Ephesians 4:4-6 / Unity in our church is contingent on what we concede about God, what doctrines we hold to. If we are going to have a healthy church family, then we will all need to strive for like-mindedness as it concerns the word of God and what it means for our lives. What we discover in today’s sermon, is that our personal and collect identities rest upon our ability to learn and agree on truth.

Ephesians 4:1-3 / Everyone knows, that identity is informed by and reflected in our words an actions. To call yourself a Christian means that you not only identify with Christ and his calling but also his manner. In this sermon we are called to “walk worthy of our vocation”. We will ask ourselves, does our character and personality match our identity or is their contradiction in our walk?

Ephesians 3:14-21 / We know that God has called us and qualified us for the work of his mission, but we often get caught in the trap of relying on our flesh to ensure that life and ministry unfold the way we imagine it should. But why doesn’t it work? Why do we feel deflated? Where is the power? Where is the virtue? In this sermon we learn that through God and his love, he has provided us everything we need.

Ephesians 3:8-13 / The world teaches us to summarize our personal identity based on pedigree, education, experience and acquired skill. But what Christ teaches us is that our qualifications for the ministry are not measured by the world’s standards. In this sermon, we learn that God has not only called us, but also qualified us for the mission - - we simply have to commit in faith to obey.

Ephesians 3:1-7 / When discussing identity, it’s important to consider the role that confidence plays in our understanding of self. The confidence that the Christian needs is not a self-confidence, but assurance in what God has called us to, a certainty in his purpose for our lives. In this sermon, we consider what it truly means to find confidence in who he has made us to be.

Ephesians 2:11-22 / In our series “Finding Our Identity”, we have been exploring just how difficult it is to know who we are and what our purpose in life is. Oftentimes we look to our past to help us uncover who we truly are. In Ephesians 2, God does the same thing; he points us back to who we were before he found us and graciously declare who he has made us to be. Christ has become our hope, and because of that, our identity has been forever changed.

Ephesians 2:9-10 / So many of us have been taught to understand our identity in terms of what we “do”: our vocation, our passion projects, our responsibilities. But are the things we do meant to define us? In what way? In this sermon on Ephesians 2:8-10 we consider the doctrine of our salvation and the work of Christ in order to better understand who we are.

Ephesians 2:1-7 / Every person faces moments of identity crisis, moments where they ask: how did I get here? am I content with who I have become? where am I going and what is my purpose? In Ephesians 2 we discover the perspective we need in order to find value and peace in the identity that Christ has given us: past, present and future.

Ephesians 1:15-18 / We have just learned that God desires for us to get his vantage point and his mind by way of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. But once we begin to see our identity from this perspective, what do we discover? What can God see and understand that we struggle to know? Today we will learn about some of God’s insights and what they mean for how we understand ourselves.

Ephesians 1:15-18 / In order to identify and perceive ourselves rightly, it requires that we gain God’s insight. Paul takes time here to pray for the church in Ephesus that they would have, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. In this second sermon focused on wisdom, we address what it means to gain a divine insight, one that informs a spiritual view of ourselves and the world in which we live.

Ephesians 1:15-18 / In order to identify and perceive ourselves rightly, it requires that we gain God’s insight. Paul takes time here to pray for the church in Ephesus that they would have, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. In this sermon, we address what it means to gain a divine insight, one that informs a spiritual view of ourselves and the world in which we live.

Ephesians 1:7-14/ The journey to finding our true personal identity can be a long and difficult one. Life is hard and confusing, but faith in Christ has a way of simplifying our reality. Today we continue exploring what it means to find our identity in the person of Christ, by asking how does knowing Christ effect how I understand myself?

Ephesians 1:3-6 / In the Book of Ephesians, we will be uncovering what it means to know who we are in light of what God says about us. Paul takes time to describe to the church what God has in store for us in heavenly places. These eternal blessing should inform our temporal reality, but so often our sins are difficult to let go of, but is that because we don’t know God the way we should?

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 / Spiritual gifts can be a complex topic, particularly in a Christian world that has manipulated the concept of God’s gifting to satisfy their desire for emotionally charged experiences. In this sermon we learn how a Christian can discern the differences between false spiritualism and authentic Spirit-led worship. We also take time to define and understand the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34 / How many of us find ourselves following the motions of Christian routine? How many of us have been apathetic towards towards our church family and ministry? What causes these seasons? In this study, we find Paul rebuking the church in Corinth for their selfish behavior within their worship services and calls them to reconsider the wonder of worship. We learn to examine ourselves and return to our first love.

As we close out Mission Focus 2023, what are some things we need to consider as individuals and as a ministry? Are we ready for what is ahead of us?

1 Corinthians 11:1-16 / We live in a world exceptionally confused by issues of gender. In chapter 11 we discuss what it means to properly reflect God’s unique roles and structures for men and women. In this sermon we ask ourselves, do I know where I fit in God’s order? Do I know how to take culture into consideration as I seek to submit to God’s order?

1 Corinthians 10:23-33 / In chapter 10 we continue looking at what it means to “take heed lest we fall”, specifically when we find ourselves tempted with sin or suffering. In this sermon we ask ourselves, does my behavior impact those around me in a negative way? Do the things that I assume are personal freedoms create hurdles to the gospel?

1 Corinthians 10:14-22 / In chapter 10 we continue looking at what it means to “take heed lest we fall”, specifically when we find ourselves tempted with sin or suffering. In this sermon we ask ourselves, do I have any idolatry hiding in my life? Are there things in my life that I considered “harmless” that make God jealous for my worship?

We are in the midst of celebrating 15 years of Midtown Baptist Temple. C&YA (the college and young adults ministry) takes some time here to reflect on all that Christ has done for us as a church but also as a fellowship.