FAQ
How much does it cost?
The regular recommended donation is $50, which covers the Rooted participant book, the catered Celebration Event meal, and administrative costs. Any individual is free to donate more or less, depending on their means and prompting from God.
When / Where Do We Start?
The Winter Rooted Experience will launch January 22nd, at 6:30PM in the Chapel.
Does each participant need to register?
We ask each participant to register for planning purposes.
When do I pick up my book?
You will be able to pick up your book during the first session.
Is it okay to miss group sessions?
If you must miss more than two sessions, it is recommended that you go through “Rooted” again, at a time that allows you to attend more regularly.
May I join the Rooted Experience if I don’t attend your church?
One of our priorities for offering Rooted is to help our church attendees grow in their relationship with God and one another. Therefore, the Rooted Experience and resources are available to our church family. If you do not have a church home, we invite you to visit our church. If you have a church, please talk with them about offering Rooted or a similar resource.
Are there experiences which happen outside of the weekly gathering?
Three special experiences take place during the Rooted Experience. Two take place between weekly sessions (prayer and service) and one during sessions (participants share their faith journey). At the end, you are also encouraged to take an 11th week to celebrate the Rooted journey with your group.
May I get a book for myself or someone else who is not participating in Rooted in one of our church’s groups?
We are supplying books for individuals participating in our church’s Rooted Experience. Non-participants may acquire books through Rooted’s Website.
Devotion ideas after Rooted completion
- The apostle Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:12 to be devoted to prayer. To devote means to consistently do something with intense effort, remaining firm in a fixed direction, in spite of difficulties.
- “Devotions” are intense times of resolute focus on communing with and worshiping God; setting aside all distractions for a period of prayer and meditation.
- Establishing and maintaining a rhythm of devotions is a vital part of seeking Truth and embracing the gospel as an individual disciple of Christ.
- If you are new to the devotional rhythm that Rooted initiated, the “Weekly Devotions Guide” below lays a solid foundation upon which to build over time. It would stand the course of your lifetime as it is; but you may also modify it to achieve your own individualized approach.
- Your lifegroup may decide to study passages in preparation for the upcoming sermon and/or lifegroup session, in order to encourage participation and preparation for the discussion.
- Since Jesus taught His disciples that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John 16:12-15), seek to foster an attitude of prayerful meditation and attention to the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit as you have your devotional time.
- If you found that journaling the answers to your Rooted devotions was helpful, continue that practice going forward, as a way to capture each day’s thoughts.
- Weekly Devotions Guide
- Day 1: Read – Read the passage slowly, with an attitude of prayerful meditation, making note of your observations. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, feel? What questions or other observations do you have about the passage? Just become familiar with it. Continue to meditate on the passage throughout the day. (Scriptural basis for this practice: Psalm 1:2-3; Psalm 119:18; Psalm 25:5; Isaiah 55:11)
- Day 2: Ruminate – Slowly reading the passage a few times, prayerfully meditate on it to discover under the guidance of the Holy Spirit the meaning of the text. Read the passage in multiple translations, if you have access; such as New International Version (NIV), New American Standard Bible (NASB) or New Living Translation (NLT). The goal is not to arrive at what the text means to you, but simply what it means. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you try to bring to mind other related Scriptures to give context to the passage. Resist the urge to reference any outside commentaries or tools to help you in this process. Restate the passage in your own words as succinctly as possible, and write it down. Throughout the day, revisit your summary of the passage as God brings it to mind. (Scriptural basis for this practice: John 16:12-15; 2 Peter 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15)
- Day 3: Receive – Prayerfully meditate on the passage and note the word(s) or phrase(s) to which you are being drawn. Keep your focus off of yourself and focus solely on God. Allow Him to bring to your mind and heart the areas of your life He wants to bring to light. How is God speaking to you through this word or phrase? Ponder the word or phrase with God throughout the day. (Scriptural basis for this practice: James 1:22-25; Psalm 51; Psalm 119:33; Revelation 3:20)
- Day 4: Respond – Read the passage, paying attention to the response to which the Holy Spirit is calling you. Think through options for applying the passage in your life and prayerfully allow Him to direct the manner in which you choose to commit. Ask God to provide the opportunity and strength to live and share it with others. (Scriptural basis for this practice: James 1:22-25; Psalm 51; Psalm 119:33; Revelation 3:20)
- Day 5: Resource – In order to seek God’s guidance through the thoughts of other faithful followers, utilize the YouVersion Bible app, a commentary, or other resources to glean their perspective on the passage, its genre, historical context, etc. In this process always seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to discern alignment with the whole of Scripture. (Scriptural basis for this practice: Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1)
- November 27-December 1: John 1:14-18
- December 4-8: Psalm 95
- December 11-15: Luke 4:14-20
- December 18-22: Romans 5:1-10
- December 25-29: Luke 2:8-20
- January 1-5: John 13:12-17
- January 8-12: Ephesians 4:1-6
- For personal or group study, you may also appreciate resources within the YouVersion Bible app (https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/).
- Bible Recap ~ tools for encountering God in life transformation as you read, understand, and love the bible (https://www.bible.com/search/plans?query=cobble)
- BibleProject ~ numerous audio-visual resources which presents the bible as a unified story leading to Jesus (https://www.bible.com/search/plans?query=bibleproject)
- P.R.A.Y.
- Praise is about giving God thanks and glory for who He is and what He does.
- Repent is about turning away from our sin and asking God to help us live holy lives. We can’t come before God with a clean heart if we’re still clinging to or ignoring our sin.
- Ask is about asking God for help. We can ask Him for anything, big or small, and He will graciously answer us, even if the answer isn’t what we expect.
- Yield is about giving God control of our lives and surrendering our plans to His perfect will. Yielding is a hard step, but it’s an important one if we want to truly follow God.
- A.C.T.S.
- Adoration is about worshiping God for who He is. You might spend some time reflecting on His holy attributes, or on all the ways He blesses you.
- Confession is about acknowledging your sins and asking for forgiveness. Be honest with God, who already knows all things, but who wants to have a conversation with you about the areas that need healing and growth.
- Thanksgiving is about expressing gratitude for everything God does in and through your life. This could include His provisions for you or things that you are thankful for right now or in the past.
- Supplication is about bringing your requests to God. This could be anything from asking for help with a problem you’re having to ask for guidance in a decision you need to make. You can also pray for others during this time.
THE BASICS
THE ROOTED EXPERIENCE
Rooted is a 10-week discipleship experience designed to connect people with God, the church, and their purpose. For those exploring faith, Rooted reveals who God is and how to live as His disciple. For believers, Rooted refocuses their faith and ignites new passion.
7 RHYTHMS
Rooted is built on the foundation of 7 Rhythms of discipleship and this Fall you will experience and establish these rhythms in the context of a LifeGroup. These rhythms infuse the spiritual vitality that was modeled by the early church’s example in Acts 2.
INVIGORATE YOUR JOURNEY
Get ready to invigorate your journey with Jesus as you Seek Truth and Embrace the Gospel, Choose Community, and Join the Mission. God is excited to show you all He has for you, and we can’t wait to experience Rooted with you.
How to experience Rooted
Group Options
There will be a few group types to choose from: Women only, Men only, and Co-ed. You will be able to select your preference during registration.
What is the cost?
There will be a suggested donation of $50 to help cover some of the costs of Rooted, including the hardcover participant book, materials, experiences, and a celebration meal.
Time investment?
During the 10 weeks, your Rooted group will meet weekly. The Rooted book also has daily readings with a space for journaling. Rooted will help you build the 7 Rhythms of discipleship.