Tallgrass Church Teachings

"Us and Them" thinking has been around since the dawn of human civilization. And history bears out the theme over and over again that people tend to think and act tribally. But in Christ, God is doing something new: breaking down the barriers between people and creating a new unified humanity in his Body, the Church. And that changes everything from how we think about our relationships, the church, and ourselves. How might you be actively involved in removing barriers with the love and compassion of Jesus?

Do you feel like God loves you? Like you're completely forgiven through Christ? Do you feel like you're united with God through his Spirit? Do you feel like you're IN CHRIST? In this teaching we dive into the reality that things can be true and influencing us significantly whether or not we feel it. Ephesians teaches us that when we trust in Jesus, we're mystically and actually united with God in Christ and this has profound implications for our lives. Our identity, confidence, and relation to work and rest are upended in this glorious Gospel truth. How will you sit in the reality of who you are and what you have in Christ?

It's so easy for life to become boring -- even for those who believe in God and trust in Jesus! And while this experience is fairly common and natural, it's not God's desire for us. In Ephesians we discover how God longs for our lives and hearts to be filled with a regular awareness of his power and the great hope to which he's calling us. In this teaching we consider this dissonance and ask ourselves, "What is my mission? Where is my community. And Who am I influencing?" How might your misunderstandings surrounding these questions contribute to your spiritual boredom?

Sure you can just drive up to the edge of the Grand Canyon. The view is incredible. But in order to truly experience it, you have to get down into it -- put in the time and effort to get all the way in there. It's a lot like that with God. In this teaching we look at God's desire for us to fully experience and delight in Him. And we consider three main blockages to our delight in God: theology, anxiety, and doubt. What might be blocking your delight in God?

Jesus had a chance to bypass his sufferings and just become king of the world without going through the process set before him by the Father. Why didn't he take Satan up on that offer? In this teaching we dig more deeply into our temptation to take shortcuts and how the great victory of Easter hinged on Jesus' willingness to resist this urge. Thanks be to God for our victory over death and sin through the patient obedience of Christ on the Cross! Where are you tempted to take shortcuts in your life right now? And how might God be calling to you in the midst of that temptation?

Jesus was tempted to reveal himself publicly in a grand spectacle of awesome power. And the Devil himself did his best to get Jesus to choose this quick and easy path to fame instead of the way of suffering and sacrifice. His message was essentially, "You can have the Crown without the Cross!" Wouldn't that be nice? In this teaching we see that because Jesus endured and prevailed through temptation, he invites us to approach him with confidence, rather than fear. He knows what it's like to be tempted just as we do, and he longs to help us and give us grace.

If you had all the powers of God, what would you do? How long would it take for things to go sideways? The reality is all of us have hearts and motives that are deformed and stunted by sin. Even the best of our motives and intentions end up a mixed bag. In this teaching, we look at the reality of temptation and spiritual warfare. And we consider how Jesus Himself engaged with and responded to the same temptations we all face today. Where do you feel the strongest pull to prove yourself to others? And how might Jesus want to meet you there?

It's hard to rest if you don't know where you are. But there's a deep peace that can come from understanding where you are, where you're going, and what the next step is. In this teaching, we consider this approach toward our spiritual lives and see how we can discern our stages and next steps of spiritual growth with some helpful categories. What's your stage of apprenticeship to Jesus and where is he calling you to take a next step?

Most of us don't like limits placed on us. We instinctually believe that the Good Life is actually beyond our limits, out another step or two. And we bring this suspicion into our relationship with God. In fact, pushing past our limits and trying to be like God is our original sin all the way back in the Garden of Eden. In this teaching we explore our natural revulsion against our God-given limits and the crushing consequences of trying to hold the world up on our own. We also hear again the gentle call of Jesus to come back to him, lay it down, discover the surprising gift of limits, and rest.

For those with ears to hear, Jesus' command to "Love your neighbor as yourself" has first a cynical insight, followed by a profoundly kind invitation. Because, the problem is, most of us don't really love ourselves well. And that affects our ability to love others. In this teaching, we take a look at this difficult insight and also discover the wonderful kindness of God as he teaches us to love ourselves as he does. We look at practical ways we can takes steps to love and care for ourselves well and how that can spur us toward greater love for our neighbors.

What if the greatest threat to your spiritual life is actually hurry? How might that cause you to reevaluate the pace of your life - both internal and external? In this teaching we consider the state of our busy, distracted lives and how our tendency toward hurry impacts our spiritual wellbeing and ability to grow in Christlikeness. In Christ we see one who lived with purpose and urgency, but never haste. How might your relationships, recreation, and habits change and grow if you slowed down?

Who has time to practice a Sabbath day of rest? In today's world, it often seems like if we slow down and take a break, the world will come crashing down from our shoulders. But what if the practice of Sabbath isn't only possible today, but it's a life saving gift from our loving Heavenly Father. In this teaching we look at the ancient practice of Sabbath and see how we can recover a deeply restful inner life through its practice in our lives today. We also get practical talking about how this could look as we implement it in our weeks. How might Sabbath help you literally recover your life?

Quick, list off the foundational practices of the Christian life. Did resting make the list? For many today, the spiritual practice of deep resting in Christ has been painted over with distraction and busyness. This teaching begins a new series on resting by rediscovering an ancient tool for orienting your life around the way of Jesus: A Rule of Life. What might your Rule of Life look like? And how might it help you really rest?

I know where we've been. But....what's next? Mosaic Church is excited to share our vision with you! In this special teaching, we shared what God has done, what he's up to now, and where we're headed together as we seek to follow Him in Manhattan, KS in 2023. We also got to hear testimonies from two who have joined with us during the merger season, Brian Peterson and Tracy Emery. No matter where you're at in your journey of faith, we've got a place for you. Come and see.

You don't actually have to tithe. A significant foundation of the Good News is that grace takes you further than law. This applies not only to our spiritual state in relation to God through Christ, but also to how we're called to give our money. In this teaching we look at misunderstandings about giving in our discipleship to Christ and how a motivation based on grace frees up more resources for Kingdom work through radical sacrificial generosity. And it blesses others far more in the process. How might grace take you further in your approach toward giving?

Are you being wise with your finances? Are you investing with 30 years in view? What about the next 30 million years? For those who believe they will be resurrected to eternal life by Jesus, this is actually not a crazy question. But it's rarely how we think when we consider our investment strategies, even in the church. In this teaching, we look at how we can follow and emulate Christ in the midst of our modern, Western, wealthy, consumeristic culture. And we discover the call of Christ to not only give generously to bless others, but also to secure the truly good life for ourselves beginning right now.

If we want to have any hope of using our technology as a beneficial tool rather than becoming used ourselves, we must engage with intentionally. We need to consider how we want to shape our spaces in light of our values. The Bible teaches us to value real people, great conversations, embodied living, and glorifying God in the real world. In this teaching we look at Romans 12 to consider practical steps to help us value these things in the midst of our digital age. What is one sustainable rhythm you can implement in pursuit of digital equilibrium?

Things really are different now. The advent and cultural ubiquity of digital technology and personal devices has fundamentally changed the way we think, interact, and mature. In this teaching we look at the reality of our brave new digital world and consider its effects on our discipleship to Jesus. How are the devices you look at constantly forming you? And how can you submit yourself to Christ in light of that?

Happy New Year! We're not meeting in-person today and instead invite you to engage with this pre-recorded teaching about two practical tools you can use to lean into growth and connection in 2023. In fact, we'll be leaning into these tools together as a church family!

Christmas is full of paradoxes. And not the least of which is the God of the Universe coming to save us all ... as a little, vulnerable baby. And yet in the mind-bending, paradigm shattering Incarnation, God comes undeniably close. In this teaching we see how Christmas reminds us that God has time for us. He is present in the nitty gritty details of our life. He cares and he's not staying distant from our pain. But he enters in, rolls up his sleeves, and displays his power and love in some of the most unexpected ways imaginable. Where are you waiting for him in your life today? And how might he want to open your eyes to see his salvation at work?

Christmas can really be enchanting! With all the lights and lattes, we can easily get swept into the Christmas spirit of warm feels and nostalgia. Yet on a deeper and more profound level, we tend to struggle with disenchantment. For most of us, awe and wonder and mystery have been mostly banished from our lives. But the Bible teaches us about an incredible mystery at the heart of Christmas: the incarnation of God Almighty into human flesh! And it invites us to ponder the great mystery and come to the manger with awe and wonder. What might it look like to become reenchanted with Christmas this year?

The Bible stands utterly alone as an ancient or religious text when it comes to predictive prophecy. There are hundreds! And over 100 prophecies from hundreds of years beforehand have been fulfilled in the life of Jesus. A life of deep joy, not just happiness, must be built on the promises of God - especially when life is hard, and God seems distant. It's seeing fulfilled prophecies in the Bible that gives us confidence that God will also fulfill his promises to us. And that's what a life of joy is built upon.

When Jesus was born, the angels proclaimed "peace on earth." Hundreds of years beforehand, prophets said the messiah would come bring peace. But after 2000 years, the earth has no peace. Wars, strife, division, and sufferings characterize our world, just as they always have. And in some ways, the stats show it's getting worse, rather than better! So what are we to make of this stark contrast between the promise of peace and the reality we live in? In this teaching, we dive headlong into this critical question. We look at ancient prophecies and see how they are and will be fully fulfilled in the two Advents of the Messiah. We also see our part in mediating that peace to our neighbors while we await Jesus' return.

Who are you? Can you determine your identity by your choices and actions? How much of you identity comes from your family? These fundamental questions are rarely consciously considered, but nevertheless powerfully drive our lives and experience. In this first Advent teaching we look at ancient prophesies about the Messiah and see how our ultimate questions of origin and identity were answered and fulfilled in Jesus. We also see that our place in our families have meaning and purpose today.

Christians are supposed to love their enemies and to prove their devotion to Christ by their gentle and respectful behavior. How tragic then, that many refuse to darken the doors of churches precisely because of Christians' bad behavior! In this final teaching through the Beatitudes, we remember who the real enemy is (hint: it's not actually humans) and hear again Christ's call to live the upside-down, counter-cultural beatitudes in every area of our lives - including when others persecute and ridicule us for our faith. We also hear testimonies from two (Bea Dennis and Justin Kastner) who have been wrestling with the implications of this teaching on their lives. What might God do if we walked with him like this today?

We need to talk about this a little more. How exactly are followers of Jesus supposed to engage with culture and people who are antagonistic towards them because of their faith? In this teaching, we revisit the conversation we began last Sunday over the final verses in the Beatitudes concerning the blessing of those who are persecuted and mistreated. We consider the extremes of response and seek to discover the third way of Jesus between the ditches of retreat and attack. How might Jesus be inviting you to become a Spirit-empowered non-anxious presence in your world and relationships?

Jesus says happy are those who are mistreated for doing good. But that's really rough. How can we even say that, or get to that experience in our lives when we'd actually express that we're deeply satisfied and joyful when we're wrongfully mistreated? In this teaching we look into this difficult question and the reality of Christian persecution. And we begin to discover how we might tap into this counterintuitive blessed life that Jesus has been teaching his followers for thousands of years.  Video will post tomorrow.

Too many of us are peacekeepers, far too few are peacemakers. As Jesus defines it, peace isn't just the absence of conflict of discomfort or chaos. It's actually into those places of tension and discomfort that he calls his children to be peacemakers, bringing the healing and comfort of Christ where it's desperately needed. In this teaching we look into the distinction between peacekeeping and peacemaking and consider how this could play out in our lives. We hear the call of Jesus into the blessed life.

When I ask, "Are you still pure?", what are you thinking about? For many, especially those who grew up in the church, the concept of purity is strongly tied to sexual behavior. The Purity Culture movement of the 90s and 2000s strongly called young people to abstain from sex until they were married in order to remain pure. But is this what Jesus is envisioning when he blesses those who are pure in heart in the Beatitudes? In this teaching we discuss the dark side of Purity Culture and discover a God who both raises the bar on purity and graciously provides a way for us to become pure apart from our behavior! No matter what you've done or what's been done to you, Jesus cares for you and invites you to come to him for healing and hope.

Jesus says the good life is found when you're giving and receiving mercy as a settled lifestyle. Receiving mercy feels great! But giving it is usually quite costly and difficult. Is that really where the good life is found? In this teaching we look into the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 18 as we consider the practicality of a life of mercy. And we see Christ himself as the Greatest Samaritan by also becoming the dying man beside the road for us. By his wounds we are healed. Lord have mercy! So, out of the overflow of the mercy you receive in Christ, who's someone you could show overwhelming mercy to this week?

When Jesus taught us, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness", he wasn't only referring to our own personal right standings before God. He is also commending those who groan inwardly for things to be right in our world -- justice! And yet it can be easy for us to long for one more than the other. In this teaching we study the biblical connection between righteousness and justice and consider how we can cultivate a healthy posture toward injustice. How is God inviting you to engage in works of justice? Where do you need to turn away from apathy and inactivity to more fully follow the way of Jesus?

Have we gotten Jesus' teaching all wrong? When he taught us "blessed are the meek", did he intend his followers to become powerless doormats? How then could we inherit the earth? Wouldn't it be better to stand up for ourselves and overcome evil through might? That's the way many Western Christians are leaning these days. In this teaching we look more carefully into Christ's teaching on meekness and discover our call to a lifestyle of power under control. What might it look like if you lived and engaged in this way this week?

Happy are the sad? That's what it sounds like Jesus says in the the beginning of his famous sermon on the mount. That just sounds wrong on the face of it! But what if Jesus was trying to teach us something profound about the truly good life he's inviting us into? In this teaching we look into Matthew 5:4 and consider how those who mourn can truly be considered blessed in light of the comfort we can receive from Christ and his body, the church. What do you need to mourn this week? And how can you open yourself up more fully to being comforted from God himself?

"Yah but, you can only turn the other cheek so many times; in this world you have to start punching back!" Variations on this sentiment are common in our culture today, including in many Christian circles. The idea is that if you want to win the culture wars, you have to fight power with power. And yet this is the polar opposite of what Jesus taught! In this teaching we kick off a new series on the beatitudes and consider the radically countercultural way of Jesus. The "blessed" life is actually the one of self giving love - the poor in spirit who give up their own lives for the good of others. What if we learned to fight like that?

It's not enough to attend church. It's not even enough to read the Bible. For real healing and growth we have to be intimately connected in a small Christian community. We're wounded in relationships and so God knows we have to be healed in relationships. In this teaching we consider Paul's call for us to put off our old, false self and to put on our new identity in Christ -- all with the help of our community. Each and every follower of Jesus is called into the ministry of lovingly holding up the mirror to one another so we can see who we really are in Christ. What's your next step to finding yourself more fully in community?

What does a good church look like? Does it have stellar preaching? A polished kid's program? Community outreach? Maybe. But the key biblical descriptor for a great church is the people of God growing together at a deeper level. In other words: community! In this teaching, we look at the early church as an example of an awesome church and consider how we could do church that way today. And we consider the call from the Apostle Peter for Christians to be radically hospitable communities of truth where every member is a minister, offering up their gifts for the blessing of one another.

We live in a time of unprecedented connection through technology. The internet, social media, and the smartphone have revolutionized our understanding and experience of connection. And yet we're also more profoundly divided and lonely than ever before. How can this be? In this teaching we look at the foundational difference between connection and community and see how Jesus calls his followers to do life together. The call to Christian community is the call to intimate relationship with people who are often quite different from you.

When most people think about God, they see their father. Not their Heavenly Father, but their actual earthly father, father figure, or major caregiver. It all happens subconsciously of course, but this mask we put on God has tremendous impact on how we think about and relate to him. In this teaching we look at the parable of the grouchy neighbor and discover a God that's similar and yet profoundly different than we expect. We also look deeply into the specific ways the homes we grew up in can skew our views of him as our good and loving Father. What kind of mask do you tend to put on God? And what your next step toward bringing the real you to the real him?

Sometimes Jesus disrupts us with a hard teaching. But he always disrupts so that he can entice us with something better. And in his parable of the missing bridesmaids, we're challenged with our own need to respond to Christ's invitation to intimacy and prioritize its pursuit in our daily lives. The good life is not devoid of effort, but rather of earning. How much intimacy with Jesus are you currently experiencing? And what practice or commitment do you need to make to gain more?

Some of the most graceless people you'll ever meet are also the most religious. For many, the religious life is essentially about keeping the right rules to try to justify yourself before God -- in other words, law-keeping. But what Jesus brought was an entirely different paradigm: grace! Grace says, "I'm not justified by how good I am, but by how good God is toward me, completely apart from my own profound unrighteousness." In this teaching, we look at the fruit of lives lived out of law and grace paradigms and see how Jesus's words still ring true for you and I today: those who are forgiven much love much. And those who aren't don't. How can you respond to Jesus' invitation to walk more fully in the way of his grace today?

What do you do when the people you invite to your party ghost you? Jesus' answer is to go and invite anyone and everyone he can find. In this teaching we look at the parable of the banquet to see how God has thrown his doors wide open and invited each of us to come in to his party, his kingdom. We also see how the way we consider children has significant connection to how we think about ourselves and how God sees us.

Jesus was not a great marketer. At the height of his ministry, when the numbers were looking great, he turned around to the crowds and told them following him would cost them everything. He said only those willing to give up their entire lives would be worthy of following him. They left in droves. In this teaching we look at the twin parables of the tower and the army and consider both the cost of following Jesus and also the benefits of discipleship to him. In what ways do you need to (re)count the cost of being a disciple of Jesus?

It's the American Dream: work hard, save up, retire early, and enjoy your life. We're driven by a desire for more and better. So when Jesus tells a story about a hardworking farmer who has a bumper crop, he's talking about us. But Jesus flips everything on its head by calling the man a fool for saving up for the good life, since that very night he was going to die. Not an evil man, but a fool. In this teaching we look at the counterintuitive wisdom of God that puts relationships over stuff and calls us to a recklessly generous life in light of eternity. He's inviting us into the truly good life. How might you step more deeply into Jesus' wisdom today with your money and possessions?

One of the most misunderstood parables of Jesus is that of the ten minas. It has caused generations of Christ followers, particularly here in the West, to think Jesus is primarily wanting us to be productive. Efficient. A spiritual version of "Show me the money." Instead this parable actually shows how he's looking for faithfulness and loyalty while we await his return. What difference would it make in your life if you were aiming for faithfulness to Christ rather than production for Him?

During the storms that batter us from side to side, where is your house built? Is your life built on the shifting sand of preference, social media, and newsfeeds? Or are you working hard to found your life on the sure bedrock of Jesus Christ? In this teaching we look at the parable of the houses and consider how to audit the foundations of our lives today. How might you build more intentionally this week on the truth God offers us through his word?

Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed - but what exactly does that mean? In this teaching we see how this short parable of Jesus is jam packed with meaning relevant for our lives today. There's a surprise warning to us as we so easily slip into our culture's idea that bigger is better and quick results win the market. And there's hope for orienting your life around God's upside down Kingdom that doesn't always seem successful. Finally, we discover how God's Kingdom is a lot like a skunk.

It's pretty common for people to think God is angry with them. Disappointed. Distant. But even though some of our earthly fathers have related to us that way, our Heavenly Father is quite different. In this teaching we look at God through the parable of the prodigal son. And we discover the heart of our Father who runs to his children and receives them with overwhelming grace and joy. That's what our God is like. And so we truly can celebrate a happy Father's Day! How are you responding to his grace these days? And how might you move more deeply into relationship with Him?

Just how are we supposed to engage in the midst of tragedies? Is firing off a tweet about "thoughts and prayers" enough? Should we instead throw our energy into activism? In this teaching, we look at two stories Jesus told about the relationship between prayer and action, humility and persistence: the parables of the persistent widow and the Pharisee and the tax collector. What might Jesus be calling you into as you engage with tragedies in our world from here on?

Did you hear? It's been a full year since Tallgrass Church and The Well began meeting together! Happy Birthday, Tallgrass at The Well! So we took this special opportunity to hear stories of what God has been up to in our midst. Pastors Ben Deaver and Josh Siders shared more about the histories of both Tallgrass Church and The Well and how we become better together. We heard encouraging testimonies from Wendy Burr and Chuck Cuchy about how they came to connect with our community and how God's been at work. And Josh shared a brief church family update and vision for what's coming up.

Air is easy to forget. You don't think about it, see right through it. And you rarely feel it, unless it's moving fast. But air is extremely important, powerful, even destructive. And we can't live a moment without breathing it in. Many of us experience God's Spirit like the air. It's easy to forget it's there, unless something big happens. In fact, the Bible uses the same word for wind, breath, and spirit. In this teaching we explore the connections between God's Spirit, the wind, and our breath. And we sit in the mystery of the presence and power of God's Spirit in our lives.

What does God think about our feelings? And what place should human emotions have in our spiritual lives? Some say emotions aren't to be trusted, so we should engage with God through faith rather than our fickle feelings. Others say our emotional lives are the most important aspect of our being, so we should see emotional experiences with God over rational, heady engagement. Who's right? In this teaching we look into God's Word for answers and discover a God who both thinks and feels deeply.