Momentum Church // Garfield Heights Podcast

In the poem The Present Crisis, James Russell Lowell wrote this gripping line: "Standeth God within the shadow keeping watch over His own".   The short Book of Ester, within the Bible, is the incredible history of a beautiful and courageous young lady, and especially scandalous party, a tyrannical king, a beauty contest, an assassination plot, a diabolical antagonist, the threat of genocide, a opportunity for heroism and an ironic twist. But most importantly, throughout all of that crazy drama - eve when seemed like He was absent - God was standing in the shadows watching over His own.

Back in 1980, Pac-Man was released in the U.S., and we were overtaken with something called “Pac-Man Fever.” What metaphorical lessons can we learn about God and faith from the hours, days, and perhaps weeks we have spent in beanbag chairs in front of the TV with controllers in our hands? You’d be surprised. Prepare to be challenged by four down-to-earth messages on one of America’s favorite pastimes.  

Back in 1980, Pac-Man was released in the U.S., and we were overtaken with something called “Pac-Man Fever.” What metaphorical lessons can we learn about God and faith from the hours, days, and perhaps weeks we have spent in beanbag chairs in front of the TV with controllers in our hands? You’d be surprised. Prepare to be challenged by four down-to-earth messages on one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Back in 1980, Pac-Man was released in the U.S., and we were overtaken with something called “Pac-Man Fever.” What metaphorical lessons can we learn about God and faith from the hours, days, and perhaps weeks we have spent in beanbag chairs in front of the TV with controllers in our hands? You’d be surprised. Prepare to be challenged by four down-to-earth messages on one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Back in 1980, Pac-Man was released in the U.S., and we were overtaken with something called “Pac-Man Fever.” What metaphorical lessons can we learn about God and faith from the hours, days, and perhaps weeks we have spent in beanbag chairs in front of the TV with controllers in our hands? You’d be surprised. Prepare to be challenged by four down-to-earth messages on one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Simon wasn’t anyone special. He was just a regular blue-collar dude. That is – until he met Jesus, who gave him the nickname “Rock” (which we translate “Peter”). Eventually people started calling him “Simon Peter.” And, yes, I’m sure there were some wisecrackers who called him “Dwayne Johnson.” People tend to love stories from the life of Simon Peter, because he was extremely imperfect. It’s easy to see ourselves in him. Frankly “Rock” didn’t fit him at all when the nickname was given. But when he started following and learning from Jesus, his life slowly transformed into someone deserving of that name. Rock.

Simon wasn’t anyone special. He was just a regular blue-collar dude. That is – until he met Jesus, who gave him the nickname “Rock” (which we translate “Peter”). Eventually people started calling him “Simon Peter.” And, yes, I’m sure there were some wisecrackers who called him “Dwayne Johnson.” People tend to love stories from the life of Simon Peter, because he was extremely imperfect. It’s easy to see ourselves in him. Frankly “Rock” didn’t fit him at all when the nickname was given. But when he started following and learning from Jesus, his life slowly transformed into someone deserving of that name. Rock.  

Rock   Simon wasn’t anyone special. He was just a regular blue-collar dude. That is – until he met Jesus, who gave him the nickname “Rock” (which we translate “Peter”). Eventually people started calling him “Simon Peter.” And, yes, I’m sure there were some wisecrackers who called him “Dwayne Johnson.” People tend to love stories from the life of Simon Peter, because he was extremely imperfect. It’s easy to see ourselves in him. Frankly “Rock” didn’t fit him at all when the nickname was given. But when he started following and learning from Jesus, his life slowly transformed into someone deserving of that name. Rock.  

Simon wasn’t anyone special. He was just a regular blue-collar dude. That is – until he met Jesus, who gave him the nickname “Rock” (which we translate “Peter”). Eventually people started calling him “Simon Peter.” And, yes, I’m sure there were some wisecrackers who called him “Dwayne Johnson.” People tend to love stories from the life of Simon Peter, because he was extremely imperfect. It’s easy to see ourselves in him. Frankly “Rock” didn’t fit him at all when the nickname was given. But when he started following and learning from Jesus, his life slowly transformed into someone deserving of that name. Rock.

All About the Benjamins In a famous 1997-song, rapper Sean Combs* said, “It’s all about the Benjamins.” Benjamins = $100 bills. The song wasn’t very good, but the motto became iconic. Obviously that’s not a unique message for a rapper. The same could be said of many human beings. We constantly battle problems like overspending, greed, consumerism, tightfistedness, and living paycheck to paycheck. In this 3-week series, we’re going to take a look at what God’s wisdom on how to handle our Benjamins through budgeting, generosity, and getting out of debt. But we’ll do it Momentum-style…graciously, authentically, and creatively. * “100” is a key number for Sean Combs, because he also has about 100 rapper names: Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, Diddy…

 All About the Benjamins   In a famous 1997-song, rapper Sean Combs* said, “It’s all about the Benjamins.” Benjamins = $100 bills. The song wasn’t very good, but the motto became iconic. Obviously that’s not a unique message for a rapper. The same could be said of many human beings. We constantly battle problems like overspending, greed, consumerism, tightfistedness, and living paycheck to paycheck. In this 3-week series, we’re going to take a look at what God’s wisdom on how to handle our Benjamins through budgeting, generosity, and getting out of debt. But we’ll do it Momentum-style…graciously, authentically, and creatively. * “100” is a key number for Sean Combs, because he also has about 100 rapper names: Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, Diddy…  

All About the Benjamins In a famous 1997-song, rapper Sean Combs* said, “It’s all about the Benjamins.” Benjamins = $100 bills. The song wasn’t very good, but the motto became iconic. Obviously that’s not a unique message for a rapper. The same could be said of many human beings. We constantly battle problems like overspending, greed, consumerism, tightfistedness, and living paycheck to paycheck. In this 3-week series, we’re going to take a look at what God’s wisdom on how to handle our Benjamins through budgeting, generosity, and getting out of debt. But we’ll do it Momentum-style…graciously, authentically, and creatively. * “100” is a key number for Sean Combs, because he also has about 100 rapper names: Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, Diddy…  

“God, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.” Each of us spends our lives on a journey toward, or away from, God. Often our most deeply felt longings—for meaning, for love, for significance—end up leading us away from, instead of toward, our Creator and the person he made us to be. “Find Your Way Back to God” – based on Jesus’ story about the Lost/Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is about waking up to who you really are, and daring to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him. It’s about making the biggest wager of your life as you ask God to make himself known to you. And it’s about watching what happens next.      

“God, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.” Each of us spends our lives on a journey toward, or away from, God. Often our most deeply felt longings—for meaning, for love, for significance—end up leading us away from, instead of toward, our Creator and the person he made us to be. “Find Your Way Back to God” – based on Jesus’ story about the Lost/Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is about waking up to who you really are, and daring to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him. It’s about making the biggest wager of your life as you ask God to make himself known to you. And it’s about watching what happens next.        

“God, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.” Each of us spends our lives on a journey toward, or away from, God. Often our most deeply felt longings—for meaning, for love, for significance—end up leading us away from, instead of toward, our Creator and the person he made us to be. “Find Your Way Back to God” – based on Jesus’ story about the Lost/Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is about waking up to who you really are, and daring to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him. It’s about making the biggest wager of your life as you ask God to make himself known to you. And it’s about watching what happens next.      

 “God, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.” Each of us spends our lives on a journey toward, or away from, God. Often our most deeply felt longings—for meaning, for love, for significance—end up leading us away from, instead of toward, our Creator and the person he made us to be.  “Find Your Way Back to God” – based on Jesus’ story about the Lost/Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is about waking up to who you really are, and daring to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him. It’s about making the biggest wager of your life as you ask God to make himself known to you. And it’s about watching what happens next.

“God, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.” Each of us spends our lives on a journey toward, or away from, God. Often our most deeply felt longings—for meaning, for love, for significance—end up leading us away from, instead of toward, our Creator and the person he made us to be. “Find Your Way Back to God” – based on Jesus’ story about the Lost/Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) is about waking up to who you really are, and daring to believe that God wants to be found even more than you want to find him. It’s about making the biggest wager of your life as you ask God to make himself known to you. And it’s about watching what happens next.

Our lead minister, Dan Smith, shares some of the exciting things that God may have in store for Momentum Christian Church in 2016!  

Many people feel like they were born for specific tasks, jobs, or activities. Our music and films reflect this. Born to Run. Born to Dance. Born to be Wild. The Christmas story is about a baby who was given a clear mission. It wasn’t simply to pursue what we’d call “the American dream.” It even went further than just developing his God-given abilities. His mission was to give of himself – relationally and sacrificially – until there was nothing left to give. Here’s the tough question: Aren’t we born to accomplish the same God-given mission?

Many people feel like they were born for specific tasks, jobs, or activities. Our music and films reflect this. Born to Run. Born to Dance. Born to be Wild. The Christmas story is about a baby who was given a clear mission. It wasn’t simply to pursue what we’d call “the American dream.” It even went further than just developing his God-given abilities. His mission was to give of himself – relationally and sacrificially – until there was nothing left to give. Here’s the tough question: Aren’t we born to accomplish the same God-given mission?