I don’t normally celebrate lent or follow the religious calendar very closely. I don’t abstain from anything particular for this season. And I didn’t this year.

But as I prepare some of our teaching materials for Palm Sunday and the week leading up to the cross I can’t help but have a heavy heart. There are times this week where I just feel like crying out.

I’m not sure why it’s different this year, but I feel like I’m experiencing the weeks leading up to Easter in concert with those same weeks in the Bible. And it hurts.

Knowing that Jesus will soon be in the garden begging God for another option.
Knowing that He will soon be betrayed.
Knowing that I put Him in that position.

It’s almost more than I can take.

Read Genesis 3 and then Mark 14-15. You can’t get away from it.

It is our sin that put Him there. There’s a heaviness that I can’t shake.

But Easter is coming. Like a freight train you can’t stop – it doesn’t end with death. Jesus didn’t end in the grave. God’s work didn’t end in without grace and mercy…and a path to redemption.

And so I glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel. But the worst is yet to come. It’s always darkest right before dawn.

Dawn is coming.

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This whole series has been about envisioning how our lives would change if we took the Bible to heart and lived it out. We’ve talked about many different topics, including the Church and the Holy Spirit. This week we’re talking about relationships. We’re all a part of God’s plan for the world – and we only accomplish it together.

“What if…Pt. 5″
Group Leader Guide
Group Member Guide
Fuel - Personal Study Guide

I’m often asked about the purpose of small group – and honestly that’s a tough question to answer.

That’s sort of like asking “What’s the purpose of a screwdriver?”

You can say “to turn screws”, but that’s not a very helpful answer if you don’t know what a screw is.

Usually my answer starts good and quickly devolves into a story or illustration. So, in order to combat my self-imposed subjectivity, I’m trying to clarify for everyone the purpose of small group. After all, how do you know where to aim if you can’t see the target.

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I do a little counseling every now and then (when the really sensitive, caring staff members are busy) and occasionally a couple in serious trouble comes my way. I’ve noticed something about all of them.

Not one of them expected to be on that couch when they got married.

None of them got married and planned to mess it up. None of them expected to have an affair. None of them expected their own marriage to be in shambles.

But there they are. Continue Reading…

Hey everyone! Welcome to our newest leaders. We’re over 100 groups now!

You’ll notice a few changes in the Group Discussion Guide this week. We had a great discussion last week on how to make this a more effective tool in your groups. Hopefully the changes will allow for better discussion and application. Among the changes are….       Continue Reading…