Tread Depth: Going Deeper In Your Walk With Christ
Preached to: Middle & High School Students
Speaker: Pastor Amanda Hahn
As we reach the halfway point of our Driven summer series, this week’s message, Tread Depth, focused on developing a faith that is deep, durable, and impactful. Just like a tire with strong tread provides grip and control on the road, a deep spiritual life keeps us grounded and effective through life’s challenges. We explored Colossians 2:6-7 and unpacked three key points:
Key Points:
Faith is a Daily Process – Accepting Jesus is just the beginning; we must follow Him daily and put our faith into action.
Grow Deep, Not Just Wide – Surface-level faith wears thin under pressure, but deep roots in Christ provide strength and stability.
Strong Faith Leaves a Mark – A life grounded in truth overflows with gratitude and makes a lasting impact on others.
Bottom Line: Students were challenged to evaluate their spiritual tread, create daily growth habits, and boldly live out their faith beyond the youth room.
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Night 1 Discussion: Faith in Action – Are We Driving or Parked?
📖 Colossians 2:6 – “...you must continue to follow Him.”
Questions:
What does it mean to follow Jesus daily?
Is our faith something we just talk about at church, or something we live out at home, school, and work?
Can you think of a time when you saw someone truly living out their faith?
Family Challenge:
Each person chooses one way to put their faith into action this week (ex: encouraging someone, reading scripture, praying for a friend), and report back at the end of the week.Night 2 Discussion: How Deep Are Our Roots?
📖 Colossians 2:7a – “Let your roots grow down into Him...”
Questions:
Why do you think it’s important for our faith to be “deep” instead of just surface level?
What are some things that help us grow our faith deeper?
When life gets hard, what do our reactions say about the depth of our faith?
Family Challenge:
Pick a time (morning or evening) to do a 5-minute devotional together for the next 3 days. Keep it consistent and short to build the habit.Night 3 Discussion: Leaving a Mark That Lasts
📖 Colossians 2:7b – “...you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Questions:
What kind of “mark” do we leave on people around us—at school, work, or even at home?
How can we show others Jesus through our attitudes, words, and actions?
When someone looks at our family, do they see gratitude and joy?
Family Challenge:
As a family, choose one way to “leave a mark” this week—write a thank-you note, serve someone in need, or invite someone to church. -
Introduction:
We’re halfway through our Driven summer series—just like tires need deep tread for traction, our faith must be deep to handle life’s road.
Review of previous weeks: Purpose (Start Your Engines), Foundation (Traction), Direction (Alignment), and Endurance (Pressure).
Tonight’s focus: Tread Depth – How deep is your faith?
Point 1: Faith is a Daily Process
Colossians 2:6 – “Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.”
Accepting Jesus is not the finish line—it’s the starting line.
Faith requires daily movement, growth, and discipline.
Like a car in a showroom with fresh tread but no mileage—unused faith serves no purpose.
Point 2: Grow Deep, Not Just Wide
Colossians 2:7a – “Let your roots grow down into Him...”
Surface-level (shallow) faith is like bald tires—no grip, no protection.
Deep roots = spiritual stability during life’s storms.
Real growth comes through daily habits—God’s Word, prayer, and accountability.
Point 3: Strong Faith Leaves a Mark
Colossians 2:7b – “...Then your faith will grow strong in the truth...and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Faith grounded in truth produces peace, joy, and gratitude—even under pressure.
Like tires leaving tread marks, a deep faith leaves a visible impact on others.
What kind of mark are you leaving?
Challenge Step:
Check Your Spiritual Tread – Take time to reflect on your walk with Christ.
Create a Daily Grip Habit – Start with devotionals, Bible reading, and prayer.
Find a Faith Buddy – Stay accountable and encourage each other.
Memorize Colossians 2:7 – Let God’s Word take root in your heart.
Make a Bold Move – Share your faith this week and leave a mark for Jesus.
Bottom Line: The deeper your faith, the stronger your grip—and the greater your impact. Don’t settle for surface-level spirituality. Let your walk with Jesus leave tread marks that lead others to Him.
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1. Colossians 2:6-7 (Key Passage)
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
(Colossians 2:6-7 NLT)2. Jeremiah 29:11 (Week 1 – Purpose)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
(Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)3. Matthew 7:24-25 (Week 2 – Traction)
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.”
(Matthew 7:24-25 NLT)4. Proverbs 3:5-6 (Week 3 – Alignment)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)5. Philippians 4:6-7 (Week 4 – Pressure)
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7 NLT)
