Menlo Church Podcasts

Oh, We're Going There... Journey to Reconciliation | Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil

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:

• Racial Justice: https://menlo.church/racialjustice
• Menlo Book Club: http://menlo.church/bookclub
• Menlo Midweek: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_Fgqv0wpT8sq2jSivdTScJ_TCGfaNCSp

Oh, We're Going There... God and Politics | John Crosby

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..

Chasing Joy: Joy and Singing | Adam Hendrix

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

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.

Chasing Joy When Suffering | Cheryl Fletcher

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.

Easter: From Fear to Joy | John Crosby

Experience great music, an inspiring message, and discover the joy that Easter morning brings! We will examine where fear and anxieties have crept into our lives and explore how to replace them with God's promise of joy and abundant life. Easter will kick off a new series of messages we're calling, “Chasing Joy!”

Come to the next series, Chasing Joy, and be filled with joy in April.

Unsubscribe: From Noise to Silence | Adam Hendrix

Many of us are desperate for guidance and direction. Our lives are confusing and complex and we long to hear from God. The good news is that God still speaks. He longs to speak to our souls. But often his voice comes through whispers. If we want to hear the whispers of God, we have to step out of the whirlwind of noise.

Practice Silence and Solitude. Let go of the addiction to noise. Leave the chaos of society.

Unsubscribe: From Comparison to Self-Worth | Matt Stephan

What if you’re living the wrong story? What if day in, day out, you work and work to prove yourself, but proving yourself was never the point? What if? Let's imagine an alternative to looking around to size up your worth. Together, let's explore the idea of unsubscribing from comparison.

This week, we invite you to go to our YouTube channel and watch our Menlo Midweek video when we will take a quick deep dive into next steps for unsubscribing from comparison: http://youtube.com/menlochurch

 

Unsubscribe: From Religion to Relationship | John Crosby

Religious leaders in Jesus's day were more concerned about conformity and reputation than with reaching out to those who were far from God. But Jesus and his followers prioritized saving spiritual lives over "looking religiously obedient." This, of course, put Jesus on a collision course that led to him being nailed to the cross--which ultimately led to the promise of the empty grave.

Take a moment to assess your favorite worship style or service. Then think through what both the most meaningful elements are to you and why and where worship feels out of place for you.

Unsubscribe: From More to Enough | Brett Koerten

"Just a little bit more.” Those five short words often seem to sum up our culture and our endless pursuit of enough. Jesus, however, invites us to turn from this pursuit for more to a life of enough in him. In this talk, we will look at the practice of simplicity and ask how we can become people who first seek God’s kingdom while letting go of things that distract us from it.

Look at your time and possessions and ask, “What can I remove today in order to create more space for the things Jesus values?”