When you were a little kid, did you ever go to a fair or an amusement park? Maybe you were the type of kid who wanted to ride the craziest rides. You got to the amusement park, and you made a beeline for the roller coasters that went the highest or flipped the most. But as you approach your favorite rides, you know the sign to look out for—the one that divides people from riding the ride or sitting it out— the “You must be this tall to ride this ride” sign. And while that sign can create frustration for kids, it’s something we typically forget about as adults. Funny enough, sometimes we see our relationship with God in a similar way. For many of us, following God feels a lot like that sign. It’s as if there’s a standard that we have to keep in order to be in good standing with God. But no matter what we do or don’t do, we seem to come up short anyway. With three of His last words, Jesus put an end to this type of struggles. And He showed us that in order for us to experience a truly great life story, we need to depend entirely on understanding and acknowledging what He did to make us all right with Him.  Read More

We know that God forgives us and gives us grace, but do we really know why? What made Him want to send His Son to die for us so that we could have a relationship with Him? Why would the Creator of the universe care about us? Well, simply put, it’s because He made us. God isn’t a far-removed figure who created the world, and then left it to run on its own. No, He is here and as active as ever. He d...  Read More

What are some of the ways people in your small group see God? If you've never asked this question, now may be a good chance to do so. Because regardless of their age and maturity level, many believers have misconceptions, or skewed views, of who God is. Sometimes it seems like God is a scorekeeper, counting our sins against us. Other times, He seems like a distant grandfather who isn’t involved in our lives. Obviously, these views aren’t real. God is loving, caring, gracious, kind, compassionate, and so much more. But it’s easy to let misconceptions derail our concept of who He is. This week, ask your small group members to talk about different ways they viewed God, during different stages in their lives. Listen to all the answers you get. Then, close your group by reminding them of this truth: that even though we don’t always know or understand what God is doing, or who He is, there are foundational truths upon which we can stand, and put our beliefs in.  Read More

Jesus used some of His last words to say that unity was essential for the church to influence and change the world. I’m grateful I get to live life unified with people in my church and my small group!  Read More

Famous last words come in a lot of different forms. Some are thought provoking and profound, some are ironic and sad, and some are surprisingly ordinary and normal. But no matter what, there’s a reason they’re memorable. We remember last words not because of what was said, but because of when they were said. These words have power because of their context. For the next few weeks, we’re going to look at some famous last words that are definitely worth remembering: some of the last words of Jesus. As Jesus journeyed with His disciples toward Jerusalem, He knew His death was approaching. And the things He said in the moments leading up to, and following His crucifixion are certainly worth remembering. In studying this part of His life, we’ll see that Jesus’ famous last words can help us take some of the first steps toward living the life God intended for us.  Read More

ATTACHING OURSELVES TO CHRIST MEANS “UN- ATTACHING” FROM EVERYTHING ELSE—A CHOICE REQUIRING RISK.  Read More

YOU FIND ACCEPTANCE AND APPROVAL BY ATTACHING YOUR HEART TO SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T CHANGE.  Read More

WHAT WE ARE ATTACHED TO DETERMINES OUR CONTENTMENT. Spend time in God's word, meditating and praying what He has for you to learn to be closer to Him.  Read More