First Christian Church Champaign

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 in weeks 2 and 3 of our Doctrine: Part 2 series.

From the Creation of the world to the end of all things, it all comes down to one thing: God’s plan. When it comes down to it, the Gospel becomes the hinge point to almost every matter of life. Thus the question becomes, do you believe it or not? In week 1 of Doctrine: Part 2, we concisely unpack the Gospel message of Jesus to bring life through death.

What would you say is more valuable - a plant or a human life? Pretty easy answer without thinking about it. Our story comes to a quick and concise conclusion, but not without first baiting us all into considering if we are truly compassionate people.

Have you ever had an arch-enemy? Maybe even back in 2nd grade there was that classmate you couldn’t stand. Now imagine you were asked to deliver them good news… would you still go through with it? For week 3 of 72 Hours, we see how God calls us to answer that question.

What would you do if you were swallowed whole by a whale for like three days? Stumped? Yeah, us too. For week two of our 72 Hours series, we catch some insights on a crucial aspect of following Jesus.

We’ve all been there before—running from God. And it’s never a good feeling when the irreligious people act more religious than the religious. So what’s the solution when we disagree with God’s will for our life? Let’s find out together in week 1 of our study through Jonah - 72 Hours.

See-saw. Play catch. Go on a date. What do these have in common? It takes two people to do them! Yet, why do we convince ourselves one person can make a relationship better? As we wrap up our Relationship Goals series, we see how it takes two to tango.

Ever heard the phrase, “you are what you eat?” Now, no one believes they will turn into a Twinkie if they ate a whole box. However, most of us get the premise. So, why is it that we believe certain relationships can change the habits of other people? In week 2 of Relationship Goals, we find out if that’s really the case.

There is a lot of relationship, dating, and marriage advice out there. To be honest, the church tends to come up with its myths as well. In week one of Relationship Goals, we see how only one relationship brings wholeness in life.

Everywhere you look, stories meet us head-on. From commercials to movies to Facebook shares—some stories are mundane, but others affect us deeply. We believe there is one narrative above them all. As we wrap up our Doctrine series, we frame the Scripture narrative to help us better understand and apply God’s word.

There is power in stories. Would you agree to that statement? Most of us have been inspired because of a story we’ve read, heard, or seen. For week 3 of Doctrine, we look at the inspiration and power behind God’s Word, the Bible, and how it can radically transform your life.

Trying to describe God is an unfathomable task. Portraying something like His love is more manageable than depicting the Trinity. In week 2 of Doctrine, we scratch the surface of explaining the faith-filled mystery of the triune nature of God.

From grandma’s cooking to the color of the sun, sometimes the greatest things in life are hard to define or explain. In a lot of ways, the same goes for God. Think about it; what words would you use to describe God? You can choose a myriad of words, but throughout Scripture, one word stands above them all. Join us for week 1 of Doctrine as we dive into understanding God himself.

Have you ever gone on a hike without a map? That could be a recipe for disaster! You would end up taking quite a few steps, but maybe not in the right direction. Our goal as a church is for us all to take steps of faith in the right direction of fulfilling our mission. This week we unpack the new vision of FIRST: 5,000 Next Steps of Discipleship.

With the turn of every new year comes the chance to set the pace for where God will take our church in the coming year. So for us, that means reminding all of us of the greater mission God has set before us. While God sets the mission, we set the pace. Are you ready to see what God will do this year?

The Christmas season is over, but the New Year isn’t quite here yet. So, now what? What if we saw giving as something that’s always in season? Let’s wrap up the Christmas Gift Exchange by keeping the heart of giving for all seasons of the year.

Knowing the giver of the gift can dramatically change its value and meaning. A macaroni necklace from your boss is a fake smile and half-hearted, “thanks.” But, the same gift from your child is truly something to be cherished. In week 3, Christmas Eve, we remember who the greatest gift in this life is from.

It’s the thought that counts. Perhaps you’ve heard - or used! - that phrase in regards to a gift. What that really means is the heart behind the gift is what matters most. In week 2 of Christmas Gift Exchange, we look at how Jesus exchanges our hearts for His.

Giving gifts is somewhat of an art form, isn’t it? Whether it’s what they want or need, the better you know the other person, the easier gift-giving is. As we kick-off this Christmas series, we see that God knows the greatest gift we need.

“Anything worth living for is worth dying for…” comes from the iconic novel Catch-22. The pithy statement may beat strong in our minds, but does it pump the blood through our veins? As we finish our Upside Down series, we look at the final Beatitude that may be the greatest challenge of all.

Would you say peace is harder to make or maintain? Either way, both require quite a bit of effort. Yet, living at peace with everyone is always harder than it sounds. In week 8 of Upside Down, we unpack the challenge of Jesus to be peacemakers.

There’s a big difference between water that’s filtered and unfiltered. What if we told you it was also possible to filter the tugs of heart? In week 7 of Upside Down, we see how Jesus challenges us with a heart-filter in following Him.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “you get what you deserve?” If we’re honest, not one of the best things to hear. So, why does it sound like that’s what Jesus is saying in this next Beatitude? In week 6 of Upside Down, we unpack what Jesus meant when He said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

From cheddar bay biscuits to peanut butter and chili, everyone has a craving or two. The truth is, we crave more than just food every week of our life. So, what does Jesus have to say about what we crave out of life?

In a cut-throat-get-ahead-by-your-bootstraps world, what does it take to get ahead? Because let’s be honest, we all wish we were a little further ahead. In week 4 of Upside Down, Jesus gives us the uncommon trait for those with the whole world in their hands.