Mars Hill

It's so difficult to wait - and yet the Bible regularly commands and encourages God's people to be waiting. Waiting does indeed offer a unique opportunity to be bound to the Lord and to share in the sufferings of Jesus. Luke 13:6-9 Questions to consider— Forward [Journey]: What is a practical next step I can take in my journey of following the way of Jesus? Inward: [Wholeness]: How might the Holy...

Jesus appears to Mary as a gardener after his resurrection. God and humanity are seen as gardeners in Genesis 1 and Revelation 21. In our spaces of work and service, God speaks to us "I am with you," "peace be with you," and "I am sending you." John 20:11-18 Questions to consider— Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Fo...

Matthew 28:1-10

We wrap up this series focused on the Parable of the Prodigal Son by getting a glimpse of the feast thrown by the father. The celebration is an external picture of the heart of God, desiring a "full house" engagement with this demonstration of extravagant love.  Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Questions to consider— Upward [Celebration]: Which attributes of God am I noticing and delighting in throughout t...

Luke 15:20b-24

The welcome of the Father is lavish, undignified, extravagant - not waiting for excuses or repentance - the heart of God is on display in full force.  Luke 15:20-22. 28 Questions to consider— Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Inward: [Wholeness]: How might the Holy Spirit be encouraging transformation in me?

Coming to our senses is a conscious choice to honestly engage the truth about ourselves. This teaching invites us to name our avoidance tactics and the relationships that have been ruptured by our sinful behavior.  Luke 15:17-20a Questions to consider— Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Outward [Service]: Who or...

Luke 15: 24b-30

Luke 15:1-3, 11-16

God is love - love beyond our capacity to grasp or communicate. This love includes more people than we would anticipate and invites us to consider who is invited to participate in the Church as a response to this generous love.  1 John 4:16a Questions to consider— Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Upward [Celebr...

John 15:12-15

Mark 12:28-31

At the end of this magisterial Teaching, Jesus emphasizes one final point: wise disciples hear and do what Jesus said.  Matthew 7:21-27 Questions to consider— Forward [Journey]: What is a practical next step I can take in my journey of following the way of Jesus?

Matthew 7:15-20

Matthew 7:7-12

It's such a straightforward command - but not a simple one to obey. This teaching offers a few practical ways we can step toward being wise disciples and following the way of Jesus.  Matthew 7:1-5 Questions to consider— Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Forward [Journey]: What is a practical next step I can take...

Jesus is inviting us to consider how trust might be the key to living out a generous and non-anxious life.  Matthew 6:19-34 Questions to consider— Forward [Journey]: What is a practical next step I can take in my journey of following the way of Jesus? Inward: [Wholeness]: How might the Holy Spirit be encouraging transformation in me? Outward [Service]: Who or where might God be calling me to...

As Jesus turns to the three main pillars of Jewish piety, the Sermon on the Mount challenges everyone [not simply the Pharisees of the day] to pay attention to how they do what they do.  Matthew 6:1-8, 16-18 Questions to consider— Forward [Journey]: What is a practical next step I can take in my journey of following the way of Jesus? Inward: [Wholeness]: How might the Holy Spirit be encouragi...

Matthew 2:1-12

Luke 2

Micah 5:2-5a

The Lord is a warrior and fights on behalf of his beloved people. God's is on the move and we look at how we can be on watch and participate this Advent.  Zephaniah 3:14-20 Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Upward [Celebration]: Which attributes of God am I noticing and delighting in throughout the Gathering? Fo...

Refining isn't always a comforting idea, but the prophet Malachi invites us to wonder, "Can we trust that the One doing the refining is good?" Malachi 3:1-4 Withward [Community]: How is my understanding of and engagement with the church being formed during this Gathering? Backward [Roots]: What personal stories, Biblical narratives, or church traditions are being drawn to my mind in this Gathering...

One significant anticipatory image of the coming Messiah that captured the religious imaginations of God's people was the Branch that would sprout from the dead stump of Jesse's line. Jeremiah confidently proclaimed the promises of God that would be fulfilled, inspiring us to boldly believe in God's faithfulness and promise-keeping while we wait for life to come out of death.  Jeremiah 33:14-...

Wrapping up the Teaching series on the Sermon on the Mount, we focus on Jesus' call to love our enemies. This Teaching challenges us to recognize the Church's perceived enemies, understand our role in response, and pray faithfully for them with hearts aligned to Christ's love. Matthew 5: 43-47 Questions to consider— Backward [Roots]: What personal stories, Biblical narratives, or church traditions...