more better disciples

Great Expectations: Let God Rock the Rest of Your Life

alexlozada — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Ben Cachiaras continued MCC’s Great Expectations series by challenging us to move our trajectory from success (as the world defines it) to significance. Here is a guide to accompany the message.

MCC gave away copies of Bob Buford’s book Halftime after the weekend messages – this link is to the expanded edition hardcover, different than the ones given by MCC. Here are more details about the Halftime organization.

Great Expectations: Hey Singles, Its Time to Rock!

alexlozada — Sun, 27 May 2012 14:57:26 +0000

MCC’s Pastor of Groups and Young Adults Nathan McDade and guest speaker Laura Buffington (spiritual formation pastor Southbrook Christian Church, Miamisburg OH) to “run toward God” in every life situation, single adult or married. Here’s a guide to follow through on the message.

Great Expectations: Part II of Let God Rock Your Marriage

alexlozada — Sun, 20 May 2012 14:41:14 +0000

Ethan Magness talks about how letting our relationship desires (hopes) turn into expectations (contract-like demands) harms our relationships. Here is the group (or personal) follow-through study guide. You can find audio & video from MCC’s Great Expectations resource page. Mountain Rd campus sold out Tim Keller’s book, The Meaning of Marriage, but you can order online from the link, or visit your local Christian bookstore.

Great Expectations: Let God Rock Your Marriage p1

alexlozada — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:20:41 +0000

On Mothers Day weekend, MCC began a new messages series Great Expectations. Though its not about the famous Charles Dickens novel, this quote from the book does capture some of the underlying theme of the series:

“We spent as much money as we could, and got as little of it as people could make up their minds to give us. We were always more or less miserable, and most of our acquaintance were in the same condition. There was a gay fiction among us that we were constantly enjoying ourselves, and a skeleton truth that we never did. To the best of my belief, our case was in the last aspect a rather common one.”

Here is the study guide for the first message “Let God Rock Your Marriage – part 1.” Here are my own notes on the message, and the YouVersion Live Event notes (adapated from Ben’s message slides).

Dancing with the Scars – Addiction

alexlozada — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:39:00 +0000

Though I’m traveling at Community Christian Church (Lanoka Harbor, NJ) speaking for their Faith Promise missions weekend, here is the study guide for the last message in MCC’s Dancing with the Scars series, “Recovery from Addiction.” MCC’s message resource page features some local area resources, including Celebrate Recovery.

Dancing With the Scars – April 2012

alexlozada — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:09:30 +0000

Ben Cachiaras welcomed his long-time friend Randy Gariss as part of this weekend’s Dancing With the Scars message. Randy is preaching minister @ College Heights Chr Church, and he shared his reflections on Joplin tornado (22 May 2011) and God’s presence in the aftermath. Here are study guides for today’s message “Aftermath: Suffering, Loss, Storms” and the first 2 in the series, “Abuse” and “Anxiety & Depression.”

Mountain Do: Meeting God on Mountains in the Bible

alexlozada — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:22:38 +0000

MCC’s March 2012 series used the theme “Meeting God on Mountain” to look at five Bible encounters with God on mountains and hills of the Bible. I’m gradually catching up on posting study guides in a new format – here are the completed ones for “The God Who Rocks” (24-25 March) and “The God Who Weeps for You” (31 March – 1 Apr). I hope to update this post in the next few days with links for the other three message study guides.

Mountain Walk

alexlozada — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:26:21 +0000

In Feb-Mar 2012, MCC unveiled a revised version of the Mountain Walk – three core ways we can live as Jesus did. The message series presented “Love God” (4-5 Feb); “Love People” (11-12 Feb); “Serve the World” (18-19 Feb); plus the foundation of the Mountain Walk (“What’s It All About” 28-29 Jan); and what we are doing about it (“Walking the Walk” 25-26 Feb). The climax of the series was a churchwide “Commissioning” (3-4 March) [incomplete].

another year of Christian camp

alexlozada — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 03:43:37 +0000

Great week w/ lively 4-6th graders + servant-hearted staff @ Indian Lake Christian Service Camp. Oldest daughter was counselor (2nd year in row, and week right after getting back from Dominican Republic trip), youngest daughter was camper (along w/ 2 of her cousins), and middle daughter visited 3 nights during the week (including faculty hunt!).

Part of what I love about camp is the opportunity to teach again – my “day job” is more focused on administration and trouble-shooting I taught the morning Bible class with Jesus-stories on the week’s theme “I Am”, and Tuesday PM outdoor chapel in the newly restored and usable “amphitheater” – wooden benches overlooking the Susquehanna River – complete w eagles circling overhead, noisy power boats on the water, and 136-car freight train – yes, some of the campers chose to count the number of cars instead of listening to my lesson – surprise, surprise

Another part of what I love about camp is reconnecting w/ a past season of life . I missed the recent work weekends getting my home church camp, Catskill Christian Assembly, but thanks to the blessing of Facebook, I’ve reconnected with some friends from wayback. Serving at camp was a crucial turning point in my journey to vocational Christian ministry . . . . and High School Retreat (Fall 1990) was an even bigger turning point in my life – that’s another story (stories!) that I should let my bride of 19+years tell

Covenant + Community – 26June resources

alexlozada — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:15:11 +0000

Ethan Magness followed through on the “to be continued” STORY from last week by teaching about “Covenant and Community,” using the stories of Nehemiah, Abraham, and Joshua to show how God rebuilds from “Catastrophe.” I just realized that because I’ve been going back & forth to Indian Lake Christian Camp each day this week – sometimes 2x day I forgot to post the study guide and notes (thinner this week because I didn’t have my phone or laptop when I hosted at MCC Bel Air) until just now – my apology! Good, though tiring, week at Indian Lake (though not nearly as tiring as the campers & staff there – including several teen staff who were in Dominican Republic the week before!) – will blog more about it tomorrow