Spiritual Emphasis Week 2026 by CHCAcademy

SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS WEEK 2026

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS WEEK?

Spiritual Emphasis Week creates time to pursue deeper connections and an understanding of who God is, what He’s done, and the opportunity to take the first or next step to strengthen our relationships with Jesus. Our desire is that you will grow in their relationship with Him, strengthen relationships with your classmates, have accountability with each other, and foster a school culture where you feel bold enough to live out your faith. MATTHEW 16:24 04 MONDAY: ALL IN 06 TUESDAY: ALL IN BEGINS AT THE LAVER 08

WEDNESDAY: ALL IN - TRUST 10

THURSDAY: BEING ALL IN MEANS TOTAL SURRENDER 12 FRIDAY: ALL IN - JESUS 14 WKND 251 16 Scan QR code for a

THEN JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES, AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY UP HIS CROSS AND Matthew

DISCIPLES, “IF ANYONE WOULD COME DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE AND FOLLOW ME.”

Matthew 16:24

MONDAY - JARED SISSON

ALL IN

“WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO.”

Matthew 6:21

There are moments when God invites us to slow down and pay attention. This is one of those moments.

This week is not just about learning something new or getting through another school day. It is an invitation to let God search your heart and show you what is really there.

If I am being honest, the reason I care so deeply about this week is because I care about you. I see how full your lives already are. Full of pressure. Full of expectations. Full of noise. And when life gets full, Jesus often gets pushed to the edges.

The theme of this week is All In.

At the heart of that theme is a picture. So many of us are willing to follow Jesus as long as we can still stand on our own. As long as our feet can touch the ground. As long as we feel safe and in control.

But being all in with Jesus looks different.

It looks like stepping past the shoreline. Past a faith that only goes ankle deep. Past a life where we keep one foot planted in what feels comfortable. It looks like going somewhere your feet can no longer touch the ground and choosing to trust Jesus to hold you.

Every one of us is being shaped by something.

Some of us are being shaped by success or approval.

Some by comparison, fear, or control.

Some by habits or sins we never meant to hold onto for this long.

What has been shaping your heart lately?

Jesus does not ignore that question. He invites us to come empty. To deny ourselves. To let go of the things we have made priorities and trust Him enough to take their place. Being all in is not about adding Jesus onto an already full life. It is about letting Him become the center.

For some of you, Jesus is not the priority right now. Other things have slowly taken His place. If that is true, this week is not about guilt. It is about honesty and invitation.

For others, you truly want Jesus, but you feel tired, unsure, or stuck. If that is you, do not stop. Faith often looks like taking one more step into deeper water.

This week is an invitation to move beyond the shallow end. To stop standing where you feel safe and to trust Jesus enough to go ALL IN.

There is more ahead this week. More space to listen. More moments to respond. More opportunities to trust Him deeply.

PRAYER:

Jesus,

I come to You honestly today.

Show me what has taken priority in my heart. Give me the courage to step out of what feels safe and trust You fully.

Empty me of what cannot give life and fill me with faith in You.

I want to go all in.

Amen.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

1. WHAT HAS BEEN TAKING UP THE MOST SPACE IN MY HEART LATELY?

2. WHAT AM I HOLDING ONTO THAT MIGHT BE KEEPING JESUS AT THE EDGES?

3. WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR ME TO TAKE ONE STEP DEEPER IN TRUSTING HIM?

TUESDAY - MR. BRAZELL

ALL IN BEGINS AT THE LAVER

LET US DRAW NEAR TO GOD WITH A SINCERE HEART AND WITH THE FULL ASSURANCE THAT FAITH BRINGS, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED TO CLEANSE US FROM A GUILTY CONSCIENCE AND HAVING OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER.

HEBREWS 10:22

When we talk about being ALL IN with God, we often think about passion, worship, bold faith, or making a public commitment. Going ALL IN always begins with repentance.

In the Old Testament tabernacle, there was a place called the Laver. The Laver stood between the altar of sacrifice and the holy place (Exodus 30:17–21). The priests could not move forward without washing. Sacrifice came first, but cleansing was required before service. The altar reminds us of sacrifice. The laver reminds us of repentance. Repentance was not optional, it was essential. They could not skip this step.

The Laver reminds us that devotion is not just about passion, activity, guilt, fear, and even bold declarations. It is about humility. It is the daily decision to let God wash what sacrifice has already made possible. We do not repent to earn His love; we repent because we have received it. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). God already knows our hearts, but He invites us to come clean so we can move closer.

Being ALL IN means allowing God to search us, cleanse us, and realign us. It means laying down hidden sins, our thoughts, choices, motives, hardened attitudes, and self-reliance. Repentance is not shameful, it is freeing. It prepares us to carry His presence without contamination. Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” This prayer matters.

You cannot rush past repentance and expect real intimacy with God. Before deeper faith, before leadership, before purpose, there is cleansing. Repentance prepares us to carry what God wants to give us. Before deeper intimacy, before greater authority, before increased usefulness, there is the laver.

ALL IN starts when we stop rushing past repentance and choose to be clean before the Lord. This week, don’t just be ALL IN with your words. Be ALL IN at the Laver. Let God clean you, restore you, and lead you forward.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”-Isaiah 1:18

All this happens through the cross and the blood of Jesus Christ. I worship Jesus at the Laver.

PRAYER:

“Heavenly Father, I invite You to expose sin in me. Lord, I step to the Laver. Just as the priests wash their hands, feet, and faces at the Laver, I look at myself in the Laver, as a mirror to my conscience. I evaluate my heart, pursing a clear conscience. I repent to remove the guilt because YOU are Holy. I can’t drag my guilty conscience into your presence.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

1. DO I WORSHIP ANY OTHER GODS? DO I BOW TO ANY IDOLS?

2. DO I CALL ANY OF GOD’S NAMES IN VAIN? DO I KILL BY HATING?

3. DO I PRIORITIZE MY TIME WITH YOU: MIDWEEK, SABBATH, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY DAILY?

4. AM I DISHONEST IN MY LIFE? AM I COVETING?

5. DO I ENTERTAIN LUSTFUL THOUGHTS?

WEDNESDAY

- MRS. CHASON

ALL IN - TRUST

TRUST (NOUN)

- FIRM BELIEF IN THE RELIABILITY, TRUTH, ABILITY, OR STRENGTH OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING

Who are some people you know you can trust? What are some things you know you can trust?

To be honest, in a world of deep-fakes, there are very few people and things we can really trust these days. In order to be “all in” with Jesus though, we have to be able to trust Him. So what does that look like?

When you hear the name Peter (from the Bible) what’s the first thing that pops into your head?

Something crazy he did... denied Jesus, cut a guy’s ear off, said something dumb without thinking first...? Yep, sounds like Peter. He may have his list of mistakes (don’t we all?!), but one of Peter’s most admirable qualities was the level of trust he had in Jesus. He knew Jesus, loved Jesus, and trusted him with all that he was. Peter really was all in.

The recap:

• Peter’s brother introduces him to Jesus. (John 1:40-41)

• Peter, frustrated from fishing all night with no catch, follows Jesus’ instruction to throw the net out on the other side. Peter brings in a huge haul of fish and decides to follow Jesus, who says he will be a fisher of men. (Luke 5:1-11)

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:28-33)

• After seeing Jesus feed 5,000 people with just a little boy’s lunch, Jesus sends his disciples on a boat across the sea. Later he caught up with them, walking on the water. The weather was bad and they thought they were seeing a ghost on the water...

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16)

• While the rest of the disciples are still trying to figure out who Jesus really is, Peter has figured it out:

• Peter (and James and John) briefly get to see Jesus in his true heavenly form - confirming Peter’s previous statement about his “secret identity”. (Matthew 17:1-9)

• Peter catches a fish with money in its mouth to pay his taxes - what a cool surprise! Jesus did that too.

The more Peter spends time with Jesus, the more he realizes that he can trust him! Jesus proves his strength and ability every time - and many times in surprising ways.

There are times (even after all that), that Peter isn’t perfect and doesn’t always do the right thing, but Jesus’ trustworthiness never changes. Even after Peter fails and denies Jesus 3 times, he knows and trusts Jesus enough, that he can go back to him and ask for forgiveness. Peter goes on to do more crazy, fearless stuff that leads to many more people trusting in Jesus for salvation and abundant life!

I read a statement recently that said, “Sometimes having faith means engaging in something so bold that you will end up looking stupid if Jesus doesn’t come through.” Sounds a lot like Peter. I want to trust Jesus that much.

So whether you are just being introduced to Jesus, you’ve recently decided to follow him, or you’ve being trying to follow for some time now, trust is something that is built. The more you spend time with Jesus, the more you will trust him. The more you trust him, the easier it will get. And even in times of doubt, he is still faithful. Go all in - you can trust him.

Here are a few scriptures to encourage you along the way:

Proverbs 3:5-6 | Psalm 20:7 | Psalm 56:4 | Psalm 100:5 | Isaiah 26:3

PERSONAL REFLECTION

1. PETER MESSED UP A LOT BUT KEPT COMING BACK TO JESUS. WHY DO YOU THINK JESUS STILL TRUSTED PETER?

2. WHAT ARE SOME “BOATS” PEOPLE YOU MIGHT BE AFRAID TO STEP OUT OF? (SCHOOL, FRIENDSHIPS, FAITH, CHOICES, ETC.)

3. HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL KNOWING JESUS IS STILL FAITHFUL EVEN WHEN WE FAIL?

4. WHAT IS ONE STEP YOU CAN TAKE THIS WEEK TO TRUST JESUS MORE?

BEING ALL IN MEANS TOTAL SURRENDER THURSDAY - MR. BENGS

We are either all in or all out in God’s Kingdom - there is no in-between.

READ: LUKE 9:57-62

In the early days of Jesus’s earthly ministry, He attracted all kinds of people because of his teachings and miracles, but it wasn’t often that these people truly understood what it meant to follow Him. Many people followed Jesus because He did supernatural miracles (Luke 8:26-39) or fed them (Luke 9:10-17) and they were caught up in the hype and excitement of this counter-cultural leader. But in the passage above, Jesus is directly addressing people who made excuses that held them back from fully following Him. They wanted promises of future comfort, time to grieve, or even to say goodbye to their families. In other words, these people held onto earthly things that prevented them from fully surrendering themselves and their lives to Jesus.

Often times when we think about the word “surrender”, we think about it in military terms as accepting defeat when everything has gone wrong. Surrendering in a battle usually means all hope is lost and an army must admit defeat in order to preserve more lives. Waving the white flag of surrender is a sign of giving up and fearfully accepting whatever might happen next.

But what is so wonderful and beautiful about God’s Kingdom is that total surrender to Jesus is the greatest thing one could ever do. Total surrender to Christ is not loss or defeat, but absolute gain and victory in HIM. As Jim Elliott wrote in his journal in

1949, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Seven years later, Elliott would be killed for surrendering everything to God in proclaiming the Kingdom of God to the Huaoroni people in Ecuador who had never heard of King Jesus. To the world, his surrender unto death was a total loss; in God’s Kingdom, his surrender unto death was only gain in his obedience to King Jesus.

In our lives, we cannot hold onto things of this world and claim to follow Jesus, even good things, like family, grieving, or comfort. Total surrender in Christ’s Kingdom means we give up the things that are good because we have received something far greater – Christ Himself. We are either all in or all out in God’s Kingdom - there is no in-between. We surrender willfully to a good and gracious King who loves His people and cares for us far greater than we could ever imagine. It means the surrender of the things we want as our hearts cry out and yearn for more of Jesus and what HE wants.

Surrendering to be all in for Christ is difficult. We have fight to give up the things our sinful hearts want to distract us with, so we can know Him and love Him more. I am reminded of a quote from a favorite book of mine from childhood – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Towards the beginning of the book the Pevensie children are asking about this fabled king, Aslan, who serves as a representation of Christ in the book. One of the questions they ask is whether Aslan is safe, to which Mr. Beaver says the following:

“‘Safe?’ said Mr. Beaver; ‘don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.’”

Surrendering everything to be all in for Christ may seem scary, overwhelming, or dangerous, but it is always worth it to fully know and fully follow King Jesus.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

1. TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND SPEND SOME TIME REFLECTING ON WHAT PARTS OF YOUR LIFE YOU ARE HOLDING BACK FROM THE LORD, WHETHER CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY. THIS COULD BE ATHLETICS, RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY, FUTURE PLANS ETC.

2. TAKE THOSE THINGS AND INSERT THEM INTO THE FOLLOWING BLANK: “IF I LOST _________, WOULD FOLLOWING JESUS STILL BE ENOUGH FOR ME?”

3. PRAY THROUGH THESE AND OFFER THEM UP TO THE LORD. ASK THAT GOD WOULD GIVE YOU A DEEPER TRUST AND DEPENDENCE ON HIM. ASK THAT GOD WOULD HELP YOU LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING OF THIS WORLD. PRAY THAT YOU WOULD SURRENDER ALL THINGS TO GOD AS YOU FOLLOW HIM.

ALL IN: JESUS FRIDAY - MR. GOINS

This week, we’ve been talking about what it means to go ALL IN. Going ALL IN means holding nothing back. It’s giving your full effort, even when it costs you something.

That’s exactly what Jesus did for us.

Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus, even though He was God, didn’t hold on to His power or status. He didn’t say, “I deserve better than this.” Instead, He chose humility. He stepped out of heaven, became human, and lived like a servant. That alone seems crazy…seems completely counter cultural, but He didn’t stop there.

Jesus went ALL IN by obeying God the Father completely, even when it led to the cross.

The cross wasn’t easy. It was painful! Jesus was whipped so bad that it ripped his flesh showed his inner organs. He was humiliated. He was stripped down and put on a cross for everyone to see. The worst part is it was totally undeserved. Jesus was completely sinless, so he did not earn the cross.

Jesus could have walked away. He could have called it quits. He could have called down angels to rescue him. But He didn’t. He stayed. He suffered. He died. Why? Because His love for us and God the Father was greater than the cost.

And because Jesus went ALL IN, God exalted Him. Philippians says that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that

Jesus Christ is Lord. The same Jesus who humbled Himself is now lifted up above everything.

So what does this mean for us?

Paul starts this passage by saying, “Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” That doesn’t mean we’re perfect or that we suffer just to suffer. It means we choose humility over pride, obedience over comfort, and love over selfishness. It means we trust God even when it’s hard and serve others even when it’s inconvenient.

Jesus didn’t go halfway for us. He didn’t stay safe. He didn’t hold back. He went ALL IN…so we could have life. If Jesus can go ALL IN for us, we should go ALL IN for Him.

PRAYER:

Thank You for Jesus and for the way He went ALL IN for us. Thank You for His love, His sacrifice, and His obedience, even when it cost Him everything.

Help us to have the same mindset as Christ. Teach us to choose humility, trust You when things are hard, and love others the way You love us. Because You didn’t hold back for us, we want to go ALL IN for You.

Amen.