We don’t believe God works powerfully when we are bored, comfortable, or complacent.  Therefore, at Relevant, we are focused on never becoming these things.  One of the primary ways we stay focused on living adventurously as a church is by “RE-launching” three times a year.  At our RE-launch services we look back at the last trimester to celebrate what God did, and look forward to what we believe He is calling us to in the next trimester.  This Sunday will be our Spring 2010 RE-launch Service.  At this service, we get reenergized to take another step forward in becoming a transforming church.

In preparation for our Spring 2010 RE-launch, I wanted to share our progress thus far. 

This just gives you a glimpse of what God has done in and through us so far.  Hopefully seeing this excites you for how God has worked, and will continue to work.

Pastor Ronnie

Depsite the horrific weather predictions, the snow has not become to severe.  It is actually amazing to see.  For days I have been hearing that we are going to get 1-2 feet of snow, and thus far…we really hadn’t had any.  I, along with many others, was praying for the past two days about the weather, and it looks like God has answered our prayers!  I really do believe that.

That means, our Christmas Eve service tonight at 5pm is still on.  We didn’t have to cancel due to weather.  I am excited for what God is going to do in our hearts as we meet.  I believe this is going to be a life transforming Christmas for many people.  See you at 5pm!

Pastor Ronnie

I am so excited about our first Christmas Eve Service.  To me, this is honestly the best service of the year…and one of two services throughout the year you willsee me wear a suit jacket.  I love this service because there is no other service all year long that carries the same vibe this one does.  I honestly don’t know what it is, but it seems that people’s hearts are opened up to the message of Jesus unlike any other time.  To me…that is extremely exciting.

I really hope you make plans to join us for the Christmas Eve Service at 5pm at Indian Creek Golf Course.  I believe this Christmas Eve can be unlike any in the past for you.  It can be more than a time to remember the “reason for the season.”  It can be a time of life transformation.  There would be no better thing to experience this Christmas than that.  See you there!!!

Pastor Ronnie

I have to tell you this awesome story.  The only reason I can tell you this is because God is powerfully working.  What follows happened yesterday, and I am writing now what I wrote in my prayer journal this morning about what took place.

“The most rewarding part of why we do what we do happened yesterday…and it is all because of you, Lord.  Yesterday morning at church I gave a message on “Christmas and Judgment Day” – which was basically a strait forward gospel message.  It challenged people to see if they really have put their faith in you.  After church we had an ‘event’ called Starting Point, which is a luncheon at my house for people who are unconnected to find out about Relevant, ask questions, get to know Kristy and me, etc.  A woman named Ash (name changed) came.  She is about 28 years old and has visited 3-4 times.  She had told me she grew up Catholic, but walked away from you in high school…to the point that she told her mom that you didn’t exist. 

“At the end of Starting Point I opened it up for questions.  At this time, people usually ask stuff about Relevant.  However, Ash asked how do we really know if we are “saved” (which was the whole point of my message at church yesterday).  She said she now believes in you, but has never felt or experienced you in any fashion.  I could tell you were at work in her, so I put what was taking place at Starting Point on hold.  I started asking Ash questions about her spiritual journey, and she said she had never put her faith in you and started a relationship.  I then asked her what was keeping her from surrendering her life to you and making you her God today.  She said NOTHING!  I asked Ash if she was ready to do that.  She said YES!  So, I asked everyone at Starting Point (not knowing where everyone was at on their spiritual journey) to get around Ash. 

“I told her I was going to pray first, and then challenged her to do the one thing she has never done…verbally ask you to be her God and surrender her life to you.  I proceeded to pray, and then told Ash it was time.  With tears rolling down her face and her crying so hard that you could hardly understand her, Ash asked out loud in front of people she didn’t hardly know, for you to be her God. She put her faith in you, asked for your forgiveness, and asked you to be the leader of her life.  There was not a dry eye in that circle of people.  The really cool thing is that her parents, the ones whom she told 10-12 years ago that you didn’t exist, were there and got to experience their daughter coming into a relationship with you. 

“She surrendered her life to you in my basement.  You changed her eternity in my basement.  She experienced for the first time the gift of Christmas in my basement.  You gave her a new heart and your spirit entered her in my basement.  THANK YOU FOR WORKING!!!”

This is what the Church is all about.  This is why Relevant exists!

Our mission at Relevant is to spiritually transform people who transform their cultures.  Basically, our mission is to be a transforming church.

We believe we have identified what it looks like for Relevant to live as a transforming church.  When we are fulfilling our mission, the following three Glocal (global + local) Transformation initiatives will happen simultaneously

• Culture Investment: Serving within our local culture, meeting the biggest needs
• Nation Engagement: Engaging Un-reached People Groups (UPG) globally; leveraging natural infrastructures for maximum transformation opportunities
• Church Multiplication: Equipping leaders to start new churches with similar DNA

Becoming a transforming church will not happen by accident; therefore, in order to stay focused on living as a transforming church, we have made the decision to give away 25% of all tithes and offerings given within Relevant toward these three initiatives from this point forward. 

When I felt God calling me to start Relevant, I met with over 30 pastors and church leaders from across the country to ask them to prayerfully and financially partner with us until we could get Relevant launched successfully.  After months of appointments, I was so discouraged because only two churches made the commitment to help us.  The reason that almost every church gave for why they couldn’t financially partner with us was – “We just don’t have any money right now with the economy in the state that it is in.” 

I believe the local church is the hope of the world, and that every local church needs to do everything in their power to help launch new local churches.  The world cannot be transformed without a church multiplication movement.  This movement will not come from the head office of a denomination.  This movement will be born from local churches. 

While in the process of launching Relevant, we made the decision that we were going to be part of church multiplication from day 1!  We are officially only 2 months into the existence of Relevant Community Church, but we have already started engaging in Church Multiplication.  We have partnered with Pastor Kevin Pringle who is planting a church in the inner-city of Lincoln, NE, called One 80.  Within a 10 block radius of where they are planting the church, 10 different languages are spoken.  One 80 needs an enormous amount of financially support, because most of the people whom they reach are living in poverty. 

Yesterday, we had Kevin Pringle share his story with the people at Relevant, and we were able to hand him a check.  It was amazing to walk out of our Worship Service yesterday and have a local church be excited about advancing God’s Kingdom when it does nothing to benefit themselves.  This is what we are all about at Relevant!!!

Pastor Ronnie

The Sunday Worship Service yesterday was AMAZING!  I normally don’t say that…but it truly was.  Not because of the music.  Not because of the message.  Not because of the number of people there.  It was amazing because we got to see how God transforms ten people’s lives, and then watch them take part in the ceremonial washing called baptism to publicly declare their new association with Jesus. 

1. Buck Rasmussen

2. AJ Hocevar

3. Amanda Stark

4. Megan Vesper

5. Stacey Walling

6. Rob McShane

7. Kirby Leininger

8. Jill Nelson

9. Debi Jaeke

10. Natalie Meeske

Baptism is my favorite thing to do as a pastor, because I have never seen some one’s face look the same after they come out of the water…and that held true yesterday.  If you missed it, we will put the pictures up on facebook soon.  You can also download the podcast this week. 

Pastor Ronnie

We will be having our first baptism service at Relevant on 11/15.  I can’t wait.  Baptizing people is one of my favorite things to do, because of what it means and signifies.  We would like to see everyone at Relevant who should be baptized, get baptized on 11/15.   However, a lot of people have asked me what baptism means, and if they should be baptized.  In order to help answer those questions, below is a quick synopsis of what Relevant believes about baptism.  If after reading over this, you feel like it is time for you to “take the plunge” :), sign up on the website by 11/12.  If you have any questions, or would like to talk more about baptism, please feel free to call or email.  We would love to help you work through everything. 

Pastor Ronnie

What Relevant Believes about Baptism

What does baptism mean?

·        Baptism does not make you a Christian: Baptism publicly illustrates what took place in a person’s heart when they became a follower of Christ  

·        Baptism illustrates a follower of Christ uniting with Jesus’ death and burial: Baptism is a symbolic water grave that illustrates the death and burial of a person’s old, sinful life when they become a follow of Christ by putting their faith in Jesus (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

·        Baptism illustrates a follower of Christ uniting with Jesus’ resurrection and new life: Every person who puts their faith in Jesus goes from spiritual death to spiritual life.  For Christ followers, baptism is a symbolic resurrection to a new Christ-centered life free from the slavery of sin (1 Cor. 15:3-4, Rom. 6:4)

When is a good time to get baptized?

·        When you become a Follower of Christ:  As soon as you have put your faith in Jesus by asking him to be the forgiver of your sins and leader of your life, you can and should be baptized.  There is no reason to delay!  If you’re waiting until you’re perfect, you’ll never be ready. (Acts 8:36-38)

Why get baptized?

·        To publicly declare a new association to follow Jesus – someone other than whom you have been following before: The act of baptism is as an outward expression of an inward decision

·        It connects and binds us to the community of faith: Baptism is not just an individual experience.  When a person is baptized into Christ, they are joined with his body (the Church).  (Rom. 12:13)

·        To follow Jesus’ example (Mark 1:9)

·         Jesus commanded it (Matt. 28:19-20)

How does Relevant do Baptism?

·        Baptism by immersion: Others hold varying thoughts and traditions related to baptism, but from where Relevant stands, the metaphor of immersion is both dramatic and significant.  Through baptism we are drenched in God, enveloped in God’s presence, and brought from death to life.  The water grave is a perfect expression of this reality

·        Infant Baptism: Some denominations choose to baptize infants.  While we recognize the right of other churches to practice infant baptism, we understand Scripture to teach that only professing followers of Christ qualify for baptism.  Baptism does not make you a Christian, rather it shows you believe.  At Relevant, we practice the dedication of infants, rather than the baptism of infants. 

Throughout the “Remedy for a Religious Life” series we talked specifically about what Relevant’s focus is going to be on.  To sum it up in a world…TRANSFORMATION!  Our mission is to spiritually transform people who transform their cultures.  This will not happen by accident.  It will only happen as we ALL stay focused on our T-WORLD Focus.  Here is what that means…

Transformation: 1) To change markedly the appearance or form of – 2) To change the nature, function, or condition of; convert – 3) To undergo a transformation.  At Relevant, our primary focus is to continue Jesus’ mission of transforming the world.  The Church is the hope of the world, and that is why T-WORLD (Transformed World) only happens as the Church – Relevant and every other local church around the world – becomes a T-CHURCH (Transforming Church).  As we grow in a relationship with Jesus, He begins a process within us causing transformation in our lives, in our cultures, and throughout the world.  At Relevant we call this T-LIFE (Transformed Life).     

T-LIFE: Living a T-LIFE has three core elements…
1. Interactive Relationship with Jesus: Jesus desires to transform us to walk like, talk like, act like, and be like Him.  This transformation is a result of a constant, growing, interactive relationship with Jesus; where we hear His voice, and respond to Him in obedience.    �
2. Authentic Relationships within the church: Our lives cannot be transformed in isolation, because God did not create us to live this life alone.  Continual transformation is a result of being connected in authentic relationships where we encourage, challenge, and support each other as a living community. �
3. Influence in Glocal Culture: Transformed people transform people.  Spiritual Transformation in our lives should always result in a glocal (global + local) transformation as we serve others.  At Relevant, we are not focused on building the biggest church, but spiritually transforming people to BE the church everyday as we live in a world that desperately needs transformed with the love of Jesus.  Actions speak louder than words when it comes to glocal transformation.  That’s why we’re committed not only to meeting the needs in our local cultures, but also around the world. 

T-CHURCH: Transformed people make up transforming churches.  T-CHURCH is what the local church looks like when it is producing transformed Christ-followers who are responding to glocal transformation opportunities (GT-Opps) using their skills, talents, passions, and giftings.  When we are fulfilling our mission, the following three components of T-CHURCH will happen simultaneously…�
1. Culture Investment: Serving within our local culture, meeting the biggest needs
2. Nation Engagement: Engaging Unreached People Groups (UPG) globally; leveraging natural infrastructures for maximum transformation opportunities
3. Church Multiplication: Equipping leaders to start new churches with similar DNA

We will not achieve our mission of advancing God’s Kingdom without staying focused!  If you feel that Relevant is the place for you, I challenge you NOT to keep doing church as you know it.  The time is now to break away from the religious life so many of us have lived!

Pastor Ronnie

(***Bob Roberts Jr.)

This Sunday we start a new Worship Service series entitled, “Why We Do What We Do.” 

Have you ever wondered why we do the things we do in church?  Some people feel uncomfortable going to church because they don’t understand what’s going on around them.  Other people have stopped going to church, because the things that happen in church seem pointless.  And, there are many people who have gone to church their entire lives, take part in all the “religious stuff,” but have no idea why.  Do the things we do in church help spiritually transform our lives, or are they just pointless traditions that we still follow today?  Join us for the “Why We Do What We Do” series to discover the reality of why we do what we do in church.

This Sunday (10/18) we do not have Sunday Worship Service.  The reason we don’t have service this Sunday is because Indian Creek already had an event booked when we did our contract with them; however, this is not the last time we will not have Sunday Worship Service at Relevant.

3-4 strategic times throughout the year will will NOT meet for Sunday Worship Service.  If you have been going to church for anytime, your immediate next question is probably, “what are you going to do instead?”  Are you ready for the answer…NOTHING!  Here’s why.

God reminds us again and again that we need to have rest.  He even commanded it in Exodus 20 in the 10 Commandments.  A lot of work and people are involved to run a Sunday Worship Service (especially when you don’t have your own building).  Week after week people come early to set everything up, serve to make the service happen, lead in Relevant Kids, and stay late to break everything down.  It is easy to run people like crazy and never give them a break.  The reason we are going to take 3-4 Sundays off throughout the year is to REST.  We want to give people breaks and allow them just to stay home, spend time with family, sleep in, and rest…without worrying about a Sunday Service. 

That being said, I want to thank every person at Relevant who works so hard to ensure that the Sunday Worship Service happens.  It is an honor serving side by side with you.  This Sunday, I challenge you to REST.  Don’t feel guilty for not being at church.  Sleep in if you need it.  Laugh with your family if that is needed.  Spend some time in the Bible if that is needed.  Just rest and enjoy life. 

See everyone on the 25th!

Our fall 2009 small groups launch this week and run through mid-December.  Our small groups are designed to be a relevant environment where participants can connect in authentic relationships with others, and grow in a life-transforming relationship with Jesus.  They are groups of 15-17 people, and are open to everyone, no matter where they are on their spiritual journey.  We have four fall small groups, and over 50 people signed up for those groups for the fall. 

The mission of Relevant is to spiritually transform people who transform their cultures.  We believe small groups are a key way that people will be spiritually transformed at Relevant.  What we are trying to accomplish through small groups cannot be accomplished without God!!!  No once can transform another person…that is a work of God.  With that being said, I ask that you please call on God with me through prayer for these groups this week…and throughout the semester.  Here is some of my prayer journal entry from this morning.  Will you pray this along with me today…

“Small groups for the fall start this week.  I feel in awe that you have risen up the leaders you have to lead these small groups.  Lord, I pray for the leaders: Rodger and Charlene Peck, Scott Ruane, Amanda Stark, and myself.  Bless us as leaders.  Work through us to lead people to you.  I pray that over the next 12 weeks that the people in these small groups connect in authentic relationships with others, and are spiritually transformed.  Lord, let this be a divine endeavor.  I pray that these small groups are Kingdom Building and not just a program”

Thank you for praying along with me.

Pastor Ronnie

Fall 2009 Small Groups start in one week from now.  If you have not signed up yet, make sure to do it this week.

Relevant Small Groups are open to everyone, no matter where you’re at on your spiritual journey. Our Small Groups are groups of 12-15 people that get together for 10-12 weeks to spiritually grow, have fun, and meet new people.  There are a number of groups to choose from meeting at different times and locations that are convenient for you.  In addition, there are a variety of topics and types of groups to choose from, so that you can choose a group that is RELEVANT for you.

Fall 2009 Small Groups begin the week of October 5th and last through mid-December.  It’s a short time commitment, but imagine what God could do in your life during that time. We really want to encourage you to take the next step and get connected with the Relevant Community today.

Sign-ups for Fall 2009 Small Groups end THIS SUNDAY, October 4th.  You can sign up for a small group today at: http://relevantcommunity.org/smallgroups.aspx. 

Don’t miss out on Fall 2009 Small Groups!!!

Yesterday was our official launch of weekly services, and it was GREAT!  We had just over 140 people.  The energy was pumping.  You could tell that people were excited to see what was going to be “relevant” about this church.  To make a really long story short, the God moved in people’s hearts to draw them closer to Jesus.  14 people indicated that they were taking a next step on their spiritual journey toward living a transformed life for Jesus, and 2 people indicated that they surrendered their life to Jesus for the first time through faith by asking for His forgiveness and leadership.  You know what that means…TRANSFORMATION.  People were spiritually transformed, and that is ALL that matters. 

We not longer have to wait four weeks for another services…we only have to wait six days.  I can’t wait to see everyone next week as we continue “The Remedy for a Religious Life” series. 

The official launch of Relevant Community Church has arrived.  After conducting five services over the past five months, we are ready for the launch of weekly services THIS SUNDAY @ 10am, at Indian Creek Golf Course (202nd and Maple).  We will be launching with a series entitled, “The Remedy for a Religious Life.”  Throughout this series we will discover how the Christian life was meant to be an adventure, but many of us have not experienced it that way, because religion has gotten in the way.  

We invite you to join us as we launch Relevant.  Hopefully you will experience Christianity, Jesus, and church in way you never have before.  See you on Sunday! 

Our official launch of weekly services is almost here…September 13th!!!  In preparation for this huge day less than two weeks away, we are trying to let as many people in our community know about Relevant.  One of the ways we are doing that is through the use of a billboard.  If you are driving south on 204th through Elkhorn you will see this billboard on your left.  Don’t forget…Sunday, September 13th @ 10am.  See you there.  Bring all your friends!

Yesturday at our final monthly service I told everyone that the website was going to be completely revised in preparation for our official launch on September 13th.  With the new website revisions, you will be able to sign up to become a Team Player (volunteer), sign up for small groups, and sign up for upcoming events. 

We thought the the new revisions to the website would launch by this morning, but had a couple of set backs.  Therefore, you can expect the revisions to be launched by Wednesday morning.  Hopefully, you will take advantage of everything you can do on the website…especially to sign up to become a Team Player this month. 

Our final worship service yesterday was powerful, and I can’t wait to launch weekly services on September 13th!!!

Pastor Ronnie

That’s right.  THIS SUNDAY is the final monthly service before we launch weekly services on September 13th.  It has been an amazing journey the past four months.  God has been blessing us, and we are achieving our vision of the launch period to build a critical mass so that we have momentum that leads us toward our mission in the future. 

We want as many people as possible in our community to know about Relevant.  In order to help make that happen, you will be able to pick up a Relevant yard sign that promotes the launch of weekly services on September 13th at the worship service this Sunday.  Grab as many as you would like.  Put them in your yard…around town…everywhere!!!  Also, starting September 1st and running through December, Relevant will have a billboard on 204th street in Elkhorn. 

We can’t wait to see you this Sunday at our final monthly service.  It is going to rock!!!

We are concerned with one thing at Relevant; advancing our mission of spiritually transforming people who transform their cultures.  This involves more than one person…it’s a team sport!  That’s why we call all our volunteers Team Players.  We believe that every person has specific talents and gifts that God has given them.  Our goal is to provide you a team to invest and use your talents to advance God’s Kingdom. 

Anyone can serve at Relevant, no matter where you’re at on your spiritual journey or how long you have been attending.  There are a number of teams to choose from.  Whether you would like to serve for 30 minutes at the Worship Service on Sunday mornings, or invest ten hours a week, there is a team for you.  Don’t worry about whether or not you know how to do something.  If you have an interest, we will train you.  Furthermore, when you get on a team we don’t ask you to sign your life away.  Most of our Team Player positions are only a semester commitment.

We challenge everyone who attends Relevant to become get involved in serving.  By becoming a Team Player at Relevant, not only will you make new friends and have fun, you will spiritually grow and make a huge difference in people’s lives.  Everyone who is interested in becoming a Team Player for the fall semester will be able to sign up for the first time at our final monthly service on August 16th.

Our forth monthly service yesterday was awesome.  It was amazing to see God starting to transform some people’s hearts for the first time, and continue to transform others.

For the past few months we have been searching for a location where we would do our weekly Sunday Worship Services from once we officially launched on September 13th.  It has been awesome doing our monthly services from Indian Creek Golf Course, but we did not know if we could work out doing our weekly services from their.  GREAT NEWS!  Just last week we came to an agreement with Indian Creek that we are definitely going to conduct our weekly services there from September through December (at least).

We don’t know everything that God has for us in the future.  We don’t know how long we will be at Indian Creek.  We don’t know if He has a perminant location for us.  We don’t know what Relevant looks like in a year from now.  You know what?  We don’t care.  We are concerned with one thing at Relevant…spiritually transforming people who transform their cultures.  We are concerned with Jesus transforming people to BE the church in our city, instead of soaking all of our money into a building and trying to build the biggest church in the city.   God will continue to provide the perfect place for us in the future where we can accomplish our mission the best.

I am excited about what is ahead.  Make sure to join us for our final monthly worship service on August 16th @ 10am. 

Pastor Ronnie

This Sunday - July 19th - will be our fourth of five monthly worship services, before we launch weekly worship services on September 13th.  The last three months have been awesome, and I can’t wait to see what happens this Sunday. 

We will be continuing the “How to Discover God’s Will” series.  This Sunday we will unpack “The Truth About Your Desires.”  Basically, the main question I will pose (and what I challenge you to think about before Sunday) is, “can you discover God’s will by looking at your desires?”  God says in Psalms that He wants to give us the desires of our heart; therefore, we must be able to discover His will by looking at our desires…right?  If so, how? 

Service start at 10am @ Indian Creek Golf Course (202nd and Maple).  It is going to be a great day.  Bring a friend!

Pastor Ronnie