The Good Fight of Faith + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • July 23, 2021

As I walk out my door each morning, I stop to look at two items we placed there when I began this cancer treatment classroom. Here is a photo. One is a set of red boxing gloves. These represent the constant reminder that I’m going to fight the good fight of faith. The opposite would be to be ruled by fear. Last week, I was reminded that the Bible says, “DO NOT FEAR” over 365 times. I want to get to the end of this journey knowing that even though it’s been difficult and challenging, that I lived each day with faith as I fight this fight.

The second item is a cross with a Bible verse inscribed on it. Here’s what it says in Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse reminds me of my friend Don and his journey through cancer. He had a phobia of being confined in the CT tube to get his scan, so he asked me to come with him and his wife, Linda, to pray for him. We prayed for him, and he received the strength of Jesus to get the scans he needed. I think of the courage of my friend a lot as I enter this classroom daily. It’s a difficult place to be, but Jesus has promised to be with me in a very tangible way to hold me and even carry me when I’m weak, just as He was there for Don.

Today is my last radiation treatment. I met with my radiation oncologist, and he told me that the next two weeks will still be challenging and to take heart because I should be mostly recovered in four weeks. I look forward to that so much. However, please keep me in your prayers because there are still problems that could arise. I am experiencing neuropathy in my right leg from the chemo, which is a concern.

I’m so grateful for all of you who have shared this classroom with me. Your prayers, words of encouragement, cards, and acts of service have boosted my spirits. Thank you. I love you.

Our next BAPTISM will be on August 22. It’s a great time to go public for Jesus as you take this step of identification and intimacy with Him. Last Sunday, we heard a great testimony from Dawn Simmons of the power of baptism in her journey to grow in her faith. If you’ve never been baptized after you said “YES” to Jesus, please pray about this opportunity for you. Check it out and register on our website.

GROWTH PATH is August 22. We’ve mentioned that over 40 families have moved out of Nevada County since COVID began. We will miss these people immensely. At the same time, several families have discovered Twin Cities and have started regularly attending either in-person or online. Growth Path is a great time to find out more about our church and how you can fit in here. We all need a place where we can know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, and celebrate and be celebrated. I hope you’ll go to our website and register to attend the class that fits you best.

Sunday, we will begin a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus begins to talk about our vertical relationship with God. The past couple of weeks, we’ve looked at His ethical teaching about how to treat one another with love, and now He begins to challenge us with our hearts toward God. This week we will listen as Jesus talks about Following the Way of Authenticity. He helps us realize that God wants more than our outward expressions of worship. He wants our hearts as well. He wants our outer actions to be integrated with our hearts.

Here are the links you’ll need to be fully prepared for Sunday’s Service:

Joyfully living everyday life on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

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Made One, Made New + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 27, 2026

I’m still overwhelmed by last week’s baptism service, where 40 of our brothers and sisters in Christ went public with their faith. It was a powerful reminder of the transformative work God is doing in our church community. Speaking of community, this Sunday, Pastor Mark will be sharing about the transforming power of doing life in community. More often than not, the deepest change happens through relationship. God works in and through His people to heal, strengthen, and grow one another into the likeness of Jesus. This weekend will remind us why God intends for us to do life together in Christ. 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.

Spirit of the Loving God + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 20, 2026

This weekend we’re continuing to explore the role that the Holy Spirit plays in real, lasting transformation. We’ll talk about the core changes that God does within us, both in the moment of our surrender as well as the fruit of our continued surrender to His love. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to actually live in step with the Spirit day-to-day, not just on Sundays, this is a weekend to be here. We’ll also be celebrating baptisms in both services! Baptism weekends are, without a doubt, my favorite weekend and you won’t want to miss it. If you’ve been considering baptism, it’s not too late to participate. We have one more baptism class today (Friday) at noon at the church. Even if you can’t make that class, you can still get baptized. Just show up 30 minutes before either service and meet near the baptismal. I can’t wait to celebrate with 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.

The Spirit of Change + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 13, 2026

This weekend we’ll continue our How We Change series by exploring the person and power of the Holy Spirit — because if lasting change is possible, it won’t come from willpower alone. It will require God’s presence and power at work within us. This is such a broad (and often misunderstood) topic that I’m inviting my friend Dan Prout of Sierra Ministries to join me for a live conversation. Here are a few questions we’ll explore together: What does it actually mean to be “born of the Spirit” — not just improved, but remade from the inside out? What is an appropriate way for believers to think of and relate to the Holy Spirit? What does our “part” look like — how do we cooperate with the Spirit without slipping into either striving or passivity? And what can we do when we feel dry, stuck, or unchanged? If you’ve ever felt unsure, curious, skeptical, or hungry for more — this weekend is for 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.

Are You Born Again? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 6, 2026

In our current series, How We Change , we are learning how to take hold of the life that is really life. We’ve already explored the power of our thoughts and our practices, but many of us have felt the same discouraging pattern: we can hold it together for a while… and then something gives, willpower fades, and we find ourselves right back in the places we hoped we’d leave behind. So, this week we’re naming the tension we all feel: what if the change we long for requires more than willpower, insight, or better habits? According to Jesus, if we want to experience true and lasting change, we need to be “Born Again.” That is a loaded term in our culture, carrying decades of assumptions and conflicting ideas of what Jesus meant. So, this weekend, we will go back to the original conversation and seek to understand what Jesus meant when He said we need to be born again. If you’ve ever tried to “fix yourself” only to end up back at square one, then this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. 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.

Change Is Worked for, Not Wished For + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • January 23, 2026

The first step to true and lasting change is to change our minds, but it’s definitely not the only step. There’s a huge difference between thinking a new way and actually living a new way. That’s why information alone doesn’t transform us and why willpower alone tends to be insufficient to the task. If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the gap between what you believe and how you live, this week will put language to that struggle and point toward a pathway forward. We will also equip you with a tangible tool to help you take an honest look at how you’re currently being formed. 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.

How We Change Our Minds + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • January 16, 2026

Last weekend we talked about a simple but important truth: you are being formed. Not just by big moments, but by the steady rhythms of everyday life – what you give your attention to, the voices you trust, and the patterns you repeat. So, the question isn’t whether you’re being shaped, but what’s doing the shaping and where it’s leading you. As we discussed last week, we don’t want to live a life shaped by the pressures of the world, but by the transforming work of the Spirit from the inside out as He helps us renew our minds. Which raises an important follow-up question: how does that happen? How do we renew our minds so that we can know and live out God’s will for our lives? That will be the focus of this weekend’s conversation. 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.

You Are Being Formed – The Question is By What? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • January 9, 2026

This weekend we’ll continue our How We Change series with a simple but important truth: you are being formed. Not just by the big moments, but by the steady rhythms of everyday life — what you give your attention to, the voices you trust, and the patterns you repeat. The question isn’t whether you’re being shaped, but what’s doing the shaping and where is it leading you? But there’s another way: a life shaped not by the steady pressures of the world, but by the transforming work of Spirit from the inside out. If you’ve been longing for real and lasting change, come join the conversation this weekend. Also, we’d love for you to join one of our Bible reading plans so we can read Scripture together as a community. You can choose a plan that takes you through the entire Bible, or a plan focused on the New Testament. Click here to join the plan of your choice. 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 Can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Remembering God’s Faithfulness to Us This Year + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • December 26, 2025

As we come to the final Sunday of the year, we’ll pause to do something sacred: remember . Together, we’ll look back and reflect on the many ways God has been faithful to us, celebrating the stories, milestones, and blessings He has poured out on our church family over this past year. It’s a moment to give thanks and to recognize that every good gift truly comes from Him. We’ll also gather around the Lord’s Table and celebrate communion, our tangible reminder that while we are grateful for what God has done, the best is still ahead. Because of Jesus, we don’t just look back with gratitude, we look forward with hope. We have eternity with Him to look forward to. Year-End Gift As we close the year, we’re also inviting those who feel led to give one final financial gift to help us finish the year strong. Every gift — large or small — helps us care well for our church family, support our ministry partners, and honor the staff who serve so faithfully. Your generosity enables us to continue being a church marked by gratitude, faithfulness, and generosity. Click here to learn more about our Year-End Gift or to give now. I am incredibly grateful for all God has done in and through Twin Cities Church this year, and I can’t wait to see what He has in store for us in the New Year. See you Sunday. 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 Can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Unwrapping Advent + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • December 19, 2025

This Sunday, we come to the final week of our Reclaiming Christmas series, and we’re turning our attention to a tradition many celebrate… and many others don’t understand: Advent. For some, Advent is a sacred rhythm — way to slow down, prepare their hearts, and anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ birth as well as look forward to His second coming. For others, it’s simply a countdown marked by tiny doors holding a daily dose of Christmas chocolate. And for some, it doesn’t factor into Christmas at all. But where did Advent come from? What does it actually mean? And how might reclaiming this ancient practice reshape the way we experience Christmas today? Join us as we unwrap the history, purpose, and surprising depth of Advent and discover how it can draw us closer to the hope, peace, joy, and love we celebrate in Jesus. Also don’t forget that Christmas Eve is only a few days away! We will gather for three candlelight services on Tuesday, December 24, at 2, 4, and 6pm. Invite your friends, your neighbors, and anyone who needs the light of Christ this season. 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 Can’t wait to celebrate with you!