Encounter at Illinois State University / ISU

Paul's “defense” in Acts 22 provides a beautiful glimpse into how we can share Christ with others.  One of the most powerful ways to share the Gospel involves knowing our...

In the end of Acts 18, we see Apollos teaching in a way that doesn't fully represent the Gospel, and Priscilla and Aquila take him aside to help sharpen his...

When Paul arrives in Athens, he is invited to share the story of God with a very different group of people.  What lessons can we glean from Paul on what...

Do we know the scriptures well enough to know when things are said that aren't true? Do we examine the Scriptures to see if what we hear is true? What...

Paul and Silas, beaten and thrown into prison, sing their songs to the Lord.  What does this teach us about the difference between pleasure, happiness, and joy? (James 1:17, Acts...

We think of idols as remnants of ancient civilizations, and yet each of us has a heart that is quick to produce them.  How can we recognize this worthless form...

The people of God earnestly pray for Peter and he is miraculously rescued from prison.  But how do we live in a world where we do not always see an...

Barnabas might not be a flashy superstar in the New Testament, but his strong influence Barnabas is a great reminder of how we help others become who God has called...

Winter Retreat- Session 4- Sunday AM

Winter Retreat- Session 3- Saturday PM

Winter Retreat- Session 2- Saturday AM

Winter Retreat- Session 1- Friday PM

When God invited the Gentiles into His Kingdom, He taught Peter about loving those who are different than him. What is He teaching US through the Scriptures that record Peter's...

When Saul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus, it challenges everything about his life and requires a 180 degree change.  Do I believe that the same Jesus who transformed...

In Acts 8, the Church is spreading like a true wildfire.  As the religious rulers try to slow the fire's spread, God is breathing life into it.  When God tells...

In Acts 8, Philip the evangelist helps us understand how to join God in His work of others hearing the Good News of Jesus. (Is 9:2, Is 53, Acts 26-39,...

Persecution often shows faith for what it really is, as the light is always brighter in the darkness. Those who were scattered preach the Gospel as they go, and people...

The new Church is growing, and is experiencing fracturing/complaints. The wisdom from the apostles becomes delegation. Why is this important to the life of the church and the empowerment of...

An abrupt and devastating moment happens in the early Church when sin enters the community and death quickly follows behind it.  Why does God deal so harshly with this particular...

Peter and John were confronted by the counsel. What does it mean that we must obey God rather than men? How do we know when we are supposed to listen...

A crippled beggar is healed by Peter at the temple.  Of the people present, some are ecstatic, others are indifferent, and some are even angry.  Do we have the faith...

How can we step into life with God, rather than letting Him be on the outside? (Colossians 4:2-6, Acts 2:31-33, Acts 2:42-47)

As the New Testament Church gets rolling, incredible public revival becomes the natural result of deep personal surrender. (Acts 2:42-47, Rev 21:2-4, Eph 5:25-27, Acts 2:31-38, I Peter 3:21-22, 2...

The Holy Spirit is alive and working. How can we practice reverence in hearing His voice and where it leads us to in our everyday lives? (Acts 2:1-41, Rom 8:11)

Throughout Scripture, waiting on God is spoken of in a very positive way.  If waiting is such a good thing, why do we hate it so much? (Acts 1:4-5, 12-14,...

The Christian life is one of transformation.  But if we're being transformed, what's the final version of us supposed to look like? (Rom 12:2, 2 Cor 3:18, Gal 4:19, 2...

Fall Retreat-Session 4- Sunday AM Living the Story of the Kingdom on Behalf of Others and the reality of the Kingdom Advancing (1 Sam 17, Lk 4:18-19, Mt 20:25-28)

Fall Retreat-Session 3-Saturday PM The Story of the Kingdom and the Realities of Heaven (Rm 12:2, Mk 1:15, Lk 4:18-19, Mt 20:25-28, Gal 5:22-23)

Fall Retreat-Session 2- Saturday AM The Story of Sin and the Realities of Hell (Col 2:13-15, Ps 8:5, Gen 2:7)

Fall Retreat-Session 1- Friday PM The Stories we Believe and the Realities they Create (Rm 10:10-13; 1 Jn 2:28, Philip 4:6-7, Eph 4:31-32)

Before Jesus ascends, he promises his closest disciples that they will become his witnesses.  What does it mean to be a witness for Christ? (Acts 1:4-11, Luke 12:32, Jn 12:46,...

Going back further into the teachings of Jesus we find a lesson on trust. “Your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom” is a little phrase that the...

What happens in our lives when resurrection goes from being an idea to a lived reality? (Luke 24:13-50, Lk 11:1-4, Acts 1:1-3, Jn 20:19, I Cor 15:6, Jn 11:17-26, I...

God is writing a beautiful story in our lives, but sometimes our desire to be the author of our own story cuts God out of the equation.  Nicodemus points us...

Practice 3: Wonder – What does it mean for us to regularly be taken aback by God's glory? How can we continue to be held in wonder at the sheer...

God makes it very clear that He cares deeply about lost people.  This was Jesus' mission statement, and should certainly shape our own. (Lk 15:4-7, Jn 10:10-15, Lk 19:10, Lk...

We are the receivers of God's deep blessing and grace, and yet feel slighted when we sense that others get more than their fair share of the very same thing....

Practicing Celebration – In our lives, joyfulness, prayer, and thankfulness should be a part of the language we speak to those around us. In fact, this is literally “God's will”...

Jesus wants us to understand how His Kingdom works, and gives us 2 small parables that help us understand the incredible value of His good news and the high cost...

We all desire a deep sense of peace, but the path to shalom requires us following Christ into some very hard places. (Matt 7:1-6, Isaiah 26:3, Jn 14:27, I Jn...

Jesus shatters our expectations on who “deserves” our love. Who is our neighbor? Connect this to our prayer discipline for the month. Who are we praying for? Who have you...

Prayer is the conduit by which we experience God in relationship. Let's experience what prayer is and what it does in and through every follower of Jesus. (Luke 3:21, Matt...

Winter Retreat – Session 4- Sunday AM

Winter Retreat – Session 3- Saturday PM

Winter Retreat – Session 2- Saturday AM

Winter Retreat – Session 1 – Friday PM

In Jesus' short parable about light, we learn a great deal about how our faith, connected to our behaviors, is a powerful beacon in a very dark world. (Matt 5:14-16,...

In this parable, we see people who are entrusted with differing resposibilities by the master. The only worker reprimanded was the one who did nothing out of fear. Jesus doesn't...

We desire God to move and work in our lives.  Yet when He uses a particular tool to do just that, we begin to obsess about that tool and forget...

In our current age, we see through a glass, darkly.  But God has promised that there is a time coming where he will remake and restore our world.  And He's...

Joseph seems to attract favor and trouble everywhere he goes.  God gives him a unique gift that becomes a turning point in one of his darkest moments.  What gifts has...