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November 5, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
Persecution / Upcoming MSM Events
Let’s continue on Committing to the Gathering this Saturday as we look to see and experience God through teaching, worship, and groups. See you then! - Jayke THE MAIN POINT: Opposition, pushback, and hard days don’t mean God has stopped working; standing firm under pressure reveals who we belong to and how He gives us real courage. CAR RIDE HOME QUESTION: When you feel pressure at school, online, or with friends to compromise what is right, is your first instinct to blend in, or to stand firm—and what makes standing with Jesus worth the cost? Nobody signs up for trouble, but Jesus was very clear with His followers: "In this world you will have trouble." When you choose to follow Him, the crowd isn’t always going to applaud. This weekend, as we continue our Certain series, we are diving into Acts 4 and 5 to talk about Opposition & Courage. The early church saw explosive growth, but with that growth came intense resistance. The religious authorities arrested Peter and John, threatened them, and ordered them to stay silent. Yet instead of backing down, panicking, or trying to blend in, these ordinary fishermen showed an astonishing boldness because they had "been with Jesus." When push came to shove, they made their allegiance crystal clear: they chose to obey God rather than the crowd. And when the pressure mounted, they didn’t pray for an easy escape route—they ran to their church community and prayed for the boldness to keep standing firm. Whether your student is facing locker room talk, feeling left out for their convictions, or simply feeling the daily pressure to fit in, this weekend will challenge and equip them to know that following Jesus is worth any social cost. Come join us this weekend! Saturday Nights at 5:30PM / Connect Groups till 8:00PM CALENDAR UPDATES: November 7th - Saturday Night Service (Connect Groups) November 11th - Wednesday Night Service (MSM MDWK) November 14th - Saturday Night Service (Connect Groups) November 21st - Saturday Night Service (Connect Groups) November 25th - Wednesday Night Service (Giving Thanks Worship) Connect Groups: After-service groups that meet to talk about what they heard in service. (5:30PM - 8:00PM Saturday Nights) Gender-Specific Groups Middle School & High School Specific Outlines are provided at the ‘Welcome Desk’ for students & leaders New Students are encouraged and will be placed in a group MSM MDWK: Separate Bi-Weekly gathering for MS & HS Students (6:00PM - 7:15 PM MDWK Wednesday’s) Student-specific teaching series Bible Study & Practical Takeaways Community-based UPCOMING EVENTS: WINTER HIGHLIGHT: MSM XMAS PARTY MSM XMAS Party is how we like to wrap up this semester of groups together. Be on the lookout for that goofy, silly, or awesome sweater to wear for this night of connection, hot drinks, and a little extended time of fun together. We can’t wait to see your students there with us. When: Saturday, December 12th Where: Memphis Christian Who: 6th–12th Grade Students Cost: FREE WINTER HIGHLIGHT: NEW YEAR’S OVERNIGHTER NEW YEARS is a 14 Hour overnight experience that counts down into the 2026 Calendar year! Throughout the late hours of the night and into the next morning, students will get to compete in challenges, celebrate the New Year, and experience God in worship. We can't wait for you to be there with your 6th-12th grade friends!NEW YEARS OVERNIGHTER (SIGN UP) When: Friday, December 31st Where: Memphis Christian Who: 6th–12th Grade Students Cost: $15
November 4, 2026 • 14 Minute Read
This Week At MCC
My Journey Through Grief - Fall Session Thursdays 6:30pm Nov 5th, 12th, 19th, Dec 3rd, 10th, 13th Facilitated by Pastor Dave Colbert in partnership with Terri Mullins, provides a safe, encouraging, and healing atmosphere for all who are experiencing grief.REGISTER Operation Christmas Child delivers great joy and the Good News of Jesus Christ to children in need around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes. Each box packed full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items becomes a tangible expression of God's immense love for the child. For many, it is their first gift ever! Delivered by our local church partners, shoebox gifts provide an opportunity to present the Gospel to boys and girls in a clear, child-friendly way. Drop off your filled shoebox at one of our weekend services November 14th or 15th.What Goes In My Shoebox?BUILD A BOX ONLINE Upper Elementary | 3rd - 6th Grade Students will enjoy a 3 - HOUR action packed evening where they will have opportunities to build connections, and grow in their relationships with one another. Sign up today!SIGN UP! "Persecution" Key Scripture: Acts 4; 5:11-41 There are some things in life that we can be “certain” will happen. We can be certain that life will bring both good days and difficult days, that seasons will come and go, and for the most part we are ok with that. But what Jesus describes in John is a certainty we don’t welcome, at least not at first. “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) For followers of Jesus, some of that trouble will come simply because we belong to Him. Sometimes it will come from the world around us because we live in a fallen world, but every once in a while, surprisingly, trouble comes from people who claim to represent God. This is what we see in Acts Chapters 4 and 5. The early church was growing, the apostles were preaching Jesus, people were being saved, and God was at work. With the growth, however, came opposition. The apostles discovered something every generation of Christians must understand. Sometimes following Jesus creates opposition resulting in persecution. But persecution does not mean God has stopped working. In fact, Acts shows us that “Sometimes the evidence that God is working most powerfully is found right in the middle of the resistance.” This is what I want us to learn as we look at a situation in Acts Chapter 4. Acts Chapter 4 opens up with Peter and John (two of Jesus’ disciples) being confronted by the religious authorities because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. The Sadducees were especially disturbed because they did not believe in the resurrection. You might remember, they were “sad, you see,” because they didn't believe Jesus rose from the dead. But what is remarkable is what happened while the religious leaders were becoming increasingly disturbed. “But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.” (Acts 4:4) The opposition was increasing, but so was the church. The religious leaders were trying to stop the message, but God was at work in the middle of their opposition. That gives us the first certainty we hold to when persecution comes. Persecution cannot stop what God is doing and is often evidence that God is at work. A year earlier, Jesus had told Peter and the disciples “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades (Hell) will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) The enemy may oppose the church, people may oppose your faith, governments may oppose Christianity, culture may reject Biblical truth, religious people may criticize you, friends may walk away from you, but none of that means God has stopped working. In fact, we are about to see that He is working all the more. Peter and John were brought before the rulers, elders and teachers of the law, and they were asked, “By what power or what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:7b) (The “this” they were referring to was a lame man healed by Peter right there in the temple courts that led to Peter sharing the gospel.) Peter could have become intimidated. He could have softened his answer. Instead, it tells us that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and answered them. “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-10; 12) In our early years here at MCC, as the church began to grow, some of the folks in the church questioned our methods. A worship minister who had tattoos, students wearing hats when they played instruments on stage. One of our elders came to me and said, “Don’t be concerned with the criticism. You can’t argue with the results. People are being baptized every week.” Peter wasn't defending a religious opinion. He was declaring a truth that couldn’t be negotiated. Jesus is not one option among many. Jesus is the only source of salvation. Jesus is the authority, and Peter wouldn’t back down. It’s the second certainty God is revealing to us here. Persecution reveals the strength of our witness. “When they (the authorities) saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) I love that phrase, “they had been with Jesus.” Jesus had changed them. That ought to be the testimony of our lives. When people watch us under pressure, what do they see? When someone criticizes our faith, or attacks what we believe, how do we respond? When our Christian values are mocked, do people see anger, arrogance and defensiveness, or do they see the character of Christ? Persecution doesn't create our character, it reveals our character. Anyone can talk about faith when everything is going well, praise God when the bills are paid, the family is healthy and life is comfortable. But when you are excluded because of your convictions, called names because you will not compromise, or treated unfairly because you follow Jesus, that is when the world gets to see whether Jesus really has changed us. Peter and John were courageous, but their courage wasn’t arrogance. Their boldness wasn’t hostility. They simply refused to deny Jesus. Verse 18 says the authorities then commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John responded, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19–20). Notice, Peter didn't say, “We think this is true.” He said, “We have seen it. We have heard it. We know it.” There are things about our faith we may not understand completely, questions we may not be able to answer, or circumstances we may not be able to explain, but there is something we can know. Jesus is Lord, Jesus died for our sins, Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus saves, and Jesus is still at work. Verse 21 says the authorities eventually released Peter and John. Notice where they went? They didn’t go cower in the corner, have a pity party, or post to Facebook. They went to The Gathering. They went to their church family and prayed. (Remember last week – “The church is a family connected by prayer and a commitment to be present”) Verse 24 says “...they raised their voices together in prayer to God.” This is the third certainty we discover. Persecution invites us to pray. The church didn't gather to develop a strategy for revenge. Look at their prayer. “Sovereign Lord, you made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided before hand should happen. Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:24-30) They didn't pray that God would destroy their enemies. They didn't ask God to make the persecution disappear. They acknowledged God's sovereignty and asked Him for boldness to continue doing what He had called them to do. Remember last month the model Jesus gave us when praying? How we are to acknowledge who it is that we are speaking to and ask Him to align our circumstances and desires with His will. To ask Him for what we need today in order to be faithful. “Enable us….” “Stretch out your hand and heal….” “Show yourself Lord…” “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (Acts 4:31) You talk about things backfiring on those who set out to persecute the church. What they hoped to stop, or at least stifle, resulted in an explosion of faith and boldness flowing from God through the Church. I think about this sometimes in our worship together at The Gathering. How it is that sometimes we cry when we are in this place. How when we embrace the truth of the words we are singing, when these words become prayers, that we are shaken to the core, we are moved, we are motivated, as God fills us back up. What would have happened if they had prayed “get me out of this” when God wanted them to pray “get me through this”? There is nothing wrong with asking God to remove persecution. Jesus Himself prayed in Gethsemane for the cup to be taken from Him. But where did Jesus land in his prayer? “But not my will, but yours be done!” And that brings us to Acts chapter 5. The apostles were arrested again. But notice it’s not for leading a rebellion, but helping people, healing people. They had already been threatened, warned, and told to stop but now they are arrested again. We sometimes assume that if we stand firm once, the battle should be over, but Scripture doesn't promise that. In verse 18 the apostles are placed in jail but during the night, an angel of the Lord opens the doors and brings them out. And then the angel gives them an unusual command, “Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people the full message about this new life.” (Acts 5:20). God released them so they could go back and preach. In the same way God does not simply deliver us from something, He delivers us for something. Remember the whole purpose of our life as Christ followers, as The Church, is to bring Glory to God, to point the world to Jesus. We have been released from the bondage of sin so that we can tell somebody else about new life in Christ. We have been forgiven so that we can tell others where forgiveness is found. Rescued from our past so that we can point others toward their future. So don't waste your freedom. Don't waste the story of what God has done in your life. The apostle Paul spoke of his difficulties, both in times of persecution as well as personal suffering, many times. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) The apostles went right back into the temple courts and started teaching again. Of course, the authorities found them and brought them before the Sanhedrin to reminded them, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name.” Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than human beings” (Acts 5:28a, 29). There it is again. When obedience to God and obedience to people come into conflict, our ultimate allegiance belongs to God. Scripture teaches us to respect authorities, honor people, live peacefully, and submit to legitimate authority. But there is a line that cannot be crossed. We cannot obey people in a way that requires us to disobey God. In the Old Testament Daniel didn’t stop praying because the government commanded it. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego didn’t bow down because Nebuchadnezzar ordered it. The issue is “who will we allow to have the ultimate authority in our life?” Will it be fear, relationships, financial security, the expectations of others? Or is it God? I want to mention something interesting that happens. A guy named Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the law stood up and advised his fellow Sanhedrin to leave the apostles alone and let them go. His reasoning was simple. “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:38b–39) Gamaliel observation exposes an undeniable truth. Human opposition cannot ultimately defeat God's purposes. People can oppose God's work, delay God's work, or make God's work more difficult, but they cannot overthrow God. Just like we talked about last week, if God is in it, God will sustain it. And that leads us to where this account wraps up. The apostles were flogged and were ordered again not to speak in the name of Jesus. “The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41) How do you rejoice after being beaten, publicly humiliated, and threatened for your faith? You rejoice because suffering for Jesus reminds you whose you are. Last week I visited a friend whose father had passed away. 23 years ago I worked for this friend and had the privilege of driving his dad to Indianapolis to help take care of some business there. On our way, his dad told me about how at the age of twenty two, he found a field and he sold everything he owned so that he could buy that field. He was talking about hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ, surrendering his life to Jesus, and making the decision to follow Him. It was a decision that impacted the next 70 years of his life. That man understood something we sometimes forget. Following Jesus is worth everything. The apostles understood this. Jesus had been rejected, mocked, beaten, crucified, and now, as His followers, they were willing to suffer disgrace because they belonged to Him. They weren't celebrating pain, they were celebrating faithfulness. Christlikeness. Verse 42 says that day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. They never stopped. Jesus was worth it all. Have you stopped? What is it that has you discouraged in your faith wondering if Jesus has left you? Can you see today that persecution and difficulty is to be expected, but God is with us. He is at work in and around us and He will finish what he started. It’s up to us to buy the field, to go all-in and take our next step toward that finished work. Will you? Come and let’s pray, come and be part of this family, come and surrender your life to Jesus Christ. I’ll meet you at The Gathering. Dave
November 2, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Prayer Needs (Week of November 2, 2026)
Current Prayer Needs: Thank you for taking the time to read through and pray through these items. May we continue caring for one another, celebrating God’s work, and intentionally bring every need before Him, trusting that He is always faithful. Gary Frid - Recovery from AVM surgery Friday on nostril. Charity Smith - Mother was hospitalized Friday with a possible brain bleed. Mary Beth (Niece of Adam Guernsey) Endometrial cancer Cameron Mullins - (Added 11/4) His friends family is grieving today their sudden loss. Luke Wenger - Deeper patience and understanding. George Bailey - was told this past week that he will no longer be able to drive due to vision issues. Will have upcoming appointment to see if any correction can be made. Asking for the Lord’s comfort and guidance. Josh Schmitt - back in treatment. children are struggling with understanding. Cook Family - guidance to move forward for healing now that there are answers from the medical community. Sierra & Casey Young - Anticipated C-Section delivery next week. Henry Jones (7 years old) Underwent heart transplant surgery Sunday (11/1). His new heart is beating and he is off bypass. We pray for Henry, his mother and the donor’s family. Thank you Jessica Gater for sharing this with us. Glenn Bullock - Knee replacement Surgery scheduled for Tuesday morning 11/3. Marire Blankenburg - (Tom’s mother) is home from the hospital and recovering well. Evelyn Carmany - continues to experience periods of severe pain/discomfort. Doctors continue testing and so far have not had any conclusive results. This is challenging on Kim who suffers when her daughter is hurting. We ask that God will provide insight and a solution. Family of Millie Lansman (sister-in-law to Gary Landsman) passed way the weekend. Millie survived her husband and siblings by several years before passing away peacefully at 92. We pray for Gary and all of the nieces and nephews left behind. Gary Lansman - Urology issues that are causing significant pain and will require upcoming procedure. Amber Harris - life circumstances Debbie Barton’s sister in law having a hard time with her cancer. Loretta Amos - Infection in leg as a result of car accident a couple weeks ago. Concerns with complications from diabetes. Wilma Gentry - Mother of Teri Bullock, home recovering from shoulder injury (Torn rotator cuff). Not a candidate for surgery. Continuing on pain management. Pat Seymour - sister to Marvin Page - previously suffered and stroke and is now severely depressed and not eating. John Barnett - (Brenda Biggs stepdaughters husband) Heart Cath revealed blockage and need for bypass surgery. Surgery scheduled in Texas on November 4th. Connie Frid - strengthen her back after injury so that she can return to the gathering and regular activities. Great to see Connie present this weekend. Allison Willen - Surgery on her ankle Friday (10/30) and recovery at home. Surgery went well. Marriages/Relationships - we have several families facing relationship challenges that have pushed them back from each other, God and The Gathering of His people. We pray for restoration. Expectant Mothers - We have many expectant couples this fall. We join them in celebrating God’s gift and continue to ask his protection of the babies growth and mom’s health. Our Military – Please pray for the men and women serving in our nation’s military. Ask God to protect them, give them wisdom and courage and strengthen their families during times of separation. Our Country and Leaders - We pray daily for our nation and those God has allowed in in positions of power from the President, our representative, the Supreme Court all the way to our local leaders and school boards that they, and we, will surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Praises & Celebrations: Brenden Bassett - baptized Sunday morning. Congratulations Brenden! Kynda Hensley and son Liam placed their membership at MCC Sunday. Welcome Home! Continued growth of new families and individuals at MCC. Ministry Updates & Reminders: Together we are asking God to work through every gathering, leader, and activity. May He transform lives, deepen relationships, and allow each opportunity to make Christ known. Connect and Grow Group Week - Enjoy your connections this week Fall Festival | Thank you MCC Family for being great hosts to our community and to one another. What a great night of growth and discovery. Grief Share begins Thursday (11/5) at 6:30pm For more details check out the following link. https://launcher.nucleus.church/flow/40a1bff886997ba33f71?nucleuslauncher=openflow&nlflow=40a1bff886997ba33f71 Please reach out directly if your church family can support you through prayer or in another way this week.
November 1, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
November Loft Recap (week 1)
LOFT WEEKEND RECAP Series/Message: The Great Gratitude Challenge Key Scripture: James 1:17, Philippians 4:8 THE BIG IDEA The way we look at life affects what we notice. When we focus on complaints, comparison, and fear, we can miss the good things God gives us. But every good gift comes from God, who never changes. When we choose to focus on what is good and practice gratitude, we can recognize God's goodness and thank Him for everything. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. - James 1:17 MAIN POINTS The way we look at life affects what we notice Every good gift comes from a God who never changes We can choose to focus on what is good ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION QUESTIONS Use these questions to continue the conversation at home and help your kids think more deeply about what they heard this weekend. Pick one or two and give your kid space to share what they are thinking. The goal is to continue the conversation at home and help them see how following Jesus connects to their everyday life. 1. Have you ever had a day where one bad thing happened and it felt like the whole day was bad? What happened, and how did it affect the way you saw everything else that day? 2. Why do you think it's so easy to notice when something goes wrong but harder to notice when things go right? 3. How can comparing our lives to what we see other people doing or having steal our joy? What could help us be happy for others while still appreciating our own lives? 4. What is one thing our family could do together to get better at noticing and celebrating the good things God is doing in our everyday lives?
October 31, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
November 1 Pre-registration
Tonight is Fall Festival Join us this Saturday for a family service and then head out to fall festival! Make plans to return this Sunday as we kick off our new pre-k theme and teaching series for Clubhouse with full children’s programming! Preschool November Theme When was the last time you moved through the world with wide-eyed wonder, noticing the smallest details like a ladybug on the sidewalk or the sound of a bird overhead? Preschoolers do that every day! They live in the now, because they are rarely preoccupied with yesterday or tomorrow. Their attention to what they see sparks a tiny parade of joy and celebration throughout their day. So this month we want to join preschoolers as we celebrate God. When we see God’s creation, they can celebrate God. When they see how mighty and powerful God is, they can celebrate God also! This weekend we kick off our new theme in Psalms. God spoke and created everything. The moon, and stars that twinkle at night, the geat big sun that shines during the day, and even the puffy clouds that brign rain. God made it all! And God made peopoe! He gave us hands that clap and feet that wiggle and dance. God made us, and we are His people. And when we see what God has made, we can celebrate God! Our Memory Verse for the month: “Shout aloud and sing for joy.” Isaiah 12:6 Elementary Teaching November This month we kick off The Great Gratitude Challenge. November has become an extension of the holiday marketing machine, every email and ad seems to be “buy more, and buy it earlier”. That’s why November is the perfect month for us to pause and focus on gratitude and thanksgiving. We dig into what it means to have a heart of gratitude and to regularly express our thanks to God. This weekend we kick of the month in James 1:17, and Philippians 4:8. It’s so easy to forget that every sunrise, every bit of food, every breath of air is a gracious gift from God. Children will explore how focusing on things that are right and lovely and excellent, instead of on what’s wrong, our hearts flow with thanks and gratittude. Our Bottom Line this weekend “I can thank God.” Our Memory Verse for the month: “Every good and perfect gift is from God. This kind of gift comes down from the Father who created the heavenly lights. These lights create shadows that move. But the Father does not change like these shadows.” James 1:17 NIrV Pre-Registration Thank you for registering for Sunday this weekend by clicking on the link below. When you arrive your tags will be printed and ready for pick up from the counter in the Commons Lobby. **Reminder Saturday service is a full family service** After you have picked up your tag or checked in you can head to the lower level where your child’s small group leader will be ready to greet them! Thank you for having the pick up portion of your tag visible when entering the Clubhouse area!Clubhouse Pre-Registration
October 28, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
MDWK Tonight & Important Reminders
MDWK Christmas Program This week we begin rehearsing the songs for the MDWK Christmas Program. It is important that if your child wants to be in the program that they are present each MDWK since we have limited rehearsal time. Mark your calendars now for dress rehearsal on December 6th and the program on December 9th. Every child toddler through 5th Grade will have the opportunity to be in the program. Thank you for making sure they head to the lower level during MDWK so they don’t miss out on the opportunity to be part of this MDWK Christmas Program. We look forward to our time together this evening as we wrap up our theme, and look at what it means for us to shine our light for others to see. We hope that you will join us this evening! This Coming Weekend We look forward to this weekend. This Saturday as we invite the community to join us for service at 5:30 and Fall Festival beginning at 7. This Saturday will be a Full Family Service. No children will be checked in. Make plans to join us Sunday for full programming as we kick off our new teaching series and theme in Clubhouse! We will have full children’s programming for Clubhouse and Loft on Sunday morning! We hope that you will be present both days this weekend as we love on the community, get an extra hour of sleep, and then return on Sunday to kick off the month of November! Pre-Registration Thank you for taking the time to pre-register your child for MDWK by clicking on the link below. When you arrive your tags will be printed and ready for you to grab and head to dinner. Dinner begins at 5:15 and programming on the lower level will begin at 5:50. Register at the link below.Clubhouse Pre-Registration
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