1. Good News (Mark 1-1)
Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-mark/
What if following Jesus isn’t about arriving—but about learning how to fail forward? In this opening message of our year-long journey through the Gospel of Mark, we confront a deeply held assumption many of us carry:: Follow Jesus → get better → stop failing → arrive. But if that were true, Mark’s Gospel would be deeply discouraging—because the people closest to Jesus fail constantly. Through honest stories of personal failure, the surprising life of John Mark, and the opening line of Mark’s Gospel—“The beginning of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God”—we discover that failure is not the exception in discipleship, but often the place where God begins His deepest work. This message explores: Why failure is a normal part of following Jesus. How our unformed places show up in marriage, parenting, work, church, and friendships. Why God’s grace doesn’t erase consequences—but does offer real restoration. And how the “good news” of Jesus is not advice, self-help, or religious hype, but an announcement of a faithful King who keeps calling failing disciples If you’ve ever felt like you’ve let God down, fallen short, or wondered if it’s too late to start again—this message is for you. Because the Gospel of Mark reminds us: If you feel like you’re failing at following Jesus, you’re not outside the story—you’re right in the middle of it.
What if following Jesus isn’t about arriving—but about learning how to fail forward? In this opening message of our year-long journey through the Gospel of Mark, we confront a deeply held assumption many of us carry:: Follow Jesus → get better → stop failing → arrive. But if that were true, Mark’s Gospel would be deeply discouraging—because the people closest to Jesus fail constantly. Through honest stories of personal failure, the surprising life of John Mark, and the opening line of Mark’s Gospel—“The beginning of the good news of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God”—we discover that failure is not the exception in discipleship, but often the place where God begins His deepest work. This message explores: Why failure is a normal part of following Jesus. How our unformed places show up in marriage, parenting, work, church, and friendships. Why God’s grace doesn’t erase consequences—but does offer real restoration. And how the “good news” of Jesus is not advice, self-help, or religious hype, but an announcement of a faithful King who keeps calling failing disciples If you’ve ever felt like you’ve let God down, fallen short, or wondered if it’s too late to start again—this message is for you. Because the Gospel of Mark reminds us: If you feel like you’re failing at following Jesus, you’re not outside the story—you’re right in the middle of it.