Sermon Series Resources

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): September 13

Study Resource: Jesus: The Way, Truth, & Life - This is a compelling 9-minute teaching for practical application based on Jesus’ words as recorded in John 14:6.

Study Resource: Baptism: A Commitment to Jesus - Acts 2:38: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Repentance is turning away from sinful lifestyles; baptism in the name of Jesus is to explicitly pledge allegiance to His mission. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the promise of God’s intimate presence from that moment forward.

Study Resource: A New Creation in Jesus Christ - In C. S. Lewis’s “Nice People or New Men” from Mere Christianity, Lewis makes an important distinction between becoming nicer people and becoming genuinely new people.

Study Resource:  The Good Way: Led by the Spirit - Practicing spiritual habits (i.e., disciplines) is an important way we develop our relationship with the Lord. We proactively come under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit through earnest and daily times of prayer, bible study, and communion with Jesus.

Book Resource: Practicing the Way - A Book Recommendation - We are constantly being formed by the world around us, but to be formed by Jesus will require us to become His apprentice. To live by what the early disciples called a “Rule of Life,” which are a set of practices and relational rhythms to slow us down and open our lives for Jesus’ transformation. This is full of theological substance, cultural insight, and practical wisdom for developing our own Rule of Life.

Video Resource: Victory in Jesus: A Powerful Version of the Song - Check out this video featuring Stephen McWhirter and his powerful version of the classic hymn: Victory in Jesus.

Podcast Resource: We Are the Royal Priesthood: A Podcast - After Jesus’ disciples receive the Holy Spirit, they become God’s temple and the physical embodiment of Jesus on Earth. This has huge implications for our understanding of what it means to be the church. Dive into this discussion with the BibleProject team as they unpack what it means for followers of Jesus to be the royal priesthood, now and in eternity.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): September 6

Study Resource: Licensed Counseling Partners - This document contains contact information for Mt. Gilead partners who offer licensed counseling services.

Study Resource: Emotions: A Bible Hub Study - Emotions are an integral part of the human experience, as evidenced throughout the Bible. They are God-given and reflect the image of God in humanity. Emotions can lead to actions that honor God or, conversely, actions that lead away from Him. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings on how emotions should be understood and managed in a way that aligns with God's will.

Study Resource: The Power of Praying “Thank You.” - “Do you realize that if you say “thank you” to God and mean it, in that moment, sin loses a ton of power over you” (Daniel McCoy). This resource also gives access to a free E-book.

Book Resource: Emotionally Healthy Spirituality - This is a book that Fred referenced in the sermon that we recommend - Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature

Book Resource: The Hour That Changes the World - This is a book that Fred referenced in the sermon that we recommend - The Hour That Changes the World: A Practical Plan for Personal Prayer

Book Resource: Anatomy of the Soul: Spiritual Practices - Recommended Book: Discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be.

Study Resource: Stages of Faith Graph - This is the Stages of Faith graph that Fred shared in the Sept 6 sermon.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): August 30

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.

Video Resource: Serving Challenge: A 6-Session Study - Serving Challenge is an adventure to serve like Jesus that will lead you to more personal fulfillment than you ever thought possible. The opportunity to serve like Jesus will come with a significant cost. It will mean sacrificing, losing, and experiencing challenges. But, despite all the costs, when you serve like Jesus, you will find true fulfillment, joy, happiness, and great reward.

Study Resource: Forgiveness: A Bible Hub Study - Forgiveness is a cornerstone concept found throughout Scripture, woven into the narratives of both the Old and New Testaments. It resonates deeply because it touches core aspects of human nature: guilt, reconciliation, mercy, and restoration. This entry explores the rich biblical framework of forgiveness, its definition, its basis in divine authority, and how it applies in daily life.

Video Resource: The Forgiveness Dilemma: A 5-Session Study - The aim of this series is to confront the ongoing dilemma of forgiving others in a rampant, “cancel-culture” world.

Study Resource: Prayer and Fasting: A Plan by Justin White

Book Resource: Anatomy of the Soul: Spiritual Practices - Recommended Book: Discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): August 23

Study Resource: The Bible's View on Intellect: A Bible Hub Study - Christian intellect involves the intentional use of one’s God-given mind to seek truth, discern wisdom, and deepen an understanding of divine revelation. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). This call to love God with our entire being underscores that our intellect has a crucial role in our relationship with Him.

Study Resource: Continuous Learning: A Bible Hub Study - Continuous learning and application refer to the ongoing process of acquiring knowledge and wisdom and putting them into practice in one's life. In the Christian context, this involves a lifelong commitment to studying Scripture, understanding God's will, and living according to His commandments.

Study Resource: Truth-Seeking Intellectuals: A Compelling Article - Christianity can become a grace-filled haven for curious questioners, doubting dissidents, and anyone seeking truth in a world where partisan narratives take precedence.

Study Resource: Intellect & Discipleship: A Brief Article - The call to discipleship also calls us to carefully attend to our minds—how we think, what we think, and why we think. This doesn’t mean that every Christian must be a scholar, not at all. But every Christian does have a mind that thinks; therefore, every Christian has an obligation to love God with that mind. Neglecting the mind will undoubtedly lead to malformed disciples.

Book Resource: The Reason for God: A Book by Tim Keller - Timothy Keller, the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, addresses the frequent doubts that skeptics, and even ardent believers, have about religion. Using literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and potent reasoning, Keller explains how the belief in a Christian God is, in fact, a sound and rational one.

Study Resource: Bible Reading Plans

Book Resource: Anatomy of the Soul: Spiritual Practices - Recommended Book: Discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): August 16

Study Resource: Biblical Self-Image: A Bible Hub Study - Self-image refers to the perception or mental picture one has of oneself. It encompasses beliefs about one's abilities, appearance, and personality. In a biblical context, self-image is significant because it influences how individuals relate to God, themselves, and others.

Study Resource: Prayer and Fasting: A Plan by Justin White

Study Resource: Fasting: A Surprising Journey into Joy - Desperation led to a new spiritual rhythm. In a season of overwhelming burden, the author turned to fasting and found unexpected peace and clarity through surrender.

Study Resource: Prayer and Fasting: A Free Resource from RENEW - This is a free study that reintroduces the practice of prayer and fasting to find renewal.

Book Resource: Anatomy of the Soul: Spiritual Practices - Recommended Book: Discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): August 9

Study Resource: Radical Pursuit of Rest: The C. S. Lewis Institute - Whether it’s in our careers, our churches, or our spiritual lives, many of us operate on the same basic assumption — that in the Christian life, busier is better. This assumption in turn is based on a supposition that equates devotion with activity. The more we love Christ, the thinking goes, the more we do. Whether individuals or churches, those who love Christ the most will do the most.

Study Resource: Intentional Sabbath: A Brief Article - We all thrive on structure, even those of us who resist it. Certain cadences govern our days for food, drink, hygiene, sleep, productivity, and exercise. These things don’t happen by accident; they happen because we submit to structure.

Video Resource: The Sabbath Practice: A 4-Session Workshop - Sabbath is time set aside to stop, rest, delight, and worship. In our era of chronic exhaustion, emotional unrest, and spiritual stagnation, few things are more necessary than the recovery of this ancient practice.

Study Resource: A Spirit-Softened Heart - This is an article about how our good Father walks us through the tough times when we surrender to His yoke rather than our own.

Book Resource: Anatomy of the Soul: Spiritual Practices - Discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be.

Sermon Study Guide (pdf): August 2

Study Resource: Spiritual Disciplines: A Bible Hub Study - Spiritual disciplines are Scripturally grounded practices designed for growth in devotion, character, and faithfulness. They are not intended as mere habits or rituals but as transformative activities that align one’s heart and mind with the will of the Creator.

Video Resource: Becoming Like Jesus: A 6-Session Study - The Christian life is not up and to the right but a lifelong series of highs and lows that the Holy Spirit uses to shape us into people who look like Jesus. In this 6-session series, pastor and author Matt Chandler guides us through Jesus’s beatitudes found in Matthew 5. As we live out our faith, Jesus develops in us a new way of living so we can be people who reflect His kingdom.

Study Resource: The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard - This is a book that presents a way of living that enables men and women to enjoy the fruit of the Christian life. Dallas reveals how self-transformation resides in the practice of the spiritual disciplines. It is relevant to everyone who strives to be a disciple of Jesus in thought, action, and intention.

Study Resource: Family Discipleship Blueprint: A Free Book - As helpful as church programming can be, Christian parents are waking up to the role God has given them to disciple their children. Families are realizing more than ever that they need more than a few ideas to succeed in imparting faith to this generation. We need a plan.

Podcast Resource: Growing in Spiritual Disciplines: A Podcast - Paul commanded Timothy, “Train yourself for godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7). The spiritual disciplines are essential to our growth into Christlike maturity, so we must learn to invest ourselves in these patterns daily.