Mendham Hills

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This Memorial Day weekend, we wrap up our Attitude Adjustment series with a look at what happens when our attitudes go unchecked and unchanged. Narcissism is the place where all bad attitudes eventually lead. Paul, an apostle of Jesus, told his "son in the faith," Timothy, "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves." In a culture hyper-focused on ME, how do we take our eyes - our thoughts - off of ourselves long enough to really love another? This Sunday at Mendham Hills, it turns out it really is not all about you.

As the great philosopher Taylor Swift sang, "Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate." That's just what they do. Unfortunately, there is just a little bit of "hater" in all of us. We have a propensity towards critical spirits and judgmental attitudes. Why do we judge so quickly and harshly? We are commanded to have the attitude of Jesus and He has a pretty famous saying about judging. Does that mean we don't judge anything or anyone...ever? This Sunday, we take the logs out of our own eyes and the splinters out of others', as we adjust our judgmental attitudes.

This Mothers' Day Sunday, we take a pause from our attitude adjusting to focus on the women in our lives. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, championed the cause and value of women like no other. In fact, I would argue that in many ways, our culture is now just catching up. Yet, is it possible that in correcting one societal ill, we have created another? Jesus said, "Come ...all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...and you will find rest for your souls." Wouldn't it be wonderful if we fully applied this truth to the women in our lives amidst what has become a culture replete with unrealistic expectations, allowing them some rest for their souls? Destroying the myth of "Superwoman," this Mothers' Day at Mendham Hills.

Have you ever tried to use a fancy word and have it backfire? I have. It was pretty embarrassing. I thought I knew what it meant, but I was awkwardly and painfully wrong. In fact, I hurt someone's feelings and left some "carnage in my wake" all because I though I knew something I didn't. Turns out, the older I get, the more aware I am of my propensity to think I know things that I really don't, and carnage results. I just thought I knew how to love God, love my wife, or parent my kids. Turns out, I didn't know as much as I thought. My attitude was, "I knew it all." Turns out, I didn't and I don't. So, how do I learn...change? This week at Mendham Hills, we embrace a bit of ignorance and learn what it means to be imitators. Oh, and a surprise guests helps me. You don't want to miss this!

Christianity remains the dominant religion in our country with about 75% of people polled identifying themselves as adherents. I would counter that there appears to be a more dominant faith amongst us. The religion of our day, which almost all of us seem to be following at one level or another, is cynicism. Cynicism is, in many ways, the complete opposite of faith or belief. It crushes hope and fuels apathy, distrust, depression and disdain. If everyone has an agenda or an ulterior motive, who can I trust? Is there anything or anyone I can actually believe in? Why am I so cynical? Conquering the sin of cynicism – this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

All of us, in one way or another, are in need of an attitude adjustment - but where do we begin? How about with the worst kind of attitude? The one attitude that all of us share, the one we hate in others but refuse to see in ourselves. There is no attitude that makes one more unpopular, and the more we have it ourselves, the more we dislike it in others. It is, as C.S. Lewis wrote, "the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began and leads to every other vice." Yeah, lets start with changing that one - this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

Christmas mornings last a lot longer now that my kids are older. When they were young, it seemed like a month's worth of preparation was over in half a minute. They tore into the presents, barely looking at what they had unwrapped before casting it aside and picking up the next. No reflection, no appreciation, just pure consumption. It was like they felt entitled to all those things and when the last package was opened, it was not done with an "attitude of gratitude," but through tears because there wasn't more. Can you imagine? Blessing after blessing, gift after gift, and yet, they were miserable. Good thing we grow out of that...or do we? Maybe we need a change in attitude.

I really want to take control of my life. If I had my way, every step on the journey would fall exactly into proper place. Few of them do, though. The reason so many of us feel like our lives are out of control is...they are. Time has taught us a painful truth: there is very little in our lives we can actually command. What if there was one thing we could control that impacted everything we couldn't? Imagine controlling the one thing that impacts everything? Controlling my one thing this Sunday at Mendham Hills - it's time for an attitude adjustment.

One of the things I loved about being a dad was introducing my kids to new experiences - their first ball game, first amusement park, first ride on a plane. Of course, not every first was fun. There were also first shots, first stitches, first funerals. One common question they had that put every fear to rest and built up hope for what was coming was, "Dad, what will it be like?" Jesus proclaimed our great hope was not merely what was in heaven, but the "renewal of all things." And so, in order to have our fears flee and our hope grow, the question rings out from our childlike hearts, "What will it be like?" Fight fear and build hope, this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

We've spent the winter looking at our Origins; it's time to look at our Destination. Where does our story end? What happens at my end? Our fear of death is supercharged by the fear of the unknown. What if it could be known? What if you knew what it will be already? Despite what you have been told, you are not getting wings, a harp, and going to an eternal church service in the sky. It is so, so much better than that and when you understand what will happen there, it will change forever how you live here. Come find out why you won't wind up in heaven and discover a hope that can conquer any fear.

Some of us spend our lives trying to be like someone else. Others of us spend our lives trying to be what someone else told us we should be. Still others wrestle years away trying to "find themselves." Most of us fade into our golden years with regret and wonder - who is the me I was meant to be? Discovering ourselves, this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

Influence - all of us have some and most of us want more. As adults, we fight for it, and as parents, we worry about it. Who are you intentionally influencing? Maybe a more interesting question is who are you unintentionally influencing and how? As we look back at our history, our shared nature, the question arises as to the impact of nurture and influence in our lives. Do I do what I do because they did what they did? The power of influence in our lives and over our lives this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew When I bit off more than I could chew But through it all, when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out I faced it all and I stood tall And did it my way Frank Sinatra's iconic ballad roars, and our independent, 21st Century hearts soar as we join in the chorus. Yet, if we are honest, doing it "my way" sometimes leads to "my mess." Is there another way? A better way? This Sunday, a look at "Father Abraham," the mess of his ways, the mess of our ways, and the better way.

This Super Bowl Sunday, the question begs answering again: Does defense really win championships, or is it all about offense? For many of us, life mimics football, offering us the same two choices regarding how we live. Some of us are hard-chargers, modern day warriors grabbing life by the horns. Others of us have been so beat up that it's much more about caution, safety and protection. Should life be lived on offense, defense, or is there another way? Life lessons from a Nimrod, this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

I can remember one of my first toys being a Noah's Ark play set. Thousands of years post-flood, and Noah and his animals are as ubiquitous as ever. Most of us think we know the story; most of us don't. If we did, if we understood it, it's about the last story we would read at bedtime. The real story of Noah is one replete with death, destruction, family dysfunction, sexual innuendo, generational curses, sexism, racism, and lots of ancient (and not-so-ancient) lessons about life for people like you and me. A look at what happened when God started over - Noah, the "grown-up" version, this Sunday at Mendham Hills.

The word "genesis" and the word "gene" or "genetic" are the same word. Everything in you is determined by your genetic code. So, too, is everything in history - it is merely a playing out of our shared genes, which are exposed so clearly in this book of origins. Ever feel like most of your life, you are just waiting for "the other shoe to drop," or that there is trouble lurking, waiting to pounce on you, your family, or your dreams? Yeah, Genesis explains that, too. The enemy is crouching at your door - learn how to escape this Sunday at Mendham Hills!

It's time to tackle the big questions - "Who am I? Why am I here?" In moments of personal reflection, have you ever wondered, "Why do I do what I do?" In moments of relational frustration, have you ever wondered, "Why does he/she do what they do?" During Origins, we will explore our shared beginnings, our humanistic tendencies, our familial issues, and our one communal great hope. It's a lot easier to get where you want to go when you know where it is you began.

Almost everyone makes New Year's resolutions. As resolution, as commonly defined, is a firm decision to stop or start doing something. The problem is, for most of us, that decision turns out to not be all that firm. What if this year, we replace resolutions with a revolution - a literal overthrow and replacement of the "old you." Is that even possible? This New Year's Sunday at Mendham Hills, we will present to you the tools and an incredible new free gift to prepare you for the battle. Too much is at stake for all of us to simply roll into 2018 without a plan for change - come this Sunday and discover yours.

The prophet Isaiah foresaw the completed promise of God: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father..." This newborn king would not merely be a reflection of your earthly father, but the revelation of a perfect father. This prophecy carries with it the promise of adoption, sonship and inheritance. If you have ever had your breath taken away by a Christmas gift, just wait until you glimpse the inheritance coming for the heirs of God.