Living an Honorable Life + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • June 30, 2023

Independence Day has always been a special holiday for me to observe and celebrate. When I was a little guy, I remember saving up my allowance in anticipation of the day when my mom would take us to the local fireworks stand. I would spend it all and then go home and lay my arsenal out to plan the big day. And at daybreak, the blasting would begin. What freedom I felt as a little guy. 


Independence Day has kept that sense of wonder and awe in my adulthood. But as I prepare to celebrate the freedoms we have in our nation, I was reminded of a verse from the Bible, John 8:36, when Jesus said, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” As grateful as I am to live in America, with the freedoms we experience, I am even more grateful for the freedoms we have because Jesus made it possible for us to be free through the price He paid by going to the cross on our behalf.


Have you ever felt excitement in your soul over the fact that you have been set free from the greatest bondage and imprisonment a human being can experience? Jesus offers us freedom from our sin, shame, guilt, and brokenness. If we stop and reflect on that, I believe we will feel incredible awe and wonder, just like I did as a little guy when I was dreaming about those fireworks that represented a different kind of freedom. 


So, this weekend, will you please ask yourself, am I as excited about the freedom I know because of Jesus as I am about the freedom I know because of the Declaration of Independence? Let God move you to awe over His great love, and then I believe that will help you keep your awe and wonder at our American Independence in proper perspective. Chew on that.


This summer at Twin Cities we’re talking about how to stand firm and have hope in times of despair and hopelessness. Our Dare to Hope series will take us on a verse-by-verse journey through the New Testament book of 1 Peter. He wrote to people who were exiles and outcasts because of their faith in Jesus. His purpose was to embolden them to stand strong in the face of adversity and opposition and to live as people of enduring hope. Grab your Bible, join us for this series, and learn how to be a hope-filled counter-cultural. 

 

Rather than blending in and accepting the values of the culture around us, God calls us to live differently by trusting and obeying Him. He calls us to stand against the flow of culture. When we do, we may experience ridicule, marginalization, and possibly even suffering and persecution. At the same time, we have the promise that even though things may be difficult, we can also experience joy, purpose, and hope. 

 

Make sure to bring your Bible with you this Sunday as we walk verse-by-verse through 1 Peter 2:11-25 under the heading of Living an Honorable Life. We’ve already learned about our identity in Jesus (if you missed any of the first three messages, please make time to listen to them). This week we get another glimpse into who God says we are and how that impacts how we live as counter-culturals. We will be challenged to honor those who are in authority over us in this world.

 

I love you and can’t wait to see what God does in our church and for our community this summer. 

 

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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Dying to Live + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • October 31, 2025
In Luke 9, Jesus calls His followers to “deny themselves and take up their cross daily.” In a world that celebrates comfort and success, that’s a shocking invitation. Yet as we’ll see, it’s only by dying to ourselves that we discover what it truly means to live. This Sunday, as we continue our Walking With Jesus series, we’ll explore what it means to lay down our own desires and trust that God’s way is better — even when it costs us something. Because on the other side of surrender is life, freedom, and joy in Him. This Sunday also marks the end of daylight saving time, which means you get an extra hour of sleep, so I look forward to seeing you well rested and ready to learn. 😊 And don’t forget — tonight is our Fall Family Festival from 5–8pm ! This completely free, family-friendly event is a chance to shine the light of Jesus’ love into a night that’s often marked by darkness. Bring your family, invite your friends and join us as we love on our neighbors. I hope to see you there. 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.

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.
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