1)    Last summer he had a double eagle on a par five, but says he has never come all that close to a hole-in-one.

2)    Has never broken a single bone, but has sprained a bunch of stuff.

3)    Used to be employed by the Minnesota Twins…not as cool as it sounds.

4)    Once fell asleep while vacuuming on an overnight shift at Kinko’s at the age of 18.  A customer woke him up. He’s pretty sure that story is on their list somewhere now, too.

5)    Once caught a 180-pound marlin.

6)    Has lived in eight different cities, all in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

7)    Once threw up 23 times in one day…gross. And yes, he counted.

8)    Was in a rock band for five years.  

9)    Saw a deer jump off a bridge onto the freeway. We didn’t want to ask for any details about what happened next.

10) Once hit a tractor with his car. He still contends that it wasn’t his fault — despite the police report.

By Kevin Miller

Growing up I absolutely hated to read. It was something I never liked; this lasted until I started Bible college and I basically made myself enjoy it. The small discipline that I endured fostered a love for reading that continues to grow.

I am not a guy who enjoys picking up a fictional thriller during my lunch break, but I do enjoy reading about people who are passionate about changing the world. I also enjoy finishing a book and being challenged to do something great. That said, I want to share five books that have greatly impacted my life and shaped me into who I am today.

1. The Bible. You probably guessed this would be here, right?  I don’t think it needs an explanation.

2. Heavenly Man, by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway. This book challenged me to take my personal relationship with God to another level. It also gave me a new perspective on missions.

3. When Heaven Invades Earth, by Bill Johnson. This book takes a key element of the Lord’s prayer and breaks it down for you. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” It’s powerful!

4. Sun Stand Still, by Steven Furtick. This book dares you to be audacious in your prayers to God. It challenges you to dream way bigger.

5. Start Something that Matters, by Blake Mycoskie. This doesn’t fall into the “Christian” book category, but it’s the story of the guy who started Tom’s Shoes. It is amazing to see what happens when you put a cause to your organization or life model, and that is exactly what this book teaches. Great read!

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If you had to pick only one of these to read, I would definitely tell you to pick the top one, the Bible, it’s a pretty good one! If you get a chance to check out any of the others or if you have read them already, I would love to know you thoughts.

What books or authors have made an impact on your life? Please share in the comments. 

Here’s a look at what goes on behind the scenes when we create our video announcements.

By Jim Sukup

Growing up,  I watched my dad work on various projects and tried to figure out what he was doing. When he was done it became clear what he was doing, and he would say,  “There’s a method to my madness.”  He meant that others couldn’t always tell what he was doing, but in his mind he knew exactly what he was working to accomplish. 

As I recently began reading through Genesis, I became curious about why God did things the way He did. For example, why did God create certain things on specifics days? On day one He created light, on day two He created sky and oceans, and on day three He created dry land. It was only THEN, on day four, that He created the sun, moon and stars to fill the realm of light He created on day one. On day five He created birds and fish to fill the sky and ocean that He created on day two. Finally, on day six He created animals and people to fill the dry land. Do you think there was a method to His …um…creation? Yep, I think He knew exactly what he was doing!

Chapter three of Genesis tells of the fall of man. In verse fifteen God makes a statement that seems to come out of left field,  ”And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 

To some, Genesis 3:15 is a cryptic verse. However, this verse actually conveys the promise of God’s plan for redemption. Through the offspring of the woman, a spiritual confrontation will take place where Jesus will be “struck” by crucifixion, but He would rise from the dead to “crush” sin and satan. 

In everything God does He has a plan. He knows exactly what He is doing and we are a part of His plan. 

Remember, there’s a method to God’s mad love for us. 

By Noel Miller

Over the past few years, the Lord has placed a certain scripture on my heart that has helped me grow in my walk with Him. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

We can surround ourselves with people who will help us sharpen who we are in Him. These people can be close to us in proximity or they can be people we look up from a far.

Following is a list of five women who have inspired me both near and far, in no particular order. I encourage you to check them out on Facebook or any other social media outlet.

1. My MawMaw: Her pure heart for Jesus and faith in everyday things makes me want to have pure motives in everything I do. Not to mention she is EXTREMELY sassy! (Sorry, she doesn’t have Facebook!) 

2. Christine Caine: The work she does in the field of human trafficking is so inspiring and to see how God has used her to make such a big impact. 

3. Monique Shaw: Another woman who, on a smaller scale but with great impact, is changing a Red Light District in the city of Kolkata through jewelry and prayer.  

4. All the women on Pinterest: The time and dedication to make things look cool is so inspiring!  

5. Tammy Cole: She believes in me more that I do myself! 

6. Julia A’Bell: I listen to her podcast on Hillsong Sisterhood all the time. She is a great communicator and I love her passion for God! 

These are just a few of the women that influence and inspire me! 

By Kevin Ganiere

Recently my family and I rid ourself of cable and discovered Netflix streaming. I am not receiving any monetary kickback from Netflix for this, but IT IS AWESOME! 

The best thing about Netflix is all the old shows you can watch. From old Dennis the Menance to the A-team, to my favorite, The Cosby Show. The show is truly a “family” show. I remember the show from when it was on network television. Back then, I thought it was mildly funny and tolerable, but as a parent , it is downright hysterical! So many situations on the show are one I have felt as a parent and can relate to. One of my favorite lines is where Dr. Huxtable says, “My wife and I have been married for 20 years and we grow closer everyday… Mainly because we are scared of the kids!”

There are so many great moments on the show, but what I am also finding is the way the Huxtables parent their children is a lost art. Here are some examples:

1. Respect is expected. Have you noticed on today’s sitcoms, the kids are super disrespectful? Well, not the Huxtables. The kids may talk back, but not without consequences.

2. Parents act as a team. Parents on today’s sitcoms are pushovers and most of the time are pitted against each other. Cliff and Claire are a team. They do not take sides and all decisions are mutual.

3. Wise (not frivolous) use of money is encouraged. Although both Cliff and Claire have high-paying careers, they value wise money choices over indulging in fads or trends. Theo, their oldest son, always tries to keep up with fashion trends, but Mr. Huxtable frequently reminds him to make wise decisions. 

 4. Parents keep the romance alive in their relationship. Cliff and Claire continue to date each other. In one episode Cliff takes her out for a date night and tells her it is a “you’re not a mom night”. My wife thought that was pretty funny and has suggested we make date night “we’re are not parents night”.

5. When all else fails use humor! When your kids are throwing fits or sad or are crying, break out your Yoda voice or Fozzy the Bear voice and see what happens!

By Eva Phillips

Many times we wonder what it would take to go to a deeper level, whether it is at work, relationships, or with God. One of the ways we have been challenged as a staff, through Pastor Aaron’s leadership, is to read constantly. Read books. Read blogs. Read and grow.

I read a quote today and it says this, “Part of what makes a leader a great one is relentless learning. A great leader is never satisfied, never stagnant, but always pressing onto new things.” With that in mind, I thought I’d share with you three blogs that are good for people who love worship, who lead worship, or who just want grow in their worship experience.  

1) Elevation Worship  - They give you the stories behind their songs as well as link you to other resources. Make sure you check out their new worship album, if you haven’t already, “Kingdom Come.

2) Worship Matters - I read the book “Worship Matters” a few years ago and it is phenomenal. Definitely a great read. For those who just love worship and have a heart for worship, I recommend this book. This blog site is an extension of the book and is by the same author, Bob Kauflin. 

3) WorshipCentral.org/blogs – this is the collective blog of some incredible worship leaders. I love to find out how these leaders write songs and to hear how God inspires them.

Growth is essential for everyone.  If we don’t grow, we will become stagnant. I hope you are inspired today and challenged by these incredible worship leaders.

By David Osterhaus

It’s time to begin thinking about Life Groups in the Spring. I want to take a moment to share the impact that Life Groups have had on my life. 

When my wife and I first started attending Life Church we knew very few people in the area. A move from Texas left us with very few acquaintances and no nearby close friends. 

We started attending Life Church and immediately started looking for ways to meet people and make connections with people who had common interests. Life Groups seemed like a good choice. One of the groups that immediately sparked our interest was a group for young marrieds to come together for potluck style meals and an evening of games. It wasn’t an intense Bible study group, but that wasn’t what we were looking for; we wanted the opportunity to grow friendships. 

I still remember the first few times we met with the young marrieds group; my wife and I had a great time playing games and talking. We always left feeling more energized and excited that we had made connections and were creating friendships. 

Thee years later, there are several couples that we have stayed close with from that first Life Group. These are the people we call when we have an emergency and need someone to watch our daughter, the people we want to celebrate birthdays with, and the people who will join with us in prayer over anything at anytime.  

I have also become involved with a few men’s groups. The time spent with other men of God is a great opportunity to grow and have deep conversation about everything from the Packers’ recent win to the role of the Holy Spirit. I have met some men that I consider mentors both in my faith and in my personal life. These men set an example for how to walk out a Christ-centered  lifestyle and give me both accountability and a new perspective on God’s word. I took a picture at my men’s Life Group this past week and we all look pretty happy for 6:45 in the morning!

Everyday 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.” Acts 2:46-47