Mosaic - Erwin McManus

Pastor Erwin hosted a powerful conversation on how we can be a part of the solution to racial inequality with Chris Simmons and Gerald Davis. Chris and Gerald are pastors at Cornerstone Baptist Church, the Church Pastor Erwin founded previous to Mosaic. Chris Simmons started the conversation by emphasizing the importance of building strong foundations as a Church. When foundations are built well, the building goes up easily. They discussed the practical ways Cornerstone Baptist Church has met the needs of their community over the years. Pastor Erwin shared that he saw how systemic racism caused those who needed the most help to have to work the hardest and pay the most for high-quality food, education, and housing. Pastor Erwin explained that he would pray that God would give him the ability to speak at the Cornerstone Church and give high-quality teaching. He felt this was his role in contributing quality to an environment that was at times given the lowest quality of many things. Pastor Erwin explained that moving forward, people in power have to chose to diversify their leadership. “People don’t really care how much you know until they know how much you care.” -Chris Simmons — "Crossing the Racial Divide" message recorded on July 22, 2020 during Team Night on MOSAIC:ONLINE. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200722

How do we sustain hope when everything seems uncertain? Gratitude. Why aren’t we cashing in on this attribute when gratitude is what frees our hearts. Peace comes as a ruler. Peace will rule our lives once we allow it to. Paul consistently reminds us how important it is to thank God in all we do. To be connected to God in a powerful way requires thanksgiving. In Colossians 3:15-17 Paul breaks it down for new believers, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” It’s important to remember that saying thank you sets our minds on a different ‘us.’ The Scriptures are there to tell us what we need to know, and more importantly: how we should live. Remember, if we don’t carry peace we cannot bring peace. “Take the storm as an adventure, and have the time of your life. Free hearts, full minds.” – David Arcos — "Playlist for Gratitude" message recorded by David Arcos at Mosaic Hollywood. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200712

More than ever, we need wisdom to navigate this moment in history. As we look around at the landscape, we realize there is an urgent need for us to create a new world around us. It is time to be a part of building a world that is founded on wisdom. Based on Chapter 1 in the book of James, Pastor David Arcos unwraps how God views wisdom and how it relates to us. Wisdom is a gift God wants to give us freely. But, when we ask God for wisdom, we are able to receive it only when we truly desire it at any cost. We need to be willing to admit that we may be wrong and in need of correction in our perspective. Wisdom always helps us communally. Wisdom is not just for us individually. God calls us to be smart and tactical for the sake of helping others. Wisdom is leaning into what God is thinking. At times, it may even flip out world upside down. As the Church, we have been called by God to create a new world. This world is meant to be diverse and multifaceted, and if there ever was a time we needed wisdom to create that new world, it is now. "Wisdom is when the imagination chooses love" –David Arcos — "New World" message recorded by David Arcos at Mosaic Hollywood. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200705

It’s easy to look at God and wonder if he’s holding out on us. With so much going on we can feel overlooked. It’s important to remember that the power of faithfulness is in the day-to-day moments. The story of David is a great reminder, that we are all chosen by God, maybe just not right now in the way we want. You have been chosen by God to do a powerful thing, but you must be faithful with what you’ve been given now so that you can be trusted later. Out of 1 Samuel 17:17-19 Pastor Joe Smith tells us about the story of David. David was teaching us how faithfulness is an important aspect of who we become.  He reminds us it’s not who you are when you get what you want, it’s who you are when you could be doing other things but you choose to do the hard things. God wants to teach us to serve but our heart posture must be right. We can elevate our roles by taking responsibility, not so we can think more highly of ourselves, but so we can serve others. God used David’s faithfulness to bring him to greatness. The thing that positions us most powerfully, is our commitment to faithfulness. David is a great example of living a life where nothing is beneath you. “The path towards your greatest future will always be paved by your service.” –Joe Smith — "The Chosen Ones" message recorded by Joe Smith at Mosaic Hollywood. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200628

Based on Acts 16, Pastor Joe Smith encourages us to live in the freedom that Jesus invited us into. And as God moves in our lives, we realize He is moving on behalf of everyone around us as well. As we worship with our lives, we realize we are building a story of hope for everyone around us. Though this moment in history is difficult, Pastor Joe believes that we were made for this moment. As we chose to embrace the challenge of this moment, we realize there is an endless amount of purpose here. As people watch us respond, we can become a vantage point through which they can see who God is around us and in us. Though God has done everything to invite us into a life of freedom, it is our choice to step into it. God sets our freedom into motion, but it is our responsibility to embrace it. There is no area of our lives that God cannot set us free from. We are not stuck in our past. God has invited us into a beautiful future.  “Everything that God does is for your freedom.”  —Joe Smith — "Freedom Ain't Free" message recorded by Joe Smith at Mosaic Hollywood. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200621

Kelly Rowland joined our Lead Pastor Erwin McManus for a conversation that offered such incredible insight. Pastor Erwin asked Kelly about her journey with her career and family, and how race and faith have impacted her story. Kelly empowered us to live a generous life and expect to see how God moves through our generosity. When they covered Kelly’s career, she emphasized the importance of truly loving your work. Our dreams are meant to bring us enjoyment, even when the journey seems difficult along the way. There is a grit that is required to step into the dreams God has given us, and hard work can take us places that talent never could. Pastor Erwin asked Kelly to share her passion for giving. She told a story of a time when she felt stuck. Her best friend encouraged her to give and be generous, and to see how God would provide. Kelly made bold decisions after that conversation and decided to be more and more generous. She saw how God showed up for her again and again when she surrendered through generosity. Kelly then shared a moment of feeling fear when she found out she was going to be having a son. But, she was reminded that God would give her what she needed to raise a black man in today’s society. She also encouraged single women to look for a husband who is kind, a good communicator, and clear on his faith. “It’s not about your desire for the outcome, it’s about your love for the process.” –Erwin McManus — "A Conversation With Kelly Rowland" message recorded on June 17, 2020 during Team Night on MOSAIC:ONLINE. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200617

We are in the middle of one of the most united moments in history, coming together to stand against injustice. We are declaring that racism has to end with us. This is a moment we have to choose to step into. Not only are we deciding to step in, but we have decided we will not leave this moment the same. Out of Acts Chapter 3, Pastor Joe Smith reminds us that we have to change what we see. When stepping into a moment, we choose to lead with listening rather than airing our opinions. In our culture, we are leaning in to see things from a different perspective. We have what it takes to enter this moment. God has given us all we need to make an impact. When we stop focusing on what we lack, we are able to capture the transformative moments Jesus is inviting us into. There is good in us that God is trying to get out of us for the sake of those around us. As we embrace this historical moment where we declare that ‘Black lives matter’, we are becoming more human than ever before. We are connecting to one another’s pain in a brand new way. Jesus is inviting us into a moment where we are transformed and can never be the same. Let’s step into it together. “We lead with grace, and we lead with understanding and we lead with love.” —Joe Smith — "Capture The Moment" message recorded by Joe Smith at Mosaic Hollywood. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200614

We find ourselves in the middle of a defining moment as not only a nation, but as humanity. In the wake of the tragic murder of George Floyd, and the social unrest, we may find ourselves filled with questions. We ask ‘Where is God in this suffering?’ and ‘What is our role in the middle of this?’ Pastor Erwin McManus refers to Ephesians 2, emphasizing that God created us to be one diverse and beautiful family. Mosaic was created with a love for diversity. Because God is creative, we were designed to enjoy his creativity in the way he made humanity. When we find ourselves in the middle of pain, it can be difficult to imagine that God is right in the middle of it with us. The truth is that God is using the pain to create a new humanity that comes together to celebrate and bring healing to one another. Everywhere that people are coming together for the good, God’s fingerprint is there. “Jesus is standing in the middle with you right now.” —Erwin McManus "The Power of Resilience" message given by Erwin McManus at Mosaic Hollywood. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200607

Pastor Erwin hosts Jerome & Angela Davis and Pastor Joe Smith as they engage in a crucial conversation about race, justice, and inequality in America, in response to everything happening across our nation.   "Let us be the change that we so desperately want in this world." –Angela Davis - Recorded during Mosaic Team Night on June 1, which was streamed on MOSAIC:ONLINE. For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200601

Pastor Erwin acknowledges that at this moment you may not feel powerful right now, and you may even feel overpowered, but illuminates the hope we have in Jesus, and the power He gives us to serve one another. From 1 Peter 4:10, which states “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,” Pastor Erwin shows us that God wants to teach us to serve with our heart postures aligned with His. This powerful message calls us to elevate our roles by taking a high level of responsibility and to serve others, not for our own gain, but to elevate those around us. Our pastor reminds us that God is the greatest servant and that Jesus has already come to serve us, so now it’s our turn to serve each other. “There is only one purpose for the power you have been given, and that is to serve.” -Erwin McManus - "The Power To Serve" message given by Erwin McManus at Mosaic Hollywood. - For more information, visit mosaic.org. © MOSAIC / Erwin McManus. #20200531