God's Ways Are Better // Genesis 16:1-4a // 05.17.26

Four Moves of a Man or Woman of God // 1 Timothy 6:11-12 // 07.12.26

Pastor Dave Bechtel explores 1 Timothy 6:11–12, calling believers to turn from worldly pursuits, pursue Christlike character, and faithfully fight the good fight of faith while holding firmly to the eternal life found in Jesus. SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS: - What is one of your favorite worship songs? What makes it one of your favorites? What makes it one of your favorites? - What are the "three C's" we are supposed to flee from (from this passage)? Which is most relevant to your current spiritual walk? - List the six "pursuits" Paul identifies in our verses. Which of them might be the "strongest" in your spiritual walk today? Which one would our Lord have you pursue in this season of your life? - Why would Paul command Timothy (and therefore us) to pursue gentleness? Can you give an example of gentleness that you have encountered? - Who or what is our "fight" against? How can we fight "the good fight"? - What would be the opposite of "taking hold of eternal life"? Have you ever witnessed someone who lived that way? - What, for you, is one life application of this passage?

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah // Genesis 19:1-26

Why did Jesus say the end times would look like "the days of Lot"? This verse-by-verse study walks through the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the prophetic parallels emerging in our own culture, and the sobering warning of Lot's wife — a picture of a heart that never left the world behind.

Too Wonderful // Genesis 18 // 06.28.26

At 99, Sarah had quietly stopped believing God would ever keep His promise to her — until He overheard her cynical laugh and asked, “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” This study of Genesis 18 walks through Sarah’s unbelief, Abraham’s bold intercession for Sodom, and the God whose character is big enough to do wonders even for you. SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS: - Read Psalm 9:10. Has growing in your knowledge and understanding of God's character affected how much you trust Him? How? - Read Psalm 84:1-2, 10. Where do you experience the Lord's presence? Are you enthusiastic about it, as Abraham was when Jesus and the two angels visited him? - Read Daniel 3:16-18. How do you reconcile God's goodness with the fact that some prayers for things like healing get answered, while others don't? - One of the most common apologetics questions is, "If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?" How would you answer? - Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. Open your time of prayer by thanking God that we are destined to be with Him in paradise rather than to experience His wrath (which we deserve).

Cut to the Heart // Genesis 17:12-27 // 06.21.26

God was never after the mark on Abraham’s body — He was after his heart. In this study, we unpack circumcision, covenant, and the daily battle between flesh and Spirit, and discover why real faith obeys God now — before we have all the answers. SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS: - Read Ezekiel 36:26-27. Looking back, where have you seen God soften something in you that used to be hard? - Read Mark 7:20–23. Are there any changes in behavior that you're trying to work on right now? What wrong beliefs do you think have driven that wrong behavior? - Read Hebrews 11:8. Tell us about a time you followed God’s leading before you understood the whole plan. What made it hard? How did it turn out? - Read Ephesians 2:8-10. What do you tend to add to Jesus as proof that you’re really OK with God? How do VV.8–9 and V.10 hold together without turning grace into a checklist? - Read Joshua 24:14-15. How can husbands and fathers lead their families in a God-honoring way, without compromise, yet not being a dictator?

The Mark of Lordship // Genesis 17:1-11 // 06.14.26

After 14 years of silence, God meets Abram — now 99 and drifting — and doesn’t open with a rebuke but with His own name: “I am God Almighty.” In this study, we explore what God says to a believer who has wandered, why He gives Abram a new name and an everlasting covenant, and how the strange sign of circumcision points to the heart of discipleship: lordship — surrendering every part of our lives, even our flesh, to God. It’s a message about walking with God, the difference between earning blamelessness and receiving it, and the Spirit’s power to keep Christ on the throne of our hearts. SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS: - Read Luke 15:17-24 (the prodigal son comes home). It had been 14 years since Abram heard from God, and he had drifted. Have you ever gone through a season of feeling distant from God, and then sensed Him meet you again? What was that like? - Read aloud Isaiah 6:1-5. God reintroduced Himself to Abram as “God Almighty,” and Abram fell facedown. When Isaiah glimpsed God’s holiness, he responded the same way. When was the last time God felt that big to you? What tends to shrink your view of Him day to day? - God renamed Abram “Abraham” so he could see himself the way God saw him. How do you think God views you? Has your understanding of that question changed as your faith has grown? - Read Romans 2:28-29 and Matthew 7:21-23. The sermon warned that there is no salvation by ethnicity or by outward ritual — only by faith that is real on the inside. How can we tell whether our heart has truly been changed by faith, or whether we're just "checking the boxes" through external behaviors (e.g., church attendance)? - GROUP PRAYER (decide beforehand whether to stay in one group or split into guys/girls for this question). Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 and Philippians 2:12-13. Abraham couldn’t consistently keep his flesh off the throne — but we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, who gives power Abraham never had. Where do you most want the Spirit to grow and change you this season? Pray that over one another.