A Conscious Dependence on the Holy Spirit

Topic Overview: God’s alive in our world all the time. He lives. He moves. He works. And one of the ways that he does this is through the Holy Spirit. As Christians, we believe that it’s the Holy Spirit that lives and works within us. The Holy Spirit plants the desire for Christ in our hearts. It helps us to realize that Christ lives within us. It works in our hearts to make us more like Christ as we model our actions after him. The Holy Spirit moves in the Scriptures and the sacraments, within preaching and witnessing, throughout our world.

Bible Passages to Check Out:

• John 14:15-21, 25-31
• Galatians 5:16-26
• Acts 2:1-21, 32-33
• Philippians 4:4-7
• Proverbs 3:5-6

Questions to Think Through:

• What is something the Holy Spirit has taught you?
• If the Holy Spirit is a gift, not something to be grasped, what does our response need to be?
• Which gifts (or fruits) of the Holy Spirit come easily to you and which ones are more difficult for you to live out?
• What does it mean to be “dependent on the Holy Spirit?”

Online Resources:

• Sacred Space (A website that walks you through a daily prayer on a variety of topics)
• A Primer on the Holy Spirit (A free E-book from The Resurgence)

The Resurgence has a whole blog series on who the Holy Spirit is.  Check it out:

• The Sovereign Spirit (A blog that speaks about understanding the Holy Spirit)
• God is Most Glorified When I’m Dependent on Him (A blog post about why remaining dependent on God is important)
• In the Spirit (A blog post looking at the Holy Spirit in the book of Colossians)
• The Holy Spirit Gives Power (This blog tells us that we don’t need to be ashamed to ask the Holy Spirit to give us power to do God’s work)
• The Holy Spirit and You (A blog about how the Holy Spirit guides our lives, including our prayer lives)
• What the Holy Spirit Does (A blog that may help you understand what the Holy Spirit does)
• The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (A blog explaining Spiritual Gifts)
• The Holy Spirit is a Person (A blog full of Bible verses that explain characteristics of the Holy Spirit)

Videos:

A creative video “discussion” with God.  Check it out!

Check out a way of praying that helps Jenna focus:

People prayer in different ways. Here Mackenzie shares how journalling prayer helps her connect with God.

The Reality of Freedom in Christ

Topic Overview: John 3:16, a verse that many people have memorized, states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God the Father gave us Christ the Son to die for our sins. We didn’t have to do anything to earn it. Even if we tried, we wouldn’t be able to do enough to repay God for this incredible sacrifice. The best part is, though, that we don’t have to. Christ died for each of our sins, and in doing so, he set us free.

When we receive Christ’s love, we also receive an incredible gift of freedom. Christ sets us free from sin. Christ sets us free from the laws of the past. He sets us free from this world to live in him. This freedom isn’t given simply for our personal gain, but instead so we can serve the world and serve God not out of sense of obligation, but out of love.

Bible Passages to Check Out:

• Galatians 3:23-29
• John 8:31-51 (pay special attention to verses 31-36)
• 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
• Galatians 5:1
• Romans 14:1-15:2

Questions to Think Through:

• How does the concept of freedom get misunderstood in our society today?
• What makes the idea of freedom so challenging and difficult to live out?
• In our present context, from what fears, lies, sins, or constraints might God be freeing our church? To what end?
• Who in my life needs to hear the message of Christ’s freedom?

Online Resources:

• Rachel Held Evan’s Blog In her “Ask a…” series, Rachel Held Evans interviews people from different branches of Christianity and different walks of life about their beliefs. Through the interviews we can see how Christians of all types can differ in some doctrine but still love and follow the same Savior.
• Exploring Freedom in Christ Read some stories of other people in the Covenant Church and how their experiences with having freedom in Christ

Wondering how to have discussions about your beliefs with friends you may disagree with without turning it into a debate? Check out some tips Mackenzie and Jenna have:

Have you ever had a friend whom you disagreed with about beliefs? Check out Jenna’s experience:

We are about extending grace to others because we have found Freedom in Christ just like this video says:

We hear lots about freedom, but the best freedom is found in Christ:

Finding Freedom from worshiphousemedia on GodTube.

The Church as a Fellowship of Believers

Topic Overview: God did not create us to be solo creatures. When He first made man, He soon made woman, stating, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” When Christ walked on earth, He had 12 men who were closer to Him than any other. We see throughout the Scriptures histories of people who faced trials and joy together. God made us social. God made us relational. God wants us to have friends-especially those who support us in faith.

Christianity works best in community. The Lord gave each of us specific gifts and talents, different perceptions and values. Like the pieces of a puzzle, when we come together we make a much more beautiful picture than when apart. We serve God better together. We worship better together. We can discern and understand where God is leading and guiding better together. As we grow in our relationships with believers, we grow in our relationship in Christ.

Sunday Message from Jenna Brand.

Bible Passages to Check Out:

• Acts 2:42-47
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-31
• 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13
• Hebrews 10:24-25
• Ephesians 4:1-6
• 1 John 2:7-11

Questions to Think Through:

• Why is community with others important?
• What does the phrase “faith is personal, not private” mean to you?Do you agree with it?
• Who is someone in your life that brings you joy as you enter God’s presence?

We love others because Christ first loved us.  We think others are important because Jesus did.

Why is it so important to have fellowship? Because it builds community and helps strengthen our faith.

The Necessity of New Birth

Topic Overview: In John 3:3, Jesus states, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.” Christ goes on to describe not a physical birth, but a spiritual one.   When we accept Christ as our Savior, we receive God’s gift of new life. We become God’s redeemed children, with a new core identity – with new hope, peace, purpose, and assurance of eternal life in Christ. As we grow into our new identity, God transforms us, making us more like Jesus and more completely the people He originally designed for us to be.   It’s incredible. It’s beautiful. And it’s absolutely free.

Sunday Message 

Bible Passages to Check Out:

• Ephesians 4:17-29
• 2 Corinthians 5:11-29 (Pay special attention to verses 14-17)
• John 3:1-21
• 1 Peter 1:3-4
• John 14:6
• Ezekiel 36:22-27

Questions to Think Through

• How have you seen transformation in your life because of your relationship with Jesus?
• How would you tell your testimony?
• Who is someone in your life that you’d like to tell your story to?

Online Resources:

• This is Who a Disciple Is (A Blog post about what being a disciple of Christ truly means)
• 72 (The Evangelical Covenant Church’s framework for evangelism and sharing your story)
• Every Christian Tells the Story (A webpage full of resources for how to tell your story and why it’s important)

Videos:

Cardboard Testimonies

Wondering what a testimony is?  And how do I share mine?  Watch this video blog:

A good song on the transformation we experience through Jesus.

The Centrality of the Word of God

Topic Overview: Our God is an incredibly giving God. He gives us life and breath, the staples we need to live, relationships that help us grow. God gave us an incredible gift of love when He sent His only Son to die on the cross for us. One of the most amazing gifts that He gives us isn’t flashy. We find them everywhere: in our homes, in hotels, in libraries and bookstores. God gave us the Bible. It’s sometimes so easy to forget just what an amazing book it is; it’s sometimes so easy to look at it and merely see pages and print instead of the life-changing words that lie within. Yet this book and the words found within it change lives, hearts, and history. God’s Word molds our world.

As Christians, we believe that the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, is Holy Scripture and the Word of God. Our manual for life, the Bible provides us with the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and how we live. The Holy Spirit works in the Word and through the Word. As we read it and ask God to allow his words to shape us, we change. The Bible helps us grow closer to God, learn more about Him, and grow in our faith.

• Sunday Morning Sermon Audio

Bible Passages to Check Out:

• Matthew 4:1-11: Jesus’ use of the Bible
• 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5: The purpose of the Bible
• Psalm 119:97-112: The Bible as our guide
• Romans 15:1-4: The Bible brings hope and encouragement

Questions to Think Through:

• How is the Bible a guide for your life?  How does it give you hope and encouragement?
• What is the role of the Holy Spirit when you read your Bible?
• What is a meaningful verse to you?  Why is it meaningful?
• How would you summarize the story of the Bible to someone who is unfamiliar with that story?

Resources from Sunday Night’s Bible Seminar:

• About the Bible Handout
• Bible Translation Comparison Chart
• Studying the Bible Group Exercise

Online Resources:

• Bible Gateway (Bible Online. Offers a variety of translations and commentaries, as well as some daily devotionals and reading plans. A smartphone app is available.)
• You Version (Bible Online. Offers a variety of translations; you can create your own reading plan; audio available. It’s possible to join “communities” with friends to read and discuss the Bible together. A smartphone app is available.)
• Online Parallel Bible (Bible Online. Offers a variety of translations and commentaries, as well as book summaries and helpful tools to understand the Bible, its context and its story.)
• Mardel Bible Translation Guide (A guide to understanding the differences between various translations of the Bible.)
• Bible Study Tools (Resources to understanding some of the history of the Bible.)
• Scripture Typer Bible Memory Tools (A source to aid in memorizing Bible verses. An iPhone app is also available.)
• Why we have confidence in the Bible (A blog post about the importance of the Bible)

Videos:

The Bible in 50 Words

What do all of those categories for the Bible really mean?  How do they relate to one another?  Watch this video blog:

Wondering where to even start reading the Bible?  Watch this video blog to find out!