Life Group - Study Guides

This week our Pastors shared the vision for our church for 2026. It’s about all of us being willing to grow spiritually this year and taking our next steps. We were reminded that growth doesn’t usually happen all at once; it happens through small, intentional steps over time. The encouraging part is that wherever we are in our faith, there is always a next step. In 1 John 2, John gives us a simple picture of spiritual growth. It’s not about age, but about maturity. As we discuss this today, we’ll reflect on where we might be and consider how God is inviting us to keep growing.

Fear and Anxiety seem to be dominating our culture nowadays. It is something every person experiences at some point. Anxiety does not only appear during major life moments; it often shows up in everyday pressures, small decisions, and lingering worries we carry quietly. Scripture mentions anxiety and fear over 300 times, not because God is surprised by it, but because He knows we will face it. God does not shame us for feeling anxious—He invites us to bring it to Him. This week, we’ll explore where we tend to turn when anxiety rises and how prayer, gratitude, and remembering God’s faithfulness help us grow in trust and worry less. We understand and are sensitive that some experience diagnosed anxiety, chemical imbalances, or ongoing mental health challenges. This is not a lack of faith. God cares and can work through prayer, community, wisdom, and medical support. The invitation is not shame, it’s direction. Learning to consistently turn toward Him takes practice and helps us in life's most difficult times.

Anger can be a tricky emotion. It isn't always explosive or loud. Sometimes It shows up quietly through defensiveness, gossip, sarcasm, withdrawal, or internal resentment. Left unchecked can affect our spiritual and even physical health. Even Jesus Himself experienced the emotion of anger. Anger can function as a warning sign, alerting us to hurt, injustice, or unmet expectations. But when anger takes control, even when we feel justified, it does not lead to the righteousness God desires. This week, we’ll explore the different ways anger shows up in our lives, how we often excuse or dismiss it, and how slowing down, replacing it with God’s Word, and submitting our responses to Him can help us move from reacting inappropriately in anger to responding with wisdom, patience, and grace.

This week we begin a new series focused on emotions. Not to dismiss them, brush them to the side for later, or put them above the truth, but to understand their purpose. Scripture shows us that emotions are a gift from God. Jesus Himself experienced grief, anguish, compassion, and righteous anger. At the same time, the Bible consistently warns us not to let our feelings become the primary guide for our decisions or morality. In our culture, emotions are often treated as either a problem to manage or a truth to follow, but God offers a better way. Emotions show us what is happening in our hearts and guide us to deeper truths. They should not be in the driver’s seat of our lives. This week we will explore how emotions function, where they can mislead us, and how being rooted in Christ allows us to respond with wisdom, love, and maturity.

This week we pause—not to introduce a new spiritual discipline, but to focus on the outcome of alignment. Over the past few weeks, we’ve talked about prayer and fasting as practices that help realign our hearts with God. But alignment is not the end goal—it’s the starting point. When our hearts are quieted and surrendered, we become more aware of God’s leading in our everyday lives. Life is full of noise, opinions, distractions, and pressure. Learning to recognize God’s voice helps us walk with wisdom, confidence, and peace—even when decisions are unclear. This week, we’ll explore how God speaks, how we discern His voice, and how we respond when He leads.