Salt + Light Fort Worth: Recent Episodes
Salt + Light Community
Salt + Light Community is a SOMA church plant in the heart of Fort Worth, TX. Here you'll find teaching and discussions from our gatherings on Sunday afternoons.
https://www.saltandlightfw.com/
After the resurrection, two disciples of Jesus leave Jerusalem and head back to their home in Emmaus. On the road, they encounter the risen Jesus, but they do not realize it is Him at first. In this encounter between Jesus and His disciples, we learn to recognize the voice of God through Jesus, His Word, and His whisper.
After millennia of exile, the Bible ends with a story of going home. The same God who sent us from Eden invites us back; the God who disciplines sin and engages brokenness, brings that sin and brokenness to an end. God will one day bring us home to a better place – or more truly, he’ll bring our true home to us. Jesus’ death happened for our life, and his resurrection ushered in his kingdom. We get to live as witnesses to God’s reign now, as we await his full kingdom, coming one day on earth as in heaven.
Jeremiah prophesied to God’s people when they were in exile. As we start to wrap up our series, we consider the theme of God’s words to his people: that rather than hide, curse, reject, or oppose the people who took them captive, they were to display & declare God, & seek the welfare of those people.
Pricilla & Aquilla were ministers with Paul: they engaged commerce, interacted with customers, and produced goods and services for the benefit of those around them – including many non-believers. They worked for the glory of God, displayed his character in their work, cared for God’s people, and declared Jesus.
It’s common to think of ministry as happening in church-type settings, and to think of paid professionals as ministers and missionaries – but it’s in the context of everyday life that much ministry can happen
Anna was a widow who spent years in the temple praying and fasting and waiting for the arrival of the Messiah. Her life of worship & trust through waiting is a model for us – knowing that when things seem bleak, God’s promises are still true
Peter calls God’s NT people ‘elect exiles’...even though most of God’s people remain in their home culture. In this, there’s a shift in the coming weeks as we think about this concept: Christians aren’t physically exiled from our homes today, but rather feel displaced in our homes.
Principle: God calls his NT people to counter cultural lives, displaying & declaring a better God than that of our culture… and (perhaps harder than doing so in a foreign land) we often do so in our own homes
God’s people are called to be a witness of a better king, in the midst of any nation, rule, government, or leadership. Our response to leaders – like Daniel’s – is part of that witness.
This sermon draws from David's life in exile and his response of worship amidst idolatry (Psalm 59). It’s common to find ourselves invited to worship MANY people / themes / ideas / philosophies. AND, we’re often taught that we have to have it all together — even in a confusing, broken world. But “God desires for us to draw near to him with our whole hearts and to pour out whatever is in our hearts.” So we cut through the distraction & worship/trust the one true God.
Scripture encourages believers to see themselves as exiled people in a world that often contradicts the teachings of Jesus. Through the stories of Moses and Jesus, we see two people who chose exile despite it being costly to them. Moses' identifed with his oppressed Hebrew people despite his privileged upbringing, and Jesus' identified with mankind in leaving the presence of the Father in heaven and being born into a broken world to experience suffering and death on a cross to free us from the oppressive power of sin and death. Followers of Jesus are called to find their true identity in Christ and remain faithful in a hostile world, even when it means choosing exile, as we anticipate the ultimate restoration of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
The word "exile" isn’t new, but it’s often misunderstood. Exiles are people barred from their true homeland, sent to a different land, and thus find themselves living differently than that foreign culture. Throughout the Bible, God uses the term “exiles” to refer to his people – and the theme is also true of God’s people throughout history.
Salt & Light's overarching goal is discipleship: we want to see people come to know Jesus, AND we want everyone to continue growing up in him throughout our lives. That's discipleship. BUT, the objective reality is that we cannot accomplish that goal on our own: we are utterly dependent on God to do what only God can do; we are 100% reliant on God to accomplish that goal. That's dependence. Sunday's gathering called Salt & Light back to our mission and discipleship vision. And we spent time praying together, asking God to enact that vision, in each of us & in all of us.
Many followers of Jesus in our cultural moment say that the gospel is “good news.” But amidst competing worldviews, everyday busyness, and a context that prioritizes values over beliefs, it’s easy to leave that “good news” on proverbial “church shelves,” relegating it to Sundays or Christian conversation. In this, we functionally live as if other forms of “good news” are better, more impacting, and more applicable to Monday - Saturday life. Even the Bible, church community, and religious practice can replace the gospel as our priority. In short, we don’t truly see the gospel as good news, that impacts every aspect of life, and infuses our faith practices, conversations, and relationships.
But the gospel is truly the best “good news” — and both people followers of Jesus and those who don’t are desperately in need of the best good news! For all history, God’s people are created by God to be a “good news people.” We’re part of a counter-cultural family, existing within a broader world whose values look different from our belief. And we’re invited by God and empowered by his Spirit to believe in a better “good news” than any other, to see that good news change our everyday lives, and to share that good news with each other and the world around us, in winsome ways that it actually sounds like good news.
This identity is easy to forget, and this charge is easy to ignore. So Salt&Light is going to spend much of Fall 2023 remembering who we are, and how this vital message changes our lives. We are a good news people. We have good news that a broken and hurting world needs. This is who God has created us to be — it’s the message he’s created us to share: we are a good news people!
After Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to many people. Four in these chapters responded differently to Jesus’ resurrection: Mary, Peter, John, and Thomas were among the many whose hope was lost at Jesus’ crucifixion — despite hearing multiple times that Jesus would return! Resurrection is, by nature, supernatural: so doubt and disbelief are a common response today. But God gives faith when faith is hard; God meets people in our doubts. So when we, like these followers, approach Jesus with our doubt, hopelessness, and lack of faith, we can expect him to accept us, not to reject us. He will build our faith and help us thrive in specific kingdom assignments, just like he did with all four of these disciples. Jesus' resurrection promises eternal life, but invites us into new, fuller “life after death” during this life on earth as well.
In three parables — told in the mixed company of self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees alongside despised tax collectors and sinners — Jesus shares the extent of God's pursuing love, and his willingness to leave the people a religious teacher would be expected to be with, for the sake of those far away — the hurting and the lost. We later see the extent of Jesus’ love in his Gethsemane prayer: he experienced deep sorrow, pain, and agony. He was deeply honest with God. And he still submitted himself to God’s will — on our behalf. Jesus was hurt, rejected, and even killed by his love for us. This gives us confidence: in our losses and when we feel lost, we can rest in Jesus’ unfailing love and pursuit, even to his own death. His perfect life covers our imperfections. When we face pain, suffering, and even death, we can trust that God is with us, and works even in pain for our good. Jesus entered human history because of God’s pursuit of you. His suffering gives us hope and strength in our own.
After seeing Jesus as good news for the helpless and oppressed, we also consider how he is also good news to the other end of society’s spectrum: the rich and powerful. In Luke’s Gospel we read contrasting stories about people in similar social situations: both the anonymous “rich young ruler” and Zacchaeus are wealthy and powerful; both engage with Jesus; he challenges their actions, and also their hearts, motives and worship. One man responds to Jesus well; the other does not.
Today, it’s still hard to convince people who “have it all together” of their need for Jesus: with wealth and power, many seem able to get whatever they need, or want… often at others’ expense. As Jesus did with these men, he reveals the things that satisfy us (our idols) and invites us to turn to a better God, who alone truly satisfies. Having already left the riches of heaven and his rightful throne, Jesus would humble himself further, dying for our pride and idolatry and rising to grant us true richness and satisfaction, in this life and in eternity with God.
On the night before Jesus’ death, he promises his disciples to send the Holy Spirit as “another advocate.” While the New Testament talks about the work of the Spirit in many ways, this title Jesus proclaims offers good news in two ways. First, Jesus says that throughout our life, the Spirit speaks to us on God’s behalf: the Spirit reminds us what is true despite our circumstances, and meets us in our moments of helplessness, and the injustices of this life. Second, the Spirit reminds us of our first advocate, Jesus, who speaks to God on our behalf, taking the punishment for the injustices we’ve done toward God: together, this “advocate” imagery reminds us of Jesus’ freedom/forgiveness, the greatest form of advocacy. Then, as an overflow of realizing how greatly Jesus advocated for us, the Spirit drives us to advocate for others, as they face helplessness and injustice.
In two very different scenarios, Jesus speaks with two very different sisters, his close friends Mary & Martha. In the first scene, an exasperated Martha wants Jesus to put Mary to work, while Mary merely wants to be with Jesus. In the second, both women are grieving their brother’s death. In both scenes, we see Jesus’ different responses to each sister’s personality & each one’s specific needs in the moment. But we also see Jesus’ unified answer to grief & weariness: because Jesus is God, we can hope for resurrection & the defeat of death. And because Jesus is God, we can rest from overwork & control. Jesus proved his power & deity by raising Lazarus — & later his own resurrection ushers us into a rested, resurrection life in Christ today. But to defeat death & give us life, Jesus himself had to give his life & receive the death that Lazarus (& all humans) deserve.
In a brief but poignant encounter, Jesus is put to the test by religious leaders, regarding the right response to an anonymous woman caught in adultery. Rather than condemn the woman for her sin, Jesus shows her grace and offers forgiveness. But he concurrently invites the religious crowd to consider their own sin, and the forgiveness they had received from God. Everyone — in that crowd and across history — is in the same position as the adulterous woman: all sin; all feel shame. Like Jesus did with this woman, across history he meets people in our sin and enters into our shame. He shows grace and offers forgiveness to those far from him, and calls to account those who claim to know him. And this theme is echoed by God’s people through the rest of the Bible! Jesus was the only sinless, shameless man to ever walk the earth – but at the cross he took the punishment we all deserve for sin, and covered our brokenness and shame with his perfect grace.
Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding feast. John calls this event a “sign”; it pointed to something greater. By making wine in jars used for purification water, Jesus was looking toward his own death, at which his shed blood would cover a deeper shame, redeem all broken, & forgive all sin. Jesus’ coming suffering & death had a greater purpose: eternal joy — for him & for us. If that's true, then even when his followers face sadness, suffering, & loneliness in life, we can remain joyful: we have greater, eternal reasons to celebrate. When we’re anxious, lonely, & joyless, we remember that Jesus too was despised & forsaken. He offers us the best wine, while he drank God’s cup of wrath. And no matter what sadness or loneliness we face, Jesus invites us to his wedding feast.
Primary Text: John 2 | Slide Deck
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Nathanael was invited to follow Jesus, but responded with scoffing. Jesus engaged him by valuing his skepticism & questions, but didn’t “prove” himself intellectually. Rather, he showed Nathanael truth & beauty: Jesus is the true Logos, the only bridge between heaven & earth, & the answer everyone is truly seeking. We engage skepticism (our own & others) by seeking the true question, then seeing how Christianity alone makes sense of life, morality, & human value. Jesus alone gives truth & beauty to a world of competing thoughts & brokenness. In addition to Jesus’ incarnation (which brought God’s truth & beauty to earth), Jesus later went to the cross, & sent the Spirit to bring heaven to earth for & through his people.
Primary Text - John 1:43-50 | Slide Deck
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The first of our Fall series about being a Good News People.
Jesus prays a shocking prayer during his Last Supper: that God would not remove his followers from the world, but empower & protect us as they go into it. Jesus still sends his followers into the world to share this good news! The gospel is utterly counter-cultural, even offensive! God's answer starts with remembering who we are in Christ, & what God & others did for us — and loving/praying for God & others more than ourselves. Only then will we display & declare the gospel as good news. Jesus promises that we go with his authority, Spirit, & protection — then he sealed those promises through his death/resurrection.
Primary text is John 17:12-18. Slide deck linked here
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When you are fluent in a language, you're able to live and communicate clearly without an abundance of effort. With that definition in mind, what does it mean to be fluent in the gospel? How would our lives be different if we had an understanding and an awareness of the gospel that was as deep as our understanding of our native language?
This August, Salt+Light will consider what a gospel-fluent life looks like and steps we can take to grow in this area. Here's a hint: The gospel isn't just something that happened 2,000 years ago. The good news of Jesus is as relevant and important today as it ever has been, and that should affect how we live our lives.
When you are fluent in a language, you're able to live and communicate clearly without an abundance of effort. With that definition in mind, what does it mean to be fluent in the gospel? How would our lives be different if we had an understanding and an awareness of the gospel that was as deep as our understanding of our native language?
This August, Salt+Light will consider what a gospel-fluent life looks like and steps we can take to grow in this area. Here's a hint: The gospel isn't just something that happened 2,000 years ago. The good news of Jesus is as relevant and important today as it ever has been, and that should affect how we live our lives.
When you are fluent in a language, you're able to live and communicate clearly without an abundance of effort. With that definition in mind, what does it mean to be fluent in the gospel? How would our lives be different if we had an understanding and an awareness of the gospel that was as deep as our understanding of our native language?
This August, Salt+Light will consider what a gospel-fluent life looks like and steps we can take to grow in this area. Here's a hint: The gospel isn't just something that happened 2,000 years ago. The good news of Jesus is as relevant and important today as it ever has been, and that should affect how we live our lives.
This is the final message in our summer series about the significance of understanding God's character as depicted in Exodus 34, highlighting that it serves as a reliable predictor of His actions and guides our relationship with Him and our reflections of His character as “imagers”. The character of God is explored in greater depth, with attributes such as compassion, graciousness, being slow to anger, loyal in love, and forgiveness highlighted.
Primary Reference Texts: Exodus 34:5-7, Deuteronomy 7:7-11, Micah 7:18-20, Psalm 103
The series introduces the significance of understanding God's character as depicted in Exodus 34, highlighting that it serves as a reliable predictor of His actions and guides our relationship with Him and our reflections of His character as “imagers”. The character of God is explored in greater depth, with attributes such as compassion, graciousness, being slow to anger, loyal in love, and forgiveness highlighted.
Primary Reference Texts: Exodus 34:5-7, Deuteronomy 7:7-11, Micah 7:18-20, Psalm 103
https://www.saltandlightfw.com/
The series introduces the significance of understanding God's character as depicted in Exodus 34, highlighting that it serves as a reliable predictor of His actions and guides our relationship with Him and our reflections of His character as “imagers”. The character of God is explored in greater depth, with attributes such as compassion, graciousness, being slow to anger, loyal in love, and forgiveness highlighted.
Primary Reference Texts: Exodus 34:5-7, Deuteronomy 7:7-11, Micah 7:18-20, Psalm 103
The series introduces the significance of understanding God's character as depicted in Exodus 34, highlighting that it serves as a reliable predictor of His actions and guides our relationship with Him and our reflections of His character as “imagers”. The character of God is explored in greater depth, with attributes such as compassion, graciousness, being slow to anger, loyal in love, and forgiveness highlighted.
Primary Reference Texts: Exodus 34:5-7, Deuteronomy 7:7-11, Micah 7:18-20, Psalm 103
Discussing the importance of a Biblical Sabbath as we seek to honor God both in our work and rest.
Primary Texts Referenced: Genesis 2:3, 20:8-11; Acts1:4, 8
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As we kick-off our summer Galatians book clubs, Matt brings us a brief overview of why Galatians was important then and remains relevant today!
Additional Resource: The Bible Project (https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/galatians/)
Our home on the web- https://www.saltandlightfw.com/
Nicole Tatum breaks down the importance of Scripture and a few strategies for devouring (not literally) the Word of God.
Primary Bible Reference: John 5:39-40, Luke 24:13-35
The last discussion in our series on Eternity and where our hope comes from. This time responding to questions from our church fellowship!
Kurtis Freeman taught about "super blooms," both literal and spiritual, which is when a desert will be taken over by an above average number wildflowers blooming.
Scripture Referenced: Job 38, Isaiah 35, and John 19-20
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Celebrating Mothers and the new life we gain through baptism! This is a little different from our normal Sunday gathering, but we hope you feel spurred toward Christ and His love regardless!
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We will be restored for relationships like in the garden of Eden. We walk with God, talk with God, and just BE with God. All broken relationships are restored (God/self/others/world) All shame will be undone.
Primary Scripture Referenced: Genesis 1-2 and Revelation 21-22
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We will have life after death and what will that look like for those in Christ? All things will be as worship, all things will be in perfect unity: Our best guess is that we do what we did in Eden!
Primary Scripture Referenced: Genesis 1-2, Revelation 21-22
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HOPE IS FOUND IN A PERFECTED WORLD IN GOD’S PRESENCE: Like the Garden of Eden, we will be in perfect unity with God and with creation. Scripture indicates His kingdom will come on Earth! The New Heaven and the New Earth are coming down. Creation is yearning to be in unity with humans – maybe more than us!
Scripture referenced: Genesis 1:1-26, Revelation 21:1-22:5
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New discussion series about our Eternal Hope and what that means for us as Christians!
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Discussing "greatness" and how the world defines it vs how God defines it.
Mark 9:30-50
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Unfortunately we missed recording January 29th, so we pick up this week in Mark 9:2-29.
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We are back in our study through Mark! This week we picked up in Mark 7:1-37 talking about Kingdom Hope.
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Kicking off 2023 by discussing vocations - called by God to your identity in Christ. Scriptures referenced: Gen 1-2; 2 Cor 5:16-21
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Kicking off 2023 by discussing vocations - called by God to your identity in Christ. Scriptures referenced: Gen 1-2; 2 Cor 5:16-21
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December 11th discussion on joy and waiting. Scripture references - Luke 2:21-40, Leviticus 12:8, John 1:29, Isaiah 42:6, Isaiah 52:10
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Fall discussion series through the Gospel of Mark, this week on Mark 6:30-56.
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Discussion series through the first half of the gospel of Mark, this week through Mark 6:1-29.
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Discussion series on the Gospel of Mark , this week talking through Mark 4:35-5:43. Unfortunately the first chunk of teaching was not recorded, so we pick up in the middle of the discussion time.
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Dicussion series through the Gospel of Mark, this week on Mark 4:1-34. Talking about ways that we can miss the Kingdom.
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Fourth in Fall 2022 discussion series through the Gospel of Mark. This week, Brad Marvine leads us through Mark 3:7-35.
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The first discussion in our fall 2022 series through the first half of the Gospel of Mark. This week we went over Mark 1:1-13 and discussed how we see Jesus in this text.
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Our third discussion in our fall series through the Gospel of Mark. This week we walk through Mark 2:1-3:6. Our hope is that you see Jesus reflected in our conversation as we seek to know Him more through His Word.
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Our second discussion in our fall series through the Gospel of Mark. This week we discuss Mark 1: 14-45.
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YOU are Salt + Light - September 2022 Discussion Series. This is part 3 of our discussion series from Matthew 5:13-16.
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YOU are Salt + Light - September 2022 Discussion Series. This is part 2 from Matthew 5:13-16. Going back to our roots and why we chose this name for our church.
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YOU are Salt + Light - September 2022 Discussion Series. This is part 1 from Matthew 5:13-16.
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Discussion on Luke 4:17-21 and 1 Corinthians 15 led by Ben Connelly
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Discussion on 1 Peter 2:9-10 and Genesis 1 led by Ben Connelly
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Kurtis and Ashley Freeman share about Biblical hospitalilty and how to practice it.
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Bob and Nikki R. share with us some of their experience with everyday mission.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/salt-+-light-fort-worth/id1578354559
Discussion led by Kendrick and Amelia Banks on loneliness and the importance of relationship with God, others, and ourselves.
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Discussion led by Kendrick and Amelia Banks about loneliness and importance of relationship with God, others, and ourselves.
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June 5, 2022 discussion on Exodus 25-27 about God's dwellign place.
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May 22, 2022 discussion on Exodus 20-24, led by Nicole T.
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May 8, 2022 discussion on judgement in light of Exodus 17:8-18:26.
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May 15 discussion on Exodus 19-20 focusing on God's promises.
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May 1 discussion on Exodus 15:22-17:7, focusing in on trust.
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April 17 discussion on Exodus 15:1-21 and "Easter: Jesus as the true & better Exodus."
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March 27 discussion on Exodus 12-13 led by Ben Connelly.
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March 20 discussion on the plagues of Egypt (Ex 7-11) led by Kurtis Freeman.
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March 13 discussion on the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7-11) led by Ben Fort.
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March 6, 2022 discussion on Exodus 6 led by Ben Connelly.
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February 27, 2022 discussion on Exodus chapter 5. Part of our spring/summer series through Exodus.
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February 20, 2022 discussion on Exodus chapter 4. Part of our spring/summer series through Exodus.
January 16, 2022 discussion on1 Peter 2 and Colossions 4 and how the gospel is good news for all our stories.
Audio from our celebration and QA session at our One Year Family Meeting. Recognizing how the Father has moved since we started as a church family in 2021.
This week we are unpacking 1 Peter 3 about how the Gospel is good news for our suffering.
Salt + Light Community is a SOMA church meeting in the heart of FOrt Worth, TX. Here you'll find discussions and teachings from our gatherings on Sunday afternoons.
https://www.saltandlightfw.com/
This week builds on, and culminates, the previous weeks’ themes: Jesus is God, yes. Jesus is with us, yes. And Jesus is God with us: he is the promised Messiah, the one true Immanuel. In him is grace and truth, in Jesus we see the every face of God. This week can zoom out to include other passages that help prove Jesus to be the promised Immanuel, and should help us see why it matters that God came to dwell with us.
December 19, 2021 discussion on John 1: 14-18
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The light (Jesus) that John introduced in his opening words, came into our world — Jesus dwelled as a fully human man, with similar thoughts, feelings, and temptations as other humans face. He and engaged the very real brokenness that surround us, and wasn’t even received by the people he made, in the world he made. This week can zoom out to include other passages that help prove Jesus to be fully man, and should help us see why it matters that Jesus was fully, 100% human — but a perfect one.
December 12, 2021 discussion on John 1: 9-13
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John’s gospel starts by showing readers that Jesus, clearly, is indeed God. As such, he is our creator, sustainer, and king — he is life and light, and the darkness will not overcome his light. This week can zoom out to include other passages that help prove Jesus to be fully God, and should help us see why it matters that Jesus is the one true, transcendent, eternal, perfect, good, righteous, holy God, in general.
December 5, 2021 discussion on John 1: 1-5
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On Thanksgiving, we end this series seeing that if God is the source of all good things, & is the power behind all answers/direction/fruit/salvation/provision/etc, our rite response in prayer is thanks/praise. While thankfulness and praise might be a common form of prayer taught today, for many it can become rote or routine; we can merely say words without giving God true (& his due) thanksgiving and praise. Looking over past weeks, we seek to reclaim our awe and wonder of God, and grow in true thanksgiving and praise as we close our consideration of prayer this Fall.
November 28, 2021 discussion on Luke 22:14-20
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In part of Jesus’ High Priestly prayer (which we saw Oct 24) Jesus prayed for his followers. From this passage and others in the Gospels, we can learn from Jesus what and how to pray for our fellow Christians. The big themes in Jesus’ prayers for others are unity, togetherness, holiness, love, and (above all) God’s glory. As Jesus’ followers pray for others, we’re reminded of God’s ability over ours and theirs; we’re pointed to God’s power and control — he alone can reconcile the greatest brokenness and he alone is more worthy of celebration than the greatest joy. He’s the source of any goodness/fruit/etc. So we rely on him, for others.
November 7, 2021 discussion on John 17:22-26
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On the night of Jesus’ arrest, we get a glimpse of an all-to-real aspect of prayer for us, but one we don’t think of Jesus praying: He wrestled with God, struggled with God’s will, & ultimately was not granted his request. What do we do when God doesn’t answer? Where is God if evil and even death seem to win? This week we consider how to pray in the midst of suffering and anguish, and against temptation to trust our way over God’s. We’ll learn from Jesus “the kind of prayer that gives [us] the courage and fortitude to resolutely insist on God’s will, even [over our own, and even] in the face of persecution and death” (Catherine White).
November 21, 2021 discussion on Luke 22:39-46
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Jesus spent a night in prayer before choosing his disciples, aligning his will with God the Father’s. There isn’t a decision in our lives that God doesn’t care for and reign over. So this week we consider Jesus’ example of listening to God — and actually trusting that God will answer! This may be the hardest form of prayer in our hurried, self-reliant world. But biblical prayer is not a one-sided monologue; it’s a conversation. As we learn to make time and space to dwell with God, we grow in attentiveness to him, and increasingly know how to hear him and obediently follow his direction.
November 14, 2021 discussion on Luke 6:12-16
https://www.saltandlightfw.com/
In part of Jesus’ High Priestly prayer (which we saw Oct 24) Jesus prayed for his followers. From this passage and others in the Gospels, we can learn from Jesus what and how to pray for our fellow Christians. The big themes in Jesus’ prayers for others are unity, togetherness, holiness, love, and (above all) God’s glory. As Jesus’ followers pray for others, we’re reminded of God’s ability over ours and theirs; we’re pointed to God’s power and control — he alone can reconcile the greatest brokenness and he alone is more worthy of celebration than the greatest joy. He’s the source of any goodness/fruit/etc. So we rely on him, for others.
November 7, 2021 discussion on John 17:22-26
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On the night Jesus was arrested, He prayed the longest-recorded prayer we have from Him. This week (Plant FW’s Church Planting Sunday & the week before we don’t gather but send folks to bless neighbors for Halloween), we focus on Jesus’ prayers for the world. Jesus declares his own role in displaying & declaring the gospel to unbelievers. Then He prays for His disciples as they follow His example, for God’s protection as they do, and also for those who don’t know Him. We follow Jesus example as we pray for the world around us too, and as we boldly go into the world He sent us into, when He prays for His followers as we obediently go.
October 24, 2021 discussion on John 17:6-17
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At Jesus’ baptism, we see his anointing, commissioning, and empowerment for ministry - but while often missed, that all happens as Jesus prays. Jesus invites God’s power, to fulfill God’s mission. The Holy Spirit descends, fills Him and empower Him for ministry. Later, after the apostles pray in Acts 1, the Spirit similarly descends in Acts 2, fills them, and empowers them for ministry. Different than simply praying for our needs or desires, this week focuses on asking God to do what he wants, and to give us his strength to fulfill his call on our lives. Do we pray for God to guide us, lead us, and open doors? Do we ask him to carry out his will through us, or even trust that he’d want to?
October 17, 2021 discussion on Luke 3:21-21
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We kick off our Fall discussions by looking at Jesus’ most famous prayer. In “The Lord’s Prayer,” we see Jesus teach his followers to rely on God: Jesus declares that God alone (in his holiness, purpose, and provision) will meet both tangible and spiritual, needs. “Asking God for things” is, perhaps, the most familiar form of prayer today — but as we discuss prayer for personal needs, we also start the series following Jesus’ caution against hypocritical prayer (looking holy but not actually depending on God) vs. authentic prayer, as well as the role of fasting.
October 10, 2021 discussion on Matthew 6:5-13,16-18
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In this final week of discussing Acts 2:42-47, we see that as history's first church grows into Spirit-led kingdom life, "the Lord added to their number daily those who are being saved". "The life and power of the Spirit for Christ in the believing community radiates the light of the kingdom, and thus draws people out from darkness" (Goheen and Bartholomew). We close by discussing three commitments Salt+Light is invited into, during the 2021-22 school year.
September 26, 2021 discussion on Acts 2:42-47
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As we enter into the first Fall together as a church family, we're zooming in on "who we are and what we do." This first week draw us back to the starting point of our church, & our collective life in Christ: “Being with Jesus.” We see in Acts 2:42, things that the early church devoted themselves to, in order to experience life in the Kingdom, by the Spirit. That “devotion” is the key to these things -- and God's devotion to us is what leads us to our devotion to him and others.
September 12, 2021 discussion on Acts 2:42-47
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In our continued glimpse into God’s first church in Acts 2, we keep considering who we are in Christ, together, who God calls his church to be, and what God’s Spirit empowers his church to do. This second week helps us see the life of sacrifice & service, as spiritual siblings take responsibility for each other’s discipleship, needs, & lives. In ways described in these and other verses, Salt+Light has a pattern to become like Jesus.
September 19, 2021 discussion on Acts 2:42-47
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After a summer of considering "the truest story in the world," we revisited our role in the story through a tangible lens. We see from Psalm 33 God's heart for mission. Then various folks in Salt & Light community share some ways they pursue displaying & declaring the good news of Jesus, in different ways, needs, & areas of our city & world.
August 29, 2021 discussion on Psalm 33
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One day King Jesus will return to finally and fully make the world the way it is supposed to be. He will bring justice, healing and wholeness. There will be no more tears, pain, sickness, brokenness, or death. Those who have declared allegiance to Jesus as King and by faith depended on him for salvation will forever enjoy His presence, but those who chose to rely on themselves and false saviors will be forever separated from his good reign. We pray for this day to come quickly!
August 15, 2021 discussion on Revelations 21-22
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The resurrected Jesus sent His Spirit to empower His followers to demonstrate and declare the good news that God was restoring the world and that Jesus is King! He alone is able to save and bring the peace we all so desperately desire. People are now invited to give their allegiance to Jesus & live according to His Story. Forgiveness, hope, and salvation are possible because of Jesus. This is the church, the act of the story we find ourselves in today.
August 15, 2021 discussion on Acts 1 & 2
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When all seemed lost, God was faithful to His promise. Jesus, God’s own Son, came to be the promised deliverer and perfectly obeyed the Father. The Kingdom had come near. But the people rebelled against Jesus and murdered Him on a cross. When Jesus was killed he took on the curse of creation and bore the burden of people’s sin. He then accomplished victory over all evil through His resurrection! Restoration had begun, new creation was here and Jesus was the true and risen King!
August 8, 2021 discussion on Mark 1 and Luke 2
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God did not leave his rebelling people without hope, He decided to rescue his creation by calling one man named Abram and making Him into a great nation. Through this nation, Israel, God was going to bless all the other nations. But just like the first people, they rebelled too.
August 1, 2021 discussion on Jeremiah 31 and 2 Kings 17
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God did not leave his rebelling people without hope, He decided to rescue his creation by calling one man named Abram and making Him into a great nation. Through this nation, Israel, God was going to bless all the other nations. But just like the first people, they rebelled too.
July 25, 2021 discussion on Genesis 12 & 2 Samuel 7.
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The Truest Story Ever Told - Act 2: Rebellion. Discussion on Genesis 3 and 11.
The first people rebelled against God’s good reign. They decided God was holding back good things from them and wanted to decide for themselves what was right and wrong. The result was that human sin entered God’s good creation and all creation came under a curse. Everything was affected by this rebellion.
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The Truest Story Ever Told- Act 1: Creation - Genesis 1-2
God created everything good, right, and beautiful. He lovingly made people to cultivate his creation alongside Him. People had the task to develop the hidden potentials of God’s creation and enjoyed a life of peace with God, one another, and creation.
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