November 29, 2021
Christmas is a splendid and wondrous thing. But what if we’re missing out on the best part? What if there was a shocking, knock-you-off-your-feet element to Christmas that could change our lives and even make you feel like you have more time? This weekend we begin the month-long journey towards Christmas day, and you won’t want to miss learning about the mindset that will change everything.
This week, make an effort to ignore the bustle and change what you pay attention to. Intentionally make space for wonder and listen to the daily meditations we’ve prepared on the Menlo Meditations Podcast. Go to http://menlo.church/meditations to listen starting Monday November 29
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: menlo.church/studyguide112821
November 26, 2021
Daily Meditations to anchor your mind in Jesus’ presence. Tune your mind to Christ each morning and find a better way to think, feel and live. Season two centers on journeying through the Advent season.
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November 22, 2021
International Justice Mission founder and CEO Gary Haugen joins us to celebrate that Menlo Church has donated $1 million over 17 years to the global organization, which protects people in poverty from violence. For the past 24 years, International Justice Mission has fought human trafficking, uncovering civil rights abuses in Thailand, Ghana, Cambodia and beyond. This talk will be a true testimony of faith and generosity, and how those lead to joy.
Join us to protect those living in poverty from violence. Sign up to connect with an IJM staff member to make this vision a reality: http://www.ijm.org/menlo
Throughout November and December, join us to offer meals, support people in need, and help make wishes come true! There will be opportunities for all ages, skill levels, and interests. We can’t wait to build a strong community by serving together. Register here: http://menlo.church/serveyourcity
This month, we invite you to give to our Thanksgiving Offering, which will support Serve Your City events and mission initiatives in the Bay Area throughout 2022. If you would like to ensure we can continue to support our neighbors in need in this next year, we invite you to give to the Thanksgiving Offering today. Visit our website http://menlo.church/give to partner with us this holiday season.
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: http://menlo.church/studyguide112121
November 15, 2021
We all want to be generous but, as you know, it is harder than we think it should be. Generosity exposes your fears and hidden motivations. Through a parable about greed, Jesus reminds us that God will provide and invites us to be a part of blessing the world. Watch this week's sermon to explore how we can live the “life that is truly life.”
Make a list of God’s provision in your life, ask friends to pray for you, and take one intentional step of generosity and see how he meets you.
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: menlo.church/studyguide111421
November 8, 2021
This week we discuss how to reject our consumer culture and have lasting contentment by becoming generous right now, not later. We explore the knowledge that we are content only when we view what we have as a gift from God, including our background, abilities, and current circumstances. To experience contentment, we delve into the importance of thanking God for gifts, rather than thinking "I deserve this and more.”
As you look at the relative abundance of your life, what would make you more content and more able to joyously share God’s blessings with others?
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: menlo.church/studyguide11721
November 1, 2021
Who are you becoming? We’re all becoming something. For example, doctors don’t finish their residency and stop changing; they either become better and more specialized, or perhaps lose focus and backslide. Similarly, spiritual formation is the path to your truest self. This week, we explore practical steps to enter the process of becoming our truest selves.
Set an alarm to help you remember that God is doing something in every ordinary moment of your day. When the alarm goes off, pause for 5 seconds to say, "Thank you God for being here, in this moment."
October 25, 2021
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” Christians are often portrayed as anti-science or the enemy of culture. This week, we explore how the church practices loving God with all our mind, and how this can put us at odds with culture and society.
Discussion Questions:
* What word came to mind when you heard Francis Collins' story? Is there an attribute that struck you in his integration of faith and the mind?
* What point of tension do you feel between "the Christian mind" and our culture? What would improve your next discussion of that tension?
* The life of the mind is rooted in Scripture. As you think of how you read the Bible, is it: daily with a plan; occasionally with a group; rarely or never; or a good idea that you don’t have time for?
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: http://menlo.church/studyguide102421
Join one of our Facebook groups: http://facebook.com/menlochurch/groups
October 18, 2021
The world is for winners: those who achieve, perform, and climb the ladder of success. But who is the church for? This week, we dive into a story that Jesus told, and we discuss what kind of people should be most valued at our church.
Do you have a friend or group that you can be totally authentic with? If not, commit to finding at least one person to share your burdens with. Let this person see the messes in your life.
Download our new Menlo Church app: http://menlo.church/app
October 11, 2021
As we look forward after a year like no other, in this talk we will kick off a series when we affirm Menlo Church's foundational values. We'll look to Menlo’s past and at God’s faithfulness to explore who we have been and who we continue to be as a church community. Specifically, this week we'll dive into what it means to be a Jesus Church.
This week, consider what feels life-giving about your faith right now. Also, read Luke 4, and as you hear Jesus proclaim his mission, think about which element met you emotionally.
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: menlo.church/studyguide101021 Volunteer with our Online Campus: http://menlo.church/connectcard
October 4, 2021
In the land between disaster and redemption, we often point at things that are wrong, unjust, or imperfect and we say, “someone should do something about that.” What if that someone is you? This week, we examine the challenges that God invites you to meet head-on. For his entire life, Joshua could rely on Moses to lead the Israelites and solve their problems. But after Moses died, the vision was still not realized, the Israelites were not in the promised land, and someone should do something about that.
What is an opportunity or decision that you feel God is calling you to, but you keep waiting for someone else to handle it? This week, open your hands and surrender this opportunity to God, trusting that he will supply the courage and power.
Find a sermon-based study guide for this week: menlo.church/studyguide100321
