Mcc Podcast

We are taking several weeks to look at the church and what the Bible tells us happened when the church started and how that plays out today. Last week I shared that the word that we translate “church” is the Greek word “ekklesia” which means, “the people called to assemble for a specific purpose.” The church, in Jesus’ mind, was never merely a location, it’s always been people who come together for a specific purpose. At MCC we say that we come together to be equipped to Love God, Love People, and Live on Mission. God was about to build a kingdom without borders, and He would call it the church. The Book of Acts is a history of the church written by Luke. And when we want to understand what God intended the church to be, this is where we look. And last week we looked at the church being born and taking its first breath, the first message of the church, 3000 people being baptized. And we were off and running. This week we will see what happened immediately after.

Eric and Chad sit down to talk about the Holy Spirit.

If you missed last week, we have begun a series of messages where we will walk through the book of Acts. We’re calling it Ekklesia.   The Ekklesia means a people called to assemble for a specific purpose. It’s understanding that God gathers us (like on Sundays) so He can send the church into the world, as opposed to the church being a building where we open the doors and expect the world to come to us.   I love that Acts 17:6 (KJV) tells us that the church bought into the idea so much that it had the reputation of turning the world upside down!  So for the next several weeks we are looking at words that describe the kind of church that God sends to turn the world upside down. And last week we saw the beginning of the birth of the church. And Jesus told His disciples to wait for the gift His Father would send. (Acts 1:4). That gift they were waiting on was the Holy Spirit. And in our verses this week, the Holy Spirit shows up! And we see how He sends His Holy Spirit to us today. 

This week Craft sits down with Mike and Rich as they talk through the Essentials For Salvation

The church has not always existed.  I’m not talking about MCC. Did you know that 50 people met in May of 1954 to start MCC?  I’m talking about THE church.   If you go back to the beginning of the Bible in Genesis, the church is not there.  But in all fairness, nothing else is either, except God.  The church is nowhere in the Old Testament.   The church is nowhere in the gospels.   It isn’t until Jesus has gone back to heaven that the church shows up.  And the church turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6 ESV).  We are looking at how God did and does turn the world upside down through the church. We will be settling into the book of Acts, the story of the beginning of the church, to see how God wants to turn our world upside down through us. This week we will begin at the birth of the church in Acts 1.

This week Craft sits down to talk with Mike and Rich about the context of Luke and Acts and how to understand the biblical context!

This Sunday Mike will conclude our Future/Past series. Last week I got to honor and encourage our graduates, and not just them but all of us, about the future and the traps that can catch us and negatively impact our future. This week Mike will help us look back. Just as important as it is to look forward, it’s equally important to have moments where we look back. We’ll see why. And we’ll look back as individuals, as disciples, and as a nation. ____________ Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of reading scripture: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ Also, join Right Now Media for free as a member of our Church: https://exploremcc.org/right-now-media/

This week, as we celebrate our graduates, we kick off our new series, Future/Past, where we will be looking at what God has for each of our futures as well as why it’s important to remember our past. There are a few times each year where it naturally makes sense to look ahead to the future: January when a new year begins, May when students are graduating, and August when students head back to school and the regular rhythm of life returns after living the summer rhythm of life. However, whenever we get into a conversation around our future each one of us has a few different traps that we can fall into. However as we will find in scripture God has a way for us to escape each of these traps or avoid them all together. ____________ Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of reading scripture: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ Also, join Right Now Media for free as a member of our Church: https://exploremcc.org/right-now-media/

You’ve probably heard this before but Abraham Lincoln said, “The greatest lessons I’ve learned were at my mother’s knees.” Perhaps you too. But we also want to acknowledge something about this Sunday right out of the shoot. Mother’s Day is not an easy day for everyone. For some because you agree with Abraham Lincoln, your mom was great, but she is gone. Maybe this is your first Mother’s Day without her or maybe it’s been many, but it just hurts, especially on the day set aside to honor moms. Or maybe your mom was not loving, or worse, and today is a very difficult day. Or maybe you’ve tried to be a mom, and can’t. I am so sorry. I want you to know that our hearts are with you. But for those who have or had moms who loved you well, for those of you who ARE moms who reflect well the smile of God to your families, we want to honor you this Sunday. So we will conclude our He Gets Us series with a message about children. ____________ Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of re

This Sunday we will be taking a look at a red hot topic: Justice. Notice I didn’t say social justice? There’s a huge difference between the two. We live in a time that cultural pundits change the meaning of words/phrases. If you don’t define the terms, we could be misled or even worse, you could confuse the people that you are asking God to help you influence. What is God expecting us to do? How can we show love AND tell the truth at the same time. It is not only possible, it’s our job as Christ followers! We will look at the OT book of Micah and the teaching of Jesus in the NT Gospels. ____________ Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of reading scripture: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ Also, join Right Now Media for free as a member of our Church: https://exploremcc.org/right-now-media/

We seem to be living in an Age of Outrage. Everybody seems mad, and it’s not getting any better. It feels like we’re living in the Divided States of America. And in America these days, Christians are often seen as part of the problem rather than part of the solution. If we aren’t careful, we can get sucked into the mayhem, and we’re just one more angry voice. Is it possible to say that sometimes there are moments when our anger gets the best of us? James reminds us (James 1:20), “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” Actually, more often than not, it produces the opposite. Our anger very quickly can turn to hatred. And no one wants to be accused of that. Let me ask, what is your emotional response to: “Jesus loves the people we hate?” Jesus walked our earth at a time when hatred was alive and well, so He Gets Us. The real question is, how do we respond in such a way that others see Him living in us? How do we respond, in an age of outrage, in such a way that it helps others get Him

If I asked you to name 3 of your friends, who would come to mind? By the way, Mike is going to ask you that question this weekend. And then he’s going to ask you, “Why do like them? Similar hobbies? Same interests? Personalities? Good sense of humor? Easy going?” Maybe you’ve just always been friends. You know how he asks questions to set up the question he really wants you to think about? That’s what he’s doing here. He really wants you to think through this: “Why do they like you?” What is it that people see in you that they like? Even more: What is it that Jesus sees when He looks at you? This weekend we are going to be reminded that Jesus invites everyone through the story of Matthew. ____________ Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of reading scripture: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/ Also, join Right Now Media for free as a member of our Church: https://exploremcc.org/right-now-media/

This weekend we are taking what we started last week and turning a bit of a corner with it. Last week we were talking about how we can be Just Like Jesus. This week we’re going to begin a look at how Jesus was just like us. And what that means. And why it's important. And what difference it makes to our culture to hear that He Gets Us. Can this help our culture, which doesn’t know much about Jesus, and who doesn’t have a positive view of the church? How do we let people know Who He is and why they should turn and follow Him? We follow His lead. This Sunday we’ll begin with a question Jesus asked His disciples about Who He is. And this Sunday we will ordain Meghan Fritsch into ministry during our 11:00 service. Meghan has been with us since September of 2017 serving as our Director of Nursery and Preschool Programming. As part time staff she has always gone above and beyond to serve our children, their families, and our volunteers. It is a great honor to get to set her aside for ministry. ____________

This week we turn a corner in our Just Like series because as we celebrate Easter, we will see how we are Just Like Jesus. Or, at least, how we’re supposed to be just like Jesus. Part of what we will look at this weekend is 1 John 4:17 which says, “In this world we are like Jesus.” What does that mean? The corner we will turn is we will spend several weeks working this out in our He Gets Us series that starts April 16. Perhaps you have seen He Gets Us on a commercial during the Super Bowl or in the ads or on a billboard or on a race car. This week one journey hands right off to another. Our Bible reading plan for next week is called Jesus Revealed Pt. 13 - No Greater Love. This plan will walk you back through what happened in the upper room leading to the cross, but each day will have with it something for you to do. It will ask you to lean into what we will be reminded of this weekend: Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18) ____________ Make sure

When I graduated from college, I was invited back to my home church in Columbus to serve as the Student Pastor. I would actually be the first full-time Student Pastor Norton (now Eastpointe. There is a whole story about the old and new name of my home church. I was actually part of the team who led the church in changing it. But that’s for another time. Or not). I served as the Student Pastor for 13 years and then I was able to serve as the Lead Pastor for 7 years before coming to MCC. I’m telling you that because I learned first hand what Jesus meant when He said (Luke 6:4) that “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” Jesus was talking about the familiarity people felt with Him kept them from recognizing Who He is. I had a similar issue. Part of what makes it difficult is that I was serving as a pastor among people who knew me from birth. And I don’t just mean the folks who served in the nursery at our church, although there were people who had lite

This week we are continuing our series called Just Like where we’re looking at characters in the Bible to see how we are just like them. This weekend, our Student Pastor Eric will be walking us through the story of Joshua.   Just like Joshua, we have a choice to be bold in our faith and trust in God or to walk away scared. That tension is where a majority of us live. Scared of the battled ahead, wondering if God will do what He says. This Sunday we are diving into the story of Joshua and Jericho and learning how if we choose to be bold in our trust of the Lord, He will be faithful to us.  ____________   Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of reading scripture: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/  Also, join Right Now Media for free as a member of our Church: https://exploremcc.org/right-now-media/

This week we are beginning a new series called Just Like and we’re going to be looking at characters in the Bible to see how we are just like them. That what is true of them is true of us as well. And that can be encouraging. Or we’ll at least see what we’re up against.   Over the next few weeks we’ll be looking at how we are Just Like Rahab Joshua Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo Judas   This weekend we are going to see how we are Just Like Cain. In case you don’t know who he is, his story is in Genesis 4. What we’ll see is not only how we are like him every day, but what choices we need to make so our story ends up in a different spot than his. ____________   Make sure to download the Bible App to help you develop a habit of reading scripture: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/  Also, join Right Now Media for free as a member of our Church: https://exploremcc.org/right-now-media/

What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten on marriage? (Men, be careful how you answer that. A joke may be on the tip of your tongue but it is most likely best to leave it there.)   I wonder how many of us would say it was a book they have read. According to Cosmopolitan, the best book to read is The Five Love Languages. If you’ve never read that, you should. If you’re not married, you still should. It helps with all relationships in your life. Including understanding how God has wired you.   I had a friend, who was an elder in my home church, sit me down just days before my wedding with some really good words of wisdom.   Maybe you’ve received advice that you have found helpful from a podcast or retreat experience. There are a lot of places to get helpful insights, and quite frankly, if you are or plan to be married, you should continue to get all the help you can for as long as you can.   Peter told the men in the early church, (1 Peter 3:7): “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in

This week Eric and I will be team-teaching what the Bible says about dating. You might be surprised.   And we have intentionally timed our Real series about relationships for February because, whether you love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day makes almost everyone think about romance. I wonder if you realize how big of a deal the day we just celebrated is. It is a day recognized around the world that celebrates love. While February 14 marks a day of candy, flowers, greeting cards, and romantic dinners around the United States, other parts of the world have their own unique ways to celebrate.   In the United Kingdom anonymous valentines are sent to romantic interests because it is believed that signing their name to the card is considered bad luck.   In Wales, rather than celebrate love on February 14, residents celebrate St. Dwynwen’s Day on January 25. St. Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers and men traditionally gift women with hand-carved wooden spoons.   In Japan women make the f

This Sunday I will be talking about friendship in general and how to be a good friend (which also tells you what to look for in those you call “friend”).   And you already know why this is important. Friendship is good for our soul. Friends can make the ordinary, extraordinarily fun. And good friends ease our pain and lighten our heavy load.   But not only are friends good for the soul, they’re good for the body as well.   Friends help us:   ward off depression  boost our immune system  lower our cholesterol decrease  the odds of coronary disease  and keep stress hormones in check.  According to Harvard Health, dozens of studies have shown that people who have social support from family, friends, and their community are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer.   Conversely, a relative lack of social ties is associated with depression, later-life cognitive decline, as well as increased mortality.   One study, which examined data from more than