Keep Pointing

WE are the reason... (Not just Carl!)

Great Advent kickoff across our campuses this last weekend!  I am really excited about this very invitational season.  Please take advantage of the invite cards/cookie cutters and use them prayerfully with whomever God lays on your heart.  Grab as many as you need until they’re gone.

Pastor Carl kicked off our With Us series with this simple and clear message: that we are the reason for the season.  Meaning, we need a savior – because we are sinners.  As Carl laid out, God had a divine plan to be With Us.  If you missed it, you can catch the sermon online starting tomorrow.

Remember to be practicing good rhythms during this busy season.  Rhythms…with God, your health, and your relationships.  Let’s come out on the other side of this Christmas season not worn out, but filled up!

Indescribable Gift

From Pastor John's wife, Kay Fuller:

"...because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
-2 Corinthians 9:14,15

Even though our children are college age now, I still have a penchant for children’s books and the memories and lessons they portray.  Last evening at the dinner table, our family was looking through one of the Thanksgiving books I had set out – Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit.  In the book, Clifford is striving to make his way home for Thanksgiving.  Like Clifford, home causes many of us to think of family and all the ways our family blesses us.  Whether your “family” is made up of natural descendents or it is formed of close friends, it is difficult to match the blessing of family while on this Earth.  There is, though, a gift even much greater, and without this gift, we would have no future hope for ourselves, our off-spring, or our loved-ones.  It is a gift that surpasses them all – the free gift of salvation which bridges the gap we created between us and God with our sin.

That’s why we do what we do at church…in hopes that all of Iowa will hear the good news of this indescribable gift! That’s a gift worth being thankful for every day!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

The Secret is Out...

In case you missed it, we wrapped up our series FOLLOW, and looked at the Secret of Contentment.  Paul says in Philippians 4:12 that he has learned the secret of being content in every situation…and it has nothing to do with circumstances.  We said that contentment is a deep security that settles your soul – and comes through an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.  

On the other hand, discontentment comes from an unsettled spirit, and usually shows up in the form of "If Only..."  Do you have an “If Only”? (“If Only I had more money; If Only I had a better family”…)  If you do, give it to God – he’s got you!

As always, you can catch the sermon online starting Tuesday.  I also challenge you to take this a step further with the sermon curriculum, and this week’s memory verse, Philippians 4:12-13.

A classic cliff-hanger...

So, it’s that time again.  The weekend!  It’s almost time for church…Who will you have on your arm at church this weekend?  Who do you need to invite?  And what are you waiting for?  Get on it!

Here’s a quick look ahead to the weekend:

We’re going to wrap up our series called FOLLOW by exploring The Secret of Contentment.  And the secret is…well...you’ll just have to show up this weekend and find out!

Get synced...

This past weekend we hit part four of our series called FOLLOW.  We looked at the heart and mind, and discovered that when they’re synced, you do things differently.  So, get synced – fix your heart and mind on Jesus!  Trust Him, and get into life with other believers.

As always, if you missed it, you can watch online starting Tuesday.  Or, go deeper with your notes or sermon curriculum, and memorize your verses.  This week’s verse is Philippians 4:7…

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Keep praying.  Keep inviting.  Keep serving.  It’s a pleasure to be one of your pastors!

God's moving in BIG ways...

Hey, Prairielakers… Make sure you get to your campus this weekend! We’ll be digging into Philippians 4 in the fourth part of our series, FOLLOW.  If you haven’t memorized this week’s verse yet, Philippians 3:7-9, you can still do so.  We’ll have one more next week, so get caught up.

There is some very exciting news that I get to share with you…and NO, Kay’s not pregnant…  Our Waterloo Campus will soon be meeting at the First Lutheran Church in Waterloo.  Praise God!  This past Sunday, the board and congregation voted in favor of us leasing their building.  God truly went before us and opened these doors…and He’ll continue to lead us not only in Waterloo, but across Iowa.  Pastor Jesse has more details about the vote and what’s next for Waterloo on his blog.

So, what’s your news?  What prayer is God answering?  What door is He opening in your life?  Remember to Thank Him!

God Included Us...

From Pastor John's wife, Kay Fuller:

At the culmination of our School of Church Leadership class this weekend, our professor sent us off with the reminder that God formed the church to be part of his redemptive plan to seek and save the lost. As part of the local and universal church, we get to participate in carrying out His mission. To think He has included us in the most vital work of all history, is unimaginable. Beyond any club, group, team, or cause we will ever be part of is the privilege of being part of Jesus’church! 

Acts 2:44 -47  "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as they had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

Keep praying!

In case you missed it:

• Pastor Jesse did a great job of helping us take another step in FOLLOW, our series in Philippians.  The key point: it takes effort to follow Christ, but you don’t have to earn it.

• We had a great crowd.  Way to invite your friends and get your rear-end to your campus on a weekend.

On another note:

Hey, thanks for praying!  This morning at Prairie Lakes we had a funeral for Justin Bradfield, the 11-year-old who was killed last week in a bus accident.  His parents Ryan and Kim, and his little brothers Brayden and Cade will continue to need our prayer and support.  Thanks for making this a church that is always reaching out to people and accepting people.  Ryan and Kim started attending with their boys 6 months ago because they were invited by some friends.  Praise God!

Also, pray for Grinnell.  Kay and I will be in Grinnell tonight to meet with the group and cast vision and DNA.  Keep praying - God is doing amazing things!  Whoo-hoo!

Do something.

Hey, Prairielakers!  It’s Thursday…already.  So, who have you invited to church this weekend?  If you’re already on it, way to go!  If you haven’t invited anyone, it’s not too late.  Give them a call.  Send them an invite from our website.  Do something.   Don’t let another week pass by…

This weekend we’ll be in week three of our series, FOLLOW.  We’re going to dig into Philippians 3, so be sure to read it ahead of time.  While reading, keep this phrase in mind: ‘Not earning, but effort'.

Also, remember that Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday, November 6.  Set your clocks back on Saturday night, so you don’t miss out!