Missio Dei: Phoenix

Jesus was placed in a tomb that happened to be in a garden. When Mary shows up and finds the tomb empty, she mistakes the risen Jesus for the gardener. She was not so far off. Jesus' resurrection invites us to turn away from the grave and turn back toward the garden that was lost at the beginning.

Jesus’ final week of his life on earth was marked by a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, met with praises and shouts of salvation. Yet, Jesus’ humble entry was doing more for humanity than those in the crowd could ever imagine. Jesus’ entry reveals him as the true prophet, priest, and king that we need — and that we were meant to be. These three roles Jesus fills help show us what it is to be fully...

In a crazy, and somewhat spooky vision, God shows Ezekiel that He is still at work in spite of Israel’s failures. He will be restoring Israel to what they were meant to be. And yet, this vision has a double meaning — one that is more applicable for us today. God is not only reviving Israel, but He is in fact restoring life to our dry bones. As we continue through Lent we see the promise of resurre...

The people of God wanted a king. Not the King they had -- the one who rescued them out of slavery from Egypt, the one who brought them safely through the sea and the wilderness, the one who time and time again protected them from their enemies and brought them into a good land he promised to them. No, they wanted a human king to be like all the other nations. The person they saw fit to be king was...

As we continue our journey through Lent, we find the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness without water. God provides miraculously, but as we look closer we see God is at work in so many more ways than we can even fathom. Most importantly, God is present with them in the wilderness. This is still true for us in the wilderness places of our lives -- God is at work and He is with us.

God did not give up on His plan and purpose for humans to be His representatives on earth. He called Abram, gave him a new name, identity, and purpose, and blessed him. This blessing continues through for God's people who are in Jesus today.

We begin our Lent journey toward joy at the beginning. The first humans were placed in a garden called ‘Delight’ and it lived up to its’ name. Yet, they were deceived into seeing and desiring something else. That desire set in and gave birth to sin (rebellion), which ultimately resulted in death. How can we fix our eyes on the delight we have in Jesus and ultimately find life?

The heartbeat of Paul's letter to Titus and the Christians in Crete is found here inn this final chapter. We have been saved by Jesus' work, not by works or righteousness of our own. Now, how do we live in the work of God and partner with Him?

What does it look like to live as followers of Jesus in a culture that is so counter to that? Titus 2 has a couple things that may be difficult to swallow in our culture, but when we understand the culture it was written to and the heart behind living as a display people of God, we may gain a better understanding of how we live counter-culturally today.

In the midst of a corrupt culture, how do we live faithfully as people of good news to the world around us?

As the Church, we are called to not only form tight-knit communities being formed in discipleship together, but to extend that as we make disciples of all nations. How are we moving beyond the boundaries typically drawn by society, culture, and even our own prejudices in order to bring the good news of Jesus to all the people it is meant for?

How can the Church reflect the image of Christ by being an embodied and locally-rooted presence, having an intentionality in the place God has us?

Our practices and rhythms shape and form who we are. What are the intentional habits you have put into practice to allow yourself to be transformed into the image of Jesus? How are you engaging in life-forming patterns and practices with your community in order to be formed together?

What does it look like to be a tight-knit community, united in Jesus, in the midst of the individualism and tribalism of our culture?

Our Christmas Eve service. Jesus is the light of the world and that light has entered into the darkness. May we see him and see life more clearly through him.

Love is not a dopamine high, but the continual keeping of covenant commitment. intentional. relational. sacrificial. missional. *Edit: where Chris cites marriage & divorce in Exodus it is actually chapter 21:10-11, not chapter 34.

Joy is not fleeting happiness, but a steady source of satisfaction rooted in an eternal outcome - not a temporary circumstance.

Hope is not just wishful thinking, but a confident assurance in what God will do based on what He has already done. We have a hope that will get us through anything this world throws at us because Jesus has come, and he is coming again.

This first week of Advent we look at how Jesus brings peace to the world. Peace is not merely quiet, calm, nor inner tranquility. It is all things working together as they should, so that the world flourishes. It is wholeness. It is Shalom. Jesus rights all wrongs, brings justice and healing, and invites us to experience true peace.

The book of Acts comes to an anti-climactic end in chapter 28. We never hear about Paul standing before Caesar. There is little conflict from the Jewish leaders there. We never hear whether he made it to Spain afterward. It ends with him living in his own rented home for two years, continuing to share the Good News. The Story does not end here, because the Story is not over. It continues with you...

One of our Missio Community leaders, John Looney, preaches on Acts 27. Paul, on his way to Rome, along with many other prisoners, guards, and crew members, face a violent storm and end up shipwrecked on the island of Malta. How do we see God still at work even in what seems to be chaotic and uncertain moments like this?

Paul didn't exactly get the warmest welcome in Jerusalem. The very people he used to be one with turn against him and vow to kill him. He appeals to Caesar, his right as a Roman citizen, which sends him on a long and tumultuous journey leaving him shipwrecked. And yet, this is all in God's plan for many people to see and hear the good news and power of Jesus.

Paul has been moving toward Jerusalem, even though he had warnings not to go. When he arrives, things go down exactly as he was warned. And yet, he is right where the Father wants him. Jesus is with him. The Spirit is empowering him. He has not taken the safe route, but the good route, and he has not gone alone.

Paul made three missionary trips around Asia Minor and Greece before traveling to Jerusalem for the Pentecost feast and to deliver some aid to the poor from Gentile cities. From there he would travel even further on. But before he left, he wanted to encourage the new believers in those cities to continue strong in the faith, following after Jesus, because he knew he would never see them again. Luk...

The Gospel means good news. Yet, while it is good news of rescue and salvation, for many, we find that it first must disrupt everything else we have put our trust in and built our lives around. It is only when those things get disrupted that we can turn to the good news of what will truly save us.