We believe that to function as a transforming church, the following three initiatives should happen simultaneously: culture investment, nation engagement, and church multiplication.  Over the past nine months, we have been working hard to launch our “Culture Investment Ministry.”  This ministry is focused on what we together as a church to help transform our local culture/city (Elkhorn).  The first step in launching this ministry was to discover the biggest need in Elkhorn that is not being met, so we can adequately love and serve the people in our city like Jesus, and in turn have spiritual influence in our city.  To discover the need we have talked to city officials, the school board, teachers, principals, business owners, people living in the area, etc.  Finally, after nine long months, God has blessed our efforts.  We have identified the biggest need, and have put the foundational pieces in place for how we will begin to meet that need. 

The greatest need in Elkhorn is the reestablishment of healthy family units.  Families in Elkhorn are under attack: substance abuse going through roof with minors and adults, foreclosures and unemployment rates are increasing, more students are demonstrating behavioral issues, people contracting STD’s are continuing to increase…to name a few.  When these crisis hit, families are not strong enough to endure them; therefore, divorce rates are climbing, families are spending less time together, and verbal and physical abuse in homes in skyrocketing.  Families are in desperate need of resources, support, encouragement, counseling, and mentoring.  

In August, we launched the Relevant Family Response Ministry.  This ministries mission is to be a support system that helps wholly transform every family member to reestablish healthy family units.  We will achieve this mission of becoming a support system for families in Elkhorn by (1) building relationships with people and families in Elkhorn, (2) providing training and resources to foster healthy family relationships before the onset of a crisis, (3) helping and supporting families navigate through crisis, and (4) coming along side of and supporting local schools. 

When I presented the mission and initial strategy of this ministry to the people of Relevant in August, they were moved to action even though achieving this mission is not going to be quick or easy: sixteen people signed up to mentor and tutor a student in the Elkhorn Public Schools, seventeen people signed up to be on the Culture Investment leadership team, and eleven people signed up to go through an intense training in how to respond to crisis so we can fully respond to people going through crisis in our city. 

Going through this process and getting to the place we are ready to invest into our city in a healthy way has been one of the most rewarded things I have been a part of as the pastor of Relevant.  I know that God is going to bless our efforts, and that He is going to work through us to transform people’s lives, and ultimately transform our city.  

If you are interested in becoming a mentor/tutor in the Elkhorn School District, or joining the Culture Investment Leadership Team, go to the serving page on the website, and fill out the team player questionnaire…indicating you are interested in the Culture Investment Ministry.  The leader of this ministry, Jerry Rainey, will be in contact with you. 

Pastor Ronnie

In my closing remarks I said that to live adventurously we must take risks everyday.  Everything in our lives is an opportunity to take a risk to love like Jesus, serve like Jesus, and proclaim Jesus.  If you start every morning focused on taking risks to do these three things, you will start to live an adventurous life, because this is the riskiest thing you will ever do.  In order to live the greatest adventure we must head into the unknown with God.  This is a vital part of our journey and if we balk here, the adventure ends. 

I judge whether or not my day was a waste or if i lived purposefully by asking myself one question: “Today, did i intentionally love someone like Jesus would love them, serve them like Jesus would serve them, and proclaim Jesus clearly?”  If I didn’t do these things with someone who doesn’t know Jesus, then what did I really accomplish? 

My prayer and my hope is that you will live with this same intentionality.  I know you are searching for a great adventure.  You will not find it anywhere else.

Pastor Ronnie

As the pastor of Relevant, my passion is to help spiritually transform a community of people, so that God can do transforming things through us.  Jesus’ body is the Church.  Every local church is part of the larger Body. If we all did what we were called to do as local churches…then this world would be transformed.  However, every local church is also a body themselves, and the people are it’s members.  A local church cannot do what they are called to do without every member (person) within that body operating as a fully functioning member of the body. 

At this point, a lot of people may think I am promoting a “membership class.”  NOT AT ALL!  What I am challenging every person in our church to do is take responsibility.  You are an important part of the body.  You are a huge part of what God wants to do in and through us.  What could and should be will not happen without every member of our body doing what only they can do. 

This month is a perfect time to get engaged in a position of responsibility.  Throughout the month we are doing Team Player Reloading.  This is where we reload all of our teams for the upcoming trimester.  If you have never engaged as a Team Player (volunteer)…now is the time. 

Pastor Ronnie

Kristy had a routine check up today, and they could not find a heart beat for the baby on the ultrasound.  Our baby has passed away.  With Kristy being about 16-17 weeks pregnant her body did not naturally “miscarry” the baby.  Kristy has miscarried before (between 1st and 2nd children), but this time she was much further along.  Last time we only saw a heart beat.  This time we saw the baby moving around her (I am just assuming) arms and legs. 

Furthermore, with her being so far along in her pregnancy we have to make the decision today if they should induce labor for Kristy to deliver the lifeless body, or if a D&C should be done.  We know what it is like to go through the D&C process, since Kristy had to have a D&C for our last miscarriage. 

I ask for your prayers first of all for Kristy.  Pray that God gives her peace and hope today.  I also ask that you pray for our girls.  Pray that they can understand this in the most healthy way possible.  They were excited for the baby.  Also, pray for our decision that we need to make today.  Finally, pray for us financially.  To add insult to injury, from experience we know that it is more expensive to go through the removal of a miscarried baby than it is to deliver a healthy baby. 

In the midst of this we have confidence that God is in control.  We know that He loves us, and that He has never let a little one slip away from His grasp.  We believe that His grace is sufficient for us, and that He knew everything that was going on with our little one. 

Thank you for your prayers!

Pastor Ronnie

• Do the test 1^st w/o looking at the other two documents (spiritual-gifts-test). 
• Do the scoring sheet second w/o looking at the definitions (spiritual-gifts-scoring). 
• Finally, evaluate you score sheet against the definitions (spiritual-gift-definitions). 

Is there alignment between what you are doing, and what your gifts/talents are?  How can you start using your talents more alongside of Him?  Have fun with this!

Finally, you heard me tell everyone on Sunday that I am not going to be leading everything anymore.  We have worked hard to get leaders in place so that we really can function more as a body.  WE are the body…not ME.  I am going to work hard not to be the leaders in every area, not to stick my nose into everything, not to have my hand on everything, and to let our leaders lead.  I am excited how God is going to bless us in that. 

I am humbled that God has called me to be the pastor of this awesome church, and truly believe that He is going to do amazing things in and through this BODY!  

Pastor Ronnie

It has been so fun to see God working in the lives of these three ladies; watching Him spiritually transform them, and giving them a heart to help spiritually transform other people.  They have all worked so hard to raise enough money to spend a large chunk of their summer in Africa working in orphanages, doing vacation bible school programs with kids who don’t know Jesus, and serving people in need.  Furthermore, it has been a blessing to financially “send” these girls and cover them in prayer as a church. 

All three of them leave this week, and need our continued prayers. I can’t wait for them to get back to hear what God did in and through them!  Please be praying for all three of them over the next 6 weeks.  Pray for God to use them in powerful ways.  Pray for needs to be met.  Pray that God spiritually transforms people through them.  Pray that God protects them!

Pastor Ronnie

Pastor Ronnie

Budget Spreadsheet

Fill out the attached spreadsheet as accurate as possible with a realistic working budget.  Here are a few things to consider as you are filling out the budget

• MAKE SURE YOU ONLY TYPE NUMBERS UNDER THE MONTH SIDE.  THE EQUATIONS ARE ALREADY SET IN THE WORKSHEET AND WILL FIGURE THE YEAR AMOUNTS AS WELL AS THE PERCENTAGES. 
• Only work in both spouse’s income if you are married and will be living off both incomes
• Your over/under cannot be in the negative, so you may have to decide what expenses to cut out
• Try to keep fixed expenses as low as possible

Budget Method

Discuss what budget method will be most suitable for you to maintain your budget sufficiently.  In order to maintain your budget you must both (if married) agree on a method that suits your needs and is easy to maintain.  Here are a few examples (but not limited to these):

• Check/Debit Card System: Much like the credit card system below, but a check register is used as well.
• Credit Card System: All variable expenses and as many fixed expenses as possible are put on credit card and one check is written at end of month after recording expenses from statement
• Envelope System: Envelopes are kept in the house with the variable expenses written on the front of them.  At the beginning of the month the specified amount for that expense is placed in the envelope and withdrawn at time of desired spending

Budget Facilitator

If married, who will facilitate the budget and communicate to the other partner the progress of the budget?  How will this be done on a day to day basis (computer spreadsheet, budget book, etc.)?

Most new people come to Relevant from a personal invite, but there are some people who may need to step into Relevant who don’t know anyone who goes here.  How will they hear about it?  That is why we do  “Culture Marketing.”  We don’t think any of the marketing that we do will make someone who is unchurched all of a sudden want to go to church.  The purpose of our culture marketing is to infuse Relevant into the minds of the people in our culture, so if and when they ever feel like they need some help on their spiritual journey, Relevant is the 1st place they think about. 

We have tried a lot of different things with culture marketing: invite cards, invite emails, yard signs, billboards, etc.  One of the things we have never tried is radio advertising.  Not anymore.  Starting in June for the next three months Relevant will have a commercial on Q98.5 (www.q985fm.com).

Here is what the commercial sounds like (q98-relevant-commerical2).  Please pray that people who God wants to spiritually transform will hear this and respond.  Also…I know I sound like a complete dork.  DON’T MAKE FUN OF ME!

Pastor Ronnie

I realize that there are many people who have started attending Relevant who can’t even believe they are attending a Sunday Service as consistently as they are, and the thought of joining a small group seems like a HUGE commitment.  I understand.  If you have never been in a small group, it can seem like a scary step.  I could sit here and tell you that it won’t be weird, you don’t have to know anything about the Bible to go to one, no one is going to make you share you dirtiest secret, and kool-aid will not be served.  However, I am guessing that those things alone will not settle the uneasiness in your stomach enough to actually sign up.  So, all I am going to do to today is challenge you.

If you want to take a step forward on your spiritually journey…If you desire to build some relationships with other people…if you desire to understand how Jesus wants to relate to you every day…if you want to be a part of other people’s lives…then I challenge you to sign up for a group this summer.  Summer small groups only last 12 weeks.  It is a short time commitment, but I believe God can really do something amazing in your life during that time.

Visit the small group page.  You can sign up for a group right there.  Online sign ups end on May 30th.  Hope to see you in a group

Pastor Ronnie

May 1^st starts the beginning of the summer trimester.  I know we are yet to be the transforming church God wants us to be; however, looking back at the Spring trimester, I see that we have definitely taken steps in the right direction.  Below is a “Progress Report” chart that explains how we have taken steps forward in some different areas up to this point.  As you read over this, my prayer is that you become as excited as I am about how God has worked thus far.

* = (1) Supported a missionary to Austria, (2) Haitian earthquake relief