The Growth Factor

 

 

 

https://smark.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Revelation_Chapter6.mp3

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul is bitten by a snake but suffers no harm and immediately shifts into serving and healing others. This lesson shows how God empowers those who have endured hardship to bring healing to others. Survival is not the end of your story; it is the beginning of someone else’s breakthrough.

Paul survives a raging storm at sea by clinging to God’s word and guiding others through chaos. This study teaches that even when you are not the captain, you can lead through faith. Storms may tear the ship apart, but God will bring you through, on pieces if necessary.

Paul stands before Agrippa and Festus not merely to defend himself, but to declare what Christ has done in his life. This session helps believers embrace the power of their personal story and share it with confidence, especially when the audience is skeptical or influential. Your testimony might be the very thing that makes someone say, “Almost persuaded.”

Paul is trapped in a web of political delay and power plays, held without charges and examined without resolution. And yet, he doesn’t panic. He remains poised, anchored by God’s promises. This study invites believers to breathe deeply in seasons of uncertainty, to trust divine timing when justice seems deferred, and to rest in the assurance that God sees and God is working.

More than 40 men conspire to kill Paul, but God uses an unexpected messenger to expose the plot. This lesson emphasizes divine protection, hidden intercessors, and God’s sovereignty over the plans of the wicked.

Paul stands before the Sanhedrin, caught between rival factions—yet God reminds him that his purpose is still intact. This study explores what it means to stand firm when your surroundings change, and to trust God’s control in hostile spaces.

In the face of public hostility, Paul shares his personal testimony with clarity and conviction. This study emphasizes the power of telling your story—how God uses our past, our transformation, and our boldness to reach hearts in unexpected places.

Even as Paul submits to Jewish customs in goodwill, he is falsely accused and violently seized. This study helps believers process what to do when obedience leads to opposition, and how to hold on to peace when you’re misunderstood. 

Under suspicion from Jewish believers, Paul willingly adapts to cultural expectations without sacrificing gospel truth. This lesson highlights how mature disciples navigate cultural tension with humility, clarity, and a heart for unity.

Paul’s determination to go to Jerusalem—even when those who love him plead otherwise—teaches us how to discern God’s voice above emotional noise. This study equips believers to follow divine purpose when it conflicts with human concern.

As Paul says farewell to the Ephesian elders, he models leadership marked by humility, integrity, and emotional investment. This study explores what it means to finish well, release well, and love well in ministry leadership.

This study explores the story of Apollos, a gifted speaker and passionate teacher who still needed guidance to grow. Though talented, he lacked a full understanding of the gospel until Priscilla and Aquila stepped in. This passage challenges us to reflect on our own gifts and the importance of humility, learning, and community in developing what God has given us.

This study explores Paul’s ministry in Corinth, a city known for its wealth, corruption, and diverse population. Here, Paul serves not from a pulpit or temple but while working as a tentmaker alongside Aquila and Priscilla. This study challenges us to see how God calls us to serve not just in sacred spaces but in the everyday places of work, community, and the margins.

This study explores Paul’s encounter with the philosophers of Athens. Surrounded by idols and competing worldviews, Paul calls them to turn from vague spiritual seeking toward the living God. Today, we often hear people speak of trusting “the universe” or “positive energy.” This study challenges us to ask: Are we listening to the universe or to God?

This study explores Acts 17:10-15, where Paul and Silas flee to Berea after facing hostility in Thessalonica. In Berea, the gospel is met with eagerness and daily engagement—a model for those wondering why they’re not growing spiritually. This passage challenges believers to move beyond passive Sunday attendance and toward daily, intentional interaction with God’s Word.

This study explores Acts 17:1-9, where Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica and face opposition despite their faithful ministry. A key figure in this passage, Jason, experiences persecution simply for showing hospitality to these missionaries. Through this story, we will examine how acts of kindness, particularly within Christian hospitality, can sometimes lead to unexpected challenges, controversy, or even danger.

This study explores Acts 16:6-40, where Paul, Silas, and their companions face divine redirection, unexpected challenges, and powerful breakthroughs. Through this passage, we will examine how to trust God’s purpose when our preferences are challenged, how to discern His leading, and how to respond to redirection with faith and flexibility.

This study explores Acts 16:1-5, where Paul makes a significant decision regarding Timothy and his cultural background. Through this passage, we will examine how to navigate family differences, discern when to compromise for the sake of unity, and recognize when it is time to move on from certain relationships or situations while staying faithful to God’s call.

This study explores Acts 15:1-41, a pivotal chapter in the early church that highlights the tension between religious tradition and God’s unfolding truth. By examining this passage, historical church developments, and insights from theologians, we will consider how to navigate change while staying faithful to the gospel.

In today’s culture, fame and recognition are often seen as signs of success. Whether in ministry, work, or social life, human applause can be intoxicating. However, Acts 14:8-28 gives us a powerful example of how Paul and Barnabas responded when people tried to elevate them to celebrity status. Their humility reminds us that all glory belongs to God alone.

Disappointments, especially those rooted in opposition and jealousy, can threaten to derail our purpose. Acts 14:1-17 continues Paul and Barnabas’ journey, showing us that even when jealousy disrupts, faithfulness to God’s mission leads to transformation.

Disappointments in life and ministry are inevitable, especially when rooted in opposition, jealousy, or rejection. Acts 13:13-52 gives us a real example of how Paul and Barnabas navigated jealousy and disruption while staying focused on their mission.

This study draws on Acts 13:1-12 to explore the biblical and historical necessity of the Black Church in America. By examining relevant scripture, key moments in American history, and the writings of influential scholars, we aim to understand the unique role of the Black Church in addressing spiritual, cultural, and social needs.

God’s sovereignty means that God reigns supreme and there is no one higher than God. God’s sovereignty means God is supreme over all things including mankind, animals, and nations. God’s sovereignty doesn’t mean that God doesn’t give us choice and freedoms in our lives and over our decisions. God’s sovereignty just tells us that even through our own freedom and choice God is still God.

One of the most debated issues in the Church today is that of women in pastoral leadership positions as they preach to and guide God’s people. As a result, it is important to have a conversation about this sensitive subject, especially with the growing amount of female preachers who feel called to ministry. Are we still allowing women to speak and teach only in Sunday School? Let’s learn what the Bible says about women, ministry, and Christ’s church.

The Bible doesn’t condone slavery, the bible deals with slavery as a reality and it’s economic structure. 

The Bible mentions or alludes to angels over 300 times. So God’s Word has enough to say about angels that we need to make sure we understand them. In this session, we will look at several things about angels, including the perception of angels, the place of angels, the purpose of angels, and the presence of angels in the Bible.

Christians and non-Christians, both, have questions about the afterlife. All of us have asked questions about what happens after we die. At some point we have asked, “Would God really send us to Hell?” This episode is going to be about Hell, and we are going to explore the question surrounding it and examine what the Bible really says about Heaven, Hell, and everything in between.

Despite all our differences in humanity there is one thing we all have in common – we all suffer. The reality of suffering and our Christian belief in God appear to be a contradiction. How can a God who is loving, kind and good allow people to suffer? Most important, where is that God when I am dealing with the pain and disappointments of life. Has God abandoned me or turned his back on me? This lesson will answer this question and more. 

Despite all our differences in humanity there is one thing we all have in common – we all suffer. The reality of suffering and our Christian belief in God appear to be a contradiction. How can a God who is loving, kind and good allow people to suffer? Most important, where is that God when I am dealing with the pain and disappointments of life. Has God abandoned me or turned his back on me? This lesson will answer this question and more.

Have you ever wondered if God changes His mind? Can the God who has predetermined everything change His mind? In this episode, we will explore how God does God change His mind based on the responses and reactions of His people.

It is no question that homosexuality or one’s sexual orientation has become culture’s greatest moral and spiritual issue for the Christian community. Yet, the Church often avoids discussing this taboo topic. But what is God’s heart on the matter? Does God hate gay people? This lesson addresses the cultural and Christian worldview of alternative lifestyles by providing biblical truth and practical guidance for everyone – those who are believers and nonbelievers.

Reading through the Bible from cover to cover could lead some to conclude that the God who showed up in the Old Testament is very different from the God who showed up in Jesus Christ. Which may lead some to ask, “Is God bipolar?” In this episode, we will discover God’s grace at work in the Old Testament and his judgment at work in the New Testament. Listen in as we talk about God’s nature and character throughout the Bible.

Context Discussing death and the afterlife presents challenges due to varying perspectives and uncertainties regarding the fate of the body post-death. However, for Christians, there is assurance that death doesn’t have the last word. We look forward to an everlasting existence with our Eternal Father. In this study, we’ll explore how Christians can grieve yet remain hopeful when a loved one passes, as the resurrected body differs from the one that perished.

If God is loving and good, how will he resolve the destiny of so many people who will never get a chance to be introduced to Jesus Christ? This has been a troubling question for so many believers, especially when statistics say there are 3 billion people on this planet who are considered to be the “unreached” because they have no access to the Gospel.

It’s often emphasized that God’s understanding of what is truly good surpasses human comprehension. Humans may perceive goodness based on personal experiences or cultural norms. But God’s perspective transcends our limited understanding. So, what is good? How does God define it? Are humans any good? In this episode, we will discover how God defines good and how He sees us outside of Christ and in Christ.

When we look at scripture, wealth and riches are used interchangeably. Apart from wisdom itself, the writer addresses wealth and poverty in Proverbs. There are more than 100 verses in Proverbs related to wealth and poverty. Wealth is a gift to the believer when it comes from God; however, it can be a curse if it leads us away from God.

Sharing the faith should not be a chore or stressful experience. Christ’s death helps take the fear and stress out of sharing the Gospel because Christ went to the depths of hell to share the faith.  Christ shows how we can go to the worst places and yet the Gospel still has the power to move forward.

Prayer is important in the Christian faith. It is an act of communication. But who’s listening to us when we pray? Who do we address when we pray? God? Jesus Christ? The Holy Spirit? In this episode, we will discover who listens to us when we pray and the function of God’s Trinity in the prayer life of a believer.