WEEK ONE – We Believe In God But We Are Not Sure He Loves Us

In this first week of the series we will introduce the concept of Catholic Atheist and dive into the reading from Genesis about Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve commit the first sin because they believe God is holding out on them, keeping them from the forbidden fruit not out of love but out of spite. We’ll dive into God’s love for us and why we need to reach that as bedrock to have a lively faith.

What do we want the listener to know?

God created us with personal, intimate love and designed the world for our good. Yet we often live as “Catholic atheists,” saying we believe in God while acting as if He is not real. The Enemy tempts us to doubt God’s love, but the cross of Christ proves that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39).

What do we want the listener to feel?

We are meant to feel both convicted and comforted. Convicted to see the gaps between our words and actions, and comforted in the unshakable truth that God loves us even in our weakness and shame.

What do we want the listener to do?

Examine your life for areas of “practical atheism,” bring them to God, and trust

His mercy. Take daily steps to remember His love through prayer, Scripture, or devotionals and live in a way that reflects true belief.

WEEK TWO – We Believe In God But Not In Prayer

Scripture: Matthew 17:1‑9

Many Christians profess faith but avoid prayer due to doubt, distraction, or feeling it makes no difference. Jesus taking Peter, James, and John up the mountain demonstrates that meaningful prayer begins by stepping away from the world to focus on God. In prayer, we encounter both His glory and His understanding of our struggles, which can change us even if our circumstances stay the same. True prayer reorients our hearts, reminding us that God is the center and inviting us to trust Him more fully.

What do we want the listener to know?

God invites us into prayer not just as a ritual, but as a way to encounter His glory and presence. Stepping apart from the world, even briefly, allows us to recognize Jesus as the Son of God and remember that He is the center of the universe, not us.

What do we want the listener to feel?

Awed by God’s greatness yet comforted by His nearness. Inspired and encouraged to believe that prayer is powerful and transformative, not boring or pointless.

What do we want the listener to do?

Commit to a regular habit of prayer by intentionally setting aside time and space to be with God, listen to Him, and allow His presence to change your heart and perspective.

WEEK THREE – We Believe in God But Still Worry

Scripture: Exodus 17: 1-7

Our anxieties about finances, family, work, or the future often show our desire for control and doubt that God cares for us. Using the story of the Israelites in Exodus 17, it shows how worry strangles life, distances us from God, and makes us self-focused, even when

He has already provided. The path to freedom is to identify our concerns, choose to release them, act with wisdom, and bring every need to God in prayer with gratitude. When we do, we trade worry for His peace and live in trust.

What do we want the listener to know?

Listeners should understand that worry is destructive and unproductive. It strangles the joy out of life, drains emotional and mental energy, and distances us from God. Worry stems from our desire for control and reflects a lack of trust in God’s love and provision. Scripture, including Matthew 6 and Philippians 4:6–7, reminds us that we do not need to live in fear because God has consistently proven His faithfulness, as He did with the Israelites in the wilderness.

What do we want the listener to feel?

Listeners should feel both convicted and encouraged. They may recognize that their worry communicates doubt in God’s care, yet they can also feel hopeful knowing that God invites them to release anxiety and experience His peace. They should leave the message feeling reassured, comforted, and inspired to place their trust in the Lord rather than in their own attempts to control life.

What do we want the listener to do?

Listeners should identify their specific worries and acknowledge the areas where fear has taken hold. They should choose to reject worry with God’s help, take wise and practical steps in areas they can control, and seek God’s guidance through prayer. Most importantly, they should pray with gratitude, entrusting their concerns to God and allowing His peace to replace their anxiety.

WEEK FOUR – We Believe in God, But Don’t Know Him

Scripture: John 9: 1-38

Using John 9, we see the man born blind progress from calling Jesus “a man,” to “a prophet,” to worshiping Him as Lord, while the Pharisees choose willful blindness. Like the blind man, we come to know God personally by humbly admitting our need, obeying His voice, and creating space in our lives to encounter Him.

What do we want the listener to know?

God desires a personal, intimate relationship with each of us, not just knowledge about Him. Like the man born blind in John 9, our understanding of who Jesus is can grow deeper when we open our hearts and respond to Him.

What do we want the listener to feel?

A sense of humility and longing to know God more personally, along with hope and encouragement that He is always reaching out to us, even in our blindness or uncertainty.

What do we want the listener to do?

Admit where we lack closeness with God, actively listen and obey His voice, and make intentional space in our daily lives to encounter Him in prayer and reflection.

WEEK FIVE – We Believe In God But Don’t Believe We Can Change

Scripture: John 11: 1-44

In the Gospel, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us. We will look at why it is atheism to act as if we can’t change.

What do we want the listener to know?

God has the power to change the “dead” areas of our lives, and true transformation is possible through Jesus Christ. Our sins and weaknesses are not our identity, and giving up on change is believing a lie.

What do we want the listener to feel?

Hopeful and encouraged that no part of life is beyond God’s grace. Confident that Jesus cares deeply about our transformation and desires our growth even more than we do.

What do we want the listener to do?

Acknowledge the areas that need to change, reject the lie that you cannot change, invite God into the process through prayer, and surround yourself with people who will encourage and support your transformation.