Awaken Community

The Long Road: Sin and Brokenness

Awaken begins another series focused on rebuilding the foundations of faith after an unburdened series that unpacked unhelpful ideas within the evangelical tradition. Pastor Micah kicks things off with a discussion on sin and brokenness.

Unburdened: Letting Go of Scapegoat Theology

Pastor Micah delivers his final Easter message by looking at Jesus as the last scapegoat, breaking the cycle of redemptive violence that has become so normalized throughout human history.

Unburdened: Letting Go of Comfort

Awaken's Director of Spiritual Formation, Cathy Solomon, delivers a refreshing exploration of the ways comfort has been used within white evangelical religious spaces as a means of avoidance. What does it look like to enter into discomfort for the sake of spiritual growth and connectedness to ourselves and our neighbors?

Unburdened: Letting Go of American Exceptionalism

Pastor Micah unpacks the consequences of American Exceptionalism and Colonialism embedded within the Christian church. What does it look like to unearth, address, and let go of colonialism within our religious context?

Unburdened: Letting Go of the Rapture

Pastor Micah discusses yet another major belief in modern western christianity, the rapture. He unpacks what it is, where it's found in scripture (if at all), and how it gained such a significant following. By looking at the real world implications of such a belief, Micah encourages us to let go of escapism and be reminded of partnering with God on this earth here and now.

Unburdened: Letting Go of Purity Culture

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.

Unburdened: Letting Go of Evangelism

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. 

7 Days of Creation: Day Seven - Rest

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.

7 Days of Creation: Day Six - Humanity and Animals

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.

7 Days of Creation: Day Five - Birds and Fish

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.