Mill City Church: Recent Episodes
Mill City Church
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
There has been a verifiable rise in interest in Jesus in the last decade in America…but which Jesus? Get rich Jesus? Angry Jesus? Therapist Jesus? Political Jesus? Join us for a journey through the Gospel of John to uncover the true identity of Jesus beyond assumptions or cultural familiarity, and encounter the real Jesus – the one who meets our deepest needs and provides genuine hope.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
A study in 2008 showed that difficulties faced with friends were perceived as easier than when faced alone. The mountains in front of us shrink when we are surrounded by others. Community is important…and challenging. Join us as we look at how to navigate the bumps, cultivate strong relationships, and be the family of God together.
We may be in a new building, but our vision hasn’t changed…to see Northern Colorado look more like heaven. Join us as we unpack how we do this by encountering Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.
We may be in a new building, but our vision hasn’t changed…to see Northern Colorado look more like heaven. Join us as we unpack how we do this by encountering Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.
We may be in a new building, but our vision hasn’t changed…to see Northern Colorado look more like heaven. Join us as we unpack how we do this by encountering Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.
We may be in a new building, but our vision hasn’t changed…to see Northern Colorado look more like heaven. Join us as we unpack how we do this by encountering Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did.
After all the longing for a rescuer, God snuck into the world, mostly unnoticed. Only a few were let in on the secret… by angels. What did they say? What was the response? Explore these angelic visitations with us and let God’s faithfulness shine through.
After all the longing for a rescuer, God snuck into the world, mostly unnoticed. Only a few were let in on the secret… by angels. What did they say? What was the response? Explore these angelic visitations with us and let God’s faithfulness shine through.
After all the longing for a rescuer, God snuck into the world, mostly unnoticed. Only a few were let in on the secret… by angels. What did they say? What was the response? Explore these angelic visitations with us and let God’s faithfulness shine through.
After all the longing for a rescuer, God snuck into the world, mostly unnoticed. Only a few were let in on the secret… by angels. What did they say? What was the response? Explore these angelic visitations with us and let God’s faithfulness shine through.
After all the longing for a rescuer, God snuck into the world, mostly unnoticed. Only a few were let in on the secret… by angels. What did they say? What was the response? Explore these angelic visitations with us and let God’s faithfulness shine through.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
God has always done the work of restoration by partnering with his people. Working with others can be hard and can complicate things, but it is part of being a follower of Jesus. Join us as we unpack the book of Nehemiah and discover what it looks like to be active participants in the Kingdom of God.
For millennia, the people of God have committed the Scripture to memory. Not to get a gold star, but to ruminate on it and create a lifeline for the soul. Join us to learn how this ancient practice shapes us from the inside out.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: MEDITATION & MEMORIZATION SERIESPRACTICE: Meditation & Memorization
Meditation and memorization might feel like the broccoli of spiritual practices—good for you, but not exactly the first thing you crave.
But what if we told you that you already meditate every single day? Yep. You are already a meditating master.
If you’ve ever spent a day (or several) wracked by anxiety, guilt, or frustration, you know what it feels like to have your thoughts oriented in one direction. The experience may not have been uplifting or peaceful, but you were meditating. You were just meditating on your own circumstances.
Unpleasant? Probably. But there’s a better way.
Joshua 1:8 reads, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
When we meditate on our own circumstances, schedules, or fears, it’s easy to wander off course on our journey toward wholeness. When we meditate on the Word of God, we’re walking arm-in-arm with Him toward joy and freedom.
Meditation and memorization are not about earning gold stars in heaven. They are an invitation to intimacy with Jesus. They steady our minds, strengthen our spirits, and fill us with truth when we’re tired, tempted, or afraid.
When the psalmist said, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11), he wasn’t talking about a religious chore. He was describing the secret to a resilient, joy-filled, God-saturated life.
Eugene Peterson described these practices as “chewing” the Word—savoring, breaking it down, digesting it until it nourishes us, becomes part of us, and leads to our becoming more like Jesus.
And Jesus is in the process with us. He’s not standing off on the sidelines with a checklist, angrily tallying every time our thoughts wander. He doesn’t expect immediate mastery or perfection. He’s got His sleeves rolled up, and He’s in it for the long haul. And he’s ready with an overabundance of grace and patience as we practice meditation, day by day and year after year.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | A Life Planted by the Word
Week Two | Metabolize
Week Three | Psalm 119
Week Four | Sword Drill
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Video
The Bible Project | How the Bible Is Unique as Literature (and Why It Matters)
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Practice-MED-MEMmp3.mp3
For millennia, the people of God have committed the Scripture to memory. Not to get a gold star, but to ruminate on it and create a lifeline for the soul. Join us to learn how this ancient practice shapes us from the inside out.
For millennia, the people of God have committed the Scripture to memory. Not to get a gold star, but to ruminate on it and create a lifeline for the soul. Join us to learn how this ancient practice shapes us from the inside out.
For millennia, the people of God have committed the Scripture to memory. Not to get a gold star, but to ruminate on it and create a lifeline for the soul. Join us to learn how this ancient practice shapes us from the inside out.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
As we continue to strengthen our engagement with Scripture, we are tracking through the Old Testament by following the lives of well-known and hidden characters. As we meet each one, we find that their story is our story, and that they all point to Jesus.
Beginnings are important to how we engage what follows. This collection of talks explores themes that are brought up in the first few chapters of Genesis that carry through the narrative of Scripture. Join us as we talk about God, humanity, rest, sin, and grace. These huge topics are anchor points for understanding the Bible and how we live into it.
Beginnings are important to how we engage what follows. This collection of talks explores themes that are brought up in the first few chapters of Genesis that carry through the narrative of Scripture. Join us as we talk about God, humanity, rest, sin, and grace. These huge topics are anchor points for understanding the Bible and how we live into it.
Beginnings are important to how we engage what follows. This collection of talks explores themes that are brought up in the first few chapters of Genesis that carry through the narrative of Scripture. Join us as we talk about God, humanity, rest, sin, and grace. These huge topics are anchor points for understanding the Bible and how we live into it.
Beginnings are important to how we engage what follows. This collection of talks explores themes that are brought up in the first few chapters of Genesis that carry through the narrative of Scripture. Join us as we talk about God, humanity, rest, sin, and grace. These huge topics are anchor points for understanding the Bible and how we live into it.
The trajectory of the world changed in one week! It started with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ended with him exiting a grave. These days, known as Holy Week, are the most celebrated in the Christian calendar and represent the ultimate of love and hope.
The trajectory of the world changed in one week! It started with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ended with him exiting a grave. These days, known as Holy Week, are the most celebrated in the Christian calendar and represent the ultimate of love and hope.
The trajectory of the world changed in one week! It started with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ended with him exiting a grave. These days, known as Holy Week, are the most celebrated in the Christian calendar and represent the ultimate of love and hope.
Beginnings are important to how we engage what follows. This collection of talks explores themes that are brought up in the first few chapters of Genesis that carry through the narrative of Scripture. Join us as we talk about God, humanity, rest, sin, and grace. These huge topics are anchor points for understanding the Bible and how we live into it.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitate encounters with the God of the Word.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitate encounters with the God of the Word.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitate encounters with the God of the Word.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitate encounters with the God of the Word.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitate encounters with the God of the Word.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitate encounters with the God of the Word.
The Bible is no ordinary book, and yet some people find it boring, while others find it confusing, and still others weaponize it for personal gain. Join us as we take a journey to understand what the Bible is and is not, how to read it, and the ways it can shape us and facilitates encounters with the God of the Word.
SUMMARYRESOURCESBIBLE ENGAGEMENT SURVEYJESUS IN EVERY BOOKWORD
Every year we pray and ask God if there is a word/theme for the year ahead that might give direction to message series, weekly practices, city group conversations, etc. For 2025 our word is WORD. Matthew 4:4 says “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” There are so many things vying for our attention, so we will take this year to direct our focus toward loving, understanding, and being nourished by the Scripture. Yes, this is about developing higher biblical literacy, but knowledge alone isn’t transformational and can puff us up…so, this is less about knowing the Word of God and more about loving the God of the Word. WORD is an invitation to enter the story of God, letting it shape our imaginations and lives while encountering Jesus on every page. We follow Jesus together, so whether you have read the Bible a lot or are new to the Bible, we hope you will jump in and engage the Scripture with others. Below are resources we have curated to be helpful in this journey.
RULE OF LIFEResources
Message Series
WORD | The God of the Word
WORD | Eat This Book
WORD | Ink and Blood
WATCH HERECommunity
We don’t follow Jesus alone. Find your City Group here, and travel through the Scripture with others.
GROUPSReading Plans
Pick a Bible Reading plan for the year to do with others. We encourage you to regularly text with your group any revelations, encouragements, and questions you might have a long the way.
Are you in? Text “WORD2025” to 970-299-9997 to let us know!
Video
WATCH HEREBible Reading Plans
One Story that Leads to Jesus by BibleProjectOld Testament in One Year by BibleProjectNew Testament in One Year by BibleProjectWomen of the Bible Reading PlanPodcasts
The Bible RecapAPPLESPOTIFYThe Bible DepartmentAPPLESPOTIFYBEMAAPPLESPOTIFYThe Bible ProjectAPPLESPOTIFYBooks
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazonAmazon
The word for the year in 2023 and 2024 for Mill City was Practice. We are wrapping up this two-year journey with a series that will tie things together and provide tools for the ongoing journey of spiritual formation.
The word for the year in 2023 and 2024 for Mill City was Practice. We are wrapping up this two year journey with a series that will tie things together and provide tools for the ongoing journey of spiritual formation.
SUMMARYRESOURCESRULE OF LIFE PDFPRACTICE: Rule of Life
Imagine if a person decided to become a pilot, and was immediately placed in the cockpit of an Airbus A380 facing strong headwinds. What if a young teen, aspiring to complete medical school someday, was handed a scalpel and pushed into the operating room to complete open heart surgery? Or, if the child playing house was handed a couple of screaming newborns, a mortgage, and the keys to a Honda Odyssey and told, “Good luck! Oh, and by the way, the twins both have colic.”
Imagine the chaos!
In many spheres of life—the hospital, the home, and certainly the sky—we understand that the most important things require practice. And not just the kind of practice you schedule once a week. Constant, daily practice. Practice that takes years, or even decades. Practice that we reorient our lives around. Why is this? Well, because no one is born with all of the skills and knowledge to be an expert surgeon, or a skilled pilot, or a loving, patient parent. In the same way, no one is born with all of the skills and knowledge to be an authentic follower of Jesus.
And unfortunately, we don’t naturally drift into Christlikeness. Selfishness, impatience, and greed are much easier to fall into than selflessness, patience, and generosity.
On the slippery slope away from Jesus, our culture starts us off with a good shove: everything in the Western ethos reinforces individual freedom over collective good. The dominant cultural narrative is, “Me first! What I want, at all costs! If I don’t feel like doing it, that means it’s not who I am. And my chief aim in life is to be exactly who I think I am.” As apprentices to Jesus, we recognize this as false. God works in everything, so we want God in everything: our waking and our sleeping, our work and our leisure, our joy and our mourning. We know that our purpose is not to be exactly who we are right now. It’s to enjoy the process of being slowly shaped into the likeness of Jesus, and surrender to God’s best for us. So, what do we do when what is best for us feels unnatural—in the same way flight was once unnatural? Or studying when you’d rather be sleeping? Or exercising when you’d rather be watching your sixth consecutive hour of Ted Lasso?
Well, we create a structure for our practices, one that reinforces and fuels our growth. And then, we live by it. This is the beauty and purpose of a Rule of Life. A Rule of Life is not a spiritual trend or New Age philosophy. It’s been around since the early church fathers and mothers. It was central to the lifestyle of the Benedictine and Franciscan monks.
What do we learn from this? Well, that even the most devoted followers of Jesus—those who have dedicated their entire lives to the ways of Christ—need a structure to support their growth. No one is exempt from the temptation to hustle and strive, so we all need rhythms to support our flourishing.
In the words of Ken Shigematsu, “A Rule of Life is simply a rhythm of practices that empowers us to live well and grow more like Jesus by helping us experience God in everything.”
There is good news and bad news. The good news: If you are alive today, you already have an unspoken Rule of Life. We all have daily routines, practices, and preferences that shape who we’re becoming. The bad news: If you haven’t intentionally shaped this Rule of Life around the teachings of Jesus, it’s probably been informed by Western culture or your own background.
So, we have an invitation. (It’s remarkably similar to the one Jesus gave his followers again and again.) The invitation is this: Stop. Give up your unwritten rule of your life. God has something so much better. Like a vine to the trellis, connect yourself to an intentional framework that connects you to God’s best for you.
RULE OF LIFEResources
Video
PRACTICE | Rule of Life
WATCH HERERule of Life Resource
Download the PDF below as a helpful resource to get started.
RULE OF LIFEBooks
AmazonAmazon
The word for the year in 2023 and 2024 for Mill City was Practice. We are wrapping up this two year journey with a series that will tie things together and provide tools for the ongoing journey of spiritual formation.
The word for the year in 2023 and 2024 for Mill City was Practice. We are wrapping up this two year journey with a series that will tie things together and provide tools for the ongoing journey of spiritual formation.
SUMMARYRESOURCESSPIRITUAL LIFE INVENTORYPRACTICE: Invitation to a Journey
In the Gospels, Jesus invites others to “Follow me.” He makes that same invitation to every one of us today.
Implicit in this invitation is a journey. Jesus is inviting us to let Him lead us somewhere. If you choose to accept this invitation you are not signing up for a life of ease or an up-and-to-the-right life. Yes, deep joy, peace, and hope are on offer, but you are also signing up for a journey of trust, surrender, and acceptance that necessitates wrestling, battles of will, sacrifice, and pain.
Following Jesus is about more than saying a prayer. It may start there, but it is about being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. To mature. That looks like loving what He loves, hating what He hates, seeing how He sees, forgiving how He forgives, wanting what He wants, responding how He responds, etc. And that takes intentionality and time…a lifetime actually.
Throughout the centuries, many attempts to categorize the life of faith have been made. This categorization is called “stage theory,” and though they are generalizations, the goal is to have a frame of reference for where you are, to better live your stage, and appreciate where others might be without judgment or comparison.
We can’t encourage you enough to start a journey with Jesus. And no matter where you are in your journey, we would be honored to walk with you.
Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich wrote The Critical Journey to describe six stages of faith. It has proven to be helpful for many. To help you name your stage, they created a spiritual life inventory that can be found here.
SPIRITUAL LIFE INVENTORYResources
Video
PRACTICE | Invitation to a Journey
Alpha
Interested in exploring what a journey with Jesus might look like?
Check out Alpha
City Groups
It is vital that we follow Jesus with others.
Find a City Group
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazon
Jesus entered the world as fully God and fully man, thus showing us what God is like and what it looks like to be fully human. He doesn’t override his humanity with his divinity but dignifies the human condition. Join us for our Advent series as we talk about relationships, temptation, loss, and limits.
Jesus entered the world as fully God and fully man, thus showing us what God is like and what it looks like to be fully human. He doesn’t override his humanity with his divinity but dignifies the human condition. Join us for our Advent series as we talk about relationships, temptation, loss, and limits.
Jesus entered the world as fully God and fully man, thus showing us what God is like and what it looks like to be fully human. He doesn’t override his humanity with his divinity, but dignifies the human condition. Join us for our Advent series as we talk about relationships, temptation, loss, and limits.
Jesus entered the world as fully God and fully man, thus showing us what God is like and what it looks like to be fully human. He doesn’t override his humanity with his divinity, but dignifies the human condition. Join us for our Advent series as we talk about relationships, temptation, loss, and limits.
God is on mission to rescue and redeem the whole world. To follow Jesus is to join God in His mission. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but Jesus tells us how to do it – one small Kingdom act at a time. Or in other words – love your neighbor. Join us as we talk about living on mission everyday.
God is on mission to rescue and redeem the whole world. To follow Jesus is to join God in His mission. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but Jesus tells us how to do it – one small Kingdom act at a time. Or in other words – love your neighbor. Join us as we talk about living on mission everyday.
God is on mission to rescue and redeem the whole world. To follow Jesus is to join God in His mission. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but Jesus tells us how to do it – one small Kingdom act at a time. Or in other words – love your neighbor. Join us as we talk about living on mission everyday.
God is on mission to rescue and redeem the whole world. To follow Jesus is to join God in His mission. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but Jesus tells us how to do it – one small Kingdom act at a time. Or in other words – love your neighbor. Join us as we talk about living on mission everyday.
God is on mission to rescue and redeem the whole world. To follow Jesus is to join God in His mission. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but Jesus tells us how to do it – one small Kingdom act at a time. Or in other words – love your neighbor. Join us as we talk about living on mission everyday.
God is on mission to rescue and redeem the whole world. To follow Jesus is to join God in His mission. That may seem a bit overwhelming, but Jesus tells us how to do it – one small Kingdom act at a time. Or in other words – love your neighbor. Join us as we talk about living on mission everyday.
We are passionate about following the way of Jesus. We don’t drift toward apprenticeship to Jesus, so we look into a vital ingredient for our formation and a not so sneaky contributor to our malformation.
We are passionate about following the way of Jesus. We don’t drift toward apprenticeship to Jesus, so we look into a vital ingredient for our formation and a not so sneaky contributor to our malformation.
Worship is a normal part of Sunday gatherings, but is about so much more than music and singing. Worship forms our hearts, shapes our language, sharpens our imagination, and broadens our perspective. Join us as we explore an important habit that cultivates a deeper apprenticeship to Jesus.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: WORSHIP SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Worship
What’s your song? The one you play in the car on the way home from work. The one you danced to at your wedding. The one you share with a close friend. The track they played at your graduation. (If you’re a parent of young children and your answer is “Baby Shark” or the Paw Patrol theme song, our thoughts and prayers are with you.)
Every aspect of our lives is worship. All the practices we’ve studied together — think fast! — all orient our hearts toward a deeper awareness of God’s proximity. Every breath is worship, whether we’re oriented toward Jesus, money, ambition, beauty, or our careers.
But here, we’re not discussing adoration – worship as our deepest loves. We’re talking about song – worship as audible praise.
At times, our Sunday mornings are preoccupied by our insecurities. (“If I raise my hands or fall on my knees, will everyone stare?”) Maybe we’re distracted by the off-key harmonies of the person next to us or the Sunday morning set list.
But worship isn’t about our musical aptitude or preferences. Worship is a practice that pulls us into a bigger story.
Paul writes in Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Singing has a powerful effect on our lives.
When we worship through song, we participate in the tapestry of praise that connects all believers throughout history. We share the grief of David in the Psalms and the joy of Mary in Luke. The language, location, and instruments may vary, but we sing the same hymn as the believer in Africa and Asia or a Jesus follower from a previous century.
Worship connects us to community. (Singing with others actually releases oxytocin to our brains, the same hormone that helps build attachment between a mother and her child.) When we sing in a gathering, we take up one another’s joys and burdens. We sing a lament, and we mourn on behalf of the mourners. We sing a song of joy, and we rejoice on behalf of our neighbor.
Worship also reawakens our hunger for the marvelous. It increases our capacity for mystery. When we raise our voices, we loosen our grip. We step into deeper trust.
At times, we may sing about God defeating giants but feel like we’re standing at the feet of Goliath — without so much as a slingshot in our hands. Or maybe we sing about God’s faithfulness while wrestling with deep doubt. This is not a contradiction. This is what the people of God do. Regardless of our circumstances, musical ability, or denominational preferences — God is worthy of our worship. He deserves our highest praise.
He’s King whether we feel like it or not. In the words of Eugene Peterson, “Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God. It whets our appetite.”
So, what’s your song? The hymn you bring to Jesus in the mountains, valleys, and meadows? The song you sing in the car on your way to the doctor’s appointment? The one you play in the middle of the night when you’re too anxious to sleep and too exhausted to do anything but hum along?
Whatever it is, let it out – Jesus loves to hear it.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | Everybody is doing it
Week Two | In the Darkest Hour
Week Three | A Portal to Another World
Week Four | It’s About the Presence
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down with Jon Egan, songwriter and worship pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, for a conversation about the power of worship, the Psalms, and why worship with others is so important.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Practice-Worship-Podcast.mp3
Worship is a normal part of Sunday gatherings, but is about so much more than music and singing. Worship forms our hearts, shapes our language, sharpens our imagination, and broadens our perspective. Join us as we explore an important habit that cultivates a deeper apprenticeship to Jesus.
Worship is a normal part of Sunday gatherings, but is about so much more than music and singing. Worship forms our hearts, shapes our language, sharpens our imagination, and broadens our perspective. Join us as we explore an important habit that cultivates a deeper apprenticeship to Jesus.
Worship is a normal part of Sunday gatherings, but is about so much more than music and singing. Worship forms our hearts, shapes our language, sharpens our imagination, and broadens our perspective. Join us as we explore an important habit that cultivates a deeper apprenticeship to Jesus.
Join us as we study the short, but potent, New Testament letter of Jude. We will be challenged, puzzled, and encouraged in our God given identity – Called, Loved, Kept – and taught what it means to contend for the faith in the 1st, and 21st, century.
Join us as we study the short, but potent, New Testament letter of Jude. We will be challenged, puzzled, and encouraged in our God given identity – Called, Loved, Kept – and taught what it means to contend for the faith in the 1st, and 21st, century.
Join us as we study the short, but potent, New Testament letter of Jude. We will be challenged, puzzled, and encouraged in our God given identity – Called, Loved, Kept – and taught what it means to contend for the faith in the 1st, and 21st, century.
Join us as we study the short, but potent, New Testament letter of Jude. We will be challenged, puzzled, and encouraged in our God given identity – Called, Loved, Kept – and taught what it means to contend for the faith in the 1st, and 21st, century.
Join us as we study the short, but potent, New Testament letter of Jude. We will be challenged, puzzled, and encouraged in our God given identity – Called, Loved, Kept – and taught what it means to contend for the faith in the 1st, and 21st, century.
Jesus was excited to send the Holy Spirit and yet this “Helper” is often neglected, misunderstood, abused, or underappreciated. Join us as we unpack the Scripture to explore who the Holy Spirit is, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what it looks like to welcome and live in partnership with the Holy Spirit today.
Jesus was excited to send the Holy Spirit and yet this “Helper” is often neglected, misunderstood, abused, or underappreciated. Join us as we unpack the Scripture to explore who the Holy Spirit is, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what it looks like to welcome and live in partnership with the Holy Spirit today.
Jesus was excited to send the Holy Spirit and yet this “Helper” is often neglected, misunderstood, abused, or underappreciated. Join us as we unpack the Scripture to explore who the Holy Spirit is, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what it looks like to welcome and live in partnership with the Holy Spirit today.
Jesus was excited to send the Holy Spirit and yet this “Helper” is often neglected, misunderstood, abused, or underappreciated. Join us as we unpack the Scripture to explore who the Holy Spirit is, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what it looks like to welcome and live in partnership with the Holy Spirit today.
Jesus was excited to send the Holy Spirit and yet this “Helper” is often neglected, misunderstood, abused, or underappreciated. Join us as we unpack the Scripture to explore who the Holy Spirit is, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what it looks like to welcome and live in partnership with the Holy Spirit today.
Jesus was excited to send the Holy Spirit and yet this “Helper” is often neglected, misunderstood, abused, or underappreciated. Join us as we unpack the Scripture to explore who the Holy Spirit is, the purpose of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and what it looks like to welcome and live in partnership with the Holy Spirit today.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: FASTING & FEASTING SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Feasting
Food, glorious food. It sustains and nourishes. It delights. It carries memory: the collective stories and traditions of generations before.
Search your memory. When you look back on holidays and celebrations from childhood, what meals have been lovingly prepared? When you consider recent moments of fellowship—where you felt true joy and belonging with family or friends—are you gathered around a table? Devouring charcuterie or chips and salsa?
Feasting is more than a way to fill your stomach. It’s a way to fill your soul. This experience transcends cultures. Yet in the 21st century West, many of us have lost our way.
For many, the art of eating together has been sacrificed on the altar of productivity and convenience. We eat in our cars or don’t put down our phones and gather around a table to share the day’s joys and disappointments. We half-heartedly watch a sitcom rerun or scroll through TikTok. As a culture, our schedules are becoming fuller and fuller and our meals are getting shorter and shorter. Shocking statistics reveal the detrimental effects of this loss on family dynamics and societal well-being. People who sit and eat with others experience measurable improvements to their overall well-being, improving behavior, mental wellness, and academic performance.
The time spent around a table also has spiritual implications. Feasting provides space to better know ourselves and each other. The alternative is shallow conversation and hollow distraction in our devices. As author, Leonard Sweet aptly notes, “An untabled faith is an unstable faith.”
When we reclaim our time and embrace one another through communal dining, we follow the example of Jesus. A significant portion of Jesus’ ministry occurred around a table. In his signature, disruptive style — Jesus, bucked this system of social superiority. He regularly ate with the “wrong” kind of people like prostitutes, women, tax collectors, and drunkards. His decision to choose hospitality over hostility broke cultural barriers and turned heads. He put his proclamations of love and holy pursuit into action.
The cross wasn’t Christ’s first display of bold, countercultural, expectation-breaking love. Before the upper room or the triumphal entry, Jesus demonstrated his pursuit around the tables of the poor, unaccepted, and downcast.
The practice of feasting is about seeing the ordinary table as a sacred place of ministry. A place to catalyze community and welcome the outsider.
As we embrace this practice together, we nourish our bodies and our souls, fostering belonging and connection in an increasingly disconnected world. So, let’s reimagine our table as more than just a place to eat. Let’s create sacred spaces for relationship, rest, and holy rebellion against the loneliness and tribalism so prevalent in our world today.
Resources
Message Series
Week Four | Eating as Kingdom Activity
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Additional Resources
Questions help facilitate conversations that go beyond the weather, sports, or basic life updates. Here are a couple tools to help bring some depth and connection around a table.
Questions to Start Great Conversations
Complete Book of Questions
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down for a conversation with Pastor Pradeepan Jeeva from Seattle to talk about the practice of fasting and the ways it has strengthened his life with God.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Practice-Fasting-Feasting.mp3
Pastor Aaron sat down for a conversation with Pastor Pradeepan Jeeva from Seattle to talk about the practice of fasting and the ways it has strengthened his life with God.
Food is a gift from God and necessary for our survival. Join us as we talk about how going without (fasting) and enjoying abundance (feasting) were both important practices for the first followers of Jesus and vital in our apprenticeship to Jesus today.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: FASTING & FEASTING SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Fasting
Fasting! Please, hold your applause. Try to contain your excitement. We know this is the practice you’ve been waiting for.
If you’re looking forward to the “feasting” portion of our journey or wishing you could go back in time and revisit the wonders of generosity, you’re not alone. Our world is made infinitely better by Chick-fil-A, sourdough bread, chocolate chip cookies, and all the traditional foods that blanket our childhood memories in a sweet or savory haze.
Food is delicious, and our generally uninhibited access to nutrition and delight in the 21st century West is a blessing.
But food isn’t just a privilege, cultural waypost, or expression of creativity. It’s as critical to our survival as water or shelter. When we participate in fasting, we fight our very biology. Without prayer, your soul will wither, but your body will remain intact. Fasting is the opposite. It’s no wonder fasting is often treated as the Super Bowl of spiritual habits.
Prayer brings comfort and proximity. Community cultivates intimacy, friendship, and growth. Slowing (or Sabbath) invites rest and renewal.
By comparison, it’s easy to feel like the cost of fasting far outweighs its spiritual benefit. Gnawing hunger. Nausea. Weakness. Irritability. Fatigue. If the other spiritual disciplines belong on a Sunday school flannelgraph, fasting deserves it’s own 30-second-long disclaimer – you know, like the ones that herald the end of a commercial for prescription medication.
Fasting: may bring spiritual growth, will cause irrepressible hanger in the meantime. Fasting shows us our limitations in their fullness. It reveals the oppression of our schedules, made ever more daunting without a trusty snack or meal to look forward to. When we fast, our impatience, irritation, and exhaustion are on full display.
And friends, this is exactly why we must fast.
Fasting reveals the strength of our grip on comfort. It forces us to confront our flesh at its loudest and most demanding. It rejects our culture’s worship of comfort. It drives us into deeper, desperate dependence upon God to sustain.
The goal of the Christian life is not unending comfort or unhindered self-indulgence. It’s loving union with God. Fasting builds the muscle of self-denial so we can be strong for the trials and temptations that inevitably come.
In today’s Western culture, fasting is often dismissed or misunderstood. Yet, throughout Scripture, fasting is portrayed as a vital spiritual practice undertaken by the people of God in circumstances of urgent need, oppression, or mourning. From Moses to Esther to Jesus, fasting’s prevalence underscores its significance in the spiritual journey. Fasting isn’t merely abstaining from food; it’s a deliberate act of surrender, a tangible expression of dependence.
The apostle Paul addresses the tension between the desires of the flesh and the leading of the Spirit in Galatians 5:13-17. In a culture that equates freedom with indulging every whim, Paul offers a counter-cultural perspective. True freedom, he argues, is found in loving service to others, not in gratifying the self.
Yet, let’s not romanticize fasting. The struggle to abstain from food is real, as anyone who has skipped a meal can attest. Can we get a round of applause for chicken tenders and mac and cheese?
Fasting also should never be treated as a punishment for our spiritual shortcomings. Fasting isn’t about self-flagellation or earning spiritual brownie points. Fasting reorients our hearts toward God, developing a deeper dependence upon the things of the Spirit. It’s a form of temporary, controlled suffering that trains us to prioritize God’s will over our own.
In a culture obsessed with instant gratification and self-indulgence, fasting stands as a radical counter-narrative. It invites us to embrace temporary discomfort for the sake of eternal gain, to surrender our fleeting desires in exchange for the surpassing joy of knowing God intimately, and cultivating a heart for those in need.
So, let us embrace fasting not as a burdensome duty, but as a sacred practice that leads us closer to the heart of God. As we starve the flesh, may we be nourished by the abundance of the Spirit.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | Starving the Flesh
Week Two | Motive and Purpose
Week Three | With God and For Others
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Additional Resources
The Fasting Starter Kit
Books
AmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down for a conversation with Pastor Pradeepan Jeeva from Seattle to talk about the practice of fasting and the ways it has strengthened his life with God.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Practice-Fasting-Feasting.mp3
Food is a gift from God and necessary for our survival. Join us as we talk about how going without (fasting) and enjoying abundance (feasting) were both important practices for the first followers of Jesus and vital in our apprenticeship to Jesus today.
Food is a gift from God and necessary for our survival. Join us as we talk about how going without (fasting) and enjoying abundance (feasting) were both important practices for the first followers of Jesus and vital in our apprenticeship to Jesus today.
Food is a gift from God and necessary for our survival. Join us as we talk about how going without (fasting) and enjoying abundance (feasting) were both important practices for the first followers of Jesus and vital in our apprenticeship to Jesus today.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
As our culture becomes increasingly secular, followers of Jesus become more marginalized and maybe even seen as dangerous. Rather than blending in or engaging in culture wars, Scripture encourages the people of God to embody the teachings of Jesus. Join us as we unpack what this looks like and set a vision for what we are to become.
Pastor Aaron sat down with Pastor Rich Villodas to talk about his journey of prayer. Their conversation is full of practical help and grace-filled ways to a deeper life with God.
Prayer is essential in a life with God. Join us as we unpack the foundational elements that contribute to a sustainable, joy-filled relationship with God.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: PRAYER SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Prayer
Imagine the person who knows your history like their own, the friend who sees your fears and doesn’t flinch. Your confidant. It could be the sibling who understands your thoughts with a look — a silent language formed by hundreds of collective childhood memories, holiday traditions, and vacation mishaps. Maybe it’s your spouse: your partner for a lifetime of mountains and valleys. Or, perhaps, your chosen family. The friend who hasn’t been lost to distance or the decades. The roommate who’s never too busy to hear a recap of your day.
How do you talk to them? Do you laugh together? Reminiscence? Do you share your deepest hopes? Plan for the future? Grieve the past? In our most life-giving relationships, conversation holds a sacred familiarity. We know we’ll be met with compassion for our weaknesses. We know there’s reconciliation on the other side of conflict.
Why do we settle for anything less in our conversations with God?
Burdened by shame and our schedules, we fight the daily temptation to keep our distance. We settle for a few words tossed at the ceiling as we fall asleep. (After all, it’s probably after God’s office hours, anyway.) We feel an inner pressure to make our prayers short and efficient. Pretty and positive.
We make vague requests, unsure of God’s will. We’re exhausted by disappointment and doubt we’ll be met with grace. Stretched relationally thin by shallow connections, we doubt God’s unlimited capacity for communion with us. We wait to engage prayer honestly until we’re holier. Happier. Wealthier. Less angry. More spiritual.
Friends, God has so much more for us.
Prayer is not simply a ritual of the Christian life. It’s the quiet, constant rhythm designed to regulate our hearts and minds. It’s a practice of costly vulnerability, within which we expose our deepest fears and are met by the deepest love. In prayer, we experience God’s steadfast attention toward our longings. We’re given comfort in our mourning; rest in our hurry. Peace in our anxiety. Clarity in our confusion.
Prayer awakens us to the transcendence of heaven, but it doesn’t exist only in the abstract. Prayer is a collective act of history-making, a cosmic tapestry woven by the prayers of God’s people. When the Church — separated by borders and time zones but unified by a shared vision for the redemption of all things — prays, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” we invite Christ’s intercession, eternally impacting the unfolding narrative of history.
Prayer is not a transactional exchange aimed at persuading God to enact our will according to our schedule. Quite the opposite.
As we practice prayer, we steadily gain a deeper understanding of God’s rich goodness and abounding love. But the goal of prayer is not knowledge — that would be settling for far less than God’s best — it’s relationship. It’s not control; it’s trust. Prayer is surrender. In prayer, we loosen our hold on our time and our plans — and, in the process, the world loosens its hold on us.
Life is messy. The world is complex and, at times, heartbreaking. We need prayer. Desperately. Constantly. Innately.
Not as a coping mechanism or a Sunday morning must-have but as our daily reorientation toward the things of heaven. Prayer is not a box we check on our list of spiritual practices or a steadfast source of information. It’s the spiritual equivalent of coffee with a dear friend on a Tuesday morning. It’s the King of heaven, hanging on our every word. It’s where we feel God lean into the trials and the triumphs of our day. It’s where we experience the warmth of God’s affection. It’s where we feel His righteous anger toward injustice. Prayer is where God invites us to know Him and be known. To see and be seen.
Through prayer, we transform and are transformed.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | God Likes You
Week Two | Does It Matter?
Week Three | The Lord Will Fight For You
Week Four | Anctient Practice In Our Modern World
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down with Pastor Rich Villodas to talk about his journey of prayer. Their conversation is full of practical helps and grace-filled ways to a deeper life with God.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/PODCAST-Practice_-Prayer.mp3
Prayer is essential in a life with God. Join us as we unpack the foundational elements that contribute to a sustainable, joy-filled relationship with God.
Prayer is essential in a life with God. Join us as we unpack the foundational elements that contribute to a sustainable, joy-filled relationship with God.
By Grant MacAlmon | Students Pastor
Richard Gere, playing the fictional medieval hero Lancelot, ran the gauntlet in the 90s film First Knight. The threat of swinging oversized battle axes, undulating platforms, and flying planks of wood made for a captivating scene, all in the hopes of winning a kiss from Lady Guinevere. In proper maverick form, Lancelot ran the gauntlet without protective padding. Would you allow your teenager to do the same? Access to social media platforms—a modern technological gauntlet—presents potential harm to our children. This paper aims to discuss 1) the crucial value of a Christian adolescent community, 2) how social media and technology are inhibiting teenagers from living a flourishing life with Jesus, and 3) how to support and guide your teens in a life surrounded by screens.
On Spiritual Formation and the Gathering of God’s People
God has a vision for your life and for your teen’s life. It is for us all to become more like Jesus – more compassionate, gentle, kind, joyful, patient, and Spirit-led. This change is often referred to as spiritual formation. The late theology professor, Robert Mulholland Jr., defines spiritual formation as “the process of being formed into the image of Christ for the sake of others.”1 Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount that a wise disciple is one who puts his teachings into practice.2 This means we integrate and live out what Jesus taught and how he lived. It is important that parents understand the part they play in the spiritual formation of their kids. They can model faithfully, invest generously, and guide wisely toward their teenager’s life with God.
One of the ways the Church partners with God in formation is through regular, in-person gatherings of her people.3 The rise of the Digital age in the late 20th century only heightened the entertainment and distraction premium ushered in through the advent of television. Even a cursory reading of Postman’s prophetic work Amusing Ourselves to Death, or more recently, The Shallows by Nicholas Carr, will raise concern at a minimum, or worse—panic—without the prayerful submission of such issues.4 Technology is an accomplice in this crime of human disconnection, with costly collateral damage often coming in the form of fractured relational connections for our young people. As advanced as technology may become, the people of God need to build and maintain spaces where a life-giving community can develop. Screens, algorithms, or AI bots will never replace this effort. Indeed, the church’s value of embodied presence is more important than ever and often at odds with technological advancements.
The late Henri Nouwen wrote a pastoral encouragement for those laboring in the fields of local church ministry. His words also describe healthy communal goals for all:
“In a society in which entertainment and distraction are such important preoccupations, ministers are also tempted to join the ranks of those who consider it their primary task to keep other people busy. It is easy to perceive the young and the elderly as people who need to be kept off the streets or on the streets. And ministers frequently find themselves in fierce competition with people and institutions who offer something more exciting to do than they do.
But our task is the opposite of distraction. Our task is to help people concentrate on the real but often hidden event of God’s active presence in their lives. Hence, the question that must guide all organizing activity in a parish is not how to keep people busy, but how to keep them from being so busy that they can no longer hear the voice of God, who speaks in silence.
Calling people together, therefore, means calling them away from the fragmenting and distracting wordiness of the dark world to that silence in which they can discover themselves, each other, and God. Thus, organizing can be seen as the creation of a space where communion becomes possible and community can develop.”5
On Technology
Throughout the ages, technology has always been utilized as a tool first. The wheel, the compass, the aqueduct, the printing press, the finely-honed baseball bat…all functional tools in the hands of creative humans. May we all take a moment and celebrate the arrival of the GPS-powered digital map. Technology has certainly improved the quality of life and even added decades to the average life span. And yet, if we are not wise stewards of technological advances, John M. Culkins’ words may come to pass, “We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.”6 Instead of mindlessly ingesting everything afforded to us, we should ask how to use technology more deliberately, shrewdly, and Christianly.
Without vigilance, we can begin to resemble a less human machine instead of an intelligently created divine image bearer. Images come to mind of endless scrolling, mindless checking of nonexistent phone notifications, and perceived phantom rings; the clay is now forming the potter. Humankind is not designed to function as a machine. This thought is precisely where the Christian worldview would differ from leading technological thinker Sam Altman, the CEO of Open AI, responsible for the tip-of-the-spear smart bot ChatGPT. In an interview with Ezra Klein, Altman stated humans “are nothing more than energy flowing through a neural network. That’s it.”7 Suppose humans are reduced to complex neural networks. In that case, our development, use, and consumption of technology fit hand in glove with a society of entertainment, distraction, and self-satisfaction: direct energy to the pleasure centers of the neural network, and we have a purpose in life. However, if humans were made in the image of something divine, with a directive to cultivate the land, create beauty from raw materials, multiply the ways of God everywhere, and establish culture and communities—all with the eternal hope of a grand restoration—then we are at odds with some technological leaders, and their ethics. Additionally, there are unintended consequences accompanying technological advancements; losses present with every gain.
Withholding any moral assessment, the rise to adolescent free-time prominence of video games, smartphone usage, social media scrolling, and accessibility to endless hours of online streaming, at the very least, hinders our efforts of togetherness. Recall Nouwen’s important admonishment to create spaces where “communion becomes possible, and community can develop.” This endeavor is why, when we call students together, we ask them to prefer real-life faces over pixelated screens and, therefore, keep their phones away. Embodied presence is a high value at Mill City Students and a strategy to ensure our technological tools are not malforming us.
On Social Media
Under the technological umbrella, we find the glamorized presence of social media. Social media has fundamentally changed the landscape of adolescence. Minimally regulated at a government level, unmeasured in its long-term effects on the human condition, and highly addictive in its architected form, social media is becoming the well-deserved pariah of online technological expansion. Social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt has done extensive research on the effects of social media on young people. He notes that social media platforms were not initially designed for children, but children have nevertheless been the subject of a gigantic national experiment testing the effects of those platforms.8 As parents, we should feel caution when we read of our children participating in experiments without our consent. It seems as though we can no longer say social media platforms—specifically Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok—are neutral. It is a designed software exploiting weaknesses in human psychology, with negative effects on children.
The growing connection between social media habits and declining mental health is alarming. The evidence suggests social media is causing real damage to adolescents, especially girls. Haidt notes:
“Social media gets blamed for many of America’s ills, including the polarization of our politics and the erosion of truth itself. But proving that harms have occurred to all of society is hard. Far easier to show is the damage to a specific class of people: adolescent girls, whose rates of depression, anxiety, and self-injury surged in the early 2010s, as social media platforms proliferated and expanded. Much more than for boys, adolescence typically heightens girls’ self-consciousness about their changing bodies and amplifies insecurities about where they fit in their social network. Social media—particularly Instagram, which displaces other forms of interaction among teens, puts the size of their friend group on public display and subjects their physical appearance to the hard metrics of likes and comment counts—takes the worst parts of middle school and glossy women’s magazines and intensifies them.”9
While Haidt is not the only voice in the growing conversation, he represents a consensus among professionals who are sounding the alarm. And as social media empires feel the pressure from public outcry, it won’t do to simply adjust the model. Haidt clearly states the folly of such ideas: “People talk about how to tweak it — oh, let’s hide the like counters. Well, Instagram tried — but let me say this very clearly: There is no way, no tweak, no architectural change that will make it okay for teenage girls to post photos of themselves while they’re going through puberty, for strangers or others to rate publicly.”10 Furthermore, when we consider the developmental perspective that the wiring of the prefrontal cortex—which controls inhibitive functions leading to delayed gratification—is still maturing, we have a toxic cocktail of an addictive substance, the urge to keep scrolling, and an underdeveloped biological muscle to resist. The adverse effects are not limited to social and psychological drawbacks. There is also a spiritual side to the conversation.
As we consume social media, we numb and temporarily satiate our appetites. The constant digital noise and stimulation derail our ability to attend to our environment, including our souls, a skill necessary for prayer. The drive towards consumption and consumerism is inhibiting the goal of being formed into the likeness of Jesus. In the process, we start the conveyor belt, dust off the cast molds, and warm the forging fires of what the late Tim Keller calls “the idol factory of our heart.”11 We risk becoming like the ancient mythological character of Narcissus, who was so in love with his reflection in a pond that he fell in and drowned. Is this not what the self-gratification of social media can do to us?
As a result of the research foundation of these medical, pastoral, and social science professionals, we strongly encourage parents to abstain from, delay, and strictly limit exposure to social media for their children. As observations grow and data points become more clear, the benefits and harms of social media will become more obvious. As we await these findings, may group discernment, wise counsel, and dependence on the Holy Spirit guide our decisions as parents.
If you have opened this door for your child, do not be dismayed. As we train our children to launch into adulthood, their capacity to reason grows proportionately with their shoe sizes. The wide-ranging effects of social media on adolescent culture is a complicated issue. For example, if your child is using social media and decides to end her social media usage, it is not as if all things will be made right in her world, especially because many of her peers may still use it. This dynamic creates the uncomfortable dichotomy of the haves and the have-nots. In light of these complexities, it is nonetheless worthwhile to work towards a solution. Here are some suggestions:
- Consider what you are modeling to your children regarding screen use (frequency of use, when you use them, what you use them for, how you limit them, etc.).
- Invite your child to read the research shaping your perspective.
- Discuss the growing concern among spiritual and secular guides about the negative effects of unhealthy technology and social media habits.
- Suggest a temporary pause on social media while observing the results. A substantive pause of at least three weeks is recommended for heavy users, while a 24-hour detox within the weekly rhythm will help resist unhealthy formation.
- If a phone/device is a required tool for your child, consider a phone with restricted access to the internet or social media until the maturity level can handle such access.
- Give parameters around healthy usage and talk about what drives the desire to be present on social media (the desire to feel included, the desire to feel attractive, the desire to feel important, etc.). Pointing our young people back to identity and worth in Jesus is paramount.
- This is often a communal challenge: how do we restrict our child when his friends are all using the platform? This situation is perhaps the most difficult aspect of the conversation. Good old-fashioned parent-to-parent communication seems to be the best approach here. If you are convinced that social media is polluting our children, you will be compelling in your reasoning with other parents. If you can find one or two other families who are on the same page, thus providing a battle buddy for your child, it can help push back the tidal wave of peer pressure.
- Hold the line, Mom! This is a battle worth fighting, Dad! Ensure all caretakers are on the same strategic page, and remember that taking a counter-cultural stance is often lonely. Yet, this hard thing is worth the cost.
If you arrive at a different conclusion on the value of social media in the development of young people, your child will not be ostracized by the Mill City Student community. While social media usage is a normal part of teenage culture in the Western world and, therefore, a necessary topic of conversation within a faith community, we aim to discuss the topic in a manner that avoids shame for those with different values.
On Mill City Student’s Approach to Communication
Arguments for the use of social media among youth ministries are many. Defenders would say, “Social media is a space—a medium—inhabited by young people, so the church should have a presence there, spreading a positive message.” This logic seems to overlook a hidden reality, succinctly stated by author Marshall McLuhan, “The medium is the message.”12 In other words, beneath the content of what is being communicated (the message) stands the message itself (the medium). Form and content, the medium and message, are inseparable; they work together to convey information. To help understand this point, Ezra Klein explains:
“CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC are all ideologically different. But cable news in all its forms carries a sameness: the look of the anchors, the gloss of the graphics, the aesthetics of urgency and threat, the speed, the immediacy, the conflict, the conflict, the conflict…There is a grammar and logic to the medium, enforced by internal culture and ratings reports broken down by the quarter-hour. You can do better cable news or worse cable news, but you are always doing cable news.”13
Although the message of the news may vary from network to network, the medium conveys the same underlying dispatch: conflict, immediacy, speed, and image. The medium of cable news is the message itself.
As this relates to our current conversation, the medium—the real message—of social media is synonymous with the negative aspects of curated images, influence, fame, and publicity. Plato articulated a similar caution when describing the need for the next generation of leaders to receive input from a life-giving environment: “We would not have our guardians grown up amid images of moral deformity, as in some noxious pasture, and there browse and feed upon many a baneful herb and flower day by day, little by little, until they silently gather a festering mass of corruption in their own soul.”14 It seems counterproductive for Mill City Students to strongly caution our students against using social media while at the same time using the platform to reach an audience we hope will abstain from use. For this reason, Mill City Students will not utilize the medium of social media to communicate with our students. We will instead use other forms of mass communication: primarily a text distribution list and, secondarily, parental emails. The verdict on the long-term results of social media use is still out, but do we want our young people to participate in the experiment? Perhaps we should leave running the gauntlet to the likes of Lancelot.
Parents! Please know that I am with you in this. Nicole and I are having these discussions with each other and our own teens. Let us not be discouraged in doing good and operating outside social norms. Our friend recently told us the story of a conversation with their now 19-year-old son, who said, “I am so glad you kept me from having a phone until I was 16 and that you didn’t allow social media. Sorry, I was a jerk about it…I really am thankful.” I know these waters are tricky to navigate. Consider this simple prayer:
“Lord, thank you for the young people you’ve entrusted to us. We ask for wisdom from heaven to lead them in the way they should go. In an age of screen formation, protect our children and help them grow in the way of Jesus. Amen.”
Additional Resources
Books:
- The Tech-Wise Family – Andy Crouch
- My Tech-Wise Life – Amy Crouch and Andy Crouch
- Boundaries for Teens – Dr. John Townsend
- Amusic Ourselves to Death – Neil Postman
- The Shallows – Nicholas Carr
Podcast:
- The Holy Post – Smartphones, Social Media, and Loneliness
Video:
- The Social Dilemma – Netflix Documentary
Articles:
- The Dangerous Experiment on Teen Girls
- Why Are American Teenagers So Sad and Anxious?
- I Didn’t Want It to Be True, but the Medium Really Is the Message
- Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have been Uniquely Stupid
Scholarly Research:
- The Adolescent Brain Development Process (footnotes for additional research)
- Social Media and Mental Health: A Collaborative Review (an exhaustive research home base; check out the “cautions and caveats” section) Footnotes
- Robert Mulholland Jr., Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation, (InterVarsity Press, 2016), 165.
- Matthew 7:24, (NIV). It says: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
- Hebrews 10:25, (NIV). It says: “…not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
- Philippians 4:6, (NIV). It says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
- Henri Nouwen, The Way of the Heart (Ballantine Books, 2003), 56.
- John M. Culkin, “A Schoolman’s Guide to Marshall McLuhan,” The Saturday Review, March 1967, 70.
- “Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Sam Altman,” The New York Times, June 11, 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/podcasts/transcript-ezra-klein-interviews-sam-altman.html.
- Jonathan Haidt, “The Dangerous Experiment on Teen Girls,” The Atlantic, November 21, 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/facebooks-dangerous-experiment-teen-girls/620767/.
- Ibid.
- Derek Thompson, “Why Are American Teenagers So Sad and Anxious?” The Ringer, April 22, 2022, https://www.theringer.com/2022/4/22/23036468/why-are-american-teenagers-so-sad-and-anxious.
- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (Dutton, 2009), 240.
- Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (Signet Books, 1966), 1.
- Ezra Klein, “I Didn’t Want It to Be True, but the Medium Really Is the Message,” The New York Times, August 7, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/07/opinion/media-message-twitter-instagram.html.
- Plato, The Republic, trans. Benjamin Jowett (Project Gutenberg Australia, accessed November 1, 2023), Book III, 401c, https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks17/1700641h.html#BookIII.
Prayer is essential in a life with God. Join us as we unpack the foundational elements that contribute to a sustainable, joy-filled relationship with God.
Every family tree is full of scandalous stories and painful drama. Jesus’s is no different. Join us as we look at how Jesus enters the mess of history and works through the brokenness of humanity to rescue and redeem.
Every family tree is full of scandalous stories and painful drama. Jesus’s is no different. Join us as we look at how Jesus enters the mess of history and works through the brokenness of humanity to rescue and redeem.
Every family tree is full of scandalous stories and painful drama. Jesus’s is no different. Join us as we look at how Jesus enters the mess of history and works through the brokenness of humanity to rescue and redeem.
Pastor Aaron had a conversation with Roe Dodgen about the need to slow down and the obstacles she has faced in her journey. As a spiritual director, she has experienced the transformational power of silence and solitude and helped others to do the same.
The speed of our world continues to increase. We may try to keep up, but our relationships and our souls suffer when we move so fast. Is it possible to slow down? What does it look like to live at a different pace? Join us as we cultivate practices to be at rest in an anxious world.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: SLOWING SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Slowing
Take a moment. (Yes, now.) Inhale deeply. Exhale slowly. Rest. Reflect.
Are you reading this while waiting in line somewhere, trying to circumvent your forced pause with productivity? Do you spend your evenings and weekends checking and rechecking Slack or email, unable to disconnect from your work or your Wi-Fi? Have you mistaken rest for distraction, spending hours scrolling listlessly to silence the looming sense that you should be working?
If you resonate with any of the above, it’s time to learn how to slow down. Our first step is to rediscover Sabbath. To imitate our faithful Creator by stopping to savor all that is good. To trust in his grace-filled design for our schedules and our bodies. To tune our lives to the pace of love, not our Google Outlook Calendars.
For too many, Sunday — the day we as Christians of the American West typically “practice” Sabbath — is about last-ditch attempts to square our to-do lists before the “real work” of the week begins. Sabbath has become more about catching up on chores than catching up on sleep. Sabbath has shifted from a 24-hour period of deep delight and slowness into a day of frenzied meal prep, test prep, or work prep: anything to make us more productive and profitable over the days to come.
The frenetic calendar of our culture has a corrosive effect on our hearts and our relationships. Speed is the enemy of depth, crafting a society of shallow interactions and widespread loneliness. Our lives are full but not fulfilled.
“But, you don’t understand,” you may protest. “I have a full-time job and a family. This is just the pace of life for me right now. Maybe in a few years, it will be better. In a decade or so, when the kids are older, things will slow down.” Single parents. Students. Newlyweds. Empty nesters. Every person at Mill City is walking a different journey, yet, for far too many, the unifying struggle is a pace driven by hustle.
In Exodus 20, the Israelites were new to freedom. For more than 400 years, their bodies and schedules had been ruled by Egypt’s unyielding hunger for power and profit. God reminded Israel of the rhythm of life he’d established in the Garden: one where rest was revered as sacred and essential.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days, you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it, you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Three millennia onward, we find ourselves equally in need of this reminder. Adele Calhoun, author of Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, writes, “If you aren’t resting, you are a slave to something.” So, what are you a slave to? Your schedule? What does your week worship? Work? Exercise? Money?
Here, we invite you to reject the enslaving pull of hurry. We invite you to understand Sabbath as not only a matter of rest but of resistance. Resistance to the worship of haste and excess. A holy rebellion that boldly proclaims, “Our humanity matters more than our profitability.”
The best way to cultivate Sabbath is to take time for solitude every day. Start with five minutes. Attune to God. Enjoy his presence and imagine his delight. If your mind wanders…you are human! See it as another opportunity to return to God. It may take a while to reorganize your daily and weekly rhythm, but like any of the practices we’ve explored together, Slowing requires patience and grace.
Still, our hope is that you engage Slowing intentionally and with full trust in the goodness of God’s intent. With time, you will feel its grounding effect on your body and mind. In bold disobedience to our Western pace, you will find yourself present to God, yourself, and others. You will travel at the speed of love.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | Lifestyle Suggestion?
Week Two | Solitude
Week Three | The Speed of Love
Week Four | Create Space
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Video
The Bible Project | Sabbath
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron had a conversation with Roe Dodgen about the need to slow down and the obstacles she has faced in her journey. As a spiritual director, she has experienced the transformational power of silence and solitude and helped others to do the same.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/MC-Pod-Roe_audio.mp3
The speed of our world continues to increase. We may try to keep up, but our relationships and our souls suffer when we move so fast. Is it possible to slow down? What does it look like to live at a different pace? Join us as we cultivate practices to be at rest in an anxious world.
The speed of our world continues to increase. We may try to keep up, but our relationships and our souls suffer when we move so fast. Is it possible to slow down? What does it look like to live at a different pace? Join us as we cultivate practices to be at rest in an anxious world.
The speed of our world continues to increase. We may try to keep up, but our relationships and our souls suffer when we move so fast. Is it possible to slow down? What does it look like to live at a different pace? Join us as we cultivate practices to be at rest in an anxious world.
Jesus asks a lot of questions. 307, to be exact. He even asks questions in response to questions. These questions are challenging and disruptive to those he asked… and to us today.
Jesus asks a lot of questions. 307, to be exact. He even asks questions in response to questions. These questions are challenging and disruptive to those he asked… and to us today.
Jesus asks a lot of questions. 307, to be exact. He even asks questions in response to questions. These questions are challenging and disruptive to those he asked… and to us today.
Jesus asks a lot of questions. 307, to be exact. He even asks questions in response to questions. These questions […]
Pastor Aaron had a conversation with one of our overseers, Pastor Glenn Packiam, about how he came to love and study the Bible, how to read it if you’re engaging it for the first time, and how to find freshness if it has become routine.
Throughout the centuries, the Scripture has been used, abused, debated, vilified, torn up by scholars, put back together again by other scholars, preached from, preached against, placed on a pedestal, trampled underfoot, fought over, weaponized, and politicized, and yet…the Bible has always been central to the life of the Christian church. Join us as we talk about what it looks like to engage the story of the Bible and let it shape our lives.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: SCRIPTURE SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Scripture
The Word of God is sacred and complex. Simultaneously polarizing and unifying. Scripture has been used to liberate and oppress. It’s been memorized, weaponized, commercialized, and internalized. Countless passages have been stripped of their cultural context and used to adorn embroidered pillows, Instagram bios, or $300 basketball sneakers. (Philippians 4:13, anyone?) The very mention of Scripture can elicit anger, fear, and joy.
On top of that, we arrive at Scripture separated from the earthly ministry of Jesus by almost 2,000 years of war, technology, and crumbled empires. Of the many cultures that exist on the earth today, 21st century Western society least resembles the values, lifestyle, and vision of the Old and New Testament.
And yet, as followers of Jesus, our faith is shaped by this enduring narrative of creation, de-creation, and re-creation.
Wherever you are in your journey with Jesus and his Word, our good Father lovingly invites you to find Good News — hope, healing, grace, and freedom — in Scripture’s truth.
The Holy Spirit awakens Scripture for seeker and sage alike, with wisdom and compassion for every step in the Christian journey.
If you have stumbled in the way of God and are hungry for redemption, you are in holy company. So did Moses, the Egyptian prince, David, the adulterant king, and Saul, the persecuting Pharisee. If you are facing an unimaginable loss or injustice, you are in holy company. So did Ruth, the widow, Job the grieving father, Joseph the innocent prisoner, and Mary the mother of Jesus.
In Scripture, we find the accounts of men who fought the collective temptations of power, lust, and pride in pursuit of righteousness. We find the stories of women who experienced infertility, oppression, abandonment, and abuse yet answered God’s invitation to shape history.
When we meaningfully and humbly engage Scripture, we enter God’s cosmic story — too beautiful for words, yet recorded meticulously over the centuries, ultimately about a person. A person named Jesus. And in the process, we enter the story and are transformed by a gospel of redemption and grace.
We were created for the Word to dwell in us richly and thus transform our hearts, thoughts, relationships, schedules, budgets, priorities, and hopes (Colossians 3:16). But this relationship with Scripture doesn’t happen on accident; it is cultivated through reading formationally, not just informationally.
When guided by the Holy Spirit and grounded in community, the Word of God shapes us into kinder neighbors. We become more compassionate and patient family members. Calm co-workers. More generous friends. More welcoming citizens.
That’s the vision of our good God. That’s God’s kingdom come.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | Swimming at a Football Game
Week Two | About the Author
Week Three | Dwell and Disrupt
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
More
Video | How to Read the Bible
Video | Has the Bible Been Corrupted?
App | Download Lectio 365
City Groups | Find Bible Study Groups
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron had a conversation with one of our overseers, Pastor Glenn Packiam, about how he came to love and study the Bible, how to read it if you’re engaging it for the first time, and how to find freshness if it has become routine.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/tomp3.cc-PODCAST-Practice-Scripture.mp3
Throughout the centuries, the Scripture has been used, abused, debated, vilified, torn up by scholars, put back together again by other scholars, preached from, preached against, placed on a pedestal, trampled underfoot, fought over, weaponized, and politicized, and yet…the Bible has always been central to the life of the Christian church. Join us as we talk about what it looks like to engage the story of the Bible and let it shape our lives.
Throughout the centuries, the Scripture has been used, abused, debated, vilified, torn up by scholars, put back together again by […]
Throughout the centuries, the Scripture has been used, abused, debated, vilified, torn up by scholars, put back together again by […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
Summer is in full swing in beautiful Colorado. To create more time to encounter God through things like prayer, quiet, rest, reading, relationships, and His creation
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
When we ask anything besides God to bring ultimate meaning to our lives, we create an idol. Join us as […]
Apprenticeship to Jesus requires following His teachings. His teachings sound like sermons, but they also sound like conversations. Join us as we take a look at unscripted and candid moments with Jesus to see his teaching in action.
Apprenticeship to Jesus requires following His teachings. His teachings sound like sermons, but they also sound like conversations. Join us as we take a look at unscripted and candid moments with Jesus to see his teaching in action.
Apprenticeship to Jesus requires following His teachings. His teachings sound like sermons, but they also sound like conversations. Join us as we take a look at unscripted and candid moments with Jesus to see his teaching in action.
Pastor Aaron sat down with one of our overseers, Pastor Chris Hodges, for a conversation about growing in generosity, the gift of giving, and how to determine God’s leading.
Our spiritual formation is for the sake of others. The practice of generosity keeps us focused outward and reflects the nature of God’s extravagant love. This series will challenge our tendencies to be tight-fisted and help cultivate an open-handed, open-hearted life.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPRACTICE: GENEROSITY SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Generosity
For many, the word “generosity” evokes a range of beautiful, uneasy, or even painful feelings.
Love and relief after friends and church family carried the burden of medical bills, debt, or our mortgage alongside us through especially stressful seasons.
Confusion and frustration when the churches we loved and were formed within fractured under the weight of a building campaign or financial disunity.
Awkwardness lurking just beneath the surface of our Sunday smiles when we hear the call to give at the end of a gathering, trying to mask the shame and annoyance we feel.
Pride and fulfillment after we donate to Kingdom work around the world. Sometimes, followed closely by indignation toward those who don’t share our sense of calling toward generosity and mercy.
We grieve the ways conversations regarding money have been avoided or abused within the church. The silence of church leaders on financial stewardship — despite the generous wisdom on money provided in Scripture — cultivates a harmful taboo. And the alternate experience is just as damaging: an overemphasis of giving that can lead to financial manipulation and greed. Wherever you find yourself, you are seen. We come not with a rebuke but a reminder.
Generosity is a lifestyle holistically rooted in the whole-hearted generosity of God.
We serve a giving God. The providing God who gave manna in the wilderness and water from a stone (Exodus 16:32-34, 17:5-7). The comforting God who gives the vulnerable a voice and the sick healing (Dueternomony 15:11; Matthew 9:35). The loving Father who gave his own Son to secure victory over death and restore the earth to its original design (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:4).
The ways many have failed to cultivate biblical generosity within a safe, loving church community robs believers of the opportunity to fully engage in heaven on earth. You were created to know God’s generosity toward you: lavish, unmerited, unending, and redeeming. Reckless and wild. Transformative and deeply healing. You were created to share this love with the world: a love that sees the vulnerable and defends the oppressed.
You were created to reflect heaven on earth.
Wondering how? Maybe you’re already reworking your budget to be more generous or thinking of causes to support. If so, that’s incredible! Giving is an incredible act of holiness, but it doesn’t always lead to growth. It’s possible to grow our list of donations without growing in love. The world praises our to-do lists and achievements, but God sees the deepest inclinations of our hearts.
So, it’s not enough to only act generously. Jesus wants us to become generous.
Quick inventory incoming. Reflect on your schedule, your interactions with others, and your credit card expenses. Are you generous with your time as a parent, or only at the office? Are you generous with compassion and forgiveness toward your spouse or roommates? Are you generous driving during rush hour traffic? In Matthew 6:21, Jesus punctuates a lengthy section within the Sermon of the Mount on finances with, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where’s your heart? Is your heart in your pocketbook or with the poor? Is it looking ahead with joy to the future purchased for us — a restored Eden on earth where all are provided for and we live in constant communion with the Father — or worrying about tomorrow? Is your heart partnered with the gods of the world — greed, ambition, self-promotion, and selfishness — or with the Kingdom of heaven?
We close with an invitation. Love a generous God. Live a generous life. Build a generous world. And do it with friends and family.
We’re cheering for you — and here to walk alongside you — on your journey of becoming generous.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | Be Like God
Week Two | Can God Mess With Your Money?
Week Three | What Do You Have?
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Video
The Bible Project | Generosity
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down with one of our overseers, Pastor Chris Hodges, for a conversation about growing in generosity, the gift of giving, and how to determine God’s leading..
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PracticeCommunity-Podcast.mp3
Our spiritual formation is for the sake of others. The practice of generosity keeps us focused outward and reflects the nature of God’s extravagant love. This series will challenge our tendencies to be tight-fisted and help cultivate an open-handed, open-hearted life.
Our spiritual formation is for the sake of others. The practice of generosity keeps us focused outward and reflects the nature of God’s extravagant love. This series will challenge our tendencies to be tight-fisted and help cultivate an open-handed, open-hearted life.
Our spiritual formation is for the sake of others. The practice of generosity keeps us focused outward and reflects the nature of God’s extravagant love. This series will challenge our tendencies to be tight-fisted and help cultivate an open-handed, open-hearted life.
The trajectory of the world changed in one week! It started with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ended with him exiting a grave. These days, known as Holy Week, are the most celebrated in the Christian calendar and represent the ultimate of love and hope.
The Six ActsThank you for partnering with us on this exciting journey! The Six Acts are a creative and effective way of understanding God’s plan through the narrative of Scripture. In exploring each Act, we establish and practice the hope of Jesus within the context of God’s big story. The following Acts are meant to establish a foundation of understanding and a call to action within the context of our home. Despite the family dynamic you find yourself in currently, we believe that God desires to grow you closer to Him together. Below you will find within each Act a Summary of the Act, a Family Practice, and Great Questions for the Family as you consider its implications. Please note that this is not intended to be accomplished but rather enjoyed as your family grows in faith and relationship.
Act 1: CreationGenesis 1-2
God created a perfect world. He made the heavens, earth, and everything in them. God looked at His creation and saw that it was good. He dwelt alongside His creation and commissioned humanity to reflect His glory as those created in His image, to reproduce and rule over the earth. There was no separation between God and His creation- heaven and earth were perfectly whole and united. God gave the people directions for living and the freedom to choose, and He asked for trust and obedience in return.
Practice
As a family, consider reading Genesis 1-2. Don’t feel obligated to read the passage quickly. Rather, spend time in the Word, even if it takes multiple days or a week! This reading is an experience intended to create awe and wonder at the power and magnificence of our God. Incorporate fun elements into your day by encouraging an art project together or looking for diversity in nature. There are many different ways to celebrate God’s creativity in us!
Great Questions for the Family
What is the most amazing thing God created, in your opinion? Why?
What in creation most represents God’s power? His love? His peace? Etc.
How did God create mankind differently from everything else?
What do you think it would be like to always dwell with God?
Act 2: RebellionGenesis 3, Isaiah 64:6, Romans 3:23
Because of God’s great love, humanity was given the freedom to choose. Those God created chose to believe lies crafted by the enemy of God. They began to doubt God’s perfect plan and eventually disobeyed His instruction. Their decision to trust themselves and rely on their own understanding had devastating results. Death and the disease of sin entered the world, and their connection with God was broken. Heaven and earth were separated, and the consequences of pain, disease, and disaster infiltrated creation and became part of the human condition.
Practice
As a family, read Genesis 3. Take time to focus on the discomfort of the narrative unfolding. This passage is a tragedy, and we have permission to feel the weight of what transpired. This is a great time to check in on our children and encourage them to communicate what they’re feeling as they read/listen. Throughout the following days and weeks, consider exploring the consequences of sin in our world today. Point out news articles and things you see as modern examples of an ancient consequence. We need God today as much as Adam and Eve needed Him in the garden. Finally, be sure to point out that, even in brokenness, God is still present. He was present in the garden, and He is present today if we have the eyes to see.
Great Questions for the Family
Why do you think Adam and Eve believed the enemy’s lies?
How did God respond to his children disobeying?
What lies do you think people often believe today?
How do you see brokenness in the world today? At school? At home? Etc.
Act 3: IsraelGenesis 15, Exodus 20, Lamentations 3:22-23
The world and every human in it had been infected with sin, unable to cure themselves. God, Himself, would become The Cure. First, He chose a man and, from that man, a family. The Israelites would be God’s chosen people, tasked with being set apart for God’s purposes so that they might carry the promise of the Cure. The Israelites suffered from sin like all other generations and required God’s rescue again and again. God’s covenant with His people would shine against the darkness of the world.
Practice
As a family, read Genesis 15 and Exodus 20. Take note of the way God relates to Abraham and His people. God cares for Israel the way parents care for their children. God’s laws were love and proved wise against the backdrop of a world that did not know Him. Consider the rules and laws of your home and the way it operates. If you haven’t done so already, this would be a great time to explain why certain rules are in place for our good, even when we desire something different. Let love lead the conversation. Finally, spend the coming days and week discussing what it looks like to be set apart for God in today’s world as chosen people.
Great Questions for the Family
Why do you think God chose Abraham to do such great things?
God displayed love through his 10 Commandments. How can rules and commandments actually show love?
Why is it so difficult to follow God’s commandments all the time?
Are there any rules in your life that you struggle to understand?
Act 4: JesusJohn 3:16-17, Philippians 2:1-11, Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
God sent His Son, Jesus, fully God and fully man, to become The Cure. For hundreds of years, kings and prophets of Israel predicted and promised a future messiah- Rescuer, Savior, and King. All of these prophesies became true in Jesus. He was sinless but took on Himself the sin of humanity through His death on the cross. Through this act of love and obedience, God made a way for His people to be with Him again. His healing plan to fix a broken world was underway and irreversible. Not only had Jesus provided the cure, He defeated death and sin through His resurrection and mobilized those who believed to live consistent with the calling they had received.
Practice
As a family, work on memorizing John 3:16-17. Also, explore one or two Gospels! Open the door for questions and amazement as you see how Jesus lived, healed, and taught throughout His ministry. It is appropriate for this stage to last weeks as you develop a broader sense of the person, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus. Occasionally point out the date (2023) as evidence of a world that turned upside-down because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Look for evidence in today’s world that Jesus is alive. News articles, experiences, and observations are all ways to develop a greater awareness of our Resurrected King as a family.
Great Questions for the Family
What do people you know believe about Jesus? What do you believe?
How do you know Jesus is alive today?
Why do you think God would send Jesus into the world?
Why do you think some people struggle to believe in Jesus?
Act 5: ChurchActs 2, Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 1:13-14
You are here! This is the Act where we currently find ourselves. Because of Jesus and all He has done, God’s family extends to all who believe. We are The Church, and we have a mission, not only to live set-apart, but also to participate in sharing the Good News of Jesus! God, then, provided His Holy Spirit after Jesus’ ascension to guide and lead believers to God and into the world. And, while the Kingdom of Heaven has come, it is not yet fully here.
Practice
As a family, read Acts 2. The book of Acts is filled with wonderful, inspiring stories of God’s glory on display through men and women like us! If this is the Act we find ourselves in today, consider exploring more of God’s power that resides in you. What gifts has God given you and your children? What ways has He set you apart for His glory? Revelation 12:11 says that [the church] overcame the enemy “by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.” Your testimonies are excellent places to begin understanding the power of what God has done and is doing in your lives! Consider having meetings as a family over the following weeks/months and allow someone to share their story of faith. Allow your home to be the safest place for this discussion. Finally, consider as a family joining City Groups for greater community and making a public declaration of faith through water baptism if you have not already done so.
Great Questions for the Family
How do you think God wants to use the church?
When do you think the church is at its best?
What has God given you (gifts, talents, etc.) that make the church more effective?
What do you think is the next step in your faith?
Act 6: RedemptionRevelation 21:1-5, Isaiah 65:17–19, Psalm 130:5
This final Act has not fully come. As followers of Jesus, we wait for His return to eliminate sin and death once-and-for-all. God’s healing plan for creation will be complete at the formation of a new heaven and earth – united once again. Jesus is the King and will rule over His Kingdom for eternity. We will dwell in the presence of God forever.
Practice
As a family, read Revelation 21:1-5. Just as sea separates land, sin has separated us from God. This division will not exist in the new heaven and earth. Even now, we live theoretically one-foot-in and one-foot-out of this reality until Act Six comes to pass. We can live in the light of eternity now, however. The Kingdom of Heaven is one of delight. How can you delight in the purposes of God today? School, work, chores…they are difficult in the present age, but their holy purposes remain. Consider as a family adopting the practice of serving those who live next door. How can you love the people God has placed beside you? With summer quickly approaching, your family may have increased opportunities to converse, love, and serve your neighbors. Let’s establish God’s Kingdom here first.
Great Questions for the Family
What are you most excited for about this Act?
How can you live today as if God’s Kingdom is already here?
Is there someone in our neighborhood God has placed on your heart?
What do you feel when you think about what God has in store for us?
The trajectory of the world changed in one week! It started with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ended with him exiting a grave. These days, known as Holy Week, are the most celebrated in the Christian calendar and represent the ultimate of love and hope.
The trajectory of the world changed in one week! It started with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ended with him exiting a grave. These days, known as Holy Week, are the most celebrated in the Christian calendar and represent the ultimate of love and hope.
After 11 years we take a fresh look at our vision as well as where we believe the Spirit is leading us as a church family as we long to see Jesus’ Kingdom come in Northern Colorado as it is in heaven.
After 11 years we take a fresh look at our vision as well as where we believe the Spirit is leading us as a church family as we long to see Jesus’ Kingdom come in Northern Colorado as it is in heaven.
After 11 years we take a fresh look at our vision as well as where we believe the Spirit is leading us as a church family as we long to see Jesus’ Kingdom come in Northern Colorado as it is in heaven.
Pastor Aaron sat down with our very own city groups pastor, Marie Beck, for a conversation about the barriers we face in community and the ways we overcome them.
We need others to become who we are designed to become. Interdependence is very biblical…but not very American. So it takes intentional effort to commit and fight for unity. This series explores the practice of community and how it displaces loneliness, produces holiness, and proclaims the beauty of the family of God.
PRACTICE: CommunityIn General•February 18, 2023SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE: COMMUNITY SERIES VIDEOSPRACTICE: Community
Our guiding word for 2023 is, “Practice.”
If you wrestle with perfectionism, this word may have made you rejoice. Finally, a theme that gives you a neat, tidy way to measure your own success! (Any fellow Enneagram 3s in the room?) For many others, “Practice” may have evoked an impending sense of doom.
Reject the dual temptations of legalism and shame. We are on the journey of apprenticeship to Jesus together: and it’s a journey marked by grace.
Each month, we’ll study a different spiritual practice. We’re going to take our time, addressing formational practices that Jesus lived and providing sustainable next steps.
We’re starting with the practice that we believe is the most foundational to the Christian journey:
Community, which we define as intentional, safe, long-term relationships centered around the person of Jesus.
Wait … Community?
Why not the memorization of Scripture, prayer, service to the poor, or silence and solitude? (Don’t worry, we’ll invest heavily in those practices later.) Isn’t the maturity of our faith measured by our ability to follow Jesus without support from others?
On the contrary, community — not independence — marks our progress on our journey toward full spiritual maturity.
The rugged individualism of American culture has crept into Western evangelicalism, with corrosive consequences. At best, many Christians dismiss community as optional within the Christian journey — helpful if you have the time for it, but far less important than prayer or individual church attendance.
At worst, we dismiss it as a harmful distraction from our personal relationship with God. After all, meaningful relationships are inherently messy, or even hurtful. Shouldn’t our personal relationship with Christ suffice?
Our faith is personal, sure. But it was never meant to be private.
We are living in an era of social media relationships and surface-level interactions. We have more followers than we could ever need, but fewer friends. We have plenty of connections, but startlingly little community.
The breadth of our interactions (especially virtually) is unsustainable, but they lack any real substance. Our relationships are often transactional — built on convenience or shared interests, but stopping short of being spiritually or emotionally transformational.
To quell our loneliness, we seek out people who look, think, and vote like us. American culture organizes the lonely into divisive, damaging tribes.
But God’s desire is to tenderly place the lonely into families (Psalm 68:6).
Reading this, maybe you’re realizing the hollowness of many of your own friendships. Maybe you believe that community is important but still aren’t convinced that it’s critical to our spiritual formation and apprenticeship to Jesus.
That’s okay. Community isn’t just disruptive to our American schedules. It’s radically counter-cultural. It demands interdependence over independence. It asks for vulnerability instead of strength. It requires time and investment. It leads inevitably to seasons of conflict or disenchantment within our church or friend group.
But at Mill City, we don’t want our lives to look like the “American Dream.” We want our lives to look like Jesus’s.
Resources
Message Series
Week One | More Cake, Less Frosting
Week Two | Barriers and Expectations?
Week Three | The Good Life
Week Four | Power of Place
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-299-9997.
Video
TED Talk | What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness.
Books
AmazonAmazonAmazonAmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down with our very own city groups pastor, Marie Beck, for a conversation about the barriers we face in community and the ways we overcome them.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PracticeCommunity-Podcast.mp3
We need others to become who we are designed to become. Interdependence is very biblical…but not very American. So it takes intentional effort to commit and fight for unity. This series explores the practice of community and how it displaces loneliness, produces holiness, and proclaims the beauty of the family of God.
We need others to become who we are designed to become. Interdependence is very biblical…but not very American. So it takes intentional effort to commit and fight for unity. This series explores the practice of community and how it displaces loneliness, produces holiness, and proclaims the beauty of the family of God.
Pastor Aaron sat down with Dr. Hud McWilliams to discuss motivations, how personalities fit, and the necessary mindset to practice as a follower of Jesus.
SUMMARYRESOURCESPODCASTPRACTICE MESSAGE SERIES VIDEOSPractice: Power and PurposeJanuary. The time of year culture tells us to set our intentions. We sign up for a gym membership—always the annual contract, so we’ll stay motivated. We promise ourselves we’ll drink less coffee, eat more kale, watch fewer TV shows, listen to more podcasts. By mid-month, we have a checklist of the 19 different ways we’re going to fix our bodies, schedules, relationships, or finances.
And—at least if you’re in the 80%—we tend to have forgotten the checklist by February. (If this sounds like you, you’re among friends. We’ve all been there!)
Our intentions are good! We want to be kinder, gentler, or more generous. We want to put our “house” in order. Heal our bodies, order our finances, or restore our families.
But the strategies the world offers always disappoint.
Despite our meditation apps, gym memberships, podcasts, and to-do lists, we still snap at our kids or our spouses. We still struggle to give generously to the poor. We wrestle with anxiety, lust, or pride. We vow to read through the Bible in a year… and then we hit Leviticus.
Our house looks great, because we’ve decorated the walls. Fixed the leak in the upstairs bathroom. Painted the front door.
But the cracks are in the foundation, not the wallpaper.
Thankfully, Scripture has a lot to say about how we were created to order our lives.
Last year we made our way through The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and concluded by unpacking Jesus’ warning found in Matthew 7:23-27. Speaking to a crowd of eager listeners, Jesus says:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
(If you have a moment, read the passage again.)
What’s striking is that the comparison Jesus is making here isn’t between a devout follower of Jesus and an unbeliever. It’s not between a righteous and an unrighteous person. It’s between a wise and a foolish disciple. Both eagerly desire to follow Christ, but only one has grasped this critical truth: listening to the word of God is not enough.
Let’s unpack this a bit.
Jesus is saying — in no uncertain terms — that you can memorize Scripture, faithfully attend church on Sunday mornings, recite the Lord’s Prayer, and still have a house built on sand.
Because the depth of our apprenticeship to Jesus isn’t predicated on your ability to retain information aboutJesus. It’s built on our obedience to the teachings of Jesus.
Every January, Mill City chooses a word to orient the focus of our apprenticeship to Jesus over the course of the year. And in 2023, we’re happy to announce that it’s not resolutions, willpower, motivation, or checklist.
It’s practice.
We understand everyone has a different relationship with this word. Many were raised in homes or churches where the rules were clear and rigid: and it was even clearer that you never quite measured up. You’d try your hardest, mess up, and feel intense shame.
Eventually, you may have come to believe that your value to God — and others — is dependent upon your behavior or obedience. Or, maybe you grew so tired of feeling ashamed, you became resistant to rules of any kind. (Even those for your own benefit.)
If this has been your experience, we grieve with you. Practices are abused when they are understood as the end. Practices are not the end. They are a means to an end: experiencing the presence and power of God to be formed into the likeness of Jesus, for the sake of others.
Practice is not a sign of weakness or something being wrong. We practice because our humanity requires it.
We are all actively being formed by something. Social media. Consumerism. Politics. Individualism. The news. Our families of origin. Two-day shipping.
The question isn’t if we’re being formed. It’s if we’re being formed by our culture or the kingdom of God.
We don’t become the flourishing humans God wants us to be on accident.
We don’t drift into apprenticeship to Jesus.
We don’t develop our redemptive potential passively.
Through practices, we actively shape our lives to reflect the way of Jesus.
Just like a cathedral needs scaffolding to be restored, practices are the scaffolding that facilitates the restorative work of God in our lives. They support us in our journey toward Christlikeness. And although they are (at times) costly or uncomfortable, their presence provides the structure our souls need to flourish.
Becoming a wise disciple with a firm foundation does require energy and discipline, but to keep the heart, let’s overlay that with the wise words of Dallas Willard, “Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning.”
At Mill City Church, here’s how we define (and don’t define) spiritual practices.
1: Practices are not disciplines to master. They are habits for the Holy Spirit to inhabit.
2: Practices don’t just shape what we’re doing. They do form who we’re becoming.
3: Practices don’t just affect our habits. They do transform our hearts.
So, what are the practices that richly engage the process of spiritual formation?
There isn’t a chapter and verse that lists the official spiritual practices. Instead, We find the model for our spiritual practices in Jesus himself! We look at the lifestyle of Jesus and do what he did, because he invites us to follow him. This includes things like p[ayer, fasting, living in community, feeding the hungry, Sabbath, and taking naps.
Throughout this year we will do a deep dive on some practices. After we complete a message series on a practice, we will post a blog with additional resources to go deeper and gain traction to integrate the teachings of Jesus into every corner of our lives.
We look forward to journeying in the way of Jesus together. If you’d like to grow in your understanding of and engagement with spiritual practices, here are some helpful resources:
ResourcesWatch
Week One | Practice: A Lifestyle
Week Two | Practice: Which Vision?
Week Three | Practice: Enemies of Your Formation
Weekly Practice Reminder
To receive a friendly reminder of our weekly practice given in Sunday’s message, simply text “practice” to 970-229-9997.
Books
Invitation to a Journeyby Robert Mulholland Jr.
AmazonThe Spirit of the Disciplinesby Dallas Willard
AmazonThe Ruthless Elimination of Hurryby John Mark Comer
AmazonThe Techwise Familyby Andy Crouch
AmazonCelebration of Disciplineby Richard Foster
AmazonPodcast
Pastor Aaron sat down with Dr. Hud McWilliams to discuss motivations, how personalities fit, and the necessary mindset to practice as a follower of Jesus. Check out their conversation below.
Audio File:https://millcitychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/hudpod-1080_1.mp3
Jesus ends his Kingdom manifesto, The Sermon on the Mount, with a piercing parable describing a wise and foolish builder. The only difference between them was whether they practiced the teachings of Jesus or not. Without practice, we will find ourselves frustrated and experiencing little to no growth in Christlikeness. In this series, we explore what it looks like to practice the way of Jesus and how we will do it together.
Jesus ends his Kingdom manifesto, The Sermon on the Mount, with a piercing parable describing a wise and foolish builder. The only difference between them was whether they practiced the teachings of Jesus or not. Without practice, we will find ourselves frustrated and experiencing little to no growth in Christlikeness. In this series, we explore what it looks like to practice the way of Jesus and how we will do it together.
Jesus ends his Kingdom manifesto, The Sermon on the Mount, with a piercing parable describing a wise and foolish builder. The only difference between them was whether they practiced the teachings of Jesus or not. Without practice, we will find ourselves frustrated and experiencing little to no growth in Christlikeness. In this series, we explore what it looks like to practice the way of Jesus and how we will do it together.
God made a promise to his people that a savior would come to rescue them. And then they waited…a looooong time. In the waiting, they kept hoping. Waiting seems to be a part of the human experience, so how do we wait well and not lose hope? What does it look like to maintain anticipation when there is no indication of fulfillment?
God made a promise to his people that a savior would come to rescue them. And then they waited…a looooong time. In the waiting, they kept hoping. Waiting seems to be a part of the human experience, so how do we wait well and not lose hope? What does it look like to maintain anticipation when there is no indication of fulfillment?
God made a promise to his people that a savior would come to rescue them. And then they waited…a looooong time. In the waiting, they kept hoping. Waiting seems to be a part of the human experience, so how do we wait well and not lose hope? What does it look like to maintain anticipation when there is no indication of fulfillment?
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
In a culture quick to jump to conclusions and make judgments, Jesus says, “Not so fast!” With urgency and love, […]
It is easy to say we trust God, but do our lives really reflect that reality? Is our security found […]
It is easy to say we trust God, but do our lives really reflect that reality? Is our security found […]
It is easy to say we trust God, but does our life really reflect that? Is it in our money, […]
It is easy to say we trust God, but does our life really reflect that? Is it in our money, […]
The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous prayer in history, and it is made up of only 57 words in […]
The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous prayer in history, and it is made up of only 57 words in […]
The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous prayer in history, and it is made up of only 57 words in […]
The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous prayer in history, and it is made up of only 57 words in […]
The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous prayer in history, and it is made up of only 57 words in […]
The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous prayer in history, and it is made up of only 57 words in […]
Jesus had the harshest criticism for the religious leaders of his day because they killed the heart of life with […]
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We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Clothes appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | This Stronger Than That appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | God at Work appeared first on Mill City Church.
Thank you for joining us for Sisterhood 2021. SisterhoodPsalmWorksheet Click this link to download or print our Psalm activity. During […]
The post Sisterhood Psalm 2021 appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Identity Crisis appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | In appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Shrewd appeared first on Mill City Church.
God’s plan for us is not an evacuation plan, but a restoration plan. And it’s not just for someday in […]
The post Easter | Nothing Wasted appeared first on Mill City Church.
Power is often seen as corruptive because of the ways it has been abused. But in the kingdom of God, […]
The post Palm Sunday | Which Way? appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Church: Postures Of The Heart appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Church: A Love Like No Other appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Suffering Servant appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Worship Matters appeared first on Mill City Church.
Songs are sticky! Utilize this playlist if you are hanging out at home, driving in the car, or just wanting […]
The post Kids Worship appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Worship appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | You Are Here appeared first on Mill City Church.
We're launching two locations on Sunday, February 28 🎉
The post Sunday FAQs – Spring 2021 appeared first on Mill City Church.
The post Racial Justice appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Supremacy of Jesus appeared first on Mill City Church.
We live in a customizable, curated world that allows us to pick and choose exactly what we want. If “create […]
The post JESUS OVER EVERYTHING | Prayer appeared first on Mill City Church.
Jesus said in John 15 that our joy can be complete or mature. Does that sound like you? We will […]
The post JOY | Post-Traumatic Growth appeared first on Mill City Church.
Jesus said in John 15 that our joy can be complete or mature. Does that sound like you? We will […]
The post JOY | Witnesses appeared first on Mill City Church.
Jesus said in John 15 that our joy can be complete or mature. Does that sound like you? We will […]
The post Joy | Cultivate appeared first on Mill City Church.
Jesus said in John 15 that our joy can be complete or mature. Does that sound like you? We will […]
The post JOY | Fuel appeared first on Mill City Church.
Sometimes life can feel hopeless. But, we have the gift of Jesus and the grace of God that is freely […]
The post Christmas Eve | Hope Has a Name appeared first on Mill City Church.
It is easy to miss a gift if it isn’t where we expect to find it or in the paces […]
The post GIFTS | Chosen and Given appeared first on Mill City Church.
It is easy to miss a gift if it isn’t where we expect to find it or in the paces […]
The post GIFTS | Holy Uncertainty appeared first on Mill City Church.
It is easy to miss a gift if it isn’t where we expect to find it or in the paces […]
The post GIFTS | Good Grief appeared first on Mill City Church.
Politics. A subject that can evoke strong reactions, divide a nation and impact friendships. As much as we might want […]
The post Citizens | The Way appeared first on Mill City Church.
Politics. A subject that can evoke strong reactions, divide a nation and impact friendships. As much as we might want […]
The post Citizens | Living as Exiles appeared first on Mill City Church.
Politics. A subject that can evoke strong reactions, divide a nation and impact friendships. As much as we might want […]
The post Citizens | Allegiance appeared first on Mill City Church.
A special message from our guest speaker Chris Hodges.
The post Pastor Chris Hodges | Tree of Life appeared first on Mill City Church.
We all have hopes for our relationships to be better…more caring, deep, encouraging, and loving. But then there is reality […]
The post Relationship Goals | Emotional Adult? appeared first on Mill City Church.
We all have hopes for our relationships to be better…more caring, deep, encouraging, and loving. But then there is reality […]
The post Relationship Goals | Who Are You Looking For? appeared first on Mill City Church.
We all have hopes for our relationships to be better…more caring, deep, encouraging, and loving. But then there is reality […]
The post Relationship Goals | Contempt appeared first on Mill City Church.
We all have hopes for our relationships to be better…more caring, deep, encouraging, and loving. But then there is reality […]
The post Relationship Goals | We Gotta Make It Or Make It appeared first on Mill City Church.
Because of your generosity, Mill City is able to financially support the amazing work that Life For The Innocent (LFTI) […]
The post Your Generosity Is Saving Lives appeared first on Mill City Church.
We all have hopes for our relationships to be better…more caring, deep, encouraging, and loving. But then there is reality […]
The post Relationship Goals | Make Peace appeared first on Mill City Church.
We all have hopes for our relationships to be better…more caring, deep, encouraging, and loving. But then there is reality […]
The post Relationship Goals | Who Are You? appeared first on Mill City Church.
House Gatherings are new, so we created some simple tips to help you host your House Gathering. Looking for something […]
The post How To Lead Your House Gathering Like a Boss appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | Roadblocks appeared first on Mill City Church.
Once upon a time, you couldn’t stop making out with each other and struggled to keep it cool. Now, well, […]
The post I’m Just Not “Feeling It” in My Marriage appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | Essential Conditions appeared first on Mill City Church.
We recognize parents, this is such a difficult season to not only lead yourselves through, but your kids. The questions […]
The post How to Lead Kids Well Through COVID Pt. 1 appeared first on Mill City Church.
Ladies, and any gentlemen brave enough to read about wifing (not wifi, but rather the plural form of being a […]
The post Wifing, Momming, Working, Praying, + Sleeping…sometimes! appeared first on Mill City Church.
For many people, the story of Jonah is about a guy who gets swallowed by a large fish because he […]
The post Jonah | A Love Problem appeared first on Mill City Church.
For many people, the story of Jonah is about a guy who gets swallowed by a large fish because he […]
The post Jonah | More than Justice appeared first on Mill City Church.
For many people, the story of Jonah is about a guy who gets swallowed by a large fish because he […]
The post Jonah | Justice, Judgement and Mercy appeared first on Mill City Church.
January 27 January 13 January 7 December 30 December 21 December 10 November 24 November 18 November 11 November 4 […]
The post Weekly Updates appeared first on Mill City Church.
For many people, the story of Jonah is about a guy who gets swallowed by a large fish because he […]
The post Jonah | BUT appeared first on Mill City Church.
For many people, the story of Jonah is about a guy who gets swallowed by a large fish because he […]
The post Jonah | The Storm, The Boat, & The Scapegoat appeared first on Mill City Church.
How do two people stay married for life? And how do we guard ourselves in sexual temptation, despite being attracted […]
The post How To Stay Married for Life appeared first on Mill City Church.
For many people, the story of Jonah is about a guy who gets swallowed by a large fish because he […]
The post Jonah | Why Would God Do That? appeared first on Mill City Church.
We’ve just finished our very first Alpha online and one of the joys of Alpha is seeing people’s story unfold. […]
The post Alpha – Lindsey’s Story appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | Formed by the Father appeared first on Mill City Church.
Marriage is not what we pictured when we declared our vows before our friends and family. We don’t always know […]
The post The Most Destructive Dynamic in a Marriage appeared first on Mill City Church.
We welcome you to join us as Pastor Aaron Stern and Pastor David Williams sit down for an important conversation […]
The post Let’s Talk Racism appeared first on Mill City Church.
Dear Mill City, Racism breaks my heart, and the heart of God. It is evil and real, today. This is […]
The post Letter to Mill City Church appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | Forged in Fire appeared first on Mill City Church.
One of the things that comes to the surface in times like this (a global pandemic) are questions we have […]
The post What to do with questions about God, Faith and Meaning? (feat. Craig Springer) appeared first on Mill City Church.
Do you have a song that reminds you of a particular moment or season in life? Songs can set a […]
The post Psalms | Psalm 150 appeared first on Mill City Church.
When life gets unstable we often run to an old addiction or develop new addictions to avoid pain, find comfort, […]
The post Understanding and Overcoming Addictions (feat. Dr. Doug Weiss) appeared first on Mill City Church.
Do you have a song that reminds you of a particular moment or season in life? Songs can set a […]
The post Psalms | Psalm 23 appeared first on Mill City Church.
Schedules and ways of going through our days and weeks get thrown off in seasons of disruption. Rhythms and structures […]
The post How Rhythms Ground us in Times of Chaos (feat. John Mark Comer) appeared first on Mill City Church.
Do you have a song that reminds you of a particular moment or season in life? Songs can set a […]
The post Psalms // Psalm 62 appeared first on Mill City Church.
Even when things are calm on the outside, we can be unsettled on the inside. It doesn’t have to be […]
The post Cultivating Inner Peace (feat. Rich Villodas) appeared first on Mill City Church.
Do you have a song that reminds you of a particular moment or season in life? Songs can set a […]
The post Psalms | Psalm 109 appeared first on Mill City Church.
Thank you Lord for our teachers! Teaching from home for the first time and don’t know what to do? We’re […]
The post How to Navigate School at Home and Keep Your Sanity appeared first on Mill City Church.
Do you have a song that reminds you of a particular moment or season in life? Songs can set a […]
The post Psalms | Psalm 69 appeared first on Mill City Church.
Do you have a song that reminds you of a particular moment or season in life? Songs can set a […]
The post Psalms | Psalm 1 appeared first on Mill City Church.
EASTER SUNDAY
The post Holy Week | Our King has the Last Word appeared first on Mill City Church.
In a season of upheaval and disorientation, we need to pay attention to our emotional responses. Our emotions don’t drive […]
The post Emotional Health in Disorienting Times (feat. Chris Bruno) appeared first on Mill City Church.
Church at home? What a great opportunity! Think comfy, convenient, and personal. Families, thank you for planning to gather with […]
The post Mill City Kids at Home appeared first on Mill City Church.
Traditions – especially those that children can see, hear, feel, smell and taste — provide vivid memories. This year, there […]
The post Holy Week at Home appeared first on Mill City Church.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic impact on our lives. Jobs have been lost, classes are online, restaurants and […]
The post Disrupted | The Path to Hope appeared first on Mill City Church.
When you are alone for days or weeks at a time, you eventually become drawn to people. Talking to randos is the norm. I’ll never forget the conversation with the aquarium fisherman, forest ranger, and women at the Thai market. It’s refreshing to compare notes on life with people from vastly different backgrounds.
The post How to Trust your Intuition when You’re Making a Decision appeared first on Mill City Church.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic impact on our lives. Classes are online, restaurants and ski resorts are closed, […]
The post Disrupted | Grounded appeared first on Mill City Church.
Last year I wrote about why booking too far in advance can be dangerous for your business, and this concept of margin so eloquently captures what I had recognized had been my problem: I was so booked up with clients that I wasn’t leaving any margin for error, growth, planning, or reflection.
The post Everyday inspired by the Beauty of the Mountains appeared first on Mill City Church.
Just the other day I happened to wake up early. That is unusual for an engineering student. After a long time I could witness the sunrise. I could feel the sun rays falling on my body. Usual morning is followed by hustle to make it to college on time.
The post How to Appreciate the Little Things in Life and be Happy appeared first on Mill City Church.
We don’t just have a vision for our church to flourish, we have a vision for our city to flourish. […]
The post Serving Opportunities appeared first on Mill City Church.
Talking to randos is the norm. I’ll never forget the conversation with the aquarium fisherman, forest ranger, and women at the Thai market. It’s refreshing to compare notes on life with people from vastly different backgrounds. When you are alone for days at a time, you become drawn to people.
The post Capture the Beauty of Nature through Photography appeared first on Mill City Church.
Examen: Starting Point for Discernment The challenge: learning to live close to the heart of God and be attentive to […]
The post Examen appeared first on Mill City Church.
Formation is not a solo effort fueled by our self-discipline and determination. Formation is a partnership with the Holy Spirit. […]
The post Filled | Fighting For Fruit appeared first on Mill City Church.
Just the other day I happened to wake up early. That is unusual for an engineering student. After a long time I could witness the sunrise. I could feel the sun rays falling on my body. Usual morning is followed by hustle to make it to college on time. This morning was just another yet different.
The post How to Be in the Flow and Create Something Beautiful appeared first on Mill City Church.
After designing my ideal week, I had a much clearer idea of how to create a framework for my week that would empower me to feel more focused by theming days of the week, and even parts of the day. I spent nearly a year turning down every new project (and even getting rid of old ones) so that I could reduce my workload, build in more margin, and create what is now Digital Strategy School. It takes time to build margin into your schedule.
The post I Like Keep Things Simple to Appreciate the Details appeared first on Mill City Church.
Formation is not a solo effort fueled by our self-discipline and determination. Formation is a partnership with the Holy Spirit. […]
The post Filled | Animate appeared first on Mill City Church.
Every selector has the potential to have unintended side effects by targeting unwanted elements or clashing with other selectors. More surprisingly, our selectors may even lose out in the global specificity war, ultimately having little or no effect on the page at all. Any time we make a change to a CSS file, we need to carefully consider the global environment in which our styles will sit. No other front end technology requires so much discipline just to keep the code at a minimum level of maintainability.
The post Thriving for Simplicity and Ease of Use Sharing Knowledge appeared first on Mill City Church.
Formation is not a solo effort fueled by our self-discipline and determination. Formation is a partnership with the Holy Spirit. […]
The post Filled | Hover appeared first on Mill City Church.
Many years ago, I worked for my parents who own a video production company. Because it is a family business, you inevitably end up wearing many hats and being the czar of many different jobs. I mainly managed projects and worked as a video editor. On production, there were times that I was called on to work as an audio tech and was made to wear headphones on long production days. In those days, having a really good set of headphones that picked up every nuance of sound was essential to making sure the client got what they needed.
The post Meditation with Music for a Calmer and Healthier Mind appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | True Story appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | The Pace Of Formation appeared first on Mill City Church.
Many years ago, I worked for my parents who own a video production company. Because it is a family business, you inevitably end up wearing many hats and being the czar of many different jobs. I mainly managed projects and worked as a video editor. On production, there were times that I was called on to work as an audio tech and was made to wear headphones on long production days. In those days, having a really good set of headphones that picked up every nuance of sound was essential to making sure the client got what they needed.
The post How We Rethink Our Approach To Daily Commitments appeared first on Mill City Church.
One of the easiest ways to improve travel photos is shooting in better light, and the best light is often in the hour after sunrise and before sunset. That’s because the light takes on a warm golden hue and hits the subject from the side instead of the top. It’s difficult to recreate the grandeur of a vast landscape in the confines of a picture frame.
The post My Free Time Habit and Why You Should Have One Too appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | I Need Us To Be Me appeared first on Mill City Church.
I was recently quoted as saying, I don't care if Instagram has more users than Twitter. If you read the article you’ll note there’s a big if before my not giving of said shit. Numbers are important. Number of users is important. So are lots of other things. Different services create value in different ways. Trust your gut as much (or more) than the numbers. Figure out what matters and build something good.
The post Learn the Rules First so You Can Break Them Like a Pro appeared first on Mill City Church.
When you are alone for days or weeks at a time, you eventually become drawn to people. Talking to randos is the norm. I’ll never forget the conversation with the aquarium fisherman, forest ranger, and women at the Thai market. It’s refreshing to compare notes on life with people from vastly different backgrounds.
The post Helpful Travel Tips and Tricks for your Next Big Adventure appeared first on Mill City Church.
Last year I wrote about why booking too far in advance can be dangerous for your business, and this concept of margin so eloquently captures what I had recognized had been my problem: I was so booked up with clients that I wasn’t leaving any margin for error, growth, planning, or reflection.
The post Take the Time to Listen and Find the Right Inspirations appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | What You Feed On appeared first on Mill City Church.
Just the other day I happened to wake up early. That is unusual for an engineering student. After a long time I could witness the sunrise. I could feel the sun rays falling on my body. Usual morning is followed by hustle to make it to college on time. This morning was just another morning yet seemed different.
The post Structures and Design of Nature are a Beautiful Things appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | Fuel for the Soul appeared first on Mill City Church.
When you are alone for days or weeks at a time, you eventually become drawn to people. Talking to randos is the norm. I’ll never forget the conversation with the aquarium fisherman, forest ranger, and women at the Thai market. It’s refreshing to compare notes on life with people from vastly different backgrounds.
The post Architecture Walks are Popular, Find One in Your City appeared first on Mill City Church.
Just the other day I happened to wake up early. That is unusual for an engineering student. After a long time I could witness the sunrise. I could feel the sun rays falling on my body. Usual morning is followed by hustle to make it to college on time. This morning was just another morning yet seemed different.
The post Top Working Tips to Help You Succeed as a Freelance appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | Hungry For God appeared first on Mill City Church.
I was recently quoted as saying, I don't care if Instagram has more users than Twitter. If you read the article you’ll note there’s a big “if” before my not giving of said shit. Numbers are important. Number of users is important. So are lots of other things. Different services create value in different ways. Trust your gut as much (or more) than the numbers. Figure out what matters and build something good.
The post About the Natural Connections Humans Have with Nature appeared first on Mill City Church.
Many years ago, I worked for my parents who own a video production company. Because it is a family business, you inevitably end up wearing many hats and being the czar of many different jobs. I mainly managed projects and worked as a video editor. On production, there were times that I was called on to work as an audio tech and was made to wear headphones on long production days. In those days, having a really good set of headphones that picked up every nuance of sound was essential to making sure the client got what they needed.
The post Summer Holiday Guide: How to spend the best time of the year appeared first on Mill City Church.
We are all being formed. There is no getting around it, so the question is, “By what and into what?” […]
The post Formed | The First Question appeared first on Mill City Church.
Many years ago, I worked for my parents who own a video production company. Because it is a family business, you inevitably end up wearing many hats and being the czar of many different jobs. I mainly managed projects and worked as a video editor. On production, there were times that I was called on to work as an audio tech and was made to wear headphones on long production days. In those days, having a really good set of headphones that picked up every nuance of sound was essential to making sure the client got what they needed.
The post Best New Studio Headphones: the Ultimate Musician Guide appeared first on Mill City Church.
Christmas Eve
The post Christmas Eve | Light Has Come appeared first on Mill City Church.
The stories we find in scripture in the lead-up to Jesus’ birth are packed with encounters with angels, signs in […]
The post Do You Hear What I Hear? | Love Has A Voice appeared first on Mill City Church.
The stories we find in scripture in the lead-up to Jesus’ birth are packed with encounters with angels, signs in […]
The post Do You Hear What I Hear? | King or Consultant? appeared first on Mill City Church.
The stories we find in scripture in the lead-up to Jesus’ birth are packed with encounters with angels, signs in […]
The post Do You Hear What I Hear | Hearable appeared first on Mill City Church.
How will you be remembered? What will you leave behind? What does God have to say about your legacy? No […]
The post Legacy | Famous appeared first on Mill City Church.
https://vimeo.com/369711464/e6fdb591c0
The post All Team Night ’19 appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | The Big Picture appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | Is Suffering Good For Us? | Harmony appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | Is Suffering Good For Us? | Remington appeared first on Mill City Church.
“I need to call my wife to say goodbye.” Have you ever been so hurt you thought you were going […]
The post Broken appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | Is God Just? appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | Helpful/Not Helpful appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | I Want To Die appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | Hope Heals appeared first on Mill City Church.
No one likes to suffer. Why does God allow suffering? Is it possible to suffer well? What does that look […]
The post The Book of Job | Life Interrupted appeared first on Mill City Church.
Church attendance in America is on the decline. Average church attendance is considered 1.7 Sundays per month. Can’t I meet […]
The post Why Church? | Family appeared first on Mill City Church.
Church attendance in America is on the decline. Average church attendance is considered 1.7 Sundays per month. Can’t I meet […]
The post Why Church? Panel Discussion appeared first on Mill City Church.
Church attendance in America is on the decline. Average church attendance is considered 1.7 Sundays per month. Can’t I meet […]
The post Why Church? | The Better Question appeared first on Mill City Church.
Church attendance in America is on the decline. Average church attendance is considered 1.7 Sundays per month. Can’t I meet […]
The post Why Church? | Me or We appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | GenerosiTREE appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Peace, The Unlikely Weapon appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Which Ditch? appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | The Secret of Selective Amnesia appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Knowing Jesus appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Honor: The Antidote To Contempt appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Shine Like Stars appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Servant King appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Misfits appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Prison Break appeared first on Mill City Church.
The ditch on the other side of the effort to raise up sons and daughters is that of idolatry. For […]
The post Work at Home – Idolatry appeared first on Mill City Church.
Have you ever fallen asleep at the wheel? As a freshly engaged college student reporting back for R.A. training, I […]
The post Work At Home – Neglect appeared first on Mill City Church.
Being human is hard, and conflict, adversity and stress can feel normal. The book of Philippians tells the story of […]
The post Philippians | Skin In The Game appeared first on Mill City Church.
We believe families connect through rich conversation – but we also know it can be difficult to get rich conversation […]
The post Steller Questions appeared first on Mill City Church.
What if work is more than a job? What if our view of work is too narrow? What if work […]
The post Cultivate | Slave or Free? appeared first on Mill City Church.
Work isn’t a paycheck, a job, or a title. It is so much bigger than that. Work is what God […]
The post Re: Work appeared first on Mill City Church.
As a way of embracing our value of practicing sustainable rhythms we provide a sabbatical for every employee after seven […]
The post Sabbatical Rest appeared first on Mill City Church.
Happy Mother’s Day, moms! We ❤️ you and honor your contributions to your family, our world, and to our house.
The post Happy Mother’s Day! appeared first on Mill City Church.
What if work is more than a job? What if our view of work is too narrow? What if work […]
The post Cultivate | Work At Home appeared first on Mill City Church.
What if work is more than a job? What if our view of work is too narrow? What if work […]
The post Cultivate | It Matters appeared first on Mill City Church.
Jesus enters Jerusalem with the fanfare and applause of a huge crowd, but will they follow Him to the cross?
The post Holy Week | Palm Sunday appeared first on Mill City Church.
Everyone loves a good story. A compelling story will put us on the edge of our seats. Jesus was a […]
The post Jesus Stories | The Judge appeared first on Mill City Church.
We adjust our lives around time. Clothing and schedules are different in the fall than the summer. We set goals and remember milestones with dates and times. We plan for and around the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and other American holidays. These are good things to enjoy, but without intentionality we can get sucked into the individualism, consumerism, or cynicism of our culture.
The Church calendar seeks to redeem our time and orient our hearts and minds around the life of Jesus. When I was growing up, I thought Advent was all about a calendar with little windows to open every day with chocolate behind them. I loved Advent! Little did I know that Advent is so much bigger. Advent means “arrival” and throughout this season we remember the waiting of the Jewish people for the arrival of the Messiah and tune into our longing for His second coming. The season of Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas.
Below are two links to resources written by pastor friends of mine. I encourage you to utilize either one individually, as a family, or as a City Group as we move toward Christmas to help us engage this season more intentionally and live into the story of Jesus.
Download “The Advent, Daily Office” by Rich Villodas
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Our beliefs are summarized in The Apostles Creed. The Apostles Creed for us is the clearest, most unifying, and concise statement of historic Christian orthodoxy. It is the baseline ‘story’ that summarizes the essence of Christian teaching and has been used for Christian instruction and worship since the very earliest days of the Church. This is the story we seek to live by as a community while also encouraging lively dialogue along the way about other matters of belief and practice.
We believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
We believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Church universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
We unpack these beliefs in the following ways. * God: We believe in one God who exists in three distinct equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the creator of the universe, never changing, eternal, all-powerful, and unending in love. (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 3:16-17; 1 John 5:7-8) * Jesus Christ: We believe Jesus Christ with the Son of God, became flesh to reveal God to man and rescue the world from evil. He, being fully God yet fully man, is the only person to live a sinless life. He was born of a virgin and took the weight of sin and evil in the world on the cross so mankind could be free from the penalty of sin and creation would be redeemed. He rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return again in power and glory. (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:18; John 1:1, 14; 3:16; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:15) * The Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit was given, after Jesus ascended into heaven, to edify and empower every individual believer and the Church to accomplish God’s purposes in the world. The Holy Spirit is alive and active today. (Acts 1:5, 8; Ephesians 3:16) * The Bible: We believe the entire Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It cannot be added to, subtracted from, or superseded in any regard. It, alone, is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths. (Proverbs 30:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21) * Humankind: We believe that man and woman were created in the image of God in perfect fellowship with Him, but became alienated from that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, humankind is totally incapable of coming back into a right relationship with God by his own effort. (Genesis 1:26, Romans 3:23) * Salvation: We believe that the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provides the sole basis for the forgiveness of sins. Salvation is a free gift and occurs when a person repents and places their faith in Jesus as the sufficient payment for sin. (Luke 24:46-47; John 1:29; Acts 3:19; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9) * The Christian Life: We believe that every Christian is to live for Jesus and not for themselves to be examples of the love of God in the world. By devotion to the way of Jesus, obedience to the Bible, participation in a community of faith, and daily yielding to the Holy Spirit, every believer matures and becomes conformed to the image of Christ. (Matthew 16:24; John 14:23; Galatians 5:25; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 10:23-25) * The Church:We believe that the church is the family of God on the earth. Those who have trusted, by faith, the finished work of Christ are adopted into the family. The church is to partner with God in bringing about His purposes of hope, redemption, and grace in the world.*(1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 1:22-23) * *The End:We believe in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection of believers, the reality of heaven and hell, the final judgment, and all things being made right in the new heaven and the new earth. Only the Father knows the time of Jesus’ return.*(Matthew 24:30, 36; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 21:1-2)***
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