Encounter at Illinois State University / ISU

Winter Retreat- Session 2- Saturday AM

Winter Retreat- Session 1- Friday PM

When God invited the Gentiles into His Kingdom, He taught Peter about loving those who are different than him. What is He teaching US through the Scriptures that record Peter’s interaction with Cornelius? (Acts 10:34 – 48)    

When Saul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus, it challenges everything about his life and requires a 180 degree change.  Do I believe that the same Jesus who transformed Saul can transform me? (Acts 9:1-30, Acts 22:3, Phil 3:4-9, 2 Cor 5:17, Rom 8:28, Rev 2:17)  

In Acts 8, the Church is spreading like a true wildfire.  As the religious rulers try to slow the fire’s spread, God is breathing life into it.  When God tells Ananias to go find Saul in Acts 9, we gain insight into obedience, suffering, and the mystery of God’s holy work in our world. (Acts 9:1-22, Acts 5:34-39, Acts 1:8, Acts 8, Jn 5:30, Prov 15:22, Phil 3:5-11, 2 Cor 11:24-27, 2 Cor 12:9, Mk 4:...

In Acts 8, Philip the evangelist helps us understand how to join God in His work of others hearing the Good News of Jesus. (Is 9:2, Is 53, Acts 26-39, Luke 4:16-21, Rom 1:16, I Cor 3:4-7, Eph 2:10)

Persecution often shows faith for what it really is, as the light is always brighter in the darkness. Those who were scattered preach the Gospel as they go, and people like Simon the Sorcerer come to know Christ. (Acts 8:1-25)

The new Church is growing, and is experiencing fracturing/complaints. The wisdom from the apostles becomes delegation. Why is this important to the life of the church and the empowerment of its members? How can we lead in our own contexts knowing that Jesus has given us permission and empowerment to do so? (Acts 6:1-7)

An abrupt and devastating moment happens in the early Church when sin enters the community and death quickly follows behind it.  Why does God deal so harshly with this particular act of dishonesty? (Acts 4:32-5:11, Jer 32:7, Ps 92:15, Ps 143:10, Ps 33:5, Ps 100:4-5, I Jn 1:5, 2 Tim 2:13, Titus 1:2, I Jn 3:20, James 1:13, Rom 6:23, James 1:15, Is 9:18, Is 55:8, Rom 6:11-14, Jn 16:8, James 5:16, Pro...

Peter and John were confronted by the counsel. What does it mean that we must obey God rather than men? How do we know when we are supposed to listen to governing authorities vs when we need to intentionally disobey? (Acts 4:1-22, Acts 5:17-41, 1 Peter 2:13-15)

A crippled beggar is healed by Peter at the temple.  Of the people present, some are ecstatic, others are indifferent, and some are even angry.  Do we have the faith for ask God to miraculously move, and the eyes to see it when He does? (Acts 3:1-4:4, Matt 13:13-15, Mk 8:17-18, Matt 13:22-33, Jn 14:12-14, Mk 10:13-16, Lk 5:18-26, Mk 9:22-24, Jn 17:1, Jn 3:30)

How can we step into life with God, rather than letting Him be on the outside? (Colossians 4:2-6, Acts 2:31-33, Acts 2:42-47)

As the New Testament Church gets rolling, incredible public revival becomes the natural result of deep personal surrender. (Acts 2:42-47, Rev 21:2-4, Eph 5:25-27, Acts 2:31-38, I Peter 3:21-22, 2 Cor 9:7-8, Mark 12:41-44, Jn 17:20-23, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Isaiah 29:13, Matt 6:21)

The Holy Spirit is alive and working. How can we practice reverence in hearing His voice and where it leads us to in our everyday lives? (Acts 2:1-41, Rom 8:11)

Throughout Scripture, waiting on God is spoken of in a very positive way.  If waiting is such a good thing, why do we hate it so much? (Acts 1:4-5, 12-14, Luke 24:46-49, 2 Peter 3:8-9, Ps 130:5-6, Ps 27:14, Ps 37:34, Is 30:18, Is 40:31, Gen 15:1, Gen 16:3, Gen 21:5, Ex 2:11, Ex 3:1, I Sam 16:12)

The Christian life is one of transformation.  But if we’re being transformed, what’s the final version of us supposed to look like? (Rom 12:2, 2 Cor 3:18, Gal 4:19, 2 Cor 5:14, Eph 3:14-19, Matt 7:21-23, Rom 8:15, Gen 1:27, Is 43:6, Rev 19:6-9, Jn 15:15, Heb 10:24-25, Matt 28:18-20)

Fall Retreat-Session 4- Sunday AM Living the Story of the Kingdom on Behalf of Others and the reality of the Kingdom Advancing (1 Sam 17, Lk 4:18-19, Mt 20:25-28)

Fall Retreat-Session 3-Saturday PM The Story of the Kingdom and the Realities of Heaven (Rm 12:2, Mk 1:15, Lk 4:18-19, Mt 20:25-28, Gal 5:22-23)

Fall Retreat-Session 2- Saturday AM The Story of Sin and the Realities of Hell (Col 2:13-15, Ps 8:5, Gen 2:7)

Fall Retreat-Session 1- Friday PM The Stories we Believe and the Realities they Create (Rm 10:10-13; 1 Jn 2:28, Philip 4:6-7, Eph 4:31-32)

Before Jesus ascends, he promises his closest disciples that they will become his witnesses.  What does it mean to be a witness for Christ? (Acts 1:4-11, Luke 12:32, Jn 12:46, Jn 10:10, Matt 20:28, Lk 19:10, Rom 10:9-10, Acts 2:38-39, Jn 13:34-35, Matt 5:14-16, Gal 5:22+, I Peter 2:9)

Going back further into the teachings of Jesus we find a lesson on trust. “Your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom” is a little phrase that the disciples don’t understand in real time, but will be played out throughout the book of Acts.

What happens in our lives when resurrection goes from being an idea to a lived reality? (Luke 24:13-50, Lk 11:1-4, Acts 1:1-3, Jn 20:19, I Cor 15:6, Jn 11:17-26, I Cor 15:4, Rom 6:5, Rom 6:8, 2 Tim 2:11-12, Col 2:12, Rom 6:4, Gal 2:20, Col 3:3, I Jn 5:12, Eph 2:1-7, Rom 8:11a)

God is writing a beautiful story in our lives, but sometimes our desire to be the author of our own story cuts God out of the equation.  Nicodemus points us toward the importance of having a hunger and curiosity to seek out that better Author. (John 3:1-17, 2 Cor 5:17, Jn 7:51, Matt 16:24-25, Matt 7:7-8)

Practice 3: Wonder – What does it mean for us to regularly be taken aback by God’s glory? How can we continue to be held in wonder at the sheer scope and size of who He is?  (Psalm 33)