Zao MKE Church

Empire demonizes the marginalized. Turns the oppressed into boogiemen. What if we have our ghost stories all wrong? Luckily, Jesus knows who the real demons are.   Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the c...

Jesus said that not everyone who hears the Good News will be able to let it take root in them and flourish. So how do we cultivate ourselves as fertile ground - especially when systems of oppression grow up like thorns all around us?   Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the g...

Jesus was a walking talking paradox: human/divine, Jewish/Jewish lawbreaker, savior/crucified, alive/dead/alive again.... binary breaking in nearly every way. What supposedly contradictory identities do you hold? What if they are the key to the divine image of God in you?   Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a...

The beginning of the good news doesn't start at the temple. It's not even in the city. It's on the outskirts, thumbing its nose at the structures of oppression and hierarchy. In a world where some are insiders and some are outsiders, Jesus is clear to start where the holiest power lies - the margins.   This Sunday we kick off Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's sto...

Let's be honest, most of what the church has taught us about sexual ethics is trash.   We're over it.   This week, we start fresh! Let's form a new and healthier attitude towards faith and sex - one that is sex positive, queer-informed, feminist, and Biblical.

What is sex, anyway? In the church, sexuality gets reduced to some pretty narrow, heteronormative definitions. This leaves out a lot of sexual expression, and sets the stage for lots of church kids getting very creative so that ']they can remain "pure" in the eyes of God. This week we'll delve deep into the steamiest scriptures, revisit what it means to be sexual, and find out how physical connect...

True love is mutual, but purity and  #TrueLoveWaits  culture wants to replace generous mutuality with patriarchy and the oppression of women.   "men and women are different but equal"  "women are helpmates, men heads of household"  "wives and husbands both submit to each other, but…. differently"    Purity culture not only creates gendered hierarchy within relationships, it also makes women and gi...

True love waits, right? Ummmm... It's complicated. ​​​​​​​​ Those of us who grew up in the church ended up with some pretty messed up ideas about sex, sin, and intimacy. Whether you grew up in the era of  #TrueLoveWaits , had a purity ring, or even just experienced the purity-culture-light version of general sex negativity, you may have some unlearning to do when it comes to the Bible, faith, and...

Sometimes being transgressive is an act of holiness.   This pride weekend, come hear about the time King David (notoriously fluid in his sexuality and gender expression) danced nearly naked through the streets as both a celebration and a protest, and how modern pride paraders and queer activists are inheritors of that that courageous Bibilical demonstration of turning mourning into dancing.

Ever feel like the best party would be just a nice, long, nap?   When party culture is tied to hustle culture, we think every party should be a banger. But in God’s economy, rest is a critical part of a celebratory life. Come learn how taking it slow, creating space for rest, and collaborating to do nothing at all can dismantle systems of oppression.

What happens when someone is late to the party?   Liberation for all is the theme of the kingdom party, so when someone shows up late, it usually means they have a history of participating in harm. Are we ready to receive folks who truly repent of supremacy culture and oppression? Or are we unwilling to throw them the party that scripture says they (and we) deserve?

Party planning: stressful nightmare or gratifying project?   For some of us, the fun is in the prep work - planning everything just so, imagining how it all will go, and providing the perfect environment for the people we love. For others, all the pressure and details become awful distractions, keeping us from truly enjoying the celebration.   What does any of this have to do with Jesus? No matter...

Why is gathering to eat so important to following Jesus, and what can we do to add more love (and more feasting!) to our faith lives?   The Bible contains instructions for all kinds of feasts and festivals, but one stands out for followers of Jesus - the communion meal. In the early days of the church, this was not just wafers and a sip of wine, but a lavish meal called a Love Feast.   Come learn...

Jesus once turned water into wine just to keep the party going - was this just a neat trick or is there something holy going on? Let's dig into the wedding that Jesus didn't want to end and talk about how joy is creative, communal, and exponentially grown.

Faith can seem serious and somber sometimes, but following Jesus leads us to eat, drink, and party hard more than you would think. This spring, embrace your inner party animal as we discover why the good news is worth celebrating!

After harm, the ultimate goal is not reconciliation. God is actually doing a New Thing in us - not just restoring the status quo, but transforming systems and relationships into something more holy, more just, and more whole.

Which is harder - to give forgiveness or receive it?

When we hear the word "repent" do we think of love? Or do we think of judgment, rejection, or even hate? Let's take a deeper look at the idea of repentance and see if there is Good News here for us as we seek love, healing, and justice.

Some sins seem to take on a life of their own as individual choices add up to systems and structures of evil. There comes a tipping point where these structures take on a life of their own, newly replicating themselves beyond the control of any one person. We call this corporate sin - the sins of collective or communal harm.   Corporate sin is a major emphasis of the scriptures, in which the proph...

Why are some sins - the seven deadly sins, the ten commandments, sins related to sex - highlighted above all others? Are all sins the same or are some worse? And if some are worse, are they the ones we hear most about?

What is "sin" and why do some of us feel terrible at the mere mention of the word?   This Lent, the season leading up to Easter, we'll break down the B.S. around sin (hint: it's way less about sex, drugs, & rock n roll than you might have heard), discover why talking about sin can actually give us a stronger faith, a more inclusive community, and more accountability from systems of injustice.

What happens to the message of Jesus when it is interpreted throughout different cultures and across different times? It becomes more rich with meaning! Though there are many gatekeepers in religious community, we are called to trust that the heart of Jesus's message thrives among cultural difference - and to beware conflating Jesus with western culture or whiteness, which has caused immeasurable...

Reading the book of Jude can feel rather head-spinning to modern readers: the angel Michael arguing with the devil over Moses dead body, clouds without rain and crashing waves turning to foam, innumerable references to scriptures both within and outside of the Old Testament. And honestly, it actually gets *weirder* when you know more what the author is talking about - for instance, when you realiz...

Philemon, one of the shortest books of the Bible, was written to urge a rich slave owner to free an enslaved man in his household as a matter of Christian duty, and to receive him home as a beloved family member - entitled to all the rights of a brother, not a slave. So how did this become a favorite text of defenders of American slavery in the 18th & 19th centuries?   Read it for yourself and dec...

The Bible can sometimes feel overwhelming, so you might be surprised to know that some of the books of the Bible were originally written in less than 300 words.   In the next sermon series that starts this Sunday, we’re going to take a look at some of the shortest books of the Bible to see that those short, yet potent, messages are.   What was so important to get across that these writers only use...