Timm’s Random…

Timm’s 3 random facts:

1. I love Chinese food.  Seriously.  Love it.  I’m pretty sure there’ll be fried rice and egg rolls in heaven.
2. I took the same lunch (pb&j sandwich, bag of oreos, grape kool-aid) to school literally every day from kindergarten through 5th grade.
3. I have a rubik’s cube, 2 nerf dart guns, 2 koosh balls and a transformer in my desk drawer.  I also used to have a Mr. Potato Head.

That’s Random

We asked our staff to submit 3 random facts about themselves this week. Here are the responses:

Deanna:

1. Dairy. It should never be shared. Ever. Drinking your milk shake from the same straw or sharing the same spoon while eating ice cream is gross. This may come from my dislike of cheese but either way this should never take place.
2. Ava. This is my 2 yr old daughter. She is truly amazing. I have never done anything in my life that I’m more proud of. She is my strength, and I thank God every day for her.
3. I’m a shoe queen. I have more shoes than I could ever need or want, but it’s never enough. It’s my sickness. But in my defense, I just dropped off about 20 pairs to a “Homeless Children’s Donation Center.” Does this make me sound a little less shallow?

Susan:

1. I drove a school bus for about 5 years when Tiana was in elementary &
middle school. Talk about crazy… I gave that up to become a WalMart
jewelry department manager… still crazy huh…
2. Leon & I went to Vegas for our 25th wedding anniversary… what a lot of fun
3. We lived in Lone Oak Texas for 6 long months (Leon helped to build onto
the church we were attending while there) and we lived in Bowling Green
Florida for about 1 year.

Pam

1. I once tied my brother to the chair with my dad’s belts because he kept tracking up the floor that I had just mopped. And I stood guard over him with the last belt until my dad came home and made me untie him.
Go me, the children’s minister!!!
2. I started off as a receptionist/bookkeeper and ended up as a welder. So if you’re ever in need of some burglar bars for your home or office give me a call.
3. I once borrowed a cup of sugar from our neighbor just so I could meet her cute grandson that was down visiting from Michigan. And yes we ended up dating. Before I went to Michigan for a visit, I laid out in the sun and burnt my bottom so bad that I couldn’t hardly sit on the plane.

Travis

1. I have my Captain’s License. This allows me to pilot a vessel or perform a marriage ceremony on a boat.
2. I took 8 years of violin lessons
3. I don’t eat fruit or vegetables – the only exceptions are Brussels sprouts and broccoli

Emily

1. My mom tells me that before I could walk, I could sing the jingle to any product or company. I’d point at the billboards from my car seat and sing the jingle.
2. I’ve had principle roles in several musicals with large audiences where I’ve performed with no problem. But if you put me in a room full of strangers I might have a panic attack.
3. I have been a cup-a-day coffee addict since I was 5.

Justin

1. I have a Mr. Potato Head on my office desk.
2. I have been known to eat Ramen noodles raw.
3. I am a big Dwight Yoakam fan.

Michael

1. I am one quarter Japanese
2. My wife is older than me.
3. I used to own an emperor scorpion named Lucifer.

Sunday Recap

Yesterday, we heard from Bobby McCue.  Bobby is involved in many things
at RPC – the Leadership Team, Starting Point, Next, the host team – but
this was his first time speaking to our congregation.  He shared a
message from his heart about choosing the life of margin, as opposed to
constantly living on the edge, both in our relationships and in our
finances.  He noted that most marital problems start in the checkbook.
One of the big ideas was that “We come to church to be entertained and
go to culture to learn about how to have a better marriage, better
finances.”  After sharing the parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16),
Bobby wrapped up by telling the story of Abraham and Isaac, leveraging
the principle that God wanted to know that He was the most important
thing in Abraham’s life, and challenged us to put God first in our
lives, meaning, in our relationships, and in our finances.

The band was solid yet again, and led a powerful worship set, including
a new twist on an old favorite (My Glorious – by Delirious?).  Michael
Mathews hosted and shared a win with everyone there – last week, we took
up a collection of over $1100 to help offset the funeral expenses of the
young mother who’d passed away.  Michael also reminded us to sign up for
Next (August 17th) and GroupLink (August 29th).

Where I come from…

I Heart Polk County

I grew up here.

I went to school here.

I got married here.

I’ve ridden the Island in the Sky, and get my milkshakes at Andy’s, and grew up in a divided house (Dad’s a Blue Devil, Mom’s a Bloodhound).  I’ve fished in Mariana and skied in Cannon and ridden my bicycle through the Beverage Castle.  I took swimming lessons at Mack’s Beach and tennis lessons downtown.

All that to say, I love my community.  Winter Haven.  Auburndale.  Inwood.  It’s part of the very fiber of who I am.

Given the choice to live anywhere in the world, this is it for me.

And I think some of that is where my burden comes from.

I want the people of Polk County to connect with God.  I want my people to be able to find Him.  I want to be able to stand in front of them and say, “Yes, the world’s got a lot to offer; but just try Jesus.  Not the Jesus of religion.  But the one that died on a cross so that we could live.”

I want the people I went to high school with, or played basketball against, or that grew up with my sister, to know God.

What’s your burden?

-Travis Thompson

Sunday Rewind

Today we’re looking back at another awesome Sunday at RPC.

Michael Mathews BROUGHT IT this Sunday, telling us that if you want to party with God, you have to get off of your “buts.” Excuses and laziness won’t cut it.

The band did an unplugged set that was one of the best I’ve ever heard, and the crowd was LOUD. It is so awesome to hear a room full of people singing to God.

The host team was incredible. They welcomed people into the building, escorted guests to drop of children or find bathrooms, and generally created a sense of welcome at RPC. It was a huge win for us.

We also helped a family in need…thanks to our generous people at RPC, we collected over 1000 dollars for this family to properly bury a young mom taken from her family by cancer. That’s hard to swallow, but we know that God always has a plan…we just can’t always see it.

Str8UP Youth going to Splash Island

The Str8UP Youth are going to Splash Island Friday night, July 25th.

To find out more about Splash Island (located in Cypress Gardens) click here.

The cost is $12.50 per person. Bring extra for food and drinks. Transportation leaves RPC at 5:30pm and you’ll need a parent to pick you up by 10:30pm.

Everyone attending must have a permission slip form signed by a parent, and an emergency contact phone number.

Please, no revealing swim wear.

If you plan to attend, call Tammy McCue at 863.224.6414.

What is Leadership?

This is a question that I toss around all the time. Is leadership management? Is it leading by example? Is there a simple way to define it?

John Maxwell, author and undisputed expert on this subject, thinks there is.

“Simply put,” says Maxwell, “Leadership is intentionally adding value to people every day.”

That can’t be right . . . at least, that was my initial reaction. Then I began to process what he was saying.

The guy at work, the one I get so frustrated with; what if I invested in him more? Is that leadership?

Husbands, we’re called to be the head of the home, to be the leader of our house – are you adding value to your wife, or your kids?

How about at church? Is there somewhere you can add value, either to a team or an individual?

But what about the results? “I’ve been pouring into this person for 6 months, and there’s been no change. When do I get to see the results?”

Maxwell says “Don’t worry about reaping. Just sow.”

That, my friends, is true leadership.

Where are you sowing?

-Travis Thompson

Sunday Rewind

Yesterday was part 2 of “Faces of Leadership”. Chris Weatherly (who’s getting married very soon) talked about how in order to be lovers of the King, we have to change our perspective and see people as God sees people. The Scripture he used is: Matthew 28:17-19. 

If you missed the series you can download the message, or search through past messages and archives at our media page.

If you need to talk to anyone, just let us know.

I wiped out the haters…

I love The Message version of the Bible. I grew up hearing the other ones so when I read the message things sound fresh and they’re phrased in a way I haven’t heard before.

One of my all time favorite passages is 2 Samuel 22. I found it accidentally when I was going through a really rough time, right after I got married. My best friend and I weren’t speaking. I was rebelling against God.

But sometimes there’s no where else go to but back to the Bible.

So anyway, here’s 2 Samuel 22, and my favorite parts are in bold.

2 Samuel 22

1 David prayed to God the words of this song after God saved him from all his enemies and from Saul.
2-3 God is bedrock under my feet,
the castle in which I live,
my rescuing knight.
My God—the high crag
where I run for dear life,
hiding behind the boulders,
safe in the granite hideout;
My mountaintop refuge,
he saves me from ruthless men.
4 I sing to God the Praise-Lofty,
and find myself safe and saved.
5-6 The waves of death crashed over me,
devil waters rushed over me.
Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;
death traps barred every exit.
7 A hostile world! I called to God,
to my God I cried out.
From his palace he heard me call;
my cry brought me right into his presence—
a private audience!
8-16 Earth wobbled and lurched;
the very heavens shook like leaves,
Quaked like aspen leaves
because of his rage.
His nostrils flared, billowing smoke;
his mouth spit fire.
Tongues of fire darted in and out;
he lowered the sky.
He stepped down;
under his feet an abyss opened up.
He rode a winged creature,
swift on wind-wings.
He wrapped himself
in a trenchcoat of black rain-cloud darkness.
But his cloud-brightness burst through,
a grand comet of fireworks.
Then God thundered out of heaven;
the High God gave a great shout.
God shot his arrows—pandemonium!
He hurled his lightnings—a rout!
The secret sources of ocean were exposed,
the hidden depths of earth lay uncovered
The moment God roared in protest,
let loose his hurricane anger.
17-20 But me he caught—reached all the way
from sky to sea; he pulled me out
Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
the void in which I was drowning.
They hit me when I was down,
but God stuck by me.
He stood me up on a wide-open field;
I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!
21-25 God made my life complete
when I placed all the pieces before him.
When I cleaned up my act,
he gave me a fresh start.
Indeed, I’ve kept alert to God’s ways;
I haven’t taken God for granted.
Every day I review the ways he works,
I try not to miss a trick.
I feel put back together,
and I’m watching my step.
God rewrote the text of my life
when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.
26-28 You stick by people who stick with you,
you’re straight with people who’re straight with you,
You’re good to good people,
you shrewdly work around the bad ones.
You take the side of the down-and-out,
but the stuck-up you take down a peg.
29-31 Suddenly, God, your light floods my path,
God drives out the darkness.
I smash the bands of marauders,
I vault the high fences.
What a God! His road
stretches straight and smooth.
Every God-direction is road-tested.
Everyone who runs toward him
Makes it.
32-46 Is there any god like God?
Are we not at bedrock?
Is not this the God who armed me well,
then aimed me in the right direction?
Now I run like a deer;
I’m king of the mountain.
He shows me how to fight;
I can bend a bronze bow!
You protect me with salvation-armor;
you touch me and I feel ten feet tall.
You cleared the ground under me
so my footing was firm.
When I chased my enemies I caught them;
I didn’t let go till they were dead men.
I nailed them; they were down for good;
then I walked all over them.
You armed me well for this fight;
you smashed the upstarts.
You made my enemies turn tail,
and I wiped out the haters.
They cried “uncle”
but Uncle didn’t come;
They yelled for God
and got no for an answer.
I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.
I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.
You rescued me from a squabbling people;
you made me a leader of nations.
People I’d never heard of served me;
the moment they got wind of me they submitted.
They gave up; they came trembling from their hideouts.
47-51 Live, God! Blessing to my Rock,
my towering Salvation-God!
This God set things right for me
and shut up the people who talked back.
He rescued me from enemy anger.
You pulled me from the grip of upstarts,
You saved me from the bullies.
That’s why I’m thanking you, God,
all over the world.
That’s why I’m singing songs
that rhyme your name.
God’s king takes the trophy;
God’s chosen is beloved.
I mean David and all his children—
always.

-Emily Monts De Oca

Sunday Recap

Yesterday was the first Sunday of our new series, and Travis did a great job. He spoke about how we glorify what satisfies us, and how we don’t need more workers in the kingdom: we need more lovers of the King. The Scripture he used is: 1 John 3:1-3, James 4:4-5, and 1 John 4:7-8.

If you missed the series you can download the message, or search through past messages and archives at our media page.