GIC 2023: Get Lit. Stay Stoked.
I'M SO EXCITED! After seven years away, we get to come home to what makes us "Mosaic." Our Global Impact Celebration (October 20-22) is a weekend designed to help us "get lit" for Great Commission work -- locally, regionally, and globally. And this Sunday, we'll start stoking the fires for missions and outreach by exploring how the first followers of Jesus began to spark passion for the Good News in their own communities. I can't wait to introduce you -- or re-introduce you -- to the joys of a good GIC. So ... what's your spark? What lights you up? Think on it, and I'll see you Sunday!
Topics: Global, Gret Commission, Missions
Spiritual Healing
We have learned a lot this month about what healing prayer means in real-life terms. Hearing the stories of Heather and Ardis, practicing prayer together during and after worship, examining the healing life of Jesus ... I hope this focus has helped you become more open to the idea that Jesus does still heal people. And his healing has a unique look in our community. It is both intimate and community-oriented, stunning and subtle, real and effective. Thank you for leaning in to these ideas and beginning to make them your own. Together, in a broken world, we can help people become whole through Jesus. And this Sunday, we'll search the Word one more time for all that scripture can teach us about how to live out that mission well.
Topics: Community, Healing Prayer, Spiritual Healing
Emotional Healing
Somewhere, someone shared this thought with me -- some people heal in leaps, but others heal in layers. Listening to Heather's amazing story last week (if you haven't listened, I hope you'll take time to do so), we are beginning to build a case for just that. Some people heal in leaps, but others heal in layers. This Sunday, we'll hear another story of God's amazing grace poured out over a life and over time. And then we'll listen together to a "healing in layers" story from the life of Jesus. I hope you'll find comfort and confidence in discovering that even Jesus took time in healing others. I'll see you Sunday as we continue the journey toward learning how to be a healing community! ~ Carolyn
Topics: Emotional Healing, healing, Spiritual Healing
The Stuff of Miracles
I have a story to tell! It's a story about how Jesus shows up in unexpected ways, at unexpected times, and does unexpected things ... It's a story about how Jesus leveled my expectations of him as I watched him work in my body, and in all the folks around me. He taught me how to ground all I know of healing solidly in truth. My story is one of healing, cellular and soulular, beautifully in process and full of hope. Friends, Jesus still works miracles. Jesus heals, and he is my healer. I can't wait to share with you what's he's been doing in my life lately. I sure hope I see you Sunday! ~ Heather
Topics: Physical Healing, Spiritual Healing, Trust
The Jesus Stuff
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”
~ Luke 4:18-19
What Luke (and Isaiah) said? That's exactly what Jesus did. That was his mission statement. Jesus healed blind people, and raised dead people, and set free those who were oppressed by demons. He met people right where they were and called down healing over them ... over and over again (at least 40 times in the gospels). In scene after scene, we see Jesus touching people and loving them and proclaiming healing over them. Friends, healing is the stuff Jesus did! And as followers of Jesus, we also are called to be healers and to do "the Jesus stuff." Let's talk about that. Let's get inspired by the healing stories among us to step into the healing life of a Jesus-loving, hand-laying, prayer-proclaiming, trust-and-obeying believer! See you Sunday!
Freedom to be the Church
I have a confession to make. For at least half of my life, I really didn’t understand why we “went to church.” I had no vision for anything other than simply trying to please God. Consequently, church for me was … boring. Church struck me as a place where my family was obligated to act happier and holier than we actually were. Can you relate?
What I wish I had understood earlier in my life is that the Christian call to be part of a church community is actually an invitation into a powerfully meaningful life. We all know community is essential. But do we know why? The simple truth is that the Church is God’s plan "A" for bringing healing and restoration to our lives and to our world. So join us Sunday as we dive into what it means to be "Free to be the Church!"
Topics: Freedom, The Church, Unity
Free To Love
On Sunday, we learned from Paul and the Galatians about all the things we are free from as followers of Jesus. “Freedom from” a crucial step in our spiritual journey, but eventually we have to move on to focusing on “freedom to,” which is all about creating. This is where we get to focus on God’s preferred future. Freedom TO is about going through the right doors at the right time for the right reasons. This Sunday, we focus on the "freedom to" life, and learn from Jesus himself just how life-giving spiritual freedom can be.
Topics: Freedom, healing, Holy Choice
Freedom From
Egypt. Babylon. Exile. These are the terms of captivity that show up over and over again in the story of God. Why? Because God's people spend a lot of time stumbling in the dark of captivity, unable to embrace a "freedom to" life. This Sunday, we'll talk about how to gain "freedom from" so we can live the better half of the good news about Jesus. And it IS great news! Christ longs to fill our emptiness with his Holy Spirit, who brings with him the freedom we long for. Let's continue on this road to freedom, friends. I'll see you Sunday! (now you get to say, "Sounds great! Let's go!")
Topics: Chaos, Freedom From Bad Religion, Trying too hard
Freedom From, Freedom To
We know the invitation to follow Jesus is an invitation into freedom, but too often we put the emphasis on things we are free FROM. We are free FROM guilt, sin, shame ... all the bad things. Of course, it's good to let go of things that have not worked for us, but we do the greatest disservice to Christianity when we make it only a list of things we have to stop doing in order to go with God when the Christian walk offers so much more than just "freedom from." Our faith is very much a freedom TO enterprise. We do the greatest disservice to Christianity when we make it a list of things we have to stop doing in order to go with God. Paul tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. That's an invitation to explore possibilities.
So let's do that this month! Let's take a few weeks to talk about the things we are free from and how that frees us up to creatively explore all we have been set free TO. Let's look together at what freedom looks like for us especially in this season, and just imagine what God can do! Can't wait to get started!
In a Broken World …
Our message this Sunday will speak to the heart of our mission: "In a broken world, we help people become whole through Jesus."