First MB Church

This week we explore the early story of Joseph and the ripple effect of his choices—some clearly right or wrong, others much more complicated. From favoritism and betrayal to dreams and discernment, we're reminded that every decision we make shapes the story we're living.

This week our four ministry residents share parts of their stories, encouraging us from God's word around the sermon series theme of Multiple Choice. These four (Michael Clark, Zach Henneberg, Melanie Wiebe, and Luke Zimmerman) have been a part of our inaugural Leadership Academy, a nine-month residency program for people to grow in their spiritual leadership capacity.

Some decisions have clear moral implications, while others require seeking godly counsel and listening for God's guidance. As we kick off a new teaching series, Pastor Brent encourages us to focus on loving God and others regardless of our specific choices, maintaining an "open ear and soft heart" to divine direction.

This week Pastor Brent walks us through the final hours of Jesus' life. Despite having the power to save Himself, Jesus willingly endured betrayal, torture, and crucifixion—all because of His deep and powerful love for humanity.

Pastor Brent's sermon on Mark 13 examines Jesus' teachings about the end times, explaining that while there will be signs like wars, earthquakes, and tribulation preceding Christ's return, the specific timing remains known only to God. The message emphasizes that being "destiny ready" through salvation and "at work ready" through faithful service matters more than understanding all the prophetic details.

For this special Student Sunday message, Pastor Kyle highlights how friendships are vital during adolescence for identity, emotional support, and spiritual growth, with Jesus as the ultimate model of true friendship. 

Jesus is the true King who deserves our loyalty—not just because of what He can do for us, but because of who He is. The Palm Sunday story shows how easy it is to want the perks of His kingdom without fully submitting to His rule. But real discipleship means trusting His love and choosing to follow Him completely.

This week Pastor Brent explores the concept of humility, contrasting it with worldly systems of power and pride. He illustrates how Jesus modeled true humility by coming to serve rather than be served, and challenges us to identify areas where we need to increase humility in our relationships with God and others.

Pastor Brent discusses the story of the rich young ruler from Mark 10:17-27, emphasizing that Jesus desires not only our salvation but also our complete surrender. The greatest challenge for Christians is surrendering completely to Jesus rather than holding onto wealth or other areas of control.

This week Pastor Joe explores Mark 8:27-38, focusing on Peter's declaration of Jesus as the Messiah and Jesus' subsequent call for disciples to take up their cross and follow him. Joe compares the Christian journey to "chaosmos" (a combination of chaos and cosmos), noting that while following Jesus involves sacrifice and challenges, it also brings the grace of God that puts us back together even as life's difficulties pull us apart.

Jesus faced rejection when He taught in His hometown of Nazareth. Even for those who saw Jesus firsthand, not everyone believed in Him. The same is true for our world today. This week Pastor Brent outlines common obstacles that keep people from faith in Jesus, and while there are no easy answers, believers need to represent Jesus well, and remember that the Holy Spirit will continue His work.

In Mark 5, Jesus responds to the faith of both a desperate father and a suffering woman, demonstrating His power over illness and death. While Jesus always healed those with faith in the Gospels, this sermon explores why God sometimes says "no" to our faithful prayers today.

Pastor Brent explores the Parable of the Sower from Mark 4:1-20, explaining how the four different types of soil (hard, rocky, thorny, and good) represent different ways people's hearts receive God's Word. Brent emphasizes that while Christians and non-Christians alike can have any type of "soil" in their hearts, achieving "good soil" requires both honest self-examination and God's help to produce spiritual fruit.

Pastor Brent explores the tension between following rules literally (the letter of the law) and understanding their deeper purpose (the spirit of the law). While rules are important for society and relationships, we must be cautious about adding our own interpretations to scripture and remember to prioritize kindness and understanding.

Pastor Brent uses the famous story of Jesus healing a paralytic man to explore the concept of forgiveness. The original biblical language makes a distinction between "charidzomai" and "aphiemi" forgiveness, and both definitions offer unique insight into how we should live in harmony with others today.

This week Pastor Joe takes a look at Jesus' early ministry in Mark 1 by comparing it to a BeReal social media timeline, highlighting how Jesus prioritized prayer, showed mercy, went on mission, and drew growing crowds.

This week Dr. Tim Geddert examines how Jesus's first disciples had to surrender what they valued most - their professional identity and family ties - while embarking on a new life of following Jesus. This life of discipleship demands everything we have, but it also offers the assurance of God's persistent grace.

Pastor Brent begins a new sermon series on the Gospel of Mark by examining how the "good news" (euangelion) of Jesus contrasted with the prevailing Greek/Hellenistic culture. While the Hellenistic kingdom offered good news centered on education, healthcare, entertainment, and sports, Jesus announced a radically different kingdom focused on God rather than man, offering peace, purpose, and joy.

Guest speaker Tim Sullivan shares four biblical principles for growing our leadership capacity: integrity, humility, dependability, and generosity. Leadership is all about influence, and developing these four things can expand our ability to impact others for God's Kingdom.

The night Jesus was born may not have been silent and maybe not so calm, but it was certainly holy, and it's great news for us today.

This week Pastor Brent looks at the classic Christmas hymn, "Joy to the World." And while this is among the most popular Christmas songs, the original writer--Isaac Watts--intended this song to focus on Christ's *second* coming, not His first. Yes, Jesus came as a humble servant, but one day, He will return as a conquering King restoring the world to its intended peace.

This week Pastor Joe uses the Christmas carol "O Holy Night" to remind us of our own personal worthiness. Flawed as we may be, true self-worth comes from an understanding of God's unconditional love. Because of Jesus, we can overcome shame and recognize our value, uniquely created in God's image.

This week Pastor Brent shares a unique message based on the classic Christmas spiritual, "Go Tell It On the Mountain." Brent uses an imaginative, fictional first-person account to explore how the shepherds would have found the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Just as the shepherds felt compelled to "go tell," we, too, have a responsibility to share the good news of Jesus' birth to those around us.

In this Christmas sermon, Pastor Brent dives into the classic hymn "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus," unpacking how Jesus came with a mission to free people from their struggles and be a life-changing king. Breaking down the 280-year-old song, Brent highlights that Jesus isn't just a distant ruler, but someone who wants to bring hope and healing into people's hearts today.

This week (leading up to our annual Big Offering), Pastor Brent shares a dramatic story from the Old Testament about a severe famine that led to abundant provision. When our God is this good, we have no choice but to share the blessing, so let's be joyful and generous people!

Pastor Brent concluded the "Higher Calling" series by discussing the importance of living an intentional Christian life, outlining five key principles. He emphasized that while intentions alone aren't enough, Christians need God's Word, Spirit, and people to live intentionally, with Jesus serving as the perfect example of an intentional life focused on His mission.

Money has both a light side (enjoyment, security, generosity) and a dark side (greed, hoarding, overspending, debt). This week Pastor Brent presents four key principles for financial stewardship: give more, save more, spend less, and get out of debt. Self-control--supported by prayer and accountability--is essential for achieving financial freedom and making a positive impact.

Jesus calls Christians to practice radical hospitality and humility in their relationships. While the world prioritizes status and selective inclusion, God's kingdom welcomes all who accept His invitation. Living out this higher calling means taking the lower seat and actively inviting those typically overlooked into God's family.

God calls Christians to make a difference in the world through their unique spiritual gifts. While finding and using these gifts requires intentional effort, it leads to a life of purpose and impact. Following God's plan to serve others brings both personal fulfillment and advances His kingdom.

While most of us associate the word "worship" with singing, the Higher Calling of worship is much more. True worship is ultimately a life bowed down, a daily expression of our devotion to God.

In anticipation of the upcoming presidential election, Pastor Brent reminds us that our love and allegiance to Jesus should always outweigh our political opinions. In a culture so divided by politics, we need to remember to be kind, to pray for our leaders, and to trust in God's sovereignty.

God calls Christians to live under a higher standard. And while this higher bar is admittedly challenging, this way of life is also good and achievable with His help. Pursuing God's plans for us leads to a life that is good and satisfying and impactful.

This week Pastor Andy walks us through Jesus' invitation to learn "unforced rhythms of grace" (Matthew 11). To build this lifestyle, we need to develop a prayer and a plan to intentionally walk with Jesus. Living this way keeps us grounded, can manage life's challenges, and produces spiritual fruit.

Throughout this series, Pastor Brent has been talking about the importance of rest and Sabbath--or as we've been calling it--"ceasing." An important part of that is honest and balanced prayers to God. God invites us to cast our cares on Him, but we also need to be disciplined about listening to God through prayer, reading the Bible, and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

In a world that elevates busyness and speed, Jesus invites us to cease and rest. Instead of finding value in our production or accomplishments, Jesus offers a new identity--one that isn't based on what we have or what we do, but who HE says we are.

As we open this new "Rhythms" series, Pastor Brent explores the biblical concept of Sabbath and its relevance today. He traces the rhythm of work and rest from creation through the Ten Commandments, emphasizing God's intention for balance in our lives. Brent challenges our modern addiction to busyness, encouraging intentional pauses to reflect on God's goodness and mercy.

This week Pastor Brent uncovers the intertwined themes of gratitude and contentment in Philippians 4. Just like the Apostle Paul, we can find true contentment in the midst of our most challenging circumstances. Brent contrasts the "More Strategy" with the "Enough Strategy," offering practical guidance on resisting the allure of materialism and embracing God's sufficiency.

On this "Back to School Sunday," Pastor Brent encourages us to cling to God and specific teachings in the Bible when we start to feel anxious and stressed in this hectic fall season.

This week Pastor Joe explores the balance between stability and flexibility in faith, using Philippians 4:1-9. Forgiveness is a crucial anchor point of Christianity, and we also need to prioritize adaptability in spreading the gospel. Joe encourages us to find stability in Jesus while remaining open to new perspectives and growth in our faith journeys.

We all have many goals and objectives in life, but the apostle Paul modeled how deepening our relationship with Jesus should be our primary, endless, relentless pursuit. While this kind of life requires significant effort, it also leads to improved relationships, increased joy, peace, and purpose.

Pastor Brent delivers a sermon on Philippians 3:1-11, emphasizing the importance of rejoicing in the Lord despite challenges and focusing on knowing Christ personally rather than relying on religious rituals or rule-following. He encourages the congregation to deepen their relationship with Jesus, stressing that true righteousness comes through faith in Christ, not through adherence to religious laws or traditions.

Pastor Kevin's sermon focuses on overcoming worldly troubles through partnership with Jesus. He emphasizes four key ways: prayer, aligning plans with God's will, partnering with others in faith, and trusting in God's provision. He concludes by stressing the ultimate victory comes from "dying to the world" by following Jesus's example of self-denial and sacrifice.

Throughout the book of Philippians, we see that in spite of hardship and suffering, hope always wins. In this new eight-week series, Pastor Brent and Pastor Joe will give us helpful perspectives as we aim to spot the silver lining and live for God's glory!

This week Pastor Brent explores Paul's perspective on finding positivity in challenging situations. For Christians, there's always a silver lining in God's love and grace, even in the darkest times. Brent encourages believers to intentionally seek out the good that God brings from difficult circumstances, and to consider their primary motivation for living as advancing the Gospel.

This sermon emphasizes using individual spiritual gifts for the benefit of the community, the church, and the world. The key verse, 1 Corinthians 12:7, highlights that everyone has unique gifts given by the Spirit to serve the common good, promoting unity and spiritual growth within the church while encouraging active participation in serving others.

Pastor Brent discusses Philippians 1:1-11 and notes five key points we can gain from this section of Paul's letter.

In this sermon, Pastor Brent gives a background of Paul's experience in Philippi and outlines lessons we can learn from Acts 16 in the story of Lydia, Paul, Silas, and the Philippian jailer.

Pastor Brent's sermon encourages fathers and all Christians to shift their focus from striving to meet worldly expectations to seeking God's kingdom and righteousness first. He explains that by surrendering daily to God's rule and allowing His Word to transform them, the "targets" of being a good father, spouse, or Christian will naturally be hit, as promised by Jesus in Matthew 6:33.

Pastor Brent explored the biblical teaching on singleness from 1 Corinthians 7, highlighting how the apostle Paul commends it as a noble state that allows undivided devotion to God. Practical advice was given for how the church can be more supportive and inclusive of singles as they navigate the unique opportunities and challenges of being single.

Pastor Brent encourages us to be intentional in building relationships with our neighbors by: 1) investing in them, and 2) inviting them into spiritual conversations. It's important that we genuinely care without an agenda, driven by real and authentic love. Brent encourages us to pray and also take practical steps to better know and serve our neighbors.

Who are your "3 a.m. friends"--the ones you can call in the middle of the night to help with a crisis? This week Pastor Andy looks at friendship through the example of David and Jonathan in the Old Testament. In a world that seems increasingly lonely, Andy encourages us to pray, be a good friend, and take steps to get more connected in our community.