Know Grow Show

What is faith? (Faith series)

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
 
The Passage: Hebrews 11:1
The One Thing: What is faith? 
How would you define faith? 
Would you say that your faith right now is healthy or is it suffering? 
Share one short story from your personal library of faith.  

Remnant: Daniel

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
https://www.brookhavenwesleyan.org/leadership.html
 
Guest speaker: Rev Emily Hines
Pastor Emily Hines serves as Discipleship and First Impressions Pastor at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, Indiana. She savors faith and theology discussions over coffee. Her calling is to shepherd, equip, innovate, and lead. Pastor Emily loves doing life and ministry alongside her husband, Pastor Dave Hines, whom she married May 2015. Together, they enjoy theological and biblical discussions, hiking, photography, and playing board games. Pastor Emily graduated in 2014 from Indiana Wesleyan University with a B.A. in Christian Ministry and Biblical Literature. In 2019, she earned her M.Div. from Wesley Seminary.  Pastor Emily joined the staff in 2015.
 

The Weary World Rejoices - Love (Advent 4)

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
 
The Passage: John 3:1-21
The One Thing: True belief induces new birth 
What words can you think of that have “lost their meaning” through overuse in the church (known as “semantic satiation”)? What are the consequences of this? 
Imagine telling someone who’s never heard of Jesus the idea of being born again. How would you explain it to them? What objections might they raise? 
Regarding being “born again”, Dan said that “the shock and absurdity of the physical image is supposed to reflect the shock and absurdity of the spiritual image”. How did being “born again” change from being a radical / offensive idea to being so boring? Was there any way to avoid this? 
Ask God to show you if you’ve been born again. If not, ask Him to give you this new birth.
 

The Weary World Rejoices - Joy (Advent 3)

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
 
The Passage: Isaiah 40:1-6
The One Thing: Joy transforms praise into proclamation
Why do you think so many of us are afraid of “proclaiming” Jesus to others? 
How might joy be the missing component in transforming us from loving God IN HERE (privately) to loving others OUT THERE (publicly)? 
Should we share the gospel if duty or guilt it our only motivation? (Use scriptures to support your answer) 
Have you ever had an experience of God that has led to you not caring what others think of you? If so, share what that was like? 
Look at the “evangelistic message” of the woman at the well in John 4:29 (“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”) How does this differ from the stereotypical evangelistic message? Why do you her message was compelling?
If you were to take this message as a template for you, how would you complete it: “Come, see a man who told me / showed me (fill in the blank). Could this be (fill in the blank)?” How could you see yourself using this “Come / could” model in your own context? 
 

The Weary World Rejoices - Peace (Advent 2)

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
 
The Passage: Romans 5:1-8
The One Thing: Look back. Look down. Look ahead. 
G1 Romans 5:1 talks about having “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. If Jesus is our route to peace with God, what is our status with God outside of Jesus Christ?  Why do we need peace with God? What is peace with God? 
G2 Rom 5:2-3 “And we kauchaomai (boast) in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also “kauchaomai” (glory / boast) in our sufferings”. The same word (kauchaomai or “boast”) is used to describe how we respond to the “hope of the glory of God” and how we respond to “suffering”. How can this be? G3 Rom 5:3-4: “suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope”. In the context of this verse, imagine a world without suffering? What would that world look like? How can these verses be a solid encouragement for someone who is suffering?  
G4 Why is the Holy Spirit such a key part to us having a “hope that does not put us to shame” (v 5) 
G5 We look back at the peace Jesus won for us. We stand in the grace of a right relationship with God. And we move forward in hope of glory. “Look back at peace; stand in grace; move forward in hope”. Ask God to show you which of these He wants to make real in your life at this moment.   

The Weary Rejoices - Hope (Advent 1)

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
 
The Passage: Isaiah 40:1-5
The One Thing: A special kind of year needs a special kind of Advent
What does comfort mean to you? What is the scene?  Where are you? What’s around you? How are you feeling? What are you holding? What can you see? What can you hear? What can you smell?  
In what ways could Advent / Christmas 2020 be considered a blank canvas? Is this a positive or negative thought for you?  
What are some ways that we could fill this Advent with (a) nostalgia and (b) noise? Explain how these would lead to an unsatisfying Advent / Christmas experience? 
Schedule some time this Advent to "go into the wilderness" and start building a highway for God into your life. What are some things that you need to repent of? Are there any mountains of pride that need to be levelled, or valleys of insignificance that need to be raised? Bring these to Jesus at the cross. 
If you don’t have an Advent Devotional, call or email the office (office@knowgrowshow.ca) and ask for your free copy.  

A song to lead you into whole-life worship (Journey Songs)

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://bit.ly/recentchurch
 
The Passage: Psalm 133-134
The One Thing: A song to lead you into whole-life worship
Dan said this: '"God’s message to you through Psalm 133 is “Your contribution is so valued. So precious.” And then in 134 He says “You’re not essential. My worship continues regardless”' Why do you think both emphases are important aspects of worshipping God? Which is more important: that we are valued or that we are not essential? Why? 
Psalm 133 is about unity. What is it about unity that makes is so important? What are some ways that we can misunderstand unity or get it wrong? 
Dan said that unity should never be our goal. It should only ever be a by-product. What did he mean by this? Do you agree with him? 
In what way is God with us when we're together (Psalm 133)? When we're apart (Psalm 134)? Think of scriptures to back up your answer. 
Think back over the series, "Journey Songs". Flick back through Psalm 120-134. Which of the Psalms of Ascent has God used to speak to you? What has He said? 

Journey Songs: A song to lead you into God's presence

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://knowgrowshow.online.church/
 
The Passage: Psalm 132
The One Thing: A song to lead you into God's presence
Is God central in your life or is He on the shelf? How can you tell? 
David vowed to build God a “house” (a temple). God said “no” (1 Chron. 28:2) and instead built David a “house” (a dynasty, a lineage). What does this tell us about the relationship between God and David? 
Kiriath Jearim (“Jaar”) is only 15km from Jerusalem. What prevented the people bringing God (the Ark of the Covenant) home? Why was he sidelined here for 20 years? 
When God came “home” to Jerusalem, David danced before God with “all his might” (2 Sam 6:14). Why did dance like this? And why did Michal (his wife) despise David in her heart (6:15)? What do we learn about David and Michal through this scene? Are you a David or a Michal? 
Acts 7:48 tells us that God does not dwell in buildings – He is too “big”. Yet 1 Cor 6:19 tells us that WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit. What does this teach us about “us”...our “soul” - how can God “fit” in us? 

Journey Songs: A song to lead you into contentment

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://knowgrowshow.online.church/
 
The Passage: Psalm 131
The One Thing: A song to lead you into contentment
Would you say that you are content? Share what areas of life you are least content in? 
Why do you think the Psalmist suggests that the opposite of pride (131:1) is contentment (131:2)?  
When following Christ, does WHO I AM flow out of WHAT I DO, or does WHAT I DO flow out of WHO I AM? 
What is your response to hearing about “the Mother heart of God”? Can you think of any other verses that describe God in mother-like or feminine terms? 
Listen to Kate’s words about her weaned son: “I’m still kind of his gateway to everything else in the world and he interprets his world through the way I react to him”. How might her words be useful in helping us relate to God? 

Journey Songs: A song to lead you into gospel hope

Weekly Podcast from Cornerstone Church, North Gower, Ontario. 
www.knowgrowshow.ca
https://knowgrowshow.online.church/
 
The Passage 
Psalm 130 
The One Thing 
A song to lead you into gospel hope 
414 Cluster Discussion Starters 
1. Psalm 130:1-2 paint a picture of extreme desperation. Psalm 130:3-4 reveals a deep confidence. How can these opposing emotions of desperation and confidence both be true of the believer? 
2. Psalm 130:4 in the ESV says: “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared”. How does God’s forgiveness of the sinner lead to the sinner’s fear of God? Identify different types of fear we see in the Bible / in life. 
3. Can you be a Christian without asking God for forgiveness? What is it about today’s society that seems to resist this idea of “accepting forgiveness”?  
4. Discuss this idea of forgiveness being WITH God (verse 4), unfailing love being WITH God (v7) and full redemption being WITH God (v7). Why are these things pictured as being WITH God? How do they interrelate with each other? Which encourages you the most?