Have you ever been tempted to hide your faith for fear of judgment or ridicule? By studying the words of the apostle Peter, we’ll find courage in the grace of Jesus Christ to remain faithful to the gospel in the face of injustice and suffering. In his letter to the early Christians, Peter reminds us that we have the strength to live this way because Christ lived this way first.

As humans, we long for significance and the sense that our lives have value. This is especially acute when we’re experiencing suffering. When we’re through challenging times, we may find ourselves wondering: “Does my life matter? Am I making a difference?” But the apostle Peter confidently proclaims that all who have put their trust in the gospel of Jesus Christ have value and purpose. As we study 1 Peter 2, we’ll see how Peter comforts Christians experiencing suffering by affirming their identities in Christ and their intrinsic value as God’s chosen people. 

When the culture we live in seems to restrict our faith to a list of rules focused on what we shouldn’t do, the apostle Peter challenges believers to embrace godly behavior that produces God-honoring fruit because we are grateful for our salvation in Jesus Christ. Learn what it means to live a holy life, set apart by God for his purposes, and how dwelling in God’s Word provides the spiritual sustenance needed for an active faith that flows naturally from us in all circumstances. 

Life is full of ups and downs: times of great joy and seasons of significant hardship. When early Christians faced mockery, persecution, and forced dispersion, the apostle Peter wrote to encourage them that even in suffering we have reason for great joy: our living hope and identity in Jesus Christ. This remains true for us today. Discover the incredible value of our faith as Peter opens his letter by praising God for the living hope and inheritance we receive as a direct result of our faith in Jesus Christ. 

The fourth major theme of the Bible is that of consummation, the time when God will complete his redemptive plan and make all creation new. Join us as we study biblical passages that describe a future where God’s presence eradicates suffering and evil, and brings justice and eternal joy. We’ll talk about what the hope of consummation means for us as we live in anticipation of the ultimate restoration of creation while persevering in God’s work of love and justice now.

The biblical theme of redemption is unique to Christian theology and sets Christianity apart from other religions. Join us as we trace God’s story of redemption from Genesis through the Old Testament to the ultimate sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. Together, we’ll learn how our loving God sent his only Son to accomplish our salvation, without expecting anything from us first. We’ll discuss distinctives of depravity, election, and grace as articulated by the confessions in the Reformed faith tradition. Reflecting on the transformative power of God’s redemptive work, we’ll talk about living redeemed lives as we go about our daily lives. 

Just after the story of creation, the Bible tells us the story of humanity’s fall. The immediate result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden was alienation from God and relational discord. It released sin and brokenness into the world with all the strife, suffering, and decay we see around us to this day. Together, let’s examine the second major theme of the Bible, the Christian doctrine of the fall. Drawn from both Old and New Testament Scriptures, this theme emphasizes the catastrophic impact of sin on humanity and creation and clearly articulates our universal need for a Savior in Jesus Christ. 

The Bible begins with an origin story: God’s creation of our world and of us, his image bearers. It’s a story that introduces us to our loving Creator God and the theme of creation that echoes throughout the Bible. Join us as we study the creation theme and discuss what it reveals to us about God’s character, love, and intentions. We’ll marvel at God’s acts of creation, ponder creation as God’s temple, and consider our call to reflect God’s creativity with our own as bearers of his image. 

The Christian belief in the Holy Trinity significantly influences our worship, prayer, and daily living. As we reflect on the Lord’s Prayer Jesus taught his disciples, the Great Commission he gave them before he ascended to heaven, and other apostolic teachings in the New Testament, we can see how these biblical truths shape our worship and prayer. Together, let’s discuss the implications of our trinitarian theology for our sanctification and Christian community and witness the essential work of our triune God in every aspect of our lives. 

Within the triune nature of God, each person of the Trinity is distinct from the others. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit each have important traits, attributes, and roles. Three persons, united as One. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must accept the Trinity as a mystery. Yet, we can study Scripture to better understand the nature of each person of the Trinity and the awesome phenomena of their unity as One. Together, let’s discuss what this reality means for our faith, what we believe, and how it transforms our worship and daily Christian living.

Christians believe there is only one God. Since its beginning, the Christian faith has always been monotheistic. But after Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension, early Christian teachers recognized the divinity of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit and formulated the doctrine of the Trinity to encapsulate these truths. Join us as we explore passages in both the Old and New Testaments that provide the rich foundation for our belief in the Holy Trinity. Together, we’ll discuss how the Church creeds have helped us articulate this mystery, aiming to give believers a deeper understanding and experience of God's triune nature.

As Christians, many of us long to make the world a better place. When we want to effect real change in the world, we may be tempted to seek the power or position to make it happen. Whether or not we serve in the public sector, turning to Scripture to weigh our motivations and guide our methods will help us find the most Christlike way forward. Join us as we examine the servant mindset that Jesus modeled throughout his ministry to help us understand the relationship between the Christian Church and political power.

Should Christians engage in politics? What about issues of social justice? Together, let’s delve into the complexities of Christian engagement in societal issues. We’ll examine Scripture to uncover practical wisdom that empowers us to stand for righteousness while navigating the intricacies of governmental authority.  Join us as we acknowledge the tension between complacency and courage and discern together what it means to embrace our role in shaping a more just and God-honoring society.

How do we disagree without being disagreeable? How do we handle conflicts when people slander or talk against us? Everywhere we turn, it seems as if our culture encourages division. It feels like there is little room for civil debate on nearly any topic, and confrontation and hatred of those with different viewpoints are becoming normal. Even when our faith is challenged, the Bible urges Christians to respond differently than the world would expect. Join us as we seek biblical wisdom for navigating a divisive culture in faithful and Christlike ways.

Throughout the book of Galatians, Paul makes it very clear that we can’t do anything to earn our salvation. So, do our actions and behavior even matter? Keeping laws and customs won’t benefit our salvation at all, but that doesn’t mean our actions don’t matter. Paul explains the importance of freedom with limits. These limits empower us to serve each other in love. Paul reminds believers that faith in Jesus Christ has the power to transform our lives and that we should live accordingly. Join us as we close our study of Galatians by examining Paul’s description of how to live in Christ. Together we’ll discuss the Fruits of the Spirit and what grateful Christian living looks like as we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Galatians 3 and 4, Paul continues to impress upon the new believers in Galatia that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works nor by their ability to follow the Mosaic law. Paul explores in depth the contrasting paths of legalism and freedom in faith.  As we study Paul’s teaching, we discover that God gave us his law to protect and guide us, not to save us. Together, let’s hear Paul’s loving heart as he urges the Galatians, and consequently, us to stay focused on Christ, to embrace our identity as God’s children, and to find our unity as believers in Christ. 

As Paul continues his letter to the Galatian Christians, he continues to address their confusion about salvation. He tells them that the esteemed leaders in Jerusalem affirmed Paul’s message of salvation and his calling to preach to the Gentiles.  He reiterates that Jewish customs like circumcision are not required for salvation. Then he publicly confronts the apostle Peter for his hypocritical behavior which had become a stumbling block for new believers.  Studying Galatians 2 underscores the importance of Paul’s emphatic message that the cross of Jesus is the only way to salvation. Join us to explore the struggle the apostles faced as the Christian faith spread, and along the way find the courage to embody the truth of salvation in your relationships and daily life. 

The Christian faith spread as Paul and the other apostles traveled around and shared the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.  However, after Paul left Galatia, other teachers came in and added to his message, spreading false truths about the requirements needed to receive salvation. When Paul gets the news,  he urgently writes a letter to the Galatian Christians. In the opening of his letter, Paul adamantly emphasized the importance and power of the unaltered gospel: salvation comes by grace through Jesus Christ alone, no additional works required. To underscore this truth, he then reminded the early Christians that he received his apostolic authority directly from Jesus Christ. Together, let’s study Paul’s salvation teaching to examine what makes Christianity transformative and evaluate our own hearts to ensure we’re guarding and preserving the gospel rather than corrupting the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ alone. 

Malachi prophesied to God’s people after they had returned to Israel from exile in Babylon. His message was one of caution and warning. Back in their homeland, the people were finally comfortable again and spiritual apathy began to settle in their hearts. Through Malachi, God addresses Israel’s indifference and unfaithfulness to him. Join Groundwork as we study the profound words of Malachi and witness how out-of-sync life can get when we go through the motions of faith without investing our hearts. We’ll learn from his warnings against spiritual apathy and his encouragement to examine our hearts, and discover how our faithfulness to God impacts our lives and our communities. Together, let’s explore how the timeless wisdom of Malachi can illuminate our faith and transform our worship today.

In good times and bad, life is full of struggles and challenges. Even when God answers our prayers, the way forward isn’t always straight. The Israelites felt this truth acutely when they were finally allowed to return home after living in exile in Babylon. But God was always with them and through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, he provided his guidance and help as the people began to rebuild. Join us as we study the messages Haggai and Zechariah delivered to God’s people. Together, we’ll glean biblical wisdom for navigating and enduring our own spiritual and physical challenges today and find courage to continue trusting God. 

When it seems like evil is winning all around us, and when we don’t understand how God can be both vengeful and loving, angry and good, it can be helpful for us to turn to the minor prophets of Nahum and Zephaniah. Both prophets urge God’s people to examine their hearts and act in ways that honor God and reflect his character. These prophets don’t mince their words when they talk about God’s anger and judgment, but neither do they leave God’s people without hope. Through Nahum and Zephaniah, we’re reminded that ultimately, God longs to show us mercy. He longs for our repentant hearts and for us to humbly join him in bringing justice, transformation, and reconciliation to the world as his ambassadors.  

The prophet Micah is most well-known for a famous and often quoted verse: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). But the prophet Micah speaks these words in the midst of declaration after declaration of God’s judgment on his people for their unfaithfulness.  Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, prophesied at a time when the people of Israel and Judah consistently disregarded their covenant with God. Join us as we explore the themes of both judgment and hope that are woven throughout Micah’s prophecies. Together, we’ll study his powerful imagery and discuss how Micah’s message continues to help us understand God’s character and walk faithfully in relationship with him today. 

The prophet Amos had an urgent message from God. God wasn’t going to tolerate the serious and grievous injustices of his people. During Amos’ lifetime, oppression and exploitation were so pervasive in Israelite society that it tainted their worship. As God’s people today, we have a lot to learn by studying the book of Amos. Join us to discover the intricate connection between our daily life and our worship. We’ll study Amos’ words to gain a deeper understanding of God’s heart for justice and his definition of righteousness, and together we’ll discover a guide for practical living and God-honoring worship.

The prophetic books of Obadiah and Joel are quite short and easily overlooked. However, their messages are hard-hitting and remind us that our God is a holy God. Obadiah and Joel were written hundreds of years apart, but they both call out the injustices that God’s people were committing in and around Israel during the lifetimes of the two prophets. Their words underscore the seriousness of sin and the necessity of God’s judgment. But their messages also include promises of hope and restoration and reminders of God’s great love for his people. As we study these books in light of our knowledge of God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ, we are reminded of what a truly repentant heart looks like. Join us and be encouraged that ultimately God’s grace and mercy will have the last word. 

Good Friday and Easter mark the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the climax of the Christian church year. There’s no doubt these are the events at the heart of our Christian Faith. During Holy Week, Christians around the world pause to remember and celebrate the great gift of salvation that we receive through Christ’s sacrifice. The Apostle Paul teaches us that we receive this gift of salvation by faith, but he also makes clear, it’s not just something that happens to us, but that we participate in both Christ’s death and resurrection as well. Join us as we study Paul’s teaching and discuss what it means and how it impacts our lives as faithful followers of Jesus Christ today. 

The four gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry vary in their selections of stories and in their details. Each gospel writer has a different audience in mind and a different goal, both of which influence what and how they retell Christ’s life. However, the story of Jesus’ crucifixion is so important to the message of salvation that we find an account of it in each of the four gospels. Examining the story of Jesus’ crucifixion in each of the four gospels reveals a beautiful tapestry of perspectives as each writer retells the event and stories of people at the cross. Together we’ll study each of the four crucifixion accounts in the gospels to witness the fulfillment of Scripture and remember the significance of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. We’ll also see where we can recognize ourselves in the story and consequently, find hope and encouragement in the story of Jesus’ crucifixion.

When something seems too good to be true, we might find ourselves raising an eyebrow, reading the fine print, and asking “what’s the catch?” But when it comes to salvation, there really is no catch and beyond having faith there is nothing else we need to do. When Christ died on the cross, he paid our debts in full. There is absolutely nothing we can add to his work to ensure our salvation. And yet, sometimes we subconsciously begin to believe that our actions matter for our salvation. During Lent, we pause to remember the truth of Christ’s work on the cross. We’ll study scriptures that help us remember why Christ’s sacrifice is completely sufficient to satisfy God’s wrath, and we’ll discuss how we can keep our fears at bay and keep the right perspective about our salvation and our deeds. 

The cross is a paradox. By human standards, it shouldn’t make sense, it shouldn’t work, and yet, it does. In fact, it’s the greatest paradox—life from death, pardon from penalty, and justification from judgment. In the Roman empire, the cross brought death in a brutal, humiliating way. But instead of shame and defeat, believers of Jesus Christ find life in the cross. Studying the paradox of the cross in Scripture reminds us of the profound love of God. It reminds us how much God values and regards his relationship with us and that only Christ can accomplish the impossible. Join us as we explore how sometimes the life of faith contradicts the logic of this world and what it looks like to live in light of this paradox. 

Shame is a very raw, acute, and distressing feeling. We experience shame when we’re humiliated by our own sinful behavior. Jesus had no sin, yet he too knew shame— the shame of the cross.  It’s another aspect of the cross that will help us comprehend the fullness of Jesus’ sacrifice. Together we’ll discuss the relationship between sin and shame in Scripture. We’ll study passages that help us revisit how Jesus experienced shame and unpack why it was necessary for our salvation. 

Crucifixion was a particularly gruesome way to die, but when Jesus died on the cross it wasn’t just gruesome, it was cursed. Seeking to understand the cursed nature of the cross leads us to make connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament, between our deep-seated guilt and the extreme cost Jesus paid to set us free. We were rightly cursed by God for our failure to keep his covenant, but Jesus became that curse to pay our debt. Join us as we study Scripture to better understand the meaning and implications of the curse of the cross and consider the implications for our lives of faith today. 

Sometimes habits or traditions become so ingrained in our lives that we can go through the motions of them without spending much time reflecting on their meaning. Sometimes, it benefits us to slow down and once again ask, “why?” We’ll begin our Lenten series “The Cross of Jesus” by examining scriptures that help us answer the question, “Why did Jesus have to die on a cross?” Together, we’ll grow in our faith by seeking to understand what went wrong, recalling God’s covenant, and remembering God’s character and love so that we can better understand why Jesus Christ’s awful death was necessary. 

Many of us are familiar with the Lord’s Prayer. In it,  Jesus taught his followers to pray, “...forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Through these powerful words, Jesus highlights the central importance of the virtue of forgiveness to the Christian life. However, saying we believe that forgiveness is important is a lot different than forgiving; most people would agree that true forgiveness can be quite difficult and often takes a lot of time and work. Join Groundwork as we dig into Scripture to better understand what it means to forgive, why we forgive, and what forgiveness requires of us. We’ll discuss real-life complications of forgiveness, the importance of recognizing forgiveness as a process, and useful steps for cultivating the virtue of forgiveness in our daily lives.  

Most people would say it is wrong to lie and good to tell the truth. Yet, most people would also admit that at some time in their lives, they’ve told a lie. The apostle Paul identifies truthfulness as a defining virtue of a faithful believer. So, what does that mean for us imperfect followers of Jesus today? Join Groundwork as we study truth in the Bible and explore Scripture to discover what it means to be truthful and how it can shape our lives and faith. Together we’ll discuss the nature of God's truthfulness and explore the connection between truthfulness, integrity, and trust. We’ll also look at what we risk when we lie and how we can practically embody the Christlike virtue of truthfulness in everyday life.

The apostle Paul encourages Christ’s followers to be generous people. Yet, for many of us, generosity does not come naturally. In our human nature, we often feel resistant to giving very much of our time, talents, or money for the sake of others. Join Groundwork as we study Scripture to discover why generosity is an important virtue for Christ's followers to cultivate and what it means to be a generous person. We’ll discuss the generous character of God, the generosity of Jesus, and how we can lean into their abundant generosity so that it nurtures our own. Together, we’ll identify practical ways we can cultivate this important virtue in our everyday lives. 

Why are thanksgiving and gratitude important virtues for Jesus' followers to cultivate? Join Groundwork as we explore the Scriptures to answer this question by defining thankfulness and gratitude and what it looks like to give expression to these essential virtues in our lives. Together, we’ll look at the connection between grace and thanks and ways we can nurture thankfulness and gratitude in our thoughts, prayers, and actions.  

We talk about humility in the church a lot, but what exactly does it look like? Is it possible to be proud of yourself and be humble? The Christlike virtue of humility is a root virtue from which many of the other virtues flow. Join Groundwork as we explore Scripture to discover the biblical understanding of humility, to identify what humility is not, and to witness and learn from how Christ demonstrated humility here on earth. Together, we’ll also discuss how we can live out Christlike humility in our everyday thoughts and actions today. 

The Christlike virtue of compassion is more than an emotion. The apostle Paul identifies compassion as a defining characteristic in followers of Jesus. Join us as we look in the gospels to witness the compassionate character of Christ. Then we’ll discuss how compassion relates to empathy and its connection to comfort. We will see examples of God’s compassion to discover the roots of our own capacity for compassion and what it looks like in our everyday lives. 

Questions are a natural part of our faith. Asking questions helps us to clarify what we believe and what it means to live as Christians in the world. In this episode, we consider some of the questions you asked in response to our series on the Lord’s Prayer, Joshua, and Revelation. Then we’ll discuss issues that some of our listeners shared are most pressing for their faith right now and look at the scriptures to find the hope and encouragement we need to live faithfully each day. 

As we celebrate Christmas and re-tell the story of baby Jesus—the Savior of the World, born in a lowly manger—may we also remember that he is the one the prophet Isaiah called the “Prince of Peace.” Join us as we reflect on our real need for this peace in our lives and our world. Together we’ll study the story of Jesus’ birth and dig into Scripture to discover the deep and meaningful shalom that Jesus brought to us in his birth, that he promises to establish permanently when he returns, and that we can share now as his agents of peace in our world. 

The prophet Isaiah continued to reveal the nature of the coming Messiah when he prophesied that he would be the “Everlasting Father.” Now that we know that Jesus was the “coming Messiah,” we might wonder, how can the Son of God also be the Everlasting Father? Join us as we discuss how our understanding of the Triune God clarifies how Jesus is our Everlasting Father. Together, let’s prepare our hearts to celebrate Christmas, with an Advent reflection on the true nature of a father as revealed to us in both the Old and New Testaments. We’ll come to better understand how this revolutionary title reveals the nature of Jesus and discover the comfort and belonging offered to us in Jesus, our Everlasting Father.

The words of the prophet Isaiah offered hope to Israel as they faced a hopeless exile. In chapter 9, verse 6 he calls the coming Messiah “Mighty God,” reminding God’s people that the one who was coming to save them would be more powerful than anything they were experiencing. We now know that the Messiah Isaiah prophesied about is Jesus Christ. As we look toward Christmas, join us as we dig into Scripture to discover what the title “Mighty God” communicates to us about Jesus. Let Scripture reveal the truth of Christ’s deeds and character, and explore with us how his presence as a helpless baby displays—not the smallness, but the awesomeness of God’s power.  Together we’ll discover how the promise of our “Mighty God” continues to give us hope as we anticipate Christ’s return. 

The prophet Isaiah first calls the coming Messiah a “Wonderful Counselor.” Join us as we dig into Scripture to discover what this title communicates about Jesus and how it is connected to the biblical wisdom tradition. As we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we’ll discuss what it means that Jesus is the wisdom of God and therefore, truly is a wonderful counselor whose guidance, when we seek and follow it with humility, will keep us on the right path. 

As the apostle Paul concludes his letter to the Romans, he instructs this early community of believers regarding how they should handle their differences. He knows that differences and disagreements are inevitable because the good news of the gospel calls people of many ages, backgrounds, and experiences. In Romans chapters 14-16, we find Paul’s instructions for Christian living, teachings that continue to help us understand how we can live together today as changed and changing people. Paul shares practical ways we can love our neighbor and reminds us that sometimes showing love means choosing not to do something. Join us and be reminded of the heart of Paul’s message: love for God and love for each other. 

As the apostle Paul continues to unpack the new realities of life for the early Roman Christians, he challenges them to live transformed lives—lives worthy of the grace and mercy they received in Jesus. Join us to study Paul’s teaching in Romans 12-13 and discover how we might live in light of the gospel, renew our minds, and be living sacrifices for God. Let’s walk with Paul through the process of discerning what transformed living means for our civic life. And finally, let us reflect on Paul’s declaration that love is at the heart of a transformed life. As Christ followers today we can demonstrate the same love and compassion as Jesus Christ because of the help of the Holy Spirit. So how are we putting on Christ and being conformed to his likeness, and not conformed to the pattern of this world?   

When loved ones don’t believe in Jesus despite being raised by Christian parents or growing up in church, it can leave us with deep aches and painful questions about God’s sovereign choices and our free will. The apostle Paul understood this ache and wrestling.  Even as he celebrated the inclusion of Gentile believers into God’s family through faith in Jesus, he was distraught by what this same truth meant for Jews who did not come to believe in Jesus. In Romans 9-11, Paul laments his concern for the Jews and demonstrates what it looks like to turn to Scripture to seek wisdom for the concerns of our hearts. Join us as we dig into Paul’s teaching, a teaching that informs what we today call the doctrine of predestination. May we find comfort in the truth that God, in his mercy, has chosen us. Like Paul, may the truth of God’s mercy give us hope and assurance that God is patient and there is still time for those we love to believe and receive salvation in Jesus Christ.  

After Paul writes his summary of the gospel and explains the purpose of God’s law, he turns to a very important topic: making sure that the believers in Rome understand just how much God loves them. A truth we can all continue to cling to today. By studying Paul’s writing about the implications of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we gain a better understanding of the Christian doctrines of justification and sanctification. We are reminded that we are indeed saved through God’s grace and made right with God through our faith alone—nothing we do saves us. Finally, we reflect on Paul’s pivotal point: salvation is for all people, not just the Jews. Join us in studying Paul’s teaching so that we might remember the good news of salvation and glean wisdom for the struggles we experience while we are becoming more Christ-like.

Why do we need the gospel? How is the gospel relevant to my life? In the opening chapters of Romans, the apostle Paul records concise explanations to these questions, and his teaching remains greatly beneficial for all believers. In this episode, we’ll begin by looking together in the book of Acts to establish the context for Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. Then we’ll turn to Romans to study and discuss Paul’s summary of the gospel, his explanation of the purpose of God’s law, and the problem of sin. Lastly, we’ll explore what Paul says about how we are transformed, where we can turn for hope, and what all of this means for our lives today. 

Daniel was a prophet who could interpret others’ dreams. Many of us are quite familiar with the stories of  Daniel interpreting the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar. But God also spoke to Daniel in his own dreams—dreams in which God revealed important truths about the End Times. Daniel’s apocalyptic dreams are full of complex symbolism and otherworldly images. At times, they can be mystifying. Christians throughout history have tried to precisely identify the meaning of each and every number and image found in Daniel’s dreams. However, when we study Daniel 7-12 and focus solely on finding correlations or solving puzzles, we can miss the important overarching truths. Join us as we study Daniel’s dreams and prayer to find assurance of God’s constancy and power, and to remember that only God’s kingdom will endure forever. Let us rejoice together that we can entrust our lives to God because he alone is sovereign now and always. 

“You reap what you sow.” “Cause and effect.” “Actions have consequences.” There is truth in these common phrases, but it can be easy for us to forget such wisdom in the heat of a moment. When we face difficult decisions, we often wish for a clear and obvious divine message from God, but it is important to remember that much of what we need or desire to know, we can already find in the Bible. When we are tempted to seek power and glory for ourselves, it is valuable for us to revisit the story of “the hand writing on the wall” in  Daniel, chapter 5. As Daniel interprets the meaning of this divine message for King Belshazzar, we learn a great deal about the relationship between accountability, consequences, and our faith. And we are reminded and assured that God is in control, sovereign over all, and that he deserves all the glory.

Living faithfully in this world isn’t always easy. At times, we all experience pressure to compromise our faith.  Sometimes, it can feel easier to just go along with what is culturally accepted.  Other times, we may fear the attention that standing firm in the convictions of our faith can bring. And even other times it can be especially difficult to maintain our resolve in the midst of daunting opposition. At these moments, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace can provide us with great hope, and encourage us to stand firm, trust God, and remain faithful even in the most challenging of circumstances.  Join us as we dig into Daniel 3 to be reminded that in all situations, God is with us—helping, strengthening, and protecting us. When we trust God and refuse to compromise our faith, God is glorified.

Our lives are filled with changing situations and circumstances beyond our control. When we experience injustice or lack power over aspects of our own lives, it can be tempting to question if God is present in our situation. We can begin to wonder if God is even able to help us in the face of unjust authority. The Israelites living in exile under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar likely experienced similar challenges to their faith. But in Daniel 2 and 4, God reminds us of his sovereignty through the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar. As Daniel retells the king’s dreams and interprets them, we find hope because those dreams remind us that in all things, no matter the situation, God is sovereign and in control.

When we lack control over our circumstances or when our culture pressures us to compromise our faith, it can be difficult to stay committed to following God’s commands and living out what we believe. Daniel and his Jewish friends knew what it was like to live in a culture that was not particularly welcoming to their faith practices. As the book of Daniel opens, we meet Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—four young Jewish men preparing to serve the Babylonian king. Join us as we unpack the context in which the book of Daniel takes place. We’ll discuss how and why the Israelites found themselves living in exile in Babylon and study the challenges these four young men faced in Daniel 1. Together, let’s witness what God can do when we let our faith, not our context, define our character.

After the Apostle Paul started the church in Corinth, others came after him that began to teach the Corinthian Christians differently. These false teachers were challenging Paul’s teaching on the resurrection, a crucial and important truth at the heart of the Christian faith. Influenced by the culture around them, they suggested that Christ’s resurrection was not a true, physical, bodily resurrection. As Paul responds to these false teachings, he is adamant that it is necessary to believe in the truth of Christ’s bodily resurrection. Discover what Paul says are the consequences for our faith if Jesus is not raised from the dead and why this truth is crucial to the gospel message. Learn from Paul’s message to the Corinthians why you can continue to stand firm today on the truth and reality of Christ’s resurrection. 

Every church is made up of broken, sinful believers redeemed by the blood of Christ. But far too often our human condition gets the better of us and we argue, disagree, inflict pain on one another, and sometimes even experience a break in a relationship.  This reality is not unique to the modern church. The Corinthian church struggled with unity too. They did not care for one another as they should have and the church had an almost clique-like mentality. In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul calls their behavior unacceptable and instructs them to make Christ-like love their guiding principle for their thoughts, motives, and actions. He also gives them further teaching on spiritual gifts so they can better understand the value of each of their members. Studying Paul’s instruction to the Corinthian Christians provides guidance for us still today as we seek to worship and live well together in community.

Freedom is a value most of us cherish and protect. But what happens when our personal freedom is in direct conflict with someone else’s personal freedom? How do our Christian faith and our freedom in Christ help us navigate these conflicts and make it possible to continue living in unity? And how can we be sure that our efforts to live in unity don’t compromise our integrity or cause us to become lukewarm or wishy-washy Christians? Join us as we study the Apostle Paul’s guidance to the early Christians in 1 Corinthians to discover the wisdom we seek to reconcile these questions. Discover why Paul does not equate personal freedom with Christian freedom and why remembering the second Greatest Commandment—to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39)—helps us embrace our Christian freedom more fully.   

How does faith in God affect the daily choices you make? Sometimes, it’s easy or clear to see how faith influences a decision. Should I steal? No, that wouldn’t be the choice of a faithful Christian. But other things are less clear. Can I enjoy sex or is it sinful? Can I eat anything I want or do I need to be more discerning? The early Christians in Corinth had many questions about how they should best honor God through their choices and they sought advice from the Apostle Paul. Let’s study Paul’s guidance to the Corinthians so that we can glean his wisdom and gain a better understanding of God’s vision for how we honor and glorify him through our choices and how our faith informs how we act—in our personal lives, in our relationships, and in our communities. 

The early Christians in the Corinthian church had many questions about how their faith impacted various aspects of their lives. You might be surprised that many of the topics the Apostle Paul advised them on in his letter are things we’re still wrestling with today: sexuality and sexual immorality, accountability in the life of the church, and lawsuits or disagreements among believers. Discover why in each of these situations Paul admonished believers to remember their identity as those baptized in Christ and to act accordingly.

As humans, we almost can’t help but make comparisons. But when comparing distracts us from what’s true and what’s important, then it becomes unhelpful and even problematic. The Christians in Corinth struggled with a comparison problem. As Paul addresses their problem in 1 Corinthians, he offers not only the Corinthians, but us too a valuable perspective on power, authority, and leadership in the church, and a vital reminder that Christ is the foundation upon which we should build all things. Together, let’s study Paul’s guidance to the Corinthians to gain a better understanding of what it means to dwell in Christ and live and work as believers today.

The Apostle Paul opens his letter to the Corinthian church by addressing those who are "sanctified and called." But we quickly discover that much like ourselves, the Corinthian church was full of imperfect believers sorting out the impact of their faith on how they lived in the world. In the opening chapters of this letter, Paul reminds believers that God’s wisdom may not make sense by the world’s standards, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25). Join us in digging into Paul’s reminder that when we are confused or need help discerning God’s way, we should return back to the basics and the heart of the gospel message.

For centuries, Christians around the world have concluded the Lord’s Prayer the same way: “For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.” However, these meaningful words are not in the prayer Jesus teaches his disciples in Matthew 6 or Luke 11, so where do we get them? Join us as we conclude our study of the Lord’s Prayer by studying the scriptural sources that give credence to this historically accepted conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer. Together we’ll discuss the importance of these words, what we mean when we say them, and why we end the Lord’s Prayer this way. 

In the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Some Bible translations present slight variations like “save us from the time of trial” or simply translate the second half as “deliver us from evil.”  Perhaps you’ve wondered, “Why do we need to ask God not to lead us into temptation? Is that something he does?” Join us as we study Scripture passages that assure us that God is indeed good and does not lead us into temptation. We’ll also discuss the nature of sin, what temptation is, and how it plays out in our lives. Together, we’ll clarify the meaning of evil, we’ll remember that Jesus has already won the spiritual battle with evil, and we’ll see how praying this petition helps us remember our own identity and purpose. 

In the fourth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.”  Whether your Bible translates that particular word as debts, trespasses, or sins, Jesus addresses our broken relationships and the necessity of giving and receiving forgiveness. As fallen human beings, we know that forgiving someone who has wronged us is not always easy—and sometimes it’s complicated by a lack of repentance, or even serious issues of abuse or mistreatment.  Join us as we examine Scripture to glean a biblical definition of forgiveness and better understand the concept of spiritual debt. Together, we’ll discuss what it means that Jesus connected our petition for forgiveness from God with our willingness to forgive each other, and we’ll consider the implications of forgiveness for both our daily and our eternal lives. 

In the third petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs us to pray “Give us today our daily bread.” Join Groundwork as we dig into Scripture to understand this petition better, why it’s meaningful, and what it helps us remember. Together, we’ll discuss how asking God for our daily bread nurtures our faith—both in times of want and in times of plenty, and we’ll explore how this petition speaks to our worry, teaches us to trust, and encourages our gratitude. 

In the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to ask God to bring his kingdom to earth, just as it exists in heaven right now. Likewise, he models the importance of asking God to do his will on earth, just as his will is being done in heaven. Join us as we study Scriptures that teach us about both God’s kingdom and God’s will, so that we might better understand what we’re asking of God in this petition. Discover how this line of the Lord’s Prayer shapes us and continues to help us align our agenda with God’s agenda. And together we’ll reflect on how we live as kingdom citizens today, and what this prayer does in and for us as we pray it before God. 

In the opening line of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us the importance of opening our prayers by acknowledging who we’re talking to. Join us as we study the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer and dig into Scriptures that help us better understand what we mean and what we’re asking when we pray  “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name.” We’ll discuss what this opening line acknowledges about who God is, what it affirms about our own identity, what it communicates about our relationship with God, and what it means for us. 

The Bible repeatedly makes clear that it is God’s nature to provide for his creation. And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clearly teaches us not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34). Join us as we study Scriptures that teach us about God’s providence. We’ll talk about the difference between worry and having proper concern for our circumstances.  We’ll discuss God’s character and his involvement in our lives, and what it means for us to trust in God’s provision. Finally, we’ll examine how our belief informs the way we think and pray about our needs and our finances. Together, we’ll consider practical ways we can demonstrate our trust in God’s providential care both in times of need and times of plenty. 

Is tithing still relevant for Christians today or is it an outdated practice from the Old Testament? Does God really want us to “give until it hurts”? As Christians, we wrestle with questions like these as we try to discern what it means to live faithfully with our finances. The Bible teaches us that everything we have belongs to God. So, as stewards of God’s resources, let’s study Scripture together to better understand biblical stewardship and what this means for how we handle the money and possessions we have in this life. We’ll also dig into the meaning and purpose of the Christian practice of tithing and look at what it realistically means for us today. Together, we’ll cultivate a spirit of generosity in our lives while also considering what good balance looks like so that we might use God’s resources wisely to honor his heart. 

It can sometimes feel tricky to know what God wants us to do with money. On the one hand, Jesus told the rich young ruler to give all of his money away (Mark 10:17-27). On the other hand, he got upset with the religious leaders when the poor widow gave her last coins to the temple (Mark 12:41-44). How exactly is Jesus expecting his followers to handle their money? Should we really give it away if we struggle to provide for our families? Join us as we examine these stories and additional Scripture references that teach us God’s concern for our hearts in matters of money. Whether we have a little or a lot, together we’ll discover how to maintain a balanced attitude toward our money and possessions— having appropriate concern for it in this life without letting it become a master of our lives, the source of our identity, or a snare for our salvation. 

In a consumer-driven culture, there is often a disparity between those who “have” and those who “have not.” Whether we’re aware of it or not, our fallen, human nature can easily cause our pride, our feelings, and even our identity to get entangled in this worldly view of wealth. However, when we turn to Scripture, we discover that God offers us a lot of guidance about our finances. Studying what the Bible says about money in both the Old and New Testaments reveals a clear theme: we might own things in this life, but in actuality, we are stewards of God’s resources and everything we have is from him. When we begin to view our resources—whether meager or plentiful or somewhere in between—from God’s perspective, we begin to relate to our money, finances, and possession in a way that honors God and his design for life. 

When we read the story of Jesus meeting the disciples on the shore in John 21, we learn that even after seeing him twice, Jesus’ own disciples still don’t recognize him. We too have moments like that today, when we don’t recognize God or what he’s up to in his world. The disciples’ story helps us recognize that Jesus is there in the ordinary and that he’s willing to fellowship with us right where we’re at. As we observe his interaction with Peter specifically, we realize that Jesus’ command is consistent from the beginning of his ministry—follow me. So just as Peter’s faith in his risen Lord and Savior grew, so too can we cultivate our faith when our focus stays on the resurrected Jesus, our hope, and his simple command for us to follow him. 

The faith of the first Christians was grounded in their unshakable belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But even the disciples experienced fear and doubt as they began to hear stories of people who claimed to have seen the resurrected Jesus. As we study the first interactions between Jesus and his disciples, and particularly the disciple we’ve come to know as “Doubting Thomas,” we find assurance that Jesus is ready and willing to meet us wherever we are in our faith journey. These biblical accounts provide encouragement for times when believing in Jesus isn’t easy and they remind us that believing is a lifestyle, not a one-time event. Join us as we study John’s account of Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearances to his disciples, and together we’ll witness how believing cultivates faith and provides us hope to nurture our faith today.

On the evening of the very first Easter, two of Jesus’ followers listened as their companion on the road to Emmaus explained various Old Testament scriptures to them. Unknowingly, they were walking this road with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As they listened that evening,  their understanding of Scripture grew and so did their faith. In time, they realized that it was Jesus himself teaching them along the way. Much like those first believers, our faith is a journey too and Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit as our guide. Discover how the Holy Spirit helps us cultivate our faith yet today as we develop a greater understanding of God and his ways through Scripture.

Experiencing Jesus is one way we can cultivate our faith. In the gospels, we read about Jesus’ encounters with his female followers, and later his disciples, on that very first Easter day. Their experience of him deepened and grew their faith, and it can do the same for us. As we study their experience of Jesus that day, together we come to see and know again that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. We are reminded that Jesus meets us in the ordinary and that we can experience the presence of our resurrected Lord and Savior in our tears, in our doubts, and in the humbleness of our everyday lives.

Holy Saturday is the day between Good Friday and Easter. For the majority of Western churches, there are no special services or particular events we celebrate on this day. What would we celebrate…Jesus Christ is utterly, completely dead in the tomb. But as Christians, we already know Jesus is risen and we eagerly anticipate celebrating his victory over death through his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Join us as we ponder and reflect on Jesus’ death and what the Bible tells us happened on Holy Saturday. Then together we’ll read the gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection and the first encounters with the risen Lord on Easter Sunday. Together, we’ll join Christians around the world in the Easter celebration as we again remember the unexpected, mind-blowing thrill of our salvation and victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

After three days of teaching, Jesus gathers privately with his disciples to observe the Jewish Passover meal. During his time with them, he institutes what we now observe as the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. As they sit together, Jesus gives them a new command to “love one another.” Soon after, in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus is arrested, tried, and finally crucified. All throughout these events, Jesus demonstrates humility and displays the kind of servant Messiah he is. Join us as we study Jesus’ sacrifice and the example he sets for us on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Together we’ll discuss the origins and meaning of these holy days in Scripture, re-examine our expectations, and reflect on Jesus Christ’s example and its influence on our mindset and behavior today. 

Each year on the Sunday before Easter, Christians around the world observe Palm, or Passion, Sunday. Many churches celebrate this holiday by singing festive songs and waving palm branches to commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Each of the four gospels includes an account of Jesus’ triumphal entry, a day when the crowds hailed him as a king. Studying each of the gospels’ perspectives further informs our faith and more deeply prepares our hearts for Easter. Join us as we discuss the meaning of Palm Sunday and learn from  Jesus’ actions and countenance as he experiences the events of that first Palm Sunday.

Waiting for Jesus Christ’s second coming can feel discouraging as we continue to witness the pain and brokenness of this world. It’s not unusual to cry, like the Psalmist, “How long, Lord?”  Exiled to Patmos, John knew what it felt like to long for God’s promised coming while enduring injustice and watching evil, grief, and pain continue to weigh heavily on a weary world. But as Revelation closes, John shares an encouraging vision of a restored heaven—a beautiful, life-filled city whose light comes from God himself.  Join us as we study John’s vision and discuss the immense hope it offers as we remember that God is still in control and Christ has already won the final victory. Discover with us encouragement for persevering in our faith and remaining faithful in the work to which God has called us while we, like John, wait for the fullness of God’s kingdom to come.

In difficult seasons of life, we often find hope and encouragement by thinking about what we have to look forward to: upcoming celebrations, kids or grandkids, vacations, promotions, or anything else that motivates us. Yet, all of these things provide only short-term motivation or encouragement—they don’t address the bigger feelings of pain, sorrow, or injustice we encounter in our lives. As Christians, we know that the promise of a new heaven and new earth provides the eternal hope and encouragement we need for faithfully living our lives right now. Join us as we study John’s vision of the new heaven and earth in Revelation 21. We’ll discuss the meaning of his visions, the promises of restoration we have to look forward to, the comfort and encouragement these images continue to provide us, and what this vision of the future means for us and how we live today. 

Seeing a situation or experience from another perspective typically expands our understanding. It provides us with a perspective we cannot achieve when we only consider the situation from our own perspective. When John was exiled on Patmos, he found comfort in God's cosmic perspective. In Revelation chapters 7-14, John shares his heavenly visions of life as a spiritual battle between God and evil—a battle God has already won. Christians today can continue to find comfort in the eternal truths found in John’s cosmic visions. They reveal the diversity and abundance of heavenly worship, they affirm our forgiveness of sin, and they assure us that no matter what spiritual challenges we face in this life, God has already won the eternal victory. Join us as we discuss the meaning of the images and symbols in John’s heavenly visions and find confidence and encouragement for our faith today. 

When the world tries to squash our faith and it seems like evil is winning, Christians can find encouragement through their participation in and reflection on worship. Studying John’s visions of heavenly worship in Revelation can still be a source of great encouragement and comfort for believers today. These visions paint a picture of the worship happening right now in heaven, remind us of who sits on the throne, and confirm that there is an end to the spiritual battles we face. Join Groundwork as we discuss the truths these visions convey and why they offer valuable assurance for our faith.

Every believer must discern what it means to live out their Christian faith in the midst of the larger culture, and every church must figure out how to live this kind of faith together. The first Christians discovered just how tempting it was to compromise their new faith in order to fit in. The book of Revelation records Jesus’ assessment of how seven of those early churches did. Dr. Jeff Weima joins our Groundwork conversation to unpack the seven letters or sermons to the seven churches in Revelation. We’ll discuss common misperceptions, patterns and themes, and the heart of the messages conveyed to those seven early congregations. Then, we’ll consider together what these messages still have to say to the Church today.

How do you react when you hear the word “apocalypse”? Do you automatically think of the “End Times”? Does it frighten you? Or do you get excited to talk about it? Revelation is an apocalyptic book of the Bible. Knowing what exactly that means provides us the right foundation on which to understand the meaning of Revelation’s content. As we study the opening chapter, John states clearly who he is, who God is, who has given him the visions, and to whom he’s writing. He reminds followers of Jesus Christ that we are kingdom citizens. His powerful opening vision of Jesus Christ enthroned in heaven provides assurance and comfort to believers, because it means what we believe is true right now. 

Joshua was a successful and God-fearing leader. He led the Israelites in following and obeying God, and under his leadership, they experienced God’s provision and the fulfillment of his promises. We long to hear the advice of successful leaders like Joshua and learn from the secrets of their success. The book of Joshua concludes with Joshua’s farewell speech to the Israelites. In it, he recalls that all his strength, all his victories, and all his successful leadership is God’s doing and he urges Israel to remember it too. Join us as we study Joshua’s farewell speech and discuss how we can continue to remember our promise-keeping God and all he has done for us through the work of Jesus Christ. 

The Bible is clear that God is always providing for and preparing the way for us. However, it can be easy in times of trouble to question that truth, and in times of prosperity, to think too highly of our own strength or skill. These temptations can be a slippery slope for our faith, however, the stories in Joshua that retell the final victories in Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land can help remind us of God’s providence and care. Just like the Israelites needed to trust God to provide the victories that would finally give them the Promised Land, we too need to learn to trust that God is in full control of our lives and will thoroughly provide for all our needs. Join us as we explore Joshua 10-11 and together we’ll witness God’s faithfulness and be reminded that it is not our own strength or skill, but God’s provision and leadership that will bring eternal rest for all his people.  

As God led the Israelites into the Promised Land, all they needed to do was obey him. As we study the fall of Jericho in Joshua, we learn that obedience is not always easy or even logical to us. But trusting God’s unconventional ways will always honor him, and when we obey, he provides for us better than we could ever provide for ourselves. After the fall of Jericho, the story about Achan demonstrates the risk we take when we depend on ourselves instead of God, and the impact our choices can have on our community.  Join us as we discuss the unconventional ways God works in our lives and what they mean for our faith.

Change and transitions are unavoidable parts of life. We all experience seasons of transition as we grow and simply get older. Sometimes we choose to make changes in our lives and other times changes feel thrust upon us. Regardless of whether changes are welcome or unwelcome, they are often emotionally and spiritually challenging. During these seasons, studying the transition of the Israelites from slaves to wanderers to soldiers in Joshua can help us find assurance of God’s presence with us in our times of change. Through the story of the Israelites, we see that God always provides a way and remains with his people. We learn the importance of sharing our testimonies and passing on the memories and stories of God’s faithfulness to the next generation of believers. By saying “look at what God has done,” we provide ourselves and others with the assurance of God’s presence and the confidence to continue walking forward in faith. 

Sometimes the circumstances of our life can feel overwhelming and impossible to navigate. Is there something from your past that causes you to feel trapped or unlovable? Or does a current trial seem insurmountable and make you feel like you don’t belong? During life’s difficult seasons, it can feel like God has given up on you. But at times like these, the story of Rahab and the Israelite spies can encourage and challenge our faith. This story reminds us that God is not limited by our past, by our current circumstances, or by our perspectives. Even when we least expect it or can’t see it, God is still at work advancing his plan and fulfilling his promises for your life. 

No matter how many times we make mistakes or fail, God stays true to his Word and keeps his promises. As the book of Joshua opens, we witness God acting to keep his promises to Abraham and his descendants, the Israelites. As we study God’s work in Joshua, we’ll consider what promises he’s working to keep in our own time and lives. We’ll examine how  God works through his people and the importance of community. Joshua prefigures the work of Jesus Christ, the keeper of God’s promise of salvation from sin and evil and to provide rest. We know we can follow God’s command to “Be strong and courageous” because we trust God to keep his promises. 

Nativity scenes are iconic throughout the Christmas season. The story of baby Jesus is wonderfully familiar. But slowing down to read and study it again brings comfort and renewed hope. Join us as we reflect on the good news of Jesus Christ’s birth and the magnificent message the angels delivered to the shepherds. Together, we’ll discuss the important message Luke communicates in his account of Jesus’ birth and what we learn about how God works in our lives from the intentional and specific ways he shares the good news that the Savior has been born. 

It isn’t until Joseph receives angelic confirmation that he believes in the miracle of Jesus’ divine conception. Studying Joseph’s experience reveals the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and gives us the confidence to trust God’s continued presence and faithfulness in our lives. Joseph’s story also provides us clarity about God’s understanding of righteousness and the importance of our obedience. Through Joseph, we receive the opportunity to align our understanding of what it means to be righteous with God’s understanding, we witness a model of what it looks like to live out our faith in our own personal experiences, and we continue to prepare our hearts to both celebrate Jesus’ birth and await his second coming.

Advent is a time to reflect on and ponder the miracle of Jesus’ virgin birth.  And this story begins with the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and announcing Jesus’ coming birth, an event the Church calls the Annunciation. Studying Mary’s role and response to Gabriel offers us valuable reminders for our faith and helps us better understand our place in God’s story. As we continue to prepare our hearts for Christmas let’s learn from Mary’s strong example of faith—what it means to wholly trust God and be obedient to his will even if we don’t fully understand it or have all the details. 

Every year many of us spend the weeks leading up to Christmas preparing. We put up festive decorations, plan menus, buy presents, and orchestrate schedules. Many occasions in life, from big to small, require preparation for what’s to come. And just like we set aside time to prepare for life’s events, God set aside time and sent people ahead to prepare the world for salvation. Join Groundwork as we continue our way through the Christmas story by studying the story of Zechariah’s encounter with the angel Gabriel and witnessing how Zechariah, Elizabeth, and their son John the Baptist prepare the way for Jesus’ birth. Let us allow their message to prepare our hearts again this Advent for Jesus’ second coming. 

Studying the Magi may seem like an odd place to start reflecting on the Christmas story. It’s true, the Magi weren’t even present at the birth of Jesus—even though they are commonly included in most nativity displays and church Christmas pageants. But the inclusion of the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew is no mistake. In fact, it’s strategic and intentional. Looking at the story of the Magi reveals a valuable theme in the Gospel of Matthew: that Jesus Christ came to be Savior for all. Contemplating what the presence of the Magi means and examining our hearts in the light of this truth is fitting for Advent and prepares our hearts well to once again celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  

Have you ever felt so hopeless that the idea of experiencing or attaining anything remotely good seemed impossible and out of reach? It’s during similar moments of hopelessness in the book of Ezekiel that God interrupts his messages of judgment with powerful images of restoration. In Ezekiel, God famously depicts Israel’s sinful condition as a valley of dry bones. But in this vision, the bones amazingly do not stay dead. Slowly, death is reversed and beyond all reason and logic, the dry, dead bones are restored to life. The bones were not lost forever and through this vision, God was promising restoration for Israel. Join us in studying the hope-filled imagery of this and other restorative visions in Ezekiel and be reminded of just how great God’s love is for his people, how seriously he takes his promises, and how deeply we can trust that one day God will restore us fully too.

Judgment and consequences can feel unfair. They can even feel mean, especially when we don’t understand why they’re occurring. The prophet Ezekiel received many messages of judgment for Israel—so many that, at times, when reading the book of Ezekiel it can feel like God’s judgment is relentless. But by studying these judgments, we can learn about the character of God and better understand where God’s judgment comes from, what it means, why it’s necessary, and why it’s also a source of grace. 

God delights in dwelling among his people, but in a vision, God shows Ezekiel one of the most painful consequences of Israel’s unholy ways: God’s glory must depart from Israel’s midst. Studying this vision gives us the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between our behavior and God’s reputation. It also reminds us that God does not leave us without hope. Even as God grieved and gave Ezekiel a painful message about consequences, he promised his glory would one day return and dwell among his people again. A promise we now know God kept in Jesus Christ and continues to keep through the presence of the Holy Spirit today.

One defining characteristic of Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry is the visual nature of the messages he received from God. In the book of Ezekiel, God repeatedly gives his prophet both a verbal message and instructions on how to also convey that message visually. God goes to these lengths because he wants his people to see the consequences of sin and rebellion and to help the people understand why exile was necessary. Through Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry, we witness God’s heartbreak and grief. We discover he is not an angry God, but rather a God who deeply loves his people and goes through great effort to get their attention. 

It can be hard, even shocking to follow God’s call on our lives.  Join Groundwork as we study the story of Ezekiel’s call to ministry as a prophet of God. We’ll see Ezekiel wrestle with his calling and listen as God warns of the difficulty Ezekiel will face speaking truth to an audience of people that don’t want to hear his message. Together, we can learn from Ezekiel’s experience and discuss what it means to be called, to be a prophet, and to speak truth in a hostile context. All while we’ll also examine our own hearts by asking: Are we receptive to God’s truth or rebellious like Israel?

It can be really hard to trust in God’s provision especially when we seem to repeatedly “lose” and when we so desperately need something to go our way. Sometimes, life’s difficult circumstances are the result of our failure, but sometimes we’ve done nothing wrong and life’s circumstances are simply beyond our control. No matter the reason for our suffering, the Bible urges us to remember God’s character. In story after story, Scripture reminds us that God is faithful, even when we are not; it reminds us that his character is consistent and unchanging; and that he is a covenant God. Discover why covenant is important and how we can be confident that God will keep his promises. 

Do you long for peace? There’s no doubt that this world lacks the peace that so many of us crave. In our personal lives, we deal with all kinds of uncertainty: maybe you’re awaiting the results of medical tests, or in the midst of a chaotic divorce, or experiencing the instability of a job change or move. Maybe your personal life is good at the moment, but you still long for peace in a world torn apart by polarization and injustice. At times like this, how do we find the strength to declare “it is well with our souls,” even though our circumstances may not be well at the moment? Join Groundwork as we study God’s promises in Scripture to better understand the truth of God’s perfect peace and to discover how we can experience this peace for ourselves, even when the circumstances of our lives aren't very peaceful.

Whether life’s changes are good or bad, not knowing outcomes and not yet having answers can lead us to question God. We might feel lonely, uncertain, and anxious and even wonder if God cares or hears our cries. Yet, turning to Scripture in the storms of life can provide the comfort and reassurance we long for. Join Groundwork as we study passages in both the Old and New Testaments that remind us and give us examples of just how much God cares about us and the details of our lives. Discover again how his constant, reliable presence and character can encourage us in our discipleship and give us strength to cope with life’s changing circumstances. 

Matthew’s record of the Sermon on the Mount concludes with three crucial warnings. Jesus cautions his followers to enter through the narrow gate, to watch out for false prophets, and to be like a wise man who builds his house on a rock. Through each of these teachings, Jesus offers his followers valuable wisdom for staying focused and rooted in God’s grace.  He reminds us that there is only one way into God’s kingdom, he gives us the resources we need to protect our gift of faith, and he again offers us his boundless grace. Join us in studying these teachings and together we’ll come to better understand how to recognize the distractions and lies of our world and gain strength to weather the storms of life. 

As Jesus continues his Sermon on the Mount, we notice a thread emerge in his teaching: stay focused on God’s kingdom first. The next three teachings in his Sermon on the Mount remain as practical and relevant to our daily lives today as they were for the disciples. Money, worry, and judgment have long been areas of vulnerability in our human nature.  Jesus warns us to keep our priorities straight, lest money, worry, or our judgment of others lead us away from God. Join us as we study Jesus’ caution and instruction so that we might keep ourselves ever aligned with God’s kingdom priorities.

Prayer is an important spiritual discipline. God desires to cultivate and develop an intimate relationship with us and prayer is vital to this process.  Prayer is simple and yet many of us find it challenging to pray. Both new and lifelong Christians alike may question whether they're doing it right, they may feel like they’re not good at it, or they may experience seasons in which it feels like God is not listening. Thankfully, in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples, and us, how to pray. Turns out, a good prayer has more to do with the right motivations and a right heart than it does with the right words. Join us as we learn to pray like Jesus by studying his teaching about prayer and the prayer we now call The Lord’s Prayer so that we can better nurture this spiritual habit and cultivate a healthy relationship and strong communication with our God. 

God loves us and wants us to live full, abundant, and blessed lives. With his law, he told us just how to live to make that possible. As Jesus continues in his Sermon on the Mount, he teaches the disciples how to correctly understand the laws from God’s perspective. He makes it clear that the condition of the human heart, what’s on the inside, is just as important as our outward obedience. To illustrate his point, he provides a more detailed explanation of the familiar laws about murder, worship, adultery, divorce, and oaths. Together, let’s study Jesus’ explanation of God’s law to gain a deeper understanding of both the letter and the heart of God’s law, so we might live as God intended in gratitude for the righteousness we’ve received by grace through our faith in Jesus Christ himself. 

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13-16), Jesus speaks about our identity and character. He declares that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Using these two images, he tells us who we are as his people in the world. He’s telling us our value and our potential as he sees it and again God is giving us a chance to see ourselves from his kingdom perspective. Let’s explore these images so we can better understand what they mean for how we behave and how we should interact with God’s world as his disciples.  We’ll discuss the temptations we might face and grapple with what Jesus means when he warns us about losing our saltiness or hiding our light. Together, we’ll grow in our kingdom perspective and understanding of how God values us and how we represent his kingdom in our world today, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ well-known Sermon on the Mount begins with what we today call the Beatitudes, a series of sayings in which Jesus describes who among us is blessed. There’s no question that his list of “blessed people” differs significantly from our cultural perspective, much as it did in Jesus’ day. As Jesus corrects our understanding of who is blessed, he challenges us to consider not only groups of people but also the characteristics we value. As we study Jesus’ words, we discover that he’s teaching us how we should be…or become…if we want to reflect the kingdom of God in our own lives.

There are so many unexpected situations in life that are beyond our control and that have a profound impact on our faith: the death of loved ones, natural disasters, lost jobs...How do we respond with faith when we suffer? What happens to our discipleship while we experience grief, pain, frustration, and anger? How can we be sure that tragedy and trauma don’t shatter our faith? Join us as we study scriptures together and receive assurance that God cares about all your experiences and emotions, good and bad. Find out what the Bible says it takes, and what God provides, to stay the course of discipleship in the midst of life’s tragedies. 

Sometimes the things we do and say are out of sync with the faith we profess to believe as disciples of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we make mistakes and consequently experience setbacks in our discipleship journey. These seasons of stagnation in our spiritual growth are not necessarily evidence of weak faith or failure. Even the Apostle Peter experienced setbacks in his journey of discipleship. Scripture is clear that God is with us even during these seasons, guiding and helping us understand what he expects and what he is doing for us. Join us as we study the scriptures to better understand the value of repentance and the ready abundance of God’s grace and forgiveness for reinvigorating our own discipleship growth. 

We should expect to grow and mature as disciples of Jesus Christ. What does that growth look like? What is this “solid food” the Apostle Paul says is for mature followers of Jesus? How can we be sure we’re maturing? Thankfully, we don’t need to figure it all out on our own. By his grace, God provides his Holy Spirit to guide us, teach us, and supply what we need for spiritual growth. Find out how to live as a maturing disciple of Jesus and discover the signs of dynamic discipleship already apparent in your own life. 

So you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, now what? While Jesus Christ has done the heavy lifting of salvation for us, that doesn’t mean we are fully formed disciples of Christ at conversion. In fact, our discipleship journey is a lifelong one. So, what do Christians mean by the term discipleship? When does discipleship begin?  What does it look like? The Apostle Paul talks about spiritual milk, what is that?  Explore these questions with Groundwork as we look to scripture to help us understand what it means to live as disciples of Christ today and as we explore the importance of community in our discipleship journey.

Reflecting on and seeking answers to our questions is one way we learn and grow. The same is true for our faith development. We’re grateful when you write to tell us what questions are most pressing for your faith right now. Discussing them together benefits us all. In this episode, we’ll look at questions and comments that you sent regarding our spiritual lives. Together, we’ll examine Scripture for answers and examples to help us better understand our personal faith and the daily practices we can engage in to grow and strengthen it. We’ll discuss how we can live faithfully in the world, even when division and disagreements are daily struggles, and we’ll remember our calling to share the gospel message and think about how we can respond biblically when that message is challenged. 

If someone asked you whether or not you wanted to know and understand the heart of God, you’d likely say “yes!”Join Groundwork as we conclude our study of Jonah, gain deeper insight into the heart of God, and witness the stark contrast between our human tendencies and God’s sovereignty. As God questions and teaches Jonah, he gives us a unique opportunity to see his heart. Together, we’ll marvel at the ways God continually provides in order to deliver us and meet our needs, we’ll hear God’s strong critique of the us vs. them mentality, and we’ll recognize God’s invitation to align our hearts with his. We’ll close by reflecting on how we can respond to God’s relentless love and abundant mercy in our own lives today.

God has work for each of us to do. It doesn’t matter who we are, what we’ve done, or how inadequate we feel, God has a message of relentless love and abundant mercy for us to share with people who need to hear it. As we continue studying the book of Jonah, we’re reminded that our God is a God of second chances—both for us and for others. Whether we like it or not, God is eager to spread his compassion and mercy through us. Together, let's grow deeper in our understanding of how much God cares even about people who don’t know—and maybe even don’t care—about him, and let’s discover the courage to never give up on someone or let our bias hinder our commitment to follow God’s call in the world today.

When we find ourselves in a situation that we cannot fix, it’s natural to feel anxious, desperate, overwhelmed, exhausted, and scared. Sometimes our own bad choices or actions have caused our situation, sometimes not, but the story of Jonah reminds us that no matter what we’ve done or what we’ve experienced, it is never too late to pray. God is ready to hear us, to deliver us, and to offer his abundant mercy. In Jonah, we find encouragement for times of trouble, assurance of God’s constant presence, and a better understanding of the work of Jesus Christ.