Teaching
We gather around the scriptures to learn the unfolding story of God.
He Will Come Again – Assorted Scripture
American Christians have a unique obsession with the end times. From doomsday predictions to rapture anxiety, the Return of Christ is a doctrine obscured by exaggeration, anxiety, and speculation. In Contrast, the New Testament authors spoke of Christ’s return as a triumphant and joyful conclusion to God’s conspiracy to take back His world.
In Kansas City – Jeremiah 29:4-13
In the West, Christianity has moved from a cultural majority to a cultural minority. Followers of Jesus feel a sense of cultural displacement or, in the language of the scripture, exile. Throughout the biblical narrative, the People of God have had many exilic experiences, but as the Prophet Jeremiah advises, our God can be found even when we are far from home.
Together – Assorted Scripture
As evident in the scriptures, Jesus believed in the church. We believe that church is family and so every year we want to revisit how we participate in this family or do this whole Jesus thing together. Participants in the Midtown Community are asked to commit to five things; (1) Reveal the Kingdom of Jesus, (2) Belong to a Microchurch, (3) Gather on Sundays, (4) Serve, and (5) Being Generous.
Revealing the Kingdom of Jesus – Mark 1:14-15
The Gospel preached by Jesus of Nazareth was that the Kingdom of God was close at hand. This is to say, that God’s conspiracy to take back his world from Satan, sin, and death has begun in the person of Jesus. In response, we are invited to rethink what is possible and risk for what could be.
He ascended into Heaven – Acts 1:8-11
The story of Jesus, living, dying, and rising from death gets a lot of well-deserved attention; but sometimes we overlook another crucial mysterious scene in the narrative which is where we find ourselves today- “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the father.” In the event known as Ascension, we discover that God is really here, that he has always been here, and that he dwells in us.
Death and Resurrection – Luke 24:23-35
A natural disaster strikes, there is a random act of violence, and a loved one dies; with each headline, with each death– we are reminded of the fragility of life, of our own mortality, and that life takes place in a dangerous world. A world that is often more like a warzone than a garden. Death is all around us, but Jesus’ conquering of death is an invitation to a new way of life.
He Suffered – Luke 22:39-48
Suffering always seems to be looming under the surface of life. In these moments where we struggle, we reach out to God more frequently and fiercely than ever before. Just as we have learned to walk with Jesus on the mountaintops of life, we must learn to walk with him through the valley of suffering
Conceived by the Spirit and Born of the Virgin – John 1:1-18
Jesus is God in the flesh, a doctrine known as the incarnation. As the Apostle John points out the Creator joins His creation and demonstrates what it means to be human. Jesus teaches us how to delight in the goodness of the creation he calls good.
I Believe in Jesus Christ – Philippians 2:5-11
The Apostle’s Creed confesses that Jesus is God. Yet in His divinity, Jesus becomes human and stoops to serve. This is to say, the very essence or form of our Lord Jesus is both God and Servant.
The Creator of Heaven and Earth – Genesis 1-3
At the dawn of Creation, God’s space (Heaven) and Human’s space (Earth) were united in a Garden called “Eden”. Genesis 1 introduces a story of God’s efforts to prepare a beautiful place in which he may dwell and partner with those made in his image. The human race was entrusted and expected to share in God’s work of creation.
The Father Almighty – Luke 15:11-24
For many, the description of God as the “Father Almighty” feels problematic. Paternal wounds color our emotions and create a conflict in us towards the God called “Father”. But Jesus invites us to know the God who exercises his power in self-giving love.
I Believe in God – John 20:24-29
We have all come to realize that what we believe cannot be taken as the default of society anymore. We feel tugged, pulled, and pressured by alternative, rival stories about who we are and what we're here for. And in the face of those options and that pressure, we are plagued by doubt. Apostles’ Creed begins with the confession, “I believe in God”. This statement is not made without doubt; it is to trust in the midst of doubt.
The Justice of God – Psalm 99
The God spoken of in Psalm 99 is the God of all; ruling over the universe, might in all His ways, and fiercely just. The God revealed to the Hebrew prophets and in the life of Jesus cares immensely for how those created in his image are treated.
A Psalm of Praise–Psalm 8
The significance of Psalm 8 is that it is an invitation to look at creation and stand in awe of its Creator; the Creator of Heaven and Earth that is worthy of all praise!
Forsaken Kings – Psalm 22
At one point or another, we’ve all felt forsaken– the experience of loneliness, isolation, and distance from God. In Psalm 22, that forsaken feeling becomes a question and prayer, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Praise and Lament – Psalm 142
The story of David isn't one that celebrates only mountain tops; it's one that shows the struggles of life and God's faithfulness in the midst. Psalm 142, articulates these ups and downs and ultimately what it looks like to worship God through it all.
A Collaborative Community – Colossians 4:7-18
In this random list of names, more important than any individual name on the list, we catch a glimpse of the good life. Paul concludes his letter to the Colossian people by recounting the work and ways in which God has worked with him and his closest companions. This simple list of names reveals that we are called to be a collaborative community; collaborating with God and one another.
On Prayer – Colossians 4:2-7
Paul believed that prayer was central to living our new kingdom lives in the world; as citizens of this new Kingdom, it is essential that we understand what prayer is, why we pray, and how we pray.
Subversive Love – Colossians 3:17-4:1
Passages like Colossians 3:18-4:1 are known as “household codes” they provide instructions to Christian people on domestic matters. They define what a home life should look like, but many of these instructions seem outdated. At best these instructions seem antiquated; at worst outright misogynistic, domineering, and biased toward the wealthy. However, placed within Paul’s context these instructions suggest a way of being at home that disrupts, upends, and challenges the social hierarchies of his days.
The Forgiving Community– Colossians 3:11-16
Everyone regardless of age, stage, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic background, etc. has experienced some sort of disappointment, disillusionment, or hurt from people in the church. In order to be the community Paul imagines, the Church of Christ, we must practice forgiveness.