First Christian Church Champaign

They say bad company corrupts good morals. However, what about a nice meal with others? As we wrap up our At The Table series, we will see how Jesus invites himself to a dinner party with some suspect guests and does it with a purpose!

Icebreaker: If you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why? Now follow-up: what would you give up to attend that dinner? For this week of At The Table, we will open up a story about an unforeseen woman who gave up nearly everything she had to join Jesus for dinner.

At the end of every season, the ABC network phenomenon "The Bachelor" hosts an episode after the show aired for that season. It's kind of like, "now that you've watched what just happened… where do we go from here?" In week four of At The Table, we will open the story of those who watched Jesus' life closely and receive a final word from their Savior.

They say the most important bee in the hive is the queen bee. Isn't that strange, though, because it's the worker bees that get all the honey? In some ways, the same idea can apply to following Jesus. While there is always work to be done, what if getting the work done is the last thing on the list?

Rage-quit! Perhaps you've done it before - or experienced your child doing so - when the game isn't going your way. What if we told you that Jesus (sort of!) rage-quit at one point? Join us this week as we look at the story of how Jesus flipped those tables upside-down.

What would you have at your last meal? Maybe a massive steak and potatoes or perhaps the best pizza you could imagine! Either way, no one probably makes a big deal over your last feast. However, as the church, we celebrate Jesus' final meal every week. In week one of At The Table, we see why the call to break the bread, drink from the cup, and remember Jesus' last supper is a big deal.

If you were to answer the question, “what is the point of following Jesus?” How might you respond? While our answers may vary, hopefully, there are some similarities in our thoughts. Join us as we conclude our Hebrews series seeking to find a central answer to that poignant question.

Every four years, those who win the 100M sprint are dubbed the “fastest in the world.” But throughout much of history, the coveted prize was not the medal for the spring, but the crown for the marathon. As we continue our study in Hebrews, we will be encouraged to view our life and faith as a race to be run well.

Remember the playground comeback; "you talk the talk, but do you walk the walk?" What if that applied to following Jesus today? Join us as we continue our Hebrews series to discover faith requires action beyond talk.

You know those 'Terms and Conditions' when you update your phone? Have you ever - actually - read those? Yeah, I didn't think so. Believe it or not, there is a similar portion of Scripture, somewhat like fine print, we overlook. Most people refer to this as 'The Law.' In week 6 of our Hebrews, we will read the fine print to see how we sometimes miss the point of the Law.

We know there is some strange stuff in the Bible. Perhaps one of the more peculiar things in the Old Testament is bloodshed within the sacrificial laws. Frankly, what is the point of all the talk about blood? For week 5 in our Hebrews series, we poke into the vein of this central theme throughout Scripture.

It's summer, which means slip-n-slides are taking over lawns. The thing about slip-n-slides is no matter how hard you may try, it's virtually impossible to run on one without falling. Our faith can be a lot like a slip-n-slide because no matter how fast or hard we run, we will fall. The question becomes: what will you do when you catch yourself falling? Let's find out together in week 4 of our stu...

Imagine you were out to eat at a diner and a child ordered a glass of milk. Pretty standard, right? Now, think about a grown man who ordered a glass of milk - and only milk - every day for his meal. What would come to mind? Probably - he needs to grow up! In week 3 of our study through Hebrews, we see how Jesus calls us to grow up in our faith.

Which weighs more: a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks? I bet you instantly thought rocks, but a pound of each would weigh the same! In week 2 of our series through Hebrews, we talk about the role of Levitical priests, the weight of sin, and how Jesus changed it all!

Do you have a friend that you don’t keep in touch with as much anymore? We say things like, “well, we just drifted apart.” What if, without realizing it, that happens in our faith in Jesus? In week 1 of our series through Hebrews, we look to find a point of reference in our walk with Jesus.

Have you ever prayed and then halfway through, you ended up thinking towards God, or your mind wandered elsewhere? We all have! If someone believes in prayer, the next question should be: what should I pray for? As we close out our Prayer series, we will take time to consider the purpose of our prayer lives.

A missionary once attributed the “success” of his mission to the power of prayer. When asked about this further, he responded, “what would you do if you knew your prayers had the power to succeed?” In week two of our series on Prayer, we look at the reason for the power behind our prayers.

How would you describe prayer to someone who had never prayed before? Is it giving God a to-do list? Or maybe the formal thing you must do before God moves in your life? However, beyond knowing what prayer is, resides the question—How is your prayer life? In week one of our Prayer series, we seek to answer that question.

In the fairy tale “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” the young lad would claim a wolf was coming to attack his sheep. But, after many false alarms, no one trusted him anymore—even when the actual wolf came! In many ways, the same can apply to our discipleship journey. In week three of Christian Atheist, let’s see why it’s essential to put action behind our belief and trust in God.

Ever have one of those things that you think you love - that is until you meet someone whose exponential appreciation shadows yours? Sometimes that’s a good thing! And other times, it feels a little overboard. So, what about our faith in Jesus? Does the same apply? Find out more with us in week 2 of Christian Atheist.

An athlete, an entrepreneur, or perhaps an activist? Chances are, there was someone whose life you marveled at when you were young. Maybe you knew the details, facts, statistics, and story of their life. Sure, you knew about them - but you didn’t really know them, right? In week one of Christian Atheist, we look at the ways in which we know about God, but might not actually know Him personally.

Studies reveal we are busier today than we ever have been. Most of us know this. And yet, we try to add more to our plates. As we wrap up this series, Handle with Care, we learn a hack to juggling the weight of life.

What’s more challenging than navigating life?: Trying to navigate life alone. In week 2 of Handle with Care, together, we will see how God designed us to handle life best with others.

Everyone’s got baggage. It’s a real and unavoidable part of life. So, how do we handle the tensions of life? In week one of Handle With Care, we will look to God’s promises to us about the various weights of life.

Let’s say you believe in God. Nothing groundbreaking there; lots of people do. But, understanding God’s purpose for our lives is where transformation happens. Is He a genie? Spiritual vending machine? Or the Lord of our life? In other words, what’s the purpose of our faith in Jesus? Let’s find out together as we discuss discipleship in the final week of Doctrine: Part 2.