The Curious Discipler

Chris Risley

Using questions can be a powerful tool to draw people closer to God.  Questions allow us to take a humble posture and leave more room for the Holy Spirit to work.  Using questions effectively is a learned skill worth practicing. 

When God Says "No"

Scott Risley

2 Samuel 7

Just because God says, "No," does not mean you asked for the wrong thing, or God does not love or care for you. Sometimes, God has something better for you. Can you trust Him and wait patiently for what He has for you? If you can, you just might see Him come through in ways you never imagined!

Give Us a King

Dennis McCallum

1 Samuel 8-10

The time of the Judges is ending and the people clamor for a king like the other nations. Although God knows this will end badly for the Israelites, He agrees to their demand because He has a better king in mind for the future.

Discipline with the End in Mind

Cindy Botti

1 Samuel 8-10

Cindy Botti walks through discipline in parenting, how discipline changes depending on developmental years, and the concept of parenting with an end goal in mind.

Did Jesus Have Women Disciples?

Rebecca McLaughlin

1 Samuel 8-10

Did Jesus have female disciples? A study of the gospels shows that, if we look at factors like prophesy, discipleship, healing, forgiveness, and spiritual life, the answer is yes. This teaching goes through the remarkable ways Jesus interacted with his female followers, and the special roles God granted women at this time.

The God Who Uses Human Agency

James Rochford

Exodus 17:8-18:27

Even though God is all-powerful, He chooses to accomplish His work through human agency. He works through our weaknesses and through training others. Moses learned to delegate the less weighty problems to other worthy men. He did not over delegate and walk away from his responsibilities. He learned leadership requires humility to receive input from others to ask for help.

Getting Ready to Hear God

Dennis McCallum

Exodus 17-20

At this point in their wilderness journey, Moses is instructed to prepare the people to hear Him speak. This story must be interpreted in light of the New Testament. God is still transcendent and powerful. He is also close and gracious. The difference is our relationship is now based on grace and not law.

First in the Kingdom

Conrad Hilario

Matthew 20:20-28

In the world, it is common to fight for the high spot, but Jesus calls his followers to seek to serve instead of seeking status. It's easy to regard Christianity and Christian community as a consumer rather than a contributor, but Jesus does not promise another "self care" approach and is not a "brand" to improve our reputation. As we seek to serve, taking the low spot and working out of a love for Christ, God will open the door to meaningful service and a sense of unique purpose in His kingdom.

Renewing Our Vision

Cindy Botti

Isaiah 55:8-9

Vision, whether in life in general or in parenting in particular, is important because it gives meaning to the mundane. It gives us direction, a destination. It brings our world into focus and gives us purpose. God's vision is that He values our children. They are a gift from Him. Children are also a reward from Him. God's vision is also that He gave us, parents, an important role to teach our children about Him. We can model for them how to be Spiritual Champions. We train them according to their way. We keep God in the picture, i.e. cling to His promises.