WHO’S AT THE TABLE? – My Crazy Family Series, 11.08.15
Dear RiverTown Family,
Before the holidays are in full swing, with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner, we’re already thinking about spending time with our families. Whether it’s an overbearing mother, crazy grandma, or estranged younger brother, chances are they’ll be knocking at our door. So how do we fit our messy, crazy, and chaotic family all at one table without falling apart? To find out, Join us this Sunday for the first message in my new series, My Crazy Family, based on the book of Ruth!
As you prepare later this month to dig into some turkey and dressing, you’ll also need to dig into and enjoy the people who grace your table with their presence. The first step in evaluating the family lineup is to ask yourself; Who’s At The Table? That’s actually my message title this weekend. I hope that the first person you’ll count is YOURSELF.
In Ruth chapter one, we find this great heroine of the faith facing a Crazy Family situation. This Sunday we’ll learn how to follow her example of family peace under enormous pressure. Ruth was totally committed and fully present within her new and unexpected family circle. She fully realized the power of her one-single-present-moment in the presence of God. Ruth was able to totally depend on God to miraculously create a new and whole family out of the broken pieces of her past.
I hope to see you this Sunday morning for the rest of the story!
Pastor David Rathel
P.S. In the meantime, don’t forget to catch the service from last Sunday on my YouTube Channel or Podcast if you missed it. youtube.com/davidrathelchannel and rivertownchurch.buzzsprout.com. You can also get a preview of our new “I LOVE MY CRAZY FAMILY” T-Shirts one our website HERE.
FallBack Into The Light … Fallback Sunday 2015
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Dear RiverTown Family,
October 31st is a night that reminds us that there is darkness in the world. The fun of dressing up, throwing parties, and trick-or-treating brings light into the darkness and shows us that darkness and fear can never truly overtake a child of God.
In Acts 26:18 Jesus says, “so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.”
I can’t wait to share with you the message God has given me for this Sunday morning at our FALLBACK service about the “LIGHT” Jesus Christ can bring into your life even in the middle of your darkest night. So when the light shines on the morning after Halloween night, join us for a celebration of the LIGHT!
The service will go on at 10AM inside or outside – rain or shine!
Pastor David Rathel
 FALL BACK SERVICE THIS SUNDAY
10:00 AM Outdoor Worship Service Change your Clocks Saturday Night!!
The Heat is On for the annual FALL BACK Worship Service. Invite your friends and family to cozy up with you and keep WARM at RiverTown Church! Enjoy an outdoor WORSHIP SERVICE followed by a festival for the young and young-at-heart! Enjoy the FESTIVAL with family hayrides, petting zoo, popcorn, bake sale and Barbeque. $10 BBQ lunch includes chicken or pork, sides, bread, and drinks. All of the proceeds support our Guatemala missions team.Professional Family Christmas Portraits will be available at our Photo Booth in the Worship Center, in exchange for donations to Missions. Please bring check or cash.Children K-5 will enjoy the Fall Back service with parents. Infant and Toddler care will be available. |
Are You A Receiver? Sunday, August 16
[break] “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.” John 3:27 [break]
Did you know that God wants you to be His receiver? He is the giver of all good things. (James 1:17) I have witnessed many people, including myself, praying prayers that ask God for his blessings while never considering their part in receiving them.
In football, the quarterback can throw a perfect pass but if the receiver is in the wrong place or doesn’t get his hands up in time, then the pass is simply incomplete. I believe that a lot of us are like that receiver who keeps on missing the perfect passes from our heavenly quarterback.
This Sunday begins a new sermon series at RiverTown. The RECEIVER series will help you find out how to receive from God – God’s Way! I can’t wait to share with you the receiver principles God has taught me.
You’ll also enjoy hearing a great receiver story from Oscar Valencia. Oscar left Mexico and came here to Columbus with $500 and a bag of 12 burritos. Since then, he has become one of the most successful young men I’ve ever met. He is truly one of the best receivers of God’s blessings I have ever known.
See You Sunday,
Pastor David Rathel[break]
Check Out Last Sunday’s Message On My YouTube Channel:
YOUR FAITH HAS A NAME! – Pastor David Rathel
[break]The Bible Does Not Measure Faith By Size Or Degrees.[break]
In The Bible, Each Example Of Faith Is Given A Name By What It Produces In Your Life.
What’s Your Faith Name?
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No Faith – Mark 4:39, 40 “And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. 40And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
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Lack Of Faith – Matthew 13:58 “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”
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Little Faith – Matthew 6:30 “…will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!”
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Shallow Faith – Luke 8:13 “Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.”
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Borrowed Faith – Matthew 9:2 “Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
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Strong Faith – Romans 4:20 – “yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God.”
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Great Faith – Matthew. 8:10 – Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.”
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Sincere Faith – II Tim. 1:5 – “When I call to remembrance the sincere faith that is in you …”
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Divine Faith – Gal. 2:20 – “I have been put to death on the cross with Christ; still I am living; no longer I, but Christ is living in me; and that life which I now am living in the flesh I am living by faith, the faith of the Son of God …”
“GET BACK UP!” …The Sunday After Easter. 04.12.15
Dear RiverTown Family,
The Sunday After Easter is traditionally one of the lowest attended services of the year in all churches. You know how it goes. We shoot for heaven and reach it on Easter Sunday. Then What? Then, the Sunday after Easter gets ignored. Jesus is still alive, right?
Everyone who comes to worship and seeks God on holidays, occasionally, or once a month – all stay home. It doesn’t have to be that way!
The same God who raised Jesus out of the tomb and got every worshiper up on Easter Sunday morning can still raise us up to new life and help us GET BACK UP on the Sunday after Easter. It’s a spiritual struggle. Can I get an Amen?
Two Powerful Services, Two Different Sermons, One Resurrected Saviour – Easter 2015!
Dear RiverTown Family,
EASTER! The long awaited day is here.
EASTER! Hell shuddered and the world trembled – the day the living Savior stood the dumbfounded world on its ear!
EASTER! The day Christ moved out of His very temporary residence into the best and worst of palaces – the human heart.
Beyond the shroud, beyond the blood and bandages, beyond the spices and the close, dank air, HE STOOD! Alive once more, He stood—in six full weeks of sunlight. Then on to heaven He went, sending His spirit into our hearts, making us alive forever. Now the living Christ rules where the best flags wave, in the interior castles of our hearts, but… He IS Here!
This Easter Sunday morning at RiverTown Church we celebrate Easter by offering Two Powerful Services, Two Different Sermons, One Resurrected Saviour!
That’s right, this year God has given me one sermon for the 7am sunrise crowd and a different message for the 10am service. My job from Jesus as a pastor has always been to listen to God’s voice the best I can and deliver His message to the best of my ability. This year He has given me so much that I can’t fit it all fit in one sermon. So, pick the time and message that fits best for your family to receive God’s love and His word. For those of you who just can’t get enough you can take advantage of both service times and all the exciting festivities in between.
“FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT!” – 7AM Sunrise Service Message.
He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 (NLT)
This message will show you how the light of the resurrection of Jesus fills each life it touches – both then and now!
“ONE DROP OF BLOOD!” – 10AM Resurrection Service Message.
Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:14, 22 (NLT)
This message will dramatically drive home the point of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Jesus willingly poured out every drop of blood in His body to cleanse you and me of our sins forever.
EASTER 2015 – Our biggest and best Resurrection Celebration ever!
- 2 Outdoor Resurrection Worship Services On Our Beautiful New Back Lawn.
- Grand Re-Opening Of RiverTown’s Building Makeover.
- CROSS and Prayer Garden Offering! – $10,000 Goal! Every Dollar Of Your Financial Offering Goes Toward Building Our New 30 ft. Cross and Prayer Garden.
- 7 AM Sunrise Service!
- 8 AM – Beautiful Buffet Breakfast!
- 9 AM – Helicopter Egg Drop For Kids & Human Easter Egg Coloring For Teens! Instead of hiding eggs, A helicopter will actually fly overhead and blow thousands of brightly colored festival eggs all over our front lawn from above. The teens will all have a Color Me Rad style Color Me Easter color war and party!
- 10 AM Resurrection Finale Worship Service Celebration!
SEE YOU THERE,
Pastor David Rathel
A Reason To Celebrate Palm Sunday – Home Series Finale 03.29.15
Dear RiverTown Family,
This Sunday we bring to a close the HOME series and our journey in the steps of the biblical character Nehemiah. He rebuilt the heart and soul of his nation when he rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. In the book of Nehemiah chapters 9 and 12 we’ll see just how powerful a biblical celebration can be!
Here are some points from this Sunday’s upcoming message:
- Days Of Spiritual Celebration Raise Us To Higher Highs And Carry Us Through Lower Lows.
- Real Worship Celebrations Help End Depression, Worry, Overworking, Stressing, Obsessing And Sickness.
This powerful message comes on the day churches all over the world have relived Luke chapter 19 and celebrated Palm Sunday since the first Easter Resurrection morning. The celebration at the finished wall in Jerusalem fits in perfectly with the Palm Sunday Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem just one week before his crucifixion for our sins and Final Victorious Resurrection!
Our Easter financial offering goal is a big challenge. We have been challenged as a church to give $10,000 in our offering on Easter Sunday morning towards building a new cross and prayer garden. Jesus bore his cross for us. His Cross has been the one symbol uniting all true Christians over every generation since His resurrection. The new 30 foot wooden cross on the front of our building will be a permanent witness to the entire community. It will rise up above the horizon to inspire people to enter into a new way of living and attract them to the place where they can find it. Every dollar counts. Please pray and ask God what part He wants you to play in this great opportunity to become part of the legacy of the cross of Jesus Christ at RiverTown Church!
Speaking of EASTER… Next Sunday, April 5th, will be our biggest and best Resurrection Celebration ever!
- 2 Outdoor Resurrection Worship Services On Our Beautiful New Back Lawn.
- Grand Re-Opening Of RiverTown’s Building Makeover.
- CROSS and Prayer Garden Offering! – $10,000 Goal! Every Dollar Of Your Financial Offering Goes Toward Building Our New 30 ft. Cross and Prayer Garden.
- 7 AM Sunrise Service!
- 8 AM – Beautiful Buffet Breakfast!
- 9 AM – Helicopter Egg Drop For Kids & Human Easter Egg Coloring For Teens! Instead of hiding eggs, A helicopter will actually fly overhead and blow thousands of brightly colored festival eggs all over our front lawn from above. The teens will all have a Color Me Rad style Color Me Easter color war and party!
- 10 AM Resurrection Finale Worship Service Celebration!
I’m praying for you and I can’t wait to see you. Your life will be forever changed by celebrating the power of our risen Messiah, Jesus Christ!
Yours for Jesus Sake,
Pastor David Rathel
“IS HELL REALLY REAL?” – An Easter Preparation Message by Rev. David Howle At RiverTown Church. – Sunday March 22 – 9:30 & 11 AM
Dear RiverTown Family,
The best thing about a sermon on Hell is that you don’t have to go there!
I had an amazing “God Moment” last week. One of the greatest men in the world offered to preach at RiverTown Church the Sunday after next, March 22. Rev. David Howle is a father in ministry in our city to almost everyone I know. He has planted and faithfully watered seeds in ministry here as long as I have been alive.
“Brother David” was Pastor at Edgewood Baptist Church in Columbus for 25 years. He opened the door for my first chance in ministry as a kid to play drums in church orchestra when I was just 12 years old. Then, he allowed me to have my first church pastoral staff position only 10 years later when I was 22. He ordained me to the Gospel ministry and married Melanie Kinney Rathel and I, 17 years ago. Then, he led his church to be our first supporting church in starting RiverTown 15 years ago. In addition to Edgewood’s support, he also wrote a personal check to our ministry every month for our entire first year.
His same faithful fruit in my life was repeated thousands of times before and after I came along in the lives of countless other ministers, men and women. Now, after retiring for the second time, he is available to come and minister to us. I love him more than words could say. God’s Spirit whispered to my soul the instructions to ask him to preach a special sermon about the reality of Hell to us before we celebrate Easter and Christ’s victory over the grave, sin, and Hell forever!
I am crazy excited about this – Can You Tell?
See You Sunday,
Pastor David Rathel
P.S. God has provided the way this year for us to give our community the largest and most exciting Resurrection Celebration on Easter Sunday morning in the history of RiverTown.
Here Are The Highlights!
- 2 Outdoor Resurrection Worship Services On Our Beautiful Back Lawn.
- Grand Re-Opening Of RiverTown’s Building Makeover.
- CROSS and Prayer Garden Offering! – $10,000 Goal! Every Dollar Of Your Financial Offering Goes Toward Building Our New 30 ft. Cross and Prayer Garden.
- 7 AM Sunrise Service!
- 8 AM – Beautiful Buffet Breakfast!
- 9 AM – Helicopter Egg Drop For Kids & Human Easter Egg Coloring For Teens! Instead of hiding eggs, A helicopter will actually will actually fly overhead and blow thousands of brightly colored festival eggs all over our front lawn from above. The teens will all have a Color Me Rad style Color Me Easter party!
- 10 AM Resurrection Worship Service Celebration!
Last Sunday’s Message – TRUE WORSHIP!
WINNING THE WAR OF WORDS. Home Series 01.08.15
WINNING THE WAR OF WORDS. Home Series 01.08.15
- Bad News Always Sounds More Powerful Than Good News.
- You Protect Your Life When You Protect Your Ears.
- You’ll Never Rise Higher Than The Words You Allow To Dominate You.
- Words Are The Most Common Vehicle Used To Carry Negativity, Pain, Fear, And Discouragement.
Nehemiah 4:1-6
1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.
2And he spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said,
“What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day?
Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?”
3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said,
“Even what they are building – if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”
4Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.
5Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before Thee, FOR THEY HAVE DEMORALIZED THE BUILDERS.
6So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
Demoralize – Def: Verb.
1. To deprive a person or persons of spirit, courage, physical energy, or discipline.
2. To throw a person or persons into disorder or confusion.
BUILDING A WALL AGAINST ENEMY WORDS:
- Learn To Recognize Ungodly Ridicule And Criticism Of Yourself And Those You Love.
- Stop And Humbly Say: “That Sounds Like Ridicule And Criticism To Me” If Necessary, Interrupt The Person.
- Privately Pray And Claim Your Right To The Unbridled Blessing And Unconditional Love Of God.
- Realize What Real Feelings Inside Your Heart Their Words Have Activated. Remember: “Your Rejection Of Me is Only Harmful To Me If It Awakens Within Me My Rejection Of Myself”
- Quote Memorized Scripture. Psalm 68:19, 55:12 Replace The Pre-Recorded Tapes In Your Head With God’s Word.
- Use Your Own Mouth To Equally Counteract The Verbal Assault In Your Own Ears With Praise And Positivity.
- Phone A Friend Or Go To A Home Team.
- The Enemy’s Words Are Only Dangerous To Me If I Receive Them.
- Words That I Allow To Come Unchallenged Into My Mind Become A Permanent Interior Virus And Degrade My Life.
- Good People Can Unintentionally Be Carriers Of Destructive Word Bombs. (Jesus And Peter)
- The Closer You Are To Someone The Deeper Their “Word Impact” Will Be.
- If You Want To Change Your Life, You Have To Change Your Confession: What You Hear And Say.
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