Sermon Series Resources

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): February 23

Study Resource: Confession and Repentance: An Essay - This is a 1-page essay titled "The Power of Confession and Repentance" with practical tips and supported with relevant scriptures.

Study Resource: Create a Culture of Confession: A Brief Study - The gospel means freedom and healing for those who believe. Part of this healing and freedom comes from being honest and open about our own failures, knowing of the grace that covers them! What sort of impact might such honesty have in your home, with your children? Author and pastor Michael DiMarco discusses the liberating power of confession, and how parents can model a culture of confession in their home.

Podcast Resource: Confession: A Podcast on Psalm 32 - This teaching explores what it means to talk with God when we have seriously screwed up: hurt others, hurt ourselves, dishonored others and God, etc. How can we even talk to God in moments where we’re feeling so ashamed?

Study Resource: Confession: A Cosmic Trust Fall - Check out this brief article about confessing sins: When we sin, we compound our sin and frustration by analyzing, weighing, and calculating the “best” way to cover it up. Going full ostrich is never a realistic solution to our sin; it actually makes it worse.

Study Resource: The Need for Confession: An Article - God, in His infinite wisdom, has made transparency and confession a necessary component of spiritual health. If we are to grow in Jesus, then we must allow someone, or a few someone’s, to see beyond the cropped and edited version of ourselves.

Study Resource: How to Repent: An Article by The Gospel Coalition - The importance of repentance is hard to overstate. After all, Jesus’s first public exhortation was “Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15)! How do we repent? Psalm 32 is a wonderful place to explore the nature and process of deep repentance.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): February 16

Study Resource: Faith Without Deeds Is Dead: An Essay - This is a brief essay about faith and good deeds supported with relevant scripture and a call to action.

Video Resource: Living Generously: An 8-Session Study - When Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume and wiped them with her hair, it was a remarkably generous and loving act. In this eight-part series, Jonathan de Bernhardt Wood explores the powerful moment when a friend and follower of Jesus displayed the kind of astonishing generosity God Himself pours out on us. The wonder of the gospel is that this can be your story too as you discover the freedom of living generously.

Video Resource: Every Good Gift: 6-Session Women’s Study - Have you ever wondered what the Bible says about hospitality, generosity, and stewardship? We have a cloud of witnesses globally, nationally, and locally who provide incredible testimonies of generosity. Tethered to biblical accounts of giving, this six-session series with author and speaker Ann Voskamp explores examples of offering hospitality, time, money, spiritual gifts, and empathy to the glory of God. Free Study Guide Included

Video Resource: A Good Work in You: Commentary by John Piper - Check out this 11-minute video commentary by John Piper on Philippians 1:6 – “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Podcast Resource: Salt and Light – Podcast by BibleProject - In this episode, Jon and Tim discuss the meanings of salt and light, showing how Jesus applies these covenant words to his new community of followers.

Study Resource: Doing Good Deeds: Bible Study Verseski - These various scriptures about doing good deeds might be helpful as you explore this topic of doing good deeds.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): February 9

Study Resource: Bible Reading Plans: A List of Suggestions  - Our spiritual growth does not just happen. If we want to grow in our relationship with the Lord, we must have, and stick to, a plan. “So, how can I get closer to Lord in the new year?” you ask. “What is the best strategy for my spiritual growth?” Well, we know this one thing: the biggest predictor of your spiritual growth in the new year will be your daily engagement with scripture.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): February 2

Study Resource: Bible Reading Plans: A List of Suggestions - Our spiritual growth does not just happen. If we want to grow in our relationship with the Lord, we must have, and stick to, a plan. “So, how can I get closer to Lord in the new year?” you ask. “What is the best strategy for my spiritual growth?” Well, we know this one thing: the biggest predictor of your spiritual growth in the new year will be your daily engagement with scripture.

Study Resource: Bible Basics: A Brief Study by John Piper - Is the Bible trustworthy? What's the Bible talking about? John Piper, founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and Chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary, and Colin Smith answer these two basic questions about the Bible.

Video Resource: The Word – A Weapon for Battle: 13-min Video - To engage in the battles that will assault us, we must have a game plan. Without a strategy, we are walking targets. Without a strategy, we are simply shooting in the dark.

Study Resource: Develop a Love for the Bible: A Brief Study - The Bible can be confusing, lengthy, and intimidating if you don't know how to read it. Is it possible to learn how to read and love Scripture? Authors Rosaria Butterfield, Kathleen Nielson, and Gloria Furman discuss how to develop a love for reading God's Word in your own life and in the lives of the next generation.

Study Resource: Redeem the Screen (Youth Edition) - In this three-part youth series, pastor Kyle Idleman will teach you how to redeem your screen. Join him as he walks through Romans 12, showing us how to be transformed by Jesus. When we let Jesus transform our lives, our screens will no longer be a distraction—they will become a tool to make Jesus known all over the world.

Study Resource: Staying In the Word: Relevant Bible Verses - Check out these verses of scripture relevant to “staying in the word” and abiding in the Lord.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): January 26

Study Resource: Discipleship is the Core Mission - Free e-book - In this Free e-book, we want to get at the heartbeat of what a church is all about. What does God want us to do? What is our purpose? Where are we going?

Study Resource: Relationships, Love, & Discipleship: A Blog - Check out this blog from Bobby Harrington and Discipleship.org – Why are relationships and love so important in discipleship? God was, and continues to be, in relationship with the Son and the Spirit. God is love. God’s commands are grounded and summarized relationally: loving God and loving people.

Study Resource: The Disciple Maker's Handbook: Optional Resource - If making disciples of Jesus is the greatest cause on earth, how should we equip people to do it? This handbook is a practical guide for how to embrace the discipleship lifestyle – being a disciple of Jesus and how to make other disciples of Jesus. The authors present seven elements that are necessary for disciple making to occur.

Study Resource: The Discipleship Pathway: A Study - As every nation endures changes, crises, and catastrophes in uncertain times, we don’t just need people to go to church. We need the church to go to the world. Jesus sent His disciples, and He’s sending us to make disciples. But where, and how, do we begin? Join Anthony Delaney on the Discipleship Pathway, a six-step journey of discovery, deliverance, devotion, development, and deployment.

Study Resource: “Makers” Discipleship Series: by Patrick Annotti - Discipleship is at the very heart of the ministry of Jesus. It should be at the heart of the life of the Christian as well. This series has been designed for those that are wanting to fulfill God’s plan for their lives of being Disciples of Jesus and making Disciples of Jesus.

 Study Resource: Mission Possible: A Study by Tim Tebow - We want to do more than just exist; we want our lives to count. Deep inside, we know the truth: our life’s mission is to live with purpose. For followers of Christ, living out that mission is possible because of what God has done for us through Jesus. We just need to know the steps to make it happen. In this study series, Tim Tebow introduces the tools you need to set your priorities and align your choices with God’s call on your life.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): January 19

Video Resource: Why is Fellowship Important to the Church? A Video - A must-see brief video by The Bearded Biker Bible Man.

Study Resource: Gospel Community: A Brief Study - What is biblical community and how is it developed? Spence Shelton describes the purpose of community and two ways to be more intentional in our relationships.

Study Resource: Church Fellowship: The Bible Says... - The Challenge of Sharing in Community: An article by Cheree Hayes & the BibleProject Team. Imagine a large table set for 20 guests and waiting for a delicious spread of food. The host has invited you and every other guest to contribute a dish to the meal. Whatever is served at this big table will be the result of each guest’s stinginess or generosity. Would you bring your best dish, or would you grab something from the store last minute?

Study Resource: Authentic Community: An Article - The original idea for connection in groups came from God himself. God exists in community. After all, God always has been, and always will be, three persons in one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created us in his image. When we gather in community, we reflect his nature. Small groups are not just the latest program fad in churches. Groups and authentic community come from the very essence of God (Rick Lowry).

Study Resource: Why You Should Attend Church in Person this Sunday - Check out this article from The Gospel Coalition to explore five incentives God gives every Christian to wake up and go worship with your local church.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): January 12

Study Resource: Habit Replacement: Cultivating Holy Habits Essay - This is a brief 1-page essay on Cultivating Holy Habits.

Study Resource: Follow Jesus: Life-Giving Habits Reading Plan - 40-Day Reading Plan – Many people find it difficult to place some areas of their life – marriage, money, work-life, relationships, etc. – under the Lordship of Christ because they think that God is not concerned about those areas of their life. They think He is only concerned about religious things or spiritual matters. But Christ has the final say on all things and everything belongs under His Lordship.

Study Resource: The Habit Replacement Loop: An Article - Explore this article with a biblical perspective and mindset: Three primary characteristics in forming beneficial learning habits are (1) attention, (2) focus, and (3) purposeful repetition. When improving learning patterns, one can examine one's behavior, figure out needs for improvement, and replace behaviors that are not productive with behaviors that are more desirable.

Study Resource: Led and Transformed by the Holy Spirit: An Article - Being led by the Holy Spirit is at the heart of the Christian life. This is clear in the Bible and in the history of the church. If we let the Spirit lead us, our lives will blossom and flourish. But if we neglect or refuse His leading, our lives will languish. Strangely, many believers today seem to misunderstand the Spirit’s leading and how it relates to personal transformation. A clearer grasp of what the Bible teaches about this vital truth will help us all as we seek to grow in grace.

Study Resource: Change in Behavior: A Bible Hub Article - Visible change in behavior is a significant theme in the Bible, often associated with repentance, transformation, and the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. This concept is rooted in the idea that genuine faith and repentance lead to observable changes in one's actions and lifestyle, reflecting a heart transformed by God's grace.

Book Resource: The Power of Habit: A Book by Charles Duhigg - If you choose to purchase this book, explore the contents with a biblical perspective and mindset: In “The Power of Habit,” Charles Duhigg takes us into the world of the scientific study of habits. He examines why some people struggle to change, despite years of trying, while others seem to remake themselves overnight. He visits laboratories where neuroscientists explore how habits work and where, exactly, they reside in our brains. He uncovers how the right habits are crucial to success.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): January 5

Study Resource: Hearing vs. Listening: A Biblical Perspective - An Article: Have you ever considered the difference between hearing and listening in the Bible? While the two may seem similar on the surface, there is a significant distinction that can greatly impact our spiritual growth and understanding of God’s word.

Study Resource: God Speaks through His Creation: A Devotional - Throughout human history mankind has gone to nature to get a deeper sense of the divine. When we open our ears to hear what God is declaring to us through that which he’s made, we’ll find a wonderful avenue to stay in communication with our heavenly Father.

Video Resource: God’s Word: Inspiration and Authority of Scripture - God’s Word cuts through the confusion with straightforward explanations and practical tools. Orpheus J. Heyward teaches the major sections of the Bible, how we received the Bible, how to interpret it accurately, and why we should view it as our final authority. This study invites you to explore the world’s most important book with the clarity to understand and the courage to follow.

Study Resource: Listen to Jesus: The Call - A Brief Study: The call to listen to Jesus is a central theme in the New Testament, emphasizing the authority and divinity of Christ as the Son of God. This call is not merely an invitation but a divine imperative that underscores the importance of obedience and faith in the teachings of Jesus.

Study Resource: Turn Down the Noise; Listen to Jesus: John Piper - This is a brief message from John Piper, founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary.

Study Resource: Listen to the Holy Spirit: By Bobby Harrington - An Article: The practice of spiritual habits (spiritual disciplines) is an important way we develop our relationship with God. We proactively come under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit through earnest and daily times of prayer, Bible study, and communion with God. A commitment to spiritual practices and habits has been the primary method used by God’s people throughout history, especially by the men and women God has used in significant ways.