Meta Church NYC

Have you ever found yourself in a situation you didn't expect to be in? A relationship (or lack of relationship)? A job or career? A city or a location? A stage of life? In those moments, we can't help but wonder what we are doing there and we become desperate to get out of it.

Why does suffering exist? What's the point of pain? If God is good, and He makes all things work together for good, then why does He allow bad things to happen? With things like cancer, illness, pandemics, natural disasters, violence and so much more – how do we reconcile there being a good God with the reality of suffering?

What happens when your dreams and longings to be a mom are completely dashed by tragic miscarriages, unexplained infertility diagnoses, and overwhelming sadness? How does someone deal with the paralyzing grief brought on by loss and pain?

In this unique conversation on Mother's Day at Meta Church, Pastor Ricky Ortiz sits down with MaryEsther Caldwell and Krista Ortiz to discuss what it looks like to keep one's faith in the midst of unthinkable loss and tragedy. These women share their journeys of infertility and miscarriages, while holding onto God despite the uncertainties and heartbreaks.

Have you ever upset or frustrated when someone else gets the blessing you’ve been praying for? If you've ever experienced that, then you've probably felt like shouting, "God, this isn't fair!" But in this message from Pastor Ricky Ortiz, he shares why we actually don't want things to be fair...and that's because GRACE is not fair.

There are times where we question and wonder if keeping our faith is worth it. Is the personal discipline is worth it? Is the toil it takes is worth it? Is the financial sacrifice worth it? Are the results worth it? Is the pursuit of God worth it? 

Have you ever felt like God messed up? Like you did everything He asked you to do, but things just get worse? Almost as if you held your part, but God dropped the ball?

We often filter our thoughts, suppress our feelings, and pretend that everything is good. But that doesn't move us closer to God, nor does it allow us to build trust with God.

In recent years, there has been a rise of people who identify as non-religious. People have walked away from, or rejected, any form of faith. And many (former) Christians have left Jesus, the church, and Christianity altogether. But what if it didn't have to be that way? What if you walked away from something Jesus never initiated? Could it be that you ran away from something Jesus would have run away from, too? And could it be that you left something without even realizing that you could’ve kept the one thing that actually mattered?

What makes someone worthy of worship? In ancient days, kings were often heralded as divine incarnations of the gods, so they demanded and expected worship. Nowadays, most people wouldn't call themselves devout worshipers, but they still find something that appeals to their lives. 
 

Trust is an interesting thing...it can take years to build, and just a moment to lose. So what happens when trust has been breached? How does one respond? And is it possible for someone, through their response, to demonstrate that they are worthy of being trusted?