What's Happenin' @ Forward Mid-Week

Below is a brief summary of what talked about tonight. Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes. Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

Current Series:

When it comes to Christmas, there is a lot to look forward to. Candy canes, tinsel, twinkling lights, and—oh, right. The gifts. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably spent some time thinking about the gifts you’re hoping to receive this Christmas. Maybe you’ve even made a list so your friends and family know exactly what to give you. But while it’s fun to unwrap a gift you’ve been waiting and hoping for, have you ever been given a gift that took you entirely by surprise? A gift you didn’t even know you wanted until you opened it? A gift that was completely unexpected? Unexpected gifts have been at the heart of the Christmas story for more than two thousand years, beginning with the very first Christmas. And believe it or not, it was God who began the tradition. For the next few weeks, we’ll talk about three times God surprised the world with a gift that was entirely unexpected. And, as we do, we might just discover how much those gifts continue to matter today.

This Week's Recap:

Week #1 (11.30.2016): Silent Treatment

Bottom Line: Even when God is silent, He’s up to something.

What we talked about:

You’ve heard of the silent treatment, right? If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of the silent treatment then you know it’s confusing, hurtful, and just no fun at all. Have you ever felt like you were getting the silent treatment from God? You’ve prayed for something and felt like you never heard Him respond. You’ve been in a hard situation or have questions about things happening around you, and it seems like God is nowhere to be found. If you’ve ever felt that way about God, I’ve got some news for you—you’re not alone! In fact, lots of people in the Bible felt this way, too. As the Old Testament came to a close, believers in God were left with hundreds of years of what seemed like silence before His work in the New Testament began. But as we look at the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, we’ll see that even though God seemed silent, He was working on behalf of His people all along. Christmas was coming!