Class Lesson for January 11, 2026

 Culture Wars 

Culture Wars

Romans 12:1-2

What voices most consistently shape your worldview right now — Scripture, community, media — and how can you intentionally reorder those influences this week?

How does the way you speak about moral issues — especially online — reflect whether your mind is being renewed by the gospel or shaped by the anger and anxiety of the world?

  

Romans 12:1-2

A Living Sacrifice

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Romans 12:1-2

 

Discussion Questions

1. Why is living sacrificially for God described as “true and proper worship”?
2. What does it mean to not be conformed to this world? What are some examples of ways the world pressures us to conform?
3. What do you think “the renewing of your mind” looks like in daily life? How does this help in resisting worldliness?
4. What does it mean to live in alignment with God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will?
5. How can we tell if we’re being transformed by the renewing of our minds? What does that transformation look like?
6. What part of this passage challenges you the most personally? Why?

 

 

Closing Thoughts

As believers, we are called to live out our faith within the community of other believers and actively show the world what it looks like to follow Christ. The transformation that happens in our lives by renewing our minds will affect not just our relationship with God, but our relationships with others.

Identify one area where you can live out your faith more boldly this week. Maybe it’s choosing not to conform to a specific worldly pressure, or offering your time or energy to someone in need.

Pray daily for God’s help in renewing your mind, and for the strength to resist the pull of conformity to the world.

Identify one person in your life who is far from God, who has embraced the pattern of this world. Pray for them, invite them to our church, and seek to share the gospel with them.

 

END

Teacher' Notes:

How is the world different now than it was ten years ago?

Click Play to Watch

At what age do you think conformity to the world is at its strongest?

Mr. Keating whispers to ‘seize the day, make your lives extraordinary’. His message is one of nonconformity – but is it?

Romans 12:1-2

A Living Sacrifice

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What does it mean to present your bodies as a living sacrifice?

The dictionary defines sacrifice as “anything consecrated and offered to God.” As believers, how do we consecrate and offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice?

For those who are in Christ by virtue of saving faith, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves completely to the Lord.

What does a living sacrifice look like in the practical sense? The following verse (Romans 12:2) helps us to understand. We are a living sacrifice for God by not being conformed to this world. 

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What does it mean to not be conformed to this world? What are some examples of ways the world pressures us to conform?

Romans 12:1-2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What is Paul referring to by this world?

Someone lookup 1 John 2:15-16 and read what the world is according to John. 

World defined in 1 John 2:15-16

1.   Cravings of sinful man - gratifying our physical desires.

2.   Lust of his eyes - materialism and coveting.

3.   The pride of life - boasting of what he has and does.

All that the world has to offer can be reduced to these three things.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

How can we tell if we’re being transformed by the renewing of our minds?

We know we’re being transformed when our thoughts, desires, and decisions increasingly reflect the mind of Christ.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

What patterns of cultural influence do we conform to without testing or questioning?

Success

Pattern: Always bigger, better, and faster

Career advancement at any cost

Comparing lifestyles, not character

Measuring life by milestones

Our Assumption: “If I don’t keep up, I’m falling behind.”

 

Technology & Attention

Pattern: Constant connection

Checking phones as a reflex

Filling silence with noise

Allowing algorithms to disciple us

Our Assumption: “I can’t afford to unplug.”

 

Conflict Avoidance

Pattern: Peace at any price

Silence instead of truth

Compromise to avoid discomfort

Redefining love as agreement

Our Assumption: “Truth is unloving if it causes tension.”

 

Reactionary Living

Pattern: Responding instead of discerning

News cycles shaping emotions

Outrage without prayer

Echo chambers in our mind reinforcing opinions

Our Assumption: “If I feel strongly, I must be right.”

 

How does the way we speak about moral issues — especially online — reflect whether our mind is being renewed by the gospel or shaped by the anger and anxiety of the world?

 

Should we even speak to moral issues online?

 

What's the point?

Conformity often hides in habits we’ve never examined.

 

The Moving Walkway

Have you ever gotten on one of those moving walkways at an airport? At first, it feels helpful — you’re moving forward without much effort. But if you stop paying attention, you’re being carried along whether you choose it or not.

Now imagine stepping onto one going the wrong direction. You might not notice at first. You’re still moving. Everyone else is moving too. But unless you intentionally turn around and walk against it, you’ll end up somewhere you never meant to go.

 

Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world.”

In other words, don’t let life’s moving walkways carry you along without thinking.

“Test everything; hold fast what is good.”

(1 Thess. 5:21)

 

Consider this: Are there things that feel “normal” in my life that Scripture might question?

The most powerful molds are the ones we don’t realize we’re in.

END

Class Lesson January 4, 2026

 Encounter - New Series

An Encounter with Jesus Changes Everything

Acts 9:1–20

The Conversion of Saul

9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to Your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine to carry Ny name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.

Saul Proclaims Jesus in Synagogues

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Acts 9:1-20

 

 

Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think Saul believed he was serving God while opposing Him?
2. What stands out to you about how Jesus confronts Saul on the road to Damascus?
3. How does Saul’s story challenge the idea that sincerity in religion is enough?
4. Why do you think God chose to use Ananias in Saul’s conversion story?
5. In what ways does encountering Jesus still disrupt and redirect lives today?

                                          Closing Thoughts

Acts 9 reminds us that encountering Jesus is not about gaining information — it is about transformation. Christ still opens blind eyes, interrupts self-directed lives, and redirects people toward His mission. As a gospel-shaped community, we are both recipients of grace and participants in God’s work. God often uses ordinary, obedient believers — like Ananias — to help others take their next step toward Jesus.

END

Teacher Notes: 

Video: Sorry Too Long to Post

This is the story of Saul of Tarsus

What stands out to you about how Jesus confronts Saul on the road to Damascus?

Why did Saul believe he was serving God while opposing Him?

1. Saul equated religious sincerity and tradition with faithfulness, without truly knowing Jesus.
2. Saul was deeply trained in the Law and sincerely committed to protecting Jewish identity and purity. From his perspective, the message about Jesus threatened everything he believed about God, the Law, and Israel. Because Jesus did not fit his expectations of the Messiah, Saul concluded that the early Christians were dangerous heretics. In persecuting them, he thought he was defending God’s honor.
3. Saul’s mistake was not a lack of passion, but misplaced devotion. He knew Scripture but missed its fulfillment in Christ. His story reminds us that it is possible to be deeply religious, morally driven, and even well-intentioned — yet still oppose God — when zeal is not shaped by truth and a personal relationship with Jesus.

How can we fall into Paul's religious sincerity today?

1. When devotion replaces dependence on Christ and activity replaces relationship.
2. When we confuse knowledge about God with knowing God. When information becomes the goal instead of transformation, sincerity can mask spiritual blindness.
3. When we measure faithfulness by behavior rather than by submission. Doing the “right” things — serving, giving, attending — can slowly become a way to justify ourselves instead of trusting Christ.
4. When we defend our beliefs more than we seek truth. Saul was sincere because he was certain he was right.
5. When we serve God without surrendering to Jesus as Lord. It is possible to be active in religious work while resisting Christ’s authority over our priorities, attitudes, or relationships.

Why do you think God chose to use Ananias in Saul’s conversion story?

1. Ananias represents ordinary believers. He is not an apostle or public leader, yet God entrusts him with a crucial role in Saul’s transformation.
2. Ananias bridges Saul’s past and future. Saul had been a feared persecutor of the church. When Ananias addresses him as “Brother Saul,” it powerfully demonstrates forgiveness, acceptance, and the reconciling power of the gospel.
3. God uses Ananias to confirm Saul’s calling and restore his sight, showing that transformation happens within Christian community, not isolation. Saul’s encounter with Jesus was personal, but his commissioning came through the body of Christ.

Ananias’ obedience reminds us that God’s mission often advances through small acts of faithfulness and that our “yes” to God may play a life-changing role in someone else’s story.

How does encountering Jesus still disrupt and redirect lives today?

1. Jesus disrupts how people see themselves. When we truly encounter Christ, self-righteousness, pride, and self-sufficiency are exposed.
2. Jesus disrupts how people live. Careers, habits, relationships, and goals often come under His lordship. Following Jesus may mean letting go of sinful patterns, unhealthy ambitions, or identities built on success, comfort, or approval. The gospel interrupts life as usual.
3. Jesus redirects what people live for. Encountering Christ gives new purpose — living for God’s glory and the good of others. People move from self-directed lives to Christ-centered mission, using their gifts, influence, and story to point others to Him.

Why is Saul’s conversion such a powerful picture of grace?

1. It shows that God saves people not because they deserve mercy, but precisely when they don’t. Saul was not searching for Jesus — he was actively opposing Him. If anyone seemed beyond redemption, it was Saul. Yet Jesus met him in the middle of his rebellion, not with judgment, but with mercy.
2. Grace is also seen in who initiates the encounter. Saul does not cry out for forgiveness; Jesus takes the first step. The risen Christ confronts Saul, reveals the truth, and then invites him into obedience and purpose. This shows that salvation begins with God’s initiative, not human effort.
3. Grace is evident in the complete transformation that follows. Saul is forgiven, restored, filled with the Holy Spirit, welcomed into the community of believers, and commissioned for mission. God does not merely pardon Saul — He redeems his past and repurposes his life.
4. Saul’s story reminds us that no one is too far gone, no past too dark, and no sin too great for the grace of Jesus. Grace doesn’t just erase guilt; it creates a new future.

From a theological perspective, shouldn’t salvation always lead to mission?

Yes — from a biblical and theological perspective, salvation is inseparable from mission, even though the form of that mission may differ from person to person.

In Scripture, salvation is never the finish line — it is the starting point.

Class Lesson for December 21, 2025

The Whole Story 

1 Peter 2:1-10

In a world obsessed with identity — where people are constantly asking “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong?” — Peter reminds us of something far more enduring than personal achievement, cultural status, or fleeting approval. Writing to believers scattered across the Roman Empire, many of them marginalized and pressured by a hostile society, Peter lifts their eyes to the eternal reality of who they are in Christ. He says you are not defined by your past sins, your present struggles, or your worldly labels. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession.

But before Peter reminds us of this glorious identity, he calls us to lay aside the things that distort and poison the church — malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

Because to belong to Christ is not only to receive a new identity, but also to walk in a new way of life.

This passage invites us to consider what it means to be built on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, to be shaped into a spiritual house for God’s glory, and to live as His people in a watching world.

1 Peter 2:1-10

A Living Stone and a Holy People

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation — 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 1 Peter 2:1-10

 

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to “crave pure spiritual milk”? 
2. Peter also calls believers “living stones.” What responsibilities or identity does this metaphor give us as the church? 
3. What does it mean that we are “... being built into a spiritual house”? Who is doing the building?  
4. What does it mean for us to offer “spiritual sacrifices” to God?  
5. How does verse 9 change the way we view ourselves, our purpose, and our future?

 

Closing Thoughts

1 Peter calls us to live our life focused on eternity. Knowing that we have been saved from the evil of this world into God’s family demands a life that seeks to honor God in all things. The purpose of the church, then, is to be set apart for God as we make Him known. This means for you as an individual, the very dwelling place of God, the way you live your life should be a continual sacrifice and offering to God. When we understand all that we have in Christ, knowing that we are given a new identity in Him, it changes the way we live.

In what ways are you pursuing holiness in your life? What is keeping you from proclaiming His excellencies to everyone in your life?

Identify one person this week to intentionally love, serve, invite, or share the gospel with. Pray daily for them and look for open doors to live on missions.

 

END

Teacher Notes:

Think back to the church you grew up in...

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How would you explain Peter's description of the church?

Why do we exist?

Any personal thoughts on this?

Conclusion

Listen as our Lead Pastor answers 1 Peter's 2-questions:

What is the church? & Why do we exist?

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