Firm Foundation: Know God, Find Freedom, Make a Difference

Parkway is called to recenter on a clear why, a faithful how, and a steady theme for the year. The community is urged to return to disciplined prayer and fasting as the soil in which God’s presence grows, since presence flows not from performance but from holiness and prayer. A concise vision is affirmed: to see everyone experience Jesus in a life-changing way — an inclusive, measurable, and gospel-centered aim that names both breadth (everyone) and depth (transformation). Practical, measurable faith follows that vision: the congregation is asked to pray for 10% of Corona to come to saving faith and to plan financially and spiritually as if that harvest is possible.

The mission is presented as a four-step discipleship pathway: know God, find freedom, discover purpose, make a difference. Knowing God is defined as intimate relationship rather than mere intellectual assent; freedom names deliverance from the power of sin, both instant and gradual; discovering purpose identifies unique design and giftedness for kingdom use; making a difference calls each person to steward gifts toward others. These elements are not separate programs but stages of formation that build one upon another.

The theme for the year, “Firm Foundation,” draws from the Sermon on the Mount and multiple scriptural warnings about shaky footing. A durable church and durable faith grow from private disciplines — prayer, devotional reading, fasting, holiness — and from teaching that leads disciples into practice. Foundations require digging: public worship, small-group life, spiritual direction, and intentional teaching (including the Holy Spirit, core doctrines, the Ten Commandments, and the Sermon on the Mount) are the means proposed to deepen roots. The congregation is challenged to choose concrete practices that strengthen inner life so storms do not topple outward ministry.

The call is both bold and pastoral: to expect measurable fruit, to increase trust in God’s provision, and to commit to practices that produce spiritual resilience. The year is framed as a season of formation — practical, measurable, and gospel-focused — so the community might stand on Christ the unshakable cornerstone and see lives changed by encountering him.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Vision centers mission and purpose A clear vision narrows distraction and aligns activity toward an intended end. When a congregation knows its why it refuses to fragment into competing priorities and instead evaluates programs, resources, and energy against that purpose. Vision is both a spiritual burden and a pastoral gift: it reveals what God is after and gives the church permission to say no to good things that do not advance that end. [03:14]
• 2. Encounter yields true change Transformation is not produced by better programming or emotion but by real encounters with Jesus that reorder desires and loyalties. These encounters can be sudden or gradual, but authentic conversion reorients money, relationships, work, and thought under Jesus’ rulership. Ministries should prioritize spaces where presence is expected rather than places of mere activity. [16:02]
• 3. Discipleship is a pathway Spiritual growth follows sequence: relationship with God opens freedom from bondage, which clarifies vocation, which leads to kingdom service. Treating discipleship as a path prevents stagnant repetition and invites measurable next steps—knowing, healing, gifting, serving. Each stage requires community structures (small groups, mentoring, teaching) to move people forward. [19:53]
• 4. Build a firm foundation Resilience begins beneath sight: private disciplines and doctrinal clarity form the unseen supports of public faithfulness. Foundations are tested by storms; the work of digging deep — prayer, fasting, Scripture practice — is nonnegotiable for durability. Building only visible comforts or cultural stances leaves a church liable to collapse when pressure comes. [31:54]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:10] - 21 Days: Prayer and Fasting
• [02:21] - Vision, Mission, and Theme Overview
• [09:55] - Vision: Everyone Experience Jesus
• [19:53] - Mission Pathway: Know, Freedom, Purpose, Serve
• [31:54] - Theme Introduced: Firm Foundation
• [34:32] - Foundational Scriptures and Practices
• [46:32] - Prayer, Commission, and Invitation

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon:

Bible Reading

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)
> 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain came down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Proverbs 29:18 (ESV)
> 18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but whoever keeps the law is blessed.

Observation questions

1. The sermon highlights the importance of vision for a community, stating, "Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint." [05:18] How does the analogy of the dog race illustrate what happens when a community lacks vision?
2. The vision for the church is stated as "to see everyone experience Jesus in a life changing way." [09:55] What are the three key components of this vision mentioned in the sermon?
3. The sermon presents a four-step discipleship pathway: "know God, find freedom, discover purpose, make a difference." [19:53] What is the foundational directive for "know God" according to Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, as referenced in the sermon? [20:29]
4. The theme for the year is "Firm Foundation," drawing from Matthew 7:24-27. [31:54] What is the key difference between the wise man and the foolish man in Jesus' parable, according to the sermon?

Interpretation questions

1. The sermon emphasizes that "People aren't transformed by programs. They're not transformed by atmosphere, systems, or events. These are tools that help create spaces and opportunities for people to to grow. People are changed when they meet Christ." [16:42] How does this contrast with the common tendency to rely on external factors for personal change?
2. The sermon states, "The mission is presented as a four-step discipleship pathway: know God, find freedom, discover purpose, make a difference." [19:53] How do these four steps build upon each other, and what is the danger of treating them as separate programs rather than stages of formation?
3. The sermon connects the theme of "Firm Foundation" to the idea that "Foundations require digging: public worship, small-group life, spiritual direction, and intentional teaching... are the means proposed to deepen roots." [31:54] What does it mean to "dig deep" in the context of building a spiritual foundation, and why is this work often unseen?
4. The sermon challenges the congregation to "choose concrete practices that strengthen inner life so storms do not topple outward ministry." [31:54] What are some of the "private disciplines" mentioned that contribute to a strong inner life and spiritual resilience?

Application questions

1. The sermon calls for Parkway to recenter on its "why," which is "to see everyone experience Jesus in a life changing way." [09:55] In your own life, what does it look like to "experience Jesus in a life-changing way," and what is one step you can take this week to move closer to that experience?
2. The sermon encourages prayer for "10% of Corona to come to saving faith." [11:57] Who is one person in your life or community that you can intentionally pray for this week to experience Jesus in a life-changing way?
3. The discipleship pathway includes "find freedom." [19:53] What is one area in your life where you sense a need for greater freedom, and what is a tangible step you can take this week to pursue that freedom in Christ?
4. The sermon emphasizes that "discovering purpose identifies unique design and giftedness for kingdom use." [19:53] How can you actively seek to understand your unique design and giftedness this week, and how can you begin to use those gifts to make a difference for God's kingdom?
5. The theme for the year is "Firm Foundation," and the sermon stresses the importance of "private disciplines — prayer, devotional reading, fasting, holiness." [31:54] What is one private discipline you can commit to practicing more consistently this week to strengthen your spiritual foundation?
6. The sermon states, "Foundations require digging: public worship, small-group life, spiritual direction, and intentional teaching... are the means proposed to deepen roots." [31:54] How can you intentionally engage more deeply in one of these areas (public worship, small group, spiritual direction, or intentional teaching) this week to build a firmer foundation?
7. The sermon challenges us to "plan financially and spiritually as if that harvest is possible." [09:55] What is one way you can adjust your financial or spiritual planning this week to reflect a belief that God can bring about significant fruit and transformation?