We all have needs. Some needs we're well aware of, other needs have not made themselves as apparent just yet. But we still have needs. Thankfully, God's grace meets us in those places of need AND God's grace knows what we need before we even realize we need it ourselves. 

We live in a world filled with brokenness. We see the brokenness in creation as we navigate the effects of climate change. We see the brokenness in others as wars and violence break out amongst different people groups. But we also experience the brokenness in ourselves as we struggle to overcome things like mental illness or addiction.

Is there anything - or anyone - beyond God's grace? That's a good question... There are people and actions that are so repulsive and so offensive that it's hard to imagine grace being made available to or for them. In fact, were it up to us, most of us would choose not to show grace and instead would feel justified in feeling or believing that they don't deserve our grace.

In a world filled with ungrace, how can it be that the grace described in the Bible is actually something we could all experience?

For the closing week of our I LOVE MY CHURCH series, Pastor Ricky Ortiz invites the Meta Leadership Team to share their heart and vision for our church.

Have you ever heard someone question the role or validity of the Church in today's society? More than ever, it seems like more people have become suspicious or doubtful of the significance of the Church.

God – in His divine wisdom and foresight – understood our innate need for community and provided a solution: The Church! It's in the context of a church that you're able to experience the power, freedom, love, and strength God intends for you to have. And that's because there is enormous power available to you when you're in a community.

It is estimated that there are somewhere between 350,000-380,000 Christian churches in the United States alone. That's a lot of churches! So when it comes to Meta Church, what makes this church distinct? Why would someone choose to go to this church instead of going to another church?

With all of the talk about Church Hurt and the things the Church has done that has negatively effected people, it's easy to forget about the role and responsibility we each play...

What are we supposed to do when this thing that Jesus loved and gave His life for – the Church – is at the center of deeply hurtful experiences? How do we navigate this kind of hurt? Do we pretend like it’s not a big deal? Do we walk away and write it off? Do we re-engage? And if so, is there hope that things could be different?