Pioneer Church

Religion rejects what it doesn't expect Religious people can't hear from God when they're only listening to themselves The World is Wrong (Fuel) Broken people are only content when they're in control Religion tries to make it Right (Heat) Religion promises rights but delivers rejection Bias is prioritizing preference over evidence Jesus wants us to join him on the journey Do you have the ability to accept Jesus, despite what you expect of yourself? Discussion Questions: Have you ever had someone overreact to you in church about something you said? When is a time you chose comfort when you felt convicted about something wrong you were doing? When is a time you tried to make something right that ended up making it worse? What expectations do you have about yourself that sometimes get in the way of God? Why do you think religious people are so inward focused instead of Jesus focused?

Week 7 of our series Burned by Believers. Jesus can rebuild any bridges to Him you try to burn down.

There's something in the air. It's religious smoke full of toxic views of faith and Jesus that many 'believers' unknowingly spread and circulate without checking their religious filters.  Pasted at the bottom of this are our discussion questions for the day. If you have a thought to add value to this post please type the # of the question followed by your answer! Story from Matthew 11:1-6 Main Idea: If Jesus isn't the main building block of your faith, He will be the stumbling block of your religion. The point of repentance isn't the threat of punishment, it's the promise of peace Doubt is expecting you won't get what you want, Disappointment is you didn't get what you were expecting Religious people love looking for reasons to get offended Religious people often judge you more by what they DON'T see in you than by what they do Inhale Jesus, Exhale Expectations   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. What's the most interesting or traumatic experience you ever had with actual second hand smoke? 2. Thinking of re

Religious People only see the face of the problem, Jesus recognizes the faith of the person. Religious People sees a lost cause, Jesus FINDS the person behind the pause Sometimes you have to put religious trolls OUT of business, before you can get BACK to business Religious people want you to work hard for something they can't even recognize We miss the miracle, when we only recognize the rumors Application: Explore True Faith ~ Read Mark 5:21-43 and look for the heart of Jesus. Experience Total Freedom ~ Be encouraged that Jesus recognized what the religious people in your life missed. Expand the Family ~ hindsight isn't always great, reach out to someone that you didn't recognize what God was doing in their life at the time but see it now.

Have you ever been in a situation where religious people wanted you to conform to their way of doing things.  The religious mold is the idea that you can only express your faith or do church 1 way. If what God is doing in your life fits outside that mold be prepared for the religious people in your life to melt you into their mold. 

One of the reasons that keep many people from leaving a bad religious environment is because it's the only community that they know.  As humans we desire community: whether you believe that is because God wired it into us or it is an evolutionary principle of survival, it is still true regardless.    Jesus doesn't want us to have fake, forced, and unsatisfying community. He wants us to be a part of a community that meets all of our needs.    Check out this bonus episode to hear more about what Jesus wants for you and to hear more about how Pioneer Church will seek to reach that ideal in a virtual way. 

Have you ever been burned by a religious one-upper? Are you tired of religious people playing the comparing game to try to make you look bad because you didn't play by their rules? Take a listen to this message based on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 9:14-15.   Jesus wants our faith to be more like a friendship, that's why we can't fit it into a formula. Religious people prioritize the process over the purpose. Religious people want to compete, Jesus people want to complete. Religious people rely on religious crutches. Jesus people rely on Jesus. Personal Application: Next time you catch yourself being a Holy Hipster, try to stop yourself. Next time you hear a Holy Hipster, try giving them the benefit of the doubt. Every time you're about to do something for God, make sure you know the why before the what. Pray to Jesus as a friend this week. Community Application: Explore true Faith: This week we'll all read John 3:22-36 ~ send in questions/comments to PioneerChurchTV@gmail.com Experience total Freedom: Fo

Jesus prefers sinners that need to be saved instead of the religious who pretend they're righteous. Religious people see spiritual things as transactional, Jesus people see the spiritual as relational. To God: The spiritual always trumps the ritual.

Religion wants to quarantine, Jesus wants his core to be seen. Where you are is Not who you are. Religious people don't bother to look past the label. Jesus refuses the right to refuse anyone. Religious people assume you want/need their approval. If you've been burned by believers (religion) you don't have to stay a religious refugee, you can follow Jesus and be a spiritual pioneer. Religion wants to quarantine, Jesus wants his core to be seen.