2026 Small Group Learning
Click on a title to register for the class.
Loving Jesus by Dr. Mark Allan Powell
(8 sessions) Sunday, April 12, 19, 26; May 3, 17, 31; June 7, 14 at 11:00 am
Leaders: Pastor Bob & Others | Location: St. John’s Conference Room
The essence of spirituality is loving God, says Powell. The Bible, the Talmud, and the Qu ‘ran all direct their followers not merely to believe in God, to trust God, to obey God, and to serve God but to love God. Can we learn to love God?
In this biblical spirituality for today, Powell’s earnest plea is for Christians to revisit their faith not by blazing in religious enthusiasm but by harboring a steadier flame and deeper commitment. Living at the poetic heart of faith, he argues, entails seeing the coordinates of religious life in a new way. Powell espouses the old-fashioned idea of piety. Drawing on his wide knowledge of the Bible and Christian tradition, as well as insights from his own journey, he shows how simple religious practices move us beyond the old certitudes of a naive and youthful faith into the less certain but closer walk with Jesus.
Toxic Charity:
How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help and How to Reverse It by Robert D. Lupton
(7 sessions) Monday, April 13, 20, 27; May 4, 11, 18; June 1 at 6:30 pm
Leaders: Erik Friend and Wellspring Karitas Team| Location: St. John’s Conference Room
Veteran urban activist Robert Lupton reveals the shockingly toxic effects that modern charity has upon the very people meant to benefit from it. Toxic Charity provides proven new models for charitable groups who want to help—not sabotage—those whom they desire to serve. Lupton, the founder of FCS Urban Ministries (Focused Community Strategies) in Atlanta, the voice of the Urban Perspectives newsletter, and the author of Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life, has been at the forefront of urban ministry activism for forty years. His groundbreaking book, Toxic Charity, shows us how to start serving needy and impoverished members of our communities in a way that will lead to lasting, real-world change.
The Chosen – Season 3
(8 sessions) Tuesday, April 7, 14, 28; May 5, 12, 26; June 2, 9 at 6:30 pm
Leaders: Ros & Brian Moatz | Location: St. John’s Conference Room
‘The Chosen’ is a groundbreaking Christian TV series that depicts the life and ministry of Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him. The series focuses on the disciples of Jesus and explores their relationships with him and each other. ‘The Chosen’ aims to share an authentic and intimate look at Jesus’ life and teachings, seen through the perspective of those who interacted with him. The series is set against the backdrop of first-century Israel, including the Roman oppression and Jewish culture of the time. The series’ creator, Dallas Jenkins, hopes to inspire viewers to learn more about Jesus and the Bible. The series includes elements of violence, deception, and other themes, and is rated for ages 12 and up. The director notes that ‘The Chosen’ does not always follow scripture literally but aims to offer an engaging and bold reimagining of Jesus’ life.
Funny End of Life Planner:
Gone But Still Telling You What to Do: Final Wishes Planning Guide for Your Loved Ones
by Sarah Crawford
(5 sessions) Sunday, July 12, 19; August 9, 16, 23 at 11:00 am
Leaders: People Caring for People Team | Location: St. John’s Conference Room
Gone… but still bossing people around one last time. The Funny End of Life Planner: Gone but Still Telling You What To Do is part final wishes organizer, part peace of mind planner, and part hilarious mic drop from the great beyond. It’s not morbid — it’s smart, it’s funny, and it’s one of the most loving things you’ll ever do for your family.
This final wishes organizer book gives your loved ones the clear answers they’ll need — when you’re not around to give them. From legal info to funeral preferences, from pet care to passwords, this planner has it all in one easy, fill-in-the-blank format.
21st Century Edition of Martin Luther’s Small Catechism by Dave Daubert
(5 sessions) Monday, July 6, 13, 20; August 3, 10 at 6:30 pm
Leader: Jen Friz | Location: St. John’s Conference Room
Daubert offers a modern, accessible, and conversational take on the classic 1529 text, focusing on core Lutheran doctrines like the Ten Commandments, Apostles’ Creed, and Sacraments. Designed for contemporary use, it serves as a guide for confirmation, new members, and small groups.
Key Aspects of the 21st Century Edition
• Contemporary Context: Specifically updated for 21st-century readers, providing a more accessible style.
• Target Audience: Ideal for confirmation classes, small groups, and new member instruction.
• Core Content: Covers the traditional “Six Chief Parts” of Christian doctrine, including:
o The Ten Commandments
o The Apostles’ Creed
o The Lord’s Prayer
o Holy Baptism
o Confession
o The Sacrament of the Altar
• Focus: It aims to help readers understand and apply the essentials of the Christian faith in today’s world.
A Year of Biblical Womanhood:
How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof,
Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband ‘Master’
by Rachel Held Evans
(4 sessions) Sunday, September 13, 20; October 11, 18 at 11:00 am
Leader: Amanda Ehst | Location: St. John’s Conference Room
Have you ever wondered what God truly expects of women? Is there really a prescription for biblical womanhood? Does the Bible’s idea of womanhood have a place in modern Christianity? New York Times bestselling author Rachel Held Evans embarks on a year-long study of what it means to live by the standards of biblical womanhood.
Strong-willed and independent, Evans couldn’t sew a button on a blouse before she embarked on a radical life experiment–a year of biblical womanhood. Intrigued by the traditionalist resurgence that led many of her friends to abandon their careers to assume traditional gender roles in the home, Evans decided to try it for herself, vowing to take all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible for a full year.
Along the way, Evans explores the rich heritage of scriptural heroines, models of grace, and all-around women of valor that we come to know in the Bible. She consults with women who practice these ancient biblical mandates in their own lives–from an Orthodox Jewish woman who changed the way Evans reads the Bible to an Amish community that taught her the true meaning of modesty.
In A Year of Biblical Womanhood, Evans shares her courageous and often humorous journey of:
• exploring what a “woman’s place” is according to the Scriptures
• applying the Bible’s teachings to day-to-day life, sometimes to literal extremes
• focusing on virtues like domesticity, obedience, beauty, submission, and grace
• developing a “Biblical Woman’s Ten Commandments” to serve as a guide for daily living
Join Evans as she dives deep into the lives of the women we meet in Scripture and redefines what it means to live biblically.
Life Together: A Transformative Guide to Building Authentic Christian Community
by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(6 sessions) Monday, September 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19 at 6:30 pm
Leader: Jennifer Schlegel | Location: St. John’s Conference Room
Famed Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together is a bold and daring look at Christian life, and what cross-centered living can look like for all believers. Renowned for his thoughts on Christianity’s role in the secular world, Bonhoeffer, also the author of bestselling The Cost of Discipleship, allows readers to deepen their faith and fellowship through actionable steps towards building lasting and meaningful communities.
In Life Together, Bonhoeffer, famous for his involvement in a plot to overthrow Adolph Hitler, recounts his unique fellowship in an underground seminary during the Nazi years in Germany. Through this one-of-a-kind lived experience, he compassionately yet challengingly defines what living in a community is all about, and the divine importance of it.
Practical yet profound, this book remains the most influential and modern book on the nature and spirit of authentic Christian community. It reveals the communal Christian spirit that inspired Bonhoeffer and his Christian associates to conspire to assassinate Hitler as an act of true Christian love and courage. Life Together is bread for all who are hungry for the real life of Christian fellowship.
Whether you’re 35 or 85, planning ahead is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Let this planner be your final high-five — and the thing your family will thank you for most. “Peace of mind isn’t morbid — it’s love in action.”
The Chosen – Seasons 1 & 4
(8 sessions) Tuesday, September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; October 6, 13, 20 at 6:30 pm
Leaders: To be determined | Location: St. John’s Conference Room