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Got Baggage? | Letting It Go | Part 4
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
May 24, 2026

What do you do with the pain that remains after someone has hurt you deeply?
How do you let go of bitterness when the memories still ache? This Sunday, Pastor Keith Stewart concludes the “Got Baggage?” series with a powerful message called LETTING IT GO. Through unforgettable true stories and the example of Jesus Himself, we’ll explore how forgiveness can free us from the weight of anger, resentment, and unresolved pain. You don’t have to keep carrying yesterday into tomorrow. Join us this Sunday in person or online.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What part of this message impacted you the most personally and why?

2. Pastor Keith said, “Forgiveness does not erase scars, but it can transform what the scars produce.” What do you think that means in real life?

3. Kim Phúc carried bitterness and anger for years after the trauma she experienced. Why do you think pain so easily turns into resentment if left unresolved?

4. The message described anger as a form of protection and control: “When you’re hurt, you feel vulnerable. When you’re angry, you feel invulnerable.” How have you seen anger mask deeper hurts, fears, or disappointments in your own life?

5. Which unhealthy approach to pain do you most relate to?
• Manager
• Firefighter
• Stuffer
How has that coping mechanism affected your relationships or emotional health?

6. Discuss this statement: “There’s a difference between rehearsing your hurt and releasing your hurt.” Why do people sometimes become attached to their pain stories?

7. Why is it difficult to bring emotional wounds honestly before God instead of merely talking about them with other people?

8. The sermon emphasized that Jesus often forgave people before they ever asked for forgiveness. How does that challenge or reshape your understanding of grace?

9. Read Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” What stands out to you most about Jesus’ response from the cross?

10. Pastor Keith said: “God’s forgiveness ALWAYS precedes our repentance. His compassion ALWAYS outruns our contrition.” How have you personally experienced God taking the first step toward you?

11. Is there someone in your life you still need to release to God? Without sharing unnecessary details, what makes forgiveness difficult in that situation?

12. Kim described bitterness like “black sludge” that had to be poured out “day by day and a bit at a time.” Why is forgiveness often more of a process than a single moment? What practical step could you take this week toward healing, forgiveness, or emotional honesty with God?

13. Close your time together by praying specifically for: healing from unresolved wounds, courage to face buried pain, freedom from bitterness, and the ability to forgive as Christ has forgiven us.

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BLESSED ASSURANCE
Pastor Jerrid Fletcher
May 17, 2026

"Blessed Assurance" turns the mirror of forgiveness inward, reminding us that while we've spent weeks learning to forgive others and set healthy boundaries, the one name we cannot leave off the forgiveness list is our own. Drawing from Fanny Crosby's 1873 hymn and the bedrock truth of Romans 8:1 — "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" — this message confronts the lie that grace must be earned through suffering. Many of us have built a prison from the inside and lost the key on purpose, holding ourselves to a standard we'd never apply to anyone else, mistaking guilt for godliness and chains for conviction.

But the gospel declares a different verdict. God's mercy doesn't wait for us to finish punishing ourselves — it meets us, like David in Psalm 51, broken and empty-handed at the mercy seat. Whether the weight you carry is one you placed on yourself (unmet expectations, regret, comparison) or one others placed on you (wounding words, betrayal, abuse, spiritual harm), Jesus has already absorbed the sentence. The "now" of Romans 8:1 is not tomorrow, not when you feel worthy — it's now. Blessed Assurance isn't a hope-so salvation; it's a know-so salvation. And God isn't done writing your story yet.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. The message reminded us, "We hold ourselves to a standard we would never apply to another human being." Where in your life do you find yourself extending grace to others but withholding it from yourself? What do you think is underneath that?

2. Romans 8:1 says there is now no condemnation. Why do you think the word "now" is so hard for many of us to actually receive? What would change in your daily life if you truly believed the verdict has already been declared in your favor?

3. The sermon described two categories of weight — the weight we put on ourselves and the weight others have put on us. Which one do you carry more of, and can you name a specific voice, memory, or moment that still echoes in your head today?

4. The story of being called "a mere drummer" showed how one word can shape years of decisions and self-perception. What words have been spoken over you that you've allowed to become your identity? What would it look like to give those words back?

5. "Enough is enough comes when you stop negotiating with what's killing you." What is the one thing — a regret, a shame, a chain — that you sense God is inviting you to lay down today? What's keeping you from walking through the door He's already opened?

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GOT BAGGAGE?
When People Keep Hurting You | Part 3
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
May 10, 2026

Few things are more difficult than forgiving someone for the same hurt twice. You thought the matter was settled. You prayed through it. You chose grace. You started putting the pieces of your heart back together. Then it happened again. Repeated wounds don’t just cause pain—they weaken trust, exhaust the soul and make us question whether reconciliation is even possible. So what does God say when forgiveness becomes a cycle instead of a single moment? This Sunday, we’ll talk honestly about repeated hurt, difficult relationships and the kind of forgiveness that seems almost impossible.

1. What is the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation? Why is that distinction so important?

2. The message distinguished between a “mistake” and a “pattern.” Why is recognizing patterns important in relationships?

3. Have you ever experienced any part of the “cycle of abuse” described in the message (tension, explosion, honeymoon, repetition)? What made it difficult to recognize or address?

4. Why do you think Christians sometimes struggle with setting healthy boundaries?

5. Which unhealthy responses do people most often use with difficult people?
• Reasoning with the unreasonable
• Excusing destructive behavior
• Cajoling and threatening
• Reacting and retaliating
Which one do you tend toward personally?

6. Why can boundaries actually be an expression of love rather than rejection?

7. Pastor Keith shared how Brenda’s boundary became a turning point toward healing and growth. What does that teach us about truth, consequences, and change?

8. What does it practically look like to: forgive someone, release bitterness, and still wisely protect your heart?

9. Is there a relationship in your life where God may be asking you to establish healthier boundaries?

Close by praying for:
wisdom,
courage,
healing from past wounds,
and the grace to forgive without enabling destructive behavior.

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GOT BAGGAGE?
The Lies That Keep You Stuck | Part 2
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
May 3, 2026

What if the very thing keeping you stuck isn’t your past—but what you believe about it? This Sunday, we’re tackling the lies that make forgiveness feel impossible: that it excuses wrong, erases consequences, or forces you back into unhealthy relationships. The truth is far more freeing—and far more powerful. If you’ve ever struggled to let go, move forward, or make sense of the hurt you carry, this message is for you. Join us in person or online for Got Baggage? – Part 2: The Lies That Keep You Stuck.


Discussion Questions

OBSERVATION (Understanding the Text/Message)

Opening (Engagement)

When you hear the word “forgiveness,” what is your immediate reaction—and why?

Which of the myths discussed in the message do you think is most commonly believed in today’s culture?

Scripture & Understanding
In Genesis 50:20, Joseph clearly names the wrong done to him. Why is it important that forgiveness does not deny the seriousness of sin?

How does Galatians 6:7 help clarify the difference between forgiveness and consequences?

In the parable from Luke 15, what was the older brother afraid of—and how does that reflect our own hesitation to forgive?

Reflection (Personal Application)

Which myth about forgiveness have you personally struggled with most?

Have you ever confused forgiveness with one of the following: minimizing, excusing, reconciling, or forgetting? What happened as a result?

Is there a situation in your life where you’ve withheld forgiveness because you feared it would let someone “off the hook”?

Reconciliation & Boundaries

The message states: “Forgiveness depends on me; reconciliation depends on us.”
Where have you seen that distinction play out in real life?

Why is repentance, restitution, and rehabilitation necessary for reconciliation—but not for forgiveness?

Have you ever felt pressure (internal or external) to reconcile when it wasn’t wise or safe? How did you respond?

Deeper Work

The message described three levels of confession:
“I’m sorry I was caught”
“I’m sorry I was wrong”
“I’m sorry for what I caused”
Why is the third level so critical for rebuilding trust?

What does it practically look like to “not weaponize the past” in a relationship?

Closing (Action Step)

Is there someone you need to forgive right now? What is one concrete step you can take this week toward releasing that burden?

If you’re not ready to forgive, what would it look like to begin praying, “Lord, make me willing to be willing”?

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GOT BAGGAGE?
The Weight of The Past | Part 1
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
April 26, 2026

We all carry baggage—but some of it is heavier than we realize. In “The Weight of the Past,” we’ll confront how unresolved hurt quietly shapes our lives—physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Left unaddressed, it doesn’t stay behind us—it takes control of us. But there is a way forward. Join us this Sunday as we begin the journey of identifying what we’re carrying and taking the first step toward the freedom God intends for us.

Discussion Questions

OBSERVATION (Understanding the Text/Message)

1. What stood out to you most from this message? Why do you think it resonated?

2. How does the message describe the impact of unresolved hurt across the five areas: physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and psychological?

3. According to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18, why is forgiveness not about setting limits but removing them altogether?

INTERPRETATION (Digging Deeper)

4. The message suggests that “bitterness always remembers details.” Why do you think painful memories tend to replay more than positive ones?

5. What does it mean that resentment can “bind you” to the person who hurt you? Have you seen that dynamic play out in real life?

6. The distinction between “this happened to me” vs. “this moved through me” is significant. How does each perspective shape a person’s identity and future?

REFLECTION (Personal Application)
7. Is there a situation or person that came to mind during the message that you may need to forgive? What makes that difficult?

8. In what ways might holding onto a hurt be affecting your life right now (stress, relationships, outlook, spiritual life)?

9. Do you tend to define yourself more by your wounds or by what God has done for you? Why?

APPLICATION (Next Steps)

10. What is one practical step you can take this week toward releasing a past hurt (prayer, conversation, reframing your thinking, seeking counsel)?

11. The prayer “Lord, make me willing to be willing” was suggested—how might that become a starting point for you?

12. How can this group support one another in moving toward forgiveness and freedom in the weeks ahead?

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WHEN GOD SEEMS SILENT
Dr. Jessica Fernandez
Sunday, April 19, 2026

Navigating seasons when prayers feel unanswered can test even the strongest faith. What do you do when heaven feels quiet and nothing seems to change? In the book of Habakkuk, a prophet wrestles honestly with God over injustice, confusion, and delay. Yet in the middle of his questions comes a defining truth: “The righteous will live by faith.” This message explores how God’s silence is not indifference, but an invitation to deeper trust—forming a faith that can worship even when circumstances remain uncertain.

1. Seasons of silence can feel disorienting and deeply personal, often surfacing emotions we don’t always express. When have you experienced a season where God felt silent? What emotions did you wrestle with during that time?

2. Habakkuk models honest faith—he brings his real questions to God instead of hiding them. Why do you think it’s sometimes hard for believers to be honest with God about their doubts or frustrations?

3. God answered Habakkuk, but His answer was unexpected and even uncomfortable. Can you think of a time when God’s answer looked different than what you prayed for? How did you respond?

4. Living by faith often means trusting God’s character when we don’t have clarity about our circumstances. What does it look like in a practical, everyday way to live by faith when you don’t have answers?

5. Habakkuk’s journey ends not with changed circumstances, but with a changed perspective—choosing joy in God regardless. What would it look like for you to practice “yet” faith in your current situation this week?

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THE VALUE OF LETTING GO
Pastor Jerrid Fletcher
April 12, 2026

In “The Value in Letting Go,” Pastor Jerrid walks us through one of the most honest questions we rarely stop to ask ourselves: Can I let it go? Using the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18, this message unpacks not just what we hold on to — our outcomes, our identities, our hurt, and even the versions of ourselves that existed before loss reshaped us — but more importantly, why we hold on: because it’s familiar, because we don’t fully trust God with the outcome, because letting go feels like losing, and because many of us were simply never taught how. The message introduces the theology of an open hand — the idea that a closed fist, no matter how tightly gripped, exhausts us, blocks us from receiving anything new, and ultimately reveals a trust issue dressed up as a survival instinct. Through the Identity Test — “God is not good because of what He does; God is good because of who He is” — and the concept of the broken wanter, we are challenged to examine the hidden accounts we’ve been making deposits into for years: unforgiveness, control, idolatry, and pain. Like the rich young ruler who came running with the right question and walked away sad because he couldn’t open his hand, we are each standing at a crossroads. The invitation of this message is simple and costly at the same time: open your hands, release what you were never meant to carry, and trust that what God places in open hands will always be worth what you released.

Discussion Questions

• What is the thing you walked in carrying today — the burden that was there before you even
pulled into the parking lot? Have you named it yet?

• Is your grip on it rooted in Spirit-led perseverance or fear-driven holding on? What’s the
difference in your own life, and how do you tell which one is which?

• What does your “broken wanter” look like? What account have you been making deposits into —
unforgiveness, control, pain, or something else?

• The rich young ruler called Jesus “good” but couldn’t act on it when it cost him something. Where
is the gap between what you confess on Sunday and what you actually trust God with on
Monday?

• If God is good not because of what He does but because of who He is — does that change?

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SEVEN DAYS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
FROM DISAPPOINTMENT TO DISCOVERY | PART 7
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
April 5, 2026

Easter doesn’t begin with celebration—it begins with disappointment. Two followers of Jesus walked away from His grave convinced the story was over, their hopes shattered and their future uncertain. But what they didn’t realize was that Jesus was walking with them the entire time. In the same way, God meets us in our confusion, speaks into our pain, and reveals Himself when we least expect it. Because Easter reminds us that God does His greatest work on the day we think it’s over.

Discussion Questions

A. Observation (What does the text say?)

In Luke 24, what emotions and assumptions are driving the two disciples as they walk to Emmaus?

What are the specific ways Jesus engages with them before revealing His identity?

According to the passage, when do the disciples finally recognize Jesus—and why might that moment matter?

What changes immediately in the disciples after they recognize Him?

B. Interpretation (What does it mean?)

Why do you think the disciples were unable to recognize Jesus at first?

What does this story teach us about the relationship between Scripture and understanding Jesus?

How does the idea of the “third day” pattern help us interpret the resurrection?

What is the difference between hoping for something and putting hope in someone?

C. Reflection (Where does this meet your life?)

Can you identify a time when life didn’t turn out the way you planned? How did it affect your faith?

Where in your life right now do you feel like “it’s over”?

Have you ever sensed that God was present with you only after the fact—not in the moment?

What keeps you from recognizing God’s presence in difficult seasons?

D. Application (What needs to change?)

What would it look like for you to “invite Jesus to stay” in a practical, daily sense?

Is there something you need to open up about (to God or others) in order to move forward?

How can you shift your hope from circumstances to the character of God?

Who is someone in your life that needs to hear the hope of Easter—and how can you share it?