Most of us have been taught to become like Jesus through raw effort. Try harder. Use more willpower. Know more Bible. Work on your behavior. In this message, Pastor Mo Brooks explains why that approach keeps so many of us stuck, exhausted, and discouraged. Drawing from Romans 12:2 and the life of Jesus, he shows that we are not called to simply try to be like Jesus. We are invited to train with Jesus and be transformed from the inside out.

You will learn the difference between trying and training, and why willpower always runs out. You will see how renewing your mind reaches deeper than your thoughts and touches your subconscious, your habits, and your identity. Through stories, examples, and honest reflection, Pastor Mo explores how spending time with Jesus, practicing spiritual disciplines, and receiving Gods love over and over again slowly reshapes who you are, not just what you do.

In this episode you will:

• Discover why trying to follow Jesus through willpower and knowledge alone does not work

• Understand the marathon picture of discipleship and why spiritual growth happens through daily training

• Explore how silence, solitude, Scripture, and simple prayers become spiritual exercises that renew your mind

• See how identity and belief about yourself shape your behavior, and why you must learn to see yourself the way God already sees you in Christ

• Be encouraged to start small, train consistently, and trust that the Holy Spirit is changing you over time

The Beloved Church of Kalamazoo is currently in Phase 1 of 4 in our new church plant. Each podcast episode features a short teaching followed by group discussion and strategic work on shaping and building our church together.

You were never meant to live for God, you were meant to live with Him. In this message, Pastor Mo Brooks reveals the secret to spiritual growth: learning to abide in Jesus daily. Drawing from John 15 and Galatians 5, this episode explores how being with Jesus transforms who you are, how you love, and how you live.

In this message you will learn:

• The three goals of true faith: Be with Jesus, Become like Jesus, and Do what Jesus did.
• How to slow down and experience the presence of God in everyday life.
• Why awareness of Jesus produces the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Stay connected with The Beloved Church of Kalamazoo as we continue the Rooted in Love series and learn how to build a faith rooted in presence, not performance.

The Beloved Church of Kalamazoo is currently in Phase 1 of 4 in our new church plant. Each podcast episode features a short teaching followed by group discussion and strategic work on shaping and building our church together.

Sermon Title: The Crazy Love of God Part Two

Scripture: Luke 15 25 32

Series: Rooted in Love

This message was shared during our third Sunday Gathering at The Beloved Church of Kalamazoo. In Part Two of The Crazy Love of God, Pastor Mo Brooks teaches from the story of the Prodigal Son and shifts the focus to the often-overlooked elder son.

While the younger son represents those who wander far from home, the elder son represents those who stay close yet struggle to understand grace. This sermon reveals how God’s love reaches both—the rebellious and the resentful, the lost and the loyal.

You will see that the Father goes out to both sons, inviting each one into the same celebration of love. This is the kind of love that listens, includes, and restores. It is a love that breaks the spirit of comparison and calls us to rejoice when others are found.

We are a new church plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with a simple mission: to receive God’s love and give it away. Thank you for praying, supporting, and walking with us as we grow together in His love and freedom.

Support the ministry: https://give.tithe.ly/?formId=32f9fa70-381a-4c3e-8338-df397775c7fc

OR Cash App: $belovedchurchkzoo

Prayer request: https://thebelovedchurchofkalamazoo.breezechms.com/form/cfebe8

Have questions or want to connect: info@belovedchurchkzoo.org