Crossbridge Weekend Messages

Grief is the feeling that accompanies all loss in life, whether big or small. We may think that as the Son of God, Jesus somehow floats above grief or is immune to grief. Wes explains that because Jesus has gone through and experienced grief, he can give us a game plan for how to handle it and the strength needed to make it through.

Most of us think that Jesus is offended by sinners. The Scriptures portray a God who actually went out of his way to befriend them. James Bryant explains how Jesus shows us he is a friend to sinners... and why it matters. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Is there an office of Jesus (king, prophet, priest) that means something to you right now? Why?

2. Is there an office you would like to know more about? What one? Why?

3. How does understanding these offices affect your desire for relationship with Jesus?

Many of us are familiar with the idea that Jesus is holy. But what does that actually mean and why does it even matter for our lives?

Discussion Questions:
1. When you hear the word "holy," what comes to mind? Why?

2. Are there some ways in which Jesus is holy that you had never thought of before?

3. Why is it important to you, personally, that Jesus is holy?

It can feel at times like Christians are purposely creating barriers to God. Jesus stands steadfastly in opposition to anything that prevents people from finding God. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you creating barriers or building bridges? 

2. When you see others creating barriers, what do you typically do? 

3. Who was the best "bridge builder" or "barrier remover" you have ever personally known? What made them so effective? 

Our view of God shapes not just our approach to life; it shapes us. Jesus being God means that when we look at him, we can have a clearer view of what life looks like with the Father. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of when you think of God?

2. Do you think that our view of God influences how we live our lives? Why or why not? If yes, how?

3. What part of God do you think Jesus might be trying to personally communicate and demonstrate to you? 

"I don't believe the Bible" is a pretty common objection to Christianity. But is that statement actually a well-founded belief or just a smokescreen that gets thrown up to avoid giving consideration to the Bible's demands on my life? CB leadership team member Jason Fudge shares some reasons why we can believe the Bible is more than a fairy tale, but a historical reality that demands attention in my life. 

Discussion Questions:
1. What did you think of the Bible as you grew up? What role does it play in your life now? What would you do if you couldn't read the Bible anymore?

2. Which parts of the Bible are easiest for you to follow? Which parts are hard for you to submit to?

3. Read Matthew 5:17-20. What are some practical implications of Jesus' view of Scripture? 

Suffering and hardship have been a part of life since, well... life. Why can we continue to believe in a good God in the midst of suffering? And what good can come about from suffering and hardship in our lives?

Discussion Questions:
1. Talk about some times in your life where you experienced hurt, pain, or suffering, only to eventually see it play a redemptive purpose. What happened? 

2. Wes said that our protest at suffering reveals, in part, our sense of entitlement to a suffering-free life. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

3. Does it change things at all for you to know that Jesus himself also experienced suffering? Why or why not? How can you draw off of his experience? 

The value of Christianity as a belief system hinges on a simple question: Did Jesus really rise from the dead? John King explains his three reasons for why we can believe that Jesus has truly resurrected.

Discussion Questions: 

1. Which of the eyewitness accounts is your favorite? Why?

2. How has your life been impacted by the resurrection of Jesus?

3. If a good friend asked why you believe in the resurrection, what would be your response?

Sadly, when we experience hurt at the hands of God's community today, we are in a long line of people experiencing the same. Wes walks through three things that he believes Jesus would say to us when we experience pain at the hands of those who carry Jesus' name.

Discussion Questions:
1. What is one of your favorite memories about church? What is your least favorite?

2. Jesus has compassion on those who are "harassed" and "helpless" (Matthew 9:36). How does the knowledge that Jesus has compassion for you help you to process hurt?

3. Where are the places in our church or in the church in general where you think reform is needed? What can you do to help? 

We often see doubt as the enemy of faith. But faith isn't a resolute feeling, it's a confidence that is just enough to take action.

Discussion Questions:
1. If you grew up in church or going to a youth group, do you feel like it was a place that was safe for doubts? Why or why not?

2. Wes said that faith is confidence enough to rely on God. What do you think is different about this definition of faith versus how we typically think about faith?

3. Do you feel like you struggle with doubts? What? What kind of doubt do you think is common for you?

It's impossible to know everything there is to know about discipleship. But if we will live with a simple posture toward Jesus, we will never lack the ability to see the areas in our lives that need to be discipled to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. We've spent a whole summer talking about discipleship. What do you think is your greatest takeaway from this summer?

2. Why do you think we struggle so much to see Jesus as the source of life, despite him giving and doing so much for us?

3. Where are areas in your life where you struggle to make Jesus the hub, not a spoke? What will you do to address that? How can this group help? 

The Good News about Jesus has the power to change lives, but only if we actually know how to share it. Wes shares the gospel message and how God worked to reconnect us to him. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Think about a time in your life you received some great news. What happened? How did you feel?

2. How confident do you feel in being able to share with someone the good news about Jesus?

3. Why do you think we have such difficulty in believing the good news is as good as God's Word says it is? How can we remind ourselves that it really is that good? 

When it comes to caring about people disconnected from God, we don't need a lot of knowledge or unique talent. We just need a willingness to share our story and let God do the heavy lifting.

Discussion Questions:

1. What barriers do you think get in the way of you more actively caring about people disconnected from God?

2. Read John 1:35-51. What are simple ways that we can bring people to Jesus, sort of like the people did in the story?

3. Wes talked about being prepared to share our story with others. What are some of the key elements of your story with God? 

It's easy to think discipleship is only inward. Jesus models for us that disciples who are fully formed by him will move outward. 

Discussion Questions:

1. If you've made a commitment to follow Jesus, talk about the people who helped to lead you to that commitment. How did you experience them caring for you?

2. Think about the 3 T's Wes shared about your "care temperature." How did you do on your assessment? 

3. What do you feel like your attitude is toward people who are disconnected from God? Are you quickly and easily making time and space for them? 

You have a unique, one-of-a-kind superpower that God has given you to make a difference in the world. Finding out what that is and putting it to use is one of the greatest avenues we have for communicating the love of Jesus and learning to love like Jesus.

Take the five-fold gift assessment at crossbridgechristian.com/gifts.

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe a time in your life when you felt or sensed that God was using you to do something. What was that like?

2. Did you take the gift assessment? Are you surprised at your findings?

3. What are some ways you think you could potentially put your spiritual gifts into action?

There is one thing that all of us, no matter our race, life stage, occupation, or education level can do to love each other well. It is something Jesus modeled for us frequently throughout his time on earth and something we can join him in practicing today. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Describe a time in your life when you were impacted by someone just noticing you. What happened?

2. What do you think it says about God that Jesus was so good at noticing? Why is that important to you?

3. Where (or who) do you feel a nudge from God to notice? 

Everyone loves the idea of service, but actually living it out in practice is hard. Jesus tells us that if we will dismiss our allegiance to "what's in it for me?" we can walk into the freedom to love and serve others generously.

Discussion Questions:

1. When is a time in your life where you felt like someone truly loved you like Jesus? What happened?

2. Do you struggle with the whole "what's in it for me?" question getting in the way of being a servant toward others?

3. Read Matthew 16:20-27. Is there an area where you sense God might be asking you to lay down your life so that you can better serve him and others? 

Many of us feel like we stand far off from God. But he actually invites us into more intimate relationships with him than we can imagine. 

At the heart of cultivating a close relationship with Jesus is our decision to trust him. Listen at three different Crossbridge attenders share about their experiences of learning to trust God. 

Discussion Questions:
1. How do you define trust? Who is someone in your life that you trust a lot? Why do you trust them?

2. Read Jeremiah 17:5-8. What do you think it means to have trust in God?

3. What is a practical way this week that you can try placing more trust in God? After everyone's shared, have the person to their left pray fo rGod to help them trust him this week. 

Our world has a lot of different ideas about how to connect with God, all with varying amounts of success. Jesus and the earliest Christians understood Scripture to be one of the ways we can most intimately know God. When we open Scripture, we open a rich pathway to know God at a deeper level.

Discussion Questions:

-Where do you go or what do you do normally to connect with God?

-What do you feel like are your greatest barriers in approaching Scripture?

-How can our group support you or help you engage more frequently with Scripture?

The practice of showing hospitality to others is a powerful way to demonstrate God's love. When we open up our homes and lives to others, we get a chance to share about Jesus with our actions, not just our words. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think you are gifted in demonstrating hospitality toward others and do you regularly practice hospitality toward others? Why or why not?

2. Who are the people in your life right now that you can do a better job of demonstrating hospitality toward? IN what ways can you be more hospitable toward them?

3. In what ways do you think being a hospitable person shows others the nature of who God is? 

In our world, people unlike us very quickly become unliked by us. Jesus modeled a way of living that made room for all... especially the unlike and unliked. If we wish to be his disciples, we need to pattern our lives in a similar way.

Discussion Questions:
1. Talk about a time when you were around people different from you? What happened? How’d you feel?

2. When you are around people unlike you, do you tend to focus on your similarities or differences?

3. What is a way you can purposefully make room for those who are unlike you?

We all want to feel connected, but connection takes risk.

Discussion Questions:
1. If you had to put yourself on 1 to 10 on a vulnerability scale, how would you rate yourself?

2. What makes you feel vulnerable?

Not many of us wake up thinking critically about discipleship. But it's more important than we think. The future of our lives and the church is at stake - and it hinges on our willingness to apprentice ourselves to Jesus. 

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you define the word “disciple?” Have you gotten to know some great disciples of Jesus? How did they impact you? 

2. Wes talked about how God uses the Holy Spirit, hardships, and spiritual disciplines to grow us. Have you seen one of those at work in your life to grow you as a disciple? How? 

3. Of the four C’s (Cultivate, Contribute, Connect, Care), which one do you feel like you excel in? Where do you feel like you struggle?

We have a lot to thank God for!

Addiction = enslavement. But thankfully, God is an experienced Savior who packs the power we need to find victory over whatever addictions that we face. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What has your experience with addiction been? How has that affected you? 

2. Do you think there’s truth in what Wes said about being addicted to more “mundane” things? How have you seen this at work in your life?

3. Which of the suggestions for finding freedom is most difficult for you? How can our group help?

We are all bound to feel angry. But if we can find ways to lengthen the fuse on our anger, our anger doesn't need to own us. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What was the most recent thing you got angry about? Why was that such a big deal to you?

2. When you think of God, do you think of him as loving or angry? Why?

3. What technique(s) do you feel like you need to employ to lengthen the fuse and more effectively deal with anger?

Anxiety can cripple us and leave us feeling helpless, but a few simple practices can serve as part of our spiritual treatment plan to get us back on track.

1. Do you consider yourself an anxious person? Why or why not? What causes you most anxiety?

2. When you find yourself feeling anxious, is it natural for you to turn your focus onto God?

3. How can this group help you take a step forward in conquering anxiety?

One of the quickest ways to find ourselves suffering mentally is when we aren't filling our tanks socially and relationally. Taking the initiative to form relationships may be difficult for us at times, but the benefit far outweighs the work we need to put in. 

You can love God and be depressed. We generally can't pray depression away, but we can allow depression to be a cue for us to consider some actions for our betterment and well-being. 

Discussion Questions:
1. What experiences have you had with depression, either personally or in the lives of people you love? How did that affect you?

2. Read Psalms 42 and 43. Do you see any correlations between the psalmist and Elijah's (1 Kings 19) stories?

3. Which of the cues (the 6 R's) do you think is most important for you to remember when you're battling depression? 

If the resurrection really happened, "wow" is the only response. And that "wow" opens the door for some more "wow's" to be experienced in our lives. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s the greatest “wow” you’ve ever experienced? Why was that so amazing?

2. Why do you believe Jesus rose from the dead? Or if you don’t, what is the barrier to believing that for you?

3. If you believe in the resurrection of Jesus, how does that change things for you?

We resist asking for help for many reasons, but God has made asking for help foundational to the way of Jesus. When we will opt-in on receiving help, we also opt-in on receiving God's gracious work in our lives.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you good at asking for help? If not, why not?

2. Read Psalm 86:5. If God so consistently expresses his desire to help us, why do we often refuse to take him up on the offer? 

3. Where’s a place you need to ask for help? How will you take a step toward doing that this week? 

Gratitude unlocks a key to greater joy and happiness, and it's something God has been encouraging us to try for thousands of years. A healing Jesus did teaches us a few lessons on gratitude and offers us pointers on how we can be more grateful people.

Discussion Questions:
1. Who is the most grateful person you know? What’s your favorite part about being around that person?

2. Would you consider yourself a grateful person? Drawing off of the story from Luke 17:11-19, what are some of the reasons you would give as to why you aren’t more grateful sometimes?

3. What are some simple practices you could incorporate into your life to be a more grateful person?

"Enough" is not a word common to us in America. But "enough" is key to finding joy and happiness. We think we'll be content when we get more; God says we'll be content when we allow him to adjust our attitude on what we have. 

1. Talk about the kind of family you grew up in. Was it a place where there was never enough, more than enough, or somewhere in between? How has that affected you?

2. What things in your life are you always driving for more of? 

3. What are some practices in your life that you think you can develop to cultivate more contentment? How can you learn to say “enough”?

"Sorry" isn't a word for image management, it's a word God intends to bring us out of hiding and into healing. When we face our fears, getting honest with ourselves and opening our lives to others, true love and connection can take place.

Discussion Questions:
1. Do you have trouble being honest about your “stuff” with others? Why or why not?

2. Is there a time you opened up to someone else in a way that was scary to you? What happened?

3. Which of the three suggestions on being a real community (moral inventory, confession, restitution) is most difficult for you? Why?

Most of us develop a belief that God's posture toward us is a "no." The Bible tells us that God's posture toward us is actually an unequivocal "yes," and that he has made 7,547 promises to prove it! Knowing God is a "yes" toward us equips us to be his "yes" toward others. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s the best “yes” you’ve ever experienced? 

2. Do you feel like God’s heart toward you is a “yes” or a “no?” Why?

3. What’s a practical way you want to be a “yes” toward others (and thus toward God) this week?

We begin life easily saying "no," but before long that changes. The problem? When we can't say "no" to what we should say no to, we can't say "yes" to what we need to say yes to. Jesus models for us the perfect example of how we can grow in the grace of "no."

Discussion Questions:

1. How skilled are you at being able to say the word “no”? Would your closest friends and relationships agree with your assessment?

2. If you struggle to say the word “no,” why do you think that is so hard for you?

3. Which of the temptations Wes spoke about (desire, demonstrating, avoiding difficulty) is the hardest one for you to say “no” to? Why?

The willingness to empathize fully with others will open up incredible doors and opportunities to connect with others.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Would you consider yourself a joyful person? Why or why not?

2. What are some barriers that you find getting in the way of being able to empathize with others well?

3. Do you consider yourself a joyful person? What are ways you think you could become more joyful?

The three little words "I need help" can do a great deal of good when it comes to finding connection with others.

A number of factors cause us to view life and relationships through the filter of "what's in it for me?" God offers a new mindset to bring to our relationships that can produce greater love and connection.

Discussion Questions:
1. On a scale of 1-10, how connected do you feel to others in general? Why?

2. Do you think you’re a selfish person? Why or why not?

3. Which of the three challenges on your card are most difficult for you? Why? Is there another area where you struggle to step away from selfishness?

The reality is that most of us are trying to escape from something that's hard to escape from... ourselves. Solitude is a God-given resource for us to be able to find peace with ourselves and peace with him.

Discussion Questions:
1. Talk about a time when you found yourself being motivated by some force or emotion inside of you that you didn’t even realize at the time. What happened? How did you feel?

2. Do you feel like you struggle to be silent and live in silence? Why?

3. What’s a way you want to try incorporating solitude into your life this week?

Control has the power to exhaust us like nothing else because it assumes upon our shoulders the burden that only God can handle. When we choose to trust God and give up our way of doing things, we find rest, relief, and progress.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think you’re a control freak? Do other people think you’re a control freak? Why or why not?

2. Do you find that particular situations make you more controlling? Do you think there are some ways to proactively counteract that? 

3. Share with the group some times when you feel like you saw or experienced the provision of God in your life. 

FOMO is a constant force running in the background of our lives, and it causes us to do some ridiculous things. A man named David points us toward the tricks FOMO plays on us and also toward solutions that we can utilize so we aren't driven to doin' too much out of our fear of missing out.

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever overextended yourself because you were afraid you were going to miss out on something if you didn’t? What’d you do? What happened?

2. Do you feel like you suffer with FOMO? Why or why not?

3. What are ways you feel like we can develop a deeper trust in God’s provision?

Many of us are guilty of doin’ too much; too much at work, too much at home, too much for our image, too much at school, and the weight of feeling like we need to do it all is crushing us. Change is possible, but it will only begin when we recognize an observation that Jesus made about our lives two thousand years ago.

Discussion Questions:

-Talk about some stuff you’ve done in the past to try and change yourself, whether big or small. What’d you do? How’d it go?

-What fruit do you feel like your life is bearing right now?

-What are ways you think we can invite the transformational power of God to come and change us?

Jesus shows up when our lives feel like they're hitting rock bottom.

We've all been victims of "grace unfairness," the feeling you get when you feel like someone around you gets more grace and generosity than you feel like you do. Jesus' goal with grace isn't to apply it evenly, it's to be generous, giving us all what we need. Our self-righteousness is to blame for why we struggle to be grateful for the grace we receive in all its forms.

Discussion Questions:

1. Talk about a time when you saw someone else receive grace you feel like they didn’t deserve. How did you feel? Why?

2. Why do you think we are so obsessed with the “fairness” of God’s grace… even while acknowledging that part of the nature of grace is that it’s undeserved and unfair?

It's natural for us to feel pressure to qualify for grace, because that's how all of our other relationships function. God has no problem offering us undeserved grace because he was under no illusions we'd ever deserve it anyway. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Which of the four categories that Wes shared do you feel like you fall into as it pertains to grace? Why?

2. What kind of words would you use to characterize your relationship with God? Why?

3. To you take Jesus at his word about the grace he’s offered to you?

Grace is a beautiful thing, but you'll only receive when you're ready to admit you need it.

Discussion Questions:
1. Talk about a time in your life when you experienced grace. What happened? What did that feel like? How did that change you?

2. Be honest: how badly do you think you need God’s grace? Do you live in absolute need of it like Elizabeth and Mary, or in opposition to it like Wes described in his story? Maybe another way to ask this question is, “Do you agree with Jesus’ statement that ‘apart from me, you can do nothing’”?

Part 6 of the series Thessalonians: Living in the Light of the End.

Speaker: John King

Part 4 of the series Thessalonians: Living in the Light of the End.

Speaker: Jason Fudge

Part 4 of the series Thessalonians: Living in the Light of the End.

Speaker: 

Part 3 of the series Thessalonians: Living in the Light of the End.

Speaker: Kane Miller

Part 2 of the series Thessalonians: Living in the Light of the End.

Speaker: Kane Miller

Part 1 of the series Thessalonians: Living in the Light of the End.

Speaker: Kane Miller

Hearing from God is good, but without any application it's largely useless. Jesus' brother, James, offers us a challenge to move from hearing into doing. Wes offers some practical tips and tricks for how we can do so. 

Discussion Questions:
1. Share an example from your life where you know what to do, you have the tools to do it, and you just aren’t.

2. Do you think you struggle mistaking knowledge for growth? Why or why not?

3. What are some external systems or relationships that you can rely upon to help you turn hearing into doing?

Growing close to God comes with a ton of benefits, and the process is simple. But it's not easy. Wes explains barriers to our growth and offers simple questions we can ask ourselves to see if we are positioned in a place where we can easily hear from God.

Discussion Questions:

1. Where would you rate yourself in terms of spiritual growth? Infant? Child? Adolescent? Mature adult? Why?

2. When you think of spiritual growth, how do you define that? More knowledge? Experiences? Something else? Why?

3. Do you think you are postured and positioned in a place to grow spiritually? Why or why not?

Messing up is endemic to the human condition, but the guilt that often ensues keeps us away from connection and relationships. How do we deal with our feelings of guilt when we fall short? 

Discussion Questions:

1. Did you grow up in a religious environment or family environment that played up guilt and shame? How does that affect you today?

2. Do you have a hard time accepting God’s forgiveness of you? Why or why not?

3. Is there a relationship you need to undergo the work of making restitution on? What will you do?

Like a cleverly-conceived special ops attack, greed slithers into our hearts unnoticed and causes a lot of problems. Jesus gives us one word that  helps us to be aware of greed's attacks and stop greed from owning us. 

Discussion Questions:
1. After listening to this message, do you think greed is something that attacks your heart currently? Why or why not?
2. Do you struggle to know your life is more than what you have? Why or why not?
3. What is a way in which God might be calling you to be generous? 

Envy and jealousy are corrosive heart attitudes that destroy our relationships and steal our joy. James, the brother of Jesus, makes some observations about jealousy (and its cure) that challenge our assumptions and help us find freedom.

Discussion Questions:
When confronted with jealous feelings, do you revel in them or do you stuff them?

What are the selfish ambitions within you that often lead to you feeling jealous?

Where do you need to engage the spiritual discipline of celebration to beat back jealousy’s hold on your life? 

We tend to think that the solution to worry is simply a change to our external circumstances. Jesus proposes a harder, but more effective, way to stop worry from being the boss of us.

Discussion questions:

1. On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate your natural “worry factor?” Why do you think that is?

2. What are you currently worried about? Why are you so worried about it?

3. Wes talked about three solutions to handle worry: Gaze on God, give up what we’re worried about, and to get help. Which of those do you need to start focusing on?

Anger has the power to seethe within us and completely destroy us. The three simple words of intimacy, reconciliation, and grace can shape how we deal with anger and remove anger's hold on us.

Discussion Questions:
1. Am I an angry person? (It might be best to ask someone who knows you well this question.)

2. In what areas of life does it seem like anger is the boss? (God, others, or self)

3. What remedy is probably one I should start making some big steps toward peacemaking on? (Intimacy, Reconciliation, Grace)

Religion tends to offer external practices to build a better filter. Jesus offers us a path to inward transformation that leads to the change we seek.

Discussion Questions:
Which of these following emotions has a way of becoming the boss of you? (Anger • Envy • Guilt • Fear • Greed)

What does it sound like (internally) when you’re listening to the “boss” you mentioned from the previous question? What is an early indicator that you are about to hand over control to that particular emotion?

What regularly happens in your life that triggers that emotion? Instead of being bossed by the emotion, describe how you would ideally like to handle things when that situation occurs.

When we hit the wall, it's easy to lose heart. We can find hope when we fight back against the devil's schemes with Scripture's truth.

Discussion Questions:
1. Are the things that I am believing about myself or God or others based on truth I can find in scripture, are they contextually backed, and are they expanded upon through other sources of biblical wisdom?

2. Would my behavior and beliefs identify me as a solitary sufferer or as a child of God?

3. How might God be using my suffering to bring about good in my life?

Shame and guilt are detrimental to connection. Finding our way past the wall happens when we say goodbye to the disconnecting power of shame.

Discussion Questions:
Do you feel like you grew up in an environment where guilt and shame were pretty present? Why or why not?

Do you struggle with feelings of guilt and shame frequently? Why do you think that is?

God’s Word promises us that we are God’s children (Galatians 4) and that there is absolutely no condemnation for those of us who place our faith in Jesus (Romans 8). How can you better hinge your conscience to those promises? 

Connection to others is important, but in a culture that celebrates personal freedom as the highest value, connection is now falling by the wayside. The Bible's greatest story of friendship shows us some ideas on how we can form relationships that help us up and over the wall.

Discussion Questions:

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your friendships? Do you feel close to people or a little more isolated?

2. If your friendships don't feel close, why do you think that is? And if they are close, what do you think is contributing to your friendship success?

3. One of the things that characterized David and Jonathan's friendship was that they constantly reminded each other of their love for the other. Who needs that affirmation from you and how will you provide it?

Time alone with God is critical to move past the wall. Solitude and fasting amp up our ability to hear from God and break through spiritually stuck times. 

One of our greatest enemies at the wall is our own mind. A lifestyle that is committed to study will root itself in God and experience the transformation that comes with an inner being renewed by God's truth. 

Discussion Questions:
1. What are you currently studying and is it oriented towards God?
2. How has God revealed himself to you in the times when you have studied His Word and will?
3. Are your mind and the things you fill your brain with submitted to the Lord?
4. What sort of transformation do you think could take place if your mind was saturated with the things of His Kingdom?

Resources Kane referred to in the message:

Commentaries:
-Bestcommentaries.com

The Classics:
-The Imitation of Christ – Thomas a Kempis
-The Confessions of St. Augustine
-Practice of the Presence of God – Brother Lawrence

The neo-Classics:
-The Cost of Discipleship - Boenhoeffer
-Mere Christianity - Lewis
-The Pursuit of God – Tozer 

Books that focus on Apologetics, Science, and Creation:
-Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique
-I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
-Evidence that Demands a Verdict

Fiction:
-Lion Witch and the Wardrobe
-Lord of the Rings
-Pilgrim’s Progress

Personal recommendations:
-No More Dragons
-Salvation by Allegiance Alone
-Radical

Part of the reason we end up at the wall is because our way of doing life spiritually is imperfect and destined to lead us to walls. Arriving at the wall is nothing to be ashamed of, but we'll continue to stay there unless and until we repent and allow Jesus to change the ways in which we follow him.

Discussion Questions:
1. Have you ever found yourself stepping into a situation where things were pretty messed up and you had a responsibility to help make things better? What was that like?

2. The early years of Asa’s reign were marked by reliance on God, but he got proud and complacent, eventually turning away from God. How have you seen complacency attack your walk with God?

3. Wes said, “Your system is perfectly designed to produce the results you are getting.” What part(s) of your system do you think could need to change in order to produce a different result?

Waiting isn't an isolated experience, it's part of what it means to know God. Waiting is where God does some of his best work. 

Discussion Questions:

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your confidence in God? Why?

Describe a time in your life when you were in the “wait room.” What did you learn there or what habits and practices did you adopt (good or bad) to help you through that season?

David finished this psalm by telling people to be strong, take heart, and wait on the Lord. What are ways to be strong and take heart?

We hate stopping. It feels unproductive and wasteful. The story of one man shows us that sometimes it's only by stopping that God can begin to show us what carried us to the wall in the first place. (It's almost never something that he asked us to carry.)

Discussion questions:
How slow do you go? Do you think you move at a pace that is too fast to often notice what might be happening under the surface?

Describe a time when you found yourself taking responsibility for the output, when all you could actually control was the input. How did you learn to eventually release control for the outcome?

Where do you think you might be owning or doing something that God never asked you to own or to do in the first place?

Any spiritual person will spend some time at the wall. We often think something's wrong with us, but the wall is a normal part of our growth in faith.

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s a lesson you’ve learned at some point in your life that you hated learning when you were going through it, but are so thankful that you now know?

2. Have you ever had an experience at the wall? What was/is that like for you?

3. In what ways do you think that you need to be perfected in love?

Taking next steps is scary, but following Jesus is exactly the step you are always looking for.

Our culture avoids denial like the plague. Jesus says that self-deprivation is the pathway to eventual glorification.

The gospel writer John tells us that Jesus was full of grace and truth. When we encounter religion that is not characterized by grace, we've encountered a religious system that is out of alignment with Jesus.

Jesus' shed blood on the cross breaks down the barrier of sin. But it also breaks down ethnic divisions we setup between ourselves that destroy unity.

Jesus brings death to death. That's not just good news for 2,000 years ago. It's good news for today, too.

"Compassion" isn't the title of a lot of texts on leadership. But according to Jesus, it was vitally important. Great leadership sees every interaction as an opportunity for compassion.

We wish the world was full of certainty, but anyone who promises certainty is selling you a bill of goods that they cannot deliver on. But in a world full of uncertainty, followers of Jesus can access the next best thing: clarity. 

In a world where seemingly no one's talk lines up with their actions, there is a unique leadership power available to those whose life and leadership align.

Everyone wants to make a difference, but when pride is present we can't get out of our own way. God is opposed to the proud, but exalts and gives grace to the humble.

A rule of life is a great idea, but until we commit it to paper it'll always be just that: an idea. James, the brother of Jesus, tells us that we experience God's blessing in our doing. We hope this series of short messages lead you to craft your own rule of life. (You can access all of our rule of life resources online at crossbridgechristian.com/rule.)

Helping disconnected people connect to God doesn't have to feel like pulling teeth. Paul, the greatest connector of disconnected people in the Bible, shares with us his practical ideas on how to help people know and follow Jesus. 

If we are going to spend one-quarter of our lives at work, it makes sense that we'd give careful thought to how we do it. When we see work as an act of worship to God, it shapes the work and leadership we provide to be honoring to God and great for the world around us. 

God tells us that Scripture is profitable; it informs, corrects, guides, and encourages. Wes paints a vision for why engaging Scripture is important and outlines some ideas on how to help you engage God's Word in a more consistent way. 

Many of us use noise to mask the deeper emptiness or struggle we are feeling inside. Scripture encourages us to befriend silence as a way of being with God.

(Note: This message is in two parts. If you'd like to walk through the silence experience that Wes mentions midway here, check it out online at crossbridgechristian.com/silence.)

For something many people speak of as natural or "just talkin' to God," you'd think we would pray a lot more and find a lot more life and joy in it. When asked to teach others to pray, Jesus offered a helpful model for us that builds a truly nourishing relationship with God. 

Our world is moving at a more frenetic pace than ever, and it's leaving us overworked, stressed, and exhausted. Jesus, who once promised to provide rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29), points us to himself as the true source of rest and seeks to undo all the fears that prevent us from finding it.

Isolation is on the rise, and it's killing us. Jesus purposefully and prayerfully sought out relationships and models for us a life that does the same.

To live a life that experiences the fullness of life from God, careful thought is needed because our lives don't naturally move in that direction. Wes shares about an ancient spiritual practice that is designed to help us experience the fullness of life from God.

In a time when people were walking through great darkness, Isaiah saw a great light dawning on the horizon. When we turn to Christ, we find a hope that penetrates even the darkest of darkness.