Gateway campus pastors answer your questions about faith, the Bible, and God in live Q&A sessions. Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are learning.
Biochemist and former skeptic Fazale Rana shares about the powerful scientific evidence for God’s existence and the reliability of the Bible.
Could any reasonable person really believe Jesus was resurrected from the dead? Does faith require you to simply “take a leap,” or is there proof of who Jesus claimed to be? And why does it matter? What could the truth of the resurrection mean for our faith and our lives as a whole?
Having an unpopular message to share with others can be a daunting task. But just as we need friends and family in our lives to share truth with us, we also serve a God of both truth and love. How can God’s truth, even when tough to hear, lead us to a more hopeful future?
It’s often easy to make our own plans for our lives, and it’s often difficult to let go of those plans when things don’t seem to be going the way we expected. But God tells us in the Bible that He has His own plan for each of our lives, and He promises us that His way will be best. What does it take to let go of our plans and to trust God in every aspect of our lives?
Many times in our lives we experience circumstances beyond our control, whether that involves finances, relationships, family, health, or even the weather. Being human, we often feel the need to worry and try to control the various factors in our lives in an attempt to protect ourselves and the ones we love, but ultimately we don’t have the power. What could it look like to let go and trust God to be in control of all the things we care about so much?
In life, we all go through trials and tribulations that may seem impossible to get through. Moses, a man whose life is chronicled in the Bible, had many such difficult situations. But we learn through his experience that we’re faced with a choice of whether we will act out of fear or whether we will trust God. When times get tough, will you cry out to God, or will you trust in your own limited abilities?
As we step into the community God desires for us, we also find that God gives those who follow Him great gifts. And when we allow the Holy Spirit to use those gifts to serve others, those gifts sometimes show up in supernatural ways. How can we begin to better understand God’s giftings and how He intends for us to use them in community?
When you are part of something bigger than yourself— a job, family, or organization, for instance—you experience how everyone has a role to play in order for everything to run smoothly. In God’s family, His Church, it’s no different. He gifted each and every one of us with a spiritual ability to do something important and necessary that can impact everyone around us. How has God gifted you? Bonus Reading from Not Like Me – Chapter 7, and Chapter 10.
God’s hope is to bring people from all nations, tribes, languages, and ethnicities together into one family. It’s why Jesus came to die for all of us. But oftentimes, this harmonious diverse community is not at all our experience. What leads us to issues in our diverse communities, and how can we overcome the barriers that plague us?
We all long for an ideal community—one where we’re understood, loved, and supported. But that type of community doesn’t come over night. Along the journey to finding a group of folks to do life with, we all face real struggle. How can we build the type of community God wants us to have in our lives, despite the fact that real people come with real problems?
Your work matters! But sometimes you need some encouragement and inspiration to persevere. Each month you'll hear from people leading in the marketplace that are making an impact. This month, Kimberly Watson-Hemphill talks about her journey to lead one of the top women owned businesses in Austin, Tx.
We were created to be in relationship with one another. Many of us struggle with this, however, because we have all been wounded and hurt. But God’s table is set for all—we are all welcome. Are you ready to sit at God’s table and be part of a community that is loving, accepting, authentic, growing, caring, and encouraging? Work through the following questions and Scriptures on your own, and get together with your running partner, life group, or friends and family to talk through what you are lea...
Training vs Trying
Training vs Trying
Training vs Trying
Training vs Trying
One of the key aspects of learning to manage and even overcome our anxiety requires us to bring others into our fight. God calls us to do life deeply and authentically with other Christ followers, so we can experience the hope found only in community. What does it look like to invite others into our pain and fears so that we never have to battle alone?
Overcoming anxiety may feel impossible at times. The struggles we experience may seem like mountains too tall to climb. But what if we could be so practiced in habits of mind that anxiety and fears have no chance to take hold?
We have become an increasingly anxious people and developed many habits that can keep us mired in anxiety. But God gives us the groundwork to develop good habits that will help to alleviate those anxieties and bring us peace. Finding God’s peace—one that “transcends all understanding”—requires trust in Him. Do you trust God to remove your anxiety and bring you peace?
Anxiety is at epidemic levels in our society, and for many of us, it is a daily struggle. Coming in various forms, from frivolous worries to debilitating anguish, our experiences may seem unavoidable. But what could be behind all this anxiety, and where can we find hope for true freedom?
When a new year draws near, many of us associate this time with an opportunity to start anew. But often we fail to first explore and acknowledge the roots of the issues that rob us of the freedom we are seeking. How can we look to our pasts to ensure we create strong foundations for our future?
One of the best things about the weirdness of Austin is that it gives us permission to not be perfect. This Christmas, forget about your quest to take the perfect family photo, buy the perfect gift, or act like a perfect person. Instead, feel welcomed to come as you are, as we remember the weirdest Christmas in history and learn how an unlikely King promises peace for us all.
When some people think of God, they conjure up images of an iron-fisted man who binds us with rules and punishes us when we don’t follow them. But God actually desires a life full of joy for all of us. How can we discover and maintain joy in our lives, and how can God use that joy to change the world around us for the better?
We live in a world that often makes us believe taking is best and giving will leave you coming up short. But God demonstrated to us that His economy is one of abundance, where we never have to worry that we won’t have all that we need and more. But believing that you can give instead of take requires trust. Do you trust in God’s example of giving?
Jesus was born into poverty and scandal. He came into the world amidst the stench of animals and their manure. He died as a common criminal on a Roman cross. He taught about the love of God, did miracles that some believed, and others doubted. Forty days after his death, he only had 120 followers left. His life should have done nothing to alter the course of human history, and yet no one has had a greater impact. What impact will you have with your life? Are you willing to impact the world aroun...
Although we may all have a great many individual differences, coming from diverse walks of life and having unique life experiences, there are also commonalities that tie us all together. One of those is a desire for connection and the need to feel known and accepted. God offers these amazing gifts, and He invites us to take advantage of them. How will you respond to His invitation?
Encounters with Jesus usually lead to distinct responses, whether positive reactions or negative reactions on our part. But with the knowledge that Jesus is a God that fully sees us and still offers love and grace, even through the difficulties of vulnerability, it is hard to ignore an encounter with Him. How will you respond to God, knowing that He sees you and has compassion for who you are and all you go through?
In our highly divided political climate, many of us have heard that we must vote red, or we must go blue, to be Christian. We tend to attack those who do not think like us and support our values, and thus have reduced God to a set of behaviors and policies. In contrast, what does it really mean to not only know God, but to experience Him on a deep, relational level?
Our stories create a picture for others to see how God enters our lives and brings healing, meaning, and connection, rather than the rules and condemnation we sometimes associate with Him. But how do we face down our fears of others’ reactions and explain how God has freed and empowered us?
