Church blog

There are certain moments in the life of a church that feel significant—not because of a building or an address, but because of what those things represent. For Passion Church, this is one of those moments. We are excited to announce that Passion Church is moving to our new home at 4368 Stokesdale Avenue in Walkertown, North Carolina . Located near the intersection of Walkertown, Kernersville, and Winston-Salem, this property gives us an opportunity to continue growing, serving, and investing in the communities we love while establishing a permanent place to call home. If you've followed our story over the past few years, you know that Passion Church has never been about a building. From the beginning, our mission has been simple: helping people find and follow Jesus. That mission has guided every decision we've made, every ministry we've launched, every small group we've started, and every conversation we've had with people searching for hope and purpose. While our location is changing, that mission remains exactly the same. In many ways, this move represents a new chapter, but not a new direction. We are still the same church that believes the Bible is the authoritative Word of God. We still believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that His death and resurrection provide forgiveness of sins, and that He is the way to reconciliation with God. Those convictions have shaped who we are from day one, and they will continue to shape who we are in Walkertown and beyond. At the same time, we recognize that truth is most effective when it is shared through genuine relationships. One of the phrases you'll hear often at Passion Church is that we start with grace and lead to truth . We believe both are necessary. Grace creates space for people to be honest about where they are, while truth points them toward the hope and transformation found in Jesus. We don't see those ideas as competing with one another; we see them working together in the same way they did throughout the ministry of Christ. That philosophy affects how we approach ministry. While Sunday worship services are important, some of the most meaningful moments in our church happen around dinner tables, in living rooms, over coffee, and during everyday conversations. We believe life change happens in the context of relationships, which is why small groups, shared meals, community events, and serving opportunities are such an important part of who we are. We want to be more than a place people attend for an hour each week. We want to be a church family where people are known, encouraged, challenged, and supported through every season of life. As we prepare to move into Walkertown, one of the things we're most excited about is getting to know our new community. Every town has its own personality, history, strengths, and challenges. Our desire is not simply to occupy a building in Walkertown, but to become a meaningful part of the community. We look forward to building relationships with local families, schools, businesses, and organizations as we seek opportunities to serve and make a positive impact. We're also incredibly excited about what this move means for future generations. Passion Church places a high value on investing in children, students, and young families. We believe the local church should be one of the safest, most encouraging, and most life-giving environments a child can experience. Whether it's through Passion Kids, student ministry, family events, or simply creating spaces where young people can learn about Jesus and build healthy friendships, we are committed to helping the next generation develop a faith that lasts. For those who may be searching for a church home, we know that stepping into a church for the first time can feel intimidating. Maybe you've been away from church for years. Maybe you've had a difficult experience in the past. Maybe you're simply curious and trying to figure out what you believe. Wherever you find yourself, we want you to know that you're welcome here. You don't have to have everything figured out before you walk through the doors. As we look ahead to this new season, we're filled with gratitude for what God has already done and anticipation for what He will do next. We believe the best days of Passion Church are still ahead, not because of a new building, but because every new season creates new opportunities to help people encounter Jesus and experience the hope found in Him.  Walkertown, we're excited to be your neighbors. We can't wait to meet you, serve alongside you, and continue helping people find and follow Jesus for years to come. Passion Church 4368 Stokesdale Avenue Walkertown, NC 27051 Helping People Find and Follow Jesus.

What does God really say about intimacy? Explore a healthy, biblical perspective on sex, design, and building strong, faithful foundations for marriage.

A Giant question facing the next generation of the church

I thought everyone knew...

Mortification is a massive part of leadership. Whether your leadership role is in your home, your workplace, or beyond, people are watching. And as Christians, we are often under a level of scrutiny that feels heavy and constant. How do we walk through fires in life? How do we deal with frustration, lose our tempers, face addictions, shortcomings, and failures? The scenarios are endless, moments where others are watching. And whether we want to admit it or not, they are looking to us to see who Jesus Christ is… or at least to watch us fail. So the question isn’t whether or not we are leading someone. The real question is: what are we leading them toward, and is it worthwhile? And even when we choose to pick up that mantle, that responsibility, we still mess up. Sometimes in very public ways. Sometimes in ways that leave us mortified at our own actions. Sometimes accidental. Sometimes intentional. Sometimes deeply hurtful, until we stop and realize the damage that’s been done. For me personally, I’m no stranger to embarrassment. In many cases, it’s not intentional failure; it’s things that slip through the cracks. Missed appointments. Texts that go unanswered for weeks because they slipped my mind. But then there are the bigger failures, the ones everyone else gets to see. Being a pastor is a lot like living in a fishbowl. And when there’s something wrong in the water, everyone notices, and everyone has something to say about it. I’ve grieved my sister’s loss in front of hundreds of people. I walked through a divorce while pastoring a church of several hundred people and was well-known in the community. I’ve been stopped in Walmart and told how evil I was, because, of course, it happened at Walmart. From that, and too many other situations to list- I’ve learned a few things. 1. Thick Skin Is Not Optional If you are going to put yourself out there and lead in any capacity, someone will have a problem with you. Most likely, multiple people will. And often, they will be people who don’t fully understand what’s actually going on—but know just enough to say something that stings. If I’m honest, that’s frustrating. Because sometimes these are people who contribute nothing to your life, yet their words still hurt. And that can make you even more upset. So you have to learn to prioritize who you listen to and who you work for. Pick five people. Five voices that truly matter. Make sure they are mature, close to you, and trustworthy. Don’t give this privilege to just anyone. Choose people who know you, who love you, and who are willing to speak truth into your life. Then remember who you are ultimately leading for: Christ first, Family second, Friends and those who don’t know Christ next. When you align who you listen to and who you’re doing this for, the hard days don’t necessarily get easier, but they do gain purpose. 2. Approval Is a Trap You Can’t Win Working for the approval of others while leading is a battle you will never win. It’s incredibly easy to fall into the trap of doing what you do because it feels good to be needed… and praised. I’ll be honest, there’s real joy and fulfillment in providing value to others. There’s something deeply satisfying about helping people, leading well, and seeing impact. But that can’t be your driving force. Because there will always come a moment when you do something people don’t like, and they will leave. Often loudly. Sometimes angrily. Take joy, even healthy pride, in leading and serving well. But don’t let feedback define you. Christ should define you. At the end of the day, when my life is over, I want to stand before Jesus and, God willing, hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That hope drives me. It gives me purpose. It pushes me forward. And yes, there are people who believe that will never be said about me. Some with reasons. Some without knowing the full story. But that’s okay. They are not my audience. Jesus Christ is. And when that perspective shifts, everything changes. 3. Bravery Is Not Optional Whether your leadership role is parenting, pastoring, or leading in a boardroom, you will fail publicly at some point. Why? Because leadership requires risk. And risk is necessary. Pushing limits is good, and stepping out in faith is essential. But sometimes, it will go badly. It takes real bravery to take those risks, knowing you might fail, and to choose to do it anyway. One of the best ways to build that bravery is to remember your wins. Not to inflate your ego, but to remind yourself that failure isn’t the full story. Final Thought Time heals more than we think. What feels like a massive, overwhelming failure right now, one year from now, most people won’t even remember. So don’t give up. Don’t shrink back. Don’t let failure convince you to stop leading. Because mistakes will happen. But they don’t have to define you. They can refine you. And if you keep moving forward, God can still use every part of your story, even the parts you wish never happened.

How Do We Fix Anything? In a world full of war, politics, injustice, inequality, and beyond, how do we fix anything? Over the years, as a pastor, I’ve heard this question asked numerous times in various ways. It usually boils down to a deep sense that we can’t really affect anything. The world’s problems are overwhelming, and they always will be. With the advent of social media and global news at our fingertips, and every other media outlet constantly forcing headlines down our throats, it’s easy to feel helpless. How do we do anything about it? Eventually, many people land in a place of inevitability. The world is going to hell in a handbasket, and there’s nothing we can do about it. That mentality leads us to blame others, develop a defeatist outlook, become jaded and negative, and ultimately lose sight of what is actually important. One of the more recent conversations I had about this was with a very sharp, very driven young man in our church. He genuinely wanted to help. He wanted to make the world a better place. But he didn’t know where to start or how to make a difference. He had recently taken on a leadership role in his neighborhood and was already discouraged by the resistance he was facing. He worked hard, applied creativity to solving problems, and kept running into wall after wall. I’ve heard story after story like this. And over time, I’ve come to believe that generally speaking, people do want to help. They just don’t know how, and eventually they feel defeated. So the question becomes: Why worry about other people’s problems at all, right? While that mentality is understandable, it can lead us into some dangerous places as a society. It can also lead us somewhere very different than what Jesus talked about. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God’s Word repeatedly reminds us that true religion includes caring for the vulnerable, widows, orphans, and those in need. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” — James 1:27 “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.” — Psalm 82:3 So how do we care without becoming overwhelmed? Over the years, I’ve developed a simple framework that has helped me tremendously. These are three questions I ask when deciding where to focus my energy. First: Is this important to my family and me? Second: Does this affect my immediate community? Third: Is there anything I can actually do about it? If the answer is no to two out of those three questions , I leave it alone. Often, I add it to my prayer list, which is powerful, but beyond that, I let it go. Many times, that means intentionally avoiding conversations, news cycles, arguments, and debates surrounding it. This allows me to focus on what is important , immediate, and doable , while giving to God the things I cannot control. Let me give you an example. Currently, the U.S. military has commenced major operations in Iran. Reactions to this have been wildly different depending on political alliances, media outlets, and personal perspectives. Is that important? Absolutely. Does it affect my immediate community, my church, my family, my business, or my town, in a way I can directly influence? Not really. Can I fix it? Not even close. And honestly, I’m not even sure I would want to. Decisions like that involve layers of information, intelligence, and strategy that most of us simply don’t have access to. So what can I do? I add our troops and our country to my prayer list, and I move on. That may sound harsh, but here’s the reality: You and I only have so much influence and so much capacity. That capacity looks different for everyone, but one thing we all share is that both our influence and our capacity are limited. If I spend all my energy worrying about things I can’t directly affect, then I’ll miss the thousands of people I can affect who are right in front of me. By serving in the church, engaging personally in the community, exerting social influence, praying, and building everyday relationships, I can focus my attention where it can actually make a difference. And when we do that, we become far more effective. Does this mean we don’t care about war or larger global issues? Not at all. Those things should affect us deeply. The loss of life is heartbreaking and tragic. And lives will be lost. That should absolutely weigh on our hearts. But we cannot allow ourselves to drown under the weight of the entire world’s problems. God, and only God, has the capacity to carry the sins of the world on His shoulders. We are not Him. In fact, at its core, believing we can or need to fix everything can become somewhat egotistical. Scripture reminds us clearly of the limits of our role: “Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10 God calls us to be faithful where we are, with what we have, among the people He has placed around us. When we focus there, on what is important, immediate, and doable, we can actually begin to change the world around us. And sometimes, that’s exactly how God changes the world.

Grace and Truth… which one actually matters more? I think this question might be at the root of a lot of the tension and disunity we’re seeing among Christians right now—especially in how we respond to the culture around us. And I think some of it comes down to misunderstanding how grace and truth are supposed to work together. Hear me out. All throughout Scripture, we see two big themes in how God interacts with people: grace and truth. Even in the garden, this shows up. It was pure grace that God created us in His image and wanted a relationship with us. But there was also truth—His law. And when that law was broken, separation followed. Grace and truth, together. When Jesus shows up, He doesn’t throw out the law. He fulfills it. He teaches Scripture with wisdom that leaves people stunned. And yet… He eats with sinners. He walks patiently with imperfect disciples. He washes the feet of the man who would betray Him. That tension is everywhere. Grace and truth. Fast forward to today, and it feels like we keep picking one side or the other. Some people go all in on truth. Call everything out. Shout it down. Cancel it. If culture violates God’s design, it needs to be exposed loudly and publicly. Truth matters, period. Others swing the opposite way. “Just love people.” “Don’t worry about sin.” “Jesus forgives, so none of this really matters.” Grace becomes the whole message. The problem is… both of those miss something important. Truth by itself doesn’t save people who don’t believe. Scripture even warns us about this. Jesus talks about not throwing pearls before pigs—not as an insult, but as a way of saying you can’t expect people who don’t share your worldview to value Scripture the way you do. Why are we surprised when sinners act like sinners? Truth is mainly for the family of God. We hold Christians accountable to live like Christians. When we try to force biblical standards on people who don’t believe, it usually just pushes them further away. But grace without truth isn’t love either. Jesus didn’t come with one or the other. He came full of both. As Craig Groeschel puts it: “Truth without grace leads to hell. Grace without truth doesn’t exist.” If we judge anyone—including ourselves—by the law alone, we’re all done. Romans makes that pretty clear. None of us measure up. Not one. At the same time, agreeing with everything someone does just to keep the peace isn’t loving. If my one-year-old reaches for a hot stove, I don’t say, “Go for it, that’s your truth.” I stop her and tell her the truth—because I love her. So maybe the better question is: what if we started with grace? What if we led with love, patience, and relationship—and then spoke truth inside that relationship? Not as a weapon, but because we actually care. And if someone still chooses a path we believe is harmful, we don’t abandon them. We keep loving them. Because grace saves. Our fight isn’t against people. Scripture says it’s against unseen forces. And yet we often end up hating the very people we’re called to reach—over politics, music, or a halftime show no one will remember in a year. Is that really worth losing the chance to share the gospel? Nothing is worth souls. Jesus told us to go and make disciples, not win arguments. The people who vote differently, live differently, love differently, or believe differently are still God’s children. Yes, truth matters—but grace has to lead. Grace and truth. Not one. Both. So what does this look like in real life? It looks like this: we keep loving them. We keep praying for them. We keep showing up. We keep building the relationship. And we keep gently, faithfully leading them toward Christ—slowly, lovingly, with grace and truth working together. Jesus was perfect—the most right person to ever walk the earth. And yet sinners didn’t run from Him. They flocked to Him. Why? Because He embodied the perfect balance of grace and truth. He didn’t water down truth, and He didn’t weaponize it either. He showed us the mark to aim for. Living that way is hard. It will draw fire from both sides. You’ll be “too soft” for some and “too rigid” for others. But it’s worth it. I’ve had the privilege of walking with people who came from very dark places and watching them find salvation in Jesus Christ—seeing lives saved, changed, healed, and restored. There is nothing like it. And that only happens when we love people long enough, patiently enough, and faithfully enough to walk with them toward truth instead of trying to shout them into it. So I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts. Where do we draw lines? How do we actually live this out day to day? Do you even agree with this? Please be kind to one another. We’re here to talk, learn, and sharpen—not fight.

Passion Family, Over the last few weeks in The Playbook series, we haven’t just been talking about vision — we’ve been talking about formation . About who God is shaping us to be as His people in this season. At Passion Church, we believe the Kingdom of God moves forward through partnership, not pressure. Through people who say, “God, You can count on me.” That’s why we’re stepping into Commitment Sunday and a Month of Partnership together. Below you’ll find links to our website with more information about Commitment Sunday, what it means to partner with Passion Church, how to get involved, and a deeper look at Project OIKOS. Please take time to read through this and follow the links. We are prayerfully inviting our church family to seek what God is calling them to do. Our next steps are significant, and this is where you can begin partnering with us. What does it mean to partner with Passion Church? On Commitment Sunday, we’re inviting our church family to prayerfully step into four commitments — not as boxes to check, but as a way of life: GROW Choosing to go deeper in your walk with Jesus — being rooted in Him, authentic before Him, and intentional about spiritual growth. SERVE Using your gifts to love people well — stepping into compassion, meeting real needs, and helping carry the mission of the church forward. GIVE Living generously — not out of guilt or obligation, but as an act of worship and a reflection of God’s heart in a broken and divided world. ATTEND Showing up consistently — building your life around worship, community, and the work God is doing through this house. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about faithfulness . It’s about alignment. It’s about saying yes to what God is doing here. A Word to Those Already Partnered With Passion Church If you are already partnered with Passion Church, I want to say thank you . Your faithfulness, generosity, and willingness to show up have helped shape this church into what it is today. Because of your commitment, lives are being changed and the Kingdom of God is moving forward through this house. During this season, we’re inviting our existing partners to renew their partnerships —not because anything was lacking, but because God is leading us into a new chapter. Renewal is a way of saying, “God, I’m still in. I’m still aligned. And I’m ready for what You’re doing next.” This season is an opportunity to recommit with fresh faith, fresh vision, and a renewed sense of purpose as we move boldly into the future together. Commitment Sunday & the Month of Partnership Commitment Sunday is the starting point — and our largest moment — where we commit together as a church family. Through this Sunday, it will not only unite us in purpose but also allow leadership, myself, staff members, the advisors, and our external oversight team (Elders) to gauge where we are in the process of launching our new campus, both with volunteers and finances. It launches a full Month of Partnership throughout February, giving everyone the opportunity to take their next step in partnership with Passion Church. Beginning February 1 and continuing through the end of the month : Partnership and commitment forms will be available at the Connection Desk each Sunday Online commitment forms will remain open on our website Upfront gifts for Project OIKOS can be given at any time Long-term giving commitments can be submitted throughout the month While Commitment Sunday is our primary push — the moment we believe God will unite us most powerfully — we also want to create space for those who are traveling, sick, new to Passion Church, or simply need more time to pray. Our prayer is that this month will align our hearts, unify our faith, and allow us to move boldly into our next season together . Learn More About Partnership Here Project OIKOS Out of this posture of partnership, we are stepping into Project OIKOS. OIKOS is a biblical word meaning household, family, and those entrusted to our care. Project OIKOS is about building a spiritual home — a place where people can belong, grow, heal, and encounter Jesus for generations to come. Our overall goal is to raise $285,000 over the next 24 months . As part of that, we are prayerfully asking God to provide $120,000 in upfront gifts by the end of April , leaving $165,000 to be fulfilled through long-term giving commitments over the remaining 24 months. I want to say this clearly and pastorally: Project OIKOS is not about money first. It’s about mission. It’s about stewardship. It’s about obedience. Giving is simply one way we participate in what God is doing — alongside growing, serving, and showing up. Learn More About Project OIKOS Here How to Make a Commitment If you’re able to be with us in person on Commitment Sunday, we would love for you to participate together as a church family. If you can’t be there in person, you can still partner with us. Our Commitment Sunday page on the website will be live starting today, and you’ll be able to submit your commitment online. Additionally, commitment cards will be available at the Connection Desk throughout February for anyone who wants to commit in person after Commitment Sunday. Throughout this series, we’ve been reminded that: God is generous, and He forms generous people The world is divided, and the Church must look different Love becomes visible through sacrifice When God’s people commit together, God moves powerfully So here’s my pastoral invitation to you: Pray. Seek the Lord. Talk as a family. Ask not, “What’s expected?” but “What is God inviting us into?” And whether you are partnering for the first time or renewing your partnership , this Month of Partnership is your opportunity to say yes. We are not trying to build something flashy or glamorous. We are building something faithful. Something rooted. Something that will impact lives for generations. I am honored to walk into this next season with you. With gratitude and excitement, Pastor Josh Passion Church 

Before we talk about who God is, I want to invite you to pause and open your heart. We all bring something into conversations about God: • childhood experiences • past church wounds • cultural assumptions • religious confusion • parental mistreatment • or even silence about God For many, the very word “God” carries layers of misunderstanding. So as we explore this doctrine, I’m asking you to do three things: 1. Lay down past assumptions. Not every idea you were taught about God was accurate. 2. Allow Scripture to speak clearly. We are approaching this biblically—not through wounds, fears, or culture. 3. Give grace to your own story and the stories of others. Many people struggle with their view of God. You’re not alone. My goal is not to overwhelm you with theology. My goal is to help you see God clearly, love Him deeply, and trust Him fully. Now, let’s walk together through who God reveals Himself to be. ________________________________________ 1. God Is Creator — The Beginning of Everything Begins With Him The Bible opens with a bold, simple declaration: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” — Genesis 1:1 And honestly, I find it a little humorous how people often present the two major views of how everything began. On one hand, you have the Big Bang: An invisible, unexplainable force that made something out of nothing. On the other hand, you have God: An invisible, eternal Being who made something out of nothing. When you put them side by side, it’s almost funny. In both cases, a cause outside the visible universe sparks life into existence. Both require faith. Both ask us to believe in something we can’t physically observe. The real question isn’t whether an invisible cause started everything. The real question is Who or what that cause is. Some say the universe exploded into existence with no personal intent or meaning. Christians believe the universe was spoken into existence by a personal God filled with purpose, creativity, and love. And here’s the irony: Even the Big Bang—a sudden burst of light and energy—sounds very similar to “Let there be light.” It just depends on how you view it. Many scientists now affirm the universe had a beginning— that time, space, and matter came into existence suddenly, and that the cause must exist outside of all three. That sounds a whole lot like God. Science often describes how things work. The Bible reveals Who made them work— and why He made them at all. God didn’t create because He needed anything. He created because He is overflowing with love, creativity, and purpose. You are not an accident. You are not random. You were created intentionally by a God who knows you and loves you. ________________________________________ 2. God Is Eternal — Unchanging, Unbound by Time, Always Present Psalm 90:2 says: “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” God existed before the universe. He exists beyond time. He does not age, weaken, or evolve. He is not learning or adjusting. He simply is. When Moses asked for His name, God responded: “I AM WHO I AM.” — Exodus 3:14 Not “I was.” Not “I will be.” Just I AM—constant, faithful, ever-present. This matters because: • Feelings change. • People change. • Circumstances change. • Cultures change. God does not. The God who spoke in Genesis is the same God listening to your prayers today. You can build your life on a God who never shifts. ________________________________________ 3. God Is Father — Loving, Protecting, Guiding, and Caring for His Children When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He didn’t say: • “Our Judge…” • “Our Creator…” • “Our King…” He said: “Our Father…” — Matthew 6:9 Jesus intentionally revealed the heart of God as a Father— not distant, cold, or harsh, but relational, present, deeply loving. But for many people, the word “father” is complicated. If your earthly father: • abandoned you, • criticized you, • abused you, • ignored you, • or failed to protect you, then seeing God as Father may feel painful or impossible. Here is the truth you need to hear: God is not the reflection of your earthly father. He is the perfection of fatherhood. Scripture reveals that God is a Father who: • Loves His children (1 John 3:1) • Protects them (Psalm 46:1) • Provides for them (Matthew 6:31–32) • Guides them (Psalm 23) • Disciplines them out of love (Heb. 12:6) • Delights in them (Zeph. 3:17) He is the Father who runs to the prodigal, not away. The Father who carries His children when they are weak. The Father who fights for His family. The Father who never leaves, never wounds, never abuses, never manipulates. He is the Father your soul was created for. ________________________________________ 4. God Is Triune — One God in Three Persons We believe in one God who exists eternally as: • Father • Son • Holy Spirit Not three gods. Not one God wearing three masks. Not one God shifting between roles. One Being. Three Persons. Perfect unity. Why does this matter? 1. God has always been relational. Love existed before creation within the Trinity. 2. God models unity and partnership. The Father plans, the Son accomplishes, the Spirit empowers. 3. The Trinity reveals the depth of God’s love. The Father sends. The Son sacrifices. The Spirit transforms. The Trinity isn’t a puzzle. It’s a beautiful mystery that shows us God’s relational, united, and loving heart. ________________________________________ 5. God Is Sovereign — Fully in Control, Completely Good Sovereignty does not mean: • God forces human choices • God removes free will • God causes evil • God micromanages every detail Sovereignty means: • God’s authority is absolute • God’s plans are unstoppable • God is never surprised • God is never defeated • God works all things for the good of His people God’s sovereignty isn’t about control— it’s about trustworthiness. He is powerful enough to rule creation and tender enough to walk with you through pain. ________________________________________ 6. God Is the Giver of Free Will — The Gift That Makes Love Possible Free will is one of God’s greatest gifts—second only to grace. Why? Because love cannot exist without choice. If God forced obedience, forced worship, forced devotion— it wouldn’t be love. So God gave humanity the ability to: • obey or disobey, • pursue Him or reject Him, • choose good or choose evil, • forgive or stay bitter, • love or hurt, • move toward God or away from Him. This gift is beautiful… and dangerous. It is the foundation for: • every act of kindness • every act of evil • every moment of worship • every moment of rebellion Free will explains why beauty exists and why brokenness exists. You are not a robot. You are a person God loves— a person capable of choosing Him freely. God’s sovereignty and human free will do not compete. They work in perfect tension. God’s will is ultimate. Your choices are meaningful. Together, they shape your life and your relationship with God. ________________________________________ 7. God Is Good — Perfect in Character, Perfect in Love Everything God does flows from His goodness. He cannot: • lie • manipulate • harm • betray • act out of evil He is holy, just, patient, merciful, gracious, and loving. If anything in your life contradicts His goodness, it did not come from Him. ________________________________________ 8. Why Understanding God Matters for Everyday Life If God is Creator — your life has purpose. If God is Father — you are loved and safe. If God is Eternal — He is your anchor. If God is Triune — you were designed for community. If God is Sovereign — you can trust Him. If God gives free will — your choices matter. If God is good — you can run to Him, not from Him. Your entire worldview rises or falls on who you believe God is. ________________________________________ 9. Don’t Just Take My Word for It — Explore Him Yourself Read these Scriptures this week: • Genesis 1 • Psalm 23 • Psalm 90 • Matthew 6 • Luke 15 • John 14–17 • Romans 8 • 1 John 3–4 Ask God to reveal Himself to you as: • Creator • Father • Sovereign • Good • Present Don’t quit when Scripture stretches you. Lean in. Ask questions. Search. God loves revealing Himself to those who seek Him. ________________________________________ 10. Final Thought: The Way You See God Shapes the Way You Live If you believe God is distant, you will feel alone. If you believe He is harsh, you will hide. If you believe He is controlling, you will resist. If you believe He is passive, you will feel abandoned. But if you believe He is: • Creator • Eternal • Triune • Father • Sovereign • Good • Loving • Wise • Present …then everything about your life changes. Your identity changes. Your peace changes. Your purpose changes. Your relationships change. Your decisions change. Your worship changes. Who God is determines who you become. Anchor your life to the God who created you, loves you, redeemed you, empowers you, guides you, and walks with you every step of the way.