Trusting His Plan + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • April 2, 2021

It’s EASTER WEEK, and I’m so excited to be with you and celebrate the greatest event in history. Jesus rose from the dead! He is risen! He is risen indeed! Jesus came to Earth on a mission to save us from our sin and lead us into a relationship with the Father. As Kim and I shared through our weekly video, this mission ended in the cruelty of the cross as Jesus was crucified for us.

Today on Good Friday, let’s not miss this opportunity to reflect on His death on the cross on our behalf. Holy week began with Palm Sunday, when Jesus was coronated as King of the Jews by the Jewish people – the same people who just days later were calling for His crucifixion. Jesus knew abject rejection, complete injustice, and cruel pain, and all of that was for us.

As Kim and I shared, the most moving of Jesus’ words from the cross were the final ones where in hopeful anticipation of renewed intimacy with God, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” Wow, that is so moving to me. He is expressing ultimate confidence in God’s faithful relationship with Him.

I’ve been using that phrase as a breath prayer this week to help me relate to Jesus and to help with some anxiety I’ve been feeling. This COVID logjam has left me susceptible to moments when I wonder just where God is and what He’s up to. In fact, I told someone early this week that it’s like my shocks are broken, and every bump I hit jars my entire system. But when I turn to God using this phrase as my breath prayer, He helps me trust in His plan, and each bump seems to have less impact on me.

The way breath prayers work is to engage your body and focus on a particular Bible verse or phrase. In this case, as I breathe in, I say, “Into Your hands.” I then hold that breath for a few seconds to focus on the One to whom I am saying these words. As I breathe out, I say, “I commit my spirit.” I could also say, “I commit my health, or resources, or future, or children, or marriage, or work.” I think you get the idea. This can help us grow in peace as we move into this season of Easter and beyond.

Easter is just two days away! We’re going to have four identical services so you can invite your friends to attend in person with you or gather online with you. You will be able to make sure we can have plenty of space by choosing to attend at 6:00pm on Saturday or at 8:00am on Sunday. That will allow us to have plenty of room for everyone. Of course, if that is not possible, we will look forward to seeing you at 9:30 or 11:00am as we celebrate Easter together.

Our Children’s Ministry team has adapted and creatively changed the annual Easter Egg Hunt into an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. Families will go on an adventure by car to various locations around our community where they will snap a photo, collect candy, and meet some of our Ministry Partners. They will then race to the church and celebrate victory by having a picnic. You can bring your own lunch or buy a Domino’s cheese pizza for $5. Join us on the lawn for live music and games. Make sure to check out the website for all the details. Helpful hint: You can come by the church and pick up your Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt map and instructions so you can be ready to launch out from your home. If you can’t make it by, stop by the church after 8:00am, and the team of friendly volunteers will get you started.

On Sunday, we’re going to take a different approach to Easter. I know some of you are saying, “Ron, don’t mess with Easter. Just give us the straight story.” Well, I want you to know that this message came out of some deep angst – I might even call it despair – I was feeling a couple of months ago. I was wondering just what God was going to do as we begin to rebuild after all that has happened during this COVID logjam.

It was during one of those dark moments that God gave me a word from Isaiah 43. I found the hope in that chapter to be so impactful for me, and it’s all about the expectation we have of our future home – HEAVEN – and how God wants us to live our lives in complete trust that He is in control. But more than that, He has promised to rebuild a new thing out of the ruins of the old. I hope you’ll encourage your friends to join us in person or watch the service online.

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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The Blessing of Suffering + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • March 6, 2026

Life doesn’t always go the way we hoped it would, does it? Disappointment, loss, conflict, unanswered prayers — suffering is a very real part of the human experience. But as painful as it is, our suffering isn’t necessarily meaningless, nor is it beyond God’s ability to use for good. This weekend, our founding pastor, Ron Thompson, will explore how God meets us in hardship and how the Holy Spirit can use even our trials to strengthen and shape us to become more like Jesus. I look forward to learning alongside you. Please remember that this Sunday is Daylight Savings time and we will be springing forward an hour. We’ll see you bright and early and we will have coffee ready. 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.

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!