Groups Fall '20 - Week 2

Greetings group leaders,

In this week’s passage, we are reminded that in the midst of trials and suffering, God’s mercy abounds in Christ and He will see us through the end. The invitation to joy and hope that God holds out to us through this passage is not one that defies circumstances, but views circumstances rightly. There is nothing that can separate us from God’s love and our union with him. Though persecution and trials may come and our lives or livelihoods threatened, our hope and life in Jesus is secure. This is the faith that overcomes the world. Faith that will one day be transformed into sight when we behold Jesus face to face. What a wonderful passage we can study together this week!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Fall '20 - Week 1

Greetings Leaders,

Here we go! Thank you again for leading your groups in these strange times. We’re excited about where we will be moving this semester. 

This week we will begin our study of 1 Peter. To help us dive in, we’ve attached 2 documents. The first is a brief introduction and overview of the letter containing a brief summary of the letter and highlighted themes. The second attachment is the discussion guide for next week. 

Gratefully,
Joe an Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 7

Greetings Leaders,

Next week will be our last official week of Summer City Groups. We will take our normal break for the month of August. You may continue to meet if you'd like, but we will break from publishing discussion guides to get ready for Fall groups.

With concerns over COVID-19 still heightened, if you break for meeting, we encourage you stay in touch with your group members. Though many are coming back on Sundays and resuming some normal rhythms, we want to make sure we are staying in contact with those we can to ensure they're best served and prayed for.

Next week's guide is attached. Also, I've attached another document that provides some commentary on 1 John. It is provided to help you and your groups better understand 1 John and how it ties into our current sermon series.

Thank you for you leadership. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 6

Greetings Leaders,

Instead of following the sermon text for the next couple of weeks, we will instead move through a short study of 1 John to complement the sermon series. This week’s main idea is that the surety of our faith is rooted in our knowledge and love of Jesus.

Groups Summer '20 - Week 5

Greetings All,


Here is this week's guide. This is the last week of our "Certain" series. Next week we will turn our focus to what it means to have "Legit" theology and why that's important.

We hope this series has encouraged you. Please let us know if we can do anything for you.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 4

This week, our focus is on how Jesus intercedes for us. When we don’t know what to pray, we can be confident that Jesus Himself is interceding for us. The discussion guide is aimed at pointing out that reality discussed in Romans 8 and Hebrews 4. We are so grateful for you all and all that you do!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 3

This week, our focus in on our adoption. Our great God has brought us into his family and given us an abundant inheritance. We are praying that your time in Romans 8 this week continues to be a blessing and provide much growth!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 2

Good Morning Leaders,

Here's the guide for this week. This is the last week of our Foolish Joy series. As you read this passage in Philippians, we hope that your groups are encouraged in seeing that it is Christ who secures our joy and hope and inspires us to witness and live lives that testify to Him .

Next week we will begin a new series called "Certain." This will be a study of Romans 8:30 and other texts to look together at the security we have in Christ.

I hope you and your groups have a great week.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Summer '20 - Week 1

This marks the first week of Summer City Groups. I've heard from several of you that are getting in touch with your group members in hopes to meet physically soon.

If you're able to meet this week, would you let us know how it goes? We’re praying the Lord would use our efforts this summer to glorify Himself and grow our church.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 22

Greeting Leaders, 

Here's this week's guide. Week 3 of Foolish Joy. We hope it serves you and your groups well.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 21

Greeting Leaders,

Here is this week's guide. Week II of Foolish Joy.

I pray you are well. I'm planning scheduled a call for us soon. Keep an eye on your email. Please let us know if we can do anything for you.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 20

As you know, we've started a new series "Foolish Joy" where we focus on the joy we have in Christ and how the world perceives this as foolish. 

We're keeping a similar structure to the guide as we had in the New Normal series. We hope it serves you and your groups well.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 19

Greetings leaders,

There’s no time in recent history where encouragement is needed more than now. Encouragement to continue to follow Christ, encouragement in maturing in spiritual disciplines, encouragement in sharing the Gospel, encouragement in trusting in God’s sovereignty, etc. We are grateful for the example of Barnabas in the Bible and pray that we would all seek to encourage the body of Christ as this man did.

If you’ve seen some examples of others within your City Group or the church who have exemplified an encouraging spirit, we’d love to hear about them so we can encourage them in return!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 18

Greetings Leaders,

We're continuing to publish discussion guides through May for you and your group members. We hope our Lord uses these to encourage you in the midst of uncertain times. 

This week our focus is how God's kindness toward us through Christ leads us to live generous lives. 

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 17

Greeting Leaders,

This week we observe how God uses our trials for his glory and our good. Our passage this week is James 1:1-18, and like last week we've adjusted our normal discussion guide to compliment this new series. We hope this guide helps encourage you and your groups.

Thank you all for your commitment to lead and serve our church in these crazy times.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 16

Greeting Leaders,

We are ambassadors of Christ. Through the Gospel, Jesus has created a people to share his saving word and work. Though our lives may change and our rhythms shift, Jesus' call remains to "make disciples." The way this begins is by sharing the good news of salvation in Christ. This task called "evangelism" is the call of every Christian.

As we've shifted our focus to a new sermon series for the next 4 weeks on "The New Normal," we're adjusting the discussion guides to help us use this time to establish or affirm a foundation in evangelism, discipleship, generosity, and fellowship. This week our guide focuses on evangelism by helping us think through 5 categories to guide us in sharing the good news of Jesus with others. 

We pray this helps you and your groups to be better witnesses for Christ.

Gratefully, 
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 15

Happy Easter!

Jesus is risen! We hope you and your families are all well and resting in the hope we have in Jesus. 

This week our guide will lead us to consider 1 Corinthians 15 and the implications of Jesus' resurrection for our lives. Thank you for your faithfulness to review this guide, stay in touch with your group members, and serve so well in these uncertain times. 

We hope this guide encourages you to hold fast to Christ.

Gratefully, 
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 14

Happy Palm Sunday,

Today kicks off both a time of solemnity and rejoicing as we consider all that this week means. We mourn that our sin nailed the Son of God to a tree, but rejoice with thankfulness that He chose to be the sacrifice to redeem mankind. As we consider how Christ humbly served us in this indescribable way, we pray that we as believers seek to find ways we can humbly serve others during these days. Praying for each of you this week!

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 13

Groups Spring '20 - Week 13

Greetings everyone!


We hope everyone is staying healthy, safe, and sane.  

We'll be back in 1 Corinthians this week studying continuing to follow Paul's writings on unity and humility.  What an important subject if Paul spends 4 whole chapters on the subject!  We hope this study continues to encourage the body as we strive for humble unity with one another.

What an encouragement it has been to see and hear about so many groups still gathering digitally to pray and study together.  Continue to intentionally reach out to those in your group and if you need anything from us, don't hesitate to let us know!  We appreciate you all so much and look forward to chatting with you at either noon or 5:00 today.

Gratefully,
Joe and Kaylan

Groups Spring '20 - Week 12

Greetings Group Leaders,

Attached is next week's discussion guide.  Pastor Dean will be deviating from our 1 Corinthians course this week as we visit a psalm of lament that points to trust in God.  How appropriate for this time of uncertainty in our lives.

As we have communicated with you all already, we are discouraging groups from meeting in close quarters for 2 weeks.  However, we were made to be in community with the body of Christ and while you may not be able to meet in one another's homes, we pray that you will continue to connect creatively with other believers over the coming weeks.  The Enemy would love to get a foothold in the lives of believers who have become isolated from their brethren.  Here are some ideas to help you connect your group:

  • Conduct a Google Hangouts/Facetime/Zoom/etc. session during your normal meeting time to read the Word, go through the discussion guide, and pray

  • For smaller groups, consider asking everyone to bring a lawn chair and sit in your yard or nearby green way (with comfortable distance from each other) to read the Word, go through the discussion guide, and pray

  • Send the discussion guide to your group members if you cannot meet in some fashion and ask everyone to commit the normal group time to reading the Word, going through the discussion guide, and praying within their household

  • Come up with some other creative solution that your group wants to implement!

We sent out a guideline earlier on how you can conduct a virtual meeting.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!  We are thankful to have you all as the frontline to our discipleship ministry, initiating contact with your group members and caring for one another.  If you need anything, let us know.

Gratefully,
​​​​​​​Joe and Kaylan