Love is Love, The Counterfeit of Covenant

Everybody believes in love, but what do we actually mean when we say “love”?

In Week 3 of Counterfeit Kingdom, Love Is Love?: The Counterfeit of Covenant, we look at the powerful story of Hosea and Gomer and discover the difference between a love that chases what satisfies us and a covenant love that remains faithful, pursues, gives, and is willing to pay a price.

Feelings, attraction, and romance can all be part of love, but they were never meant to define it. Scripture ultimately points us to Jesus and says, this is how we know what love is: He laid down His life for us.

So when I say, “I love you,” am I describing what I feel, what I receive, or what I’m willing to give?Message Description Should Go Here

Hosea

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   1. Read Hosea 3:1 and 1 John 3:16. Hosea is told, “Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites.” What does Hosea and Gomer’s story teach us about the difference between counterfeit love and covenant love?
   2. We learned that feelings, attraction, and romance aren’t wrong, but “feelings can be part of love; they were never meant to be king.” Why is it dangerous to allow our feelings to define whether or how we love someone?
   3. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. What stands out about how many of Paul’s descriptions of love involve actions, choices, and attitudes toward another person rather than simply emotions?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   1. The message described counterfeit love as asking, “What does this do for me?” Where are you most tempted to evaluate relationships by what you’re receiving rather than what you’re giving?
   2. Consider this statement: “Sincerity doesn’t determine truth, and intensity doesn’t determine love.” Have you ever sincerely felt something that you later realized wasn’t actually loving? What helped you recognize the difference?
   3. When the feelings that brought you into a commitment change, what tends to happen to your commitment? Think beyond marriage to friendships, family, church, serving, and your relationship with God.
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   1. Identify one person God has placed in your life whom you can intentionally love this week. Instead of asking what you need from them, ask: “What would seeking their good look like?”
   2. Choose one description from 1 Corinthians 13, such as patience, kindness, not being self-seeking, protecting, or persevering, and intentionally practice it toward someone this week.
   3. Hosea ends by saying, “The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” What is one area where God’s way of loving is challenging your way of loving? What would it look like to walk in His way this week?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

My Truth: Truth or Preference

We live in a world filled with competing voices telling us what is true. Culture, politics, experiences, emotions, and even our own preferences can shape what we believe. But if truth changes every time our preferences change, is it really truth?

In Week 2 of Counterfeit Kingdom, My Truth: Truth or Preference?, we explore where truth comes from, why God’s truth is objective, universal, absolute, eternal, and freeing, and what happens when His Word confronts something we would rather believe. Because the real test of authority isn’t what we do when God agrees with us. It’s what we do when He doesn’t.

If God’s Word is only true when I agree with it, then God’s Word isn’t my authority. I am.Message Description Should Go Here

Hebrews 11:3

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   1. Read John 8:31–36 and Colossians 2:8–10. Jesus connects truth and freedom in John 8. What kind of freedom is He talking about, and how is that different from our culture’s idea of “living your truth”?
   2. Colossians warns about being taken captive by “hollow and deceptive philosophy.” What are some sources that influence what people believe is true today? How can we distinguish between something being true and something simply being familiar, popular, or repeatedly communicated?
   3. The message described truth as objective, universal, absolute, eternal, and freeing. Which of those five helps you understand biblical truth differently, and why?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   1. Think about this week’s Kingdom Diagnostic: What happens inside of you when God’s Word tells you something you don’t want to hear? Do you tend to submit, argue, ignore, explain it away, or look for someone who agrees with you?
   2. Which is most likely to compete with God’s truth in your own life: feelings, experiences, culture, consensus, family, politics, tradition, or personal preference? Why does that particular voice carry so much weight for you?
   3. Complete this sentence honestly: “I know what the Bible says, but…” Is there an area where what comes after the but may be revealing who actually gets the final word?
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   1. Identify one belief, behavior, or decision where you need to ask: Am I allowing God’s truth to shape my preference, or am I trying to make God’s truth fit my preference?
   2. You tell me… what is one thing God is calling you to?  If you can’t think of one, stop now and pray as a group and allow the prophetic, freeing, voice of the Holy Spirit to speak.

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Who Sits On The Throne

We all have a throne, and something is always sitting on it. The question is whether Jesus is truly King or simply an important part of a life we’re still trying to rule ourselves.

In the opening message of Counterfeit Kingdom, we explore how easily the promises of comfort, control, success, approval, and even our own desires can compete for our allegiance. From the Garden to Israel’s demand for a king to the radically different responses of Herod and the Magi, Scripture keeps confronting us with the same question: Who sits on your throne?

Because Christianity is not primarily self-improvement. It is a transfer of allegiance. And sometimes our strongest reactions reveal which king we’re actually serving.

Colossians 1:13–14

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   1. Read Colossians 1:13–14 and Galatians 5:17. We said, “Christianity is not primarily self-improvement. It is a transfer of allegiance.” What does allegiance to Jesus actually look like in everyday life?
   2. In 1 Samuel 8, Israel wanted a king “such as all the other nations have.” Where do you see Christians today being tempted to adopt the values of the kingdoms around us?
   3. Was there anything in Sunday’s sermon that really stood out to you personally?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel? “Your reactions often reveal your allegiances.”
   1. Think about your strongest reactions lately: anger, defensiveness, fear, jealousy, anxiety, comparison. What might those reactions be revealing about what’s important to you?
   2. Which counterfeit king are you most tempted to trust for something only God can ultimately provide: comfort, control, approval, success, money, being right, relationships, politics, or something else?
   3. Complete this sentence as honestly as you can: “Jesus, You can have anything except _________.” What makes that particular thing difficult to surrender?
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   1. Identify one area this week where you can intentionally surrender control to Jesus. What would surrender actually look like in that situation?
   2. End by praying a simple prayer of allegiance together: “Jesus, show me anything competing with You for the throne of my life, and give me the courage to surrender it to You.”

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Navigating Conflict with Grace

Conflict has a way of turning one moment, one mistake, or one disagreement into a verdict about another person. In the final week of NAVIGATE: Family Month, we look at James 2:12–13 and the powerful declaration that “mercy triumphs over judgment.” We’ll discover how judgment can move from disagreement to contempt, why we tend to give ourselves context while giving everyone else a conclusion, and how mercy interrupts that cycle. Mercy doesn’t ignore what happened or call wrong right. Instead, it refuses to reduce someone to their worst moment and chooses what happens next. Because healthy families don’t keep score, they extend mercy.

Book Chapter:Verse

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   1. Read James 2:12–13 together. What do you think James means when he says, “Mercy triumphs over judgment”?
   2. Romans 14:10 connects judgment with despising another person. How can a legitimate disagreement or critique slowly become contempt for the person?
   3. On Sunday it was said, “We give ourselves context and give everybody else a conclusion.” Why do you think we’re so quick to explain our own behavior while assigning motives to someone else’s?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   1. Have you ever judged someone based on one moment, one decision, one comment, or one piece of information, only to discover later there was more to the story?  What did you learn in that scenario?  
   2. Sunday we said: “Hypocrisy under-judges self and over-judges others.” Where are you most tempted to be harder on other people than you are on yourself??
   3. Think about the mercy God has shown you. How should remembering your own need for mercy change the way you respond when someone hurts or disappoints you?
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   1. Is there an offense, hurt, or disappointment you’re still carrying that God may be asking you to release?
   2. Who in your life needs you to stop giving them another verdict, another label, or another reminder of their worst moment?  Another way to ask this question might be… Complete this sentence: “Because I have received mercy from God, this week I will show mercy by __________.”

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Navigating Actions

It’s possible to hear God’s Word, agree with it, even be convicted by it, and still walk away unchanged. In James 1:22–25, James warns us not to confuse hearing truth with living truth. God’s Word is like a mirror: it reveals what’s actually there, but transformation happens when we respond to what we’ve seen.

In Week 4 of NAVIGATE, we explore the difference between spiritual inspiration and spiritual maturity, why God’s Word must move from something we hear to something we practice, and what can happen in our lives and families when we actually do something with what God has shown us.

Information doesn’t change your life. Application does. Because immature faith can be inspired by the Word. Mature faith is transformed by it.

James 1:22-25

Discussion topics

1. Icebreaker:What’s one of the funniest or worst decisions you’ve ever made? (Keep it light… wrong turn on vacation, bad haircut, impulse purchase, terrible first car, etc.)
2. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   1. Read James 1:22–25 together. What differences do you notice between the person who merely hears God’s Word and the person who actually does what it says?
   2. Sunday’s message said: “One of the easiest ways to deceive yourself spiritually is to confuse conviction with transformation.”  What’s the difference between feeling convicted about something and actually being transformed by it?
   3. Why do you think James describes God’s Word as both a “perfect law” and something that “gives freedom”? How can obedience to God’s boundaries actually produce greater freedom?
3. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   1. Think about the mirror illustration from James. What has God shown you about yourself recently that you’ve been tempted to see, acknowledge… and then walk away from without changing?
   2. Sunday’s message described our culture as: “Over-informed and under-practiced.” Where might that describe your spiritual life right now?
   3. Where are you personally most likely to confuse knowing what Scripture says with actually living what Scripture says?
4. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   1. What’s one thing you already know God wants you to do that you haven’t done yet?
   2. Finish this sentence:  “Because of what God has shown me, this week I will __________.”  Make the answer specific enough that you’ll know whether you actually did it.
   3. What could keep you from following through? What can you put in place today to make obedience more likely?
5. Family Month Check-In
   1. Did anyone use the Family Take-Home Kit this week?
   2. What was the funniest or most memorable part?
   3. What conversation happened at home because of it?
   4. Did your kids teach you anything from Sunday’s lesson?
6. Note to all the Guides:
   1. Many people come into this discussion carrying significant decisions about marriage, parenting, finances, health, or work. Resist the temptation to solve one another’s problems. Instead, help the group practice seeking God’s wisdom together by asking, “What principles from Scripture apply here?” Encourage participants to leave with greater confidence in God’s character and His Word rather than simply a list of opinions.

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Navigating Conversations

What kind of environment are your words creating? Are you aware that you can create with your words? The words we use may seem small, but they carry enormous influence. They can encourage or criticize, heal or wound, bring life or slowly create patterns that last for generations. In Week 3 of NAVIGATE, we explore James 3:5–10 and discover why James compares the tongue to a small fire capable of setting an entire forest ablaze. Our words don’t simply reveal what’s happening inside of us. Over time, they help create the culture of our homes, shape the people around us, and influence the next generation.

Some of the words coming out of our mouths today were spoken into us years ago. But maturity isn’t becoming our parents, and it isn’t simply becoming the opposite of them. Maturity is becoming like Jesus.

James 3:5-10

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   • Read James 3:5-10 together. James compares the tongue to a small fire capable of burning an entire forest. Why do you think he chose such an extreme picture to describe our words?
   • James says the tongue can affect the “whole course” of someone’s life. What are some ways you’ve seen a few words have an impact far beyond the moment in which they were spoken?
   • Sunday’s message said: “Your words don’t just express your world. They create it.” What do you think that means? In what ways can repeated language actually create a culture in a marriage, family, workplace, or friendship?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   • What language from the home you grew up in have you carried into your life today? Are there things you’ve repeated? Are there things you’ve intentionally rebelled against?
   • Sunday we said: Maturity isn’t becoming your parents. Maturity isn’t becoming the opposite of your parents. Maturity is becoming like Jesus. Is there an area of your communication where you’ve been defined more by what you experienced growing up than by how Jesus would have you respond?
   • If someone followed you around for a week and only listened to your words, what would they say is happening beneath the surface of your life? Stress? Gratitude? Anger? Peace? Fear? Grace? Criticism? Encouragement?
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   • Finish this sentence:  I want __________ to become part of the language of my home. Encouragement? Gratitude? Grace? Forgiveness? Honor? Prayer? “I’m sorry”? “I’m proud of you”? “I love you”?
   • What’s one phrase or pattern of communication you need to intentionally stop using?
4. Family Month Check-In
   • Did anyone use the Family Take-Home Kit this week?
   • What was the funniest or most memorable part?
   • What conversation happened at home because of it?
   • Did your kids teach you anything from Sunday’s lesson?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Navigating Decisions

Every day we make decisions. Some are small. Others shape the direction of our families, our relationships, and our future. The question isn’t whether we’ll face decisions, but where we’ll turn for wisdom when we do.

In Week 2 of NAVIGATE, we dive into James 1:5 and discover that God doesn’t expect us to navigate life alone. He invites us to ask Him for wisdom, and He promises to give it generously, without shame or condemnation.

We’ll also discover the difference between living by principles and living by preferences. Principles are rooted in God’s unchanging Word. Preferences are driven by our changing feelings. Mature faith doesn’t ask God to rewrite His truth for our situation. It asks Him how to faithfully live out the truth He’s already revealed.

“You don’t need all the answers. You need access to the One who does.”

James 1:5

Discussion topics

1. Icebreaker:What’s one of the funniest or worst decisions you’ve ever made? (Keep it light… wrong turn on vacation, bad haircut, impulse purchase, terrible first car, etc.)
   • HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   • Read James 1:5-8 together. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God. According to Sunday’s message, how is wisdom different from simply having knowledge?
   • The sermon made a distinction between principles and preferences.  How would you explain the difference in your own words?
   • Why do you think James follows the promise of wisdom (v.5) with a warning about being double-minded (vv.6-8)? What connection do you see?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   • When you’re facing a difficult decision which one are you naturally more tempted to follow?
     1. God’s principles?
     1. Your feelings?
     1. Other people’s opinions?
     1. Whatever seems easiest?
     1. Why?
   • Is there an area of your life where God has already made His will clear through Scripture, but you’ve been hoping for a different answer?  Remember that in the sermon on Sunday Pastor David said, “Immature people make decisions based on preferences. Mature people make decisions based on principles.” Where do you see yourself growing in this area?
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   • Which area of life do you most need God’s wisdom in right now?
     1. Money
     1. Parenting
     1. Marriage
     1. Friendships
     1. Work
     1. Purity
     1. Time
     1. Something else?
   • Is there one decision you’ve been delaying because you’ve been waiting for more clarity, when God may simply be asking you to obey what He’s already revealed?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Navigating Pressure

What if the pressure you’re experiencing isn’t there to break you… but to reveal what God is building in you?

In the opening message of our Family Month series, we explore James 1:2-4 and discover that pressure doesn’t create our character. It reveals it. James challenges us to see life’s unexpected trials through a different lens, not as interruptions to avoid, but as opportunities God uses to shape us into people who are mature, steadfast, and complete.

Whether you’re navigating family stress, difficult relationships, uncertainty, or unexpected hardship, this message will encourage you to stop asking, “How do I get out of this?” and begin asking, “What is God producing in me?”

James 1:2-4

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   • The sermon pointed out that James assumes pressure is coming (“when,” not “if”). Why do you think we often act surprised when life gets difficult?
   • One of the key ideas from Sunday was: Pressure doesn’t create what’s in you. It reveals what’s been built in you. How does that change the way you think about difficult situations?
   • James says God uses pressure to produce perseverance, maturity, and completeness. Which of those words stands out to you most? Why?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   • When pressure shows up in your life, what usually comes out first?
     1. Anger?
     1. Anxiety?
     1. Control?
     1. Withdrawal?
     1. Blame?
     1. Humor?
     1. Prayer?
     1. Something else?  How has that worked so far in your life?
   • Can you think of a recent situation where pressure revealed something in you that surprised you?
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   • Which step of P.A.U.S.E. do you think will be the hardest for you this week?
   • What situation do you already know you’ll probably face this week where you’ll need to practice it?
   • Who in this group can help keep you accountable?
4. Family Month Check-In
   • Did anyone use the Family Take-Home Kit this week?
   • What was the funniest or most memorable part?
   • What conversation happened at home because of it?
   • Did your kids teach you anything from Sunday’s lesson?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

The Open Seat

We all know what it’s like to search for a place to belong. Whether at a lunch table, in a friend group, or in a crowded room, we’re constantly looking for an open seat. The good news is that God’s table has always been a place of invitation, not exclusion. In this special Youth Takeover Sunday, we explore Isaiah’s vision of God’s great banquet and discover that the open seat isn’t just about where we’ve been welcomed—it reminds us of who we’re called to welcome. Through powerful testimonies from students whose lives were impacted this summer, we’ll be challenged to remember our own “open seat” moment and make room for someone else to experience God’s grace. 

Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 12:11

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?  
   • Read Isaiah 25:6-9 together. 
   • What stood out to you most from the message, Scripture, or student testimonies?  
   • What does this passage teach us about God’s invitation and who is welcome at His table?  
   • How does the image of “The Open Seat” help you better understand the heart of the Gospel? 
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?  
   • As you listened today, what emotions surfaced when you thought about your own “open seat” moment—when someone welcomed you into faith, community, or a deeper relationship with Jesus? 
   • Did any of the student testimonies or message points challenge, encourage, or convict you? Why? 
   • How do you feel when you think about the people in your life who may still be looking for a seat at God’s table? 
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?  
   • Who is one person God may be asking you to intentionally make room for this week? 
   • What is one way you can use your table of influence—your home, workplace, neighborhood, friend group, or church—to extend God’s invitation to someone else? 
   • What part of your story could you share this week to encourage someone or point them toward Jesus?  
4. NEXT STEP CHALLENGE FOR GROUPS:  
   • The Open Seat Challenge 
   • Before your group leaves, have every person write down the name of one person who may need an invitation—to church, to coffee, to dinner, to a conversation, or simply into community. 
   • Commit to three things this week: 
   • Pray for them every day. 
   • Reach out to them personally. 
   • Create a seat for them—literally or figuratively—by inviting them into a meaningful space where they can experience belonging. 
   • At your next gathering, share what happened when you made room at your table. 

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Riches Through Giving

What is the richest thing a person can give? Is it money, possessions, opportunities, or something more? In this Father’s Day message, Pastor David explores a surprising truth found throughout Scripture: while the world says riches come from accumulation, God says riches come from generosity. Drawing from Proverbs 11, Luke 6, Acts 20, and the powerful example of John 3:16, we’ll discover that generosity is about far more than finances. It’s about living with open hands and open hearts.
Through a personal story involving a green pillow, a son, a daughter, and a lesson in character, we’ll explore how some of the most valuable things we can ever give away are attention, patience, wisdom, identity, direction, honor, and love. Along the way, we’ll uncover a Kingdom principle that appears again and again throughout Scripture: what leaves your hand is not always lost. Often, it is planted.
If Proverbs teaches that giving creates flourishing, Luke teaches that giving multiplies, and Acts teaches that giving blesses the giver, then John 3:16 reveals the foundation beneath them all: giving is the very nature of God. Because the richest gift ever given was not something God owned. It was Himself.

Proverbs 11, Luke 6, Acts 20, John 3:16

Discussion topics

1. HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word?
   • Pastor David shared that:
     • Proverbs teaches that giving creates flourishing. (Prov 11:24-25)
     • Luke teaches that giving multiplies. (Luke 6:38)
     • Acts teaches that giving blesses the giver. (Acts 20:35)
     • John teaches giving is the nature of God. (John 3:16)
   • Which of the four points from this week’s message stood out to you the most, and why?
   • How did this message expand your understanding of generosity beyond money? Or did it?
   • What’s one lesson you learned from your dad, or father figure, that you still carry with you today? Was it a lesson you want to repeat or one you hope to avoid? How has it influenced your life?
2. HEART – How did it make you feel?
   • Pastor David said, “The things we give away often become the things that make us richest.” Where have you experienced that to be true in your own life?
   • Which of these is hardest for you to give away right now?
     • Time
     • Attention
     • Patience
     • Forgiveness
     • Encouragement
     • Wisdom
     • Money
     • Trust
   • Why do you think that is?
   • Which statement from the sermon resonated most with you personally?
     • “The world says riches come from accumulation. God says riches come from generosity.”
     • “What leaves your hand is not always lost. Often, it is planted.”
     • “The life you pour out eventually becomes the life you experience.”
     • “The greatest inheritance isn’t what you leave behind. It’s what you place inside.”
3. HANDS – What are you going to do with it?
   • Who is one person you can intentionally invest in this week through your time, encouragement, wisdom, or presence?
   • Is there an area of your life where you have been holding on too tightly? What would it look like to trust God with open hands instead?

Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what’s next

Foolish Confounds the Wise What if the very thing you trust most is the thing keeping you from seeing God clearly? For centuries, people have struggled with Jesus for the same reason. The Jews wanted power. The Greeks wanted wisdom. The Romans wanted strength. Yet God sent a crucified Savior. What looked foolish to the world became the very wisdom and power of God. In this message, we'll explore Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1 and uncover why the gospel still challenges our assumptions today. Why do some people embrace the cross while others reject it? Why do we so often trust our own logic, intelligence, expectations, and abilities instead of God's ways? And what wisdom have we embraced that might be making Jesus harder to recognize? The gospel is not advice about how to become a better version of yourself. It is the announcement of what God has already done through Christ. Because every culture has a kind of wisdom that makes Jesus harder to recognize, but God's wisdom is still greater than our own. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Discussion topics HEAD – What did Jesus say to you through the Word? What do you think Paul means when he says, "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise"? Which of the five points from this week's message stood out to you the most, and why? The gospel doesn't fit our logic. The gospel cannot be discovered through intelligence alone. The gospel offends our expectations. God uses the wrong people. God's method doesn't impress the world. Pastor David said, "The gospel is not advice. It is news." What is the difference between those two ideas? HEART – How did it make you feel? The message challenged us with this question: "What wisdom have we embraced that might be keeping us from seeing Jesus clearly?" How would you answer that personally? Examples of things that some people trust: Your own logic? Your own experience? Your own abilities? Other people's opinions? Have you ever found yourself disappointed with God because He didn't work the way you expected Him to work? Which statement hits closest to home right now? "The cross starts where self-help ends." "Information can inform the mind, but only revelation transforms the heart." "God often chooses people human wisdom wouldn't even interview." "The power was never in the packaging. The power was always in the message." HANDS – What are you going to do with it? Is there a situation you're currently trying to solve through effort, strategy, or control that may require surrender and prayer instead? Who is one person in your life that needs to hear the hope of the gospel? What is one practical step you can take to engage them this week? Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next