Following God's Purposeful Mission + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • September 1, 2023

Last Sunday was one of the BEST in almost three decades for Kim and me. Words don’t seem to be able to convey the deep feelings we felt as we experienced the love, encouragement, and gratitude from so many people. Twin Cities has always been a place where we express our heart, and Sunday was no exception. 


Thank you for loving us as we are with acceptance and grace. Thank you for the heartfelt words you expressed on the “Well Done” notes, on social media, and through emails. Our cup overflows with joy! If you missed Sunday, please watch the entire service soon because I hope that everyone gets to hear the words of gratitude I was able to deliver even though it was an emotional day. 


Kim and I keep being asked, “What are you going to do now?” That is not an easy question to answer. First, after September 10, when we commission and install Pastor Eric as our new Lead Pastor, I will have a new title – Founding Pastor. I teasingly said on Sunday that I don’t know what that means so maybe I’ll spend my time founding things. That day will also begin a period of lengthy sabbatical away from Twin Cities. 


There are three reasons for this sabbatical. First, I need time to rest. My closest friends say that I have an over-functioning sense of responsibility. Even though I am clear in my mind that this is God’s church, and I am His under-shepherd, I have felt the responsibility of Twin Cities for nearly 32 years, and I just can’t shut that off like you would a light switch. It will take time. I need to rest and heal from the journey I’ve been on the past two years ever since my cancer diagnosis on April 20, 2021. I am not the kind of guy who rests. That is my job for the foreseeable future. I also need time to spend with God as His beloved child, not as pastor. My therapists tell me I need time to grieve and move toward being the healthiest I can be. I need time to reset. 


Second, Pastor Eric needs to be able to spread his wings and lead without feeling he must please the OG (Old Guy). Pastor Eric has had a period when God has been at work in his heart to prepare him for this new season. He has energy, ideas, and a vision for our future that is going to be just what Twin Cities needs for the next leg of our journey together.


Third, you need time to be with Eric and hear his heart and allow your hearts to become one with his. This is a good thing. Up until now you you’ve been attached to my heart. Now it’s time to attach your heart to Pastor Eric’s heart. Friends, you can love me and Pastor Eric. You can be loyal to both of us. It’s okay to have your affections attached to another pastor. 


This weekend we continue our series called Transition: New Season. Same Mission. Pastor Mark will help us take a fresh look at our mission statement – We are engaging together to lead as many people as possible into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. 


Please pray for Pastor Eric, Cathy, Ethan, and Grayson as they move their home from Costa Mesa to Nevada County. We want them to know how much we love them – even if we’ve not met them. They are in So Cal right now to load their stuff in a U-Haul and make the trek on Sunday over the Grapevine, and up I-5 to our lovely area. Pray for them in this journey.

 

Here are the links you’ll need to prepare for Sunday’s Service: 


 

Joyfully living on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

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Walking With Jesus: Spiritual Authority + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • October 24, 2025
This weekend, we’re continuing our Walking With Jesus series by exploring a topic that’s both fascinating and often misunderstood — spiritual authority. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus teaches and heals with astonishing authority. But what’s even more surprising is that He extends that same authority to His followers. What does that mean for us today? How do we understand and engage with the authority God has given His people? To help us navigate this conversation, I’ll be joined by my friend Dan Prout, founder of Sierra Ministries International . Together, we’ll look at what Scripture teaches about spiritual authority and how to walk in it with humility, faith, and confidence in Jesus. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

The Spiritual Battle for Our Mind + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • October 17, 2025
Last week, we saw how Jesus meets us with both grace and truth — grace that meets us where we are, and truth that calls us into something more. But that journey of transformation doesn’t happen automatically. There’s a battle taking place for what we believe about God, about others, and especially about ourselves. This Sunday, we’ll continue Walking With Jesus as we look at how He leads us out of the false identities and broken narratives that have shaped us, and into the freedom of knowing who we truly are in Him. I hope you will join us as we learn how to let go of the lies that hold us back and live in the truth that sets us free. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Grace and Truth + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • October 10, 2025
It’s easy to compare ourselves to others and feel like we’re doing “pretty good.” Maybe not perfect — but at least better than t hem . But when we start measuring our worth that way, we miss the heart of God entirely. This Sunday, as we continue our Walking With Jesus series, we’ll look at a powerful moment in Luke’s Gospel that shows us how Jesus meets people with both grace and truth — and what that means for us today. Whether we’re weighed down by guilt or quietly confident in our own goodness, Jesus’ invitation is the same: come close and let His love change you. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Loving Generously + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • October 3, 2025
Jesus didn’t wait for people to come to Him — He intentionally moved toward outsiders, those the religious establishment considered untouchable, and reminded them that not only did God see them but loved them dearly. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to follow His example and love generously, extending God’s heart to those around us. Speaking of loving generously, Fall Family Festival is less than 4 weeks away! While it may seem counterintuitive for a church to have an event on Halloween, it’s our way of following Jesus’ example and radiating the light of God’s love into an otherwise dark night. Come help us share God’s love with our community. Bring a bag of individually wrapped candy with you to church on Sunday and then sign up to serve our neighbors at Fall Family Festival. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Appetite for Distraction + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 26, 2025
We live in a world that buzzes with notifications and incessant noise. Our phones, our schedules, and even our own thoughts pull us in a thousand directions at once. It’s no wonder why so many of us feel restless, scattered, and spiritually dry. What if the greatest threat to our faith isn’t doubt, but distraction? What if our souls are starving for the very thing our fast-paced culture naturally distracts us from? This Sunday, as we continue our Walking With Jesus series, we’ll look at how Jesus navigated the constant pressures and demands for His attention without becoming overwhelmed — and how one of His most important practices could be the antidote our anxious, distracted souls desperately need. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Follow Me + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 19, 2025
When Jesus says, “Follow Me,” it isn’t just an invitation to believe something new; it’s an invitation to walk with Him, to learn from Him, and to be shaped by His presence. Following Jesus always comes at a cost. But so does refusing to follow Him. This Sunday, in our Walking With Jesus series, we’ll consider what’s really at stake when we choose how to respond to His invitation to discipleship. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Secure in the Spirit + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 12, 2025
Last week, we saw how Jesus’ ministry began with the Father’s blessing and identity spoken over Him . But what came next? Rejection, criticism, and pressure to compromise or conform at every turn. How did Jesus stand strong when others doubted, opposed, or even tried to silence Him ? He was secure in His Father’s love and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This Sunday, we’ll look at what it means to live with that same Spirit-filled confidence, rooted in God’s voice and empowered by His presence, not the world’s opinions. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Let’s Take a Walk With Jesus + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 5, 2025
This Sunday we’re kicking off a new series, Walking With Jesus . Together, we’ll journey through Luke’s Gospel and learn how Jesus stayed rooted in the Father’s love, stood firm against pressure, and never lost sight of what mattered most. Our journey will begin where His public ministry began, grounded in identity, love, and blessing from the Father. That secure foundation shaped everything Jesus did, and it’s the same foundation we desperately need today. I hope you’ll join us as we take the first step in Walking With Jesus . Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Don’t Just Go to Church — Be the Church + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 29, 2025
It’s so easy to think of church as a place we go for 70 minutes on Sunday. But Jesus had something far bigger in mind. The church isn’t a building or a service; it’s people. WE are the church. We comprise this brand-new movement that Jesus came to start and it’s a movement that moves beyond a building and permeates every area in our community. When you step into your school, workplace, neighborhood, or family, you bring the presence of Jesus with you.  This Sunday we’ll wrap up our Brand: New series by exploring what it means to live as the church everywhere we go and how each of us has a unique role to play in God’s mission. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
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