Vision Priorities

Wednesdays in the Word

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A Series of Topical Devotionals on Unity

Hosted by Noah Graves

 This Summer Noah tackled the subject of Unity. As we look around our country we are so divided. Jesus desires we be unified in Him

 

John 12:20-21 states: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

 

Come check out our YouTube channel featuring this and other relevant topics.

Full Series on Unity
YouTube Channel

Updates & Connection Opportunities

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Weekly Pastors Video: Every week Pastor Bob and special guest brings you some encouraging truths from the Scriptures , current events and let you know how you can connect. You don’t want to miss this important weekly video delivered right here!

Latest Pastor's Weekly Update

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Previous Episodes

Check out our audio only option.

Stay tuned right here for regular updates from Behind The Pulpit.
Here you will find our Pastor’s weekly videos updates and various MBC community opportunities to connect with each other.

Connect

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WE'RE SAVING YOU A SEAT

Connecting together | We believe the Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. We strive to emphasize authenticity in our relationships with one another. MBC is excited about growing together as a family by sharing our lives and learning experiences. We encourage authentic inward, outward and upward growth so we may become part of each other’s emerging stories. We seek to cultivate a welcoming and compelling environment where new guests will be embraced as family by leading them through a pathway of deeper connection to God and others. We want to connect hearts and encourage one another as we do live together, in community. Pastors Dave Hentschel & Bob Erbig unpack this vital aspect to our faith in shared sermon below:

Below are various ministries where you can ENGAGE in our community for purposeful Growth and Connection. 

Meet 1st & 3rd Sunday of every month, 5:30-7:30pm | Contact
Building relationships are a key to the learning process | Contact

Exploring intersections of faith, work & relationships | Contact

Childcare & education from birth – 6th grade | Sundays, 9 & 10:30am | Contact

Morning Break–Tuesdays, 9:15am | The Evening Edition–Tuesdays, 7pm | Contact

Meets quarterly for fellowship and breakfast | Contact

Join us for weekly shared meals on summer Sundays | Contact

7th-12th grade | The Break–Wednesdays, 7-8:30pm, Rush Hour–Sundays, 9am in the lower level of the YFMB | Contact
Courageous conversations at the intersection of faith & culture | Contact
Monthly initiative targeting 5th and 6th grade children | Contact

Music Camp: A summer week of music & drama for children in grades 2-8 | Contact

Christmas musical theatre program for children in grades 2-8 |  Contact

Dynamic and Spirit-filled worship unto our Lord and Savior |  Contact

Production AVL Arts: A team of creative and worship media savy technichians |  Contact

Communication Arts: Telling our story through design, social media, photography & video | Contact
Renew
Grow
Connect
Act
about us

Priority Statement: 
We seek to cultivate a welcoming and compelling environment where new guests will be EMBRACED as family by communicating and leading them through a pathway of deeper connection.

  • Strategy 1: Retain first-time guests by creating new and inviting spaces, focusing on hospitality that will lead to a positive first impression. This will result in subsequent visits and a retention rate at least 50%.

  • Strategy 2: Develop new and build-out existing relational opportunities for connection with others in the community and within the church family.

  • Strategy 3: Develop new and build-out existing relational opportunities for connection with others in the community and within the church family.

Act

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WE'RE SAVING YOU A SEAT

Family on Mission; Locally and Globally | As a family on mission we seek to be salt and light in our community and the world. We are committed to facilitating efforts that equip and empower the unreached and unwanted by collectively putting our faith into action. Through various family- and mission-based engagements, and partnering with regional and global initiatives, we actively seek opportunities to come alongside the hurting, disconnected, and those in need of aid to bring about cultural renewal for the glory of God. Pastor Bob Erbig unpacks this vital aspect to our faith in his sermon below.

Below are various ministries where you can ENGAGE in our community for purposeful Growth and Connection. 

Local, regional and international cultural engagement | Contact

Mobile resource centers to help the poor and homeless for NYC and NJ |  Contact

Senior Luncheon: The third Friday of each month from October to May |  Contact

Trunk or Treat: Community-wide family event |  Contact

Ministering to the homeless and hopeless in northern NJ |  Contact

Easter Egg Hunt: Community directed initiative to bring joy to local families | Contact

 Creating economic transportation options for people in need |  Website

Summer Adventure: Vacation Bible School | Contact

Christmas musical theatre program for children in grades 2-8 |  Contact

Charter Day: Community-sponsored event where we engage with our neighbors | Contact

Renew
Grow
Connect
Act
about us

Priority Statement: 
Our goal is that young families will be the fastest growing segment of our church body with a special focus on OUTREACH to the local community.

  • Strategy 1: Establish innovative young family programming designed by and for young families.

  • Strategy 2: Create targeted programming that matches our local community’s demographics.

  • Strategy 3: Creatively come alongside our local community leaders to meet their needs and encourage those concerned with cultural renewal.

Grow

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WE'RE SAVING YOU A SEAT

Priority One: Growing together.

MBC is excited about growing together as a family by sharing our lives and learning experiences. We encourage authentic inward, outward and upward growth so we may become part of each other’s emerging stories. Pastor Dave Hentschel unpacks this vital aspect to our faith in his sermon below. 

Below are various ministries where you can ENGAGE in our community for purposeful Growth and Connection. 

Building relationships are a key to the learning process | Contact

Exploring intersections of faith, work & relationships | Contact

Serving families with preschool children | Contact

Childcare & education from birth – 6th grade | Sundays, 9 & 10:30am | Contact
Meets quarterly for fellowship and breakfast | Contact
Monthly initiative targeting 5th and 6th grade children | Contact
Meet 1st & 3rd Sunday of every month, 5:30-7:30pm | Contact
Courageous conversations at the intersection of faith & culture | Contact
7th-12th grade | The Break–Wednesdays, 7-8:30pm, Rush Hour–Sundays, 9am in the lower level of the YFMB | Contact

Morning Break–Tuesdays, 9:15am | The Evening Edition–Tuesdays, 7pm | Contact

Music Camp: A summer week of music & drama for children in grades 2-8 | Contact

Alternating Sunday mornings programming for 5th and 6th grade children | Contact
Renew
Grow
Connect
Act
about us

Priority Statement: 
We desire to see 100% of members and regular attenders ENGAGED in one or more of our varied and vibrant spiritual growth or service ministries. 

  • Strategy 1: Grow wider in our number of those committed to serve by creating a culture with an abundance of volunteers for each ministry program.

  • Strategy 2: Grow in our stewardship by becoming a fully resourced church.

  • Strategy 3: Grow deeper in our faith by cultivating biblically based, relationally driven environments where the spiritual formation process can flourish.

Renew

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WE'RE SAVING YOU A SEAT

Living the life we should live.

We believe | The Bible is the story of God renewing our world. Theologians speak of this as the great story, with a narrative arc consisting of four major parts in redemption history: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and finally, Restoration.

The first book in the Bible is Genesis, and it says that God created the world and it was good (Gen 1:31). And there he created a man and a woman, and placed them in a garden called Eden. There they were to be fruitful and multiply, and to partner with God in caring for this world, and the presence of the glory of God was there with them … until sin came into the world …   

The tragedy of the Bible is called the Fall, that moment when mankind rebelled against God and His right to govern and rule over their lives. Since this moment, all of creation has fallen into sin and is desperate and groaning for things to go back to the way they were supposed to be and awaits its promised liberation from bondage (Romans 8:19), until the promised redeemer would come… 

In the fullness of time, God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to live the life we should have lived and to die the death we deserved. He died as a substitute on the cross for our sins, and then rose victoriously over the grave. He then gave his followers a commission to proclaim this Gospel (good news). The message of the Gospel is the message of God’s grace, mercy and the forgiveness of sins for all who believe. But this is not the end of the story… 

The testimony of the Bible is that God has every intention of renewing and restoring this world to a glory surpassing what it had at first. (Eph 3:20-21; Haggai 2:9) Jesus taught his disciples about the coming “renewal of all things.” (Matt 19:28). This may seem strange at first, because some Christians believe God will abandon this world and wisk them away to a spiritual heaven as they live in a sort of disembodied state in the presence of God. While there is some truth to this reality, this is incomplete and not the whole Gospel. New Testament scholar N.T. Wright says our ultimate hope is not life after death, but life after life after death. (*N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church.)

 

This is because our final destination as God’s people is not as disembodied spirits in heaven, this state described in 2 Corinthians 5 is a merely a transitional period and is spoken of as a temporary dwelling while we wait for our earth’s renewal and our bodily resurrection. Our final destination is a renewed and restored world with resurrected bodies living with God who dwells among His people (Rev 21-22). This is why the good news is so good. We find that to be very exciting! 

So what do we do now? Now we wait and we work. We work toward