Protestant Christians around the world believe that we receive salvation by grace alone through faith, as the apostle Paul taught. And yet, we also come across the words of James: “Faith without works is dead.” This seeming contradiction has led believers of every generation to wonder, “Do the thing

If we are saved by grace, what is the purpose of our works? If God does it all, do our works matter? We all long for purpose, but in our daily lives as Christ’s disciples, we can find it challenging to understand the relationship between grace and works. Our thoughts and expectations might quickly s

We may experience some tension when trying to discern the relationship between God’s grace and our works as it relates to our salvation. This is understandable if we limit our study to the writings of Paul and James in the New Testament. However, by revisiting God’s original covenants with Abraham i

Twelve days after Christmas every year, churches around the world mark the day of Epiphany, remembering the appearance of the star to the Magi. The light of the star led the Magi to Jesus; this event signifies the extension of God’s family to include Gentiles, which had a profound effect on the futu

Together, let’s explore the moment the prophet Isaiah’s anticipation of light becomes the reality of the Light of the World among us. We’ll explore the profound meaning of Christ’s light shining in our world by examining Bible passages that describe his birth, life, and the hope he brings, and what

The Bible shows us how Jesus Christ illuminates our lives and the world.

Let’s discuss what it means to prepare our souls for the hope and illumination that Jesus brings, and learn what it means to live in the light of Christ with expectation.

Advent is a season of waiting. We’re waiting for the Light of the World. The Bible uses the imagery of light from Genesis to Revelation. Exploring the Bible’s theme of light from the beginning, through the prophets, in the gospels, and in the prophecies of Revelation gives us a fuller understanding

Discover what Jesus taught us about the heart and mind of an ideal disciple and why cultivating the Beatitudes in our lives of discipleship gives the world a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

The Beatitudes have provided generations of Christians comfort, guidance, and strength for their faith. Join Groundwork as we study the first four of Jesus’ Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-6 to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, and to hunger and thirs

Jesus taught about the ways of his kingdom as he traveled from place to place with his disciples. One of his most famous sermons, “The Sermon on the Mount,” begins with a series of statements that start with “Blessed are…” Known collectively as “The Beatitudes,” these teachings of Jesus hold profoun

Dig into Scripture with us and discover answers to your questions about God’s care, discipleship, suffering, and God’s timing.

It is natural to feel a little confusion about the Christian belief in the Holy Trinity. The whole concept of one God who is comprised of three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—requires some acceptance of mystery. To answer your questions, let’s examine the scriptural foundation for this belief

We are part of a communal and generational faith. Ever since the days of the apostles, Christians have been sharing the stories of Jesus and God’s work in their lives with the generations of Christians that followed. Whether it’s our children or Christians younger in their faith, God has entrusted u

Explore the Scriptures that teach us the importance of cultivating legacies of faith and celebrate Groundwork’s 15th anniversary as we reflect on God’s continued faithfulness.

We encounter many unexpected situations in life that can have a profound impact on our faith, such as the death of loved ones, a bad diagnosis, serious injury, natural disasters, or job loss. How do we respond with faith when we suffer? How can we be sure that trauma, grief, pain, frustration, and a

Sometimes, our actions are out of sync with the faith we profess as disciples of Jesus Christ. We make mistakes and consequently experience setbacks in our discipleship journey. These seasons of stagnation in our spiritual growth are not necessarily evidence of weak faith. Even the Apostle Peter exp

Find out how to live as a maturing disciple of Jesus and discover the signs of dynamic discipleship already apparent in your own life.

So you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, now what? While Jesus Christ has done the heavy lifting of salvation for us, that doesn’t mean we are fully formed disciples of Christ at conversion. In fact, our discipleship journey is a lifelong one. So, what do Christians mean by the term

When we pray, “Your kingdom come…on earth as in heaven,” we demonstrate our trust in what we cannot see. We cannot fully see God’s kingdom around us yet, but our prayer is also our calling to reflect God’s reign in our daily lives. His kingdom is already here, and by studying Scripture, we discover

Jesus often used parables to teach his followers about the kingdom of God. His stories and analogies sometimes confused his followers, but Jesus patiently but urgently described what God’s kingdom looks like, what its values are, and how the people of his kingdom should behave. Jesus’ kingdom parabl

When Jesus declared that God’s kingdom was near, his life embodied that truth. In our study of Jesus’ teachings, we’ll discover what it means for the kingdom to show up in real time through healing, justice, and welcome. We’ll talk about how God’s kingdom continues to come near in Jesus today, and h

Kingdom language arcs through the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, defining what God’s kingdom is, what it looks like, and the kind of King we have in Jesus.

Amidst all of his judgment in Hosea, God reveals the tender ache of a father’s heart and gives the prophet powerful images of restoration for his people.