A conversation on...

Take It Deeper Questions Read John 14:15-31 What are some buttons that cause you to rebell? What are some common things people think Jesus is calling them to do? What are some things you have felt Jesus call you to do? What are some common barriers that stop people from living out what God is calling them to do? Common barriers for you? If you love me (Jesus) follow my commands (love others). How...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 14:15-31 Who are some people that you are confident will never abandon you? Why? What attribute of the Holy Spirit, mentioned here, is the most meaningful, wanted and or needed by you? Why? Advocate, with you forever, you know Him, lives within you, a teacher, a reminder and Peace How have you seen these attributes lived out in the past? How are you challenged,...

Take It Deeper Questions: Think of and share some advice that you have received and you took to heart and have strived to follow. Think of and share some advice that you have received and you didn’t embrace and have not strived to follow. What are some important or notable aspects of Jesus’ love for His disciples? How are you challenged, encouraged, focused or confused as you hear the call for us...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 13:1-17 Would you rather have someone touch your feet or touch someone else’s feet? Why? In your life, who have you seen “washing feet?” What do you admire about them? What obstacles do you face in being like them? How does Jesus’ personality and character being on display impact you today? How can you be Christlike in relationship with the people in your world?...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 12:12-19 What is the general draw and appeal to parades? Do they appeal to you? Why? What were the people celebrating as Jesus injured Jerusalem? What degree of understanding is a prerequisite to transformative belief? What happens when your expectations of God don't match reality? Is following Christ threatening to your lifestyle? How? Why or why not? Who do yo...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 12:1-11 If you had a year's wages to spend on friends, what would you do and why? Who do you identify with most in the story? Mary, Martha, Judas or the crowd? Why? How do you demonstrate that Jesus is set apart in your life? What is something that is costly in your relationship with Christ? How are you focused, confused, challenged and/or encouraged by this scr...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 11:45-57 If you were programming a self driving car, what instructions do you insert when it comes to avoid the crowd or avoid the child? Why? What would you have done if you had been on the Sanhedrin? Why? In what ways are you most likely to misunderstand who Jesus is? How are you challenged, focused, confused or encouraged by this text? Bible Reading Plan: Exo...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 10:1-21 Share a little about your closest relationship with an animal. Hypothesis as much as possible about an ideal sheep and shepherd relationship. Less than ideal sheep and shepherd relationship. What does this picture reveal about a healthy relationship with Jesus? What happens to your relationship with God when you try to make insecurities safe? What happen...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 8:12-30 Share one of your earliest memories? What makes a memory vivid to you even with the passing of time? How is following Jesus like following someone with a light through a dark place? What is the significance of Jesus’ claims? How is following distinct from believing? How does a person follow better? Bible Reading Plan: Exodus 27 Exodus 28 Exodus 29 John 1...

Take it Deeper Questions Read John 7:35-43 How is a follower of Christ identified? How would someone know if you were a follower of Jesus? How does a person recognize Jesus? Do you know God? How do you know you do or don't? How do you get to know God better? Bible Reading Plan Exodus 21 Exodus 22 Exodus 23 John 4 John 5 John 6

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 6:1-24 What do you feel and how do you tend to respond when you are misunderstood? How do fascinations or infatuations tend to evolve over time? If John was focused on the miraculous provision of manna (Exodus 16) and the provision of water (Exodus 17) as he told these stories, how is your understanding of Jesus deepened and/or focused? How are you challenged, f...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 5:1-15 When you are sick, what are you like: Oscar the Grouch? Superman? Eeyore? Buddy Elf? Why does Jesus help this man in the story? How does God help people? How much does a person need to know in order to be helped by God? What does a person need to do in order to be helped by God? How are you challenged, focused, encouraged and/or confused by this text? Bib...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 4:43-54 How has your definition of “illness” changed over the past year? What does “bringing your need to Jesus” mean to you? How does seeing impact faith? How does desperacy impact faith? How are you challenged, focused, encouraged and/or confused by this narrative in John? Bible Reading Plan: Exodus 5 Exodus 6 Exodus 7 Exodus 8 John 17 John 18

Take it Deeper Read James 4:13-17 How do you become more fully present? How do you live life in such a way that you don't feel like time is always flying? How do you create a life that’s actually worth living? What are healthy things to dwell upon? What are moments in the bible in which Jesus was interrupted? Write out the things you will choose to dwell on.

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 3:16-21 What was scripture to you when you were young? Why is John 3:16 such a popular Bible verse? What is the simplest explanation of John’s words? What are the complexities (elements that call for faith) that still are present in that simplest explanation? If John’s words were meant to be contemplated, meditated on, processed… What do you need to think more a...

Take It Deeper Questions Read John 2:12-25 When have you felt rage that led to action? What set Jesus off? What did the religious authorities demand from Jesus? What does that demand say about their understanding of what just happened? What is the Old Covenant? What is the New Covenant? How is Jesus a reforming of the Old Covenant system? How is that reforming impacting you today? Bible Reading Pl...

In the month in Feb. we are intentionally having conversations about Black history. 

Take It Deeper Questions Read 1 John 4:16-18 How do you respond when you think something is your fault? How do you respond when you think something is not your fault? What is the impact of viewing relationships as merit-based? What are the signs of actually knowing someone in relationship? What does a sustainable relationship over time with people look like? With God? How do commitment and trust p...

We are having conversations every week about Black history and the church. 

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 2:1-11 What memorable things have you seen or experienced at a wedding? Where is the wine level (zest for life) in your life right now? Full? Half full? Empty? Why? What is filing you? What is draining you? What area seems like stale water in an old jug? How could Jesus bring more celebration into your life? Bible Reading Plan: Genesis 28 Genesis 29 Genesis 30 G...

Take It Deeper Questions: Ready John 1:35-51 As a child, what would it take for you to believe something your brother or sister told you? What is a disciple of Jesus? Historically and currently? What insights do you get into following Jesus as you see Jesus calling His first disciples? What are some different reasons or motives for following Jesus? John’s last words of chapter one refer to Jacob’s...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 1:6-34 What has set you up for success in your life? How did they do it? Why did they do it? The titles given to Jesus so far: The Word, The Christ, The Lamb of God, The Son of God) What is the significance of each of these? Which means the most to you now and why? How would you explain Jesus’ coming to forgive sins to a 10 year old? How do you personally unders...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read John 1:1-18 Have you ever had a nickname? How did it start? Does anyone still use that nickname for you? Put verses 1-5 and 14 into your own words. Words that someone who doesn’t have a Christian background could understand. Are there prerequisites to believing in and/or have faith in Jesus? If yes, what are they? Why does John start here? How does this help in getti...

Take It Deeper Questions: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 What is something you always enjoy? When did you last enjoy it? What is something you never enjoy? When did you last not enjoy it? What are the differences between a person that never rejoices, sometimes rejoices and always rejoices? What are the differences between a person that never prays, sometimes prays and prays continually? What are the...

Take It Deeper Questions Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 What do you love most about the Christmas season? Least? How does loving others traditionally fit into your Christmas traditions? How do religious traditions traditionally fit into your Christmas traditions? What are the essential ingredients to the love that Paul is talking about in these verses? How are you challenged, encouraged, focused and/or...