CityGroup Discussion Questions 4/5/2026

Easter: The Resurrection

The first Easter was full of surprise. Jesus’ followers expected a victory, but instead watched Him die. Their hope collapsed. They were afraid, confused, and scattered.

Then came the second surprise. The tomb was empty. Jesus was alive.

The resurrection changed everything. The same people who ran in fear became bold witnesses. This wasn’t about religion or trying harder. It was about encountering a living Savior.

The question is not just what happened then, but how we respond now. If Jesus really rose from the dead, it changes everything about our lives today.

1. What’s a time in your life when you were completely surprised—good or bad—and how did it change you?

2. The disciples went from confident to afraid and scattered (Read Mark 14:50). Why do you think fear has such power to override our convictions?

3. Read Luke 24:36–39. Why do you think even after the resurrection, the disciples still struggled to believe—and what does that say about us?

4. The early followers went from hiding to boldly proclaiming Jesus—even facing death. What do you think actually caused that level of transformation?

5. If the resurrection is true, what is one specific way your life needs to change this week—thinking, priorities, relationships, or decisions?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

PRAISE! 7 people accepted Jesus during Easter at Citywalk 🙌 Let’s pray for them to return and take steps to grow in their faith!

CityGroup Discussion Questions 3/29/2026

FOR THE ONE: Exceeding Our Expectations

The crowd in Luke 19 expected Jesus to be a conquering King who would overthrow Rome. Instead, He came humbly on a donkey and within days would be crucified. What looked like failure was actually God’s plan for salvation.

The tension is this: God’s plans often do not match our expectations. The people missed what God was doing because they were locked into what they thought He should do. The same can be true for us.

The key idea is simple: what looks like God failing you may actually be God saving you. We can either resist His plan or trust Him. Surrender leads to rest. Control leads to frustration.

1. If you could guarantee one expectation in your life would be met perfectly this year (career, family, finances, etc.), what would it be and why?

2. In Luke 19, the crowd expected Jesus to act one way, but God had a different plan. Where do you see that same tension in your life right now?

3. Read Genesis 50:20. How does Joseph’s perspective challenge the way we interpret painful or confusing situations in our lives?

4. Read Isaiah 55:8–9. What does this passage teach us about the gap between our expectations and God’s plans? Why is that hard to accept in real life?

5. What is one specific expectation you need to surrender to God this week and what would trusting Him in that area actually look like in your day-to-day life?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

This week, join us in praying for people to find hope and salvation during Easter at Citywalk on Sunday, April 5!

CityGroup Discussion Questions 3/22/2026

FOR THE ONE: Seek and Save the Lost

Jesus came with one clear mission: to seek and save the lost. In Luke 19, we see this through Zacchaeus, a man rejected by others but pursued by Jesus. Before Zacchaeus changed anything, Jesus saw him, called him by name, and chose to spend time with him. 

That encounter led to real change. Zacchaeus responded with repentance and generosity, but the relationship came first. This reminds us that we do not clean ourselves up to come to God. We come to God and He changes us. 

If Jesus pursued us this way, it should shape our lives. We look back with gratitude for how He pursued us, and we move forward with purpose by pursuing others who are far from Him. That is the heart behind For the One. 

1. If you could meet anyone in the world past or present [besides Jesus] for 10 minutes, who would it be and why?

2. In Luke 19 we see Jesus pursue Zacchaeus before he changed.Why do we tend to believe we need to fix ourselves before coming to God? Where does that show up in your thinking or behavior?

3. Read Romans 5:8 together. It says Christ died for us “while we were still sinners.” How does that truth challenge the idea that transformation has to come before relationship?

4. Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus led to radical, visible change especially with his money. If someone looked at your life, where would they see clear evidence that Jesus has changed you.

5. Who is one person God has placed in your life who is far from Him? What is one specific step you will take this week to pursue them intentionally (pray, invite, initiate a conversation, share your story)?

6. Bonus: The crowd tried to block Zacchaeus from getting to Jesus. Who or what can act like “the crowd” in our lives today keeping us or others from getting close to Jesus?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

As a church, let’s pray for faith and trust in God to take what we’ve committed and use it to help many.

Citygroup Questions 3/15/2026

For The One: Prayer

Many people treat prayer like a 911 call, something we only use when life falls apart. But Jesus teaches that prayer is meant to be the normal posture of someone who depends on God. In Luke 18, He tells two parables to answer a simple question: what does real faith look like while we wait for God to act?

In the first story, a persistent widow keeps asking an unjust judge for justice. Her persistence reflects faith and dependence. In the second story, a Pharisee and a tax collector pray very differently. The Pharisee trusts his own righteousness, while the tax collector humbly asks for mercy. Jesus says the humble man is the one who leaves justified.

These stories show that real faith is marked by persistent prayer and humble dependence on God. As our church moves toward Commitment Sunday for For the One, the most important thing we bring is not a number but a heart that says, “God, we need you.”

1. When you were a kid (or with your own kids), what’s something you kept asking for over and over until someone finally said yes?

2. In Jesus’ stories there are four characters: the judge, the widow, the Pharisee, and the tax collector. Which one do you think people in our culture most resemble today? Which one do you personally find yourself relating to the most?

3. Read James 4:6–10. What similarities do you see between this passage and the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector? What does true humility before God look like in everyday life?

4. Read Luke 11:5–13. What does this story teach us about persistence in prayer, and how does it shape the way we should approach God?

5. As a group, spend a few minutes praying for Commitment Sunday next week:

   Pray that our church would approach this season with humility and dependence on God.

   Pray that God would use these commitments to help reach “the one” who needs to know Jesus.

   Pray for courage and faith as each person seeks God about their own commitment

CityGroup Discussion Questions 3/8/2026

FOR THE ONE: The Rich Man & Lazarus

In Luke 16, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus to show that the world’s scoreboard is not the same as God’s. During their lives, the rich man appeared to be winning while Lazarus seemed to be losing. But after death, their situations were reversed. The rich man realized too late that he had valued the wrong things.

The point of the story is not that wealth is sinful or poverty is righteous. The issue is what a person trusts and worships. The rich man trusted the pleasures of this world instead of God. Lazarus placed his hope in God.

Jesus uses this story to help us see life through the lens of eternity. What feels important now may not matter forever. What truly matters is our relationship with God and the eternal destiny of people around us. This is why the church is pursuing For the One, making decisions today that will matter for eternity.

1. If life really did have a visible scoreboard like a game, what would most people say “points” look like today?

2. Read Luke 16:15. Jesus says what is highly admired by people can be detestable to God. What are some things our culture celebrates that God might evaluate differently?

3. When you hear the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), what part stands out to you the most? Why do you think Jesus told this story?

4. Read 2 Corinthians 4:16–18. How does focusing on eternity change the way we view success, suffering, and priorities in life?

5. The rich man’s perspective changed the moment he stepped into eternity. If you truly viewed your life through the lens of eternity, what might change about your priorities today?

6. The rich man desperately wanted someone to warn his family. Who are the people in your life who need to hear the gospel, and what is one step you could take to begin praying for or sharing with them?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

We’re praying for God to lead us in hiring a full-time Next Generation Pastor who will walk with kids, students, and parents into a growing relationship with Jesus.

CityGroup Discussion Questions 3/1/2026

FOR THE ONE: Money

As we get older, we think more about the future. Jesus wanted His followers to do the same, especially when it comes to money. In Luke 16, He tells a surprising story about a dishonest manager, not to praise dishonesty, but to highlight strategic thinking. If people can plan wisely for temporary things, how much more should believers use their resources with eternity in mind?

Jesus teaches that we are not owners but managers. Money is not the ultimate issue, our heart is. We cannot serve both God and money. The way we handle small things reveals whether we can be trusted with greater things. This connects directly to For the One. As individuals and as a church, we are called to align our hearts with God’s and invest in what lasts forever.

1. When you were a teenager what was your most valuable possession? What did you spend most of your money on?

2. In Luke 16:1–9, Jesus praises the manager’s shrewdness, not his dishonesty. What does it look like to be spiritually “shrewd” today?

3. Read Luke 16:10–13. Where do you see the principle “faithful in little, faithful in much” playing out in real life?

4. Read Matthew 6:19–21. How does this passage connect to Luke 16? What does it mean to “store up treasure in heaven”?

5. How can money quietly become a master in someone’s life? What are warning signs?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

As a church let’s pray God brings the Good News of Jesus to the city of Willows in a powerful way.

CityGroup Discussion Questions 2/22/2026

FOR THE ONE: The Prodigal

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus reveals what God is really like. The younger son runs from the father, wastes everything, and expects rejection, but the father runs to him with compassion and celebration. The older son stays outwardly obedient but misses the father’s heart, responding with pride and resentment instead of joy.

This story shows that God’s love is not based on our performance but on His character. Whether we relate more to the younger son’s shame or the older son’s pride, the Father invites us into grace, intimacy, and restoration. As a church, this shapes the heart behind For the One: pursuing people so prodigals come home and hearts discover the goodness of the Father.

1. When have you been relieved to receive mercy instead of getting what you deserved? How did that moment shape you?

2. Read Luke 15:1–2. Why were sinners drawn to Jesus while religious leaders were frustrated by Him? What does that reveal about their hearts?

3. When the younger son “came to his senses” (Luke 15:17), what changed in him? Why do we often underestimate how good God really is when we’ve blown it?

4. Read Luke 15:20–24. What stands out about the father’s response? What does this teach us about God’s character?

5. Read Ephesians 2:8–9. How does this passage confront the older brother’s mindset? Where are you tempted to relate to God based on performance rather than grace?

6. Which brother do you relate to more right now and what is one step you can take this week in response?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

Together we’re praying for the salvation of our friends, family, and neighbors.

CityGroup Discussion Questions 2/15/2026

FOR THE ONE: Sheep and Coin

Jesus teaches that we pursue what we value. In Luke 15, He tells the stories of the lost sheep and the lost coin to show God’s heart. He actively seeks those who are far from Him, and heaven celebrates when even one person repents. While religious leaders criticized Jesus for welcoming sinners, He demonstrated that God’s love moves toward the lost, not away from them.

This message challenges us to examine our hearts. Do we value people who do not know Jesus the way God does? Are we more focused on correcting people or reaching them with grace? Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and His followers are called to share that same mission.

As a church, this is shaping the For the One initiative. We are pursuing people with the gospel by planting a church in Willows, reaching the next generation, and preparing for long term ministry impact. The goal is to align our hearts with God’s so that heaven celebrates changed lives.

1. If you’ve ever lost something valuable (phone, keys, wallet, etc.), what’s the craziest place you found it? What did you feel when you realized it was gone?

2. In Luke 15:1–2, who is drawn to Jesus and who is frustrated with Him? Why do you think those reactions are so different?

3. Read Luke 15:3-10, In both the story of the sheep and the coin, what stands out to you about the character of God? What does this reveal about what moves His heart?

4. Jesus contrasts heaven’s joy with the attitude of the religious leaders. Where do you see modern versions of that same tension today—either in churches or even in your own heart?

5. Read Ezekiel 34:11–16 (God describing Himself as the Shepherd who searches for His sheep). How does this Old Testament passage deepen your understanding of Luke 15? What does it tell us about God’s consistency from Old Testament to New?

6. Who is one person in your life right now who may be spiritually lost? What is one intentional step you can take this month to pursue, love, or share Jesus with them?

📲 Add to Your Prayer List

Let’s all pray and ask God how He wants us to individually participate in FOR THE ONE!