Abide Series Resources

Opportunities to Serve

Read on to watch an awesome video on what it means to serve AND to fill out a questionnaire related to some opportunities to serve we have here at Community in the coming months!

Our creative worship design team found a great video which is a call to serve – it hints at 1 Corinthians 12 – the church with differing gifts as one body – but the line that grabbed us is “It’s time for our church to rise up and be all that the church was intended to be.” Watch that video below, and reflect on what God is calling you to do in this season.

Our church is starting to make a turn – there will be a “new normal” on the other side of this sheltering and as restrictions are lifted, we’re going to have to navigate how we can begin to regather wisely and safely and to do it with the resources – campus, money and people – paid and unpaid servants that God has provided us.

This is an opportunity to problem solve, to be creative – to put love in action. To love our neighbors and engage with ways to invite outside groups back onto our campus.

We’ve created an online form with four simple options . . .

About the Series

Bible Study. Prayer. Fasting. Service. These are just a few of the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. While all Christ-followers agree about the essential nature of these practice, most of us live lives with a sense of frustration when it comes to consistently implementing them. Because we’re living in the middle of a consumer-driven culture, one that’s constantly pushing us toward anything quicker, newer, better and more convenient, it’s a constant struggle to fit these spiritual disciplines in between everything else grappling for our attention.

But Jesus has a better way.

In the season after Easter, we’ll examine key sections in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) -to see how these grace practices subvert the rhythms of our suburban culture. That subversion happens when we stop striving to do a better job at Christianity and start finding the rhythm of truly abiding in Christ.

Tired of trying and failing? Tired of being driven by performance? Then maybe it’s time to cease striving and start abiding. Let’s explore the rhythm that Jesus offers us to find freedom and fruitfulness. (This will not be your typical “pray and read your Bible” series -promise!) Our series is called Abide -Practicing Kingdom Rhythms in a Consumer Culture. Here are the worship themes . . .

April 19 – Abiding -The Kingdom Versus Suburbia
April 26 – Rhythm One: Feeling Scripture (Move Past Just Reading)
May 3 – Rhythm Two: Intentional Prayer (Fight the Sickness of Hurry)
May 10 – Rhythm Three: Purposeful Fasting Part 1 (Deprive with Meaning)
May 17 – Rhythm Three: Purposeful Fasting Part 2 (Deprive with Meaning)
May 24 – Rhythm Four: Joyful Service (Make Room for Others)
May 31 – Rhythm Five: Genuine Community (Do It Together)

Resources to Go Deeper

April 19 – The Kingdom v Suburbia

In his message, Pastor Stan suggested you write your own set of Suburban Beatitudes (like “Blessed are the aggressive for they shall get their own way.”) and see how they contrast with Jesus’ beatitudes found in Matthew 5.

April 26 – Feeling Scripture

See how well you do at recognizing the fonts/letters connected to national brands of all manner of businesses – try playing the Retail Alphabet Game.

Watch how Ryan Ferguson brings Hebrews 9 and 10 to life.  Feeling it?

May 3 – Intentional Prayer

May 10 – Purposeful Fasting Part One

May 17 – Purposeful Fasting Part Two

May 24 – Joyful Service

May 31 – Genuine Community

Prayer Resources

How to Pray by Pete Greig

On Monday 27th April, 24-7 International Prayer will be launching a new five-week season of Lectio 365 inspired by Pete Greig’s book, How to Pray. If you want to go deeper in prayer, get a copy of the book, read the relevant chapters each week and explore free online resources from 24-7 Prayer.

The Prayer Course (A Free 8 Week Online Course)

Audio Devotions

Week 1 – Feeling Scripture – “Lifeblood”(added April 22, 2020)

Week 2 – Intentional Prayer – “Help”(added April 29, 2020)

Week 3 – Purposeful Fasting – “Satisfaction” (added May 6, 2020)

Week 5 – Joyful Service – “Reconciliation” (added May 20, 2020)

Week 6 – Genuine Community – “Intentionality” (added May 27, 2020)

Book Recommendations

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
City of God
Conspiracy of Kindness: A Refreshing New Approach to Sharing the Love of Jesus with Others
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Death by Suburb: How to Keep the Suburbs from Killing Your Soul
The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God
Follow Me
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
The Imitation of Christ
Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Live
Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community
Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home
Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving
Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to Be With God
The Weight of Glory


hilary ann’s favorite books »