Church Defined: What is the Mission?
Matthew 28 | Chris Meade | January 18, 2026
Rooted in Jesus’ Great Commission, it challenges every believer to live with intentionality, recognizing that each breath is an opportunity to THINK, LOVE, and LIVE like Jesus and to reproduce that life in others. The message emphasizes that discipleship is not about better behavior, comfort, or comparison, but about experiencing more of Jesus through grace, obedience, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. No matter the circumstance, believers are called to represent Jesus where God has placed them, carrying His hope into a lost and dying world, one person at a time.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?
2.
Heart Check:
When you think about “what would make the church better or more effective,” how much of your answer focuses on programs and experiences versus people being formed into disciples? o What might Jesus say needs to change first—in us, not just around us?
o If the church is not a building but the redeemed people of God, how does that change the way you see your role in the Church?
3. Read Matthew 28:18-20; Act 1:8: Mountainview states the Biblical MISSION as: “Reach the world, one person at a time as we learn to THINK, LOVE, and LIVE like Jesus, and reproduce that in the lives of others.”
o Which part of this mission feels the most challenging for you right now? Why?
o What is one intentional step you could take this week to align your life more closely with Jesus in that area?
o Making disciples means pouring into others what God is pouring into you. Who is one person God may be inviting you to intentionally invest in, and what would taking a next step toward community or discipleship look like for you right now?
4. Read Acts 7:54-8:4: Circumstances are not outcomes—every season is an opportunity for mission.
o How have you seen God redeem hardship in the past to grow you, and use you to build His Kingdom?
o What current circumstance in your life might God be using as a platform to share His hope, even if it feels difficult or unexpected?
o How can you be encouraged and founded in this truth—that circumstances will not derail your faith or your mission—but give opportunity?
Church Defined: What is the Church?
What is the Church? | Various | Chris Meade | January 11, 202
Scripture challenges common assumptions about church by calling believers to move beyond a “temple mentality” that views church as a place to go and instead embrace the biblical truth that the church is God’s people, with Jesus as the cornerstone and believers as living stones. Through Scripture, the message emphasized that under the New Covenant, God no longer dwells in buildings but resides fully within His people by the Holy Spirit, meaning we don’t go to God—He is always with us. The sermon also confronted isolationism, reminding us that following Jesus is not an individual pursuit but a shared life of gathering, encouragement, love, and good works. Ultimately, the call was to shift from making church about personal preferences to living as the gathered body of Christ, blessing one another and boldly living out our faith together.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where did the Holy Spirit speak or challenge you through God’s Word? Were there any “ah-ah” moments?
2. Heart Check: When you hear the word “church,” what honestly comes to mind first—and how have your past experiences, preferences, or pain shaped that view?
o How have you assessed whether “church” is “good” or not? When you gather with the church, do you tend to evaluate it based on what you received—or on how you loved, encouraged, and served others? Why?
o What might God want to heal, correct, or reframe in your understanding?
o What is one practical way we can focus on a “we” mindset rather than “me”?
o In what ways do you catch yourself slipping into a “temple mentality”—thinking of church as a place you go to rather than a people you belong to and participate in? How does this affect how you approach Sundays?
3. Read Matthew 16:15-18; 1 Peter 2:4-5; Eph 2:19-22; 1 Cor 6:19: How could it change your daily life to remember that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit and that God is always with you, not just in certain places or moments?
o Where might you need to trust God’s promises of his presence over your feelings this week?
4. Read Hebrews 10:24-25: What step can you take to make the gathering of the church a clearer priority in your life—not out of obligation, but out of obedience to Jesus and with the intention to bless and love on others?
o How might that decision strengthen both your faith and the faith of others?
o Who in your life—within the church—might be drifting toward isolation right now? How could you intentionally reach out to stir up love, good works, or encouragement this week?