This week we begin our summer sermon series in Ephesians. While almost every other epistle, or letter, is written by the Apostle Paul to address certain issues arising in a church, Ephesians is the exception. This is a letter of encouragement and a charge to grow well in Christ.  Eugene Peterson calls Ephesians “an inside look into what the church could be.” A letter that calls members of Christ’s body into maturity and unity.

MCC is also studying this book of the Bible alongside two other churches: Crossroads Bible Church of Grand Rapids, and Calvary Church of Holland. During this summer series we will not only be learning with these churches, but we get to hear from their leaders and teachers as well.

You are invited to read the book of Ephesians this week in its entirety, even as we open the series with Ephesians 1:1-2.

his week we continue our sermon series in Ephesians. We invite you to read the letter in its entirety as we explore Chapter 1:3-14. In the minutiae of living, we can sometimes need a reminder of what is taking place in the story of God's plan for the world. In this prayer in the beginning of his letter, Paul re-orients us to the drama that is unfolding all around us in God's Kingdom, into which we are invited to merge our stories and lives.

This week we continue our sermon series in Ephesians. We invite you to read the letter in its entirety as we explore Chapter 1:15-23. We will discuss how "rich" we are in Christ (Paul uses images for wealth repeatedly in chapter 1 of Ephesians). In Christ, sinners become saints (rich in grace), in Christ we have a "glorious inheritance" (rich in hope), and in Christ God has "incomparably great power" for us (rich in life).

This week we continue our study in Ephesians 2:11-22.

In this section Paul explains that Jesus has put to death the hostility that is caused by barriers between differing groups. This is a reality that is available to us, though it can often feel distant from our lived experience. Unity in Christ is non negotiable as Christians, and the only way to achieve this unity is by orienting ourselves to secure identities in Jesus.

Join us online or in person as we explore what unity in Christ can look like in the here and now.

This week in Ephesians 3:1-13 Paul articulates the mystery that God has revealed by making Gentiles and Israel into one family. This was the plan from the beginning and one that we as a community are invited into: united to each other, even amidst our differences.

This week, we continue our summer sermon series in Ephesians by exploring Ephesians 3:14-21. In his prayer, Paul emphasizes the immeasurable love and strength we receive through Christ. He prays for believers to be rooted and established in love, comprehending the vast dimensions of Christ's love, and being filled with the fullness of God. This passage encourages us to embrace the transformative power of God's love in our lives, fostering deeper spiritual growth and unity within the body of Christ. Join us as we explore this profound expression of divine love and empowerment.

This week we move from "theology in the stars" to "theology in the dirt". Chapter 4 of Ephesians is a turning point in Paul's letter, and beckons us to get  more practical in the outworkings of our faith as a united, resurrected people.