Sunday – January 11, 2026 Alan E. Nelson About This Mini-Series: This three-part study of Philippians is an exegetical—not topical—journey through Scripture. A topical study is like going to a restaurant and ordering what you want from the menu: you begin with a theme and search the Bible for verses that fit it. An exegetical study, by contrast, is like going to a friend’s house for dinner without knowing what will be served. You don’t set the agenda—your host does. In the same way, we let God, through Scripture, choose what He wants us to learn. We come as guests, attentive to the text’s purpose rather than our own preferences. Context: Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi is rich with insight into God’s desires for His people—how they are to think, live, and grow. Interestingly, the Conejo Valley shares several similarities with this medium-sized city in what is now northern Greece. Philippians is marked by encouragement, clarity, and forward momentum, calling believers to deeper spiritual maturity. It’s a fitting study as we look ahead to a new year and consider what it means to live faithfully at the next level. Week 1 of 3: Get the Ingredients Right: humility, unity, compassion, and the mindset of Christ are essential ingredients for a life that tastes good to God and others. (Phil. 2) Chapter 2 Insights Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Our heavenly Parent smiles when we get along well with our siblings. Do your part to unify the family. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Humility: not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. A way out of self-pity is others-empathy. Grow up. It’s not about you. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Maturity comes as we think more like Jesus, less like ourselves… get out of yourself… get over yourself. Get low. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! The Creator of humans… voluntarily became a human The giver of life… voluntarily gave up his life To be like Jesus… means to voluntarily give up your most basic claim… to be you. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.  Grumbling is an indicator you’re not focusing on the right things. Onomatopoeia lets language sound like life—just as attitude eventually sounds like the heart. Stop being like sandpaper in conversations! Positivity is countercultural—that’s why it glows The darker it gets; the brighter we get QR code for 5 daily devotionals, based on each week’s theme, along with a suggested video link. You can also download a summary of Atomic Habits, a book recommended by Alan. (Pie-Palooza, Jan. 25. If you’d like to bring a pie for a dessert buffet, email anelson@kidlead.com by Jan. 20.)