Twin Cities Church Podcast

MIND THE GAP: The Gap Between FICTION & FACT

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:19:56 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. We’re so glad you are here today. I know you’re here to pursue God, and we’re here to help in every way we can. Make sure to check out all the opportunities provided to find the one that fits you best. Today, we begin our new summer series, "Mind the Gap." For the next 10 weeks, we’re going to look at a portion of the revelation of Jesus as recorded in Revelation chapters 1-4. In these four chapters, Jesus clearly talks to us about knowing where we are. If you’ve ever been to London and ridden the Tube, you know there is a significant gap between the platform and the subway car. Many people have been hurt because they didn’t pay attention to that gap. Well, Jesus wants us to be aware of the gap that may exist between where we stand and the place He wants us to be. Standing where Jesus wants brings us blessing and security. I look forward to our series together. And may we, as a church, listen and obey the words of Jesus so that we can stand securely knowing we’re where He wants us to be.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my role as a dad

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:29:50 -0700

Hello and welcome to Father’s Day at Twin Cities. Dads, we realize that your job is not an easy one. We know that you want to be a "good" dad, but often times it’s not easy to know how to be the dad your family needs. I know that’s true for me. This Father’s Day, what we hope to do is take some of the mystique and fear out of those words, "you are the spiritual leader of the home." What do those words actually mean? Are we to walk around with big Bibles under our arms saying, "Thus says the Lord" to our captive families? This week, we’re going to look at what the Bible says a Godly man will be and do as we "recalibrate our roles as dads." We hope you’ll be encouraged today. We pray you will feel honored as we do our best to make sure you are equipped for the most important role of your life. I encourage all of us to take time to honor our dads at some point today. They certainly weren’t perfect men, but I believe they did the best they could with what they were given.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my finances

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:01:13 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to summer at Twin Cities. We invite you to discover the many opportunities to connect and grow with our church family during these summer months. You can check out our camps for kids and students, Bible studies for adults, Solutions - offering help for relational health, Financial Peace University, and other fun activities for all ages and seasons of life. This season of recession and insecurity was caused by many different things all coming together at one time to create a perfect storm. There are many people to blame, but blame is not the answer. Responsibility is the only way to get out of our current circumstances and move toward a future of security. We are all part of the problem we face, and we are all part of the solution as well. Today, we’re going to talk about wise Biblical financial planning. This service has the potential to change your financial picture. We are praying that each of us would take it to heart.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my desires

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 09:06:49 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. Many of you have been part of a significant moment of life transition this weekend. Graduation time is such a sweet time. It’s a time to say goodbye to the past and hello to the future. For many people, the future is uncertain, and many of today’s graduates face a time when resources may be scarce. We’re glad you’re with us, and we’ve been praying that you would experience God’s faithful reassurance. This season of recession and insecurity was caused by many different things all coming together at one time to create a perfect storm. There are many people to blame, but blame is not the answer. Responsibility is the only way to get out of our current circumstances and move toward a future of security. We are all part of the problem we face, and we are all part of the solution as well. Today, we’re going to the heart of the matter. We’re talking about recalibrating the desires that led us to be so over-extended as a culture. It’s not just about culture. It’s about each one of us being responsible for our part in this problem of consumerism.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my heart

Mon, 1 Jun 2009 13:40:29 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. We’re glad you’re here with us today. It’s our desire and prayer that we would all experience the life changing presence, power and promises of God. It’s amazing to think that God would want us to be in a relationship with Him so much that He would allow His Son to die for us. I hope that you have a fresh connect with Jesus today - maybe for the first time. Today, we celebrate Communion. When we do, we ask those who are still in the process of understanding Jesus - haven’t chosen Him for forgiveness, cleansing and healing - to let the plates pass and observe this highly spiritual act. Someday when you choose Jesus you will experience Communion as God intended. We’re going to talk about a recalibration of our hearts today. God gave a clear word to His people about how to bring their hearts back in line with Him. Even though, these words were written to the nation of Israel, they can be applied directly to those who follow God today. It’s our desire that we all get a heart checkup today.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my schedule

Tue, 26 May 2009 10:53:38 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. We’re glad you’re here with us on this Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day was established as a way to remember those who gave their lives serving to protect our freedoms. It has also come to be a time when we memorialize our loved ones who have passed away, as well. Today, we’re focusing on "recalibrating our schedules." It’s important that we take time to make sure to remember and pursue the things most important to us. As we learned last week, one of the calendar items we must remember is our times for rest. Make sure you have time for rest in your schedule.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my pressures

Tue, 19 May 2009 08:32:14 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. Wow, it certainly feels like summer has come early, doesn’t it? We’re so glad, on this hot weekend, you chose to spend some time with us in our “cool” place. It’s our desire that you would experience God’s refreshing presence through your participation today. The music, message and drama were all selected to focus our minds on God’s presence as we seek to recalibrate our lives. Many people are living in a pressure cooker as they face mounting bills, declining incomes and increasing expenses. This pressure must be released in some way. Some people release the pressure through denial, others through consumption of substances, and others through worry and stress. Today, we’re going to walk through what may be the most familiar chapter in the entire Bible. The 23rd Psalm has been a comfort for people throughout the generations. This Psalm is truly a guide for how to live in a pressure filled world. As we listen today, we pray that each of us would embrace God as our shepherd and have our pressures recalibrated.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my value as mom

Sun, 10 May 2009 09:52:37 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. We want to extend a very special greeting to all the moms here today. Our desire is that you leave feeling honored, inspired and valued for the vital place you have in our lives. Thank you for your love, service, compassion, guidance and strength. Mom, our service today was planned with you in mind. We realize Mother’s Day can be a special day for many as you recall the impact your mom played in your life. I hope you will extend a special word of encouragement to her and tell her just how much she means to you. We also realize that Mother’s Day can be a painful day for those who have lost a mom, those who want to be mom, those who have painful circumstances, those who have lost children, those who have had an abortion, and those who are parenting alone. It’s our desire today that each of us would be embraced by the compassion of our heavenly Father, and that for some this day would begin the process of understanding, acceptance and healing. Moms, we’re celebrating you today.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my dreams

Sun, 3 May 2009 08:04:09 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. We’re so glad you joined us here today. We’ve been praying that God would speak to you at the point of your deepest need. As the news media continues to report on the bleak conditions we face because of the economic crisis in our country, many people are left with angst over the future. Americans have always believed the philosophy that "if we built it, they would come," as if we could do anything our minds conceived concerning the future and yet that thinking is part of what got us in the mess we’re in. This week we’re going to ask God to remind us that He is a God of dreams. He is a God who wants us to believe that He really does have a hope and a future for each man and woman who loves Him. He wants us to embrace His promises for our lives. Today we’re asking God to speak His words into our hearts as we take time to "Recalibrate Our Dreams."

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my passion

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:23:18 -0700

Last week we kicked off a new series - "Recalibrate." As the economic crisis was reaching full tilt, a word that kept popping up was the title of our series. People talked about the need to step back and recalibrate our lives. In fact, business guru, Tom Peters said this as he was reflecting on the condition of our nation: "Everything is different now." In this series, we’re going to look to what God says, listen to His guidance, and form a new path to the future. It’s a time to recalibrate and trust the One who made everything we see.

[re]calibrate: recalibrating my priorities

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:22:22 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. We’re so glad you joined us. We’ve been praying that God would speak to you at the point of your deepest need. May we all experience His peace. Today we kick off a new series - "Recalibrate." As the economic crisis was reaching full tilt, a word that kept popping up was the title of our series. People talked about the need to step back and recalibrate our lives. In fact, business guru, Tom Peters said this as he was reflecting on the condition of our nation: "Everything is different now." I believe he’s right. What we believed to be reality was really a pseudo reality propped up through smoke and mirrors. We realized that the way we were viewing life, money, homes, stuff, people was skewed by our greed and obsessive desires. If we’re honest with ourselves, I believe we’ll agree that’s part of what got us where we are. In this series, we’re going to look to what God says, listen to His guidance, and form a new path to the future. It’s a time to recalibrate and trust the One who made everything we see.

Hope Rising: I can be victorious when I feel afraid

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:24:00 -0700

Hello everyone and welcome to Twin Cities. Welcome to Easter 2009 here at Twin Cities. Today we celebrate the wonderful truth that Jesus rose from the grave. Jesus is the only head of a world religion who actually lived beyond the grave. The truth of the resurrection of Jesus makes Him unique in all the world, in all of time. We’re so glad you chose to be with us as we talk about "Hope Rising." We live in a time when many people need hope. Do you? Well, the wonderful news about Easter is that God showed us that He has power over our greatest enemy - death. Since He has power over death, then He has power over any crisis we may ever face.
As we’re going to see today, the resurrection shows us that nothing - and God means nothing - can ever separate us from the love of Christ. Our prayer for you is that wherever you are in your understanding and relationship with Jesus, you will experience Him and the power of the resurrection in a new way. Don’t let this Easter go by without getting hope for the days to come. Jesus has risen, indeed.

Hope Rising: I can be confident when I feel fear

Sun, 5 Apr 2009 08:02:12 -0700

Last week we talked about the hope we can have when we understand and trust that God has a purpose in all things we get to experience in this life. Today, we take a look at the absolute confidence we can have even in times of fear and unrest. I believe that today’s service will touch you deeply and prepare you in a fresh way for Easter week.

Hope Rising: I can have perspective when I feel overwhelmed

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:59:37 -0700

Last week we talked about the hope we can have when we suffer in life and how it all begins with perspective. Today, we talk about trusting God in the times we face. It’s about learning to trust that He has a purpose for us that is greater than what we can see. It’s about trusting that He can accomplish His purpose even when all of life seems to be going against us. We have prayed for you this week that each person here today will hear clearly from God. May you know that He loves you and has a plan for even the difficult times you face. May you experience God’s peace as you lean on Him for strength and confidence.

Hope Rising: I can be resilient when I am suffering

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:54:22 -0700

Today, we talk about the hope we can have when we suffer in life. The Bible doesn’t attempt to provide answers for "why" we suffer. It does help us see "what" God can accomplish through our suffering. We don’t want to ask, "God, Why?" Instead, we want to ask, "God, What do you want to accomplish in me through this?" There are no simple formulas or pat answers that will relieve the pain of suffering. We can have hope, though, because the Bible does help us know what we need in order to be resilient in our suffering. May you experience God’s peace, which is beyond our ability to understand, as you lean on Him for strength and confidence.

Hope Rising: "I can be accepted when I feel rejected"

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:45:10 -0700

Today we will talk about the hope we can have when we feel rejected in life. I would guess that each of us at some point has felt rejected. Well, God wants us to know the confidence that we can have as we realize that He accepts us. Based upon our expression of faith in Jesus Christ, God brings us into His family. We’ll talk more about that today. Glad you’re here, and I want you to know I pray for you each week. May you experience God’s peace which is beyond our ability to understand as you lean on Him for strength and confidence.

Hope Rising: "I can change when I feel stuck"

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 09:15:12 -0700

Hello and welcome to Twin Cities. It’s hard to sit and watch each week as the economic, national, and international news seems to get worse and more depressing. I’m so glad for the hope we have through our faith in God. Many times when I’m with someone going through tragic circumstances they say, "I don’t know how anyone makes it through this without faith." It’s true. Well, that thought is the driving force in this series. "Hope Rising" is designed to help us grow in our trust and faith in God as we come to know Him better. When we planned this series weeks ago, we couldn’t have imagined how much we would need it now. God did. Today we talk about the hope we can have to change. We’re a society obsessed with change, and yet so many of us struggle to make the changes we know would be best for us. Many of us have tried to change and yet we find ourselves stuck. Our prayer is that each of us will understand and know God’s plan for change in our lives as we leave here today.

Hope Rising: "I can be free when I feel guilty"

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 10:25:05 -0800

Hello and welcome to Twin Cities. It’s hard to imagine that 17 years ago, under God’s leadership, we opened our doors and invited people to attend our first service. You may not know this, but 158 people showed up that first week. Wow, we’ve come a long way from being a church in a box - meaning everything we had went into boxes and was stored each week because we only had rented facilities. Today, under God’s leadership and through the generous giving of our church family, we celebrate a new beginning. This building has become more of a launching pad than a home. It’s more of a tool than an edifice. This is the place where we come to be inspired to live out God’s plan for our lives. As we begin our 18th year, we begin with a series on hope. I don’t have to go into detail here. We all know about the crisis we face as a nation. This series called "Hope Rising" is designed to give us the foundation for true hope. It’s a hope based upon truth that doesn’t change or wobble according to circumstances. We all want that.