The Search: An Innovative Encounter for Small-Groups & Churches

    Presenting a new kind of experience for spiritual formation: innovative curriculum for small-group encounters and church-wide events.
Produced in part with a grant from the Lilly Endowment and Hope College inVocation initiative, this creative study is suitable for Churches, Sunday schools, Adult home-groups, College teams, and anywhere a fresh perspective and Biblically-inspired journey is desired.
No need to recruit or train leaders, no advanced prep required!
The videos lead your team through icebreakers, teaching, discussion & creative ways to encounter God through interaction with each other.

The Search was created in response to a one-two punch impacting churches in recent years. Punch 1: the pandemic weakened our experience of effective community — the real-life, face-to-face kind that is at the heart of Christian formation. Punch 2: our pervasive online culture has created “vision fatigue.” Where is my place of real impact and meaning in the midst the unending scroll of people who are more successful and effective than me at almost everything? How do I find a voice in the media-driven onslaught of opinions and debates?

This project attempts to jump-start community through insightful and engaging interaction and to re-ignite vision through creative inspiration and teaching on both our individual and common call.

Available in a variety of editions/packages...

The Search is available in three editions: one for single-person and home use, a Small-Group edition for use by a single group or class, and a Church-wide event package supporting multiple small-groups and a month-long church series expanding the topic of individual and community vocation.

an overview…

THE SEARCH : a media-based group encounter

Take your small-group, Bible study, class or even your family on a journey toward being a people of calling. This media series not only teaches through a variety of innovative styles, but facilitates the entire experience with discussion, reflection, and playful interaction.

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CHAPTER ONE | THE SEARCH

Aware of it or not, we have been on a lifelong search for vocation – for our sense of place in the world. We begin the series with an exploration of the influences that have already shaped our personal sense of vocation for good or for ill: cultural, social, historical.

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CHAPTER TWO | FINDING THE STORY

How do we define ourselves and discover our purpose? Often, meaning is understood when we uncover the bigger story surrounding it. Journey through an ancient folk tale, a delightful overview of Biblical calling done in whimsical stop-motion, and a trip to the theatre that begins in failed attempts and ends in revelation of a grander narrative.

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CHAPTER THREE | DOING THE WORK

We can’t talk about vocation without tackling the subject of work. Explore our love/hate relationship with work – sometimes a necessary evil to endure, sometimes a pathway to fulfilled potential. Go speed-dating to uncover our common threads and glimpse how culture obscures, theologians clash, and scripture treats us to a variety of perspectives on wrestling with work.

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CHAPTER FOUR | BECOMING A PEOPLE

In our final installment: parables, prophets & priests, and the occasional gameshow… they all enlighten the pathway toward becoming a people of vocation. Discover and evaluate purpose in our own lives as we embrace the vocation of Jesus.

Responses to The Search...

  • “I was so impressed with the quality of the imagery and animation. The artistry and the creativity used is top-notch and really works to pull us into the meaning…”

  • “I’ve been considering a job change, and this series was affirming in helping me understand both that 1) God is present in my vocation, whatever that may be and wherever I may be working; and 2) My vocation is more than just my job.”

  • “…this series was a great reminder to be more intentional about how I view my day-to-day work and interactions and to slow down to be more aware of how my story is fitting into God’s story.”

  • “As a stay-at-home mom, it’s hard to always view that as a vocation. The study has helped me realize the importance of that role.”

  • “It did a great job of packaging [vocational] ideas, recognizing the nuances, putting it into a historical and biblical context, and connecting the concepts in a coherent flow.”