Greg Bolton describes his journey growing up in Albany and Salem, accepting Christ at 14 at a Christian camp. He was led astray by a series of events that started a 20+ year span of living for himself, yet through it all he felt God's presence. After recognizing his path was not aligned with God's will, he re-dedicated himself to following Jesus. From then on, he sought God's plan, recognizing his shortfalls, and persevered through hard life changes. Now, Greg looks back on those trials and struggles and sees that God was working in his life, and can trust that the tough struggles he faces now will result in God's glory in him.

Romans 5:1-5 ESV - Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Life Groups: https://mstarsalem.churchcenter.com/groups/life-groups

Men's Evening Discipleship (April-June 2023): https://mstarsalem.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1722817

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r50eRxmjHNtRwmfyz

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-star-podcast/id1650497854

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqFx8yEWvVGWzAwclpmsug

How can we view giving as a spiritual discipline? Is there a difference between giving and tithing? Does it really matter how much I give, or if I give at all? In this episode, Kate Snegirev and Candy Escalante challenge us to examine where our trust truly lies, understand the motivation behind our giving, and point us back to the faithfulness of God.

Tom Casey shares his story of growing up on the streets of Los Angeles and giving his life to Jesus. He describes his journey from being a "taker" to becoming a "giver" of life and truth. Even when he came to Morning Star, he still had unresolved issues that he needed recovery from. God lead him to participate in recovery programs which inspired him to share what he learned with others. We discuss first steps to recovery from porn addiction and how God frees us from the slavery that comes from sin. Now, Tom serves Christ by coming alongside others, lightening their burdens, and ministering to them through their shared struggles, leading and being led in The Most Excellent Way.

1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:13 (NIV) - Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Contact Tom: [email protected]

Morning Star Most Excellent Way: ⁠www.mstar.church/excellentway⁠

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r50eRxmjHNtRwmfyz⁠

Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-star-podcast/id1650497854⁠

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqFx8yEWvVGWzAwclpmsug

What is worship? What difference should it make in our lives? In our church? In this episode, Pastor Scott and Cooper Anderson (our worship and creative director) join us to talk about these questions and more, such as what role psalms of lament play in our worship. We've recently finished our Worthy sermon series on worship and sit down for a conversation about some lingering questions.

Psalm 95 1-3:

"Come, let’s shout joyfully to the Lord,

For the Lord is a great God,

First sermon on Worship: https://mstarsalem.churchcenter.com/episodes/183174

All sermons: https://mstarsalem.churchcenter.com/channels/257/episodes 

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! And if you wouldn't might giving us a rating, that should make it easier for our family to find when they search for "The Morning Star Podcast". Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r50eRxmjHNtRwmfyz

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-star-podcast/id1650497854

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqFx8yEWvVGWzAwclpmsug

Our Morning Star family is led not just by our staff, but by a crew of faithful servants and leaders we call our elders. But who are they? What do they do? Join us for a conversation with Wes Schomus, Todd Tallan, and Bill Schutz, three of our wise elders to hear about what they do, why and how they do it, and how they see God move.

1 Timothy 3:1-7: "This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not an excessive drinker, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy. He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil. Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the devil’s trap."

Read more about our family's vision and doctrinal statement here: https://www.mstar.church/about/. (That page links to our complete doctrinal statement as well).

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

In this episode, we hear from Jeff Whittaker on how God has worked continually throughout his life. We talk about God finding us, sharing our faith, and being involved in our church family.

John 1:12: "But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,"

Life Groups: https://mstarsalem.churchcenter.com/groups/life-groups

Biblical Counseling: https://www.mstar.church/counseling/

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! And if you wouldn't might giving us a rating, that should make it easier for our family to find when they search for "The Morning Star Podcast". Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r50eRxmjHNtRwmfyz

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-star-podcast/id1650497854

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqFx8yEWvVGWzAwclpmsug

MStar Middle School and Highlife are ministries that collectively seek to build a foundation for lifelong discipleship to Jesus in middle schoolers. Tyler Mock is the Interim Director of Middle School Ministry here at Morning Star, and has been involved with Highlife in some leadership capacity for 5 years. We talk to Tyler about the importance of middle school ministry, what's different about middle school ministry, and why middle schoolers are awesome. We talk about important things for not just parents of middle schoolers, but for everyone in our church family that enable us to create a community where middle schoolers' relationships with Jesus thrive.

Proverbs 22:6: "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it."

To learn more, visit mstar.church/ministries. You can sign up to help or learn more by contacting Tyler via email at [email protected] or phone at (503) 581-2477.

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

In this episode, we hear from Jim Smith on how he found the incredible love of God. We talk about the God's grace to us sinners, what it looks like to trust Him, and why being part of a church family is so awesome.

Galatians 6:9-10: "Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith."

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! And if you wouldn't might giving us a rating, that should make it easier for our family to find when they search for "The Morning Star Podcast". Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r50eRxmjHNtRwmfyz

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-star-podcast/id1650497854

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqFx8yEWvVGWzAwclpmsug

In this episode, we hear from Kristen Baugher on how she journeyed with God through a time of intense suffering. Her third child was born with Alagille Syndrome, a rare disease. We talk about how she made it through the suffering, what lessons God has taught her, and how God has moved in her life.

Psalm 73:26: 

"My flesh and my heart may fail,

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!  

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r50eRxmjHNtRwmfyz

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-morning-star-podcast/id1650497854

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqFx8yEWvVGWzAwclpmsug

Salem Angels is a ministry that builds a supportive and stabilizing community around those experiencing foster care in Salem. It's a versatile ministry that is near to our hearts, especially this Christmas season, as they are the primary benefactors of our previous The Lights at Morning Star events, and our Christmas Giving Tree is run through them. Brooke is the Executive Director of Salem Angels, and Tiffany is a faithful volunteer with their Love Box program. We talk to them about what Salem Angels is, how it's impacted their view of God, and about their experiences with foster care.

To learn more, visit salemangels.org.

Galatians 5:13: "For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love."

1 Timothy 6:17-19: "Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and willing to share, storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of what is truly life."

James 1:27: "Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Make sure to subscribe on your podcast platform to get notified of future episodes automatically! Thanks for listening; tune in on the first and third Wednesdays of each month to hear more of God's handiwork in our Morningstar family!  

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4F9L4r5...

Apple Podcasts: ‎https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxqF...