NMC Audio Podcast

It’s an incredible teaching moment. It’s coaching at its best! The wise mentor Paul gives skillful instruction to the young disciple Timothy on living with outrageous generosity. In a society that focuses on accumulation, we are challenged to move towards distribution. Instead of life being all about me, it becomes about sharing with the we. Outrageous generosity is far more than a concept; it is...

It’s brutal! It’s direct! It’s honest! It’s painful! That’s what happens when someone shares the last one percent in an honest conversation. That’s precisely what Malachi does when he shares God’s frustration and disappointment with His people. Instead of a having a vibrant faith, they found themselves doing most of the right things with a wrong heart. May we never be found living less than God’s...

Most every child has heard the phrase, "Just wait until your dad gets home!” There’s a heaviness in the air. There’s a sense of impending judgment. What’s about to happen will be painful. That’s the word Zephaniah gives to the people of Judah. God reaches a point where He’s ready to step in. Justice is about to happen. Now is the time to make the changes necessary to avoid God’s wrath

There’s something comforting when we find someone asking the same questions we ask. We can easily identify with someone who struggles with the same issues we struggle with. Habakkuk becomes that person for us. It is easy for us to identify with Habakkuk's life struggles and God’s apparent unfairness. Habakkuk does far more than struggle as he takes us to the place where we can better understand ho...

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh; he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.” – Nahum 1:7-8

Nobody gets excited about the fake and artificial. We feel ripped off when we discover that what we’ve purchased is a cheap imitation of the real thing. That’s exactly how God feels with fake, superficial religion. It sickens Him. He won’t tolerate it. Going through the motions of following God without living it out daily is totally unacceptable. God isn’t looking for a cheap imitation, but real r...

It’s an amazing story. It’s not a fable or a myth, but a story of a real man who battles with the call of God and struggles to learn that God always wins. Just as Jonah struggled, we do the exact same thing. Instead of surrendering to God’s best for our lives, we desire to have our way, follow our plan, and do our own thing. But in the end, it’s God who is the winner—every single time! https://pla...

The Bible is an amazingly mysterious book. It has the ability to speak back in time, over all time, and into our specific time all at once. The Minor Prophets consistently do just this. In the book of Obadiah, we see a big problem among the people of Edom that is a big problem among all mankind. If we’re honest, it’s also a big problem for each of us.

It’s like a bucket of freezing water that hits you in the face on a cold day. The words of the prophet Amos are not for the faint of heart. They echo clearly and loudly with deep passion and conviction. The spiritual status quo will not work. The time for playing religious games is over. Sin is called sin. Judgment is imminent. It’s time for a change. Listening and responding to the prophet’s call...

Amidst utter hopelessness, there is hope when we do life God’s way. No matter what you face, no matter what your past might hold, placing your life and your challenges in God’s hands takes you to an amazing place called HOPE! In Christ, your past can be behind you. Your future can shine brightly in front of you. Your today can be full of authentic joy

August 6, 2017 | 2 Chronicles 26 God’s desire is for His children to experience everything He has for them. Sometimes we settle for less than His best. What starts as a great journey doesn't need to stop short of its final destination. Destined for greatness, Uzziah ends up on the junk heap of life—lonely, cursed, and forgotten because of pride and sin. His destiny need not be ours.

Joshua was the leader of Israel after the passing of Moses and was tasked to lead the people through many battles. Some battles were won; others were not. We may not find ourselves in physical battles, but life is full of battles. Some are big while others are small. We learn about how to battle from Joshua and the Israelites.

Acts 4:29-31 Something happens when God’s Spirit shows up. The disobedient are convicted. The discouraged are encouraged. The timid become bold. What God did in the book of Acts is what God wants to do today. He wants to save us, fill us and empower us to be bold and courageous for Him. It’s time to take a bold step!

This morning, we are joined by Michel Khalil, founder and president of Step Forward Ministries.

Matthew 10:16-23—How many times have you said, “If only I would have known...”? If somehow we knew the future, we would change our current actions. Knowing the future would change how we handle our money, our health, and our relationships. Jesus, however, did tell His disciples about the future. What happened to them after His death didn’t take them by surprise. They were prepared, and we should b...

This Sunday, we welcomed Tim Zimmerman and the King's Brass to our Worship Center services. Check out Sunday's unique sermon.

God uses improbable people in unlikely places to do unexplainable things because of his unimaginable greatness.

Bob Andrews, director of Devon Oasis Center in Chicago, Illinois, joins us this Sunday to share on "Owning Your Obligation to Your Neighbor." Bob and his wife, Lynne have lived and worked in the Little India neighborhood of Chicago for the last 30 years. This part of the city is a major hub for refugees from all over the world, and over the years, Bob and Lynne have actively built relationships wi...

Do you find it hard being present, to be in the moment, fully engaged? Frequently, we find ourselves holding on to the past or pressing forward toward the future with utter neglect of the present moment. It isn’t wrong to remember and learn from the past or to think ahead and strategically plan for the future, but there are dangers if we live in either the past or the future. God is always present...

Galatians 5:13-6:10—God is a relational God. He created us with a need for relationships. Unfortunately, sin messes up all relationships. Thankfully, the power of God can heal and restore damaged relationships. God has made it possible for us to live in the land of healthy relationships.

Galatians 5:25—God is an amazing creator. His creative genius is seen every day in every way. The crowning part of His creation was man and woman. We were created in His image with gifts, talents, personalities and passions. We were also created as sexual beings. Unfortunately, what God created, sin distorted. It doesn’t have to be that way. With God’s redemptive work, we can live holy and healthy...

Ephesians 5:17-6:4—Does it really work? Is it possible for God to do a deep work in our families where Christ-like living takes place? Is it pie-in-the-sky idealism, or can it be a reality? Do we fake it 'til we make it, or can a deep transformation at home really happen? God can bring revival and restoration to our families. The question is, will we let Him?

1 Corinthians 1-4—The best of times and the worst of times! That can be used to describe relationships. Since God is a God of relationships, He wants us to be relationally healthy and whole, both with Him and with others. Unfortunately, relationships can get messy. Hurts happen. Pain grows into scars. But that doesn’t need to be the end of the story. God’s grace can bring healing to damaged relati...

Genesis 1-3, Exodus 20:3—It’s all about relationships! All the accomplishments in the world mean nothing apart from whole and healthy relationships. Because of sin, all of us are messed up. Messed up people mess up relationships. Relational messes are not a new problem. (In fact, we’ve been messing them up since the very beginning.) The path to healthy relationships with others will come as we pro...