Let Grace Speak First
Experiment with letting assurance speak before confession, then notice how grace changes the quality of truth-telling.
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What Fruit Is Growing?
Discern the fruit growing from our practices and imagine Christian communities formed by joy, honesty, courage and repair.
Open resource →The Theology Beneath Grace First
Explore the Reformed conviction that God acts before we respond, with careful attention to Scripture, Calvin, the Heidelberg Catechism and Presbyterian worship.
Open resource →Sources and Further Reading
Follow the biblical, confessional, liturgical and scholarly sources behind Grace First, with links for further study.
Open resource →Holding the Conversation
Optional guidance for creating a hospitable conversation in which participation is invited, silence is permitted and no ordained leader is required.
Open resource →Before We Responded, God Acted
Receive the promise that God’s mercy moves toward us before we find the right words, and notice what becomes possible when grace speaks first.
Open resource →What Story Are Our Practices Telling?
Examine what our worship practices teach us about God, sin and grace—and whether their order tells the story we actually believe.
Open resource →Who Is in Front of You?
The Ordinary Work of Christian Leadership In Mark 6, Jesus and the disciples are confronted by an enormous crowd. The day is growing late,…
Open resource →004 — Faithful Stewardship
Focus, Flexibility, and the Work Before Us Scripture Facilitator note: The bold questions are the primary conversation prompts. The additional questions are optional. Let…
Open resource →005 We Become What We Practice
The Slow Work of Forming Healthier Christian Communities With assistance from Judy Mitchell and Josh Daum Why Doesn’t Anything Really Change? It happens almost…
Open resource →004 Juneteenth and the Gospel of Shalom
Juneteenth and the Gospel of Shalom Deliverance, Discipleship, and Learning to Listen A Public Discipleship Discussion, 004 June, 2026 The God Who Hears What…
Open resource →001 Joining the Mission
Foundation #1: God’s Mission “The good news of the Gospel is that the triune God…creates, redeems, sustains, rules, and transforms all things and all…
Open resource →003 Looking Beyond the Rubble
Discerning God’s Future in a Time of Change Focus on Relationships Prayer The book of Haggai takes place during a pivotal moment in Israel’s…
Open resource →001 When Barnabas Came to Town
Recognizing God’s Grace in One Another Most churches can tell stories about people who helped them become what they are today. Perhaps it was…
Open resource →006 When Safety Becomes Disobedience
Discerning the Line Between Wisdom and Avoidance A Righteous Risk Conversation May, 2026 There is a form of faith that looks responsible but is…
Open resource →003 Between Distance and Witness
Between Distance and Witness Public Discipleship in a Difficult Conversation A Public Discipleship Discussion, 003 May, 2026 In recent years, conversations around LGBTQIA+ life…
Open resource →005 Widening the Circle
Luke 10 and the Risk of Letting Go A Righteous Risk Conversation April, 2026 After these things the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent…
Open resource →Where Are You Seeing God Now
Building Relationships As we come to this fourth conversation, we turn to a story that feels strikingly familiar to many of us—the journey on…
Open resource →A Hard Season
Building Relationships In Scripture, faith is not formed only in moments of clarity or blessing. It is often forged in loss, uncertainty, and the…
Open resource →Who Has Shaped You
Building Relationships In Scripture, we are rarely formed alone. Again and again, we see that who we become is shaped through relationships—through people who…
Open resource →Story of Our Names
Building Relationships Names Matter In the Bible, names are not just labels—they carry identity, story, and calling. Sometimes a name tells you where someone…
Open resource →002 People Before Process
Preparing for ministry without losing the center When something important is approaching, ministry teams often become consumed with the work around the work. Messages…
Open resource →001 Mission in the Front Seat
001 Mission in the Front Seat: Keeping Vision and Relationships Ahead of Management and Structure A Leadership Conversation, 001 March 10, 2026 Church boards…
Open resource →002 In a Time of Escalation
In a Time of Escalation A Public Discipleship Discussion, 002 March 2, 2026 Publication Note: 002 is based on current events, not the designed…
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