Last week, we explored how God’s heart reaches across human divisions and how followers of Jesus are called to live with humility, hope, and honor. The suggested Action Steps were to: Identify and surrender to God one cultural, ethnic, or political bias you have against a person or a people group OR genuinely seek to understand someone who sees things differently than you, and resist all-or-nothing thinking in conversation. How did that go this week?  This week, Romans turns toward everyday life in Christian community. We all want relationships where we are known, valued, and loved. But real community is not built by finding perfect people. It is built as God brings different kinds of people together and teaches us how to live with love, humility, patience, and conviction.  Connect  What helps you feel valued in a community or relationship?  What makes community hard sometimes?  When differences arise, how do you usually respond?  Opening  Most of us want belonging, but we often want it on our own terms. We may prefer people who think like us, move at our speed, or see life the way we do.  Romans gives us a fuller picture. God intentionally brings different people together for good. He gives gifts to each person, and he works in people’s lives at different speeds and in different ways.  Love in community is not just about being nice. It is about learning to honor the work of God in one another. This leads us to our main Idea for the week:   We can build a spiritual community where everyone is valued.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward, discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.  Romans 12:4–8 In this passage, Paul describes the church as one body with many members, each with different gifts and roles.  What stands out to you about the picture of one body with many parts?  Why do you think different gifts are important in a healthy community?  How might recognizing your own gifting help you serve others more faithfully?  Read  Psalm 133:1 In this short but powerful verse, the psalmist celebrates the goodness of God’s people living together in unity.  Why do you think unity is described as good and pleasant?  What helps create unity in a group?  What tends to damage it?  Read  John 13:34–35 In this passage, Jesus tells his followers to love one another the way he has loved them.  How does Jesus define the kind of love his followers should have?  Why is love such a powerful witness to the world?  What might loving others well look like when you disagree with them?  Action Step  This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice. Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways.  1. This week, prayerfully read Romans 12:1–21 and look for one way to step into your gifting from God. What is one strength, opportunity, or area of service you sense God inviting you to use?  2. Make a God-honoring choice to respect the sensitivity of someone in your life. Where might love call you to show restraint, empathy, or understanding for the sake of another person?  As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group so you can encourage and pray for one another.  Closing  Christian community is one of God’s gifts to us, but it takes intention to build. As we learn to recognize each person’s value, honor one another’s growth, and practice love with humility, God forms something beautiful among us. We become a community where people are seen, shaped, and strengthened together.  Pray Together  As we wrap up, we’ll go around and invite anyone to share anything they’d like prayer for together. You can share or just pass. Also, below is a Journey of Faith Missionary we can pray for as we close.  Missionary Focus  Radha & Samen Manickam  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Ministry Description  Radha and Samen Manickam: The Manickam’s ministry reaches Cambodians in the US and Cambodia through four key areas: church networking, church planting, Christian education, and charity ministry   Prayer Requests:   That the Manickam would continue to build positive and strategic relationships   That the God would continue to open doors for the ministry to meet practical needs in their community  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Radha & Samen  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Romans 12:10 “Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the “Discovery Method” to reflect on the verses below.  For each passage of Scripture, ask yourself these questions:    What do these verses reveal about who God is?   What do these verses reveal about us/others?   What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do?   Day 1: Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 Day 2: Psalm 15:1–3 Day 3: Proverbs 27:17 Day 4: John 15:12–13 Day 5: Galatians 6:1–2 Day 6: Philippians 2:1–4  The post Live a Life of Love appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How can we stay hopeful when the world feels like it’s tearing itself apart? This week in our series The Road, we’ll look at wisdom given to the first-century church in Rome—a Christian community divided by culture, ethnicity, and religious tradition. We’ll see how trusting God’s good plans for the future helps us navigate the present with love, honor, and respect, even toward those we don’t understand or agree with.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before we begin, let’s take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction of our time together. Then we’ll take a couple of minutes to go around and share where we’ve seen God at work in our lives this week.  Introduction  Last week, we explored how true freedom comes through Jesus, who breaks the power of sin and gives us a new identity by his Spirit. The suggested Action Steps were to: Spend time each day this week thanking God for the freedom provided for you through Jesus or patiently support someone who is groaning through their growth right now. How did that go this week?  This week, we move into a part of Romans that wrestles with some difficult and timely questions. How do followers of Jesus relate to people groups, nations, governments, and those with very different convictions? In a divided world, how do we stay hopeful without becoming cynical, combative, or fearful?  Connect  Is there something in your life that you enjoy debating about that isn’t very serious?  What kinds of differences most often create division between people?  When you disagree with someone strongly, what is hardest for you?  Opening  We all feel the pull to sort people into categories: safe or unsafe, right or wrong, us or them. But Paul keeps challenging that instinct.  In Romans, Paul reminds his readers that God’s plan is bigger than one group, one culture, or one point of view. He is creating a family from many different people. He is still at work even when we cannot fully see or understand it.  That does not remove complexity, but it does give us hope. This leads us to our Main Idea for the week:  This leads us to our main idea for the week: We can have hope when our world seems irrecoverably divided.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward, discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.  Read  Romans 10:11–13 In this passage, Paul emphasizes that God’s mercy and salvation are offered generously to all who call on him.  What stands out to you about who is included in this passage?  How does this challenge favoritism, superiority, or exclusion?  Why is it important to remember that God’s heart is bigger than our categories?  Read  Psalm 133:1–3 In this passage, the psalmist celebrates the goodness and beauty of God’s people living together in unity.  What makes unity beautiful according to this psalm?  Why is unity often difficult to maintain in real life?  What is the difference between unity and sameness?  Read  John 15:16 In this passage, Jesus explains that he takes the initiative in calling his followers and invites them to a life with specific results.  What does Jesus’ statement, “I chose you,” tell us about why God calls people?  What might be the difference between “fruitfulness” and “success”?  How can God’s calling produce humility instead of superiority?  What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do?  Action Step  This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice. Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways.  1. Identify and surrender to God one cultural, ethnic, or political bias you have against a person or a people group. Ask God to reveal where pride, suspicion, fear, or contempt may be shaping your attitudes.  2. This week, genuinely seek to understand someone who sees things differently than you, and resist all-or-nothing thinking in conversation. What would it look like to listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and speak with humility?  As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group so you can encourage and pray for one another.  Closing  God’s work in the world is often bigger and more mysterious than we can fully grasp. But that does not lead us to despair. It leads us to humility. As we trust God’s wisdom we can become people who resist contempt, honor others, and live with hope in a divided world.  Pray Together  As we wrap up, we’ll go around and invite anyone to share anything they’d like prayer for together. You can share or just pass. Also, below is a Journey of Faith Missionary we can pray for as we close.  Missionary Focus  Barbara Lee  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Barbara supports missionary families by helping their children access quality education and navigate the many transitions that come with cross-cultural life.  Prayer Requests:   For Barbara to continue to provide support and care to missionary kids going through important life transitions   That God would continue to provide her ministry with helpful resources, tools, and educational materials  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Barbara.  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Romans 11:33 “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the “Discovery Method” to reflect on the verses below.  For each passage of Scripture, ask yourself these questions:    What do these verses reveal about who God is?   What do these verses reveal about us/others?   What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do?   Day 1: Genesis 12:1–3 Day 2: Psalm 67:1–4 Day 3: Isaiah 2:2–4 Day 4: Luke 6:27–28 Day 5: Ephesians 2:13–18 Day 6: 1 Peter 2:17  The post Hope for a Divided World appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if freedom isn’t trying harder, but belonging differently? This week, in our series called The Road, we’ll explore how Jesus offers a kind of freedom that goes deeper than behavior change—freedom rooted in a new identity and a new way of living. If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns you don’t even want, or wondered why growth can feel like groaning, you’re not alone. This message is for anyone tired of the scoreboard, ready to breathe again, and hungry for a life shaped by grace rather than striving. Come expecting both relief and an honest, hopeful vision of what it looks like to live free.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before we begin, let’s take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction of our time together. Then we’ll take a couple of minutes to go around and share where we’ve seen God at work in our lives this week.  Introduction  Last week, we explored how faith in Jesus becomes the foundation of spiritual life and the fuel for endurance, character, and hope. How did that go this week?  This week, we look at one of the great themes of Romans: freedom. Our culture often defines freedom as doing whatever we want, whenever we want. But many of us know that kind of freedom can still leave us feeling stuck, exhausted, or trapped in patterns we cannot break. Paul shows us that real freedom is found not in striving harder, but in belonging to Jesus.  Connect  When people talk about freedom, what do they usually mean?  Where do people tend to look for freedom or relief in life?  Have you ever experienced a kind of freedom that changed the way you live?  Opening  Most people want freedom, but not everyone agrees on what freedom is. Some think freedom means having no limits. Others think it means escaping consequences. But Romans offers a different vision. Paul says that through Jesus’ death and resurrection, the power of sin is broken and a new life becomes possible. That does not mean growth is instant or effortless. It does mean we are no longer defined by our old chains. This leads us to our main idea for the week:  Through Jesus, we can experience true freedom and a new way to live.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward, discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.  Read  Romans 8:1–2, 11  In this passage, Paul announces freedom from condemnation and explains that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead now gives life to us.  What stands out to you about the phrase “no condemnation”?  How does this passage connect freedom with the work of God’s Spirit?  What difference does it make to see freedom as a new identity, not just behavior change?  Read  Psalm 130:3–5  In this passage, the psalmist reflects on sin, mercy, and the hope that comes from waiting on God.  What does this passage show us about our human need and God’s mercy?  How does hope show up in the middle of guilt or struggle?  How might waiting on God be part of growing in freedom?  Read  John 8:34–36  In this passage, Jesus describes sin and how freedom comes through faith in him.   What metaphor does Jesus use to describe sin?  Why is slavery a powerful image for understanding spiritual bondage?  How might Jesus’ words help us understand freedom differently today?  Action Step  This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice. Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways.  1. Spend time each day this week thanking God for the freedom provided for you through Jesus. What might it look like to make gratitude part of your daily rhythm this week?  2. Patiently support someone who is groaning through their growth right now. Who in your life may need your patience, encouragement, or steady presence instead of quick solutions?  As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group so you can encourage and pray for one another.  Closing  Freedom in Jesus is not pretending the struggle is gone. It is knowing that sin no longer gets the final word and that the Spirit of God is at work in us. Even when growth feels slow, we can live with hope, because we belong to Jesus and his life is shaping ours.  Pray Together  As we wrap up, we’ll go around and invite anyone to share anything they’d like prayer for together. You can share or just pass. Also, below is a Journey of Faith Missionary we can pray for as we close.  Missionary Focus  Barbara Lee  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Barbara supports missionary families by helping their children access quality education and navigate the many transitions that come with cross-cultural life.  Prayer Requests:   For Barbara to continue to provide support and care to missionary kids going through important life transitions    That God would continue to provide her ministry with helpful resources, tools, and educational materials  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Barbara  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Romans 8:1  “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the “Discovery Method” to reflect on the verses below.  For each passage of Scripture, ask yourself these questions:    What do these verses reveal about who God is?   What do these verses reveal about us/others?   What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do?   Day 1: Exodus 14:13–14 Day 2: Psalm 40:1–3 Day 3: Isaiah 61:1 Day 4: Galatians 5:1 Day 5: Colossians 3:1–4  Day 6: 2 Timothy 1:7  The post True Freedom appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Ever feel like life has turned into a scoreboard, always trying to prove you’re good enough, strong enough, or “doing it right”? This week in our series The Road, we’ll see that God’s plan for a life of faith is less about earning and more about trusting. Many of us have inherited old stories that say love and approval have to be performed for, but God offers a better story. When faith, not works, becomes the fuel, it leads to a fuller kind of life and the strength to walk with others through hard roads. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before beginning, take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction in this together. Then take a couple of minutes to go around and share where God’s work in your lives this week.  Introduction  Last week, we began our series, The Road, by exploring the brokenness we all share and the grace God offers us through Jesus. We were reminded that when we get stuck in life, we can start again with God and with each other. Discuss with your group how that went this week.   This week, we will be exploring how the book of Romans describes that faith changes the way we live. Many of us carry stories, pressures, or assumptions that tell us we have to prove ourselves, earn approval, or hold everything together on our own. But Paul points us to a different way. He reminds us that life with God begins and continues through faith.  Connect  Where do you feel pressure to prove yourself right now?  What messages do people internalize about what it means to be “good enough”?  Who are the people in your life who have modeled what a life of faith looks like?  Opening  Many of us live as if our worth depends on our performance. We may not say it out loud, but we often act like acceptance must be earned. God shows us through the book of Romans gives us a different picture. Paul points to Abraham and shows that a right relationship with God has never been about religious performance. It has always been about trust. Faith is not passive. It becomes the foundation of spiritual life and the fuel for resilience, growth, and hope.   This leads us to the main idea for the week:  We can have an abundant life together fueled by faith Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward, discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.  Read  Romans 5:1–5   In these verses, Paul explains that faith in Jesus brings peace with God and helps shape endurance, character, and hope through life’s hardships.  What does this passage say faith gives us?  How can suffering become a place of growth instead of defeat?  Which word stands out to you most from these verses: peace, endurance, character, or hope? Why?  Read  Psalm 46:1–3   In these verses, the psalmist describes God as a refuge and strength, especially in times of instability and trouble.  What images of trouble or instability stand out in this passage?  How does this psalm describe God’s presence in the middle of hardship?  How might trusting God change the way we walk through pressure or uncertainty?  Read  John 6:28–29  In these verses, people ask Jesus what they need so they can do the works God requires, and Jesus points them to faith.  What surprises you about Jesus’ answer?  Why do we often prefer a list of things to do rather than being called to trust?  How might faith free us from trying to earn what God wants to give?  Action Steps  This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice. Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways.  1. Reject the belief that you can earn your way to God through your good works. Where do you notice yourself drifting into performance, pressure, or self-condemnation? What would it look like to trust God instead?  2. Make yourself available to someone going through a life struggle. Faith does not just help us survive; it helps us show up for others. Who might need encouragement, prayer, or a listening ear from you this week?  As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group so you can encourage and pray for one another.  Closing  Faith is more than agreeing with ideas about God. It is learning to trust him with our lives. As we do, we discover that God meets us not only in our victories, but also in our struggles. He forms endurance, character, and hope in us, and he helps us bring that same grace to others.  Pray Together  Go around and invite anyone to share anything they would like prayer for. You can share or just pass. Make sure to include the Journey of Faith Missionary Focus for the week below in your prayers, as well.  Missionary Focus  L and K Humble  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   L and K Humble are working to start churches among ten large, unreached, and unengaged people groups in Southeast Asia.  Prayer Requests:   That L and K would continue to see success in their partnerships with local people and businesses.    For God to bring them strong team members to serve alongside.  Spend a few minutes in prayer for L and K  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Romans 5:8  “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  For each day of verses below, ask yourself these questions as you reflect on them:    What do these verses reveal about who God is?   What do these verses reveal about us/others?   What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do?   Day 1: Genesis 15:1–6 Day 2: Psalm 62:5–8 Day 3: Habakkuk 3:17–19 Day 4: John 16:33 Day 5: 2 Corinthians 5:7 Day 6: Hebrews 11:1–2  The post Let Faith Fuel You appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Ever feel like the world is one big road jam—everyone blaming everyone else, but nothing really changes? This week we begin a series called The Road, a journey through an ancient Christian letter written to a diverse community of people from different backgrounds who shared humanity’s core problem: a kind of inner breakdown that bends us away from God and each other. The good news is that we’re not left stranded on the shoulder. God offers kindness, forgiveness, and a fresh start on our journey of faith! Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view a .docx of this guide, click here. Before we begin, let’s take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction of our time together. Then we’ll take a couple of minutes to go around and share where we’ve seen God at work in our lives this week.  Introduction  Last week was Good Friday and Easter, when we reflect on and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Our main idea from Easter was We can begin a new life because Jesus is alive. How did you experience new life last week?   This week, we begin a new series called The Road, exploring the book of Romans. Romans was a letter written by one of Christianity’s first missionaries, named Paul. It was written to a diverse group of people who were struggling with their differences in culture, background, and beliefs. Paul reminds them that before we talk about our differences, we share something deeper in common: the brokenness of the world and our need for God’s grace.  Connect  Is there something in your life that you commonly try to fix on your own without asking for help?  When you look at the world today, what kinds of brokenness stand out to you most?  Opening  Most of us instinctively compare ourselves to others. We notice the ways other people fall short while assuming we’re doing relatively well, or we think we are so much worse off than others. But the message of Romans is different. Instead of dividing humanity into “good people” and “bad people,” Paul says something surprising: we are all facing the same spiritual breakdown. Every person needs God’s mercy. The good news is that God does not abandon us in our brokenness. Through Jesus, God offers forgiveness, transformation, and a new road forward. This leads us to our Main Idea for the week:  When we get stuck in life, we can start again with God and with each other.  Unpack   Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.  Read  Romans 3:21–24  In this passage, Paul explains that although all people fall short of God’s standards, God offers a new way of being made right through Jesus.  What words describe what God has done for humanity?  What stands out to you about the idea of grace being a gift?  How does this message challenge the idea that we can earn our way to God?  Read  Psalm 14:1–3  In the passage, the psalmist describes humanity’s tendency to turn away from God and pursue its own path.  What words or phrases describe the human condition in this passage?  What does this passage suggest about the universality of human brokenness?  Why do you think people often resist acknowledging their need for God?  Read  Mark 2:16–17  In this passage, religious leaders question why Jesus spends time with people considered sinful or morally broken.  How does Jesus explain sin here, and how might that help people understand it today?  Why might it be difficult for people to admit they need spiritual healing?  What difference does it make that Jesus comes toward broken people instead of avoiding them?  Action Steps  This is where we take what we’ve discussed and put it into practice! Read the action steps below and discuss how you can live them out this week in practical ways.  1. Reflect on God’s kindness in your life. Paul teaches that it is God’s kindness that causes us to turn our lives around toward him (Romans 2:4). Where have you experienced God’s goodness or grace recently?  2. Humbly name one area of brokenness or sin in your life and be open to God’s repair. Bring it honestly before God in prayer, ask for his help, and take practical steps to make a change with God’s help.  As you think about these steps, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group to encourage and pray for one another.  Closing  The message of Romans begins with a truth that can feel uncomfortable: none of us have it all together. But it also begins with hope. God sees our brokenness and responds not with rejection, but with mercy. Because of Jesus, we are not stuck where we are. A new road is open to us, a journey marked by grace, transformation, and life with God.  Pray Together  As we wrap up, we’ll go around and invite anyone to share anything they’d like prayer for together. You can share or just pass. Below is also a Journey of Faith Missionary we can pray for as we close.  Missionary Focus  L and K Humble  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.   L and K Humble are working to start churches among ten large, unreached, and unengaged people groups in Southeast Asia.  Prayer Requests:   That L and K would continue to see success in their partnerships with local people and businesses    For God to bring them strong team members to serve alongside  Spend a few minutes in prayer for L and K  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Romans 1:16  “For I am not ashamed of the Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the “Discovery Method” to reflect on the verses below.  For each passage of Scripture, ask yourself these questions:    What do these verses reveal about who God is?   What do these verses reveal about us/others?   What do these verses invite or inspire you to think, feel, or do?   Day 1: Genesis 3:8–10 Day 2: Psalm 103:8–12 Day 3: Isaiah 53:5–6 Day 4: Luke 15:20–24 Day 5: Ephesians 2:8–9 Day 6: 1 John 1:8–9  The post Good News for Our Broken World  appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Easter is more than just a holiday. It’s the foundation of our faith. It’s the day we celebrate that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave, but rose again, bringing forgiveness, freedom, and new life to all of us. No matter where you’re coming from or what your story looks like, this weekend is an invitation to experience hope, be reminded that you are deeply loved, and step into the life God has for you! Watch Full Service Our Groups take a spring break, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources here. The post Easter at Journey appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if your faith was meant to be fueled by delight, not driven by duty?  This week, as we finish our series on Palm Sunday, we’ll explore the ancient rhythm of celebration. We’ll see how celebration is both a response to God’s goodness and an anticipation of what He is still doing. And we’ll be invited to see that our greatest joy can be found in placing our trust in Jesus above all else.  Watch Full Service Our Groups take a spring break, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources here. The post Celebrate Jesus! appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if the key to deeper faith isn’t getting more, but giving more away? In a world shaped by scarcity, fear, and self-protection, generosity can feel risky and even countercultural. This week, we’ll explore the ancient rhythm of sharing. We’ll see how sharing our story, our spaces, and our resources opens us to deeper connection with God and with one another. Along the way, we’ll be challenged and inspired to reimagine what a truly open-handed life can look like. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a spring break, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources here. The post Learn to Share appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if your hunger could do more than make you crave food? What if it could actually draw you closer to God? This week we’re exploring the ancient spiritual practice of fasting. As we step back from the things that usually satisfy us, we create space to notice God’s presence and grow in compassion for others. Fasting isn’t about deprivation or religious performance. It’s about reordering our hearts and learning to desire what God desires. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, take a slow breath together. Use this time to quiet your mind, heart and body to be open to hearing from God and each other. Begin your time together with prayer.   Introduction   Last week we explored how intentional rest can renew our bodies, souls, and relationships and encouraged one another to experiment with a weekly period of intentional body and soul rest. How did that go this week?  Connect   What do you usually reach for when you feel depleted?  What assumptions come to mind when you hear the word fasting?  Where do you most notice your appetites right now?  Opening   Hunger can become an invitation to deeper connection with God rather than something to avoid or control. When we fast, we intentionally create space to notice our dependence on God and to pay attention to what is happening in our hearts. Sometimes fasting reveals cravings, emotions, or distractions we didn’t realize were there. Those moments can become opportunities to turn our attention back to God and allow him to shape us.  This leads us to our Main Idea for this week:  We can let our hunger draw us closer to God and others.  Unpack   Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.   You’ll notice this week that we’re reading one passage at a time and answering a few questions before reading another passage of scripture.   Read  Joel 2:12–13  In this passage, Joel speaks to the people of Israel during a time of crisis and calls them to return to God, reminding them that God is gracious and ready to forgive.  What kind of heart posture does God desire?  How does this passage describe returning to God?  What helps someone recognize when God is inviting them to return to him? Have you ever experienced a moment when you sensed God inviting you to return or renew your relationship with him?  Read   Psalm 63:1–5  How does the writer describe longing for God?  What imagery stands out?  When we experience physical hunger, how could that moment help us turn our attention toward God?  Read  Acts 13:1–3  In this passage, leaders in the early church at Antioch are worshiping, praying, and fasting together when the Holy Spirit directs them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for missionary work.  What stands out to you about how the leaders in Antioch were seeking God?  What role do prayer and fasting seem to play in listening to the Holy Spirit?  How might practices like prayer and fasting help people discern God’s direction today?  Discovery & Application  This is a new reflection section we’ll be using throughout this series. Take a few minutes to consider what these verses reveal and how they invite you to respond.  What do these verses reveal about who God is?  What do these verses reveal about us/others?  What do these verses invite/inspire you to think/feel/do?  Action Step   Experiment with one simple act of biblically-based fasting this week.  Examples could include:  Skipping one meal and using that time for prayer.  Taking a break from social media or another activity that normally takes your attention, creating space to reflect and pray.  You may also choose to fast together as a group, like the early church did in the book of Acts. Consider skipping a meal on the same day this week and using that time to pray. You might pray for one another, for the needs of our church and community, or for God’s guidance in your lives. If fasting from food isn’t an option for you, consider fasting fromsomething else that regularly fills your time or attention, and use that space to pray.   As you think of these and other ideas, what will you commit to this week? Share with the group what you plan to try so we can encourage and pray for one another.   Closing   Fasting is not about punishment but about making space for deeper connection with God. As we create that space, we begin to notice our dependence on Him and the deeper longings of our hearts. When we allow those moments of hunger to draw us toward God, they can also open our eyes to the needs of others.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Tim and Ericka Harris  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.   Out of a desire to support those serving in demanding ministry roles, Tim and Ericka provide pastoral care to missionaries, pastors, and ministry leaders around the world.   Prayer Requests:    That the Lord would bring people working in ministry to R.E.S.T. to be spiritually and physically rejuvenated    For Tim and Ericka to continue to foster and grow their gift of hospitality   Spend a few minutes in prayer for Tim and Ericka Harris  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Psalm 34:8  “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Proverbs 16:32 Day 2: John 6:35 Day 3: Galatians 5:22–23 Day 4: Romans 12:1 Day 5: 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 Day 6: Micah 7:7     The post Hunger for Jesus appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Why do we keep pushing ourselves past our limits when God designed us to live with rhythms of rest? In a culture that never slows down, it is easy to treat exhaustion as normal, even spiritual, without realizing how much it pulls us away from the life God wants for us. This week we will explore the ancient practice of Sabbath rest. We will look at how Jesus lived with rest, how he invites us into it, and how that kind of rest can renew us and bless the people around us. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, take a slow breath together. Use this time to quiet your mind, heart and body to be open to hearing from God and each other.  Introduction   Last week, we looked at being more aware of God’s presence in our everyday lives and encouraged each other to takes steps to be remember that God is always present with us. How did that go this week?  This week, we’ll explore the spiritual rhythm of rest. In a culture that celebrates constant activity, Jesus invites us to rediscover rhythms of renewal that help us live with greater peace and trust.  Connect   What helps you feel genuinely rested?  What makes it hard for you to stop working or producing?  What messages about rest shaped you growing up?  Opening    Many of us live at a pace that leaves little room for rest. We push through exhaustion and assume that slowing down means falling behind. The Bible Scripture shows us a different way. God created us for rhythms of activity and rest that help us live more fully and remain connected to him.  This leads us to our Main Idea for this week:    We should enjoy regular spiritual rhythms of physical rest.  Unpack   Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.   You’ll notice this week that we’re reading one passage at a time and answering a few questions before reading another passage of scripture.   Read  Exodus 23:12  In this verse, we see God’s instruction to the ancient Hebrews about a weekly day of rest.  Who is included in God’s invitation to rest?  Why do you think rest is connected to refreshment and renewal?  How do you personally respond to the idea that your rest can benefit others too?  Read   Isaiah 30:18–21  In this passage, the prophet Isaiah speaks to people who feel pressure to keep working, especially in pursuing justice.   What does this passage show us about God’s desire to help us?  What is the relationship between waiting and resting?  Where do you feel tension between resting and feeling responsible?  Read   Hebrews 4:9–11  Here, the writer urges early Jewish followers of Jesus to learn that true rest comes through seeking God’s way, not through disobeying (as their ancestors did).  How is God’s rest described in this passage?  What might it mean to enter God’s rest practically?  What fears or expectations make resting difficult for you right now?  Discovery & Application  This is a new reflection section we’ll be using throughout this series. Take a few minutes to consider what these verses reveal and how they invite you to respond.  What do these verses reveal about who God is?  What do these verses reveal about us/others?  What do these verses invite/inspire you to think/feel/do?  Action Step   Experiment with a weekly period of intentional body and soul rest. This is not simply about collapsing from exhaustion or filling free time with more activity. Instead, consider choosing a small window of time where you intentionally stop striving and allow God to renew you. Here are some examples:  Examples could include:  Setting aside a few hours with no productivity goals or digital distractions.  Turning off notifications and creating a quiet space for reflection or prayer.  Spending time outdoors, journaling, or listening to worship music without multitasking.   As you think of these and other ideas, what will you commit to this week for rest?  Closing   God has built us for rhythms of work and rest. These are both gifts from God. Developing a regular rhythm of physical rest is not only good for our bodies, but also for our souls and relationships. Sabbath rest can help us grow closer to God and be more ready to love others.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Mark and Brenda Hall  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.   Mark and Brenda Hall moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2018, where Mark now serves as a teaching pastor at English Fellowship Church.   Prayer Requests:  For Mark and Branda’s church to continue to positively impact their local community   That God would foster opportunities for His name to be known in Guadalajara  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Mark and Brenda Hall  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Psalm 62:1  “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Ecclesiastes 4:6 Day 2: Psalm 23:1–3 Day 3: Mark 6:31 Day 4: Revelation 14:13 Day 5: Micah 6:8 Day 6: Jeremiah 6:16     The post Find Rest appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Why does it feel so hard to be fully present? In a world that constantly scatters our attention, many of us move through our days distracted, disconnected, and spiritually depleted. But the life of Jesus shows us a different way. This week, we’ll well learn about the ancient rhythms of practicing God’s presence and prayer. We’ll see Jesus’ example or prayerful awareness invites us to greater prayerful presence in our everyday lives. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before we begin, let’s take a quiet moment together and pray, asking God to help us slow down and become more aware of his presence.  Introduction   Last week, we began discovering spiritual rhythms by inviting Jesus into one area of your life through regular time in God’s word.  This week, we’ll be looking at how to be more prayerfully present with God. In a world that constantly pulls our attention in different directions, Jesus can show us how to live with a steady awareness of God’s presence in every moment.  Connect   What’s a topic that can usually distract you or send you down a rabbit hole?  Do you find yourself thinking more about the past, the future, or what’s happening right now?  Opening    Our world moves quickly, and our attention is often scattered. Many of us live on autopilot, reacting to whatever comes next instead of being fully present. Jesus lived with a deep awareness of God’s presence, even in busy and demanding seasons, and he invites us into that same rhythm today.   This leads us to our Main Idea for the Week  We can connect with God by being more prayerfully present in our lives Unpack   Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses.   Read  Psalm 16:8–11  In these verses, King David, one of the most famous ancient kings of Israel, reflects on what it is like for him to live with a steady awareness of God’s presence and guidance.  What stood out to you about these verses? How does the author pay attention to the presence of God here?  What do you think these verses suggest about the emotional impact of living close to God?  When or where have you felt especially aware of God’s presence in your everyday life? What did you experience?   Read  1 Thessalonians 5:16–18  Here, the Apostle Paul encourages early Christians to experience God’s presence by developing rhythms of joy, prayer, and gratitude.  What do you think Paul means by “pray continually” or “without stopping?” What might it look like to do this in your life?  How could gratitude help someone become more aware of God’s presence?  Which of the rhythms in these verses seem easier for you to put into practice in your life? Which feels more challenging?   What makes these rhythms easier or more challenging?  Read  Lamentations 3:22–26  This passage was written during a season of deep grief and uncertainty.   What do these verses suggest about God’s presence during difficult seasons?  What might it look like to “wait quietly” for the Lord? What does this not mean?  Where do you think God be inviting you to slow down or trust him more deeply right now?  Discovery  This is a reflection section we’ll be using throughout this series. Take a few minutes to consider what these passages reveal and how they invite you to respond.  What do these passages reveal about who God is?  What do these passages reveal about us/others?  What do these passages invite/inspire you to think/feel/do?  Action Step   This week, take time daily to remind yourself that God is present with you right now.  What is one specific way you plan to practice God’s presence this week?   Try bringing awareness of God into ordinary moments instead of waiting for a “perfect” spiritual time. Share with your group which specific way you plan to practice God’s presence this week. Here are some examples for what it could look like:  Pause before meals, meetings, or conversations and acknowledge God’s presence.  Set a gentle reminder on your phone that simply says, “God is here.”  Take a short walk outside and notice God through creation and your surroundings.  Have regular conversations with God throughout the day about your everyday life – your worries, your joys, or the things your grateful for.   Closing   Being present with God is not about escaping real life. It is about discovering that God is already present in the life you are living right now. As we grow in awareness, even ordinary moments can become places of connection with him.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Mark and Brenda Hall  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Mark and Brenda Hall moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2018, where Mark now serves as a teaching pastor at English Fellowship Church.  Prayer Requests:   For Mark and Branda’s church to continue to positively impact their local community    That God would foster opportunities for His name to be known in Guadalajara  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Mark and Brenda Hall  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week  Hebrews 13:5  God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 131 Day 2: Isaiah 30:15 Day 3: John 15:4–5 Day 4: Ecclesiastes 3:11 Day 5: Colossians 3:2 Day 6: Zephaniah 3:17     The post Be Present appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Are you living on autopilot, shaped more by the rhythms around you than the ones you choose? In a world where most habits are set for us, we often end up shaped by patterns that drain us rather than give life. This week, we’ll explore the ancient rhythm of living by Scripture. We’ll see how God’s Word brings the stability, clarity, and nourishment our souls need. And we’ll discover how inviting Jesus into even one disordered area can open the way to healthier, life-giving rhythms.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before beginning, take a quiet moment and pray for God’s direction of your time together  Introduction   Last week, we finished our Milestones series, and we were invited to allow our relationship with God to shape our identity and meaning in life. How did that go this week?    This week, we’re talking about finding “spiritual rhythms” in our lives, like prayer, Bible reading, sharing our faith, and worship. God wants us to have these kinds of rhythms, forming us into the people God created us to be.    Connect   What is one routine you follow almost automatically?   Do prefer predictability or flexibility?   Why do you prefer this? What habit has helped you feel grounded? When has one left you feeling drained?   Opening    We all live by rhythms – some we choose, some we inherit, and some that just seem to happen to us. Think of your calendar, when and what you eat, your bedtime, or how you manage your money. Sometimes rhythms help us become who God created us to be while others may quietly shape us in unhealthy ways. Jesus invites us into intentional rhythms rooted in God’s Word.   This leads us to our Main Idea for this week  We should build intentional spiritual rhythms that are rooted in God’s word.   Unpack   Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses. You’ll notice this week that we’re reading one passage at a time and answering a few questions before reading another passage of scripture.   Read  Joshua 1:7–9    In this passage, the importance of hearing from God is shown as Joshua is stepping into becoming the new leader of God’s people following the death of Moses.    How do you think God’s words would have impacted Joshua in that moment?   How might reading this passage be connected to courage in your life?    Where in your life do you feel most in need of guidance right now? How might reading passages of scripture like this shape that area of your life?    Read James 1:22–25   In this passage, James, a leader in early Christianity, writes about the importance of not just reading the Bible but doing what God says.   What difference do you see between reading the Bible and living it?  What is James trying to communicate with this mirror illustration?   Has anything you’ve learned about Jesus reshaped one of your habits or daily rhythms, or are there areas that Jesus needs to shape?  Read Isaiah 55:10–11   This passage was written by a Hebrew prophet describing the benefit that God’s word brings to our lives.   How is God’s word described in terms of growth and nourishment?   Where in your life does it feel like the ground is dry or growth has stalled? Where might you need fresh renewal from God?  What does this suggest about how knowing Jesus can change us over time?  Discovery & Application  This is a new reflection section we’ll be using throughout this series. Take a few minutes to consider what these passages reveal and how they invite you to respond.  What do these passages reveal about who God is?  What do these passages reveal about us/others?  What do these passages invite/inspire you to think/feel/do?  Action Step   Choose one area of your life and intentionally invite Jesus into it through regular time in God’s word this week.    Think of a normal rhythm in your life, like work, friendships, school, or personal time ,that Jesus would like to be more a part of. How could you invite him in? What is one idea that comes to mind that you can do? Here are some examples:   Notice where “doing” has replaced “being.” Try reading a short Bible passage before starting your day or before bed.   You have a strained relationship. Bring that to God in prayer and look for biblical wisdom about forgiveness or patience.   Busyness and hurriedness define you. Take regular short breaks throughout the day and during those breaks, slowly read a short Bible passage and reflect on it, or take a walk and talk to God.    If you don’t have a physical Bible, Journey would love to give you one! Please stop by the Connections area at church on Sunday. You can also download the Bible App by YouVersion. We reference the NLT Bible translation at Journey of Faith.   Closing   We all live by rhythms, but we can choose whether those rhythms will drain us or spiritually energize us. Discovering God’s rhythms, starting with reading and applying the Bible to our lives can help us become more grounded and more alive with God.     Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Rich and Debbie Frazer  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Rich serves as the president SOS, which stands for Spiritual Overseers Service International which focuses on evangelism, discipleship, and compassion.  Prayer Requests:   That Rich and Debbie would continue to utilize God’s discernment as the ministry grows.   For their many global leaders to continue to be empowered through SOS’s support and trainings.   Spend a few minutes in prayer for Rich and Debbie  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Psalm 119:105  “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses  Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Proverbs 4:20–23  Day 2: Psalm 19:7–11  Day 3: 2 Timothy 3:16–17  Day 4: John 8:31–32  Day 5: Colossians 3:16  Day 6: Romans 12:2      The post Discover God’s Rhythms appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Where is God in your spiritual life, and how do you know if you’re actually growing? We all want a faith that’s real and moving forward, but it’s easy to let our identity be shaped by busyness, success, or what others think instead of who God says we are. This week as we wrap up the Milestones series, we’ll discover how anchoring our identity in God and living out our purpose leads to steady, lifelong spiritual growth. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, spend some time together in prayer  Introduction  Last week, we talked about social milestones and how Jesus can help us nurture healthy relationships.   This week, we are discussing the spiritual milestones of identity and purpose. Connect   If your life had a theme song, what would it be?  What’s something you had to learn over time instead of being good at right away?  Opening  A lot of what makes us who we are is shaped over time. We’re influenced by what we’ve learned, the roles we’ve stepped into, and the relationships that have shaped us along the way. God invites us, instead, to view ourselves through how he views us and how he calls us to live.   This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can discover our true self in relationship with God.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read  1 Corinthians 3:16  Romans 8:16  Galatians 3:26-27  Ephesians 5:1-2  What stood out to you from the verses you just read?  Why is it important that we are children of God? How often do you remind yourself that you are a child of God?   Why is reminding yourself and others of this something we should remember to do regularly?  What do you think you find your identity in? What do these verses say our identity is?  What should our identity as God’s children lead us to do?   What are some ways we can do this, practically?  Read  2 Peter 1:5-8  1 John 4:7  Ephesians 4:2  John 13:35  How can reminding ourselves that our identity is in Christ help us grow spiritually?   What does spiritual growth eventually lead to, according to the verses we read in 2 Peter?   Why do you think the author of these verses wrote that “love for everyone” is last step to become “productive and useful” in our knowledge of Jesus?  Share with your group what is most difficult for you when it comes to loving others? Why is this challenging?  Action Step   Cultivate one area of spiritual growth you struggle with  What is an area of spiritual growth that challenges you? Do you view yourself as a child of God or see your identity through the lens of Jesus? Do you struggle with loving others or moral excellence or self-control?   Share with your group your initial impression of what this could be but also spend time in prayer about which area of spiritual growth you should work on. Check in throughout the week with each other about your progress!  Bring someone else into this process! This may take some time. Growth is gradual and can sometimes be difficult or painful. Having someone beside you along the journey is helpful and sometimes necessary.  Closing   Who we are is often shaped gradually by our experiences, the expectations placed on us, and the relationships we carry with us. Without realizing it, these things can begin to define how we see ourselves. God invites us, instead, to see ourselves through his eyes, allowing that truth to shape how we live and how we grow. This week, cultivate that growth in one area of your spiritual life so we can discover our true selves in relationship with God instead of the world around us.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Rich and Debbie Frazer  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.  Rich serves as the president SOS, which stands for Spiritual Overseers Service International which focuses on evangelism, discipleship, and compassion.  Prayer Requests:   That Rich and Debbie would continue to utilize God’s discernment as the ministry grows.   For their many global leaders to continue to be empowered through SOS’s support and trainings.   Spend a few minutes in prayer for Rich and Debbie  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  2 Corinthians 3:18  “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Colossians 3:16  Day 2: 1 Peter 2:2-3  Day 3: James 1:4  Day 4: Psalm 119:105  Day 5: Philippians 1:6  Day 6: Colossians 2:6-7  The post Where is God in My Spiritual Life? appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Why do some relationships feel life-giving while others leave us drained? We all want meaningful connection, yet we often fall into patterns that keep our relationships from growing in healthy ways. In this message, we’ll see how Jesus models both mutual care and healthy boundaries, showing us a better way to relate to one another. We’ll learn how small, intentional steps can strengthen our connections—not only for our own well-being, but in ways that shape our kids and the next generation toward healthier relationships as well. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, spend some time together in prayer  Introduction  Last week, we talked about emotional milestones and how we can work through them with God; our action step was to let God guide your responses to your stressful situations. Spend some time discussing how everyone has been able to put this into practice this week. This week, we are discussing social milestones, specifically awareness, reciprocity, ownership, and boundaries.  Connect   What helps you feel comfortable and appreciated in your friendships?  Opening  We all bring different experiences and expectations into our relationships, which shape how they feel and function. Often, we carry habits, both positive and negative, that we’ve picked up along the way without even realizing it. Because of this, it can be easy to settle for connections that are one sided or inconsistent because that is what we are used to. God’s vision for our friendships, however, is that they be built on a foundation of mutual respect and individual responsibility, rather than just convenience or habit.   This leads us to our main idea for this week  Jesus can help us nurture healthy relationships.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read  Colossians 3:12-14  John 15:12  Romans 12:10-13  Romans 15:2  Galatians 6:4-5  What stands out to you in the verses you just read?  What do these verses show are some markers for healthy friendships?  Which one of these markers do you think is the hardest for you to practice consistently in your relationships with others?   Pastor Jason, during his message on Sunday talked about the idea that most healthy relationships practice reciprocity, meaning they are mutual beneficial to each other, as well as ownership, meaning each person knows and keeps track of their own responsibilities and obligations.   Why do you think mutual care is important in relationships?   What could make mutual care in your friendships difficult?  Reflect for a moment on some of your relationships. What are some ways you could reciprocate more in your friendships?    If you feel comfortable, share one relationship with your group that you need to approach with more reciprocity.   How do we keep track of what our responsibilities and obligations in a relationship should be?  What area of personal growth do you need to take more ownership of within your relationships?  Action Step   Take a step toward healthier connection in one relationship by practicing reciprocity and ownership. This can be sending an encouraging message, checking in and listening, follow through on something you said you’d do but haven’t yet, or take responsibility for a needed conversation.   This could even be that one of your relationships lacks reciprocity with you. What can you do to start a gracious conversation about this over the next week?  Closing   Our social health can many times be shaped by patterns we’ve learned over time in our relationships, even without realizing it. This can cause us to stick with friendships that don’t fully support or challenge us. God, however, invites us to rethink how we view our friendships to have healthier and more balanced relationships.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Mark and Lisa De Neui  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Mark trains church leaders and church planters. Lisa teaches English as a Foreign Language.  Prayer Requests:   That their disciple making ministry would continue to grow    For the local students, who are perusing an education in English, to be receptive to the receiving the word of God  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Mark and Lisa  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  1 Thessalonians 5:11  “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: 1 John 3:17-18  Day 2: Proverbs 3:27  Day 3: Proverbs 27:17  Day 4: John 13:35  Day 5: 1 Corinthians 16:14  Day 6: Hebrews 13:1  The post Where is God in my Friendships? appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Many of us—and our kids—experience emotional highs and lows that can leave us overwhelmed, reactive, or unsure how to respond. In the first message of our new series, Milestones, we’ll see how Jesus meets us right in the heart of our emotions. We’ll learn how he can reshape our perspective, help us navigate hard moments with patience and clarity, and strengthen us to face challenges rather than run from them. Together, we’ll discover that emotional health isn’t about perfection—it’s about learning to walk with Jesus, one step at a time. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, spend some time together in prayer  Introduction  Last week we finished the Unafraid Series focused on how we can have a fresh start free from fear this year.   We are starting a new three-week series, Milestones, where we’ll look at three key markers of a life centered on God. This week, we are discussing emotional milestones and how they shape the way we respond to life.  Connect   What is one thing you do that makes you think you’re turning into your parents?  How did your family handle stress that you still find yourself falling into?  Opening  The ways we respond to stress, pressure, and strong emotions are often shaped long before we realize it. Unhealthy emotional patterns can form over time, some we might be aware of, and others are so familiar to us that we rarely stop to examine them. These patterns influence how we respond to life. As we talk together, we’ll reflect on our own patterns and consider how God invites us to rely on him to transform how we react to the challenges of life.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can become emotionally healthy people Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read  Psalm 42:5–11   What stands out to you in these verses?  The first verses we read showed the author being honest with God about their emotions. Is it easy for you to bring your emotions to God?  Why might people hesitate to bring strong emotions to God?  What is the benefit of reflecting with God about where we are emotionally in our lives? What might change if we slowed down and paid attention to how we’re feeling?  Why do you think people have difficulty working through their emotions?  What usually happens when emotions are ignored or pushed aside?  Take a moment to reflect on your life recently. After reflecting, share if you feel comfortable:   If someone who knows you well described how you respond under stress, what might they say?   Read  Psalm 62:5–8  Philippians 4:6–7  Psalm 55:22  What do these verses show about where we’re invited to place our trust when our emotions run high?  How might trusting God in this way shape how we experience stress or uncertainty  What tends to pull us away from trusting God when emotions rise?   What practices can help you reset your perspective to rely on God in challenging or emotionally unstable times?  What do these verses suggest about growth over time?  Where do you see growth happening in your life right now, even if it feels slow?  Action Step   This week, ask God to guide your responses to your stressful situations  One way to do this is to pray using Bible verses to help you honestly express how you’re feeling to God. The Book of Psalms is great for this! Evaluate how you’re feeling, find a Psalm that expresses those emotions well, then read the verses out loud to God in prayer.   When you find yourself in stressful moments, first try to pause and ask God for clarity and perspective before responding.  Closing   The way we carry stress and respond to difficult emotions doesn’t change overnight. Some habits are obvious; others are familiar enough that we barely notice them. What matters is that we don’t have to navigate those patterns on our own. As we learn to bring our reactions, worries, and pressures to God, space opens for growth, steadiness, and a healthier way forward. This week, ask God to show you the areas in your life he’s inviting you to trust him as you respond to strong emotions.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Mark and Lisa De Neui  **For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.:   Mark trains church leaders and church planters. Lisa teaches English as a Foreign Language.  Prayer Requests:   That their disciple making ministry would continue to grow    For the local students, who are perusing an education in English, to be receptive to the receiving the word of God  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Mark and Lisa  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Psalm 73:26  “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 118:14  Day 2: Psalm 147:3  Day 3: Jeremiah 17:14  Day 4: Isaiah 41:10  Day 5: Matthew 11:28  Day 6: Isaiah 40:29  The post Where is God in My Big Feelings? appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if God doesn’t remove your fears but meets you in the middle of them? In this last message in our UNAFRAID series, we’ll look at how Jesus wrestled with deep anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane and how he found strength through honest prayer and a desire for close friends. We’ll learn that God welcomes our real emotions and rather than waiting for fear to disappear, we can step forward with God’s help and the support of others. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, spend some time together in prayer  Introduction  Last week we talked about how we can face the fear of speaking the truth in love with Jesus’ help and the action step was to look for ways to speak up with honesty and grace. Discuss how everyone was able to implement this throughout their week.  This week, we are discussing trusting God and the way he helps us through our fears.  Connect   What is one irrational fear you used to have as a kid?   How did you get past that fear?  Opening  Sometimes the things we fear come and go, but sometimes they are very real and they stick around. God wants us to remember, however, that even when fear or worry shows up, we don’t have to face it alone. There’s a way to find a quiet strength and a sense of peace, even in the middle of things that feel uncertain or hard. Today, we’ll explore what it looks like to notice those moments, take small steps, ask for help from others, and discover the comfort and connection that God brings, even when life feels a little shaky.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can find a powerful connection with God in the midst of our fears.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 Peter 5:7  James 5:13-16  What stands out to you about these verses?   How do you act when you are going through a troubling times? How does it affect your daily life?  How often do you prioritize prayer when you’re going through hardship or fear? Why do you think prayer can be overlooked during these times?  Why do you think it’s important to remember that God wants to go through your troubling times with you?  If you feel comfortable, share a difficult time you went through with your group. How did you see God through that process?  Read   2 Corinthians 1:3-4  1 Timothy 2:1  Philippians 2:1-2  During his message on Sunday, Pastor Jason talked about the story of Jesus asking his friends to ‘stay awake’ and pray with him shortly before he was going to die. Similarly, the verses we just read together describe that we should help others when we go through difficulties.   Why do you think it is important that we help and comfort others when they are going through troubles or hardships?   How can you use your own experience with God comforting you to bring comfort to someone else? What are some practical ways this could help?  Action Step   This week, help someone going through a current fear in their life  Take a moment to think of someone in your life that may need help because they are going through some kind of hardship. How can you be in prayer for them? How can you reach out to them to help them feel comforted?  This could look like prayer, encouragement, hanging out, calling, serving them in some way, anything. Ask God to help you see what is most helpful and loving.  Closing   Sometimes fear and worry come and go, and sometimes they stick around longer than we’d like. Even in those moments, we don’t have to face them alone. God is with us through it all, and even the smallest actions can remind us that connection, courage, and comfort are always within reach, even when life feels uncertain or shaky. This week, try to look for ways you can help someone else work through a current fear in their life and seek God’s comfort as well.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  D and J  (For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.):   D and J are building relationships with an unreached people group in Southeast Asia.  Prayer Requests:  For their ministry to continue to gain momentum   That they would have minimal obstacles with the local government  Spend a few minutes in prayer for D and J  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Hebrews 4:16  “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Romans 12:12  Day 2: John 15:7  Day 3: 1 Peter 1:13  Day 4: Colossians 4:2  Day 5: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Day 6: Psalm 18:6  The post Be with God in Your Fears appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if the very truth we avoid is the truth that could set us free? This week we’ll look at a famous speech by Jesus where he boldly confronted hypocrisy—not to shame people, but to invite them into a deeper, more authentic life with God. We’ll learn that when we welcome His loving redirection, we find the courage to live with humility and integrity. Instead of hiding from the truth, we can embrace it and experience the freedom God offers.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide, click here. To view a .docx version of guide, click here. Before you begin, spend some time together in prayer  Introduction  Take some time to catch up with your group. How have everyone’s holidays and new year been so far? What are some goals everyone has this year?  This week, we are talking about getting past the fear of speaking up when we know we should and how we can love others when in those conversations.  Connect   What’s a hot take or opinion you have that might be a little unique or surprising?  Would you rather say something if you disagree with someone or stay silent?   Opening  Sometimes speaking up can feel scary, even when we know it’s the right thing to do. We might worry about how people will react, or we might just want to avoid conflict altogether. There are also times when we speak up but lack kindness and grace in our words which ends up hurting the people around us. The Bible shows us that God calls us to not only use our voice and speak up but do this lovingly, with him at the center of the conversation.   This leads us to our main idea for this week  With Jesus’ help we can face our fears by speaking truth in love  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   Proverbs 31:8-9  Ephesians 4:29-32  Colossians 3:14-17  1 John 4:7-12  Ephesians 5:1-2  What stands out to you from the verses we just read?  Why do you think we should speak up when someone else feels unable to? In what ways do you see this being especially important in today’s culture?  When have you experienced the need to speak up about something in your life recently?   How do you normally approach difficult conversations? Why can this be difficult or scary?  How do you think we should discern when to speak up and when to be silent? Where should the line be for a follower of Jesus?  How can the way we speak and act towards people be a positive or negative example to who Jesus is?   Reflect on a recent difficult conversation. How could you have been more loving in that discussion?  What are some practical ways we can love and honor people when we disagree with them?  Action Step   Choose to prayerfully speak up with honesty, kindness, and grace.  This week try to, as the Book of James says, “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry”. Before we can call others to change, we must look at our own lives.  When a situation arises that causes you to want to speak up, instead take some time to reflect with God about it. This can help calm us, soften our delivery of what we say, or show us a better way to address the situation.  Remember that we don’t have to be “right” all the time. Instead, prioritize your relationships in your conversations over just being correct.   Closing   Sometimes we stay quiet to avoid conflict, or we speak and it doesn’t come out the way we intended, so we end up hurting others. Either way, our words have the power to build up or tear down, and while God wants us to use our voice, he wants us to do this with love and guided by Him. This week let’s practice leaning on Him to help our words be truthful, gentle, and encouraging to the people around us.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  D and J  (For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.):   D and J are building relationships with an unreached people group in Southeast Asia.  Prayer Requests:  For their ministry to continue to gain momentum   That they would have minimal obstacles with the local government  Spend a few minutes in prayer for D and J  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization throughout the week.  Ephesians 5:11  “Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 19:14  Day 2: Psalm 86:11  Day 3: Proverbs 13:3  Day 4: James 1:19  Day 5: Proverbs 15:23  Day 6: Ephesians 4:26  The post To Speak Up or Not Speak Up appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Have you ever feared that your mistakes have put you beyond God’s reach? This week we’ll look at the biblical story of a woman caught in failure and surrounded by judgment. And rather than condemning her, Jesus protects and forgives her. Her story reminds us that God’s love doesn’t erase the past but transforms it into a foundation for new life. Instead of fearing judgment, we can step boldly into the love that sets us free. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and reOur Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources here. The post Fearlessly Forgiven  appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if this year’s biggest challenges could actually shape you into the person God wants you to be?  This week we start a four-week series of messages called UNAFRAID. A new year often brings the desire for a fresh start—free from fear. Yet our world keeps handing us new reasons wot worry: political tensions, financial insecurity, fractured relationships, and personal struggles. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and reOur Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources here. The post New Year. New Attitude. appeared first on Journey of Faith.

This Sunday at Journey of Faith is what we call Sabbath Sunday. It’s a special rhythm we practice once a year to intentionally pause, rest, and reset. Because of that, both of our physical campuses will be closed this week, but we’ll still have a full online service available for you to watch. This gives our incredible volunteers and staff a well-deserved opportunity to rest and recharge as we prepare for everything God has ahead for us in 2026. Whether you’re watching from your couch, gathered with family, or tuning in while traveling, we invite you to lean into a slower pace and create space for rest and reflection. The post Sabbath Sunday appeared first on Journey of Faith.

 In a world full of division and self-protection, how do we love people well? In the final week of Christmas in Us, we’ll look at the story of the Magi—wise travelers who responded to Jesus’ arrival with generosity and worship. Their story reminds us that love isn’t something we wait to feel—it’s something we choose to live out because of the love we’ve received from God. This Christmas, discover how Jesus invites us to clothe ourselves with love and bring healing to our relationships. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources anytime at journeyoffaith.com/group-resources/. The post Your Christmas “Fit Check”  appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Why does joy feel so hard to hold onto when life feels heavy? In week three of Christmas in Our Hearts, we’ll revisit the story of the shepherds—everyday people who found lasting joy when they heard that a Savior had come. Their story reminds us that true joy begins with experiencing God’s forgiveness and grows as we share that good news with others. This Christmas, discover the strength of joy that doesn’t depend on circumstances but on the presence of Jesus. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources anytime at journeyoffaith.com/group-resources/. The post The Strength of Joy  appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Why does peace feel so out of reach—even when things seem okay on the surface? In week two of Christmas in Us, we’ll hear the story of Joseph, who found peace not in perfect circumstances, but in trusting that God was doing something bigger. His story reveals the secret to lasting peace: letting Jesus rule our hearts, even when life feels uncertain. This Christmas, discover how peace can begin with one relationship—your relationship with Him. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources anytime at journeyoffaith.com/group-resources/. The post What (or Who) Rules Your Heart? appeared first on Journey of Faith.

In a world full of disappointment and uncertainty, is it still possible to have real hope? In the first week of our series Christmas in Us, we’ll look at the surprising moment when a young woman named Mary was told by an angel that God’s presence would live within her. Her story reveals the secret of Christmas: even when life feels hopeless, God is working in us and through us. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources anytime at journeyoffaith.com/group-resources/. The post The Secret of Christmas appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Christians are sometimes seen as dour and gloomy as we attempt to live righteously. But Jesus was known as connectable and personable. How can we grow the same quality of truly enjoying life? What impact would it have on the people around us if we approached the world and relationships with positivity and thankfulness? This week we’ll explore what it would look like to enjoy life the way Jesus did and prep to practice joy over the Thanksgiving holiday. Watch Full Service Our Groups take a seasonal break from mid-November through mid-January, so there’s no new discussion material available right now. In the meantime, feel free to explore additional studies, guides, and resources anytime at journeyoffaith.com/group-resources/. The post An Enjoyment Person appeared first on Journey of Faith.

In our image-centric culture, it’s often easier to be concerned about how we look than who we really are on the inside. But the further our image of ourselves is away from reality, the more disconnect from real relationships we’ll experience. This week in our You 2.0 series, we’ll explore how the challenging task of being self-reflective can open us back up to the growth and vision God has for our lives – and the huge benefits self-awareness can have in our relationship. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide Week 2: A Self-Reflective Person Begin your time together with prayer Introduction Take a few minutes to check in.What was it like practicing curiosity this week?Where did you notice yourself slowing down, listening differently, or responding in a new way? Connect Take a few minutes to talk together: What’s one habit, hobby, or situation that naturally makes you pause and reflect? When has taking a moment to be honest with yourself helped you grow or make a healthier choice? Opening We’re continuing our You 2.0 series, where we’re looking at character traits that help us live and love more like Jesus. Last week we talked about curiosity, and this week we’re turning inward to the practice of self-reflection. In a world that cares a lot about outward image, it’s easy to focus on what people see instead of who we really are. But real transformation happens when we slow down and let God show us what is going on in our hearts. When we take time to reflect with God, we begin to see ourselves more clearly, not through shame, but through his love and grace. This leads us to our main idea for this week: We should become well-practiced in self-reflection. Unpack Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses: Read Psalm 139:23-24Lamentations 3:40 Discuss What do these passages teach us about inviting God into the process of reflection, even when it feels uncomfortable? Why do you think these passages acknowledge that reflection can feel vulnerable? What reassurance do they offer? How can slowing down to reflect with God draw us closer to his view of our lives? Read: Romans 12:2-3Philippians 4:8-9Matthew 7:3-5 Discuss: How do these verses help us see that spiritual growth begins when we let God change the way we think? What role does humility play in self-reflection? How does seeing ourselves clearly help us love and understand others better? What happens to our relationships when we neglect reflection and only focus on others’ faults? Action Step Take a moment to be still before God. Ask him to show you one area of your life where he’s inviting you to slow down and reflect. Consider these questions together: What keeps you from slowing down for honest reflection? How can you make reflection a rhythm instead of a reaction to mistakes? Who in your life helps you see yourself more clearly without judgment? What would it look like to invite that person to speak into your life this week? Then choose one simple step to practice: Set aside five quiet minutes each day to ask God, “What do You want me to notice about myself today?” Journal or pray through what comes to mind, focusing on both encouragement and growth. Share one reflection with a trusted friend or mentor to grow in honesty and connection. Closing Healthy self-reflection isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about growth. God invites us to bring our real selves to him so he can shape our hearts and attitudes in life-giving ways. As you slow down and reflect this week, remember that when God shows us something about ourselves, it comes from love. He doesn’t point things out to shame us but to help us grow and become more like Jesus. Pray Together Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group. Missionary Focus – Joseph Bradford III Joseph launched his nonprofit, B.A.R.E. Truth, Inc., in 2018 to serve individuals and families in Los Angeles facing homelessness, food insecurity, and other critical needs. Prayer Requests: For a continual positive partnership with LA county For the physical and mental wellbeing of the people he serves Spend a few minutes in prayer for Joseph Reflection Verse for the Week: *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. Daily Devotional Verses Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below. Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. Day 1: James 4:8 Day 2: Proverbs 4:23 Day 3: James 1:22-25 Day 4: Philippians 4:13 Day 5: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Day 6: Proverbs 3:6 The post A Self-Reflective Person appeared first on Journey of Faith.

When people think of Christians, they sometimes picture us as cranky, pious, or stuck in our ways. But that’s nothing like Jesus. So how do we break through those misconceptions and genuinely connect with the people in our lives? In this series, we’ll discover three underrated character traits that can reshape how we live and love. Growing in these qualities will draw us closer to God’s presence, deepen our relationships, and help us reflect his love more clearly to the world around us. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  Week 1: A Curious Person  Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take a few minutes to check in. How did your week go, and what was it like trying to put last week’s action step into practice?  Connect   Take a few minutes to talk together:  What is something you looked up or asked about recently simply because you were curious?   When has curiosity helped you connect with someone in a meaningful or unexpected way?  Opening  We’re beginning a new series called You 2.0. Sometimes people imagine Christians as cranky, rigid, or stuck in their ways, but that isn’t who Jesus is at all. This week’s message focused on a quality that often gets overlooked but can change the way we live, love, and connect with others: curiosity. When we approach people and situations with curiosity instead of defensiveness, we reflect the character of Jesus. Curiosity opens us up to wisdom, truth, and stronger relationships.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We should engage the world with curiosity.   Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   Proverbs 18:2  Proverbs 18:15  What kind of posture or mindset is God inviting us into in these verses?  How does curiosity help us “tune our ears” toward wisdom?  How do these passages help us understand why curiosity matters to God and to our spiritual growth?  Read  1 Thessalonians 5:21  Philippians 2:3–4  Colossians 4:5–6  James 1:19  How does curiosity help us test ideas rather than react quickly to them?  What do these passages show us about the value of taking an interest in others?  How does humility make curiosity possible in relationships?  How can choosing curiosity in our conversations help people see Jesus more clearly?  Action Step   Where in your life do you notice yourself reacting quickly instead of slowing down to understand?  Is there a relationship where curiosity feels difficult for you right now?  What gets in the way of being curious with the people around you?  When has someone’s curiosity toward you made you feel seen or valued?  Let what surfaced in these questions guide your Action Step this week. Take a moment to talk with God about what stood out to you and ask him to help you grow in curiosity.   Identify someone in your life you interact with often but maybe don’t slow down enough to truly understand. Ask one question this week that helps you learn something new about them. Notice what happens in you when you choose curiosity over reaction.  Choose one conversation this week and practice being “quick to listen and slow to speak.” Before offering your opinion, pause and ask one clarifying or compassionate question.   Closing   Growing in curiosity takes time. Most of us will not get it right every time, but God is patient with us as we learn to slow down, listen, and really see the people around us. As you practice curiosity this week, invite God to shape the way you respond and the way you show up in your relationships. Over time, he grows something in us that others can actually see, and it helps us reflect Jesus in simple, everyday ways.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus – Joseph Bradford III  Joseph launched his nonprofit, B.A.R.E. Truth, Inc., in 2018 to serve individuals and families in Los Angeles facing homelessness, food insecurity, and other critical needs.  Prayer Requests:   For a continual positive partnership with LA county    For the physical and mental wellbeing of the people he serves    Spend a few minutes in prayer for Joseph  Reflection Verse for the Week:  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Proverbs 16:16 – “How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver!”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well.  Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read?  Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read?  Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: James 3:13  Day 2: Proverbs 29:11  Day 3: Proverbs 18:2  Day 4: Romans 15:2  Day 5: John 13:34  Day 6: Philippians 2:3  The post A Curious Person appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if God’s love wasn’t meant to stay the same? So many of us treat love like a one-time truth or an obligation to uphold. As we finish our BeLoved series, we’ll see how Jesus’ closest disciple John, envisioned God’s love as dynamic—growing in us as we grow in Him. We be reminded that a vibrant faith is one where Jesus keeps deepening, stretching, and transforming our lives.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some time to discuss how your experience of asking God to remind you of how you are loved as God’s child went this week. How did that change how you viewed others around you?  This week we will be discussing how our experience of God’s love shows up in our lives to the world around us.  Connect   If you could instantly master any skill what would it be?   Who have you seen grow or change in a positive way recently and what made you notice it?  Opening  Growth isn’t always easy to notice in the moment. Following Jesus can sometimes feel like a list of “dos and donts,” which might make us think that love is the same way. But God’s love isn’t about rules. Instead, it grows and evolves in us as we grow in our understanding of Him. As we experience more of God’s love, it begins to shape everything about us, from how we treat others to how we face life’s challenges.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can show the marks of growth in our experience of God’s love.   Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 John 4:7-12  Galatians 5:19-25  2 Peter 1:3-8  What stands out to you about these verses?   Where do these verses say love comes from?  If love comes first from God, why might it be difficult for us to believe or receive God’s love sometimes?  What do you think practical love looks like?   Galatians 5:22 describes what is commonly referred to as the “Fruits of the Spirit”. Why do you think “love” is listed first in this list?   What are some of “fruits of the spirit” or other marks of growth that we read in these verses that you see in your life? Which ones do you think you could emphasize more?  How can those closest to you help us recognize growth or our need for growth in our lives?  Take a couple of minutes and share some areas where you can see God working in the lives of each other in your group.   Read  Colossians 2:6-7  Romans 5:3-5  Philippians 1:9-11  According to these verses, what helps us grow spiritually as we follow Jesus?  How can we continue to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness and joy in our lives on a daily basis?  How much do you think you emphasize love and thankfulness in your daily life?   Where might God be inviting you to grow in love right now?  How can we as a group support each other to grow in God, so that love of God and others is the main thing people see when they think of us?   Action Step   Spend time talking to God this week about how he wants to grow you in love this week and put it into practice during your week.  First start with asking God how you personally need to grow in love. After God shows you the areas you need to grow, try to do that that this week. Are you quick to get angry? Ask God to help you be more peaceful. Are you quick to unkind? Ask God to help you be more kind and think of yourself less.   This might be difficult but remember this is a process. Even the fastest growth doesn’t become perfect overnight, so give yourself grace, but also be committed to the process and ask God to give you opportunities to practice this during the week.  Lean on your other group members for support and discuss how it went this week next time you meet as a group.  Closing   Growth in God’s love isn’t always immediate or obvious, but over time we can recognize our experience with it in the way we live and treat others. As we practice what we’ve talked about this week, we can ask God to continue shaping us from the inside out. The more we allow his love to grow in us, the more it becomes visible in our actions, and the more we reflect who God is to the world around us.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Bill Ankerberg  Bill leads a missions movement in the Nordic-Baltic region, focusing especially on Estonia, where fewer than 2% of people identify as Christian.  Prayer Requests:    For Bill’s personal health and safety    That Estonian church leaders would be receptive to the leadership and training Bill and his team provide     Spend a few minutes in prayer for Bill  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  1 Chronicles 16:11  “Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: 1 John 4:7-8  Day 2: 2 Corinthians 5:17  Day 3: Hebrews 4:16  Day 4: 1 Corinthians 14:20  Day 5: Romans 12:2  Day 6: Isaiah 40:31  The post Grow in God’s Love appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What does it really mean to live as someone deeply loved by God? Many of us try to build our lives on identities that are constantly shifting. As we continue exploring a powerful spiritual letter from Jesus’ beloved disciple John, we’ll be invited to root our identity in being God’s children—so that His love can shape how we see ourselves and how we love others. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some time to discuss how your action step of asking God to renew one unhealthy aspect of your life has been going since last week.  This week we will be discussing our identity as God’s children and how knowing that can help us love others well.  Connect   What’s something simple that never fails to make you feel appreciated?  Who’s the easiest person in your life to get along with, and what makes them so easy to be around?  Opening  It can be easy to talk about love, but it’s more difficult to live it out, especially when we forget where real love comes from. The way we love others is deeply connected to how we understand God’s love for us. As we start to see ourselves how God sees us, as it can change how we view and treat others because when we see ourselves as God’s children, it changes our motivations for why we want to love others in the first place.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can love people well as we grasp God’s love for us  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 John 3:1-2  Romans 8:14-16  What stands out to you from these verses?  What does it mean to be a child of God?  Why do you think it matters that we know that we are children of God?   How often do you think about being a child of God in your daily life? How does this make you live differently?  We often try to find our identity in things like work, family, past mistakes, or achievements. What are some specific aspects of your life that try to compete for your sense of who you are?  If you saw yourself first as God’s child, how would that shape the way you love other people?  Read  John 13:33-35  1 John 4:7-12s  What stands out to you from these verses?  Based on what we just observed, where does real love begin?  Why does it matter to the world how we treat each other as followers of Jesus? How could this show other people what the love of God is like?  Sometimes we do loving things for the wrong reasons. What are some unhealthy motivations (people pleasing, guilt, conflict, etc.) you might have for showing love to someone?  How do you think knowing you are loved by God reshape our motivations when it comes to loving others?  What does loving others like God loves us practically look like?   Which of the ways we can love others that we just listed are the hardest for you to do in your daily life? Why do you think this is difficult?  Action Step   Start each day asking God to remind you about who you are to him and to help you live as his child in the way you treat others.   Challenge yourself to look at how God shows us love as an indicator for how to do this to those around you. Don’t use any unhealthy motivations you might have for showing someone love. Instead, ask God to renew your perspective to look more like how he calls us to love others.   Closing   Loving others well starts with remembering where love comes from. When we see ourselves through God’s eyes we begin to see and treat others like God does, as people to be loved. His love shapes not just how we treat people, but why we choose to love in the first place. As we hold on to that truth, our love becomes more genuine, more grounded, and more like his. This week ask God to remind you about his love for who you are to show others God’s love as well.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Bill Ankerberg  Bill leads a missions movement in the Nordic-Baltic region, focusing especially on Estonia, where fewer than 2% of people identify as Christian.  Prayer Requests:    For Bill’s personal health and safety    That Estonian church leaders would be receptive to the leadership and training Bill and his team provide     Spend a few minutes in prayer for Bill  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  1 John 4:7  “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: John 3:16  Day 2: 1 John 4:19  Day 3: Psalm 36:7  Day 4: John 15:9  Day 5: 1 Peter 4:8  Day 6: Ephesians 5:1  The post Live as a Child of God appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if the very things we try to hide are the ones God most wants to heal? We all carry parts of ourselves we’d rather keep in the dark, but real transformation begins when we step into the light. This week in our BeLoved series, we’ll be invited to experience the freedom, forgiveness, and clarity that come when we stop pretending and start walking in truth Jesus provides! Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Last week, we talked about how Jesus is real and how we can believe God’s love is real because Jesus is real. Take some time to share how you have to shown others that Jesus is real by the way you love them this week. This week we will be discussing the topic of living in God’s light.  Connect   What’s something that helps you get back on track when you feel a little lost or distracted? Opening  Life can sometimes feel messy, and it can be easy to focus on mistakes we might have made. But when we step into God’s light, we’re reminded that there’s a path forward filled with guidance, forgiveness, and new possibilities. Living in that light doesn’t mean everything is perfect, it just means we can see clearly where we’ve been and how God’s grace should shape the choices we make. It’s in that light that we find the space to let go of what holds us back and take steps in a direction that brings more clarity, peace, and hope.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can find forgiveness and direction when we walk in God’s light.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 Corinthians 10:12-13  Ephesians 2:1-7  What stands out to you in these verses?   How often do you ask for forgiveness from God? How often do you confess your sins to others?  Why could this be helpful to do?  Why is it important we consistently remind ourselves of the way that God made a way for us to be forgiven for sins?  How often do you think about the grace of God? Why is this good to consistently reflect on?  How are you different now from before you were following Jesus?  How can our personal story of forgiveness help others in their faith journey? The next section of verses we are about to read is a longer section of verses, which come from a letter by one of Jesus’ Apostles, named Paul. This letter was written to instruct and encourage a church in a city named Colossae (modern-day Turkey) to grow in their faith in Jesus, while being careful to avoid false teachings. Pay attention to how Paul describes what it looks like to live as a follower of Jesus.  Read  Colossians 3:1-17   What stood out to you about these verses? What seems to be the most important part of Paul’s message in this section?  How do we live as followers of Jesus according to these verses? What is the practical steps of how we do this?  Which part of these verses do you find the most difficult to practice in your life?  This section mentions multiple times that when we follow Jesus, we have a “new life” and we shouldn’t hold on to how we used to be in our “old life” before we began following Jesus.  Take a moment to think about your life and who you are today. How much of your “old life” are you still attached to? Why do you think this is difficult to detach yourself from?  Paul tells the Colossians in verse 17 of this section, “Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus”. Why is it important that we live this way also?  Action Step   Identify and allow Jesus to renew one unhealthy aspect of your life that you are holding on to. Closing   Even when life feels messy or full of mistakes, stepping into God’s light reminds us that we don’t have to stay stuck. Instead, living in God’s light shows us the way forward that is full of forgiveness and fresh opportunities to follow Jesus. This doesn’t make everything perfect, but it helps us see more clearly and make choices shaped by God’s grace.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Bill Ankerberg  Bill leads a missions movement in the Nordic-Baltic region, focusing especially on Estonia, where fewer than 2% of people identify as Christian.  Prayer Requests:    For Bill’s personal health and safety    That Estonian church leaders would be receptive to the leadership and training Bill and his team provide     Spend a few minutes in prayer for Bill  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Psalm 107:1  “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Romans 8:28  Day 2: 2 Corinthians 5:17  Day 3: 1 John 1:9  Day 4: Psalm 103:12  Day 5: Psalm 86:5  Day 6: Proverbs 28:13  The post Walk in the Light appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if your faith could be more than just a feeling—real, grounded, and lasting? Many of us wrestle with doubt, especially when faith feels invisible or unclear. As we begin our BeLoved series, we’ll see how Jesus’ closest disciple, John, discovered a faith in Jesus that was both deeply emotional and historically anchored. We’ll be challenged to make that kind of faith our own. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some time to discuss how their week went and how they were able to apply their action step from last week!   This week we will be discussing how we can show God’s love to others to show them that Jesus is real.  Connect   What’s something you rely on every day, even though you can’t really explain how it works?  Who do you know that shows love or kindness in a way that sticks with you?  Opening  Faith in Jesus can sometimes feel hard to put into words. We can’t see it or hold it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real or true. The Bible and the stories of people who’ve followed Jesus remind us that he is real, and we can trust in him, building up our faith in him because of the way see him working in our lives.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can believe that God’s love is real because Jesus is real.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   John 20:19-29  The story we just read happened shortly after Jesus resurrected from the dead. What specifically stands out to you from these verses?  Why do you think Thomas struggled to believe without physical proof in front of him?  What helps you have confidence that your faith in Jesus is real, and not just based on your feelings?  What do you think your biggest obstacle, or source of doubt is, when it comes to believing without seeing?  How do you overcome those doubts and keep trusting Jesus’ love is real and present in your life?   What does this teach us about how Jesus meets us in our doubts  Read   Hebrews 13:7  James 2:14-17  1 Timothy 6:12  Hebrews 13:7 says that followers of Jesus should remember the ones who taught them about Jesus and imitate them in their faith. Why do you think this is important?   What characteristics or actions have you seen in another person’s life that have given you confidence that Jesus is real?   How have you seen Jesus working in your life through others recently?   What are some tangible ways we can show that Jesus is real by the way we treat people?   Why do you think it can be challenging to do this consistently in our lives?  Action Step   Find ways to tangibly love others this week, to show them that Jesus is real.  This doesn’t need to be complicated. It can be as simple as small acts of kindness, encouragement, or generosity, but be intentional about it as much as possible.  Try to be an example to others about who Jesus is this week. Think this week about how Jesus would treat people and then imitate that action. Be like the person that you look at as a model for how to live and love like Jesus.   Who is one person God is bringing to you mind right now that you can love in a tangible way? What could that look like?  Closing   Faith can feel invisible at times, but that doesn’t make it uncertain. We can have confidence that our faith in Jesus isn’t just spiritual noise or wishful thinking but something solid and true. The Bible, along with the good examples of others we know who follow Jesus, remind us that real faith shows up in how we live, grows as we trust Him, and is strengthened by God Himself day by day.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Pat and Beth Andrews  Pat serves with Seed Company, a subsidiary of Wycliffe Bible Translators, as Director of Field Projects for the Pacific Region and as a Translation Consultant.  Prayer Requests:   For continued safety when visiting project teams    For God’s word to continue to prevail over translation obstacles     Spend a few minutes in prayer for The Andrews  Reflection Verse for the Week  *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Hebrews 11:1  “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 145:4-7  Day 2: Hebrews 11:1-6  Day 3: Hebrews 12:1-2  Day 4: Romans 10:17  Day 5: Proverbs 3:5-6  Day 6: John 14:15  The post Jesus is Real appeared first on Journey of Faith.

As we’ve started the Fall, we’ve been exploring the many ways that we’ll pursue God together this year at Journey of Faith: through our services, our commitment to personal spiritual growth, and through our focus on sharing God’s love with the community.  But what might this look like, practically, for our church?  What changes or initiatives can we work on together that will help us pursue God’s plans for our church?  This week we’ll look forward at the year ahead and discover ways that we can follow God deeper into his vision for us.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this file, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some intentional time to discuss how you were able to prioritize spending time alone in prayer this week. How did that go?   This week we will be discussing be confident in the future because God is trustworthy and faithful.  Connect   Do you like surprises or would you rather know what’s coming?   When was a time you had something go completely different than you planned, but it worked out better than you thought it would?  Opening   The future often feels uncertain and sometimes that uncertainty can cause us to worry. Maybe there’s something we’re afraid of going through or maybe we just aren’t sure what’s happening in our lives at the moment. In those times, God invites us to remember who he is, what he’s done, and to keep trusting him no matter what comes our way. Even when life doesn’t play out the way we might expect, he has a way of leading His people in the best direction.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can trust God even when the future is uncertain.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   Luke 12:24-32  What are some reasons why people might be worried about what’s going on in their lives? How many of these are present in your own life?  What are some good things that God has done in your life this year?  What helps you remember what God has done in your life?  Why do you think it can be difficult to trust God sometimes?    Read   1 Peter 1:3-7  Romans 8:35-39  What stands out to you about the verses we just read?  How often do you remind yourself of God’s love for you?   How can remembering God’s love for us cause us to trust in him and his plan more?  Why do you think it’s important for us to go through trials? How could this help us trust him more?  What is something in your life right now that you are having a tough time trusting God with?   Action Step   Remind yourself of God’s love each day this week  and choose one area of your future to trust him with.  This isn’t an always and easy thing to do, especially when we’re really worried about it. What would it look like to fully trust that God is going to take care of it and follow his guidance about this situation?  Prayer is important for this process. Pray through this regularly throughout your week.   Remember that sometimes God answers us in ways we don’t expect or with answers we disagree with. Part of committing ourselves to trusting God is believing that his way is better than ours and submitting ourselves to what he says.   Closing   Sometimes the future can feel uncertain, which can cause us to worry about out lives. It is in times like these that God calls us to remember who he is, what he has done for us, and to trust him no matter what life throws at us. While the future can feel unclear, God has a way of leading his people in the best ways, even though sometimes our lives or circumstances turn out how don’t expect them to. This week let’s try to refocus and remind ourselves about who God is, what he is doing, and why he is trustworthy, then put our hope and reliance in him.  Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Pat and Beth Andrews  Pat serves with Seed Company, a subsidiary of Wycliffe Bible Translators, as Director of Field Projects for the Pacific Region and as a Translation Consultant.  Prayer Requests:   For continued safety when visiting project teams    For God’s word to continue to prevail over translation obstacles     Spend a few minutes in prayer for The Andrews  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Isaiah 26:4  “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Jeremiah 17:7  Day 2: Psalm 27:14  Day 3: Psalm 9:10  Day 4: Psalm 118:8  Day 5: Proverbs 30:5  Day 6: Isaiah 41:10  The post The Road Ahead appeared first on Journey of Faith.

There is a deep well of spiritual connection that is available to us, but we often overlook the chance to spend personal time with God.  How could dedicated time that we share only between us and God shape the rest of our daily lives?  What could our lives be like if we had a more intimate and vital personal relationship with God?  This week we’ll explore several important ways that we can experience God beyond Sunday mornings, learning how to feel and rely more on the presence of God in our lives.  Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some intentional time to discuss what you determined you will be more involved in when it comes to serving, being in community with others, and/or generosity, like we talked about last week. How is that going? This week we will be discussing being intentional to spend time with God.  Connect   What was one small moment from this week that was meaningful or made you feel grateful?   When you really need to focus on something (work, school, hobby, etc.), what do you do? What helps you block out distractions?  Opening   Life moves quickly and it can be hard to stay focused on what really matters. Between distractions, worries, and our own plans, our connection with Jesus can easily get pushed to the side so we it is important to stop and take a moment of quiet to spend time talking to God. He wants us to commit our lives to Him and remain connected and when we do this, we find it easier to notice how he brings growth we could never make happen on our own. Just like our other relationships, this time spent helps us get closer to Jesus.   This leads us to our main idea for this week:  We can develop a rich personal relationship with Jesus.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   Lamentations 3:25-26  Psalm 37:4-5  What stood out to you about these verses?   Lamentations says the Lord is good to those who depend on Him. What helps you depend on God in your daily life?  Why do you think depending on God with everything makes a person’s life different?  How do we do this if we can’t see what He’s doing?  Read   Colossians 4:2  Matthew 6:5-8  John 15:4-8  What do you think being “devoted to prayer” looks like in a real, practical way for you?   How does knowing that God already understands your needs change the way you approach Him?  Why do you think Jesus said to go somewhere quiet and by yourself when you pray?   How can this help to keep prayer intentional and personal instead of just a routine?   Action Step   Identify when you can best spend time alone in prayer with God each day,  then prioritize that time this week.  Try to plan this time when it naturally already fits into your schedule. If you wake up early, spend some time during the morning to be alone in prayer with God. If midday or evening is best, do it then! The goal is to make it a priority so using your current schedule will be easiest for that.  If you don’t know what to pray about or find yourself getting stuck, you can read through the Bible and pray about what you are reading.   i.e.: The Daily Devotional section this week is found entirely in Psalms, you can breathe, say these psalms out loud as a prayer, then listen to how God responds during your time with him this week.   If you already have a regular “quiet time” with God, try to spend more time listening to what God is saying to you, rather than speaking in prayer. Sometimes the best way we can get close to Jesus is to listen to what he is trying to tell us.    Closing   Taking intentional moments to stop and spend time with God is important. Just like any meaningful relationship, the more attention and care we give, the closer we become and feel connected to him. And as we stay connected, His presence begins to influence not only the choices we make but also the way we think, respond, and see the world around us. This week, try to spend quiet, intentional moments with God so your relationship with Jesus grows and try to establish this as a rhythm in your daily life.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus Dennis & Denise Ahern Since 1992, the Aherns have provided counseling and care to missionaries in more than forty countries. Prayer Requests:    To continue to thoughtfully care for ministry workers with counseling and spiritual direction    For personal wisdom for Denise and Dennis as they lead their ministry     Spend a few minutes in prayer for The Aherns Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Psalms 143:8  “Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 150:1-6  Day 2: Psalm 18:1-2  Day 3: Psalm 113:1-9  Day 4: Psalm 19:7-10  Day 5: Psalm 69:16-18  Day 6: Psalm 142:1-7  The post In Quieter Moments appeared first on Journey of Faith.

For many of us, the first thing that comes to mind when we think of “church” is our Sunday morning gatherings for worship and a message. But real spiritual growth can’t possibly be contained to one hour a week! Instead, God has a plan for our lives and spiritual growth that can be refreshing to every hour of our week. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some intentional time to discuss how your group’s experience with spending time in the Bible throughout the week went. What did everyone learn and how are they trying to put it into practice in their lives so far?  This week we will be discussing how we can grow together through serving, living together in groups, and being generous with what we have.  Connect   What’s one skill you only discovered because someone else pointed it out to you first?  When have you done something with others (on a team, at school, at work, or at church) that felt better together than doing it alone?  Can you think of a time you stepped out of your comfort zone to help someone, and it ended up being a positive experience?  Opening   It can be easy to move through life focused on our own schedules, needs, and plans, but some of our greatest growth happens when we notice the needs of others and respond to God’s call. When we slow down and pay attention, we start to see opportunities to make a difference in ways that impact others and shape who we’re becoming. God invites us to a life of serving, gathering with others, and practicing generosity. These steps may take us out of our comfort zone but will lead us closer to who he is shaping us to be.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We should utilize every chance to grow together.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 Peter 4:8-11  Matthew 5:14-16  Why do you think serving others is important? How could this show who Jesus is to those who don’t follow him?  These verses remind us that God gives everyone different spiritual gifts to use for others. What’s one ability, skill, or strength you think God has given you that might want you to use?  How could you use these gifts to serve others within the church? How could you use them to serve others outside of the church?  Jesus says that his followers are supposed to be the ‘light of the world.” What could that look like in your daily life, at work, with friends, with people you haven’t yet met?  When we serve others, how does it change us? How does it help us grow closer to God and closer to each other?  Read   Romans 12:9-13  Ephesians 4:2-6  What do you think it looks like to love people well?   Which part of Romans 12:11–13 stands out most to you: working hard for the Lord, being patient in trouble, praying, or helping others in need? Why?  How do you think the way we treat each other in the church affects how those outside the church see Jesus?  Why is unity with others important when it comes to following God together?  How can being unified with others help us grow together?  Read   Psalm 112:5-9  2 Corinthians 8:12-13  Why do you think generosity matters for someone who follows God? How can being generous help others experience God’s love in a real, tangible way?  What are some ways we can find joy in being generous with what we have? When has someone else’s generosity made a difference in your life?  How can giving to others help us grow together?  Action Step   Choose one practical way to put your faith into action this week and invite someone else to join you so you can grow together.  Think about the areas we’ve talked about: serving, being in a group, and giving. Which of these could you take a next step in?  Is there another way you could practice your faith with others and grow together? Brainstorm some ideas as a group.   Discuss this with your group ways you can all be involved in this process together.   Closing   Life can often feel busy and full of distractions, and it can be difficult to stay focused on God and his plan. But when we pause and pay attention to what God is doing, we start to notice opportunities to care for others, build deeper relationships, and give in ways that make a difference. As you go into the week, watch for those opportunities and take a step to grow together with others.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Dennis & Denise Ahern  Since 1992, the Aherns have provided counseling and care to missionaries in more than forty countries.  Prayer Requests:    To continue to thoughtfully care for ministry workers with counseling and spiritual direction    For personal wisdom for Denise and Dennis as they lead their ministry     Spend a few minutes in prayer for The Aherns  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Romans 12:7-8  “If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Proverbs 27:17  Day 2: 1 Corinthians 15:58  Day 3: Hebrews 10:24-25  Day 4: Galatians 5:13  Day 5: Acts 20:35  Day 6: Proverbs 3:27  The post Nuts and Bolts appeared first on Journey of Faith.

At Journey, we believe that spiritual truth comes from God’s Word, the Bible. But reading and learning from the Bible can be challenging; it’s likely the only 2000-year-old document that any of us has ever read. So how do we develop a pattern of studying and applying God’s truth consistently in our lives? This week, we’ll talk through practical ways that we can grow through our interaction with the Bible and see how that commitment is reflected in the way we teach the Bible at Journey. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some intentional time to discuss how everyone in your group was able to apply last week’s action step. Who was everyone able to talk to about Jesus? Who did you invite to church this week? Did they come? What did they think?  **Take time to pray for future conversations ** your group will have with who they connected with this week This week we will be discussing the importance of knowing and following the Bible in our daily lives.  Connect   What is something you know could or will be really good for you, but it’s still hard to stick with it?  When you think about reading the Bible, what seems life-giving or exciting about reading it? Does anything feel confusing or intimidating?  Opening We all come to the Bible with different experiences and expectations. For some, it feels confusing or intimidating. For others, it can seem distant or hard to connect with because it feels outdated to them. It can be easy to get stuck in these perspectives and miss the value that the Bible has to offer. When we take a step back and look closer, we start to see that it’s not just an old book, but God’s story, written to show us who God is and how his words give meaning and direction to life.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We should commit to reading, understanding, and living out God’s truth in the Bible.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 Timothy 4:8-10  Hebrews 4:12  What stood out to you about these verses? What do you think the authors were hoping people would understand or take away from these messages?  Why do you think reading and understanding the Bible is important and challenging in daily life?  When is a time someone’s life reflected God’s truth in the Bible in a way that encouraged or inspired you?  Read   James 1:22-25  Colossians 3:14-17  Romans 15:2-4   Why do you think it’s important to not only know the Bible, but to live out what it says?   Why is doing life together with other followers of Jesus important? How could this help you follow what you learn in the Bible better?  What do you think it could look like for you to actively help others live like Jesus?   Action Step   Commit to reading the Bible, understanding it, and practicing what you learn from it each day this week.  Do this as a group! Communicate throughout the week and encourage each other in this effort.   This could be as simple as going through the Daily Devotional Verses section this week! Make a plan of how you want to apply this action step as a group and try to help each other stick to it each week.   You can also use the YouVersion Bible app’s Bible reading plans like Alex talked about during the message on Sunday.  Closing   It’s natural to have questions, doubts, or even mixed feelings about what we read in the Bible. Sometimes it feels clear and simple, and other times it can feel distant or confusing. The good news is that God’s story isn’t just meant to be read, we are meant to learn from it and live out what it teaches. As we continue to read and understand what it shows us, we begin to see how the Bible brings hope, clarity, and direction to our lives, which leads us to action. This week, spend some time experiencing the story of God and listening to how he is leading you to live out what he is teaching you.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  Miguel Adame  Pastor Miguel leads a growing church in Mexicali, Mexico, where he and his family have been serving the community since 2013.  Prayer Requests:   To achieve effective local outreach.  To support the ongoing growth of their school on the church campus.  Spend a few minutes in prayer for Pastor Miguel  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Isaiah 40:8  “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Psalm 119:33-37  Day 2: Psalm 1:1-3  Day 3: 1 Peter 2:2-3   Day 4: Proverbs 3:5-6   Day 5: Jeremiah 17:7-8  Day 6: John 8:31-32  The post Daily Bread appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Understandable.  Jesus-centered. Invitational.  Those are some of the ways that people in our community describe Journey of Faith.  But what, exactly, are we inviting people into at Journey?  During this first 5-week series of the Fall, we’ll explore the unique blend of values, mission, and programs that define us as a church.  Along the way we’ll find new ways to grow closer to God together and share his love with the South Bay. Watch Full Message Groups Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Begin your time together with prayer  Introduction  Take some time to discuss how everyone’s summer went! What were some standout moments for everyone?  This week we’ll be talking about what it means to share our faith in Jesus, and how we can support one another in doing that.   Connect   What is something you recommended to a friend recently, and why were you excited to share?   Has anyone ever invited you to be a part of something that turned out to be meaningful? What made their invitation meaningful to you?  Opening  When we feel strongly about something, we often want to tell other people about it. We want to tell our friends and family about the latest great movie or debate why we believe that it is, in fact, pronounced “car-mull”, not “care-a-mell.” In many ways, we may feel this same way about sharing our faith in Jesus, but it can feel more complicated. We might worry that we won’t know what to do or say in the moment or we might think, “what if I mess up?” God knows that it can be challenging to do this on our own, however, which is why he created a system of collaboration and support for his follower to rely on: each other!  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We should work together to share  the love of God in the South Bay.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   2 Corinthians 5:15-21  What stands out to you from the verses we just read?  What do you think living a “new life” in Jesus practically looks like?  What could it look like to live your life as an ambassador for Jesus?  Read   Psalms 105:1-2  John 13:34-35  Romans 15:5-6  How do these verses say we can share the love of God to the world around us?  Share how someone living these ways has affected you in your life? Why did this experience stick with you?  What do you struggle with the most when it comes to talking with others about Jesus?   How could you begin to improve in this area to share the love of God with others better?  What support do you need from the group to be able to do this well?  Action Step   Invite one new person to join you at church next Sunday.  Who is someone in your life that doesn’t seem to follow Jesus that you could invite to come to church with you? Try inviting that person, then go out to lunch after and talk with them about how it went for them.  As a group, brainstorm a couple of invitational blurbs you could use this week as a guide.   You could say something like, “Hey I’m going to church this weekend, would you want to check it out with me?” Make it casual, open, and friendly.  Next week, talk about how this went as a group and see how you can support each other to continue improving on how to sharing your faith with those around you.  Closing   Sometimes sharing our faith can feel complicated or even intimidating. It’s easy to overthink what to say or worry about how someone might respond, so we put it off or stay quiet. But God didn’t design us to figure it out alone. He gave us each other to lean on, to encourage one another, and to remind us that we don’t have to carry the weight of sharing his love by ourselves. This week, encourage each other in your group to look for opportunities to share your faith and invite someone to know Jesus.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests for your group and conclude in prayer for your group. Prioritize this time well!  Missionary Focus  Miguel Adame  Pastor Miguel leads a growing church in Mexicali, Mexico, where he and his family have been serving the community since 2013.  Prayer Requests:   To achieve effective local outreach   To support the ongoing growth of their school on the church campus   Spend a few minutes in prayer for Pastor Miguel  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practices of reflection and memorization through the week.  Hebrews 10:24  “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Hebrews 10:23-25  Day 2: Psalm 119:17-18   Day 3: Psalm 119:33-35   Day 4: Psalm 119:73-76   Day 5: Psalm 119:105-106  Day 6: Psalm 119:142-144  The post Come and See appeared first on Journey of Faith.

We live in a world that is broken by death and pain and evil.  Sometimes we can catch ourselves longing for the next life, expecting that God will finally be rid of this earth.  But we read in the Bible that God has a much different plan – rather than moving on from Earth, his ultimate plan is to redeem and recreate all that is currently lost and corrupt.  In this final week of The Story Project, we’ll read the very last verses of the Bible and learn how we can join in the invitation for Jesus to arrive and make everything new. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post All Things New appeared first on Journey of Faith.

There are many perspectives on the prophetic nature of the book of Revelation.  From tackling the strange and vivid imagery to parsing out the curious timelines presented, Christians have worked to unpack John’s vision for the past 2000 years.  But does this type of debate about Revelation obscure what Jesus is trying to teach us through the last book of the Bible?  Or is it possible to still learn important lessons that can impact our current (and eternal) life?  This week we’ll look at a few key passages from Revelation and discover how we can hear Jesus clearly together. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post The Great White Throne appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The book of Revelation is often considered to be a confusing and complicated book of future prophecy. But the truth is that the opening chapters of Revelation feature the risen Jesus himself giving practical insight to his followers. And his direction in those early chapters is clear: we need to stay alert and focused on following him, despite the increasing challenges we face. In this first week of our three-week walk through Revelation, we’ll hear what Jesus has to say to his Church, take his message to heart, and move toward a closer and more fulfilling relationship with him. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post We are the Church appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What kind of faith endures—and how do we pass it on? In two personal letters from the Apostle Paul to a young church leader named Timothy, we discover the key to leaving a legacy of faith: a life anchored in truth, shaped by character, and strengthened through perseverance. Real faith doesn’t just last—it multiplies. It changes us from the inside out and impacts the people we care about most. When we live with purpose and stay rooted in God’s truth, our faith can outlive us. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Leave a Legacy of Faith appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What does it look like to be the Church in a world that’s constantly pulling us in opposite directions? This week, we’ll look at two letters in the New Testament written to churches in an ancient city called Corinth – a city with a lot of similarities to Los Angeles! We’ll see how we can move from being to divided and distracted Christians, to a people known for their unity, holiness, and purpose. Let’s not just go to church—let’s be the Church. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Let’s Be the Church! appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What good is faith if no one can see it in action? This week we’ll look at a letter written to first century Christians from Jesus’ half-brother James.  We’ll be reminded that faith isn’t just a belief we carry, but a life we live. Real faith shows up in real ways—through how we handle hardship, love others, and walk humbly with God. Like a fast Amazon order, faith is meant to move quickly from conviction to action. When we put our faith to work, it becomes powerful, practical, and transformative. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Faith Works! appeared first on Journey of Faith.

What if the solution to the world’s brokenness isn’t found in us, but in someone greater? This week, we begin series looking letters from the New Testament, starting with the Apostle Paul’s letter to the ancient Roman Christians.  In it, we discover God’s global mission—a plan not just to save individuals, but to unite a fractured world through faith in Jesus. Beneath all our differences, we share a common need and a common hope. When we trust in Jesus, everything changes—from how we see ourselves to how we treat others. This is the good news: God’s love isn’t just for us—it’s for the world. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Good News for the World appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How can we share our faith in a way that truly connects with others? In this final message of our Pioneers series, we’ll explore how Paul, Christianity’s first missionary, engaged with philosophers in Athens. He met people where they were, using their own culture and beliefs as a bridge to introduce them to Jesus. We’ll reflect on how God can help us shift our focus from ourselves to communicating the Good News of Jesus in a way that resonates with those He wants to reach. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Know Your Audience appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How can we stay strong in our faith when life gets tough? This week, we’ll explore the New Testament story of Paul and Silas, two Christians imprisoned for their devotion to Jesus. We’ll see how they kept their faith alive during suffering and used it as an opportunity to share God’s love. Their example will encourage us to worship God even when we don’t feel like it and remain a resilient witness to those around us. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Be a Resilient Witness appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How can we help others grow spiritually without trying to force change? This week, we’ll explore the transformation of Lydia, a key leader in early Christianity. Her decision to follow Jesus came through people who recognized God’s work in her life and trusted Him to open her heart. We’ll learn how to recognize spiritual longing in others and rely on the Holy Spirit for transformation.  Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Trust God to Work in People’s Hearts appeared first on Journey of Faith.

How can we stay united in our mission while navigating deep cultural and theological differences? This week, we’ll look at how the first followers of Jesus worked to overcome division so they could continue to share the message of Jesus. We’ll learn how we can be grateful for God’s love for us and take practical steps toward cooperation with people who believe differently than us, without compromising our faith.  Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Find a New Way Forward Together appeared first on Journey of Faith.

Where do you turn when life feels uncertain or overwhelming? For our first week in this series, we’ll explore what shaped the minds and hearts of Christianity’s first missionaries.  We’ll learn about the importance of Christian community, how to face hardships, and celebrating what God is doing in people’s lives. And we’ll be reminded to look for the “doors of faith” God opens all around us. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Stay Connected to God appeared first on Journey of Faith.

As the first family of Christians was beginning to grow, it turned out their perspective on who was in and who was out of God’s scope of love was incredibly limited.  This week we’ll read the story of how God opened their eyes and made it possible for every to be a part of his family  – including you and me. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner appeared first on Journey of Faith.

The earliest followers of Jesus were made up of people who believed the message of Jesus and chose to follow him.  But there was one man named Saul, who began his journey as an ardent opponent of Jesus – even arresting and wanting to kill Christians.  But God had a different plan for Saul to become one of the most influential and dynamic followers in history – the first Christian missionary.  This week we’ll read the story of Saul’s dramatic conversion and be inspired to trust God to breakthrough to even the people most resistant to his love. Watch Full Service Story Project Discussion Guide The post Blinded by the Light appeared first on Journey of Faith.