Summary
As we celebrate the first year of Presence Church in San Jose, Pastor Chris invites us to remember the faithfulness of God and pay attention to what He has done along the way.
Throughout Scripture, God’s people intentionally created reminders of His faithfulness so they would not forget what He had done. In this message, Pastor Chris looks back on the story of Presence Church—from marketplace ministry and prayer walks to prophetic encouragement and the moment God made it clear that He was calling them to plant a church in their neighborhood.
The message also connects with our ongoing conversation about intentional formation. Whether we realize it or not, something is always shaping us. Following Jesus means becoming intentional about what we allow to form our hearts, our thinking, and the way we live.
As we remember what God has done through the first year of Presence Church—including the launch, generosity toward local and global ministry, and the beginning of small groups—we are also reminded that God is still at work. We are invited to pray for our neighborhoods, build meaningful relationships, and trust Him with what comes next.
Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing us together.
As we remember Your faithfulness and reflect on what You have done, help us be fully present with You and with one another. Quiet the distractions we carried into this time and open our hearts to what You want to show us.
Use this conversation to help us know You more, trust You more deeply, and encourage one another.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Ice Breaker
What is one meaningful moment or milestone from the past year of your life that you would want to remember or celebrate?
Key Verses
Deuteronomy 6:4–9
Acts 1:8
Questions
1. Pastor Chris talked about the way God’s people created physical reminders of what He had done so they would not forget His faithfulness. What is a moment in your own life that reminds you that God has been faithful?
2. The story of Presence Church unfolded like puzzle pieces being placed on the table over time before the full picture became clear. Have you experienced a season where something God was doing only made sense when you looked back? What did that teach you about trusting Him?
3. Pastor Chris and Susie received prophetic encouragement—words from other people that they believed God was using to encourage and confirm what He was doing. When someone speaks meaningful encouragement over your life, how do you usually respond? Is it easy for you to receive, or do you tend to explain it away?
4. We are all being shaped by something. Pastor Chris challenged us to become intentional about what is forming our lives. Where do you sense God inviting you to be more intentional about what you watch, listen to, think about, or give your attention to?
5. During one prayer walk, Susie felt discouraged because only two people showed up. God reminded her that they were “pollinating seeds planted way before they arrived.” How does that picture speak to seasons when your obedience feels small or you cannot immediately see the impact?
6. Just weeks after the church launched, Presence faced a difficult moment and chose to respond by praying together. When uncertainty, conflict, or hardship shows up in your life, what tends to be your first response? What might it look like for prayer to become a more natural first response?
7. Pastor Chris encouraged people not to disappear into the background, but to experience life in meaningful community. What can make it difficult for you to open up and build deeper relationships with others? What could one next step toward community look like for you?
8. During its first year, Presence Church was able to practice generosity locally and globally—from supporting schools nearby to church plants across the country and a school in Zambia. What does generosity reveal about the character of Jesus? How can living with open hands help us participate in what God is doing around us?
Life Application
This week, take some time to prayer walk your street or neighborhood.
Spend 15–20 minutes walking and praying for the people who live around you. Ask God to help you notice what He is already doing and how you can join Him. Write down anything He brings to your attention as you pray.
And when you come back this Sunday, take one step toward deeper community. Start a conversation, connect with someone you do not know yet, or take your next step toward joining a small group.
We were never meant to follow Jesus alone.
Key Takeaways
Remembering God’s faithfulness helps us trust Him with what comes next. Just as God’s people created reminders of what He had done, we can intentionally remember the ways He has been faithful in our own lives.
God often reveals His direction one piece at a time. We may not understand the full picture yet, but we can trust Him as He leads us.
Prayer is foundational. In uncertainty, conflict, opportunity, and everyday life, we can learn to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort.
Following Jesus happens in community. We need relationships where we can encourage one another, grow together, and be present when life gets difficult.
God can do meaningful things through ordinary acts of prayer, generosity, and obedience. What feels small to us can become part of something much bigger in His hands.
Ending Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your faithfulness.
Thank You for the ways You have already been at work in our lives, our church, and our community—even in moments when we could not see the full picture.
Help us become people who remember what You have done and trust You with what comes next. Teach us to pray first, to live intentionally, to open our lives to meaningful community, and to notice where You are already at work around us.
Give us the courage to take the next step You are inviting us to take.
We trust You with the pieces we understand and the ones we do not.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
