2026 House group
alignment Guide

Welcome, leaders, to our 2026 alignment series and the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting!

Alignment is the one time a year when all of our House Groups do the same thing, integrating with the sermon series. This guide is still designed so that people don’t have to come to a Sunday to get something out of it, but it’s a great time to invite them to join on a Sunday, or to at least catch up on the podcast or YouTube so they get the full experience.
The January series, WILD FAITH, is an opportunity for us to reframe "wilderness" as opportunities for our faith to grow. We’ll look at how Jesus was led to the wilderness before His ministry began, see what was cultivated there, and contrast that with some of the miracles He did. What if it’s actually in the wilderness our faith increases for some of the greatest miracles we’ll see?

Below, you have a resource on fasting in case you get questions from people in your group. We encourage you to fast with your group in some way. One of the benefits of doing this as a church is that we get to support each other in community. We get to lean in together.
Some key dates to help you plan:
  • House Groups start the week of January 12. This guide is for the first four weeks of that session. After that, you’ll have five weeks of normal House Group where you will pick what to do.

  • Our 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting are January 12 - February 1. We will have our Prayer Room for these 21 days as well (M-F at 7am, Sat at 9am and Sun at 8am).

  • We’ll also have a worship night each Sunday night at 7pm — January 11th, 18th. 25th, and ending with a celebration worship night on February 1st. All of these will be at City Church.

Guide to Fasting

Here's a resource to help if folks need more guidance or have questions about fasting. This may be especially helpful for people who have never fasted before or have very limited experience with it. Feel free to share this resource with others!

Week One: Appetite

January 12-15

Big Idea: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness as preparation for His ministry, building intimacy with the Father. Fasting, an act of intentional physical deprivation, is a “wilderness” that increases our expectation, typically leading to closeness with God.
Scripture References
Luke 4:1-4
Deuteronomy 8:3
Psalm 119:11
Mark 6:30-44
Optional Discussion Questions
  1. What is “wilderness” for us today?
  2. Why do you think Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness?
  3. What scriptures do you lean on when you are tempted?
  4. What emotions have you experienced while beginning your fast? (If you are not fasting - what emotions came up in past “wilderness” experiences?)
  5. How has God used “wilderness” to form you over your life?
  6. Where do you need an increase of faith over the next 21 days?
Practice Option 1: Scripture Memorization
Choose one scripture that your group would like to memorize (eg, All or part of Psalm 34 in a specific version)
  1. The leader reads the selected scripture aloud slowly.
  2. Then give two minutes for everyone to read the scripture silently on their own.
  3. As a group, read the scripture aloud together once.
  4. Divide into pairs and break the passage into 2–3 parts (if it’s larger). Depending how long your scripture is, you might try having pairs assign images to key words in each part for easier recall.
  5. One person will then close their Bible/phone, and recite the scripture, only asking for help from their partner where they get stuck. Once their done, their partner will go.
  6. Alternate practice for a few practices for each partner or until they feel confident.

If time allows, debrief: How does memorizing scripture shift your thought patterns or feelings?
Practice Option 2: Listening Prayer
Where does God want to meet you in the wilderness journey?
It’s a good idea to have some instrumental music playing in the background, and possibly have pens and paper available to journal what they hear. Depending on time, take 2-4 minutes for each question below.
  1. Have everyone sit in a relaxed, comfortable position.
  2. Start by inviting the Holy Spirit to be present and speak to everyone in the room. Pray that He would silence every other voice or distraction, so that the group would encounter Him fully.
  3. “We’re going to ask God a few questions, and listen for his response. As things come to mind, even if they seem far off, trust the Holy Spirit is speaking and guiding your interaction.”
    • Question 1: What is an area “wilderness” in my life you’d like to focus on?
    • Question 2: What scripture(s) relates to this area of “wilderness”?
    • Question 3: What are you forming in me through “intentional wilderness”?
    • Question 4: Is there any act of obedience you want me to take from this experience?
  4. Close by thanking the Holy Spirit for speaking. 
  5. Debrief any experiences people want to share.
Obedience
What type of fast are you leaning into over the 21 days? How can we support each other through the next 21 days?
Download a PDF of week one