Reading Plan: 2 Cor 3.6-18

2 Cor 3.6-18

The old way,* with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!

12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  (2 Corinthians 3:7–18, NLT)

Questions To Sit With This Week:

Spend some time marinating in this text this week. Marinating by definition takes some time. So sit with it over multiple days and have a journal, note, or iPad close by to write down what you sense the Spirit is saying to you.

HEAD | What is Paul saying?
Paul says the Spirit brings freedom and changes us to become more like Jesus.

• According to this passage, what is the difference between trying to change ourselves and being transformed by the Spirit?

• How would you summarize what Paul is saying in this text in your own words?

HEART | What is happening in you?
Paul says that when we turn to the Lord, the veil is removed and we can see his glory.

• Do you feel like you’ve got a clear view of Jesus and his glory?

• What might be keeping you from seeing Jesus clearly or trusting him fully?

• Where do you need to turn toward him again?

• What do you feel as you sit with this text? Invitations? Convictions? Warnings? Write them down.

HANDS | How do I respond?
Paul says that as we see the Lord’s glory, the Spirit changes us more and more into his image.

• What is one part of your life where becoming more like Jesus would make a real difference this week?

• What could it look like to cooperate with the Spirit’s work there?

• Who else do you want to invite into these practices with you?

Shared Life. Shared Witness.

Have you ever considered how the shared life you participate in is a witness to the good news of Jesus and His kingdom?

One of the “dangers” of being formed in small, unimpressive, but consistent ways over long periods of time is that everything… well… becomes normal.

The sacrificial use of time….. it’s just what we do.

The weekly meals…. what else would I do for dinner on Wed?

The morning prayer…. of course I’d go, those are friends and we meet with God.

The financial generosity…. we are used to living on 90% of our income.

The helping others move…. it’s a joy to use my truck and time to help.

Friends,

Each of those things, when lived as a response to the gospel, tells of the power of Jesus and his kingdom to all who see.

I’d encourage you- watch this short video then think about ways that the life you are living tells about the good news of the kingdom OR confronts some of the old patterns you may have slipped back into!

Enjoy.

Scattered Sundays

Scattered Sundays With Missio

At Missio Dei Communities, we often say that we are being formed by God, together, for the sake of others. We believe that there are key parts of our formation that happen when we gather for a shared liturgy, but we are also convinced that formation also happens as we learn to receive our entire lives as a gift from God- and practice

That is part of why we practice Scattered Sundays each month.

On the final Sunday of each month, instead of gathering for our normal Sunday liturgy, we scatter throughout the East Valley. We intentionally make room in the rhythm of our church for rest and worship together, just not at the building.

We believe that rest is an act of trust and rebellion in a hustle culture.

When we stop producing and accomplishing long enough to remember that God is at work even when we are not- we discover a pace that is sustainable and enjoyable. When we slow down and receive the gifts of our lives, our relationships, our neighborhoods, and the world God has made- we find that His presence is with us in the everyday AND in times consecrated for worship.

Are you new to this rhythm? Let us help you out.

There is no prescribed way to spend a Scattered Sunday. Have a slow morning with your family. Get together with your MC. Host a DNA group. Share a long meal with friends or neighbors. Get outside. Plan a trip to the mountains. Visit another church’s gathering. Host a house church gathering. Take a prayer walk. Take a day of prayer. Linger over coffee. Take a nap. Gather friends for a time of singing and a feast. Help a neighbor with some yard work. Enjoy the presence of God without needing to accomplish something.

The invitation is simply to rest in different ways and in different places, and to let that rest turn our attention toward God.

Don’t get us wrong- we deeply value gathering together in downtown Mesa around Scripture, prayer, communion, worship, and one another. Scattered Sundays are not a move away from gathering. They help us remember that our life with God extends beyond the hours we spend together on Sunday and that God is waiting to spend time with us in other rhythms as well.

So receive the final Sunday of the month as a gift. Slow down. Pay attention. Enjoy God, enjoy one another, and enjoy the good world he has made.

Then we’ll gather again next week.

Following Jesus With You-

Kevin

Catch Up on Previous 2 Corinthians Sermons Here

Read: Keeping the Sabbath Wholly

2 Corinthians 2.12-3.6

The Text

Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13 I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.

14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

3 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.  (2 Corinthians 2:12–3:18, NIV)

Questions For Reflection

• Where does Paul place his confidence

• What do you think Paul means by aroma of life and death?

• Do a little work… what is a “triumphal procession” and why is it linked to the aroma of the knowledge of God?

• What about this passage is confusing and could use some clarifying? (Send us a message and we’ll address it on Sunday or over coffee!)

A Practice: Speak

Speak the gospel this week. Make it a point to prayerfully discern who the Spirit may want you to speak the good news to this week and follow through. Maybe even enlist someone from your MC as a partner to pray alongside you and follow up with your conversation declaring the good news!

Other Reading

• A perspective on the triumphal procession

• Jeremiah 31

• We attached a portion of NT Wrights “2 Corinthians for everyone” to help with the journey of reflecting on the imagery central to this text.

2 Cor 1.12-2.11

Week 2 in 2 Corinthians

2 Cor 1: 12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[c] and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

23 I call God as my witness—and I stake my life on it—that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm.

2 Corinthians 2

1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.

5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.

Questions For The Week

HEAD

1. What is Paul defending in this passage, and what does his defense reveal about what he believes Christian integrity actually looks like?

2. Why does Paul connect his own trustworthiness to God’s faithfulness and the “Yes” of Jesus? What do verses 18–22 tell us about the character of God beneath everything Paul is saying?

HEART

1. What do Paul’s anguish, tears, and desire for their joy reveal about how deeply he is invested in these people? Where do you see that kind of costly love, or resistance to it, in your own relationships?

2. Where are you most tempted to protect yourself when a relationship becomes painful: avoiding the person, defending yourself, holding a grudge, controlling the outcome, or something else? What might God be exposing in your heart through that?

HANDS

1. Is there a relationship in your life where faithfulness to Jesus now requires a concrete step toward honesty, forgiveness, comfort, or reaffirming love? What would it look like to take that step this week?

2 Corinthians 1.1-11

On Sunday we start our new equipping series in the book of 2 Corinthians. We’ll have a passage we are inviting our Missio family to marinate prior to each gathering over the next few months. It’s our hope as we do that, we can share in teaching, encouraging, and exhorting one another in light of the Scriptures.

This first week we are in 2 Corinthians 1.1-11.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise to the God of All Comfort

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again.

On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Some Questions To Consider:

1) How would you restate what Paul is saying about suffering and comfort in this passage?

2) What does we learn about Jesus in this passage?

3) Where do you see Paul discussing formation, community, and mission in this passage?

4) What response to this passage is the Spirit inviting? What does obedience look like?

Daily Prayer (Identities)

Yesterday Mike and I taught through the gospel identities of family, servant, disciple, and ambassador. And as amazing as that teaching may or may not have been… the reality is that we don’t just hear something once and then adopt it into our lives.

The following prayer is a way for us to daily remind ourselves of who God is, who we are, and continue seeing ourselves formed as a family of servant ambassadors, sent as disciples to make disciples.

Remember: We pray to the one with “All Authority” which means we pray in boldness and faith!

Some Ideas:

• Pray it with your kids.

• Pray it as a couple.

• Pray it on your own.

• Pray it at the table.

• Pray it before checking socials for the day.

• Pray it on the lightrail ride into work.

• Voice record it and have it play over you as you drive into work.

Reading the Psalms With Missio

The Psalms give us a way of learning to see the world as it is and give us language to walk with God through it.

They beckon us into the long memory of God’s people and teach us to recognize the God who creates, rescues, judges, forgives, and remains faithful. As we pray them together, our vision is slowly reshaped.. We begin to see God’s world more clearly and to understand our lives within the larger story of what he is doing- as nuanced and confusing as that may be at times.

These four questions are a way of paying attention to that story and allowing the Psalms to form the way we live within it.

May our imaginations and our hearts be captivated by the God of the Psalms this summer.

Here’s a pattern for reading the Psalms this year. If it’s helpful- print it out or save it to use later!

Listening Together

The Spirit forms a shared life where people are known, gifted, and formed together. The unique mix of the Spiritual community you are a part of is specifically formed for gospel witness & human flourishing- right where you are.

Here’s a practice to try this week as you continue the process of being formed into the kind of community that is attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

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EMPOWER: A 6 Day Reading Plan

EMPOWER EVERYDAY DISCIPLES 

A 6 DAY READING PLAN

Day 1 - Creation

Reading: Genesis 2:4-15

BLESS Rhythm - BLESS

Intentionally bless someone today. In this specific passage we read that God breathed the breath of life into the man and the man became a living person. Who can you bless today with words that empower them and give them life?

Day 2 - Rebellion

Reading: Genesis 9:1-17

BLESS Rhythm - LISTEN

Take space to listen today. God is a God who confirms His covenant with a sign. As you take space, in what areas of your life do you need to recall the covenant and promises of God? 

Day 3 - Promise

Reading: 1 Kings 19:9-21

BLESS Rhythm - EAT

Invite someone to your table. Whether it is during a lunch break, dinner at home, or breakfast over the weekend. Think through how the gift of invitation, the art of meals, and the place of the table can be empowering to those in your life.

Day 4 - Redemption

Reading: Matthew 28:16-20

BLESS Rhythm - SPEAK

Read through this passage slowly. What spaces come to mind? Who does the Spirit bring to mind? How can you speak good news in that space or to that specific person today?

Day 5 - Church

Reading: Acts 16:6-15

BLESS Rhythm - LISTEN

Paul and Silas were sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they were on mission. Set aside 10-30 minutes of silence to listen. Repeat this phrase slowly… “Lord, I open my heart to you.” What do sense the Spirit speaking to you?

Day 6 - Restoration

Reading: Revelation 4:1-11

BLESS Rhythm - SABBATH

As you read this chapter in Revelation, remember that the worship you read about is not a some day but a current reality happening right now. As you rest today, behold God as worthy and glorious. 

What is my Role in God's Story? (pt2)

If that’s true…

then the question really does become- What Story Are You Living Out of?

Because, remember, everyone is living out of a story. None of us escape that reality.

We all have that set of assumptions about:

• What a good life looks like

• What’s wrong with the world

• What it means to be human

• Where all of this is going

And those assumptions are silently but steadily forming us. We feed those narratives with what we consume, the conversations we have, and the links we click- but even if we were to silence those streams of voices- there’s always going to be something or someone we orient our lives around.

So the question is not:

Are you living in a story?

The question is:

Are you living in the true story?

And this is where Scripture speaks with clarity.

From the opening lines of the Bible, God gives us a story.

Check back tomorrow and we’ll post a short and simple telling of The True Story of the World.

What is my role in God's Story? (pt1)

This is the first of a series of posts exploring what is our role in God’s story? Missio wants to see every man, woman, and child equipped to follow Jesus and lead others to do the same- but that only happens if we understand God’s story and see afresh our role to play in it.

In order to get to our role in God’s story though, we’ve got to start with some work below the surface. There’s a lot happening that we may not give voice to often, but like a good archeologist, we need to brush away the dirt and see what lies beneath the everday stuff of life we see.

On The Journey With You-

Kevin

Most of us don’t wake up thinking:

“What Story AM I Living IN?”

We wake up with “more pressing questions” don’t we? We wake up thinking…

• Is that my alarm already?

• What do I need to get done today?

• What’s on the calendar?

• Is that bill due today?

• Who left the ice cream out?

• What problems do I have to solve?

• Do I really have to go to school today? 

• Is the coffee ready yet? 

And without much processing, we start making decisions. Small ones. Everyday ones. Normal ones. But underneath all of those decisions, there’s a deeper current running and silently guiding those decisions. You are living inside a story and that story gives shape to your life. (Real quick, when you read story, don’t think fairy tale- think grand narrative that pieces together the big questions of life… Ok back to it.)

This story isn’t one we’ve scripted ourselves.

It may not even one we fully understand.

But make no mistake, It is shaping every, single decision we make.

And here’s an uncomfortable truth- If we don’t know the story we are in, we will naturally default to a smaller one than we were intended for. As one author says….

“I can’t answer the question what am I supposed to do, unless I’ve answered the prior question- of what story do I find myself a part?” Alistair McIntyre

Fun Fact: We all base our decisions on some set of presuppositions that we hardly ever consider.

Those of us who live in PHX know this in a pretty tangible way- we never check the weather when planning anything.  If you live elsewhere in the country- you check to see what the weather will be that day. You pack an umbrella, grab a winter hat, or plan your shoes based on if snow is coming- we never do that stuff. We assume that the weather will be warm or hot and sunny and go about our days.  (We also do stuff like give distance in minutes, not miles, “How far do you live from downtown Mesa?? Umm about 10 minutes.” but that’s a story for another day. Let’s keep going.)

The same is true of the stories guiding our lives. If your story is:

• I need to get as much as I CAN…

• I need to produce to have worth…

• I need to follow the rules for God to love me…

• I’m only valued if others approve of me…

• I need to look out for myself. No one else is coming to help…

Then your decisions will be (often intuitively) based on those assumptions about the world, what it means to be human, what’s wrong with this world, what can fix it, and what you are supposed to be doing with your time.

And over time, those lesser stories start to deform us.

When we start to get the life we’ve dreamed of in those stories we get prideful. When our goals gets blocked we can get depressed or angry. Those lesser stories lead us away from the truly flourishing life we were designed to have.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Jesus’ claim was that he came to give “fully alive life.”

Track with me. Unlimited time on Netflix makes sense in one story, but stands in stark contrast to others. Moving in with your girlfriend / boyfriend only makes sense if you live in certain stories, not in others. Going into debt to get that dream vacation makes sense in one story, and seems absolutely ridiculous in another.

So Here’s what I want you to consider: 

What if the truest thing about your life is not what you’re trying to build, prove, or protect. Not your brand. Not your business. Not your relationship status. Not your family. Not your bank account. Not your political party. Not the size of your friend group. Not the square footage of your home. Not the trips you’ve taken. Not your time on Strava.

But what if it was the story God is already telling? One where you are deeply loved by God and have meaningful work to do in His world.

And what if your life actually makes the most sense when you take your place in that story?

Exciting A Kingdom Imagination: A Six Day Reading Plan

"A Kingdom Imagination looks forward to the restoration, allowing that vision to shape the contour of our lives today. It looks around at the brokenness of our world and imagines seeds of beauty, truth, and justice we can plant to seek the prosperity of our city. It looks back to the resurrection to remind us of the way the Kingdom has already broken into the here and now. 

So often we think of our imagination as make-believe, fantasy, oompa loopa type stuff with no bearing on reality. But our imagination can have powerful impacts on our real, ordinary lives. Consider the Artemis II astronauts; as children, they heard stories from their parents of watching Apollo crew members step foot on the moon. Their imagination was captivated so deeply that it set a trajectory for their own history-shaping journey around the moon. It filled them with motivation to do the hard thing, day after day, year after year, even when odds were slim that their vision would be realized. And when they accomplished their life goal, they came back changed by a new, imagination-shaping experience: seeing the moon with their own eyes, up close and personal. 

Kingdom imagination is similarly shaped by real history and a real future. None of us will likely ever go to space, but we have encountered the risen Jesus and will continue to see His Kingdom break into the here and now as we await its full arrival. So what if we let that reality captivate our Spirit-led imagination and shape how we live? How would our families, neighborhoods, and cities be transformed?"

Equipped : A Six Day Reading Plan

A New Creation Community is being equipped to take up their role in God’s Story.

God does not call a people into his story without also equipping them for their role in it. All across Scripture, that equipping takes shape as a deep reorientation—of vision, desires, and practices—so that a community learns to inhabit the God’s story as a faithful witness to God’s purposes. We see this in the garden with Adam and Eve, with the nation of Israel, with Jesus and his disciples, and even in Acts 2 with the first church. All through the story- God’s people are equipped to take up their role in the act of the story they are in.

We want to see all of Missio equipped to take up your role in God’s story. So we put together these 6 readings and practices to encourage you and excite you as you consider how you get to play a role in the unfolding Story of God!

Encouraging One Another: A Six Day Reading Plan

Every community has a sound to it.

If you listen closely, you can hear what shapes a people by what they say to each other. Some communities can drift toward critique or distance. Others carry a different tone. In a new creation community, the sound is the gospel.

We regularly come back to the good news of Jesus again and again. We remind each other who God is and who we are becoming because of him. We speak words that steady one another when life feels uncertain. This kind of encouragement is not just surface-level positivity. It is rooted in who God is, what God has already done and what He is still doing among us.

The Scriptures we’ve selected press us in this direction. Encourage one another. Build one another up. Speak what is true in Christ. These are not small suggestions, but they are practices that form a new creation people.

This reading plan is a simple way to step into that life together.

Each day, you will engage a passage that centers you in the gospel and a prompt that helps you pass that encouragement along. Around a table, in a quick text, during a walk, or in prayer, these moments begin to stack. Over time, they shape the culture of a community.

A people who sound like good news.

That is part of what it means to live as a new creation community. God is forming us together, and one of the primary ways he does that is through the words we speak to one another.

Encountering God: A Six Day Reading Plan

Happy Easter Season!

I’m so glad you are joining us on this journey of looking at what a new creation community is like. God’s new humanity isn’t just one thing, but can thought of as a multi colored mosaic that is made up of all kinds of people, giftings, and dimensions. We are going to take just a few of these tiles and begin to see a bit more clearly the sort of community God has called Missio to be.

First up is the that a New Creation community encounters the true and living God.

Let us not forget that the resurrection of Jesus reminds us that whether we sense God’s presence in a given moment or not- God is never distant from His creation, he has birthed a New Creation, is forming a new community, and wants us to continue to encounter Him as the source of life!

From what I’ve seen of Missio, most of us don’t need to be convinced that God is not far- at least not intellectually. But what we crave is learning how to recognize His presence experientally. When we do, we will find that God isn’t just in big, dramatic, carefully curated moments, but in the ordinary, everyday parts of life where we spend most of our time. God is a God who enters the everyday and encounters us as we walk through life.

The story of Scripture is a story of encounters. God forming humanity and breathing life into dust. God calling out to people who are hiding. God revealing Himself in the wilderness. God miraculously revealing himself. God stepping into human history in Jesus. God meeting people, transforming them, and sending them. And one day, God dwelling fully with His people again.

This reading plan was curated by leaders in Missio as an invitation to step into that story afresh. We don’t want to just understand facts about God and his story academically we want to participate in it more fully. So slow down. Pay attention. And respond. May we be forever changed as we encounter the true and living God together.

GUIDE:

Each day in this reading plan pairs a passage of Scripture with a simple BLESS Rhythm.. These are not just tasks to complete, they are ways of making space and living into the story we are meditating on.

So take your time. Stay present. And ask God to meet you as you move through the story. May you encounter the true and living God through his word, spirit, and community this week.

-Kevin-

Good Friday With Missio (Mesa)

The breath & the blood of Jesus, as they were expended for the sake of the world - things were changing. Come gather with us to view some specially curated Art pieces (Originally by Scott Erickson) as well as a simple liturgy of scripture, song, and art from 6-7pm.

* The art installation is open from 4-8 with a liturgy from 6-7pm. There is no kids specific environment, so we ask that parents keep their children with them for the duration of the gathering and. their time in the Missio space to allow all particiapants space to contemplate and worship.

God Moved in Reflection Guide

Friends,

Over the last few weeks we have been examining the life of Jesus through the lens of ‘God moved in.” That God took on flesh and blood and dwelt among us. Or as Eugene Peterson once penned in his paraphrase: The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.” We have been encouraged in John’s gospel to look at the life of Jesus and see that He is in fact not distant, but close. We see God moving into different spaces with the hope that as we take up our role in the story of God we can be encouraged to do the same. That is the hope of this reflection guide, whether using this resource solo, with your MC, or friends who friends that aren’t a part of Missio the hope of this guide is help you be encouraged by a God that moves towards us in love. Praying the spirit encourages you and puts into mind where God can be moving into the neighborhoods of your communal and personal formation. As we look to live as people that are formed by God, together, for the sake of others.

Camino de Phoenix - Silent Saturday

In the center of our valley, there’s a patch of small mountains tucked among the urban sprawl. Now, compared to the vast wilderness that surrounds the outskirts of our city, these mountains are pretty nondescript. The classic desert landscape along rolling hills that make way for a couple of taller hills that, technically, are mountains (trust me, I checked). Compared to the Superstitions out east, or especially the San Francisco Peaks up north, these mountains seem more like a dusty wrinkle along the surface of our great state. But this spot has actually become one of my favorite places in the world, and I’d like to invite you in to see why. 

While they don’t have the elevation, majesty, wildlife, or mystique of other ranges outside of town, these mountains do share one key ingredient that makes them special to me: quiet. 

In that central location in one of the largest and continually fastest growing metro areas in the US, I’ve found what seems like the rarest gift: silence & Isolation. A place where the only marks of urban life are the occasional plane overhead and the well-worn trail underfoot. Where the weekenders are speed-hiking Camelback & Piestewa down the street, these trails see only light traffic and bring you through small valleys that totally remove you from the fast-paced noise just a few hundred feet away. 

Sound interesting to you? Well then I have an invitation.

Along with our extended family at Missio Phoenix, we will be guiding a prayer walk/hike along the Camino de Phoenix on Silent Saturday, April 4th, starting at 8:00 am. 

The Camino was organized by the Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona as a pilgrimage in the heart of our city, a chance to make space for an encounter with Jesus along the way. Of course, we can experience the renewing love of God in any area of our ordinary lives (even the noisy ones). But this is an invitation to clear a few hours and cultivate your awareness of him while experiencing God’s creativity in our city and the desert wilderness. 

We’ll be upgrading the route by starting at the legendary Cultivate Coffee (you may have heard of it), then journeying down the AZ Canal Trail until cutting across through Dreamy Draw Recreational Area. The destination will be Canaan in the Desert, a prayer garden that features the Stations of the Cross. We’ll start in the city, journey through the desert, and end at the cross and empty tomb. Sign me up!

Some helpful information:

• Start: 8:00 am, Cultivate Coffee, 505 W Dunlap Ave UNIT E, Phoenix, AZ 85021

• End: Midday, Canaan in the Desert, 9849 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ 85028

• It is about a 9 mile walk/hike. The Dreamy Draw portion is considered moderate.

• We’ll provide a printed map and prayer guide at Cultivate.

• There are restrooms and water fountains at the entrance to Dreamy Draw, about halfway through the walk. Bring lots of water!

• This is a one-way journey, so plan to leave a car at Canaan in the Desert and carpool to Cultivate. Kenny will provide a shuttle back to Cultivate for up to 12 people between 11:30 and 12:30. Text him to reserve a spot (623-297-6993). 

• Kids are welcome to join if they’re up for the physical challenge and the reflective atmosphere.

So, if you’re able, join us for a prayer walk/hike on Silent Saturday to encounter Jesus along the way, at your own pace.  Connect with Kenny if you have any other questions!

Lent 2026: Encountering Jesus On The Way

Lent is the forty-day road that leads us toward the cross. And it starts next week!

Over the next 40 days we will rediscover that the love of God is not abstract or sentimental but costly and dynamic in its expression. We will thoughtfully engage with practices, encourage one another in grace, and encounter Jesus along the Way. As a season, Lent asks us to walk with Jesus long enough to be confronted, to be exposed, and to be changed- and to ask the questions of loyalty, faith, and what we truly believe is a flourishing life. The colors around our gathering space will change from Gold (celebration) to Purple (Preparation) as we enter into this season together as a church family- and our prayer is that Missio will prepare our own hearts to experience God afresh this season.

Background

The historic Church has walked this Way for centuries. The forty days of Lent have traditionally been set aside for repentance and preparation. New believers were readied for baptism. The whole community practiced prayer, fasting, generosity, and self-examination. Participating in this season has never been a means to earn God’s grace, but these intentional activities clear space for us to receive it afresh. This isn’t a season to try impressing God with self-discipline or sacrifices, but to actively remember the path of following discipleship is not always easy, but it is with Jesus- and that is enough. Lent has always been a season of returning too. During these days we focus on Returning to the gospel. Returning to dependence on God. Returning to the meaningful mission of living for the sake of others. Returning to the way of Christ and encountering him in our everyday experiences along the way.

This year, we will walk Lent under one simple Phrase: Encountering Jesus on the Way. Here are the things we want to lead our MC’s and friends into and how we see each connecting to the journey of Lent.

LENT INVITATIONS

Sunday Gatherings

Throughout Lent, our Sunday gatherings will continue our encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John. Week by week, we will listen to his words, watch his interactions, and see how people respond when Light steps into the room and invites us to see everything differently now that He has arrived. God has moved in and we will continue to encounter him along the Way.

Ash Wednesday | 6am Gathering

We will begin early on Ash Wednesday (6am) because Lent begins with intention and an explicit expression of our need for Jesus. Matt and Ben will lead our community in receiving ashes as a sign that we are dust and that our lives are sustained by God’s mercy. Ashes have always been a mark of humility. A physical reminder that grace meets us honestly in the gritty realities of everyday life. A life that is always lived in the awareness that someday we will die.

This early morning gathering (6-6.45am) on Feb 18th is the first step on the road this Lenten season and we hope many from across our network of MC’s will be able to join us in downtown Mesa. (See video at end of post.)

A Forty-Day Fast

We are inviting Missio to consider a full forty-day fast.

Choose something personally, as a family, or even as an MC to lay down for the next 40 days. Fasting has always been a part of the life of the church annd exposes what we lean on and reveals how quickly we reach for comfort. Fasting retrains our desires and points us explicitly back to Jesus. Each time you feel an absence, let it become prayer. Let it turn your attention back to Christ. (Remember- This isn’t a sin you are stopping- that’s called repentance- this is a comfort or practice you put aside for 40 days to practice self control and rely on God.)

Fridays | Fasting From Food Together

On Fridays, we invite you to fast from food during the day as a community.

Each Friday we want to lead our community in remembering the cross. We want to let physical hunger teach us dependence. We will let discomfort draw us toward the One who gave himself for the life of the world. The one who called himself our very Bread.

A Practice of Generosity

Throughout church history Lent has also been tied to generosity. As we fast, we free up time, money, and attention. We do not want to keep that “extra” to ourselves, but allow the Spirit to open our imaginations to what we could do for the sake of others with the room we’ve made.. We encourage you to practice intentional generosity throughout these forty days. Give an increased percentage toward the work of the kingdom through Missio. Quietly support someone in need. Open your table and share your food. Share what you would have spent on going out to eat with neighbors. Be creative, and remember that generosity trains our hearts away from scarcity and towards abundance. (Feeding of the 5k anyone?) It reminds us that everything we have is a gift and aligns our lives with the self-giving love we see at the cross.

Lent Journals

Our Lent Journals will be available to help you walk the road intentionally. Scripture. Reflection. Practices. A companion for the journey. Anjelica beautifully designed these for last year, but they will serve us this year as well!

Good Friday Gathering (Time TBD)

Lent leads us to Good Friday- the day when we remember the brutal murder of Jesus and the world changing victory that it won. We aren’t sure the form yet, but we will definitely be having a Good Friday gathering.

Remember: Lent is not about stepping out of our everyday lives, but it is about encountering Jesus in them as we purposefully and proactively consider our apprenticeship to Jesus.

God has moved in.

Now we encounter Him Along the Way.