June 14, 2021
In this talk, we'll explore how words have the potential to either cause damage or bring healing. We'll also think about what it means to be a community that uses the power of words to transform those near to us for good.
Take time this week to put the idea "words matter" into action. Set aside 15 minutes a day to experience the healing power of God’s word by meditating on Scripture. In addition, spread good by doing something as simple as sending a friend a text of affirmation and encouragement.
June 7, 2021
In this talk, we'll explore the difference between being the smartest person in the room and the wisest one. We'll look to how God’s word in Proverbs can make us wiser--in ways that can change our entire lives. Join us as we introduce the power of a brief saying that can transform our character to be more like Jesus.
Listen to our newly launched Menlo Meditations podcast every day this week to spend 2 to 3 minutes reflecting on this week's Proverb. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
We are excited to be returning onsite and are striving to keep you and your loved ones safe. Go to http://menlo.church/WelcomeBack to get all the details you need for our onsite return.
May 31, 2021
The message of Jesus is for all people at all times, so how can Menlo Church be a church that is FOR the next generation in the same way that Jesus is for us? Especially since studies have found that 54 percent of Gen Z thinks church is unimportant. This week, we explore how we can start by practicing empathy to learn about the next generation and how Jesus meets them where they are.
This week, commit to praying for one kid or student in their life every day
May 24, 2021
What happens when new scientific research meets traditional Christian doctrine? How should we think about the relationship between faith and science? How does the big bang theory fit within Genesis 1? What does quantum mechanics have to do with predestination and the omniscience of God? How does the anthropic principle square with a biblical notion of a designed and purposeful universe? To answer these big questions, we look to the lives and work of theologians and scientists throughout the centuries. They give us examples of how to be an intellectual devoted to both science and Christian faith, showing us that no contradiction exists between them when the truth is genuinely sought.
We invite you to read and meditate on Psalm 19 this week asking God to reveal himself to you through his word and creation.
Find a discussion guide for groups here: http://menlo.church/studyguide52321
May 17, 2021
Summary of sermon: Do we live in an era of fake news? Are conspiracy theories on the rise? If so, what should followers of Jesus do about it? How can you be a humble follower of Jesus in a "post-truth" world? This week, we’re going there... we're going to tackle these huge topics and more.
Next Steps: Pray Psalm 139:23-24 each day this week.
Join Transitional Pastor John Crosby at a community gathering on Zoom. He will share updates about the Senior Pastor search, Supplemental Investigation, and returning to campus, followed by a time for questions: http://menlo.church/chatswithcrosby
Join us for our first Menlo Book Club! We'll read a book together, have conversations, and take next steps toward racial reconciliation: http://menlo.church/book-club
May 10, 2021
This week, reconciliation thought leader and author, Brenda Salter McNeil, invites us to join other Christians on the journey toward racial reconciliation. McNeil explores biblical stories to help us question what we think we know about those who are different than us. And she clarifies that the movement of racial justice and reconciliation is God's movement.
The week of May 17, we are launching the Menlo Book Club! Together we will read Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0 by Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, which will help us move from learning and having conversations about reconciliation to taking action. We hope you will join us in this important step as a church. Go to http://menlo.church/bookclub for details and to register.
Resources:
![Oh, We’re Going There… God and Politics | John Crosby]()
May 3, 2021
How do you to engage in culture? Specifically, as a Christian, how do you decide when and how to engage with tough public issues? As you know, as soon as you start engaging in conversation, it usually is interpreted partisan and political--and certainly not as biblical. In this talk, we'll explore four Christian responses to culture and how that impacts your world view. Yes, you read that correctly. We are talking about politics! Join us as we launch this first of four conversations about taboo topics--topics that everyone is thinking about but no one is talking about (the elephant in the room!).
Consider what sort of leader Jesus wants you to be, what sort of leader you wish to follow, and ask yourself whether your answers speak to your ultimate identity as a follower of Jesus. Challenge yourself to push yourself to respond to culture from a different "box". AND, keep an eye out for a Menlo Midweek video on social media and YouTube this week when John Crosby will take a deeper dive into this topic with his daughter, who works in politics in D.C..
April 26, 2021
What if one of the keys to joy is available to you right now, but you don’t realize it? God gave us an ancient, mysterious, and magical practice that integrates our emotions, bodies, and souls. Wondering what this practice is? Drum roll... It is singing! In this talk, we explore how singing is something God’s people have done for centuries as a way to express joy in every circumstance.
This week, allow your heart to sing for joy as you remember all that God has done. Then dig into your playlist or record collection and play a favorite tune or two or three--and sing out loud in the name of all that you are grateful for.
![Chasing Joy: Contentment is Counter-Culture | Frank Vanderzwan]()
April 19, 2021
In the early church. believers were in the minority, so they faced enormous pressure on their faith and in their lives, not unlike what we face each day. In this talk, we explore how they handled that pressure and how they approached the call to have peace in the midst of impossible circumstances. We explore how to be led by the spirit, so we can grow in our relationship with God and receive the gift of peace and contentment.
In the early church. believers were in the minority, so they faced enormous pressure on their faith and in their lives, not unlike what we face each day. In this talk, we explore how they handled that pressure and how they approached the call to have peace in the midst of impossible circumstances. We explore how to be led by the spirit, so we can grow in our relationship with God and receive the gift of peace and contentment. This week, how can you choose to be spirit-controlled instead of self-controlled? Take time to reflect on a time in your life when you may have been self-controlled. Then consider how you can lean into the spirit in the future.
April 12, 2021
Why is there so much suffering when God is all powerful and good? And how do we to chase joy in the midst of suffering? Today we consider what the Bible has to say about the co-existence of suffering and joy, and we’ll hear the story of a member of our Menlo Family who has experienced both. We’ll also hear practical ways to respond to suffering and chase joy.
Take a moment this week to grieve something that has caused you to suffer, while also focusing on something in your life that helps you experience the joy that Jesus offers.
