Teaching
We gather around the scriptures to learn the unfolding story of God.
Joy Beyond Retail Therapy – John 15:1-11
I shop (and shop, and shop)... therefore I am. The goods and services the market provides becomes the source of our redemption. Oftentimes we can turn to consumption, to buying things as a coping mechanism a form of therapy. But Advent challenges that coping mechanism inviting us to find joy in the child from Bethlehem.
Faith in a Prosperity World – Mark 9:14-29
Everywhere we turn we are sold a story about prosperity. Prosperity is having the nicest house on the block. Prosperity is the two brand new cars. Prosperity is a certain type of Christmas complete with gifts under the tree. But the advent story challenges us to redefine the life of prosperity; as a life of trust in God with us.
Peace and Ethical Awareness – Isaiah 9:6 & Matthew 22:15-22
I shop, I don’t Ask, I don’t Tell. The liturgies of consumption ask us to learn and live in ignorance. Instead of asking where our goods come from, it invites us to believe in a sort of magic, that all of these garments arrive with no moral problems and disappear when they are disposed of. Through the birth, life, and death of our Lord, we have seen a vision of what our God wants for the world; that vision challenges how we consume.
The Spirit in New Creation – Revelation 20:1-6
The Story of Secularism is that humanity will eventually build a utopia, with our hands and in our image. The Story of Christianity is that our God is making all things new and dwelling with us.
Walk in the Spirit – Galatians 5:13-26
The Gospel of Jesus is an invitation to follow and join in the healing of the world. Those who accept His invitation are called disciples, and by learning to walk in the Spirit those disciples develop the character of Christ; what the Apostle Paul calls “the Fruit of the Spirit.”
The Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles – Acts 1:1-6, 2:1-6
In a world of supernatural skepticism, it can be easy to dismiss the events of the bible as improbable. However, the book of Acts, which details the activity of Jesus’ first followers, invites us to doubt our skepticism. Jesus’ ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit continued in the life of his disciples and promises to continue through us. Are we open to that?
The Empowering Spirit – Luke 4:14-21
Many of us may carry a bias or misunderstanding when it comes to the work of the Spirit. We can be excited, cautious, or curious, but regardless of our comfort level, the ministry of Jesus is energized the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus ministry, we are invited into a holy collaboration with the Holy Spirit for the sake of the world.
Friendship with the Spirit– John 14:15-21,15:13-15
It is easy to believe that “Things would be so much easier if I had been there when Jesus walked the Earth”. While that is an understandable sentiment, it misses what Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit.; through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, all who call upon the name of Jesus can develop a deep friendship with God.
The Water and the Wilderness – Mark 1:9-13
In this world, we are bombarded with voices that tell us we are unworthy or undeserving. These voices are energized by shame, fear, and insecurity; making us feel like impostures everywhere we go. Against these voices is the voice of the Spirit, declaring that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have become children of God.
The Spirit and the Incarnation – Matthew 1:18-25
In the introduction of his biography of Jesus, the author Matthew, summarizes the Hebrew scriptures and suggests that the Jewish messiah has come. God is answering the Israelites' desperation, their primal cry for a Savior. A man empowered by the Holy Spirit who would not just save them from physical captivity but would save them from their sins, from this never ending cycle of human failure. This is Jesus’ goal as outlined by Matthew. He will be the giver of God’s definitive salvation.
In Kansas City – Jeremiah 29:4-14
Globalization, economic disparities, and the digital revolution have developed a growing sense of rootlessness, dislocation, and displacement; we are a restless people. 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
In a world that is vying for our ultimate allegiance, the announcement of Jesus offers an alternative: “The Kingdom of God is at Hand, repent and believe” (Mark 1:15). The Gospel of the Kingdom is an invitation to live in the way of God in the community of God as the Kingdom of God; will we give our allegiance to God?
The Spirit in the Prophets – Numbers 11:16-30
In a world that is confusing, disorienting, and complicated we need luminaries to show us the way. We need those who have explored the reservoirs of human knowledge and found a way to the good life. In the days of Moses, these luminaries were called “Prophets”.
The Anointing Spirit – 1 Samuel 16
In the History of Israel, we see God’s liquid Spirit, His anointing rest on the person of David. And David foreshadows the true anointed one, Jesus the Christ. The anointed one is a person who brings God’s Spirit to earth through both suffering and victory. Jesus is that true anointed one, the very embodiment of God’s liquid spirit, God’s presence brought to earth, the bridge, the ultimate priest, the true king.
Work in the Spirit – Exodus 35:30–36:2
There is a pseudo-religion that has quietly grown in popularity called “workism”; the belief that our job is not just for economic production or personal provision, but that a job can be the center of our identity. Set against this culture stands the biblical vision of work not as an identity, but as a collaboration with the Spirit of God. And two artisans, Bezalel and Oholiab, show us that we have been invited by God to collaborate with his Spirit to produce good for God’s glory.
The Spirit in Creation – Genesis 1
Many of us have come to believe that God’s presence is only available in a church on a Sunday morning. We start to think God only shows up with the environment, music, and setting are just right. We think God only shows up in the extraordinary. But as Genesis 1 reveals, this is untrue for the Spirit of God is in the very breath we breathe. And if he is that close, then the question isn’t “is he there?” but “Why do I not feel him?”
A Salvation Worth Waiting For – Malachi 4
The ugliness of reality is often uncomfortable to look at. It makes us restless. It drives us to distractions. It makes us desperate for a savior. Malachi, the final book of the Old Testament, sums up the experiences of the Israelite people and articulates their hope in God's salvation; reminding them that it is a salvation worth waiting for.
Spirit Empowered Faith – Zechariah 4:1-7
Against the pain, chaos, and suffering life can inflict we can be left wondering, “Why believe?” Like the Israelites mourning bygone days and the beauty of a city they will never see, we can find ourselves hopeless. But the Prophet Zechariah’s message to the Israelites, and to us, is to renew our trust in God and discover faith again.
A Restored Presence – Haggai 1-2
Procrastination is an experience all humans know well. We can put off eating better, a financial goal, a work deadline, or a house project. But we can also procrastinate our discipleship to Jesus, we can put prayer, study, or community on the back burner, waiting to start when we are “less busy.” The challenge of Haggai to an Israelite people who have put off rebuilding the temple is to get started! Get to work and experience the blessing of God.