Believing in the Tension | The Benefit of the Doubt | Menlo Church Sermon Message

Phil, Suzy and Mark explore quiet quitting, running from the calling of God, and how in many cases we are more similiar to Jonah than we like to admit. We also get some practical steps on how to help identify when we are numb, and ways to start claiming our hearts back. Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

Jonah wasn’t just running from a mission; he was running from feeling. He was numb to Nineveh, bitter toward mercy, and disengaged from his calling. In this four-week series, we’ll trace Jonah’s emotional and spiritual journey as a mirror for our own: a warning against apathy, a call to compassion, and a God who keeps pursuing even when we shut down. Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

This week Alisha is back, and Troy Patterson Jr. makes his first appearance to help us unpack what it means to have a strong foundation, how to battle with doubt, and look ahead to what's coming next! Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

We close with a vision of faith rebuilt on Jesus, not on cultural scaffolding. Isaiah 61 reminds us that God brings beauty from ashes—and Jude 1:22 calls us to be merciful to those who doubt. This is not a return to where we were—it’s the beginning of where God is taking us. Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

This week Jessica Morgan, our Menlo Park Associate Family Pastor, sits down with us to further lean into what it means to dive into doubt both personally, and for the kids and students in our life.  Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

Mark 9:24 is the anthem of our generation: “I believe; help my unbelief.” This message explores the paradox of trusting Jesus while not having all the answers. The renewal we long for begins with a remnant learning to stand in uncertainty with conviction, not anxiety. Certainty often comes by blending things we think we can control with the mysteries we can’t, but curiosity leads to something much deeper and more powerful for living out who we are in Jesus. Connect with Us | Test Us: (650)600-0402

This week the Reverend Doctor Scott Palmbush joins us to walkthrough what it means to doubt our faiths, ask and answer questions of doubt well, and encourages us that this is, indeed, a normal and shared experience. If you struggle with doubt, or have a questions about faith deepens your doubt, text our team and we will chat about this on the next podcast! Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

We live in an age of unraveling—where inherited faith is being deconstructed, institutions are distrusted, and certainty is rare. But maybe doubt isn’t a detour from discipleship. Maybe it’s the door. Benefit of the Doubt invites us into the tension of belief and uncertainty. We’ll learn how doubt can purify faith rather than destroy it—and why resilient discipleship in a secular age requires depth, honesty, and the courage to rebuild on something more durable than cultural Christianity. This isn’t a call to ignore your questions. It’s a call to bring them to Jesus—to surrender shallow certainty for deeper trust. In a culture obsessed with authenticity, Jesus still offers the real thing. Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

This week we dive deeper into how to bring peace in a time where there is so much division around us. Matt and Junior help lay out some practical steps to take this week to lead ourselves and those around us to hope bring hope and peace. See you this Friday at San Mateo for the Worship Night! Connect with Us | Text Us: (650)600-0402

In this special episode of the podcast, Phil and Dawn walk us through some of the big picture questions around the Annual Congregational Meeting that happened in services today, as well as answer the questions that were submitted to us to help inform voting and strategy.  To vote, or see anything mentioned in this podcast around Bylaw Updates, Elders, or strategy click HERE.