The MAC Podcast

For the last week of our Advent series, we will fix our focus on God's love. 1 John 4:9 says, "God showed how much he loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world..." Let us enter God's word together and learn what the Incarnation of Christ teaches us about God's Love and how we may know that love for ourselves 2000 years later. 

We are continuing our Advent series by looking at the topic of joy. Jesus tells his disciples in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” How does the season of Advent help us wrestle with the reality of the dark world around us? What does the joy of the Lord look like in practice, and how can we become people of joy regardless of our circumstances?

We are entering the Advent season beginning with a reflection on Peace. Peace is a universal desire felt by us all, and yet why does it often feel elusive, or too much work, improbable, or only comes by chance? If God is a God of Peace, and His goal is for Peace, what seems to be the problem? What we discover in the story of Advent is that Peace is a person who invites us to lean into the story of peace being written for human history.

This is the final week of our fall series where we'll see that “the last chapter” of our story is simply the first in a far better one! From the beginning to the end of our story, we can see God's undying commitment to make His home with us. From the garden to the tabernacle to Jesus himself, we can track with God's active pursuit of humans and His plan to dwell with people (Revelation 21:3). The good news though? We don't have to wait until the end to make our home with God! 

We love plot twists. Some of our favorite books and movies have really unexpected moments. But what about plot twists in our own stories? This Sunday we'll talk about the moments when things don't go as we'd hoped. It can be painful, and obviously, we have God's promises and the reassurance of his presence and purpose in the midst of pain. But in between the pain and the promise is an important (and Biblical) process called lament - expressing grief or sorrow in the face of loss. Here we will look at different Biblical portraits of lament, leading us closer to God's heart and an application of his promises. 

In this message we'll talk about how to find our place in God's Story. How can we "be filled" with His Spirit and used to impact the lives of others? 

In this message we'll talk about redemption and radical transformation. How can Christ's death lead to a better story, and what does this mean for us as image-bearers?  

 A question we've asked recently in our series is “How do we engage people with God's story?” Last week we looked at John 4 (Jesus' interaction with the woman at the well) and this week, we'll open to Acts 17 where Paul reasons with the Jewish leaders in Thessalonica and Berea “from the Scriptures.” But in Athens, where the Scriptures weren't known or respected, he takes a totally different approach.

As we enter into week five of our series, having met the “main character,” identified the “supporting cast” and been introduced to the “antagonist” of our story, we'll now examine the aftermath of our departure from God's story. Along the way though, we'll see God reiterate his original promise (from Genesis 3:15) to send a redeemer and crush the power of the enemy. In this message, we meet this Redeemer! We'll spend time appreciating how he interacted with those who were far from God. 

We'll continue our fall series by looking at Genesis 3. If God created everything good, how come there's so much bad in the world? Where does war come from? What about corruption and violence? And is there any hope for getting this story back on track? 

Over the last few weeks, we've discovered the role God plays as author, main character, and setting of “A Better Story.” But where does that leave us? In this message, we look at the role humanity plays in the story of God. 

We're in a series called “A Better Story” where we're diving into the Christian story and comparing it to the narratives around us. Our culture often does a better job of telling compelling stories, but these stories are far from better. Most are riddled with empty promises and rife with contradictions. But what the world needs is not to hear how wrong they are, they need to hear a better story.  This week, we'll explore some key elements of our story, starting with the question, “Who's the main character?”

For the next 10 weeks, we'll dive into the Christian story and compare it to the stories of the world. Stories grab people's attention. They activate the imagination and engage our emotions, which is partly why Jesus' default teaching method - whether speaking on forgiveness or love or caring for our neighbor - was to tell stories. But our culture has recently done a far better job telling stories and capturing hearts and minds than the church. The good news though is that while our culture's stories may be captivating, they're far from better. In this series, we'll unpack the primary elements of this “Better Story,” including an exploration of the main character and the role of humans. We'll also zoom in on the seditious “rewrites” and role reversals that have taken place along the way. But ultimately, we'll learn how to understand our own stories (including the unwelcomed “plot twists”) and talk about how to engage with the stories of others. Because after all, what the world needs is not to hear how wrong they are. They need to hear a better story. 

For this second week of our “Life Together” series, we'll focus on what it means to extend the life-changing grace and truth of Jesus. 

With all the needs around us, we can easily feel overwhelmed. What do we do when the burdens, either the burdens of others or the burdens we carry, are too much? In this message, we'll be looking at Mark 6:30-44, the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. We'll see an interesting response to the needs and an unsung hero that Jesus uses.

In the final message of our Summer in the Psalms series, Don Partain preaches on Psalm 139.

Last week we talked about three types of “floods” we experience as humans: Relational conflict, personal sin and societal ungodliness. In this follow-up message from Psalm 85 where we'll look at several passages and highlight a “counter-flood” of righteousness, justice and the glory of the Lord “covering the earth as the waters cover the seas.” But what is God's strategy for bringing about this counter-flood?

We're continuing our way through the Psalms with a look at Psalm 93. Every one of us experiences “floods”- relational conflict, personal sin, ungodliness in the world. We'll walk through these experiences in light of the fact that “God is mightier than the flood!”

Pastor Micah shares a message from Psalm 62 and gives an update on some recent changes in the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

Pastor Micah shares on Psalm 145.

In this message we explore Psalms 130. The Psalmist leads us into a deep understanding of the weight of personal sin and the even greater weight of God's grace and redemption, helping us see how God's redemptive work leads us into a deeper love and deeper fear in our relationship with Him.

In this message we look at Psalm 145, focusing on God as King, the Kingdom that He brings, and what it means to live for that Kingdom.

We're continuing our “Summer in the Psalms” series this Sunday by looking at Psalms 84:5-7. In this Psalm, the author uses the idea of “pilgrimage” to give us a picture of the work of God across the spectrum of our lives. How can this idea help us recognize God at work in the everyday details of our lives? And what about those places that we'd rather avoid?

Psalms is a rich book capturing the whole spectrum of the human experience. There are psalms of praise, of hope, of crying, of questioning, and psalms of glory. This book shows us how we can worship God through all the circumstances we face and how God meets us right in the midst of them. We will start our summer in the Psalms in the most fitting chapter: Psalms 1.

In this message we will conclude our Philippians series by looking at Paul's final words of encouragement to the Church in Philippi. 

We will be continuing our series through the book of Philippians in this message by looking at our thought life. Paul encourages us to “think through” what we think about. But what is the connection between our thoughts and our actions? Does what we think about really impact who we become?

One of the biggest reasons we lose our joy is because we can't find peace. We struggle with finding peace for so many reasons and in so many areas of our lives today. In this message, we will discover where true peace comes from and how it can set the stage for joy! 

We're continuing our series in Philippians by looking at chapter 3, verses 20 and 21. In these verses, Paul addresses the idea of citizenship. How are we shaped by the place we call home, and how does our behavior display our citizenship?

We continue our series in Philippians by looking at “the power of example” in Philippians 3:17-19. Paul invites the church to follow his example, which is a powerful statement to make. We'll look at the examples in our own lives and what Jesus might be inviting us into with this statement. 

We're continuing our series in Philippians by looking at Philippians 3:12-16. In this section, Paul gives us a vivid picture of the Christian life - running a race! We'll learn Paul's secret to running, and how we can become better runners ourselves.

In this message we open to chapter 3 where we will find Paul both warning believers against threats to their faith and reminding them of what is most important to their faith. Let's take a deep look together at Jesus and the life we have in Him. 

Paul challenges us to prioritize each other's needs above our own (Philippians 2:3). Sounds scary, doesn't it? Yet, Philippians 2:19-30 illustrates how that principle works beautifully in the church, as God designed it!

In this message we'll look at Philippians 2:14-18 with a focus on verse 14, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing." What does grumbling reveal in us? What happens when we let go of it? What does it mean to "Take hold to the Word of Life"?

In this Easter message, we will be focusing on the responses of those who were closest to Him. What does the Bible say about their reactions to this awe-inspiring, life-changing event? How can we be encouraged when we find ourselves face-to-face with the work of God in our own lives?

Palm Sunday - day we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Together we will see Jesus proclaim that He is the King the Jews--and all the world--have waited for. Check out this message as we kick off Passion Week looking at our true King in Matthew 21:17.  

Paul has pointed to the humble, obedient life of Christ as the example we are to follow. But how do we live up to such a life? How can we be empowered for a life of obedience, and what is God's role in the process?

In this message we will open the book of Philippians to chapter 2, verses 1-11. This passage is a wellspring of belief and practice for the Christian faith. Through it, we are given an often missed picture of God. A picture of a Humble God. A Humble Lord who is over all things. 

This message is based on Philippians 1:27-30, where Paul reminds the church who they are and how they are called to live together in the midst of struggles and suffering.

If someone were to ask you what your life was all about, how would you respond? What would your friends or family say? The world is offering us a lot of answers to a question like this, but what does the Bible have to say? Paul gives us his answer in Philippians 1:21-26. So what does he mean by “to live is Christ, and to die is gain?”

Don Partain leads us in looking at Philippians 1:12-20, pointing to how God can “turn a disadvantage into an advantage.”

In the third week of our Philippians series, Pastor Kyle Smith from Anchor Church will be sharing from Philippians 1:6, 9-11.

In Week Two of our Philippians series, Paul addresses the church of Philippi over a decade after it was planted. Paul's deep love and joy for this church are obvious. The first lesson we learn from the book of Philippians is that joy is not found in circumstances. Rather, God leads us to joy in unexpected places. 

This message kicks off our new series in Philippians! We will be looking at the birth of the church in Philippi - a group of unexpected people in an unexpected place. How does their beginning help us understand the context of the book, and what can we learn about a God who works in the unexpected?

In this message as we conclude our "Still" series, we will be looking at Psalm 23:1-4. What is it exactly that makes Jesus our “Good Shepherd,” and how do those things allow us to “be still and know that He is God?”

In the third message of our "Still" series we will see how Jesus offers us stillness not only when life is easy but in the midst of life's storms. Wherever Jesus is present, we can know that He is God and "Be Still."

This is the second message in our "Still" series where we're responding to God's invitation to "be still and know." This week we'll look at yet another Psalm (121) where we'll see that even when we're sleeping, God is still working. 

We're beginning a four-week series this coming Sunday called “Still.” In this series, we'll be exploring God's invitation for us to “be still and know.” To know that He is God, that He's working (even when we're sleeping), that He's with us in the storm and in “the valley of the shadow of death.” Where are you experiencing anxiety right now? Turmoil? Fear? Kick off the New Year right by entering into God's rest and experiencing joy in His presence. 

Joy can be hard to define, but we know it when we experience it. What does the Bible say about joy, and how can it be something we experience in a broken and fallen world?

We're continuing in our four-week teaching series in this message with the topic of Love. What is the love of the God? What does it look like?  

The second message in our Advent series - Todd Auch preaches on Peace.

In the first message of our Advent series we start with Hope - what is it, where does it come from and what difference does it make?