Rob Ketterling

SOME TV FEEDBACK

It's been a few months now since we went on TV with our weekend church services and we've just started to get some feedback from the show. Thankfully all of it is positive, and if there's negative stuff, I haven't heard it yet! It's been so cool to hear that people are watching the services and chanel surfing and finding our services. Some people come up to me almost in a secretive way and pull me aside and whisper, "I've been watching and enjoying your show." almost in a undercover kind of way. Others tell me with boldness and say how much they're enjoying it and almost act surprised that they like it so much! Still others that are friends or family of mine that watch the show call me and tel me to keep up the good work, and offer some tips to help. It really has been a lot of fun and has shown me the power of the Television.

TV is so powerful and along with the Internet it's one of the best ways to get the word out about your church and life in Christ. There's a lot of TV church that I'm not that into, but somebody likes it and I hope it's reaching them. I'm just glad that we have the opportunity to be on the airwaves in Minnesota on Cable channel 6 at 9:30 on Sunday mornings and I know we have a big future in TV. Who knows, maybe someday we'll broadcast live on TV and on the web and be seen lifting up Jesus around the world! It's a great time to be alive, reaching this world for Jesus, and I'm so glad that we have a tech team that can make it happen on the web and on TV.

SOAP UPDATE

I just want to continue to urge all of you to do our daily S.O.A.P. readings as we read the Bible and write down our observations, look to apply it to our lives and then pray about what we just read. this is a huge thing for all of us to do as we continue to grow as followers of Jesus. I know it's been difficult as we read the Minor Prophets, but it's only a few more weeks and we will be in Matthew!

One thing to keep in mind as you read the prophets, they were calling God's people to repentance and sharing how sad, disappointed and angry God was that they walked away from Him or took advantage of the poor and powerless. I think you have to constantly keep in mind that God had been pleading with them and they continued to walk away. You also have to remember that God is willing to hear any true prayer of repentance and that He is just and fair.

As we get ready to read the New Testament, you will see that GOd shows us His love in the greatest way possible, He sends his son Jesus to redeem mankind. So get ready for some fun reading ahead, and stay faithful in the last few words from the prophets. 

CHOCOLATE BAR

Becca and I went to a Chocolate Bar last night and it was amazing! Too bad it's not in Minnesota, or should I say, thankfully it's not in Minnesota! We had waffles for two with strawberries, bananas and ice cream and it really was one of the best desserts I've ever had. The place was packed, and the chocolate was flowing, and in between bites I kept thinking, "I need to open one of these in the lobby at church!"

I hope you're able to enjoy the simple things in life and also enjoy dessert once in a while. I'm just glad that I worked out in the morning so I didn't have to feel too bad about my chocolate consumption and my desire to go back today for just one more waffle! Then that's the last one, I promise, otherwise I'll have to preach a series, Changing after you had to!

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE INTERNET?

I've been without Internet Access for the past 5 days and it seems like it's been a lifetime! I am way too dependent on the Internet and my electronic gadgets! It got me to thinking, what would you miss more, the Internet or your phone? For me, it has to be the Internet, hands down.

So what have I been doing? I've been at a conference and now I'm enjoying some vacation and some time off. Becca and I are just spending some down time this month with and without our boys and focusing on the future of our family, our church and all the things we want to do in the future. I think as fast as I go, I have to remind myself, that rest is a good thing, stop is not a bad word and chilling out is good. Believe me, it's hard for me to even type that, so it will be really hard to live it out!

I'll have a little more access to the Internet in upcoming days and I'll try and blog more, but the idea is to get rest so that's what I'm trying to do. Thanks for reading the blog! Enjoy some rest and vacation if you can!

WE ALL BOW

I only watched the final 15 minutes of Michael Jackson's funeral but what I heard at the end was a sobering reality for all of us. Michael Jackson was known as the King of Pop music and his fame was world wide but as it is true for everyone, it's also true for the King of Pop, we all die one day and have to give account for our life. It was in this reality that the minister at the end prayed, "The King of Pop now bows before the King of Kings." how true, how true. Philippians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, including the King of Pop.

COMING BACK FOR CHURCH

I've been out for two days celebrating an early 4th of July on the lake with my in-laws but I'll be back this weekend for church to kick off our new series, "The Deadliest Se7en". I hope to see you here! It's going to be a great series and a lot of fun as we continue through the seven deadly sins this summer. These seven deadly sins may seem pleasant for a season but make no mistake about it, they bring death! So let's rid ourselves of any form of the deadliest seven and fill ourselves with the Godly virtues that stand opposite of those vices.

One other thing about this weekend, I was serious about tailgating at church Saturday night. Our church parking lot fills up with people watching the Apple Valley fireworks so if  you want to beat the rush, come to church and tailgate afterward until it all starts. How much better can it get, Church, tailgating and fireworks! Hope to see you here this weekend!

HURRAY FOR HELEN!

In a previous post I was critical of our American press and so in light of the recent developments with the press, I have to give them a shout out of appreciation. In my opinion, it's a little late, but as they say, better late than never!

White House reporter Helen Thomas was upset with the blatant management of the news by the current White House and came out and openly criticized them. (This is a huge problem for America if our President can manipulate the media.) And I say, good for her that she had the courage to stand up and say ""I'm not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences. It's blatant." She went on to say that the White House doesn't even care if we know they're doing this stuff and said "They ought to be hanging their heads in shame."

That's strong stuff from Helen and something all of us better be aware of as we get ready to celebrate our freedoms this weekend on the 4th of July. We love our freedom to live as God has created us and the freedom to worship and I'm thankful for a free press that can work to keep our leaders honest. Thank you Helen for your boldness.

 

APPLE VALLEY ROTARY

I was at the President's Dinner for the Apple Valley Rotary and enjoyed hanging out with the movers and shakers of Apple Valley as we celebrated our past president and welcomed our new one. Francois Paradeise has been a great president and our club is in fine shape as he hands it off to John Dusek and I know he'll do a great job leading us now.

I didn't know much about Rotary before I joined but I knew that I wanted to be more involved in the life of the community I pastor in and Rotary looked great. I loved their involvement in eliminating Polio in the world and also the Clean Water initiative and it looked like the place to make a difference and be involved in the community and it has been. I think it's important to be active in your church, your neighborhood and also in your  community and I hope you've found ways to make this world better place because you care.

Thanks Francois for serving and thank you John for taking the lead now as the Apple Valley Rotary continues to make a difference.

STILL A GREAT MOMENT

We had some great moments this past weekend in church and I'm still enjoying them today and thanking God for them. It was just so meaningful that we had people praying for each other and for some people in the church it was the very first time that it had happened in their life. I didn't plan for the service to end that way but I just felt lead to do it and it turned out to be a God thing.

One person stopped me and said that after four weeks of attending they felt part of the church, now that someone prayed for them. Another person told me that they cried when the people around them prayed for them because they felt the presence of God while we prayed. And the stories keep coming in one after another, that it truly was a God moment at church. Thank you to all of you that got out of your seats and prayed for someone, you were used by God to make a difference in people's lives.