Mountaintop Church

What restores you? It’s important for each of us to figure out what restores our spirit – what renews our minds and hearts – and schedule it. It might not be the same day each week. Maybe it's Sunday, maybe it's not. Where are you creating that space? Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

The people who followed Jesus most closely did not believe Jesus was going to rise from the dead or that he had risen from the dead, even when they saw The Empty Tomb. That's because their experience with death was the same experience we’ve had with death. So what if the tomb was empty? That could be explained in any number of ways. But something changed on the first Easter and even the following week… Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Perhaps you’ve been disenfranchised how you’ve seen the church or Christians or pastors engage with politics. As humans, we’re enamored with “The Empire.” We're attracted to power and influence. We're fascinated with authority and control. Sometimes it’s been used for good and sometimes it's been abused for evil. But what happens when The Empire comes up against The Eternal? It turns out…they’re not even speaking the same language.  Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

Jesus used his influence to teach his disciples humility, to teach them how to serve. and to show them what it looks like to put others before yourself. When you leverage your power and influence for the benefit others, you reveal a kind of character that is uncommon in most people. How we use our time, our energy and our gifts reveals a lot about who or what we love.Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Have you ever felt stuck? Are you clinging needlessly to the methods and instincts that got you stuck in the first place? Maybe you need someone to nudge you in the right direction… If you're feeling unsatisfied or if you're running on fumes, today’s story is good news for you. The character at the center of the story discovers the truth about her situation. History calls her the woman at the well, and if we listen closely to her interaction with Jesus, I believe that we too might discover a better way. Learn more about Mountaintop at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

What are you going to do with your greatness? What is it going to be used for? How are you going to steward it? Who is going to benefit from it? Why are you striving for it? Today we are continuing our series called JESUS: The storyteller, and in this series, the storyteller is the Gospel writer John. Not to be confused with John the Baptist, about whom Matthew writes, “among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” John (the Storyteller) writes about him too, and that's where we'll get to see John the Baptist in action. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

What is it about John 3:16? Some of you know it by heart. Some of you may only know the reference: John 3:16. For others, this is totally new. So let’s just read it together. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16.By the time we’re done today, I hope you’ll see this passage in a new light. I hope you’ll understand it’s more than a memory verse. You can know what a verse says and not live what it teaches. You can write it on a poster without it being written on your heart. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

There are four accounts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, but no one tells the story quite like John. In his up-close and personal account as one of Jesus’ disciples, John gives us an inside look at the most intimate details of Jesus’ ministry. During this series, we’ll uncover stories about Jesus that are only found in the book of John, and we’ll find that John’s story of Jesus intersects with our own story.This series, JESUS, is part of a Five Year Journey we're on as a church, where we'll take a look at the life of Jesus through the eyes of each of the Gospel writers and stories that are unique to those gospels. Then in year five, we'll hear the crossover stories. Each year, this series will lead us up to Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his promise of eternal life through him.Download the Study Guide: https://mountaintopchurch.com/events/jesus-john-the-storyteller/ Messages from the previous two years can be found at https://mountaintopchurch.com/watch/Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

If everyone has to look alike and think exactly alike, and if there’s no room for disagreement or nuance, we might be bowing to the altar of conformity. The next generation does not want a faith that is so narrow that they have to conform to secondary issues. That’s never the way it’s supposed to have been since the beginning, but even Jesus’ disciples struggled with this.Deconstruction. Many people who once believed and had faith have made a decision not to believe, and often that decision comes as a result of what they have experienced around believing communities. In this series we'll talk about five reasons for deconstruction, and how a firm foundation can keep faith from crumbling.Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Deconstruction. Many people who once believed and had faith have made a decision not to believe, and often that decision comes as a result of what they have experienced around believing communities. In this series we'll talk about five reasons for deconstruction, and how a firm foundation can keep faith from crumbling.  More and more, American Christians are finding Identity in OPINIONS about politics. Their very sense of self is wrapped up in it. And a younger generation is looking at the Church and walking away from faith because of what they deem Political Idolatry. They don’t see a church that looks different from the world. They see Christians with the same rhetoric as non-believers, the same hostility as partisan politics, and the same talking points as 24-hour news channels. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Deconstruction. Many people who once believed and had faith have made a decision not to believe, and often that decision comes as a result of what they have experienced around believing communities. In this series we'll talk about five reasons for deconstruction, and how a firm foundation can keep faith from crumbling.  Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Deconstruction. Many people who once believed and had faith have made a decision not to believe, and often that decision comes as a result of what they have experienced around believing communities. In this series we'll talk about five reasons for deconstruction, and how a firm foundation can keep faith from crumbling.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

Deconstruction. Many people who once believed and had faith have made a decision not to believe, and often that decision comes as a result of what they have experienced around believing communities. In this series we'll talk about five reasons for deconstruction, and how a firm foundation can keep faith from crumbling.     Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

The church is a wonderful resource and an effective community for reinforcing the faith of your children, but the most powerful discipleship tool in their lives is you, the parent. How you disciple your kids will make all the difference when the time comes for them to lean on their faith. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

The goal of parenting is to no longer parent. The goal is for your children to be functional adults that don’t need your correction. And here’s what we parents often underestimate:  You will know your child as an adult for much longer than you do as a child or teenager.  So Why not parent with that end in mind? And here’s why discipline is so important: Just because you no longer parent them doesn’t mean they’re no longer under authority.  Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Parenting with the End in Mind: One day, your child is not going to be a child. They’ll be an adult. They’ll pay their bills and hopefully be responsible. And they’ll come to your house to visit for the Holidays. They might need to take a call from work, and you’ll see them put their work hat on. You’ll see them in relationship with their spouse and watch how they parent. Perhaps they’ll go to church with you and you’ll see their faith in action. And you will love them no matter what because they are still your baby. But will you like them? Will you like your children if they’re just like you?    Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

We often think about going in the right direction and setting goals every time we flip the calendar over to a new year, don’t we. The New Year is a good time to refocus our priorities and renew our efforts in pursuing the right things that matter most. The Apostle Paul knew the importance of setting goals, and as we begin this new year, Paul is going to help us set ONE goal to pursue in 2025 that can change everything for you and me. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Merry Christmas from Mountaintop! Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

You may be one decision away from a different destiny. You can have a lifetime of stubbornness and disobedience, and one decision can set a new course for your life. Your name can be remembered differently. How? Consider a man named Rehoboam whose selfishness divided the tribes of Israel…   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

Is your faith worth the risk of failure? When Ruth had to make a choice between doing what was normal and doing what was noble, she stepped out on faith, and her decision changed her life and her legacy in amazing ways she couldn't have predicted. She had no idea that her great-grandson, David, would slay a giant and become God’s chosen and anointed King over Israel; and she had no idea that her name would show up forever in the family tree of the Son of God.   Find out more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

We’ve all got some characters in our family tree. It comes with being part of a family. And everyone’s family is a little dysfunctional. But you wouldn't expect that to be the case with Jesus' family. You would think God would want the cleanest line. You would think Jesus would be born into a perfect family. But Jesus' family tree is full of broken people, just like yours and just like mine. And their presence is part of the beauty, because God creates beauty from broken things.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  

We do not exist FOR us. We do not serve and give generously FOR us. We exist FOR Birmingham (BHM). And that means several things around here. It means we partner with amazing organizations in our city and give a portion of everything we receive to the good work they’re doing for our neighbors in need. It means we host Serve Days in the spring and fall as ways to get off campus and truly be the physical hands and feet of Christ in our city. It means we encourage local business and community leaders on social media with a hashtag, #FORBHM. But the most important thing we do FOR BHM is a create environments where people meet the living God and empower them to take his love and grace into the streets of our city. We are called to be a beacon of Good News. We exist FOR this purpose.   Here at Mountaintop, we’re a church that invites and equips people to follow Jesus. So we’re always eager to welcome others. There’s always room for one more. In about a month, we will have completed our largest construction project in over 20 years, since we built our church on top of this mountain. This new facility will be completed, and we’ll have more parking than we’ve ever had, more check-in stations than we’ve ever had, more square footage than we’ve ever had, more kids’ classrooms than we’ve ever had. And we need it because we have more people than we’ve ever had. We’re making room FOR One more kid that you’re inviting, FOR Families we haven’t met yet and FOR Birmingham to know that we’ve created space for them. God has given us A Holy Burden FOR others, and that’s what this series is all about.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  

We believe that the work we are going to do together over the next decade will make an eternal impact in Birmingham and beyond for the next generation. One family at a time. We believe that is how you shape a generation, and so we are making room for one more family to be invited into our family here at Mountaintop. And by extension, to come to know what it means to be part of the family of God. Here at Mountaintop, we’re a church that invites and equips people to follow Jesus. So we’re always eager to welcome others. There’s always room for one more. In about a month, we will have completed our largest construction project in over 20 years, since we built our church on top of this mountain. This new facility will be completed, and we’ll have more parking than we’ve ever had, more check-in stations than we’ve ever had, more square footage than we’ve ever had, more kids’ classrooms than we’ve ever had. And we need it because we have more people than we’ve ever had. We’re making room FOR One more kid that you’re inviting, FOR Families we haven’t met yet and FOR Birmingham to know that we’ve created space for them. God has given us A Holy Burden FOR others, and that’s what this series is all about. Jake Davis, Digital and Creative Pastor Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  

Here at Mountaintop, we’re a church that invites and equips people to follow Jesus. So we’re always eager to welcome others. There’s always room for one more. In about a month, we will have completed our largest construction project in over 20 years, since we built our church on top of this mountain. This new facility will be completed, and we’ll have more parking than we’ve ever had, more check-in stations than we’ve ever had, more square footage than we’ve ever had, more kids’ classrooms than we’ve ever had. And we need it because we have more people than we’ve ever had. We’re making room FOR One more kid that you’re inviting, FOR Families we haven’t met yet and FOR Birmingham to know that we’ve created space for them. God has given us A Holy Burden FOR others, and that’s what this series is all about. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com   VIDEO: https://youtu.be/5QGLnKiUi2s

“What do Christians believe…really?” Well, we believe in eternity. We believe in a forever Kingdom. We believe that what we do matters…FOREVER. We are not following Jesus because it will simply make our lives better, even though it will. Or that it will make our world better — it will! We’re doing this because we have an invitation to live forever. The creation God made in the beginning will finally be restored and renewed. He’ll make everything new, including you, and at that point, either your sins will be held against you, or your name will be found written in the Book of Life and they’ll be forgiven. We believe we’ll have to give an account for our part in the story. And our part in the story of what God is doing on earth and in eternity really matters. That’s why knowing what we really believe is so important. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  

After Jesus’s death and resurrection, He ascended to heaven, but He told us that He was leaving the Holy Spirit behind for anyone who believed. This spirit filled people would be tasked with getting the word out about Him. Those people are called The Church. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Christians believe that the story of Jesus Christ doesn't end with his death on the cross or with his burial in a borrowed tomb. Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead three days after he died on a cross, and it may be one of the most challenging beliefs of Christianity. Even Christ's disciples didn't believe it when they first heard the news. But it's a cornerstone of the Christian faith.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

Almost everyone would agree that Jesus was a Good Man. Believing Jesus is a good man is not what sets Christians apart. We believe that he was more. We believe he was the only God Man. We believe he was both God and man. In fact, this is distinctive among Christians. No other religion makes a claim like this. And this is so crucial to understand what Christians believe. We do not believe Jesus was just a good man with good ideas. We believe Jesus was THE God man. And we believe this is absolutely necessary for humans to be made right with God. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com/

What do you think people who are not Christians think Christians believe? if you’re a skeptic, it is most likely the things you ‘think’ you have to believe in order to become a Christian that have kept you from even considering becoming one. But what we really believe is beautiful and its Good News. We’re going to use as our framework for these foundational beliefs something that unites all Christians and tells the story of what God is doing through Jesus. And it’s been around a long time: The Apostle’s Creed. This week, we're talking about What Christians Believe about The Creator. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Some of us are going through a storm, or we’re just on the other side of one. Or maybe we’re about to head into one... Nobody wants a storm. They’re inconvenient. You're forced to seek shelter, and sometimes you get soaked anyway. But sometimes, a storm is the catalyst that forces us to start over. What if we embraced this? What could be possible if you allow the storm you're going through to be the moment you start again? Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

It’s hard to wait. Sometimes it’s painful. But waiting is a critical element of our faith, and we can learn a lot about it from Noah. In the story of Noah’s Ark, you may have heard that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, but at the end of chapter seven, the Bible says that the flood lasted 150 days. The rain stopped, but Noah is just waiting! It couldn’t have been easy. Can you imagine the tension in the Ark? What is God doing out there? What is happening? Like Noah, you may have to wait to see how God works.    Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  VIDEO: https://youtu.be/PkWs-WvFs2w

God is working through the storms in our lives, and His mercy always shows up in our mess. We can have comfort in the chaos. The story of Noah should lead us to rest in God's invitation to take shelter in Him.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

We’ve all had times when we wondered what God was doing or NOT doing. We’ve all struggled “When God Doesn’t Make Sense.” Noah's Ark is a story that children in churches know well, and you are probably familiar with the basics of the story, even if you’re not a church person. But it’s a story we probably haven’t actually read or studied in depth. In this series, we’re going to take four weeks to go through the story of Noah and we'll find that it is less about a man, his boat, rain and a flood; and more about what we are supposed to do When God Doesn’t Make Sense.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com VIDEO: https://youtu.be/SfqX2Eu2yc0

The church is not just an organization. It’s not a business or even just a ministry. It’s a collection of people who are finding where they are meant to function in the “Body." And the “Body” won’t work right without you. And you won’t find your God-given design if you don’t find your purpose in it. In this series, we've been addressing the question, “What was I made for?” And this week, we'll discover that the world needs who you were made to be. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/QA0dHNvqSdk   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

God is free and our human freedom is a part of His image which we bear. But you can give up that freedom. In fact, your entire purpose is wrapped up in the idea that your freedom is meant to be given up for something better. And if you don’t, your life will be incomplete… VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Kv7H7RmEBpU Learn more about Mountaintop Church at ⁠https://mountaintopchurch.com⁠

We were made for a relationship with God, and that’s amazing because the God of the universe wants a relationship with us. But we were never intended to follow Christ alone. We were also made for community. We were meant for relationships. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com VIDEO: https://youtu.be/wzhNs8Dl7ss

"What was I made for?" Every single one of us has asked that question. You’ve been in a job you didn’t like, a relationship that wasn’t going well, switched majors for the third time...  And, what’s worse, you scroll through Instagram and see amazing people do amazing things with their lives. And you wonder, "Why am I here? What is my purpose on this giant green and blue planet amid all eight billion people?"   You are not an accident. You are not a collection of atoms or matter held together by gravity. You are not just biology. You are more than flesh & bones. God designed you for some things that are universal to all of us and some things that are unique to you. So let me just declare to you today: If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose.    Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Mountaintop was founded on a vision FOR Birmingham. It would be "a church that reached unchurched people." That's because the founders were convinced that Jesus loved them and that His love was FOR the whole world, FOR Birmingham and FOR our local community. We still believe that the local church is the vehicle that God has chosen to share the message of Jesus, and reach the world with the Gospel message that Christ died and Christ rose again. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/S1hJyce4nIM Carter McInnis, Lead Pastor Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Everyone, regardless of age, desires to find a place where they can belong. If we look long enough, we might just discover that belonging beings with seeking Jesus. In the Kingdom of God, you don’t have to do anything to be accepted. And once you find that you belong, the presence of Jesus begins to transform you. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, you BELONG with Jesus.

Desperate times call for desperate measures... In today's message, our Special Guest, April Farmer, tells the story of a desperate woman who turned to Jesus as a last resort and was healed by her faith! By turning to Jesus, she finds healing and freedom, and same opportunity exists for each of us.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Rgg_ehboDdU

As the United States barrels toward November elections, the topics that we've talked about thus far in this series are going to be used to divide us. Someone is going to try to convince us that THEY are the problem. “THEY” being the other side. And they are going to demonize the other side. Here’s the problem with that: When we demonize someone, we strip God’s image away from them. Politics makes us forget that they’re just people. But the truth is: Everyone who votes differently from you has as much of God’s image in them as you do.   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

Gender Identity is complex because we’re often not sure where the line is between God-given gender and cultural stereotypes. And right now, it's a part of our national conversation in regard to ethics, morality and sexuality. It can be easy to make generalizations, but the truth is, every story is unique. And the stories aren’t just stories. Every story belongs to a person. And Jesus came to save people -- all people -- including transgender people. And our mission is to invite and equip people to follow Jesus. That is the heartbeat of why we do what we do, and it colors the way we approach everything and everyone. Because we believe Jesus changes everything. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com Lead Pastor, Carter McInnis VIDEO: https://youtu.be/EYwXFiDjUD0

Abortion is an incredibly complex issue. It’s a topic that is culturally and politically explosive, and it will be weaponized in a few months to try and sway your vote one way or another. But we’re not interested in political perspectives. We want to know what the Bible says about it, where the Bible says it, and what else the Bible says. We want to know how we can live out our faith in the midst of these complex conversations.    Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

When people sit down for a conversation and fundamentally disagree about what the Bible says, a complex conversation can get even more complicated. Perhaps there’s no issue in our modern culture (and even in the Christian church) that people disagree about more than homosexuality. It's complex. Truthfully, no one has all the answers on this side of eternity. All we can do is the best we can with what we have been given in God's word. Our framework for this series has been: “What the Bible Says,” “Where the Bible Says It,” “What Else the Bible Says,” and "What Now?" The “What Now” part is where the complex questions really start. VIDEO: https://youtu.be/blRFWUMkRGw   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

Humanity bears the image of God. Not just one of us, but all of us. You have never looked into the eyes of someone who did not bear the image of God. Every nation in creation shares this image-bearing mark. This is a core, foundational belief for people of faith. However, this understanding creates some complexity. When it comes to disagreements, politics and even military conflict and war, we easily forget the people on the other side are made in the image of God. So, let’s look at what the scriptures say, and then take a look at five postures that are necessary and Godly as people of faith. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Hkd1kq7LocA Lead Pastor, Carter McInnis

You’ve probably got some strong opinions about these complex issues: RACE, HOMOSEXUALITY, ABORTION, GENDER IDENTITY AND POLITICS. That's OK. This series, Complex Conversations, is not about what to think but about how to think, especially about the Bible and our mission as Christians. We aim to present a faithful and honest interpretation of God’s Word and ask you to consider how your opinions are being shaped by it. This series will focus on how to engage with these issues, and maybe how to think about them in a way you haven’t considered before. Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com VIDEO: https://youtu.be/zJnhHlvHtYM Lead Pastor, Carter McInnis

The resurrection is the reason that we can experience the joy of the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. That doesn’t mean life will always be easy or feel like a party; it just means that God will always be with us. The resurrection launched a New Life that is available to all who believe. And it’s available to you. So, the question, kids (and all of us) is: Will you join the party Jesus started? This Sunday will look a little different from a typical Sunday at Mountaintop. That's because it's VBS Kickoff Sunday! We're starting a kid-centered week of fun and learning at Mountaintop with a huge party in the Auditorium! Watch the full Live recording to experience the rest of the service! FULL SERVICE: https://youtube.com/live/wE86uT-MEFs Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

How many times in your life, have you ended up somewhere for the 100th time and you don’t even remember getting there. You don’t even know why you are there at that same empty well, confused about why it’s not fulfilling you… Maybe, right now, you can feel a fresh wind blowing or a new fire burning… Maybe you're wondering, “What's next? Where do I go now? Because I can't go back to the status quo. I can't go back to something missing." Jake Davis Creative and Digital Pastor Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com

Today, we’re going to see Paul experience a different world than every other town he’d visited. Paul had a strategy with every town he visited. He would go to the Synagogue & talk to Jews first, and then to God-fearing Greeks. He was speaking in a religious setting to religious people who respected the Hebrew God. But when Paul arrived in Athens, he saw a city unlike any city he had been to before…    Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com 

There are no promises that the opposition will quit. There are no promises that there won’t be adversity. There are no promises that problems won’t chase you down. There are no promises that it will ever be EASY. In fact, it won’t be easy.  And that is a lesson Paul learns. Paul is sent away from the town where he's preaching the Gospel for his own safety and the believers think Paul’s work is done. Paul surely wanted to help the believers become more established, but he discovered such an important lesson that every believer has to realize: Sometimes, you’ve got to leave it in God’s hands.  VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Au0Z_aNWnmY   Learn more about Mountaintop Church at https://mountaintopchurch.com  Carter McInnis, Lead Pastor