Hey everybody, Relationship struggles seem to really get us down. I recently was at an event where someone said, “If I could just get my relationships in order, then I could handle the rest of the stuff coming my way.” Can you relate? In the past couple of years, I’ve noticed that my conversations with people most often have to deal in some way with a relational “issue” they want me to pray for or help with. The difficult financial times and fast-paced lives we lead just seem to add to the complexity of already complicated relational dynamics.
As we said two weeks ago, EVERYBODY’S WEIRD, which includes me and you. At the same time we learned that we’re not complete without connections with other people. It’s easy to love God, but to love people, well that’s where the real rubber hits the road. This Sunday we will be devoting our service to learning key action steps we can take to develop deep friendships.
We all have acquaintances, but I wonder how many of us have one or two authentic, deep relationships. We need them, but how do we do the work to form them and then to nourish them? Well, make sure to be in church this week, and we’ll unpack that in a very practical way. We will have a funny drama that I believe we will all be able to relate to. We’ll either see ourselves in it or someone we know.
I am so glad you are my friend,
Pastor Ron
p.s. Begin planning now to bring your kids, grandkids, and neighbor kids to our Day Camp this summer. Pastor Bobby and the whole Children’s Ministry Team are preparing a great experience! This is a really great time for kids to see how much fun church can be. Click here for more info.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
This Week at Twin Cities - April 22, 2010
Hey everybody, Last week was just such a pivotal day as we began our “Relational Intelligence” series. WOW! I look forward to what God is going to do in us over the next weeks. I ask you to be open and listen to what God wants to say to you. As we learn through this series, do your best not to project outward what you feel God wants to say to others or someone specifically. Please ask God to show you just what He wants for you. This week we’ll learn how to express love to God. I encourage you to prepare for Sunday by thinking of ways you express love to God.
Last Sunday I was privileged to be asked to speak for our Small Group Leader’s training. I so appreciate our Small Group Leaders for their continuous and inspiring leadership. Small Groups are the core of who we are as a church. Sunday morning is where we get to hear and experience God’s word for us, and our Small Groups are the lab where we get to work it out. I want to encourage you at some point to try the Message Based approach for your curriculum for a season.
The group Kimberly and I attend made the switch to Message Based right after 40 Days of Love. It has been so awesome to sit around and discuss with other people who are on the journey of Christ-likeness how God spoke or is speaking to us about the Sunday message. Sunday sets the stage and our group enters into deep discussion.
If you’re not part of a group, I want to suggest that you come to our Small Groups Experience on May 2. You can get information at the Small Groups Table this weekend.
Learning to value others more wisely with you,
Pastor Ron
Last Sunday I was privileged to be asked to speak for our Small Group Leader’s training. I so appreciate our Small Group Leaders for their continuous and inspiring leadership. Small Groups are the core of who we are as a church. Sunday morning is where we get to hear and experience God’s word for us, and our Small Groups are the lab where we get to work it out. I want to encourage you at some point to try the Message Based approach for your curriculum for a season.
The group Kimberly and I attend made the switch to Message Based right after 40 Days of Love. It has been so awesome to sit around and discuss with other people who are on the journey of Christ-likeness how God spoke or is speaking to us about the Sunday message. Sunday sets the stage and our group enters into deep discussion.
If you’re not part of a group, I want to suggest that you come to our Small Groups Experience on May 2. You can get information at the Small Groups Table this weekend.
Learning to value others more wisely with you,
Pastor Ron
Thursday, April 15, 2010
This Week at Twin Cities - April 15, 2010
Hey everybody, I had no idea when God laid out the “Hang In There” series for us that I would need it so much personally. God even used the stage design to speak to me. It was a very difficult day when I opened a document containing a couple of week’s worth of work and found that I had lost the final 30%, which for me was the hardest, most creative and least likely to be remembered. As I looked at my computer, I said, “I think I’m going to cry.”
Patrick, our IT guy, told me that the file was probably not salvageable. So I went into the auditorium just to get away from everybody. I didn’t want folks to see their 53 year old Senior Pastor cry.
While I was sitting and praying, I looked up and my eyes were drawn to the “Hang In There” sign. It was as if God was crying out through a megaphone, “HANG IN THERE!!!” I felt He was speaking right to me. So I got up, and with growing confidence in my step went back to start over. I soon discovered how God had taken care of me. We are contracted with a company who manages our computers, and they were able to get back the entire document except the last 5% or so. WOW!
God met me through the stage design. He also met me as I prepared each talk of this series. I say all of this for you – you never know when or how God is going to speak. I encourage you to be here each week so you’re present when He cries out the message you need.
See you Sunday as we begin our new series, “Relational Intelligence.” We all need this series if we’re going to show Jesus to our world by the way we love each other.
Pastor Ron
Patrick, our IT guy, told me that the file was probably not salvageable. So I went into the auditorium just to get away from everybody. I didn’t want folks to see their 53 year old Senior Pastor cry.
While I was sitting and praying, I looked up and my eyes were drawn to the “Hang In There” sign. It was as if God was crying out through a megaphone, “HANG IN THERE!!!” I felt He was speaking right to me. So I got up, and with growing confidence in my step went back to start over. I soon discovered how God had taken care of me. We are contracted with a company who manages our computers, and they were able to get back the entire document except the last 5% or so. WOW!
God met me through the stage design. He also met me as I prepared each talk of this series. I say all of this for you – you never know when or how God is going to speak. I encourage you to be here each week so you’re present when He cries out the message you need.
See you Sunday as we begin our new series, “Relational Intelligence.” We all need this series if we’re going to show Jesus to our world by the way we love each other.
Pastor Ron
Thursday, April 8, 2010
This Week at Twin Cities - April 8, 2010
Hey Everybody,
I am still reveling in the Easter glow from this weekend. Thank you for your faithfulness to invite your friends. One woman stopped me on Sunday and said, “Because of your email blast on Thursday, I brought one set of family members last night and another set this morning. Thanks for reminding me that it’s not my responsibility to make them believe the story. It’s just my job to ask them to come hear it.” My hand actually got a cramp in it from writing to all the guests who turned in a Connection Card, and the majority of them had one of your names written down as the one who invited them. Way to go! I believe you really understand why we’re here. We’re ordinary people loving an extraordinary God by engaging with Him in the mission of reaching those He loves most.
Wasn't it just awesome to see all those brave people go public for Jesus this weekend? We’ve already celebrated as FIFTY-SIX people have been baptized in 2010. This looks like it’s going to be an awesome year of harvest and celebration. I look forward each week to experiencing what God is doing in our body.
We’re wrapping up our “Hang In There” series this weekend. You will want to make it a priority to be here as I get to encourage us as we go forward to “Choose Confidence.”
Please keep extending those invitations to include people in what God is doing here. He is changing us one life at a time. I prayed for all of you this week that you would experience God’s presence in a huge way – even a surprising way – this week.
Saturday is our ESS Day, 8–11, where we spruce up our facility. I hope you’ll get in on the fun!
Pastor Ron
I am still reveling in the Easter glow from this weekend. Thank you for your faithfulness to invite your friends. One woman stopped me on Sunday and said, “Because of your email blast on Thursday, I brought one set of family members last night and another set this morning. Thanks for reminding me that it’s not my responsibility to make them believe the story. It’s just my job to ask them to come hear it.” My hand actually got a cramp in it from writing to all the guests who turned in a Connection Card, and the majority of them had one of your names written down as the one who invited them. Way to go! I believe you really understand why we’re here. We’re ordinary people loving an extraordinary God by engaging with Him in the mission of reaching those He loves most.
Wasn't it just awesome to see all those brave people go public for Jesus this weekend? We’ve already celebrated as FIFTY-SIX people have been baptized in 2010. This looks like it’s going to be an awesome year of harvest and celebration. I look forward each week to experiencing what God is doing in our body.
We’re wrapping up our “Hang In There” series this weekend. You will want to make it a priority to be here as I get to encourage us as we go forward to “Choose Confidence.”
Please keep extending those invitations to include people in what God is doing here. He is changing us one life at a time. I prayed for all of you this week that you would experience God’s presence in a huge way – even a surprising way – this week.
Saturday is our ESS Day, 8–11, where we spruce up our facility. I hope you’ll get in on the fun!
Pastor Ron
Thursday, April 1, 2010
This Week at Twin Cities - April 1, 2010
Hey everybody,
You may have heard the phrase “It’s Friday now, but Sunday’s coming!” The quote comes from an old sermon and is generally used is to make a statement that it may look like you’re having a Good Friday kind of day, but to take heart, because just as the crucifixion of Jesus did not have the final say for Him, your Good Friday type of day won’t either. Sunday was coming, and Jesus was raised from the dead, and that gives us great hope as we face the difficulties in this life. I have been in sort of a Good Friday couple of weeks with this walking pneumonia, and as I walk forward toward health, I do so knowing that Sunday is coming.
Last weekend at our Journey 101 Class one person made this comment: “I attended Twin Cities every Christmas Eve for several years. This year, I was intrigued by the new series “Create Space,” so I decided to give church a try. My wife and I have been here almost every week since. I’m taking steps I never imagined - even reading my Bible.”
You may have been inviting someone to Easter service for years, and they either didn’t come or came and didn’t come back. The story of this man in 101 is the story for so many. People move toward God when they are ready. Our job is not to get people to change, but to invite them to be in the presence of the One who can change them. Invite your friends this Easter and be part of the moment their hearts are awakened toward God as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus together.
I almost forgot this: 32 PEOPLE ARE BEING BAPTIZED in our services this weekend. Looking forward to Easter with you,
Pastor Ron
You may have heard the phrase “It’s Friday now, but Sunday’s coming!” The quote comes from an old sermon and is generally used is to make a statement that it may look like you’re having a Good Friday kind of day, but to take heart, because just as the crucifixion of Jesus did not have the final say for Him, your Good Friday type of day won’t either. Sunday was coming, and Jesus was raised from the dead, and that gives us great hope as we face the difficulties in this life. I have been in sort of a Good Friday couple of weeks with this walking pneumonia, and as I walk forward toward health, I do so knowing that Sunday is coming.
Last weekend at our Journey 101 Class one person made this comment: “I attended Twin Cities every Christmas Eve for several years. This year, I was intrigued by the new series “Create Space,” so I decided to give church a try. My wife and I have been here almost every week since. I’m taking steps I never imagined - even reading my Bible.”
You may have been inviting someone to Easter service for years, and they either didn’t come or came and didn’t come back. The story of this man in 101 is the story for so many. People move toward God when they are ready. Our job is not to get people to change, but to invite them to be in the presence of the One who can change them. Invite your friends this Easter and be part of the moment their hearts are awakened toward God as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus together.
I almost forgot this: 32 PEOPLE ARE BEING BAPTIZED in our services this weekend. Looking forward to Easter with you,
Pastor Ron
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