Zao MKE Church: Recent Episodes
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Sermons from Zao MKE Church. Zao MKE is a Jesus-rooted, justice centered, radically inclusive community of faith in Milwaukee, WI. https://www.zaomke.org
This June and July, we're featuring sermons from the vault in our harbor gatherings! New content will be coming in August. This sermon was originally preached on October 1, 2023.
This week, we hear the story of Shiphrah and Puah, midwives who defied Pharaoh’s orders and protected their people, reminding us that liberation often begins with quiet, courageous resistance.
Queer, chosen family isn’t outside the Bible—it’s right at the heart of it, in the lineage of Jesus. This Pride, come celebrate and participate in queer kinship and connection at Zao and beyond.
When the urgency of the world overwhelms us, James reminds us we are called to be patient with the same dedication that others rush to violence.
James teaches us that friendship with the world (empire) will always give us a frenemy at best. No matter how loud and seductive the logic of scarcity and empire is, we can turn up the volume on resurrection truth through community discernment and prayer.
Resurrection faith transforms our speech, calling us to align our words with wisdom, integrity, and action. How we speak reveals the truth: has the word of God truly taken root in us?
This week at Zao: a sharp word from James on favoritism, wealth, and God’s economy of mercy. No more playing favorites - resurrection communities don’t hoard, they provide.
Faith that lives doesn’t just talk - it acts. James reminds us that belief without embodiment is dead, but resurrection faith shows up in mercy, justice, and love made real.
We’re kicking off a new series on the book of James: Agents of Heaven on Earth. This week, we’ll explore how James calls us to reject the world’s false wisdom and live whole, rooted in God’s abundance, even in a collapsing world.
On Easter Sunday, we proclaim the impossible: that death is not the final word, that empire doesn’t get to decide the ending, and that love—foolish, fierce, faithful love—cannot be buried. This is not a return to normal. It’s a rupture. It’s resurrection. And we are a part of it.
At Zao, instead of Palm Sunday, we call this day Protest Sunday—a celebration of fierce, faithful resistance to systems of violence and domination. In a world where empire demands silence and individualism breeds despair, we remember: we are not alone. Love shows up. Love tells the truth. Love organizes. And yes—love protests.
To love like Jesus is to surrender what we thought would save us. The cost is real—but what we receive is true love that lasts.
When words fall short, love shows up in music, in awe, in presence. Come vibe with us as we explore the mystery of God and the love that moves us beyond words.
We're continuing our Love Songs sermon series for Lent. This week, our inspiration is "Adore You," by Harry Styles. Listen to the full series playlist here!
This Sunday, we kick off our new Lent series: Love Songs! If you were into last year’s Breakup Album (or missed it), get ready for its perfect match. We’re diving into the love songs that keep coming back to the same themes—longing, devotion, heartbreak, and hope. Week one is all about Longing, and we’ve got a playlist ready for you to belt along with us. Listen to the full series playlist here! Our apologies for the audio issues in the first few minutes of this week's sermon! The microphone was restored around the 5:30 mark.
How can we follow the example of the Desert Mothers and Fathers by finding inner stillness in the face of chaos and violence?
A final reflection on what we can learn from the Hush Harbors about how to live in the solidarity and interdependence of the Kingdom of God.
The Christians of the Hush Harbors knew to look back and back to the wisdom of those whose faith had come before. Do we?
Under the brutality from white "Christian" slavers, enslaved Black folks cultivated, protected, and passed on a profoundly different faith in God, Jesus, and the scriptures. In this moment, when white nationalists have claimed the church again and again, we look to the Hush Harbors for lessons on how to faithfully follow Jesus and find Joy Unspeakable even in terrifying times.
This season promises to be an intense one in the USA. But despite recent escalations, this era is not unprecendented. Come learn how Christian communities all over the world have been pockets of prophetic resistance to evil and violence throughout history, and how you can resource your heart and faith for modern times.
What makes joy so essential to Advent? And what keeps us from being truly joyful people?
God commands us to love Them. Jesus explains that to love God means to love neighbor and self. What if love is not just intended for the recipient? What if the act of loving is what transforms us all?
In a violent world, the first move towards peace is always a risky one. Who will put their sword down first?
Thanksgiving can be complicated. What if our gratitude could be an act of resistance? By centering Indigenous wisdom, the teachings of Jesus, and practices of reciprocity, we can move from shallow tradition to a deeper, more honest celebration of life, connection, and care for creation.
It is better to be a warrior than a garden than a gardener in a war - or so the saying goes. But the Scriptures have something else in mind. In times of horrific political violence, God tells the people to plant gardens. To fall in love. Settle down. Have children. If the world is feeling like a war zone right now, are you called to plant a seed of hope?
It's a big week, y'all. And whether this Tuesday has you biting your nails, planning a victory party, or throwing your hands up in despair, we see you. But the hope we have in God - and God's people - is firmer than any promise we can receive from earthly power brokers. Let's ground ourselves in the hope of the Gospel and prepare our hearts for whatever comes next.
The gifts God gives to us are meant for the benefit of all, and we are blessed when others are blessed. In a world of competition and scarcity, it feels counterintuitive - but in God's Kingdom, no one is free until we're all free.
God makes some big promises: life abundant, resurrection, liberation... when it's hard to believe in big promises, sometimes we try and make it on our own - to our detriment. Can we lose God's promise or will God find a way regardless?
It can be so hard to reach understanding among people with different identities, perspectives, languages and cultures. But what if that’s part of God’s design? Difference is a gift, and it can bring us closer to holiness - if we learn to trust each other and God.
Just a few short chapters after the creation story, The Flood comes crashing down to wipe away most of humanity. How do we make sense of this? Did God really just etch-a-sketch creation?
So the first big plot point after humanity's expulsion from the garden is... fratricide. This story is coming in hot with drama, but what does it say about the nature of people? Are we doomed to be violent from the start?
We think we know the story of The Fall, right? Adam, Eve, Snake, Apple, Bummer Town. But how many different ways are there to interpret this story?
The Bible starts out with one creation story (in the beginning...) and then the next chapter, we etch-a-sketch and start again. A new creation story, with a different order of events, characters, and vibes. What gives? And how do we trust the Bible when it can't agree with itself from page one?
Every great story starts with a great first line. But after that, Genesis can get a little... complicated. Buckle in as we spend some time in the first book of the Bible, making sense of the stories we tell about who we are, who God is, and why we'll be okay - even when things get messy.
Should my faith be simple and easy? The support that comforts me during difficult times? Turns out that a relationship with God is just like other relationships. It can be a source of comfort, strength, joy, and connection - but it takes work to build all of that, and you get out what you put in.
Conflict is not a fave for most of us. But our faith calls us into uncomfortable space and gives us everything we need to conflict our way to deeper, more connected, more trustworthy community. We've got this - together.
We're taught that being cool means being aloof, a touch cynical, and generally above all of...this. So how can we have an earnest, eager faith, one that hopes genuinely in the Good News? Forget being too cool for school and become the faith powerhouse you long to be.
Sometimes we can feel all alone, forging our own path towards liberation from scratch. But there have always been radical followers of Jesus heaven-bent on liberation and love. Come celebrate the people who made your radical faith possible and reclaim the generational wisdom of the underground church.
It's pretty obnoxious when someone is unshakebly certain but also obviously wrong. And once you start to notice nuance in your faith, you see it everywhere - Christians who are CERTAIN about things that just... aren't totally black and white. How can you pursue a faith that is both bold and humble? Confident, but not so certain? You're not alone. Let's figure it out together.
What if we're wrong? Is it foolish to place our hope in love? Learn to lay down your fear and fully embrace your faith.
How can we be bold in our faith when we don’t want to be anything like the “Christians” we see in the world around us causing so much harm? Come hear about how true Jesus followers have always been subversive and countercultural, and proudly reclaim that powerful lineage.
Note: Due to technical issues, the audio for the scripture reading and the first two minutes of the sermon was not captured. The scripture passage read was Romans 1:15-17 (CEB).
Empires come and empires go, but the love of God and the creative resilience of community are the solid rock we can stand on. In the midst of political turmoil, know from where your hope comes.
What do the Bible, campus protests, and queerness have in common? They are radically reimagining the world as it could be, and the establishment can't stop whining about it.
Come catch the vision and faithfully queer the future with us.
Intimacy is something most of us long deeply for, but feel deep shame about. Come hear about the queerly intimate community Jesus cultivated while on earth, and what it means for us as his followers.
Generational curses like rejection, queerphobia, and shame, can replicate immense harm among parents and their children. This Fathers Day, come hear about a father who got it wrong, a father who got it right, and how generational blessings can make curse-breakers of us all.
Boys in princess coats, women Uhauling off to Bethleham together, men making out in fields in the dead of night - there's a lot of really gay stuff happening in the Bible. After generations of straightwashing, let's celebrate the queers of scripture and usher them back out of this closet!
Chosen family, claiming new names, and discovering all new and deep belonging in community? Sounds gay. I'm in!
It’s time for another round of No Stupid Questions, where Pastor Jonah answers 20 questions from the community in 30 minutes or less!
God doesn't have the future laid out like a paint-by-numbers kit. We're invited to create the new future with God, given the tools to do so, and entrusted with the kingdom. Come make a mess and be a part of the new thing that God is doing!
God kicked off a creative collab with, "Let there be light," but it was never supposed to end there. Each of us was given creative gifts to iterate on what God is doing, seeing God's creation and responding not only with "Yes!" but also adding our own "and..." while remixing what God gave us into something new. Not sure you have anything to contribute? All it takes is some courage, tapping into your innate gifts, and a little improv.
Just 2 blocks down from worship, activists and students of liberation are building a new world on Falesteen Lawn, the UWM encampment for a free Palestine. What does this have to do with our God-given creativity?
Everything.
Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. Wait, what? So many of our creative impulses are crushed by expectations of perfection. But even God needed to experiment before declaring human beings to be "very good". So let's get creative, and follow the divine lead by doing things, sometimes badly, with all the passion and creativity we can muster.
Do you feel like a creative person? Well, you are. No, really. Many of us have been alienated from our creative instincts, but each person is made in the image of our divine creator - which makes us all creators, too. Come discover what is hidden in you, and unleash a torrent of creative power in your life and in the world. Introducing Created to Create, a sermon series at Zao MKE Church from April 21st to May 19th.
Resurrection isn't just for Jesus - it's for you, me, and all of creation. So what does it look like to experience resurrection in your own life?
When you've been through hell, resurrection is right around the corner. Lucky for us, Jesus showed us the way - not only to the cross, but to new life on the other side. Come celebrate the victory of life and liberation over death, violence, and empire.
What if our most powerful breakup is with empire itself? Come hear how the first Palm Sunday was a powerful rebuke of the Roman Empire, and what we can learn from it now.
Once you've broken up with your old life, how do you stay broken up? This week, dance your way into a new life, one day at a time.
How many of us have tried to satisfy our hunger for love with lesser substitutes? Breaking up with the life you had means getting real about what you really need - and what you need to walk away from.
Ever feel like scream-singing along with Kelly Clarkson: "I'm so moving on!" Righteous anger is an important part of every breakup. How can we process the rage and hurt we've experienced during times of loss? And how can we make sure that anger doesn't swallow us up?
"well, i've been afraid of changing, cuz i've built my life around you...." Every human suffers through breakups, whether the relationship is romantic, a friendships, your family of origin, or even addiction. Breakups can be some of the most heartwrenching moments of our lives. But what if finding your best life requires you to breakup with the life you have now? Introducing The Breakup Album, a new sermon series at Zao MKE Church.
Humans were not made to be alone! God created not just a garden for us to play in, but playmates to play with. Show up for your community as we consider together the divine call to collaborative play as both spiritual practice and the work of communal liberation.
Can we learn to take play seriously? Prioritizing play in our lives is not just a choice, it's a commitment. How do we make play into a discipline without taking all the fun out of it?
Faith can seem so serious. But all our relationships - including with God - come alive when we play. How would your life (and faith!) feel different if you thought of God as your ever-present playmate?
How do you feel about the word "traditional"? It depends on the lineage of your traditions! Though empire claims that it's the only legitimate arbiter of "traditional" ideas, spirituality, and culture, we are actually called by God to foster and pass along alternative traditions. Let us keep alive the traditions that topple empires and bring liberation!
This week, Pastor Jonah and Pastor Cameron answer questions directly from the community about God, faith, and more! Find their podcast, Christian Queeries, on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Here we go again - a new year! Whether you're riding the highs of 2023 or still licking your wounds from a rough year, now is the time for a new start. God's given you everything you need to thrive this season.
How can our hope in the coming and present liberation of God's people fill us with joy here and now? Come hear about Mary's fiery song of God's justice and love.
This time of year, we hear messages of peace in the midst of active war. If the promises of peace through violence have proven themselves bereft, can we hope for something different from the Prince of Peace?
So many of us are waiting for a word of hope, reassurance, or direction. This season leading up to Christmas, we're paying special attention to the divine messages surrounding Jesus's birth.
The first angelic visit is surprising, confusing, and utterly unbelievable. Come find out why, and what it means for us this season.
In a world of scarcity, how do we embody a the revolutionary kingdom economy of generosity?
Guest sermon by Rev. Afi Dobbins-Mays
Drawing on imagery of the night as the unknown, scripture calls us to be awake, alert, to be "children of the light." How can we find, follow, and amplify the goodness of God in the midst of the unknown?
Our imaginations are limited by the world we are in now. How can we dream beyond what is, so that those who come after us can imagine even greater things?
What's in a reputation? Jesus said "this is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other," but also "woe to you when all speak well of you." He was called Messiah by some but Drunkard and Heretic by others. So what kind of reputation are we called to build as followers of Jesus? How are you known?
Kinship is when we are seen as our truest selves, loved in our complexity, and recognized as family. What happens when our families of origin cannot be kin to us? Luckily, we are able (and called!) to make family, choose family, and find family in the kinship of God.
Eternity can feel like, well.... ETERNITY. Our God is not slow to answer the promises of love, liberation, and redemption of all things. But Their timeline is much, much different than ours. How do we hold the fire of our passion while cultivating the patience of eternity?
Whether you're loving the #sweaterweather, mourning the end of summer, or doomsday prepping for the coming Wisconsin winter, the change of seasons comes for us all. What does the shift of creation toward darkness this season have to offer our faith?
Whether you know it as the "Lord's Prayer" or the "Our Father", this one way to pray has gotten a lot of attention because it came directly from the teachings of Jesus. What's behind this prayer, and what can it teach us today?
Jesus calls us to love with all our hearts - but what if "heart" means something different in his context than ours?
Guest sermon by Cor Valentine-Christophe
The messaging we hear around anger is complicated and confusing. We are told it is bad, something we should push away. As a result, we live life not knowing how to express anger in healthy non aggressive ways. What if the messaging around anger looked different? Maybe we could discover transformative, sacred ways of experiencing and expressing anger.
When discussing the law with religious experts, Jesus said that it is love for God, neighbor, and self that is the most important. But who is our neighbor, and how are we to love them if we have internalized hatred about ourselves?
The struggle is real. But so is the promise of joy and new life on the other side of suffering. How can we trust in the promise of what's to come in the next life, all while tapping into the joy that's accessible to us right here and now?
Using the language of human power (king, master, lord, etc) has warped our understanding of God. We've recreated God and Jesus in the image of our own human rulers, despots, dictators, and villains. But if God isn't like earthly rulers, then what is the reign of God actually about?
Spoiler: Mary Magdalene was cool AF.
But like many badass women in the Bible, she's been maligned, ignored, and literally erased by scribes. Come hear how the "Apostle to the Apostles" played a huge role in the gospels, and what she can teach us here and now.
Whether you grew up evangelical, Catholic, or something else, your church might have given you the impression that there's only one true way to be faithful spiritual community. When those communities are also engaging in the harmful rhetoric we've talked about this series, it can be easy to feel trapped. But there are many ways to do church. Join us for a conversation about what heathy church can look like, with good boundaries, equitable power dynamics, and the freedom to be who God made you to be. Join us for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
Much of the talk of heaven is nothing more than individualist fantasies of personal gain. So what actually is on the other side of this life, and why is is so much better than any of us can imagine?
Join us for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
A good and loving God simply does not eternally torture people. So why has this lie become so pervasive in the church, and how can you heal from it? Join us for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
Spirituality should be about cultivating a discerning heart, so why do so many religious communities tell us not to trust our own judgment? Join us for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
God is beyond the binary, and so are many of God’s people! Come hear about the spiritual gifts of transgender people, made on purpose by the God who loves them. Join us for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
How can we dismantle the lie that Jesus was white, and follow our brown skinned revolutionary Savior further into the work of liberation? Join Zao MKE Church for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
Gay people are made in the beautiful, queer image of God. So why has the church been talking trash about them for the last 80 years? We'll unpack the lies and where they come from, along with the surprisingly short history of anti-queerness in Christianity, alongside the surprisingly ancient history of LGBTQ people as important spiritual leaders.
Join Zao MKE Church for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
Tbh, the Bible is super confusing. But what if that's okay? Instead of doing mental gymnastics to try and pretend it's clear cut, we are called to step out in faith and wrestle with this beautiful, complicated, messy book. And the best part? You don't have to do that alone.
Join Zao MKE Church for our summer series, Lies I Heard in Church. We'll debunk some of the nonsense that you may have heard from the church or church people, and reclaim the truth that is actually good news for all.
The stories say that one day God's Spirit came down like fire and filled the faithful with immense and beautiful power. But what if that story is ongoing? Come hear about how the Spirit of God is at work in you, and the power we can harness together to change the world for the better.
God called you "very good" when you were created, and that promise of your true nature remains steadfast no matter what trials you experience or mistakes you make. Come connect back to your core goodness, protected and held in the love of God, and remember who God is calling you to be in this world.
If we die to the things of this world, then the threats from the powers of this world hold no sway over us. How can "dying to sin" free you to live a life of rebellion and liberation here and now?
The new life promised to us begins by leaving behind those things that bind us in death. What does it look like for you to emerge from your grave? From the closet? From that relationship that took so much life from you? Wherever you are, you are called into new life. What will it take to shed your old skin and find the freedom to be boldly who God created you to be?
Who do we believe and who do we question? The story of "doubting Thomas" shows us that the truth of oppression can be believed through the revealing of our wounds. And yet Jesus follows that up blessing anyone who hasn't seen or touched the pain of others and still believes what they say about who they are and what they have been through. What does this story have to teach each of us about trusting BIPOC, queer & trans folks, disabled people, and all those with marginalized identities who speak out their truth?
Solidarity isn't an idea, its an orientation to life - and it's built on love forged in the fire of liberatory life together. Hear how the earliest Jesus communities put it all on the line, for their faith and for one another.
Solidarity is a radically different way to approach meeting our needs. How would our communities change if we offered what we had with bold generosity, and received what we needed and desired without shame?
From executed political dissident to risen Lord, the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has radical and revolutionary implications for those seeking liberation, justice, and hope. This Easter Sunday, we reframe the Easter story in light of Jesus's context as a community organizer, the abolition of eternal incarceration (hell) and the long view of God's plan for the salvation of all creation.
Palm fonds or protest signs? Modern re-tellings of Palm Sunday cast it like a parade, but the original march into Jerusalem had the vibe of a rowdy protest. Come hear more about the political theater Jesus employed as he squared off with the Roman Empire in the days before his death and resurrection.
This is a re-release of a sermon from 2019, recently featured on an episode of The Collective Table.
The name "Zao" is a greek word that means "to be among the living". This sermon highlights the ways that Zao as a community joins Jesus and the tradition of Jesus followers in seeking the fullness of life.
Our world is a mixture of creative, vibrant, beautiful life, alongside systems of death, destruction and oppression. At Zao, we look to Jesus and one another to fully seek life and dismantle the mechanisms of death that plague us as individuals, communities, and the world.
God's love is subversive, powerful, and threatening to the systems of empire and oppression. That's why Jesus' preferred metaphors, like mustard seed and yeast, have bad connotations. Jesus calls us to be modern day bad apples--ready to spoil the bunch for the kingdom.
With so many people arguing about "what the Bible says" and certainly what it all means, it is scripture itself that tells us how to determine what is true: examine the fruit a belief, a teaching, or a behavior bears. What fruit has your life and belief borne? How can you cultivate a faith that nourishes, heals, and transforms?
From dust we came, and to dust we shall return... This is the refrain of the season of Lent, when we remember the weeks and days leading up to Jesus's death and resurrection. The humble and holy beginnings of human beings reminds us of our limitations, but also our connectedness to God, all of creation, and one another.
Jesus loved to eat, drink and party, but those in power judged and criticized him for it. John rejected material pleasure and raged against sin, but the people in power hated that too. When it feels like we just can't win, what's really going on? Jesus invites us to eat, drink, dance, abstain, weep, and wail, and all the while wonder: if the tone police will never be pleased, should we just stop playing their games?
God is making a way of abundance, but it looks different from the opulence of capitalist empire. What do the margins know about abundance that those in power are unwilling to hear? God provides enough for all now, speaks through the wisdom of those creating out of scraps, and promises that in the end, there is enough for all - even if the mighty must be cast down from their thrones to get there. Please note: because of audio issues, the Scripture reading is not included in today's podcast. The Scripture passages being referenced are 1 Kings 17:8-16 and Luke 4:16-27.
God is described as a "sheltering God," offering protection from harm. The scriptures call God's people to follow in Her example by being "a shelter to the outcast." With so many wounded by systemic oppression, church and religious abuse, childhood and relationship trauma, and more, we are instructed to cling to and protect one another in the name of our sheltering God.What are you sheltering from? How can you be a shelter to vulnerable others?
"Jesus loves you" falls pretty flat when it's spoken with hate, judgment, and condemnation. Though hyper-conservative Christians are the ones most often throwing around the term "false teaching," the scriptures actually warn us that evil teachings will harm the church and the people "through the hypocrisy of liars." We'll dig into these warnings, including one that explicitly cautions against teachers who "forbid marriage" and don't understand or teach that "everything created by God is good."
Whether you call it impostor syndrome, having trouble "adulting", or minority stress - a lot of us feel not good enough. Jesus says, "let it go," own your authority, and be blessed to be part of something amazing.
On Christmas morning, we "repeat the sounding joy" and celebrate that Christ is here with us!
This is the time of year when we shout out our hope, our confidence, our faith that good things are coming to all creation. The birth of Jesus is both a gift and an announcement - God is at work, here with us, and inviting us into changing the world. Welcome to Advent, the season of waiting and anticipating. Even as the nights grow longer, God promises that the darkness is fertile grounds for hope, joy, peace, and love. Enter into the cold of winter with the warmth of community and the promises of new life to come.
We're learning about trauma that gets passed through generations, but what about the good stuff? God's promises are generational, too - love, hope, healing, and new life. Welcome to Advent, the season of waiting and anticipating. Even as the nights grow longer, God promises that the darkness is fertile grounds for hope, joy, peace, and love. Enter into the cold of winter with the warmth of community and the promises of new life to come.
As we enter the darkest season, God invites us into surrender. How do we trust in the abundance that will see us through to the other side? Welcome to Advent, the season of waiting and anticipating. Even as the nights grow longer, God promises that the darkness is fertile grounds for hope, joy, peace, and love. Enter into the cold of winter with the warmth of community and the promises of new life to come.
No one will know when suffering will become liberation, or what will become of the many trials of this life, says Jesus. So what are we to do?
Jesus calls us stay present, embodied, and alive in the face of uncertainty and doubt. Stay alert - Be fully alive!
Maybe you've heard the story: A poor widow gives all she has, mere pennies, in offering to the temple. Is this a picture of perfect generosity?
Or a protest of a system that takes everything--every last penny--from the most vulnerable? Join us for Underground, a series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
What does it mean to come out and claim our identity as counter cultural, liberationist, radical Jesus-followers?
Join us for Underground, the continuation of our series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
Divine Image Bearers? Totally depraved? Creatures? Co-creators? What does it mean to be human? Some of us are ready to shed the shame-laden theology that claims human beings are rotten to the core. But how do we find our worth and keep our faith? Or does a faith without fear depend on seeing the good (and the God) in ourselves? This season, join Zao for the series Rebuilding: Faith After Deconstruction. We'll talk about what to do now that the foundation of your faith is in shambles around you - do you pick it up? walk away? or can we build something new?
7 days ️or dinosaurs? Literal or mythological? Religion ️or science? This week, we tackle the creation of all things. What have we been taught in church that's toxic or ignorant? What is a more nuanced and mature way to approach our Bibles, faith, and science?
If we reject the idea of God as a bearded white man in the clouds, we're still left with a question: Who is God, and what are they like? This season, join Zao for the series Rebuilding: Faith After Deconstruction. We'll talk about what to do now that the foundation of your faith is in shambles around you - do you pick it up? walk away? or can we build something new?
Am I supposed to run everything by God? Does God really give us what we ask for? If my prayers aren't answered, was I not faithful enough? Many of us have been taught toxic or simplistic messages about prayer - as though it is a cure-all, a measure of our faith, or a performance of our piety. But scripture does instruct us to pray. So why do we do it, and does it work? This season, join Zao for the series Rebuilding: Faith After Deconstruction. We'll talk about what to do now that the foundation of your faith is in shambles around you - do you pick it up? walk away? or can we build something new?
What if the church has made an idol out of the Bible? As so many of us deconstruct our faith, the Bible becomes more more troubling. What if the Bible isn't perfect? It doesn't need to be when we remember that the Bible isn't God. This season, join Zao for the series Rebuilding: Faith After Deconstruction. We'll talk about what to do now that the foundation of your faith is in shambles around you - do you pick it up? walk away? or can we build something new?
So you've been deconstructing all the toxic teachings of the fundie church you grew up in. Now what? This Sunday, Zao kicks off the series Rebuilding: Faith After Deconstruction. We'll talk about what to do now that the foundation of your faith is in shambles around you - do you pick it up? walk away? or can we build something new?
Special guest sermon by Dee Dee Watters
Dee Dee Watters (she/her/hers) is an unapologetic Black Woman of trans experience who is a mother, leader, healer, performer and recently stepping into her calling as a death doula. She’s a member of Freshwind Christian Fellowship under the guidance of Pastor Marvetta Walker.
Dee Dee is the publisher for TransGriot an online publication and the host of TransGriot Weekly. Nationally recognized for her leadership and advocacy around trans murders she asks that you join her in telling elected officials that trans rights are human rights! And we must ban the trans panic defense!
"I can see people," the man said, after Jesus touched his eyes. "But they look like trees, walking." How do we perceive our world, and the people in it, when we are in the process of being healed? And how can we come to know the walking trees as human beings, made, like us, in the divine image of God?
Sometimes it feels like the haters just won't quit. Jesus actually dealt with them, too - and has something to say about where the hate comes from and where, exactly it can go Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
How does our understanding of Jesus and the Bible change when we read it from a queer perspective? We'll take a single whole chapter and reinterpret story by story. Not honored in his home town, creating abundance out of crumbs, and rocking a wardrobe so powerful that it'll heal your soul? Sounds queer to us! Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
Empire demonizes the marginalized. Turns the oppressed into boogiemen. What if we have our ghost stories all wrong? Luckily, Jesus knows who the real demons are. Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
Jesus said that not everyone who hears the Good News will be able to let it take root in them and flourish. So how do we cultivate ourselves as fertile ground - especially when systems of oppression grow up like thorns all around us? Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
Jesus was a walking talking paradox: human/divine, Jewish/Jewish lawbreaker, savior/crucified, alive/dead/alive again.... binary breaking in nearly every way. What supposedly contradictory identities do you hold? What if they are the key to the divine image of God in you? Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
Jesus's first followers destroyed buildings to create access for those who were systemically left out. What structures are you willing to bring down out of radical solidarity? Join us for Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
The beginning of the good news doesn't start at the temple. It's not even in the city. It's on the outskirts, thumbing its nose at the structures of oppression and hierarchy. In a world where some are insiders and some are outsiders, Jesus is clear to start where the holiest power lies - the margins. This Sunday we kick off Underground, a new series on the gospel of Mark. We'll trace Jesus's story from beginning to end, as he builds a movement while trying to stay off the grid until the right moment arrives for the showdown with empire at the cross. This is the gospel like you've never heard - tell no one.
Let's be honest, most of what the church has taught us about sexual ethics is trash. We're over it. This week, we start fresh! Let's form a new and healthier attitude towards faith and sex - one that is sex positive, queer-informed, feminist, and Biblical.
What is sex, anyway?
In the church, sexuality gets reduced to some pretty narrow, heteronormative definitions. This leaves out a lot of sexual expression, and sets the stage for lots of church kids getting very creative so that ']they can remain "pure" in the eyes of God. This week we'll delve deep into the steamiest scriptures, revisit what it means to be sexual, and find out how physical connection can be holy, Biblical, and not confined to the definitions or even relationships that we've been told about in church.
True love is mutual, but purity and #TrueLoveWaits culture wants to replace generous mutuality with patriarchy and the oppression of women. "men and women are different but equal" "women are helpmates, men heads of household" "wives and husbands both submit to each other, but…. differently" Purity culture not only creates gendered hierarchy within relationships, it also makes women and girls responsible for managing the sexuality, fantasy life, and violence of boys and men. But what does the Bible actually have to say about this? Turns out Jesus was a radical feminist, and much of what he had to say about lust, adultery, and purity is actually about turning the tables to put a fair share of responsibility back on men. Only with true equality can people of all genders find Biblical, Godly love.
True love waits, right? Ummmm... It's complicated. Those of us who grew up in the church ended up with some pretty messed up ideas about sex, sin, and intimacy. Whether you grew up in the era of #TrueLoveWaits, had a purity ring, or even just experienced the purity-culture-light version of general sex negativity, you may have some unlearning to do when it comes to the Bible, faith, and sexuality. Join us this Sunday as we kick off our new summer series, Pure Trash: putting purity culture where it belongs. We'll talk about where it all came from, what the Bible (and Jesus!) actually have to say about sexuality, and how to form a new and healthier attitude towards faith and sex - one that is sex positive, queer-informed, feminist, and Biblical.
Sometimes being transgressive is an act of holiness. This pride weekend, come hear about the time King David (notoriously fluid in his sexuality and gender expression) danced nearly naked through the streets as both a celebration and a protest, and how modern pride paraders and queer activists are inheritors of that that courageous Bibilical demonstration of turning mourning into dancing.
Ever feel like the best party would be just a nice, long, nap? When party culture is tied to hustle culture, we think every party should be a banger. But in God’s economy, rest is a critical part of a celebratory life. Come learn how taking it slow, creating space for rest, and collaborating to do nothing at all can dismantle systems of oppression.
What happens when someone is late to the party? Liberation for all is the theme of the kingdom party, so when someone shows up late, it usually means they have a history of participating in harm. Are we ready to receive folks who truly repent of supremacy culture and oppression? Or are we unwilling to throw them the party that scripture says they (and we) deserve?
Party planning: stressful nightmare or gratifying project? For some of us, the fun is in the prep work - planning everything just so, imagining how it all will go, and providing the perfect environment for the people we love. For others, all the pressure and details become awful distractions, keeping us from truly enjoying the celebration. What does any of this have to do with Jesus? No matter how you prepare, we’re all called to be fully present (alive, even!) to the party atmosphere, to the love that surrounds us, and to Jesus who is at the heart of every good party. Lean in, because this party is just getting warmed up!
Why is gathering to eat so important to following Jesus, and what can we do to add more love (and more feasting!) to our faith lives? The Bible contains instructions for all kinds of feasts and festivals, but one stands out for followers of Jesus - the communion meal. In the early days of the church, this was not just wafers and a sip of wine, but a lavish meal called a Love Feast. Come learn why that was so important then, and how we can build love feasting back into our faith and our community.
Jesus once turned water into wine just to keep the party going - was this just a neat trick or is there something holy going on? Let's dig into the wedding that Jesus didn't want to end and talk about how joy is creative, communal, and exponentially grown.
Faith can seem serious and somber sometimes, but following Jesus leads us to eat, drink, and party hard more than you would think. This spring, embrace your inner party animal as we discover why the good news is worth celebrating!
After harm, the ultimate goal is not reconciliation. God is actually doing a New Thing in us - not just restoring the status quo, but transforming systems and relationships into something more holy, more just, and more whole.
When we hear the word "repent" do we think of love? Or do we think of judgment, rejection, or even hate?
Let's take a deeper look at the idea of repentance and see if there is Good News here for us as we seek love, healing, and justice.
Some sins seem to take on a life of their own as individual choices add up to systems and structures of evil. There comes a tipping point where these structures (racism, queer phobia, environmental degradation, capitalism) take on a life of their own, newly replicating themselves beyond the control of any one person. We call this corporate sin - the sins of collective or communal harm. Corporate sin is a major emphasis of the scriptures, in which the prophets frequently call on whole cities to repent. So why do our modern conversations about sin always center the individual? And how are we called to repent from communal sins that feel so beyond our control?
Why are some sins - the seven deadly sins, the ten commandments, sins related to sex - highlighted above all others? Are all sins the same or are some worse? And if some are worse, are they the ones we hear most about?
What is "sin" and why do some of us feel terrible at the mere mention of the word? This Lent, the season leading up to Easter, we'll break down the B.S. around sin (hint: it's way less about sex, drugs, & rock n roll than you might have heard), discover why talking about sin can actually give us a stronger faith, a more inclusive community, and more accountability from systems of injustice.
What happens to the message of Jesus when it is interpreted throughout different cultures and across different times? It becomes more rich with meaning! Though there are many gatekeepers in religious community, we are called to trust that the heart of Jesus's message thrives among cultural difference - and to beware conflating Jesus with western culture or whiteness, which has caused immeasurable harm throughout history. In our last sermon on this series, we jump to a slightly longer book - Galatians. We'll sit with the whole book in one setting to understand how the radical Paul who wrote this letter advocated for taking the gospel message of Jesus beyond its first home in Judaism, and how this is good news for all of us!
"Slaves obey your masters"
"Women, be submissive to husbands"
"Be subject to rulers and authorities" Wait a minute, Paul. Weren't you just upending the slave/master hierarchy in Philemon? Didn't you say that in God's household, there is no male or female?
And Paul, weren't you famously jailed and then executed for boldly building a church that worshipped Jesus, famously crucified by the state for acts of rebellion? So what in the world is going on with the letter to Titus, instructing followers abandon the counter-cultural nature of the underground Jesus movement to become respectable, government approved citizens? Or is this letter even written by Paul at all?
Reading the book of Jude can feel rather head-spinning to modern readers: the angel Michael arguing with the devil over Moses dead body, clouds without rain and crashing waves turning to foam, innumerable references to scriptures both within and outside of the Old Testament. And honestly, it actually gets weirder when you know more what the author is talking about - for instance, when you realize he's referencing the idea than angels pissed God off by coming to earth and procreating with human beings, creating a race of giant angel-human hybrids, which caused God to bring the flood and wipe out everyone but Noah. So how do we make ANY sense of this? And why is it that the only verse people quote now in Jude is used against LGBTQ people? Come get into the weeds, and we promise we'll all come out clearer together.
Sometimes it feels like modern day power structures (American imperialism, capitalism, the carceral state) are eternal - they have been here so long it's hard to imagine a world after them. But Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, is here to remind us that all empires do fall, and he issues a warning against investing in the evils of a temporary empire over building the everlasting kingdom of God.
Philemon, one of the shortest books of the Bible, was written to urge a rich slave owner to free an enslaved man in his household as a matter of Christian duty, and to receive him home as a beloved family member - entitled to all the rights of a brother, not a slave. So how did this become a favorite text of defenders of American slavery in the 18th & 19th centuries? Read it for yourself and decide among trusted community- is this book of the Bible pro-slavery or radically abolitionist?
The Bible can sometimes feel overwhelming, so you might be surprised to know that some of the books of the Bible were originally written in less than 300 words. In the next sermon series that starts this Sunday, we’re going to take a look at some of the shortest books of the Bible to see that those short, yet potent, messages are. What was so important to get across that these writers only used 300 words to say it?
Every new parent thinks their newborn baby is perfect, right? Well God thought that about you at the moment of your creation, and unlike human parents, the shine never wore off. Sometimes we talk about God as the "perfect Father" - but what if God thinks of you as the perfect child?
What does it mean to trust in God? Do we trust God with the vulnerability of a newborn baby? Should we? In faith spaces, we often take for granted the idea that trusting in God is important, but in this episode we'll unpack what we mean by trust and whether trust, even in God, must be built in relationship.
We come into this world through irresistible forces of movement and change. Through our lives, we learn to resist change. What if we released our resistance and surrendered to the flow of creation?
Try as we may, we cannot avoid suffering - for ourselves or for our loved ones. What does the suffering of the innocent tell us about humanity, creation, and the nature of God?
“The joy of the lord is your strength” - Nehemiah 8:10
When we arrive on this earth, everything we take in everything with wide-eyed wonder. What if that’s a feature we aren’t supposed to age out of? Though many of us wear cynicism like an armor, the call of God is to earnest joy and delight wherever we can find it. An attitude of delight us vulnerable, but also gives us strength for the beautiful life we were born for.
"Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there" - Job 1:21 We are born naked into this world - unashamed, vulnerable, and ready to be loved. Through the worries and wounds of our lives, we acquire shame, emotional armor, and a fear that we are unlovable. The love of Jesus calls us to return, naked and unashamed, into the embrace of our loving God. Join us this Sunday as our pastors return from parental leave and reflect on what it means to be born and born again.
Guest sermon by Rev. Hannah Kardon
We aren't the first people to, in fits and starts, begin to return to old ways of life after a long and traumatic disruption. A few thousand years ago, the Israelites under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem and The Temple after seventy years of exile. From them, we can learn a bit about what is needed to make a new life out of rubble, to remember and re-build what we've lost, and find strength to change all the things that weren't so wonderful in the first place. This Sunday we spend some time with God, Nehemiah, and one another, to see where we might go from here together.
J.J. Warren preaches from Acts 11, challenging us to be like Peter: to respond to the voice of God, which calls us to move beyond the boundaries that keep us apart from our fellow humans and the doctrines that keep queer people out of UMC pulpits.
Guest sermon by Derrick Scott
The folks who received the Sermon on the Mount were probably surprised to hear these words being said to them. The call to be salt and light for the sake of the world goes out to everyone, but especially to everyday, ordinary individuals. And the world is waiting on us to respond.
Guest sermon by Rev. Dr. Jay Williams, Pastor at Union Church Boston
Loving self (body) is a process of unlearning… self criticism, self hate, self loathing - it is the rejection of how we’ve been shaped by society. Being beloved of God and the body of Christ is accompanied by transformation of the mind.
Guest sermon by Cor Christophe, Zao community member
We believe God created us and most of us claim, believe, and/or have been told that because God created us, our bodies are sacred/holy. But what does it mean to have a sacred body? Are all bodies truly sacred? And how do we care for our sacred body? Join us this Sunday as we explore these questions, and examine how we may attend to our sacred/holy Bodies that God created.
Guest sermon by Rev. Jason Butler
Our bodies represent a power but our question is always, “How will that power be used”? For good or not so much? When Jesus encounters the religious leaders he is facing strongmen who are oppressing the people. How does Jesus respond? And where are our bodies in this story?
Guest sermon by Bryan Minan, Zao community member
The love of God has always and will always be given and extended to us all. Especially to those communities who have been historically hurt, oppressed, and had religion weaponized against them. Join us for a message about that love that promises to always be there, from a community that wants to do the same.
Guest sermon by Rev. Victoria Sun Esparza
What do our scars tell us about God’s transformative work? What happens when our scars only remind us of our painful past? Join us as we talk about transformation, the story of our bodies, and what we do with the scars left behind.
Guest sermon by Rev. Tyler Sit, Pastor at New City Church
How do we cure pity in our society? What alternatives does the Bible offer to paternalistic charity? Join us to see how Jesus answered those questions!
Guest sermon by Rev. Ryan Wallace, Associate Pastor of Faith Formation at First Presbyterian Church of Libertyville
The norms and values of capitalism are consistently at odds with the norms and values of the Gospel. Our economy conditions us to believe that all relationships are transactional, all things have a quantifiable market value, and all resources are limited. When we—consciously or unconsciously—buy into this way of thinking and acting, the roots of injustice and inequality grow deeper in our communities. But there’s another way. The norms and values of God’s economy of grace confront and contradict those of our human economy of greed. So…how do we uproot injustice in our economy? Where can we plant the seeds of God’s economy? And what difference can we make here and now?
Guest sermon by Rev. Afi Dobbins-Mays, Pastor at Solomon Community Temple United Methodist Church and the New St. James Community Church
In true Zao fashion, we are still celebrating PRIDE long past June! Join us for a sermon from Reverend Afi Dobbins-Mays, in celebration and honor of Pride month. It is a call for justice, love and unity in Christ!
Guest sermon by Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom, Senior Minister at First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee
Stillness has a relationship with movement, just as the notes of a piece of jazz are punctuated by silence. As opposed to silence, stillness can be a frame for music, creativity, and teeming life. Stillness can serve as the ground for creativity, the rest that creates the next thing. Join us for this worship service that explores the relationship between rest and creativity.
Each 4th of July weekend, churches across the country wave flags and sing songs of patriotism. But is this commitment to national identity faithful? Or do we have other opportunities to celebrate alternative American histories that align less with colonizing empire and more with the Gospel message of freedom from oppression?
When we come to the end of the Spiritual life cycle, we are invited to reflect on what we've learned. Where have we come from, and how are we different? Can we accept that this path is not what we thought it might be when we set out? We'll look to Jesus on the cross, facing transition from life to death. Though he will rise again in just 3 days, even Jesus must face the end of this cycle. How can we learn to accept where we have been to transform through spiritual ends into new beginnings on the other side?
In the middle of our spiritual cycles, we can find ourselves in a bit of existential crisis. Does any of this even matter? God invites us to turn from ourselves in these moments to see that we are part of something larger and more lasting - and that our contributions matter!
Happy Pride weekend! This week, we'll be entering the part of the spiritual life cycle concerned with identity and love - who am I? Can this new version of myself love and be loved authentically? Learning from the Biblical story of young lovers David and Jonathon, we'll see how stripping off the expectations of others and pursuing your true self can lead you into deeper and truer love - for yourself, for others, and for God.
At the beginning of every spiritual cycle, we ask ourselves, "Can I risk it?" We wonder whether we are truly capable of embarking on a journey into the unknown. Is it safe? Who must I rely on, and how much can I trust myself on the new path? To give us hope and a model of how to leap into the spiritual unknown with abandon, we'll look to Jesus in his own childhood, putting his trust entirely in God as his heavenly parent, to break free from cultural norms and the expectations of his family. Jesus the child can teach us what it means to move boldly into the unknown, trusting that God is with us always. ____
Sacred Rhythms Series: The human life cycle brings various stages of development, gifts, challenges and questions - childhood invites us to explore our capacities and vulnerabilities, adolescence has questions of identity and love, middle age challenge us to examine our legacy and impact, and older adulthood offers reflections on acceptance and lessons learned. But what if we experience these cycles in our spirituality, as well - perhaps over and over again as we live many different spiritual lives? This season, join the Zao community in an exploration of the Sacred Rhythms of spiritual discovery - from asking questions like "Can I trust a new spiritual path?" to "How can I love and be loved by God and others?" and even "Is my spirituality healing me or do I need to find a new path at this time?" As we reflect on our spiritual rhythms, we can bring awareness to our journey and strengthen our muscles for whatever is to come next.
Jesus asks his followers to stay awake, which begs the question: Stay awake to what? Join us for a special sermon from Tyler Sit, who is a queer POC friend of Zao, church planter and author of the new book, Staying Awake: The Gospel for Changemakers. We'll explore how we can stay awake, show up for justice and transform the world around us by first transforming ourselves.
Sometimes we're plagued by doubt, even if we're mostly sure that God affirms and celebrates LBGTQ people. So what if we're wrong? Come hear a word of hope in the midst of uncertainty - our earnest, imperfect pursuit of the Gospel is holy and good. Even if we're wrong.
This week, we'll unpack the handful of single verses that have been taken out of context to harm LGBTQ people. What's an abomination anyway? Do these scriptures actually reference consenting relationships between adults at all? From Leviticus to Romans, we've got you covered, verse by verse.
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah has been wielded against queer people for so long that some of our anti-queer words and laws are references to this scripture. But what if the Sin of Sodom isn't about LGBTQ people at all? TW: service will contain content related to sexual assault
What if the creation is about Adam & Eve, Adam & Steve, and Eve & whoever she's into? We'll dissect the origins of one of the hater's favorite slogans, and see why Adam & Steve can get their happily ever after just like everyone else.
Want to know how to respond to family, friends, or even strangers when they use the Bible as a weapon to harm or reject LGBTQ people? In this series, we'll break down: 1) How to read scripture in a way that truly honors God and all God's children 2) Each of the 7 verses most popularly used to harm or reject LGBTQ people 3) What to do with internal nagging doubts like, "what if the haters are right after all?"
Are science and faith opposites? Why are Christians hypocrites? What's the point of prayer? This Sunday, Pastor Jonah will attempt to answer 20 burning questions submitted anonymously by the community, in just 30 minutes.
Wounds and all, Jesus has risen to invite us into a new kind of hope - one we just might have to live out to believe.
Palm Sunday is not only a culmination of years of Jesus's ministry, it's a massive protest against empire. Come hear how the day in, day out work of discipleship makes major disruption like this possible.
Last week, we talked abolition and hope for a world redeemed. But what if the quickest way there begins with praise of the God who promises that it's possible? Come hear a story of prison walls crumbling and jailers redeemed all because of a powerful song of praise.
What do cancel culture, the prison industrial complex, and the book of Acts have in common? They all convict us to build a new kind of culture in the Kingdom - one where all people can be redeemed and set free.
How do we all catch the vision for the world as it could be? We spread the word! Through our actions, our relationships, and our conversations, our faith calls us dream big - and loud.
Was the early church made up of proto-socialists? If so, what does that mean for modern followers of Jesus?
While we're virtual, church can feel like something we watch more often than something we do (or are!). But Jesus calls us to be his hands and feet in the world, so how do we get into the fray? First step: Show Up. This lent, join the Zao community as we spend time in the book of Acts, a history of how the early followers of Jesus built the church to live out the Gospel for generations to come.
Love is a part of all of our lives, whether with partners, friends, family, or God. Join pastors Jonah and Cameron as they talk about their own love, marriage, and faith in light of V-Day.
If we are called to leave oppression, pain, and empire behind in our journey to liberation, what do we bring along? According to scripture, we need drums, songs, and dancing! Learn from Exodus why the people if Israel didn't wait to leaven their bread but still managed to pack their hand drums as they escaped captivity and sang songs of hope and worship.
In our journeys into freedom, God leads us to discover our true selves, fight for justice, and dream of a better world. So what do we do when our family of origin doesn't want to come with us - or worse, when they try to keep us in captivity and oppression? Join us for a special sermon from Pastor Cameron Malakai, including an open letter to the family he must leave behind as he embraces the freedom of the Gospel.
False idols erase our history and obscure the love of God which sustains us. How can we unpack our idols so that they don't steal the future God has promised us?
Empire and other violent systems of domination are sneaky - they end up as stowaways in our baggage (and even our bodies!). We need to intentionally unpack empire and break the generational systems of violence as we we move into true freedom.
Even as we move into freedom, we still have to contend with the pain of the past. Come learn how to move through your emotions so you don't end up dragging with you a suitcase full of the locusts, frogs, and other plagues you've survived. This season, the story of the Exodus has a lot to teach us about leaving behind what doesn't serve us as we prepare for what God has in store. Come prepare for the journey of 2021 by packing light - and by leaving behind the baggage of the past.
This season, the story of the Exodus has a lot to teach us about leaving behind what doesn't serve us as we prepare for what God has in store. Come prepare for the journey of 2021 by packing light - and by leaving behind the baggage of the past.
This Christmas, an intimate look at the God who came to be with us - to hold us and to be held. Come let us adore!
We've all heard about Mary the pure innocent virgin. But what if that idea obscures how bold, brave, and powerful she actually was? Come prepare for Christmas with the women who made the way for Jesus in this world.
This week, Elizabeth's story shows us how companionship, friendship, and willingness to share hard earned wisdom is miraculous in and of itself. Come prepare for Christmas with the women who made the way for Jesus in this world.
As we prepare for Christmas, we're going to look at the stories of the unlikely women named as Jesus's ancestors who made the way for Jesus the liberator. This week, tune in to hear about Ruth, the queer, foreign woman, who fought for her chosen family and is named as one of Jesus's ancestors. Come prepare for Christmas with the women who made the way for Jesus in this world.
As we prepare for Christmas, we're going to look at the stories of the unlikely women named as Jesus's ancestors who made the way for Jesus the liberator.
This week, tune in to hear about Rahab, a sex worker, a total boss, and the ultimate survivor.
Come prepare for Christmas with the women who made the way for Jesus in this world.
The kingdom of God is like a lush garden, where the seeds of the Good News have taken root in the souls of our soil, sprung up from the ground with hope, and borne the fruit of joy and abundance. How is the soil of your soul? Are you ready to grow the kingdom from the seeds you've been given?
When you get a glimpse of the beauty of the Kingdom, are you willing to trade up the life you have for something truly better? The words from Jesus this week remind us that we should never settle for the ways of the world, even if it means giving it all up for something far greater.
This week has taken a lot of patience, as we sit on the edge of our seats waiting for crumbs. But what about a world where there is enough for all?
Hear Jesus' vision for a Kingdom where "enough for all" matters more than who wins or loses.
This Sunday's scripture text is one you probably have never heard preached before. Ever. Sometimes it's called the Parable of the Deceitful Manager, or the Unjust Steward. We're calling it the Generous Trickster. And get this - the liar from the title? He's the hero of the story. Come hear why Jesus told his disciples they could learn a thing or two from this tricky character.
Ever been lost? Ever found something precious? You might have some insight into the world that God intended. Come hear how stories of lost things can move us from scarcity and isolation into celebration and abundance.
Kicking off our new series, "Upside Down." We'll be hearing all the radical and stranger stories that Jesus told describing what the Kingdom is - a great reversal, a sudden shift in power, a disruption unexpected and beyond our wildest imaginations. Get a glimpse into the world as it could be, should be, and will be once we are all reconciled in love and liberation.
We noticed that a lot of the people angry at us for supporting Black Lives Matter seem to be pretty queerphobic. And ableist. And misogynist. Perhaps that's because, deep down, our haters know that none of us is truly free until we're all free. Liberation is intersectional! Lucky for us, the Gospel is here for ALL oppressed people, and isn't making us wait in line to get liberated.
We've been receiving a lot of angry letters lately about our support for the prophetic Black Lives Matter movement, our affirmation of God's beloved LGBTQ+ children, and just in general for the ways that we seek to live out the radical Gospel of liberation. We'd like to take some time to respond to the haters, offering a different perspective on love, justice, and Jesus. Come hang, and see how we are all called to pour out love in the midst of hate.
Our haters have bee throwing out the term "false prophet" a lot. But what does the Bible teach about discerning the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error?
We've been receiving a lot of angry letters lately about our support for the prophetic Black Lives Matter movement, our affirmation of God's beloved LGBTQ+ children, and just in general for the ways that we seek to live out the radical Gospel of liberation. We'd like to take some time to respond to the haters, offering a different perspective on love, justice, and Jesus. Come hang, and see how we are all called to pour out love in the midst of hate.
What do the American Flag and the Roman Emperor have in common? They are both central to the religion of nationalism that so often poisons Christianity. Come hear why we reject the worship of imperialism, and why that has our haters so riled up.
We've been receiving a lot of angry letters lately about our support for the prophetic Black Lives Matter movement, our affirmation of God's beloved LGBTQ+ children, and just in general for the ways that we seek to live out the radical Gospel of liberation. We'd like to take some time to respond to the haters, offering a different perspective on love, justice, and Jesus. Come hang, and see how we are all called to pour out love in the midst of hate.
Is God the wrathful vengeance-seeker that human beings make God out to be? Or does God have a different plan for how all this should end? We'll turn the hate mail on its head as we radically reorient ourselves to the judgment and justice of God.
We've been receiving a lot of angry letters lately about our support for the prophetic Black Lives Matter movement, our affirmation of God's beloved LGBTQ+ children, and just in general for the ways that we seek to live out the radical Gospel of liberation. We'd like to take some time to respond to the haters, offering a different perspective on love, justice, and Jesus. Come hang, and see how we are all called to pour out love in the midst of hate.
We've been receiving a lot of angry letters lately about our support for the prophetic Black Lives Matter movement, our affirmation of God's beloved LGBTQ+ children, and just in general for the ways that we seek to live out the radical Gospel of liberation. We'd like to take some time to respond to the haters, offering a different perspective on love, justice, and Jesus. Come hang, and see how we are all called to pour out love in the midst of hate. First up? All the haters who don't think we look, sound, or act like a "real church."
Part of the discipleship path is learning to be part of the Church - encouraging one another, holding confidence in God love together, and spurring one another on towards love and good works. Join us as we wrap up our Formation series, reflecting especially on Zao MKE's own formation as a church in this season of unrest, resistance, and prophetic calls for liberation.
What does following Jesus look like in the midst of uprising against state sanctioned violence? Discipleship calls us into the streets, onto our platforms, and into the light to speak truth to power. Find your place in the movement towards God's Kingdom of anti-empire! As individuals, as church, and as a community, we are being formed into this moment - called into a new way of being with hope, courage, power, and love.
What does radical Christian community look like? Our deep dive into just 6 verses about the life of the early church will reveal the defining experiences of life together in the Spirit. This season, we'll journey though the story of Peter and others as we think about what it means to be on our own epic journey as we are called into a community that is greater than any of us - to both be trans-formed and also called into formation #slay
If you've ever felt the love of God before, it can be tempting to just bask in it forever. But what if God is calling us to use that love to fuel a revolution?
This season, we'll journey though the story of Peter and others as we think about what it means to be on our own epic journey as we are called into a community that is greater than any of us - to both be trans-formed and also called into formation #slay
What does our "little faith" amount to? Sometimes, it's enough to walk on water. This season, we'll journey though the story of Peter and others as we think about what it means to be on our own epic journey as we are called into a community that is greater than any of us - to both be trans-formed and also called into formation #slay
Once we've taken the leap into the unknown, we often find ourselves forgetting why we would have done such a thing. This is dangerous! Doubt comes crashing in on us like a storm, and we need Jesus to wake up and remind us that he's still who he says he is.
This season, we'll journey though the story of Peter and others as we think about what it means to be on our own epic journey as we are called into a community that is greater than any of us - to both be trans-formed and also called into formation #slay
Every story of transformation begins with a call to adventure. This season, we'll journey though the story of Peter and others as we think about what it means to be on our own epic journey as we are called into a community that is greater than any of us - to both be trans-formed and also called into formation. #slay
Liberating the Bible: A Radical Reimagination of Scripture as a Story of Liberation, a Song of Freedom
God loves us into freedom and God's story is a story of liberation. Although the Bible has been used to do much harm, Jesus -- the living Word of God -- still saves us and redeems us when the written word of God (the Bible) doesn’t go all the way. Jesus is the liberating key that unlocks so much possibility and potential to imagine the new world that we are co-creating as we listen to the voice of the still-speaking God.
We are thrilled to have the brilliant Rev Dr Jay Williams of Union Church in Boston. Jay is the out queer Black pastor of one of the most prominent historically Black United Methodist Churches in the country.
After spending weeks in the beautiful love stories of the Bible (reading from a feminist, queer, anti-racist lens), we'll reflect on what scripture has to offer our own modern love stories.
Rounding out our profile of Biblical couples is David and Jonathan. As a prominent king, David had many wives and sexual partners. But scripture notes something different about this one relationship, uniquely noting: "Jonathan loved David"
Celebrate love between men as we explore the complicated (and beautiful!) relationship of Jonathan and David.
This week, community member Wallie Walldiferus will join Pastors Cameron Malakai and Jonah Overton for a conversation about justice work as Christian discipleship, and how the process of breaking systems of oppression invites us into personal, inter-personal, and systemic healing and wholeness.
Blacklivesmatter #PrideMonth
Black, trans, queer, and in search of Holy Truth - the Ethiopian Eunuch has a complex and beautiful identity and story. At the time, the temple would have forbidden this person from seeking love fully as themself. But on the road home, through the words of prophets and the faithfulness of disciples, they discover a new way to be fully them, and fully loved.
Hear Pastor Cameron Malakai reflect on this important passage from his own experience as a Black, queer, trans man.
PrideMonth #Blacklivesmatter
Next up in our relationship series, Ruth & Naomi! The classic "best friends" who "cleave to one another" and pledge "wherever you go, I will go."
We see you and that Uhaul, Ruth and Naomi. Lots of us have had "best friends" too. Come celebrate queer love, love between women, love across ethnic lines, and the beauty that all of it is represented in the Bible.
PrideMonth #Blacklivesmatter
Happy pride to all! Excited to see you in the streets for BLM the way we are this weekend each year for Pride! Taking a break from our relationship series, this Sunday's worship will feature a dialogue with Pastor Cameron and Pastor Jonah about uprising, faith, and #blacklivesmatter.
Two weeks into our relationship series, the world is in the streets. We'll still spend some time learning from Rebekah and Isaac about finding your people in a new land, clinging to family (chosen and otherwise) in a world that isn't made for you, and the beauty of leaving home to come to a new one. But we'll also hear from Pastor Jonah about their time in the streets this week, and meditate on the holiness of protest, including rioting and civil disobedience.
After tipping the hat last week to Tamar and the often misinterpreted sins of Onan (one of her husbands), this week we'll dive into the whole messy story: marriage, deceit, sex work, and Tamar's righteous pursuit of economic justice. What does the Bible have to say about relationships? Well ...it's complicated.
Launching a new relationship series! Using an intersectional, feminist, queer, and anti-racist lens, we'll examine some complex intimate relationships from the Bible.
...it's complicated: May 24th: Tamar & Judah May 31st: Rebekah & Isaac June 7th: David & Jonathan June 14th: Ruth & Naomi June 21: The Ethiopian Eunuch June 28: Modern Love
This week, we explore the erotic poetry of the Bible, Song of Songs! Yes, you read that right - erotic poetry. This holy text invites us to embrace both sensuality and sexuality in our experience of life, love, and the divine. Also, many dirty fruit references 🍑🍇🥰
This week, we sit with Job as he wrestles with questions of loss, sin, injustice and righteousness.
As we continue our series on the Wisdom Literature of the Bible, we dive into the most existential book in the tradition: Ecclesiastes. This ancient Jewish existentialism has a lot of challenges to the straight forward wisdom of Proverbs. There's an order to the universe, eh Proverbs? Sure, but humans are subject to it, not agents in it, says Ecclesiastes.
Bring your (imaginary if you like) black beret and bitter coffee as we get into the wisdom of Ecclesiastes.
Second week in our new series on the Wisdom Literature of the Bible. We started with psalms - the ancient poetry that meets us in our modern lives to show us how to feel the full depth of our grief and anger and continue to praise God.
This week, we dig into Proverbs - the big book of little sayings. Some are inspiring: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" - Proverbs 27:17 Some are words of advice: "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" - Proverbs 15:1 And others are just... true, I guess: "If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.” – Proverbs 27:14
What does Wisdom does the book of proverbs have to offer us? Should proverbs be reserved for cross-stitched pillows? Or is there a powerful theme beyond these aphorisms? Join us as we meet God and Truth in the book of Proverbs.
Kicking off a new series on the Wisdom Literature of the Bible. We'll start with pslams - those ancient songs and poems the have shaped the worship and understanding of God for thousands of years.
What wisdom does this ancient poetry hold for our modern lives? The psalms display a wide range of human experience and emotion, and offers us in insight into what it means to bring our whole selves before God - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
In the week before his death and resurrection, what was Jesus doing? Thinking? Teaching? During The Last Week, we'll be diving in, day by day, to what Jesus was up to as he prepared for the cross and resurrection.
March 1: Palm Sunday March 8: Table Flipping Monday March 15th: Temple Tuesday March 22nd: Spy Wednesday March 29th: Maundy Thursday April 5th: Holy Friday & Silent Saturday April 12: Easter SundayHoly
In the week before his death and resurrection, what was Jesus doing? Thinking? Teaching? During The Last Week, we'll be diving in, day by day, to what Jesus was up to as he prepared for the cross and resurrection.
March 1: Protest Sunday March 8: Table Flipping Monday March 15th: Temple Tuesday March 22nd: Spy Wednesday March 29th: Maundy Thursday April 5th: Holy Friday & Silent Saturday April 12: Easter Sunday
In the week before his death and resurrection, what was Jesus doing? Thinking? Teaching? During The Last Week, we'll be diving in, day by day, to what Jesus was up to as he prepared for the cross and resurrection.
March 1: Protest Sunday March 8: Table Flipping Monday March 15th: Temple Tuesday March 22nd: Spy Wednesday March 29th: Maundy Thursday April 5th: Holy Friday & Silent Saturday April 12: Easter Sunday
In the week before his death and resurrection, what was Jesus doing? Thinking? Teaching? During The Last Week, we'll be diving in, day by day, to what Jesus was up to as he prepared for the cross and resurrection.
March 1: Protest Sunday March 8: Table Flipping Monday March 15th: Temple Tuesday March 22nd: Spy Wednesday March 29th: Maundy Thursday April 5th: Holy Friday & Silent Saturday April 12: Easter Sunday
In the week before his death and resurrection, what was Jesus doing? Thinking? Teaching? During The Last Week, we'll be diving in, day by day, to what Jesus was up to as he prepared for the cross and resurrection.
March 1: Palm Sunday March 8: Table Flipping Monday March 15th: Temple Tuesday March 22nd: Spy Wednesday March 29th: Maundy Thursday April 5th: Holy Friday & Silent Saturday April 12: Easter Sunday
In the week before his death and resurrection, what was Jesus doing? Thinking? Teaching? During The Last Week, we'll be diving in, day by day, to what Jesus was up to as he prepared for the cross and resurrection.
March 1: Palm Sunday March 8: Table Flipping Monday March 15th: Temple Tuesday March 22nd: Spy Wednesday March 29th: Maundy Thursday April 5th: Holy Friday & Silent Saturday April 12: Easter Sunday
One of the quickest ways to get to know someone is by sharing conversation - but where do we start with God?
Luckily Jesus taught us a prayer (typically called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father) as a way to start. This prayer is poetic and beautiful, hopeful and powerful. It has more depth than meets the eye. And it teaches us a lot about who God is, and how we can talk with God.
Over 6 weeks, we'll break down The Lord's Prayer in our series Talking with God
Why do some versions of the Lord’s Prayer say “forgive us our sins” while others say “trespassess” and others say “debts”? What does your student loan payment have to do with the Lord’s Prayer? Is the Lord’s Prayer a commentary on debt-based economy? And if so, what does that have to do with forgiveness?
All this and more as we continue next week in our series, Talking with God: The Lord’s Prayer
One of the quickest ways to get to know someone is by sharing conversation - but where do we start with God?
Luckily Jesus taught us a prayer (typically called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father) as a way to start. This prayer is poetic and beautiful, hopeful and powerful. It has more depth than meets the eye. And it teaches us a lot about who God is, and how we can talk with God.
Over 6 weeks, we'll break down The Lord's Prayer in our series Talking with God
One of the quickest ways to get to know someone is by sharing conversation - but where do we start with God?
Luckily Jesus taught us a prayer (typically called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father) as a way to start. This prayer is poetic and beautiful, hopeful and powerful. It has more depth than meets the eye. And it teaches us a lot about who God is, and how we can talk with God.
Over 6 weeks, we'll break down The Lord's Prayer in our series Talking with God
One of the quickest ways to get to know someone is by sharing conversation - but where do we start with God?
Luckily Jesus taught us a prayer (typically called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father) as a way to start. This prayer is poetic and beautiful, hopeful and powerful. It has more depth than meets the eye. And it teaches us a lot about who God is, and how we can talk with God.
Over 6 weeks, we'll break down The Lord's Prayer in our series Talking with God
One of the quickest ways to get to know someone is by sharing conversation - but where do we start with God?
Luckily Jesus taught us a prayer (typically called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father) as a way to start. This prayer is poetic and beautiful, hopeful and powerful. It has more depth than meets the eye. And it teaches us a lot about who God is, and how we can talk with God.
Over 6 weeks, we'll break down The Lord's Prayer in our series Talking with God:
January 5th: Our Father January 12th: Kingdom Come January 19th: On Earth as it is in Heaven January 26th: Daily Bread February 2nd: Debts & Debtors February 9th: Lead us Not into Temptation
Zao MKE Church is Jesus Rooted, Justice Centered, and Radically Inclusive. Sundays at 10am
One of the quickest ways to get to know someone is by sharing conversation - but where do we start with God?
Luckily Jesus taught us a prayer (typically called the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father) as a way to start. This prayer is poetic and beautiful, hopeful and powerful. It has more depth than meets the eye. And it teaches us a lot about who God is, and how we can talk with God.
Over 6 weeks, we'll break down The Lord's Prayer in our series Talking with God:
January 5th: Our Father January 12th: Kingdom Come January 19th: On Earth as it is in Heaven January 26th: Daily Bread February 2nd: Debts & Debtors February 9th: Lead us Not into Temptation
Zao MKE Church is Jesus Rooted, Justice Centered, and Radically Inclusive. Sundays at 10am
Series: Hark!
Ever wondered why "Do not be afraid!" is the first message of most Angels in the Bible? Is it because they always seem to come like a bump in the night? Perhaps they are terrifying in appearance, unlike the haloed artwork we adore. Or maybe it's just really frightening to know that you, little old you, are receiving a message from the divine.
This advent/Christmas season, we'll be exploring the proclamations of many angels leading up to the birth of Jesus. What were these messages about, and why were they so important that they needed to be delivered in person?
Series: Hark!
Ever wondered why "Do not be afraid!" is the first message of most Angels in the Bible? Is it because they always seem to come like a bump in the night? Perhaps they are terrifying in appearance, unlike the haloed artwork we adore. Or maybe it's just really frightening to know that you, little old you, are receiving a message from the divine.
This advent/Christmas season, we'll be exploring the proclamations of many angels leading up to the birth of Jesus. What were these messages about, and why were they so important that they needed to be delivered in person?
Series: Hark!
Ever wondered why "Do not be afraid!" is the first message of most Angels in the Bible? Is it because they always seem to come like a bump in the night? Perhaps they are terrifying in appearance, unlike the haloed artwork we adore. Or maybe it's just really frightening to know that you, little old you, are receiving a message from the divine.
This advent/Christmas season, we'll be exploring the proclamations of many angels leading up to the birth of Jesus. What were these messages about, and why were they so important that they needed to be delivered in person?
Hark! A Message of Hope.
Who gets the first Angelic message leading up to the birth of Christ? Is it Mary? Joseph? The donkey? Actually, it's...Jesus' uncle. Wait, what? This week, meet Zechariah. His message from Gabriel is surprising, confusing, and utterly unbelievable.
Hark! A message of hope.
Series: Hark!
Ever wondered why "Do not be afraid!" is the first message of most Angels in the Bible? Is it because they always seem to come like a bump in the night? Perhaps they are terrifying in appearance, unlike the haloed artwork we adore. Or maybe it's just really frightening to know that you, little old you, are receiving a message from the divine.
This advent/Christmas season, we'll be exploring the proclamations of many angels leading up to the birth of Jesus. What were these messages about, and why were they so important that they needed to be delivered in person?
Hark! An urgent message.
Imposter Jesus is always so calm - he'd never raise his voice or cause a scene! But Real Jesus? He's righteously flipping tables and whipping livestock - in church, no less!
Find out why Jesus basically started a riot in the temple, and why that's really, really cool.
Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus
You've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little too much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).
Imposter Jesus is a flag toting, apple-pie loving, good old fashioned patriot, right? Well, Real Jesus is over here subtly advocating non-payment of taxes and pulling the wool over on the Roman government while he does it.
Come hear what "render unto Caesar" really means, and why it's more Christ-like to resist human governments than to blindly support them.
Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus
You've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little too much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).
Join us this fall in search of the real Jesus of Nazareth. We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.
Ever heard the phrase "turn the other cheek"? Turns out that it might not mean what you think it does. Imposter Jesus uses this phrase to pressure victims of violence, abuse, and oppression to simply submit. But Real Jesus was doing something much more radical and powerful with this teaching - he was teaching oppressed folks specific tactics of survival and non-violent resistance.
Come find out why turn the other cheek was really a metaphorical slap in the face of the Romans, and what it means for standing up to abuse in our own context.
Imposter: Finding the Real JesuYou've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little too much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine. And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).
Join us this fall in search of the real Jesus of Nazareth. We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.
Imposter Jesus is all about rules over people. He would never dream of breaking rules - what would people think?? Meanwhile, Real Jesus is breaking rules left and right when they get in the way of loving people (which, he says, is the real purpose of the law anyway).
Come hang this week and hear what Jesus had to say to his rule-obsessed haters, and why loving God and Neighbor sometimes means breaking all the rules.
Imposter: Finding the Real Jesus
You've heard about Jesus, right? The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little too much? Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter. The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).
Join us this fall in search of the real Jesus of Nazareth. We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.
"Real Jesus Knew How to Party" Some of us have been told that Jesus was tight-laced, super serious, and overall kind of a bummer. But scripture paints a very different picture. Come hear about the savior of all creation, who was also called a drunk and a glutton by the religious authorities of his day. Hear about the wedding he took to the next level, and why joy, beauty, and fun are a fundamental part of the kingdom that Jesus invites us into.
You've heard about Jesus, right?
The inexplicably blonde guy who grew up in the Middle East 2,000 years ago, but somehow has the sensibilities of a modern Midwestern White American? The polite, rule-following, calm, non-confrontational, pro-government, super pious guy who was very nice but always looking down his nose at people enjoying themselves just a little too much?
Yeah, that guy is not Jesus. That’s an imposter.
The real Jesus of Nazareth was a rule breaker. He was confrontational. He was a creative resister of a government with which he was in constant public conflict. He hung out with the wrong crowd and had a reputation for loving his wine.And, of course, he was brown (what with being Middle Eastern).
We promise, he's way better than that blonde guy you heard about.