Author: Scott Chafee

Scott serves on staff at King’s Grant Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.

April 19 – Luke 24:13-35

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On the Road to Emmaus—Luke 24:13–35

Discuss It

1. When was a time when Jesus showed up and you failed to recognize him at first. (24:15)
2. What do you think prevents people from believing in Jesus? (24:16)
3. Where have you seen God at work that apparently others have missed? (24:18)
4. Describe a time when you saw your hopes dashed and how did you handle it? (24:21)
5. Life can be full of surprises, so when was a time in your life where God or his people amazed you? (24:22)
6. When have you been guilty of unbelief? Why are we so often “slow of heart to believe”? (24:15)
7. What great truth has God taught you that at first you failed to understand?
8. In what ways has God clearly spoken to you? Can you share a story of what he told you?
9. How important is the Scripture in our understanding of Jesus and his global purpose? (24:27)
10. How do you feel about Jesus acting as if he would go on farther without them? (24:28)
11. When was the last time (or a significant time in your life) when your heart burned at what you read in the Bible? (24:32)
12. What can you learn about witnessing from the example of the two men in this story? (24:33-35)

Apply It

1. What did you think your life would be like after you became a Christian?
2. What could you do this week to make yourself more sensitive to the Lord’s leading in your life?
3. What could you do in the future to prevent yourself from failing to recognize God’s voice?
4. Where and when was your Emmaus story, a time when Jesus showed up and surprised you? What happened? Did you urge him to stay?
5. How well can you explain the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?

Barna on Trends of Men and Women

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New Research on Church Attendance: Decline of Women or the Rise of Men?

For decades, women have outnumbered men in church pews and have often led the way in spiritual participation. But the current data, released as part of Barna’s ongoing State of the Church initiative with Gloo, shows that women—across all generations—are now attending church less often than men. This surprising shift marks more than a numerical change; it signals a cultural and spiritual turning point within America.

AT A GLANCE:

  • Major Gender Shift: Men are significantly outpacing women in church attendance since the pandemic, reversing a long-standing trend in Barna’s decades of tracking. The 2025 gender gap is the largest recorded so far (43% for men vs. 36% among women).
  • Married Dads Show Up; Moms Step Back: Among parents of kids under 18, married dads have the highest show-up rate at church compared to all other parents. Only 1 in 4 single moms (24%) attend church weekly—significantly trailing other married moms and dads.
  • Why It Matters: These shifts reveal new patterns of participation and disengagement among key groups that may reshape the fabric of church life in the years to come.
  • Leadership Consideration: How will churches adapt to support the growing faith engagement of young men—and the growing disengagement of women, particularly single mothers? How can leaders assess what people are experiencing inside the church that shapes whether they return?

[ READ THE FULL REPORT HERE ]

MFUGE Impact

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On July 6, in Patrick’s absence, Scott teaches about how the impact of MFuge is relevant to all believers.

Our students are leaving in the morning to make a difference in Philadelphia, PA, so let’s take this opportunity to see how that impact can happen right here, among our community of faith in Virginia Beach.

Domesticated Jesus

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ON MARCH 16: Domesticated Jesus, with Scott Chafee (the opening clip was a scene from the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Is Jesus really the Lion of Judah? Or do we prefer a tame Lion, perhaps de-clawed without fangs. It seems that in the western church we have domesticated this young Jewish rabbi who turned the world upside down with his teaching. Many in the church seem to invite Jesus into their already busy lives so that Jesus can follow US, rather than we following HIM. On Sunday, let’s look at the ways we tend to TAME Jesus into something we like better than the Jesus who calls us to radical obedience and discipleship.