Locations & Times

Are you letting your past fly your future? This week, we kicked off At The Movies with Top Gun: Maverick—and it’s way more than jets and adrenaline. Jim Burgen unpacked how guilt, shame, pride, and fear keep us stuck living a small, wounded life. Maverick's struggle mirrors ours: you can have all the skills in the world and still be haunted by what you haven't surrendered. Through Jesus, we can let go of the wreckage and finally live free, forgiven, and on mission. Maverick couldn't fix himself, and neither can we. True freedom comes when we trust Jesus to heal what pride, fear, and regret have broken. Your past doesn't get the final word—Jesus does. Forgiveness isn't just for others; it's the gift that unlocks your future.

Set List

Discussion Questions

Top Gun Maverick – At the Movies

Jim Burgen
April 27th, 2025

// Bible References: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Matt 28:18-20, John 15:13, Ephesians 3:20, Ephesians 6:12, Proverbs 16:18, Colossians 3:13

// Community Question: What are your top 3 movies of all time?

// Discussion Questions

1. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. In Top Gun: Maverick, Pete Mitchell wrestles with his past mistakes and fears about the future. How does the gospel give us a way to face our past without being defined by it?
2. Read Matt 28:18-20. Pete risks everything to train and lead the next generation, even when it’s messy, costly, and full of personal risk. Jesus calls us into a similar mission: “Go and make disciples”. But we’re not living in neutral territory; we’re living in a battleground, and the real enemy isn’t people; it’s spiritual (Ephesians 6:12). Our enemy knows how to use pride, ego, and even past wins to hold us back. When you think about this, how can you check your heart, especially your pride, so you don’t miss out on the mission Jesus has for you? (See Proverbs 16:18)
3. The mission in Top Gun: Maverick seemed impossible. But Maverick reminded the team that "it’s not the plane, it's the pilot." In our faith, why is it so important to trust God's power over our own ability (read Ephesians 3:20)?
4. Forgiveness is a major part of the story in Top Gun: Maverick (between Maverick and Rooster, but also within Maverick himself). The gospel challenges us to offer forgiveness to others and to ourselves, because of what Jesus has already done for us (Colossians 3:13). Why is it sometimes just as hard to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive others? How can believing the gospel help us live in real freedom from resentment, both toward others and toward ourselves?

// Challenge: This week, pick one way to "fly the mission" Jesus has for you:

• Invest in someone younger in their faith or life journey (even if it feels risky or inconvenient).
• Trust God in an area where you're tempted to rely on yourself.
• Take a bold step toward forgiveness. Either by offering it or asking for it…or giving it to yourself.

Which one are you going to commit to this week, and who will you share it with for accountability?
(Bonus: Pray for courage and ask God for a clear "target" this week.)