WHAT COMES AFTER SUNDAY?
Use the next steps, Bible plan, message recap, questions & resources below to go deeper.
this week's next steps
This Week's Message Recap:
As we kick off our new series, All In, we are challenged us to consider what it really means to be fully invested in the church Jesus is building. Looking at Acts 2:42-47, we see that the early church wasn’t simply a group of people who attended the same gathering, but they were devoted to one another and to following Jesus together. Their devotion wasn’t about perfection or checking boxes; it was about direction. They kept choosing to lean toward Jesus and arrange their lives around Him, even as their seasons changed. And importantly, grace came first. They weren’t devoted in order to earn God’s love, instead they were responding to the love and grace they had already received through Jesus.
From that picture of the early church, we are introduced to Venture’s All-In Track: five rhythms that help us intentionally participate in the family Jesus is building: Discover Venture, Participate Weekly, Join a Group or Class, Serve on a Team, and Become an Owner. These aren’t requirements for earning God’s favor, but opportunities to find our place and play our part in the life and mission of the church. Whether you’re brand new to Venture or have been here for years, the invitation is the same! We aren’t asked to do everything at once or simply add more to our schedules, but to honestly consider where Jesus may be inviting us to take our next step. As we begin this series, we can each ask, “Jesus, which ring are You inviting me to close?”
From that picture of the early church, we are introduced to Venture’s All-In Track: five rhythms that help us intentionally participate in the family Jesus is building: Discover Venture, Participate Weekly, Join a Group or Class, Serve on a Team, and Become an Owner. These aren’t requirements for earning God’s favor, but opportunities to find our place and play our part in the life and mission of the church. Whether you’re brand new to Venture or have been here for years, the invitation is the same! We aren’t asked to do everything at once or simply add more to our schedules, but to honestly consider where Jesus may be inviting us to take our next step. As we begin this series, we can each ask, “Jesus, which ring are You inviting me to close?”
Questions to Consider:
- The message described the difference between perfection and direction when it comes to being devoted to Jesus. What does that distinction mean to you?
- Read Acts 2:42-47. The early church devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer, sharing life, and caring for one another along the way. What can devotion to Jesus look like in our everyday lives? And how might that devotion shape the way we participate in Christian community?
- Our calendars, habits, phones, friendships, careers, and entertainment can all “disciple” us. What are some of the rhythms in your life that are currently shaping you?
- Look at the five All-In rhythms: Discover Venture, Participate Weekly, Join a Group or Class, Serve on a Team, and Become an Owner. Which one feels like your natural next step right now. Why?
- What do you think Jesus might be inviting you to do differently as we begin this series?
Resources for Study:
Recommended Reading:
Letters to the Church by Francis Chan
Who Needs the Church? Why we need the church (and why the church needs us) by Terry Johnson
Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely Word by Jennie Allen
Why we Love the Church by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck
A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church by Megan Hill
Who Needs the Church? Why we need the church (and why the church needs us) by Terry Johnson
Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely Word by Jennie Allen
Why we Love the Church by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck
A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church by Megan Hill
VENTURE music Playlist
PAstor's Unfiltered Podcast
