Church @ Home Guides
Here you will find discussion guides for your Church @ Home group each week.
Week of September 13
Church @ Home — Week of September 13
Theme: From Death Toward Life
Primary Group Text: Ephesians 2:1–10
Tonight is not about repeating Sunday’s sermon or figuring out the cause behind every struggle. We’re gathering around the table, listening to Scripture together, caring for one another, and asking where Jesus may be leading us toward life.
Gathering Flow — 75–90 Minutes
Table, Meal & Communion — 30–35 minutes
Eat together. Give people time to arrive, settle in, and be present with one another. Don’t rush the meal to get to the “important part.” The table is part of the important part.
Gratitude: As you eat, invite everyone to share one thing from the past week for which they are grateful
Confession: After some time together, create a brief moment of quiet. You might invite everyone to consider privately:Where have I felt pulled away from God, from others, or from what gives life this week?
No one needs to share anything they don't want to share. Leave some room for silence.
Communion: Take bread and the cup together. Remember that our hope is not ultimately our ability to fix or free ourselves. Jesus gave himself for us, brings us near, and gives us life.
Pray a simple prayer of gratitude for Christ’s grace and presence.
Word & Discernment — 30–35 minutes
Ephesians 2:1–10
Before opening the passage, pray:
Jesus, help us listen. Give us eyes to see what is here, humility to ask honest questions, and grace to hear what you want to show us together. Amen.
Then read Ephesians 2:1–10 slowly, preferably twice. If helpful, have two different people read it.
Before discussing it, give everyone a few quiet minutes.
Notice and write down:
What words, phrases, contrasts, or repetitions stand out?
What movement do you see taking place in the passage?
What questions does the passage raise for you?
What does the passage show us about God?
What does it show us about the things that influence or shape human beings?
Where do you see movement from death toward life?
What seems to change because of God’s action?
According to verses 8–10, what kind of life are we being restored for?
Don’t feel pressure to answer every question. Follow the places where the group becomes curious.
If the group encounters a word, phrase, or context question no one understands, you have permission to briefly use Redeemer’s Custom GPT together for clarification. Use it to help you return to the text—not to do the group’s discernment for you.
Finish with this question:
Where might Jesus be inviting you to move toward life this week?
Give people time to think before answering.
Service & Care — 10 minutes
Ask:
Is there something happening in your life right now where you need this community to come alongside you?
Listen before trying to solve.
Consider whether there is a practical need the group can meet: a meal, a phone call, help with kids, encouragement, transportation, prayer, presence, or another tangible act of care.
Then pray for one another.
Invitation & Mission — 5–10 minutes
Ephesians 2 ends with people being made alive by grace for a new way of living.
Ask:
Who might God be putting in front of us to move toward with life, grace, hospitality, or care this week?
Choose one simple response individually or together. It could be inviting someone to dinner, checking on a neighbor, helping someone in need, reconciling a relationship, or making room for someone who has been isolated.
Close by praying for those people by name.
Theme: From Death Toward Life
Primary Group Text: Ephesians 2:1–10
Tonight is not about repeating Sunday’s sermon or figuring out the cause behind every struggle. We’re gathering around the table, listening to Scripture together, caring for one another, and asking where Jesus may be leading us toward life.
Gathering Flow — 75–90 Minutes
Table, Meal & Communion — 30–35 minutes
Eat together. Give people time to arrive, settle in, and be present with one another. Don’t rush the meal to get to the “important part.” The table is part of the important part.
Gratitude: As you eat, invite everyone to share one thing from the past week for which they are grateful
Confession: After some time together, create a brief moment of quiet. You might invite everyone to consider privately:Where have I felt pulled away from God, from others, or from what gives life this week?
No one needs to share anything they don't want to share. Leave some room for silence.
Communion: Take bread and the cup together. Remember that our hope is not ultimately our ability to fix or free ourselves. Jesus gave himself for us, brings us near, and gives us life.
Pray a simple prayer of gratitude for Christ’s grace and presence.
Word & Discernment — 30–35 minutes
Ephesians 2:1–10
Before opening the passage, pray:
Jesus, help us listen. Give us eyes to see what is here, humility to ask honest questions, and grace to hear what you want to show us together. Amen.
Then read Ephesians 2:1–10 slowly, preferably twice. If helpful, have two different people read it.
Before discussing it, give everyone a few quiet minutes.
Notice and write down:
What words, phrases, contrasts, or repetitions stand out?
What movement do you see taking place in the passage?
What questions does the passage raise for you?
What does the passage show us about God?
What does it show us about the things that influence or shape human beings?
Where do you see movement from death toward life?
What seems to change because of God’s action?
According to verses 8–10, what kind of life are we being restored for?
Don’t feel pressure to answer every question. Follow the places where the group becomes curious.
If the group encounters a word, phrase, or context question no one understands, you have permission to briefly use Redeemer’s Custom GPT together for clarification. Use it to help you return to the text—not to do the group’s discernment for you.
Finish with this question:
Where might Jesus be inviting you to move toward life this week?
Give people time to think before answering.
Service & Care — 10 minutes
Ask:
Is there something happening in your life right now where you need this community to come alongside you?
Listen before trying to solve.
Consider whether there is a practical need the group can meet: a meal, a phone call, help with kids, encouragement, transportation, prayer, presence, or another tangible act of care.
Then pray for one another.
Invitation & Mission — 5–10 minutes
Ephesians 2 ends with people being made alive by grace for a new way of living.
Ask:
Who might God be putting in front of us to move toward with life, grace, hospitality, or care this week?
Choose one simple response individually or together. It could be inviting someone to dinner, checking on a neighbor, helping someone in need, reconciling a relationship, or making room for someone who has been isolated.
Close by praying for those people by name.
Devotional Reading
Week of September 13
Learning to Recognize the Way Toward Life
These readings prepare your heart for Church @ Home without giving you all the answers beforehand.
How to Use This Plan
Before each reading, ask God to help you listen.
Read slowly. You may want to read the passage twice.
Notice what surprises, troubles, encourages, or confuses you.
Write down questions instead of immediately trying to solve them.
Bring those questions and observations to Church @ Home.
If something in a passage is difficult to understand, you may use Redeemer’s Custom GPT to clarify a word or some biblical context. Let it help you understand what you're reading rather than replacing the process of reading, wondering, praying, and listening.
Reading 1 — John 9:1–7
When simple explanations aren't enough
Notice the assumption the disciples make when they encounter someone's suffering.
How does Jesus respond to their explanation?
What questions does this raise about the way you interpret suffering—your own or someone else's?
Don't rush to resolve the tension.
Reading 2 — Matthew 4:23–25
Jesus encounters complicated people
Read the list of people coming to Jesus carefully.
What differences do you notice in the ways their suffering is described?
What does Jesus do?
What does this short description make you curious about?
Reading 3 — 1 John 4:1–6
Greater is the One who is in you
Notice both the seriousness and the confidence in John's words.
What are believers told to do rather than simply believe everything they encounter?
Where does John's confidence come from?
Sit with the phrase:
“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
What might it look like to live from that confidence?
Reading 4 — Ephesians 2:1–10
But God
Read this one especially slowly.
Make two columns on a piece of paper:
What pulls toward death | What God does
Fill them in only from what you see in the passage.
Then circle the words “But God” in verse 4.
What changes after those words?
Finally, compare verses 2 and 10. What do you notice about the two different ways of “walking” or living?
Bring whatever you discover—and whatever you still don't understand—to the group.
Reading 5 — Colossians 2:6–15
Alive with Christ
Notice every place where Paul describes something God has done.
What does Jesus' death and resurrection accomplish?
What does the passage say about powers and authorities?
What might Paul want Christians to feel, believe, or do differently because these things are true?
End your week with a simple prayer:
Jesus, show me what leads toward life. Help me trust your grace and follow where you lead. Amen.
Learning to Recognize the Way Toward Life
These readings prepare your heart for Church @ Home without giving you all the answers beforehand.
How to Use This Plan
Before each reading, ask God to help you listen.
Read slowly. You may want to read the passage twice.
Notice what surprises, troubles, encourages, or confuses you.
Write down questions instead of immediately trying to solve them.
Bring those questions and observations to Church @ Home.
If something in a passage is difficult to understand, you may use Redeemer’s Custom GPT to clarify a word or some biblical context. Let it help you understand what you're reading rather than replacing the process of reading, wondering, praying, and listening.
Reading 1 — John 9:1–7
When simple explanations aren't enough
Notice the assumption the disciples make when they encounter someone's suffering.
How does Jesus respond to their explanation?
What questions does this raise about the way you interpret suffering—your own or someone else's?
Don't rush to resolve the tension.
Reading 2 — Matthew 4:23–25
Jesus encounters complicated people
Read the list of people coming to Jesus carefully.
What differences do you notice in the ways their suffering is described?
What does Jesus do?
What does this short description make you curious about?
Reading 3 — 1 John 4:1–6
Greater is the One who is in you
Notice both the seriousness and the confidence in John's words.
What are believers told to do rather than simply believe everything they encounter?
Where does John's confidence come from?
Sit with the phrase:
“The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
What might it look like to live from that confidence?
Reading 4 — Ephesians 2:1–10
But God
Read this one especially slowly.
Make two columns on a piece of paper:
What pulls toward death | What God does
Fill them in only from what you see in the passage.
Then circle the words “But God” in verse 4.
What changes after those words?
Finally, compare verses 2 and 10. What do you notice about the two different ways of “walking” or living?
Bring whatever you discover—and whatever you still don't understand—to the group.
Reading 5 — Colossians 2:6–15
Alive with Christ
Notice every place where Paul describes something God has done.
What does Jesus' death and resurrection accomplish?
What does the passage say about powers and authorities?
What might Paul want Christians to feel, believe, or do differently because these things are true?
End your week with a simple prayer:
Jesus, show me what leads toward life. Help me trust your grace and follow where you lead. Amen.