Awaken Community

Pastor Jenna and Micah are co-teaching for the first time in Awaken's history on the impact of purity culture in the evangelical landscape. They unpack the shame and guilt that came with viewing our bodies as sinful first, while inviting us to consider what it would look like to let go of the binaries that exist within that framework.

Awaken begins a new lenten series called "unburdened" that explores concepts in faith that have been given to us that we are encouraged to unpack and consider releasing from our experience of Christianity. Pastor Micah kicks off the series by discussing how we might let go of a version of evangelism that places so much emphasis on certainty, the after life, and our personal responsibility for another's salvation. 

Pastor Micah closes out the series by discussing day seven, the first day humans exist; a day of rest. Day seven symbolizes completion, celebration, and renewal. Rest is not the end but the rhythm that allows everything else to begin again.

Pastor Micah discusses our series of the seven days of creation by looking at day six, Genesis 1:24-31. Day six represents relationship and purpose. Creation becomes relational. Within God is the fullness of all humanity and we are invited to embrace it for ourselves and see it in one another.

Pastor Micah unpacks Genesis 1:20-23 and the way it can symbolize creativity, movement, and abundance. After four days of preparation in the hope God would move, life flourishes in day five when we participate with God in creating beauty.

Guest speaker Steph Spencer from 40 Orchards delivers a deep dive into the significance of day four during a season in the world where the need for people to participate is so important. How do we engage from a place of grounding rooted in love for our neighbors?

Pastor Jenna unpacks the third day of creation in Genesis by looking at the generative nature of good in a world that seems desolate and void.

After a difficult week in MSP, Pastor Micah continues our exploration of the seven days of creation by looking at day two symbolizing separation and space-making. New life often requires creating space — between old and new, chaos and order, what was and what’s coming.

January 4th, 2025 - Awaken begins another new series on the first seven days of creation. Pastor Micah opens the series by looking at Genesis 1:1-5 and light being named into existence. Every new beginning starts when the lights come on and you begin to see something you couldn’t before — about God, yourself, or your situation.

Pastor Micah delivers his last Christmas message to Awaken by taking a look at the theme of light throughout scripture. It's a promise in the midst of darkness, but what would it look like if we received light as the gift that it is and saw ourselves as a light worthy of sharing with others? Merry Christmas to you all!

Pastor Jenna discusses how love can be a response to fear and hate by looking at some of the complexities facing our city today. In the same breath, during this holiday season, how can we view love as action, choice, and a simple acknowledgment of God's presence in each of our lives.

Pastor Micah continues the Advent as Resistance series by looking at the complexity of joy in a world that seems absent of it. 

Pastor Micah traces the threads of two Hebrew words, shamar and shalom, as they appear throughout scripture. Their significance and connection can be found in the simple, yet deeply consequential question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Pastor Micah discusses hope as resistance to empire by looking at the complexity, difficulty, and necessity of hope in a world that seems lost in brokenness and violence.

Pastor Micah closes out the series on the song of blessing by looking at the ways God surrounds us and can be found within us at all times if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Pastor Micah continues the Song of Blessing series by discussing the next stanza, May God give you ears to hear Their loving voice. He uses 1 Samuel 3:1-10 & Matthew 3:13-17 to unpack God's heart towards us and their desire speak to us alongside our desire to hear more intently.

Pastor Micah elaborates on the song of blessing series by discussing Joshua in the Bible. Joshua inherits an impossible task — leading people into the unknown. God’s command, “Be strong and courageous,” isn’t about muscle; it’s about trust. Courage doesn’t mean not feeling afraid. It means choosing love over fear again and again.

Awaken begins a new series looking at the lyrics and significance of the Song of Blessing that we sing over the kids each week. Pastor Jenna kicks off the series by looking at the first stanza, "May God give you eyes to see all that is good."  She points us to Genesis 13:10-18 when Abram and Lot look out over the land.

Pastor Micah discusses Jonah 1:1-17 and the idea that God’s love extends even to the places and people we’d rather exclude.

Guest speaker Tamice Namae graces Awaken with her presence and looks at Jeremiah 29:1–14
 through the lens of the Kendrick and Drake beef.