RENEW
A STUDY OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IN EZRA + NEHEMIAH
After decades in exile, Israel returns, not just to their land, but to the wreckage of what once was. The temple is in ruins. The walls of Jerusalem are broken down. The people’s identity is fractured. But God is not finished. Ezra and Nehemiah is a story of return, restoration, and renewal. It should have been the end, but it’s actually a new beginning.
This book unfolds in the rubble. God stirs the hearts of leaders, awakens a longing for His Word, and rebuilds both the city and His people. But the work is hard. There’s external opposition, internal compromise, spiritual drift, and generational disappointment. And yet, grace keeps building. God’s promises keep moving forward.
Ezra and Nehemiah are stories of re-formation. They raise a hauntingly relevant question for us today: Will we let God rebuild not just what’s around us, but what’s within us?
Like Israel, we often find ourselves standing in the ruins of what once was: dreams, institutions, relationships, faith. But the God who led His people home is the same God who calls us to rebuild today.
Over these coming weeks, as we read together through The Daily, engage in discussion in our Communities, and gather under the teaching of God’s Word, we pray that we would be a people shaped by repentance, rooted in Scripture, courageous in witness, and resilient in faith. May we take up our tools and trust the One who rebuilds all things.
- The Downtown Hope Theology Team
ReBuilding | Nehemiah 3
"And they said, 'Let us rise up and build.' So they strengthened their hands for the good work." Nehemiah 2:10 The walls of Jerusalem were destroyed and its gates burned when the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar ransacked the city in 586BC. Besides a brief attempt by Ezra, nothing had been done to fix this problem for 140 years. Why would Nehemiah, a Jew held in captivity hundreds of miles away in the capital city of Persia, want or even think he could do something about it? Join us as we learn the building blocks (pun intended) used by Nehemiah to accomplish this “good work” for the Lord in a remarkably short period of time.
August 17, 2025 | Chris Adonis
ReSourcing | Nehemiah 2:1-8
Join us this Sunday as we explore what God can teach us through Nehemiah about how RE-Sourcing was provided by continued prayer, recognizing God at work the moment, and understanding what needs to be requested.
August 10, 2025 | Gary Gunther
ReAlign | Nehemiah 1:1-11
Join us this Sunday as we step into the story of Nehemiah, a man whose heart broke before any walls were built. Before there was a plan, there was a burden. As Nehemiah weeps, prays, and remembers God's promises, we’re invited to realign our own hearts with His. Whether you're feeling powerless, weary, or unsure of where to begin, this is a story that reminds us: restoration always starts with prayer.
August 3, 2025 | David Bempong
ReFormed | Ezra 7:1-10
The things that our hearts are most fully set upon are the things that shape the form of our lives the most: the olympian athlete, the entrepreneur, and the political candidate alike are shaped by some goal they have set their heart upon. Join us this Sunday as Joey continues our series “RE:” through Ezra 7.1-10 to discover the good and beautiful form that begins to emerge when a human heart is set upon the study of the living Word of God.
July 27, 2025 | Joseph Tomassoni
ReBuilt - The Sound of Worship| Ezra 3:1-13
The foundation is laid. The altar is rebuilt. Worship is restored. But it’s not all celebration. Some are shouting for joy, others are weeping. Join us this Sunday, as we step into a moment of tension in the story of Ezra, where rebuilding worship is both beautiful and bittersweet. We’ll discover what it means to worship God in the middle of our mess and what it looks like to be a people who worship faithfully, even when the story isn’t finished.
July 20, 2025 | David Bempong
When God Stirs The Heart | Ezra 1:1-5
This Sunday, we launch our summer series, ReNew, a journey through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. After decades in exile, Israel returns not just to their land, but to the wreckage of what once was: a ruined temple, broken walls, and a fractured identity. But God is not finished. This is a story of return, restoration, and renewal, and it all begins with a stirring. God stirs the hearts of both a pagan king and a faithful remnant to begin rebuilding. Renewal always starts with God moving beneath the surface, disrupting our comfort, and inviting us into His redemptive work.
July 13, 2025 | David Bempong