Lakeside Church

Lakeside Church

We are a community helping people discover and fully follow Jesus.

  1. 4d ago

    Saints & Scoundrels: What Empire Does to Us

    Prince of Egypt. Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat. Veggie Tales. You may know rags to riches Joseph who was sold into slavery by his ruthless brothers, unfairly imprisoned for 13 years then rises to be second in command to Pharaoh. This is the guy with the great leadership skills and forgiving heart. But there’s more to Joseph. In this message by Joash Thomas, we come to see Joseph as a man seduced by empire with deadly consequences. And how his legacy lives on, perhaps a little, in all of us. Questions: 1. What surprised you most about what the message today? Does any part of Joseph's story makes you uncomfortable? 2. Have you ever justified something because "it works," even though it didn't sit right with you spiritually? 3. Have you ever found yourself becoming the very thing that once hurt you? 4. Is there an area where success has tempted you to value achievement over compassion of others? 5. Where might I be confusing success with faithfulness? 6. Who is negatively impacted by the systems that benefit me? 7. What parts of my life are more shaped by empire than by the Kingdom of God?

    Saints & Scoundrels: What Empire Does to Us

  2. Jul 19

    Saints & Scoundrels: Seeing God in the Grey

    Have you ever realized how quickly you judge someone's worst moment without ever asking what brought them there? Some of the most uncomfortable stories in Scripture reveal a God who isn't afraid of messy people, complicated situations, or moral grey areas - and they invite us to see others the way God does. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore the story of Tamar and Judah, discovering that while people often fixate on scandal, God is relentlessly focused on justice, redemption, and restoring those who have been overlooked, discarded, and silenced. Discussion Questions: 1. We often reduce biblical characters - and people in our lives - to either heroes or villains. Why do you think we're so drawn to simple labels instead of complex stories? 2. When you hear the story of Tamar in its context, how does it change how you might read other stories in scripture? How does it change how you see others and particularly their life choices? How does it change how you see yourself? 3. Judah saw Tamar primarily as a means to an end rather than as a person with dignity. Where do we still tend to treat people as problems to solve, obstacles to remove, or categories to fit into instead of people to know? 4. Think about someone you find difficult to understand or easy to judge. What might change if, instead of asking "What's wrong with them?" you asked, "What happened to them?" 5. The Bible was written largely by and for oppressed people. How might reading scripture from the perspective of the vulnerable rather than the powerful change the way we interpret familiar stories? 6. This week, when you encounter someone holding a cardboard sign, someone who lashes out in anger, someone caught in addiction, or someone who has hurt you personally, what would it practically look like to move from judgment to curiosity and compassion without abandoning wisdom or discernment? 7. Judah had sex with Tamar at a place called Enaim, which means “opening of the eyes.” Judah didn’t recognize Tamar - his eyes were closed - but out of that encounter his eyes would be opened and he would see clearly. Have you had an encounter or situation where your eyes were opened to a truth about God or yourself that surprised you?

    Saints & Scoundrels: Seeing God in the Grey

  3. Jul 12

    Saints & Scoundrels: The Hall of Fame Nobody Would Vote For

    Have you ever felt like your doubts, failures, or unfinished story disqualifies you from God? The truth is that the "father of our faith" wasn't a flawless spiritual giant - he was a deeply ordinary man who stumbled, questioned, waited, and failed, yet God remained faithful every step of the way. In this message from Mike Carmody, we discover how Abraham's life points us away from performance and toward the grace of a God who keeps His promises, even when our faith wavers. Discussion Questions: 1. Before this message, what words would you have used to describe Abraham? Did anything surprise you about his story? 2. Which part of Abraham's life do you relate to most right now: being called into the unknown, failing out of fear, waiting on God, doubting His promises, or learning to trust Him? 3. Why do you think we tend to turn biblical figures into "marble statues" instead of seeing them as real people? 4. Mike said, “Because if God can build the entire family of faith on a man who was that much of a mess, then maybe, just maybe, there is room in the story for me. And there is room in it for you.” What emotions do those words bring out? 5. Abraham repeatedly struggled with the same fear and made the same mistake. What does his story teach us about recurring sins or weaknesses in the life of a believer? 6. Why do you think God often chooses unlikely or unqualified people to accomplish His purposes? What does that reveal about God's character? 7. The waiting between God's promise and Isaac's birth lasted 25 years. How does prolonged waiting shape - or challenge - our trust in God? 8. Genesis says Abraham's faith was "counted as righteousness." Why is that distinction between something being counted versus earned so central to the gospel? 9. In Genesis 22, Abraham demonstrates a level of trust that seems very different from earlier in his life. What do you think changed in him over those years? 10. Where is God inviting you to trust Him today instead of trying to control the outcome yourself, and what would taking one step of faith look like this week?

    Saints & Scoundrels: The Hall of Fame Nobody Would Vote For

  4. Jul 5

    Saints & Scoundrels: Who Really Broke Eden?

    What if one of the Bible's most misunderstood people isn't who you've always been told she was? For centuries, Eve has been portrayed as the woman who ruined everything, but what if we've been reading more into the story than Scripture actually says? In this message from Robyn Elliott, we begin our Saints & Scoundrels series by taking a fresh look at Eve, uncovering how cultural assumptions have shaped our understanding of her story, and discovering what Genesis really reveals about equality, shame, blame, and the God who still calls us out of hiding. Discussion Questions: 1. Before this message, what words or ideas immediately came to mind when you thought of Eve? Where do you think those impressions came from? 2. Why do you think people naturally gravitate toward heroes and villains? How has that shaped the way we read Scripture? 3. What challenged you most about looking at Genesis with "fresh eyes" instead of relying on assumptions or traditions? 4. If Adam and Eve were given the same calling to rule together, what implications does that have for how we understand relationships, leadership, and the image of God? 5. Have you ever discovered that something you always believed the Bible taught wasn't actually in the text? How did that affect your faith? 6. We spend so much time asking why Eve listened to the serpent that we rarely stop to ask why Adam stayed silent. What was happening in him? Was it fear? Passivity? Curiosity? Had he already made up his mind? Genesis doesn't answer every question, but it certainly refuses to let Adam off the hook. 7. Shame caused Adam and Eve to hide, but God still came looking for them. How have you experienced shame causing you to hide from God or others? 8. Where do you see blame replacing responsibility in today's culture? How do Adam and Eve each respond differently when confronted by God? 9. Are there labels or stories that other people have placed on you that you've begun to believe? What does God's voice say that's different?

    Saints & Scoundrels: Who Really Broke Eden?

  5. Jun 28

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: Where Do We Go When We Die?

    Have you ever wondered whether everything you've been taught about heaven is actually what the Bible says? What if the greatest hope of Christianity isn't escaping this world, but seeing God make all things new? In this message from Robyn Elliott, we unpack Revelation's breathtaking conclusion, challenge some of our biggest assumptions about heaven and the rapture, and discover why our future hope changes how we live right here, right now. Discussion Questions: 1. When you hear the word "heaven," what images or assumptions immediately come to mind? Where do you think those ideas came from? 2. What stood out to you most from this message? Why do you think it resonated, or challenged you, or even confused you? 3. Revelation ends with heaven coming to earth rather than people escaping earth. How does that reshape the way you understand God's ultimate plan? 4. Why do you think "escape theology" has become so compelling throughout church history? What needs or fears does it speak to? 5. Jesus spent far more time caring for people's present suffering than describing the afterlife. What might that teach us about what following Jesus looks like? And how does that shape the way we love people? 6. How does understanding books like Matthew and Revelation within a first-century Jewish and Roman context affect the way we read difficult biblical passages? What resources do you use or find helpful when studying the Bible and understanding context and theology? 7. This message suggests that theology has practical consequences. Can you think of ways certain beliefs about the future influence how Christians engage (or disengage) with justice, compassion, and the world around them? 8. Which gives you more hope: the idea of going somewhere else after death, or the promise that God is making all things new? Why? 9. Romans 8 says nothing can separate us from the love of God - not even death. How might believing that change the way you face uncertainty, grief, or fear? 10. If our future is ultimately life with God in a renewed creation, what is one practical way you can participate in God's renewing work this week? Resources: BOOKS: Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds PODCASTS & LECTURES Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17 Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259 Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/ Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: Where Do We Go When We Die?

  6. Jun 21

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: Are We In for a Catastrophic Conclusion?

    What if heaven isn’t about where you’re going and who gets in and who gets left out? In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore Revelation 21-22 and uncover a stunning vision of a God who isn't destroying humanity, but rescuing it - defeating evil, throwing open the gates, and making all things new. This isn't a story about escaping earth; it's a story about heaven invading it. Discussion Questions: 1. When you hear the word "heaven," what images or assumptions immediately come to mind? Where do you think those ideas came from? 2. What do you think is at stake in the difference between a God who destroys creation and a God who redeems it? 3. Revelation describes the gates of the New Jerusalem as never being shut. What does that image communicate about God's character? 4. Robyn’s message argues that God's judgment is directed toward evil rather than people. What do you find compelling - or challenging - about that idea? 5. If heaven is "the realm and rule of God" invading earth, where do you already see signs of that happening today? 6. Why do you think fear-based interpretations of Revelation have remained so popular within parts of the church? 7. Revelation ends with a city whose resources flow outward rather than being hoarded inward. What might that vision teach us about economics, generosity, and community -  and what would it look like to embody that way of life now? 8. How does the image of God making "everything new" shape the way you think about people, society, and the future? 9. If the New Jerusalem is both a future hope and a present reality, where do you already see glimpses of it in our world today? 10. The Book of Revelation is less about predicting events and more about revealing what reality looks like when God finally defeats evil. How has that changed the way you’re reading the book as we’ve gone through this series? 11. What questions have surfaced as we’ve gone through this series?

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: Are We In for a Catastrophic Conclusion?

  7. Jun 14

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: The War that Wasn’t

    Why are so many Christians fascinated by end-times destruction but uncomfortable with enemy-loving Jesus? Revelation may be asking a very different question than we've assumed. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we unpack one of Revelation's most violent-looking passages and discover surprising clues that point us back to the crucified Christ. What if the ultimate victory of God isn't achieved through killing enemies, but through transforming them? Discussion Questions: 1. Before this series, what words or images came to mind when you thought about Revelation? Have any of those changed today or have they changed over the past seven weeks? 2. If Revelation is an unveiling of Jesus rather than a prediction of the end of the world, how does that shift the way you read the book? 3. Why do you think violent interpretations of Revelation have often been so compelling to Christians throughout history? 4. The rider's robe is already covered in blood before any battle takes place. What significance do you see in that detail? 5. What do you make of the idea that the sword coming from Jesus' mouth symbolizes truth confronting deception rather than violence against people? 6. If God's judgment is directed toward evil, not people, what challenges or questions does that raise for you? 7. Robyn said, "We are victorious when we follow the way of the Lamb, not just the beliefs of the Lamb." What is the difference between those two things? 8. Where do you find yourself most tempted to trust power, control, force, or self-protection instead of the way of sacrificial love? 9. If Jesus truly reigned in your workplace, school, family, neighborhood, or city, what would look different? What is one practical step you could take this week to embody the way of the Lamb there? 10. Taken together, how do these clues transform Revelation 19 from a story about violence into a story about truth, redemption, and victory through love? Resources: BOOKS: Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds PODCASTS & LECTURES Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17 Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259 Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/ Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: The War that Wasn’t

  8. Jun 7

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: Power, Prosperity, and the Pull of Empire

    What if the greatest threat to your faith isn't something obvious, but something you've learned to admire? Revelation isn't a roadmap to the end of the world; it's an unveiling of the powers, systems, and allegiances that quietly shape our lives. In this message from Robyn Elliott, we explore the beasts, the infamous 666, and John's startling warning that evil often disguises itself as success, security, prosperity, and even religion itself. Discussion Questions: 1. When you hear "Revelation," what assumptions or images immediately come to mind? Where do you think those ideas came from? 2. Robyn suggested that reading Revelation primarily as a prediction of future events can become escapist. Do you agree or disagree? Why? 3. What does it mean to say that Revelation "comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable?" 4. Why do you think evil is often easier to recognize in individuals than in systems, institutions, or cultures? 5. The dragon, the beasts, and the prostitute all symbolize forces larger than any one person. What modern examples might fit those categories today? 6. How does John's portrayal of empire challenge the way we think about power, success, patriotism, economics, or influence? 7. Robyn's message describes evil as something that often masquerades as good. Can you think of examples where something beneficial or attractive can also become harmful or oppressive? 8. Revelation presents the slaughtered Lamb - not military strength - as God's answer to evil. Why is that vision so counterintuitive? What implications does it have for how Christians engage conflict today? 9. If the "mark of the beast" is less about a future technology and more about allegiance and participation in systems opposed to God's kingdom, how might that change the way we read the passage? 10. Looking honestly at your own life, where do you feel tension between the values of God's kingdom and the values of the surrounding culture? Resources: BOOKS: Bauckham, Richard, The Theology of the Book of Revelation Duncan, Jeremy, Upside Down Apocalypse Gorman, Michael, Reading Revelation Responsibly McKnight, Scot, Revelation for the Rest of Us Peterson, Eugene, Reversed Thunder Sprinkle, Preston, Exiles Whitaker, Robyn, Revelation for Normal People Wood, Shane, Thinning the Veil Zahnd, Brian, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God Zahnd, Brian, The Wood Between the Worlds PODCASTS & LECTURES Boyd, Greg, Woodland Hills Church sermon series beginning 2023 09 17 Whitaker, Robyn, Bible for Normal People podcast, Ep 259 Witherington, Ben III, Seven Minute Seminary series, Youtube Wood, Shane, Ozark Christian College Lectures https://www.shanejwood.com/the-book-of-revelation/ Wright, N. T., Youtube Lectures

    Unveiling the Apocalypse: Power, Prosperity, and the Pull of Empire
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Information

  • Creator
    Lakeside Church
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodes
    500
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Lakeside Church