A widow. An empty jar. A prophet who asks her not what she needs, but what she already has. It's an odd place to start a conversation about money — but it's exactly where this week's message begins.

For three weeks, FIRST has asked whether God is actually first in our lives. This week, Chris Nichols walks into the room most of us avoid the longest — our finances — and makes the case that tithing was never really about money. It's about trust. Along the way, Lead Pastor Ted Coniaris shares a short video, "Simple Math," that makes the concept about as clear as it gets: the first, not the leftover. The message closes with an invitation to a 90-Day Tithing Challenge, with a simple guarantee behind it: if God doesn't show up, you get every dollar back.

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1–7; Malachi 3:6–12; Proverbs 3:9–10; Romans 11:36; Deuteronomy 8:18; Leviticus 27:30; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 6:21

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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart…and love your neighbor as yourself.” — Luke 10:27

In this final meditation, Sharie Behnke invites us to allow the love we have received from God to move outward toward others. Through Scripture, reflection, and prayer, we’ll consider Jesus’ challenging question from the story of the Good Samaritan: What does it mean to become a neighbor?

We’ll reflect on the people we naturally love, those we often overlook, and even those we find difficult to love. Jesus invites us to see beyond our differences without abandoning wisdom or healthy boundaries—to recognize the humanity and image of God in others.

As this five-day journey concludes, we remember where it began: We love because God first loved us. May that love give us eyes to notice, compassion to respond, and courage not simply to ask, “Who is my neighbor?” but to become one.

Narrator: Sharie Behnke

Take your next step at communitychristian.org.

As we move toward the IGNITE Gathering, find more resources, gathering times, and ways to engage here.

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” — Mark 12:31

We often understand what it means to care for others, yet struggle to offer ourselves that same patience, kindness, and grace. In this guided Lectio Divina, Jon Hughes invites us to slow down and listen deeply to Jesus’ words: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Through Scripture, silence, reflection, and prayer, we’ll consider how we speak to ourselves, especially when we make mistakes, fall short, or encounter parts of ourselves we find difficult to accept. Rather than ignoring where we need to grow, we’ll practice seeing ourselves through the eyes of God’s grace—as loved, known, imperfect, and still being formed.

As we learn to receive God’s compassion for ourselves, we become better able to extend that compassion to others. Come ready to listen, receive grace, and discover how loving yourself can create more room to love your neighbor well.

Narrator: Jon Hughes

Take your next step at communitychristian.org.

As we move toward the IGNITE Gathering, find more resources, gathering times, and ways to engage here.