Rainier Valley Church - Seattle

How is Your Christmas Spirit? (John 1:1-4 and Phil 2:1-11)

"How is Your Christmas Spirit?" (John 1:1-4 and Philippians 2:1-11) Among Us: A Christmas Story Sunday, December 17th Discussion and Study Questions  The Call to Humility (Philippians 2:1-4) - How does Paul's call for unity in verses 1-4 impact the way we connect and assess new churches in 2024?  Why is it so important to have Theological, Relational, Philosophical, Missional unity with your church family?    The Example of Humility (Philippians 2:5-8) - How is the story of Christmas t...

Know Your Rights this Christmas (John 1:9-12 and 1 John 2:28-3:3)

"Know Your Rights this Christmas" (John 1:9-12 and 1 John 2:28-3:3) Among Us: A Christmas Story Sunday, December 10th Discussion Questions: Who is the "true light" mentioned in verse 9 and why is light a fitting description of this figure? (Hint: consider John 8:12) What are some ways we can share the "true light" of Jesus with others in our community? How is Jesus a light into the darkness of our lives and the lives of those we know and love? Why do you think the world did not recog...

"What Gifts are You Getting for Christmas?" (John 1:14-18)

"What Gifts are You Getting for Christmas?" (John 1:14-18) Among Us: A Christmas Story Sunday, December 3rd Discussion Questions:  Presence and Glory John 1:14-15 - What does it mean that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us? How does this challenge our understanding of God?What does John mean by "we have seen his glory"? What kind of glory are we talking about here? Grace and Truth  John 1:16-17 - How is the glory of Jesus described? What does it mean that he is "full of grace and...

Who Is Coming Over for Christmas? (John 1:1-5)

"Who is Coming Over for Christmas?" (John 1:1-5) Among Us: A Christmas Story Sunday, November 26th Discussion Questions: Who is someone you are looking forward to seeing this Christmas season? Why is preparing our hearts so important for our deep enjoyment of the Christmas season. Jesus is the Eternal God - John 1:1 (What does it mean that Jesus is the Word?) Jesus is the Creator God - John 1:2-3 (Why is it important to understand that Jesus is the Creator? Jesus is the Living God ...

Everyday Disciple: Always Rejoicing and Giving Thanks

"Always Rejoicing and Giving Thanks" (Philippians 4:10-13) Everyday Disciple Sunday, November 19th

Everyday Disciple: Knowing and Using Your Gifts

Everyday Disciple: Walking with God through Suffering

"Walking with God through Suffering" (John 11:17-45) Everyday Disciple Sunday, November 5th Discussion Questions What does Jesus' weeping at the tomb of Lazarus reveal about his character? Why did Martha and Mary doubt Jesus even though He had previously performed many miracles? What is the significance of Jesus' statement that He is "the resurrection and the life"? How does Jesus' raising of Lazarus challenge our understanding of death and dying? What does the reaction of the Jewi...

Everyday Disciple: Resisting Temptation

"Resisting Temptation" (1 Corinthians 10:13) Everyday Disciple Sunday, October 29th Discussion Questions Share a time when you were tempted and how you overcame it. What are some of the things that you do to resist temptation in your everyday life? What are some of the ways that the Holy Spirit has helped you to overcome temptation? What are some of the things that we can do as a small group to support each other in our struggles with temptation? What does it mean to say that God wi...

Everyday Disciple: Singing Praises

"Singing Praises" (Ephesians 5:18-21) Everyday Disciple Sunday, October 22nd Discussion Questions What are some of your favorite songs and why? How has music been meaningful at different season of your life?  What are some silly songs or commercial jingles that have got stuck in your head over the years? What was the first song you remember hearing as a child? What songs deeply impacted you as a teenager?  Read through Ephesians 5:18-21 and consider what sin is to be avoided, what co...

Everyday Disciple: Praying Passionately

"Praying Passionately" (Matthew 6:9-12) Everyday Disciple Sunday, October 15th Adoration - Spend Time with the Father (6:9)   Intercession - Seek the Kingdom in Seattle (6:10)  Petition - Trust God with My Needs (6:11)  Confession - Be An Example of Forgiveness (6:12)  Warfare - Fight Against the Evil One (6:13) Worship - Praising His Glory (6:13b)  6:9 “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Pray that Go...

Everyday Disciple: Believing Truth

"Believing Truth" (Psalm 1:1-6, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 12:1-2) Everyday Disciple Fall Sermon Series  Sunday, October 8th Truth Matters - The Blessing of Walking in Truth (Psalm 1:1-6) What is the main difference between the righteous person and the wicked person in this psalm? What does it mean to "walk in the counsel of the ungodly, stand in the path of sinners, and sit in the seat of the scornful"? What does it mean to "delight in the law of the Lord" and to "meditate in his law ...

Everyday Disciple: Following Jesus

New Sermon Series "Everyday Disciple" What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus, and why does it matter? How are we live out being followers of Jesus in the everyday stuff of daily life? This Sunday, October 1st, we begin an 8-week series looking at the importance of practical discipleship such as following Jesus, believing truth, praying passionately, singing praises, walking through suffering, resisting temptation, knowing and using our gifts, and always rejoicing and giving thanks. ...

Trusting God (Psalm 91:1-16)

"Trusting God" (Psalm 91) Standalone Message - RVC Member's Meeting Sunday, September 24th Community Group Discussion Questions What are some of the names of God that are used in Psalm 91? What do these names tell us about God's character? What does it mean to dwell in the shelter of the Most High? How can we make God our refuge and dwelling place? What does it mean to "call on the name of the Lord"? How can we do this more effectively? What are some of the ways that God protects us, b...

Formation in Obedience (Matthew 7:13-29)

"Formation in Obedience" (Matthew 7:13-29) Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Sunday, September 17th BIG IDEA: We Make Our Decisions and our Decisions Make __ Two Paths and _________ (7:13-14) Two Prophets and ___________ (7:15-19) Two Pleas and ___________ (7:20-23) Two Homes and ___________ (7:24-29) Community Group Questions What are some big decisions that your grandparents or parents made that deeply impact your life? What are some of the biggest decisions you’ve ...

Formation in Relationships (Matthew 7:1-12)

"Formation in Relationships" (Matthew 7:1-12) Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Sunday, September 10th Logs and Specks (Matt 7:1-5) What do we have to do first to help others? Dogs and Hogs (Matt 7:6) How can we practice discernment in our relationships with non-believers? Bread and Stones (Matt 7:7-12) What is the Golden Rule “Do Unto Others What You Would Have Them Do To You” Community Group Questions In what areas of your life are you most likely to be judgmental of...

Formation in Peace (Matthew 6:25-34)

"Formation in Peace" (Matthew 6:25-34) Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Sunday, September 3rd Sermon Outline What are some things you worry about?  - Take a moment to write down some of your biggest worries Jesus’ teaching on what to do with our worries and fears. Reorder Your __________ Remember Your _____ Recognize Your _________ Consider God’s _______ Focus On What Really _______ Don’t Borrow _______ Community Group Questions What in your life creates the mos...

Formation in Kingdom Riches (Matt 6:5-24)

"Formation in Kingdom Riches" Matthew 6:5-24 Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Sunday, August 27th Kingdom Riches Outline from Dan Nordblad · Introduction: Who I am, what I do, my connection w/Pastor Kyle · Sermon on the Mount nuances, ethics, takeaways as it pertains to spiritual formation/character development. (Ro. 5.3-5, Ro. 5.29) · Sermon on the Mount as it is predicated off the first beatitude (Mt. 5.3) · The imputation of kingdom righteousness both legal and incarnat...

Formation in Personal Prayer (Matt 6:5-15)

Guest Speaker: Joe Culumber  What does it mean to pray in secret and why is Jesus highlighting the importance of a private prayer life? (Matthew 6:6) Why should we not pray like the hypocrites? What are the hypocrites trying to "get" out of their prayer time? (Matthew 6:5) What is the difference between praying in public and praying in secret?  What practical lessons can we learn from Jesus' teaching and example of prayer? What are the main stumbling blocks in our life around prayer? ...

Formation in Pleasing Piety In A Posturing World (Matt 6:1-18)

"Formation in Pleasing Piety In A Posturing World" Matthew 6:1-18 Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Sunday, August 13th Community Group Questions: Can you think of some examples of public posturing not shared by Jon? Of the three acts of piety Jesus uses as examples which do you have the most experience with? Which do you have the least experience with? What are some examples of religious hypocrisy in our day? What are some ways you have found yourself having the wrong ...

Formation in Enemy-Love (Matthew 5:38-48)

Formation in Enemy-Love (Matthew 5:38-48) Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Sunday, August 6th with Guest Speaker James Rayment Community Group Questions: James explained that to "turn the other cheek" (verse 39) means to not return an insult for an insult. What ways can we deescalate tensions and turn the the volume down on conflicts that we are involved in? On the opposite end, what responses might we have that turn the volume up? How can we be tempted to be personally venge...

Formation in Faithfulness (Matthew 5:31-37)

Formation in Faithfulness Sermon on the Mount: A Kingdom Upside Down Matthew 5:31-37 Sunday, July 30th Guest Speaker: Pastor Chris Short Community Group Questions: 1) What does this passage teach us about the character of God and ourselves? 2) Divorce can be a painful and sensitive subject. How does this passage inform our understanding of divorce and remarriage? 3) As a disciple of Jesus, what does it look like to pursue faithfulness in the marriage covenant? 4) According to the p...

Formation in Purity (Matthew 5:27-30)

Formation in Self-Control "Reconciliation and the Heart of God" (Matthew 5:21-26)

1) Jesus addresses the first of six contentions with the moral law by speaking into the intention of the words of the Law rather than the words themselves. Have you experienced a time when you obeyed the law rather than the intentions behind the law?   2)God is the ultimate, righteous, judge. And in this text we see that true worship with Him includes right relationship with one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord. What is the purpose of leaving behind your sacrifice BEFORE you of...

Formation in Scripture "King & Law" (Matthew 5:17-20)

Discussion Questions for Community Group/Personal Study  1) Christ claims that all scripture bears witness to him. That may be easy to see in some passages but more obscure in others. Are there any verses or passages that are particularly difficult for you to see Christ? What might be some strategies for you to consider in clarififying them? 2) What are some verses or passages that you can identify that you may understand as something as other than Christ? How can you approach them in ...

Formation in Identity "Salt & Light" (Matthew 5:13-16)

Discussion Questions for Community Groups or Personal Study  What does Jesus mean when he calls his followers salt? What does it mean to be salt in the world? How can we be salt in our families, workplaces, and communities? What does Jesus mean when he calls his followers light? How can we be light in the world? What are some specific ways that we can shine our light? What are some challenges that we face in being salt and light in the world? How can we overcome these challeng...

Formation in Attitude (Kingdom Character)

Hey church family.  This Sunday, I had the honor of opening our Bibles to the greatest sermon ever preached: the Sermon on the Mount.  I shared what it is versus isn’t, and then unpacked the ground-breaking beatitudes, Matthew 5:1 - 12. Attached below is a short summary of the context I gave to the entire Sermon on the Mount series.Questions to consider for your reflection this week: Jesus is a master teacher who chose to make his opening statement in his sermon the beatitudes, the first wo...

Father's Day - It's Good to Be a Man

It's Good to Be A Man: The Calling of Godly Masculinity  Family Life Sermon Series Sunday, June 18th (Happy Father's Day 2023!) Rainier Valley Church Seattle, Washington Discussion Questions What does it mean to be a good father or spiritual father? What are some of the qualities that make a good father or spiritual father? What are some of the challenges of being a father or spiritual father? How can fathers and spiritual fathers model God's love for their children? How can fathe...

Loving the Little Years: Imitating God

Loving the Little Years: Imitating God Ephesians 5:1, Psalm 115:4-8, 2 Corinthians 3:18 Rainier Valley Church (Family-Style Worship Service) Discussion Questions When you were a kid, who did you want to be like when you grew up and why? How did you imitate your heroes? George Bernard Shaw once famously wrote that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it’s the sincerity form of learning” How do we learn through imitation? Read Ephesians 5:1 and discuss what does it mean to i...

The 4 Seasons of Parenting

“The 4 Seasons of Parenting" (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Ephesians 6:1-4 and Various Proverbs) Family Life Sermon Series - Sunday, June 4th Rainier Valley Church - Seattle, Washington Discussion Questions Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. How can we make sure that our children learn to love God? What are some ways that we can teach our children about God's love by proactively giving them formative teaching or reactive corrective discipline? How can we make our homes a place where God is honored and whe...

Childlike: Recovering the Christian Vision (Mark 10:13-16)

Standing On The Promises (Psalm 127:1-5)

Praise Her in the Gates (Proverbs 31:10-31)

Victory in the Fight (Jude 24-25)

Jude: Contending for the Faith Week #4 “Victory in the Fight” (Jude 24-25) The Power of God  - God Will Preserve and Protect Us (24a) Jude begins his doxology by praising God for what? Why is God's promise to keep us from stumbling or falling so precious and how does it impact the Christian life? The Promise of God - We Will See His Glory and Share His Joy (24b) How is God able to present us blameless before His glory? Why is being in the presence of God the ultimate source of joy in ...

The Fight for the Heart (Jude 17-23)

A Study in the Book of Jude "Jude: Contending for the Faith"  Week 3: “The Fight for the Heart” (Jude v. 17-23) Pastor Kyle begin his message by highlighting several celebrities who grew up as Christians but has since renounced their faith and walked away from Christianity.  The statistics show that we are leaving in the middle of a cultural revolution where people are leaving the Christian faith in unprecedented numbers. How should we respond? Jude recommends looking back, looking up and...

The Fight (Jude 5-16)

2. The Fight (Ancient & Modern) (Jude 5-16) Jude: Contending for the Faith Contextual and Application Questions on Jude v. 5-16: 1. How does each of the Old Testament examples in v. 5-7 illustrate a rebellion of belief in the mind of the creature about the Creator and the status of the creature in relation to the Creator? (How did they deny the authority, morality, and glory of God?) 2. Where do the beliefs of false teachers originate? What will they ultimately result in? (v.8, 10) 3. ...

A Call to Fight (Jude 1-4)

Jude: Contending for the Faith For those of you who like to read ahead and prepare for Sunday worship, this week we will begin a new series in the book of Jude. Author D.J. Rowston once wrote that Jude is the “most neglected book in the New Testament.” The little book of Jude is often neglected because of several factors. The book of Jude is relatively short. In America, we are tempted to equate worth and importance with size. Since the book is short, many assume (wrongly) the book is u...

Resurrection Sunday 2023

“Happy Monday after Easter/Resurrection Sunday" We had an incredible Easter Sunday celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus with record-breaking attendance and amazingly powerful testimonies of God's radically transformative grace. I want to thank all the volunteers for helping to set-up the Kids Easter Egg Hunt (@Shelly Lischke, @Sarah Johnson, @Violet Lischke, @Crystal Van Tine) set-up and tear down the baptismal (@Ben Johnson, @Ken Sabalza @Erik G), and lead us in joyful praise and worship...

Together #3 Becoming Like Jesus Together

“Becoming Like Jesus Together" Together: Building Relationships in a Broken World Rainier Valley Church - Seattle, Washington - Sunday, April 2 7 Biblical Qualities of Christian Love Genuine (12:9a) Truthful (12:9b) Family-Like (12:10a) Honorable (12:10b) Passionate (12:11) Persistent (12:12) Practical (12:13) 1.Genuine (12:9a) 1 John 4:19 “We love, because he first loved us” You’ll never have to love someone more annoying than you’ve been to God You’ll never have to f...

Together #2 "Making Jesus' Final Command Our First Priority"

“Making Jesus' Final Command Our First Priority” Together: Building Relationships in a Broken World Rainier Valley Church - Seattle, Washington - Sunday, March 26 The Mission   Profess (Matt 28:18-20) Proclaim (Mark 16:15-16) Participate (Luke 24:46-48) Peace (John 20:21-22) Power (Acts 1:8) Jesus gives the great commission 5 different times in 5 different ways. What are some of the similarities and differences in these texts? How can we make Jesus’ last command our first prio...

Together #1 "You Need the Church and the Church Needs You!" (1 Cor 12:12-26)

Together: Building Relationships in a Broken World Together #1 “You Need the Church and the Church Needs You” (1 Cor 12:12-26) Rainier Valley Church - Seattle, Washington - Sunday, March 19th Big Idea: “We’re saved into one body (unity) to use our gifts (diversity) to build one another up (Interdependence)”  Live in One Body - Unity (12:12-14) The Apostle Paul says the Church is the body of Christ that is made up of every single Christian playing their unique part. What ways does the...

Growing Old Together (Song of Solomon 8:5-14)

Growing Old Together - Song of Solomon 8:5-14 Love Songs: A Study in the Song of Solomon Sunday, March 12th   Transformative Love (8:5) The community was amazed by how much the woman has been transformed in her relationship to her beloved. Love is meant to be transformative. How have the relationships in your life transformed you? What ways have you grown and changed because of those who are closest to you? The challenges we face in our marriages and friendship aren’t flaws but fea...

Deepening Faithfulness - Song of Solomon 7:1-8:4

Deepening Faithfulness (SOS 7:1-8:4) Everything changes over time, some things get better and some things get worse. What are some examples of things that can get better with time and what are some examples of things that get worse with time?  What are examples you have seen in your life of marriages or even friendships that have deepened over time and what makes them different than marriages and friendships that have fallen apart? What are some of the key relational elements that you’ve...

Fighting Fair: Conflict and Growth - Song of Solomon 5:2-6:13

Opening Discussion Questions Since tonight we are going to talk about conflict let’s start thinking about this topic with what is the dumbest thing you’ve ever fought over? Share a time when an unmet expectation made you a lot angrier than it should have. How does self-centeredness play into the things you fight about? Share examples and talk about how it could have been handled in a more others-focused way. How aware of your own self-centeredness do you think you are? How could you get a ...

“The Wedding Night: Sex and Sexuality - Song of Solomon 3:6-5:1"

Opening Discussion Questions Which of the following views of sex were you taught growing up and why? Hedonistic view: Everything is about sex. Sex is the ultimate and greatest pleasure Contemporary view: Just a biological function so what’s the big deal? Religious view: Dirty and/or weird and save it for the one you love! Avoidance view = Just don’t even talk about it. To be avoided at all cost. What is the biblical view of sex and why does it matter? What are some ways the world'...

The Art of Pursuit - Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5

Love Songs: A Study of the Song of Solomon “The Art of Pursuit” Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5 Sunday, February 12th Discussion Questions This section of Song of Solomon talks about Spring. Which season of the year is your favorite (like the actual weather)? This week's message in the Song of Solomon 2:8-3:5 was about the art of pursuit. What do you need to pursue or protect in our season of life? Did you have any examples of a good, godly marriage when you were growing up? How have those e...

The Art of Attraction - Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7

Love Songs: A Study of the Song of Solomon “The Art of Attraction” Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7 Sunday, February 5th Discussion Questions • What are some funny and misleading descriptions you’ve heard of from online dating profiles or blind date set-ups? • What qualities does our culture say attraction is built upon? What issues might be caused by people using those worldly qualities as a basis for a relationship? • What one area will you work on developing in yourself to be someone who h...

"Mission - Serve Our City in 2023"

Community - Live as family in 2023 We believe that Jesus makes us family. We are passionate about Christian community. As part of the family of God, we order our lives around deep and joyful fellowship with one another. We want to be a family that eats together, supports one another, serves and cares for each other. Making a community that is known and needed   Formation - Become like Jesus in 2023 We believe that Jesus changes people. We are passionate about transformational disci...

"Formation - Become Like Jesus in 2023"

Rainier Valley Church’s Vision for 2023 (Community + Formation + Mission) Community - Live as family in 2023 We believe that Jesus makes us family. We are passionate about Christian community. As part of the family of God, we order our lives around deep and joyful fellowship with one another. We want to be a family that eats together, supports one another, serves and cares for each other. Making a community that is known and needed   Formation - Become like Jesus in 2023 We belie...

"Community - Live As Family in 2023"

Onward: Launching into a New Year Week #1 "Community - Live As Family in 2023" Biblical Text: Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-34, John 17:20-23, Hebrews 10:24-25, Topics Covered: Community, Fellowship, Unity, Church Family, Goals, Big Idea of the Message: We want to live as the family of God in 2023 Application Point: Becoming a vital member of a community that is known and needed by one anotherDiscussion Questions for the New Year: What are 5 ways you could develop the relationships you need in yo...

Living Stones: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Living Stones: Looking Back, Looking Forward Biblical Text: Joshua 4:1–7, Exodus 12:24-27a, Deuteronomy 6:20-25, 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 Topics Covered: New Year's, 2023, Remembering, Faithfulness, Trust, Future Big Idea of the Message: God’s faithfulness in the past reminds us that we can trust him for the challenges of the future. Application Point: Take time to remember what God has done for you this year as you consider your plans for and concerns about this new year. Discus...