[ Sunday Messages ] [ Small Groups ]

For Students:

The students will meet on Wednesday evenings beginning September 15, at 6:00. The activities and topics for each week:

1. Lowering the Waterline - To help students know and realize that if they are going to love the hurting and lonely, they need to first know how much God loves them (Ephesians 1:3-8).
2. You're Not Alone - To help students notice and respond to hurting and lonely peers in their sphere of influence (Revelation 3:14-16).
3. Say Something... Do Something - To equip students to not just know about their hurting and lonely peers, but to serve them and be Jesus' hands and feet (Philippians 2:5-8, Galatians 5:13).
4. What's Your Logline? - To empower students to meet their peers in their hurt and to help others to rewrite their stories based on how God sees them (Luke 19:1-10, Galatians 6:2).
5. How to Save a Life - God can actually use our small acts of service for the hurting and lonely to save people's lives and change the world (Luke 14:16-24).
6. Agape Feast - This week, students will live out what they have learned during the series by enjoying a meal with people they've invited, people they can serve who need to know the love of Christ (Luke 14:16-24).
7. Stepping into the Bigger Story - We are called to reach out to the hurting and lonely in our community. What does that look like today? We are to do more than just go through a special series, how are we going to change to impact others? How can we get others to belong even before they believe? (Acts 2:42-47, Philippians 1:3-6).

For Parents and Adults:

Parents and other adults are welcome to join one of several small groups to discuss ways to build a stronger family. Groups will meet on Sunday mornings beginning September 12 at 9:45.

1. Strong Families Know Each Other - Love better, listen well and "pay" attention.
2. Strong Families Fight Well - Resolve conflicts by using biblical principles and a practical step-by-step method.
3. Strong Families Raise Good Decision-Makers - Raise children who make good choices.
4. Strong Families Forgive - Understand why and how to forgive others, and yourself.
5. Strong Families Have Faith - How to pass a strong faith along to your children.
6. Strong Families Leave a Legacy - Learn to teach and inspire members of the next generation.

Skip will bring a powerful message each week on these topics...

1. September 12 - Strong Families Know Each Other
   God designed the family as a way for us to understand His love for us and demonstrate that love to others. What would it be like for us to really, truly know the members of our family? How would it feel if families really understood each other's feelings and dreams? What might this do to improve relationships? This week's message will help us to follow Jesus' example and learn how to really understand other people, listen well, and "pay" attention.
   KEY SCRIPTURE: John 9:1-11
2. September 19 - Strong Families Fight Well
   Most of us don't think about or plan how we are going to behave the next time we get into a fight. We just react. Unfortunately, most conflict-resolution techniques are based solely on feelings--and our feelings in the midst of an argument are usually anger, frustration, impatience, and even resentment. This message will help teach us to fight "well" by using biblical principles and some practical tips for resolving disagreements.
   KEY SCRIPTURE: Philippians 2:4
3. September 26 - Strong Families Raise Good Decision-Makers
   Near the top of every parent's child-raising checklist is teaching their kids to choose wisely--to understand right from wrong, resist temptation and peer-pressure, and make good decisions. This week's message will help parents raise good decision-makers by following God's design: Love God, Live His Word and Teach children (by example) to do the same.
   KEY SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 6:4-7
4. October 3 - Strong Families Forgive
   It's a basic truth that we can be hurt most by those we love. Family members' opinions and the way they treat us have an enormous impact on our feelings and self-esteem. Clearly, forgiveness is one of the most important skills of a strong family, and it's equally true that forgiving ourselves is essential for a healthy soul and spirit. This week's message will help us explore the topic of forgiveness.
   KEY SCRIPTURE: Colossians 3:13
5. October 10 - Strong Families Have Faith
   At some point, everyone has to make the decision of whether or not to have faith in God. The goal of this week's message is for us to be overwhelmed with evidence that living a life of faith is right. This message uses 15 biblical and scientific facts to help us develop a new faith or celebrate and deepen our current faith.
   KEY SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 11
6. October 17 - Strong Families Leave a Legacy
   This week's message is a challenge for us to fulfill God's purpose in our own generation, and then leave a legacy for generations to come. Each of us can impact our children, but we can go beyond that by caring about younger generations, teaching them, and investing in them.
   KEY SCRIPTURE: Psalm 78:1-7