Pastor Glen leads us on a Journey to one of the most famous verses in the Bible.  Roamsn 8:28 talks about how God uses all things to work for good according to His purposes.  How does that play out for you and I in the midst of our suffering?  Does God really uses ALL THINGS?

Before you can drive the bus you need to feel secure the bus will get you to your destination.  Chapter 8 of Romans is one of the most important in the whole book, its about driving the bus.  As we end chapter 7 we see Paul battling sin, sin we don't want to do, but we end up doing it anyways, and good that we want to do, but cant seem to do.  Ughhh.  It might be easy to think, whats the point?  And even worse, am I really even saved?  Paul answers in verse 1, he is secure in Christ and you can be too. Start the bus.

Pastor Dane Burg is given the task of sin and slavery and death.  No problem.  The truth is there is a struggle within each of us as we wage war against the sin and sinfulness in our hearts.  How do we lean into the struggle and respond with grace for ourselves, and for others?

Romans is very clear.  We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.  We have a new life in Christ.  But what about that old life?  You know the sinful one.  What happens to our sinful way of doing things?  Sin is deadly, sin destroys, and we must be actively working to put sin itself to death in our lives.

Paul asks "Have you forgotten your baptism?"  Have you forgotten when you went from certain death to new life.  Have you forgotten what you were like before Christ?  Have you been baptized?  If not, why not?  If you have been, have you forgotten your baptism?   Remember that life changing moment, and live like it changed you, because it did.

When was the last time you talked to God face to face like a friend?  If you have been feeling disconnected from God the answer is Prayer.  Prayers are not empty words hurled at the heavens, they are an actual conversation with God.  So get talking.

Jesus said if you want to be great in the Kingdom of God be a servant.  That word doesn't always resonate with us, we want to be leaders, trailblazers, influencers, if we are honest many of us want to be served, not be servants.  But the mark of a life sold out to God is that people would say about you, as they said about Dorcas (yes, that's really her name) "She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor."  Acts 9:36 (NLT)

It's time to reconnect.  We have been in lockdown for a long... LONG.... L..O..N..G.. time.  We are getting ready to return to life and the first thing you need to return to is meeting with people.  God designed us to lie in community and Good relationships keep us happier and healthier, mentally, physically, and spiritually. 

It's that time of year, the time to plant, the time that dead things come back to life.  We see the resurrection in nature every year about this time. Can you imagine a year where every seed buried in the ground didn't rise up? There is a difference between being buried, and being planted. Buried things are dead. Planted things rise up to new life.

What is this Christian Faith?  That is the big question answered in the book of Romans.  Pastor Ian encourages us to consider a simple phrase "more than rules".  This faith is more than rules, more than a get out of hell card, it's more than life, it's an abundant life.  Dive in this week with your group and discuss how much more your faith can be.