Week 1: Elisha and the Angel Armies
2 Kings: 6: 8-18
This week kicks off our new series, All Things Weird and Wonderful, with a look at how society’s relationship with faith—especially Christianity—has changed over the last few decades. From post-war rebellion to the rise of the New Atheists, religion got pushed to the side in favour of science, reason, and so-called freedom. But now, something surprising is happening: people—especially young people—are coming back to faith. And what’s drawing them in isn’t slick arguments or tidy theology—it’s the mystery, the weirdness, the sense that there’s something more.
The church has spent years downplaying the strange parts of the Bible to appear more rational, but ironically, that’s what people are hungry for. So, this series is diving into the miraculous and mysterious parts of scripture—starting with Elisha and the angel armies. In the story, Elisha sees spiritual reality when others don’t, and the challenge is whether we can trust what’s true, even when it doesn’t feel true. Faith isn’t about blind belief—it’s about living in the tension between what we see and what God has promised. The invitation is simple: ask God to open your eyes to His reality, even when it’s strange, and trust that He is faithful, even when it doesn’t all make sense.
You can find a home group study guide for this session here
🌀 Reflection Points
We live in a world that prizes what’s seen and measurable—but God often works in what’s hidden and mysterious.
How often do we miss what God is doing because we’re only looking through human eyes?
Faith doesn’t always feel true, but that doesn’t make it any less real.
Trusting in God’s promises means holding on, even when our emotions or circumstances tell us otherwise.
God being “weird” is part of what makes Him wonderful.
If He fit neatly into our logic, He wouldn’t be God. The strangeness is actually evidence of His greatness.
❓ Questions to Consider
What areas of your life are you trying to make sense of logically, rather than trusting God?
Are there parts of your faith or the Bible you’ve avoided because they felt too strange or unexplainable?
What might change if you started asking God to help you see things from His perspective instead of your own?
🙏 Prayer Points
Lord, open my eyes to see the reality of Your presence, even when I feel surrounded by fear or doubt.
Help me trust in Your promises, especially when they don’t line up with what I see or feel.
Give me courage to embrace the mystery of who You are, and not be afraid of the parts I don’t fully understand.
Week 2: The Nephilim
Genesis 6: 1-4; Numbers 13: 32-33
Christianity isn’t just a nice philosophy—it’s full of strange, powerful, supernatural reality. And that’s actually what draws a lot of people in. It doesn’t shy away from the weird stuff, because life itself is often weirder and deeper than what we see on the surface.
One of the strangest stories in the Bible is in Genesis 6, where fallen angels come to earth, marry human women, and have kids called the Nephilim. It’s bizarre—but it highlights something really important: spiritual evil is real. That’s just one layer of a bigger picture. Evil doesn’t always look like horror movies. Sometimes it’s internal—like the moments when pride, envy, or selfishness take over. Sometimes it’s built into the world around us—governments, cultures, or corporations that cause harm, crush people, or reject God’s ways. And sometimes it’s supernatural—forces that twist truth and lead people away from what’s good and true.
But here’s the amazing part: Jesus has overcome it all. He didn’t just come to forgive personal sin. He came to destroy the works of the devil—every kind of evil, whether it’s personal, structural, or spiritual. His victory on the cross was more than just symbolic. It was a real, spiritual breakthrough. That ancient prophecy in Genesis—where the snake’s head would be crushed—came true when Jesus gave his life and rose again. Evil struck his heel, but he dealt the final blow.
Laura’s story brings this into the present. She grew up in a household deeply involved in the occult. At first, it felt exciting and even empowering—but over time, it became terrifying. Spiritual forces began to take control, and there was real fear and oppression. Nothing brought peace until she called on Jesus. That one name changed everything. The darkness left. Her life was transformed. Twenty years later, she’s still walking in freedom, surrounded by others who’ve had the same experience.
So yes, evil is real. But it doesn’t win. Jesus already won. And if you belong to him, you don’t need to be afraid. You’re not only safe—you’re part of something so much bigger. You’re now building with different materials: not apples of rebellion, not bricks of corruption, not snakes of deception—but fruit that lasts, foundations of peace, and a kingdom where love rules.
You can find a home group study guide for this session here
🌀 Reflection Points
Evil takes many forms – sometimes it’s internal, sometimes it’s around us in society, and sometimes it’s spiritual. Being aware helps us take it seriously, but not fearfully.
Jesus' power isn’t just symbolic – it actively changes lives and defeats real darkness, like Laura’s story shows.
We’re called to build differently – instead of contributing to broken systems, we get to be part of building God’s kingdom, full of righteousness, peace, and joy.
❓ Questions to Consider
Are there areas in my life where I’ve downplayed or ignored the reality of evil or spiritual forces?
What kind of “brick” am I helping build – something of this world or something of God’s kingdom?
Do I truly believe that the name of Jesus has power over every kind of darkness?
🙏 Prayer Points
Ask God to open your eyes to the spiritual realities around you – both the good and the evil – and help you respond with faith, not fear.
Thank Jesus for his victory on the cross, that no power of evil has the final say over your life.
Pray for those caught in spiritual deception or darkness, that they would encounter the truth and freedom in Jesus, just like Laura did.
Week 3: Lot’s Wife
Genesis 19:15-29, Matthew 13:24-30
You’re dropped right into chaos—fire from heaven, angels grabbing people by the hand, a city being wiped out—and then slowly, the pieces start falling into place. Why did God destroy Sodom? Was he just being angry and harsh? Or is something deeper going on?
Turns out, it's both serious and tender. God had been patiently waiting generations for people to turn around—over 400 years of holding back judgment. But the cries of the oppressed eventually reach him, and he steps in. Not out of rage, but out of justice—and still with mercy woven all the way through.
Lot’s family gets warned, grabbed, pulled out. Even when Lot’s dragging his feet and asking for easier routes, God still listens. Even when Abraham pleads for the city, God listens. Even when everything looks like destruction, there’s grace.
But it’s not automatic. Lot’s wife looks back—just a glance—and it costs her everything. That backward glance maybe showed where her heart still was.
Jesus picks up this thread later. He reminds us: don’t look back. If you’re going to follow him, it’s full send or nothing. But here’s the wild twist—in the Old Testament, maybe ten righteous people could have saved the city. But now? One righteous man—Jesus—has saved the world. That’s the kind of God we’re dealing with: the one who waits, who warns, who rescues, and who gives everything so we don’t have to face destruction.
You can find a home group study guide for this session here
💭 Three Reflection Points
God’s patience is stunning – We might see judgment, but behind the scenes is a God who’s been waiting, hoping, making space for people to turn around.
Justice isn’t cold punishment—it’s about relationships – how we treat people matters deeply to God. Real righteousness looks like hospitality, kindness, standing in the gap for others.
Looking back can be dangerous – Sometimes what pulls us away from God isn’t rebellion, but nostalgia for what he’s asking us to leave behind.
❓ Three Questions
What am I still clinging to that God is asking me to walk away from?
Who do I need to intercede for—like Abraham did—for mercy, for rescue, for a second chance?
Do I trust that God’s justice and mercy can hold together—even when I don’t understand his timing?
🙏 Three Prayer Points
God, thank you for not giving up on me—even when I linger, doubt, or look back.
Help me live a life that reflects your justice—especially in how I treat others.
Give me the courage to pray bold prayers for others, trusting you hear every cry.
Week 4: Balaam’s Donkey
Numbers 22: 21-39
Some parts of the Bible are just plain weird – like a donkey talking to a prophet. But maybe that weirdness is exactly the point. Instead of avoiding the strange bits, there's something powerful about recognising that God isn’t limited by what we think is “normal.” He created everything – the stars, the sea, even tiny fish making sand art – so why wouldn’t He use the unusual to get our attention?
Take Balaam. He was supposed to be wise, maybe even a spiritual expert. But when he was heading down the wrong path, it wasn’t a vision or a booming voice that stopped him – it was his donkey. The animal saw what he couldn’t: an angel standing in the road. God used the unexpected, the foolish, to wake him up.
It’s a good reminder that when we keep pushing forward with our own plans and ignore the warnings, we can miss what God is really trying to do. Sometimes blocked paths or delays are actually grace – God gently (or not-so-gently) steering us back. The challenge is whether we’re willing to listen, especially when the message isn’t what we hoped for.
The link to the video used in this talk can be found here
You can find a home group study guide for this session here
💬 Reflection Points:
Sometimes the most ordinary things (or people) in our lives might be carrying the biggest spiritual messages.
Pride and self-reliance can blind us to God’s direction – even when it’s right in front of us.
God's “no” is never rejection – it’s redirection towards something better.
❓Questions to Ponder:
Where in life do I feel like I’m hitting a wall – and could that be God trying to tell me something?
Am I truly open to God’s guidance, or just hoping He’ll bless what I’ve already decided to do?
What would change if I paused more often to ask, “Is this what God wants, or just what I want?”
🙏 Prayer Points:
God, help me to slow down and notice when You’re guiding me – even in unexpected ways.
Teach me to trust Your ‘no’ and believe that it leads to something better than I can imagine.
Give me the humility to let go of my plans and align with Yours.
Week 5: Serpent on a Pole
Numbers 21:4-9
Imagine wrestling with trusting God in the little things - like tax returns - while believing He can handle massive miracles like resurrection. That's where this journey begins, diving into a wild Old Testament story about snakes that's really about our relationship with God. The story unfolds with the Israelites, freshly rescued from 300 years of brutal slavery, constantly complaining and doubting God. Despite miraculous rescue, they moan about everything, creating alternative gods and questioning God's care. So God sends snakes into their camp - which sounds extreme, but here's why: these weren't just punishment, but prevention. The surrounding cultures practiced horrific religious rituals like child sacrifice, and God wanted to protect His people from falling into those destructive patterns. It's like a parent desperately trying to keep their child from dangerous choices. That's exactly how God feels when we don't trust Him, when we try to handle life's challenges without turning to Him. The heart of the message is breathtakingly simple: God loves you. His heart literally yearns for you, even when you're struggling, doubting, or feeling far away. He's not a distant, angry deity, but a loving Father who wants relationship. The invitation is clear: Whatever big issue you're facing - health challenges, anxiety, work stress, relationship struggles - God is saying, "Open your hands. Give it to me." And the most stunning truth? Even when we're faithless, He remains faithful. Not because of anything we do, but because faithfulness is His very nature. He cannot stop loving you. It's an invitation to trust, to surrender, to believe that the God who sustains the entire universe cares deeply about your specific, personal struggles.
You can find a home group study guide for this session here
Reflection Points 🤔
Where am I struggling to trust God in my daily life?
How have I been trying to handle challenges independently instead of turning to God?
Can I recognize God's heart of love behind His corrections and guidance?
Questions ❓
What "snakes" might God be using to redirect my attention back to Him?
In what areas am I most tempted to doubt God's care and provision?
How would my life look different if I truly believed God's heart yearns for me?
Prayer Points 🙏
Father, help me surrender the areas where I'm holding tight control instead of trusting You.
Holy Spirit, reveal any places where I've created "alternative gods" of self-reliance or fear.
Jesus, deepen my understanding of Your unfailing love and faithfulness, even when I am faithless.