Brainerd Students

Speaker : Jackson Bowman Passages : Hebrews 10:24-25; Proverbs 11:14, 18:1; 2 Timothy 2-4 Main Point : God designed us to live in community, so we can better know God and make His name known. 2 Implications If community is God's design, isolation is the enemy's design. If community is God's design, then we must understand what community should look like.

Speaker: Paul Christensen Main Point: Because God is invisible, He gives visible people gifts to show what He is like. God has gifted Christians with special grace gifts. How do we know what our grace gifts are? Community Discovery

Speaker: Jackson Bowman Main Point: God has a place for you in His grand story. God's Story Creation Fall Redemption Restoration Your Place In God's Story Blessing in Your Story Suffering in Your Story

Main Point: Following Jesus is an invitation to join a battleship focused on reaching the lost rather than a cruise ship focused on entertaining the saved.   Christians Live on Mission Christians Place Jesus First Christians Go All In

Main Point: Surrender involves dreaming about what God could do with our lives and running after that dream. How do we let God build our dreams? How do we stop those dreams from fading away? How do we know we are following God's dreams wholeheartedly?

Main Point: We experience the pleasure of God when we live out the will of God. The Pleasure of God The Will of God

The Purpose of dating is marriage preparation: learning how to love another person while becoming a certain kind of person. Dating begins by recognizing God's plan for marriage Dating is about learning how to love another person Dating is about becoming a certain kind of person and finding the right kind of person God has built us a need for: Physical Connection Emotional Connection Spiritual Conn...

I. Jesus confronts the idols of comfort & control on the narrow road.  II. Jesus invites us to test our faith by losing everything and gaining him. What comfort do you run to when you feel out of control?

Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Psalm 42:5; 57:8-9; Matthew 11:28-29; Hebrews 6:19; 13:17; 1 Peter 2:11; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 3:7-8; 1 Corinthians 10:23;  You have a soul your soul has layers you must tend to your soul

Main Passages: Acts 17:6, 22-23; Romans 8:18-25 Idols are objects of worship. They demand our time, money, and attention. How can we identify what our idols are? Why do they tempt us? How can we redirect our worship back toward God?

Passage: 1 John 5:18-20 Speaker: Paul Christensen Main Point: Those who belong to God share a family resemblance with one another. The family takes sin seriously (v. 18) The family knows who they belong to (v. 19a) The family knows where they belong (v. 19b-20)

Speaker: Paul Christensen Passage: 1 John 5:18-20 Main Point: Those who belong to God share a family resemblance with one another. The family takes sin seriously (v. 18a) The family knows who they belong to (v. 19) The family knows where they belong (vv. 19-20)  

Speaker: Paul Christensen Passage: 1 John 5:1-4 Main Point: Belief in Jesus is an active and happy dependence on Jesus Belief in Jesus makes us dependant on Jesus Belief in Jesus makes us happy in Jesus

Speaker: Paul Christensen Passage: 1 John 4:12-21 Main Point: Magnetic Community makes the invisible God visible By remaining in God's love By receiving His Spirit By serving others like Jesus

Speaker: Paul Christensen Passage: 1 John 4:1-6 Main Point: John invites us to know the truth so we can avoid believing lies. Develop a spiritual spidey-sense (v. 1) Determine if it passes the "Jesus-test" (v. 2-3) Don't battle alone (v. 4-6)

Speaker: Paul Christensen Passage: 1 John 2:18-27 Main Points:  Antichrists don't abide in Christ Abide in Christ

Speaker: Paul Christensen Passage: 1 John 2:7-17 Main Point: Do you really believe the Gospel? Is Jesus Better than anything? Living a Lie Loving the World

Speaker: Jackson Bowman Passage: 1 John 2:3-6 Main Point: God wants us to know we belong to Him, through obedience and imitation of Christ. Do you know Him? If so, how do you show it?

Text: 1 John 1:5-2:2 Speaker: Paul Christensen Main Point: The Enemy of Community with God and people is sin. Run from sin Run to Jesus

Text: Ephesians 4: 7, 11-15 Speaker: Paul Christensen Main Point: God wants every Christian to become a spiritually mature adult who builds up the church. God gives gifts to every Christian (v. 7) God gives leaders to equip the saints (vv. 11-12) God gives saints for the work of ministry (vv. 12-15)  

How do I... turn an ordinary conversation into a gospel conversation? We are called to share, not save. Observe & Ask Questions. Look for: jewelry, clothing, social media bio's, cultural moments Ask about their passions and pains: Share your testimony/story

Prepare your heart Make a choice. Remove distractions. Make a plan. Pick a time. Pick a place. Pick a study. Prime your soul. I. DIG INTO THE TEXT What does the text say? II. DISCERN THE MEANING What did the text mean originally? III. DRIVE IT HOME How does this text challenge me to love & obey Jesus?

What is the Bible and why should I read it? The Bible is inspired by God (It has authority). The Bible tells us about God (It gives us identity). The Bible is infallible (It is perfect so we can trust it). Why don't we read the Bible? We think it's boring. We don't know what to read. We don't read because we don't understand. We have unrealistic expectations. We're too busy/distracted.

Text: Colossians 4:7-18 Speaker: Paul Christensen Live On Mission Love On People Lean On Jesus

Text: Colossians 4:2-6 Speaker: Paul Christensen Devoted To Prayer Devoted To People