Episode Summary: We're several weeks into One Story–Every Generation. Groups are showing up, people are reading, discussions are starting to happen—but something feels surface-level.

Answers stay safe. People hold back. And you're wondering: is my group really this shallow? Probably not. In this episode, Jimmy explains why depth follows trust (and trust takes time), but also why depth requires effort—from leaders and from group members. Learn how to build the foundation for transformation through trust-building and consistent Scripture engagement.

Key Takeaway: Depth follows trust. And trust takes time. But depth also requires effort—from you and from them. People won't go deep until they trust each other, and trust is built through consistent, small acts of faithfulness. But you can create all the safety in the world, and if people aren't engaging Scripture for themselves during the week, Sunday mornings will stay shallow.

How Trust Is Built:

• Someone shares something personal—and it stays in the room
• Someone asks a hard question—and they're not shut down or minimized
• Someone admits they're struggling—and somebody shares that they're struggling with the same thing
• Your group experiences life together beyond Sunday mornings—coffee, kids' games, check-in texts

That's where people move from "church friends" to real community—where they see and are seen, know and are known. When that starts to happen, Sunday mornings will go deeper.

Two Jobs for Leaders:

1. Model the depth you want to see Show up having wrestled with the text yourself. Share what challenged you. Be honest about where you're struggling to obey. When you model depth, you give permission for others to go there too.

2. Gently challenge your group to put in the effort Not in a guilt-inducing way. But in a way that says: "This matters. Your relationship with God will only grow if you engage His Word consistently." Hold them accountable to do the reading by asking them point blank about what they learned. Then celebrate when they share something they discovered on their own.

The Reality: You can't facilitate depth if people aren't putting in the effort to go deep.

This Week's Focus:

Start Building Trust: Remind your group that what's shared stays in the room. Welcome hard questions that might not have an immediate answer. And invite everyone to connect outside of Sunday—grab coffee, send a text, or show up somewhere they already are.

Challenge Engagement: Invite them to wrestle with Scripture this week by asking themselves: "What is God showing me? What is this inviting me to do?" And then model it yourself. Show up having done the work, and share what God showed you.

Quote to Remember:"Depth follows trust. But it also follows faithfulness."

NEW! A Downloadable PDF with the Core Takeaways from this week's episode:

Click Here to Download OneSheet Resource

Runtime: 4:36

Release Date: February 5, 2026