Cities Church Exhortations

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann encourages us to remember God and all that he provides each day.

In this exhortation, Will Stueve (Church Planting Resident) exhorts us from 1 Peter about how we should think about Jesus's return.

In this exhortation, Pastor Kenny Ortiz from Horizon City Church in Winter Garden, Florida returns to the Twin Cities for a visit and gives a word of encouragement to our church for the profound shaping he received during his years here.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann reads the beginning of the Lord's Prayer which teaches us what ought to be the center of our lives and really the reason our world exists.

In this exhortation, Tyler Morris reads the words of Jesus in Matthew 22:37-38. How do we live out this first and greatest commandment?

In this exhortation, Will Stueve (Church Planter) looks at Psalm 119:37 and asks: What are you looking at that is keeping you from seeing and savoring the glory of Christ?

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley shares his prayer for our church in this new year. May God have us become more thankful as a result of becoming more prayerful.

In this exhortation, Pastor David Mathis speaks of new year's resolutions pointing us to 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12. How can we make resolutions with resolve?

In this exhortation, Church Planter Will Stueve exhorts us – as we exit a time of waiting and enter a time of celebrating – to actually celebrate the wondrous truth of Christmas.

In this exhortation, Pastor Jonathan Parnell quotes C.S. Lewis on how each of our choices are changing us more into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature. We need to choose what we want most over what we want in the immediate in order to move closer to God.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann references the conclusion of The Lord's Prayer and highlights the wondrous invitation from the Son of God for us to ask our Father for help in fighting against sin and temptation.

In this exhortation, Pastor Marshall Segal introduces this Advent season with a call to wait well like the watchman in Psalm 130.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley exhorts us from the apostle Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:19. Is there a sin in your life that you need to depart from? Is there a thought, attitude, or action that you have grown comfortable with despite knowing it is wrong?

In this exhortation, Jon Hoglund highlights how we can be tempted to hold off on trusting God's goodness until all of our questions have been answered. We've got the order reversed. So, how can we embrace the real glory of faith?

In this exhortation, Will Stueve (Church Planting Resident) focuses in on the good challenge for us found particularly at the end of Psalm 105:4. It's an invitation into the great joy of constant, conscious, communion with our Creator.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley reflects on the Helper that Jesus mentions in John 16:7 and how this is a greater gift even than the gift of Christian community.

In this exhortation, Ryan Griffith exhorts us to search ourselves for where worldliness has crept in. Where have we traded sola scriptura for sola cultura? What's really shaping what we desire or approve?

In this exhortation, Pastor Jonathan Parnell asks a series of questions that highlight the many reasons we have to hope in God.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann references a popular story's battle scene in which the two sides should have been at peace, but rather they were distracted from their true enemy by fighting one another. As Christians, let's follow Ephesians 6:12, and seek unity.

In this exhortation, Kevin Kleiman gives us the invitation of Psalm 46: to let go and be still. The gospel invites us to lay down our burdens, not be crushed by them; to let God be God.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley reminds us that we all have gone astray and Jesus came to bring us back to God. So, let Jesus lead you back.

In this exhortation, Will Stueve (Church Planting Resident) exhorts us from 1 John 3:8. How often do we ignore the demonic nature of practicing sin? Do we think of sin as we ought to?

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann looks at Mark 7 where Jesus provides “evil thoughts” as an example of a common sin for us. What is your thought life like? How would Jesus describe your common imaginations?

In this exhortation, Pastor Daniel Helstrom focuses in on the latter part of the Great Commission that tells us to do all that Jesus has commanded of us. How exactly are we supposed to do all that? Is it even realistic?

In this exhortation, Ryan Griffith recalls Jonathan Edwards' remark on the prevailing presence of a censorious spirit in places such as our polarized world today, including our churches and our own hearts. This is the opposite of a Christian spirit, so let's examine ourselves.

In this exhortation, Pastor David Mathis reflects on the blessing of meeting and ministering to other Christians in faraway places. Don't let our many modern day comforts keep you from meeting needs here at home and maybe in faraway places as well.

In this exhortation, Pastor Jonathan Parnell shares about the ancient practice of water baptism and why it is so important for believers to be baptized today. If you are a Christian and not yet baptized, you need to get baptized.

In this exhortation, Pastor Marshall Segal encourages us to sing! As Psalm 149:1 says, “Sing to the Lord a new song.”

In this exhortation, Pastor Jonathan Parnell reflects on his grandfather's stories of biblical faith seen through the many years at his local church. In a world where we often settle for a brand of Christianity requiring a minimum amount of faith, let's confess how we've surrendered our hearts to comfort, people-pleasing, or anything other than knowing God.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann reflects on the reality that we do not own our bodies for we were bought with a price – our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let's confess the ways we have used our bodies in ways that are not pleasing to God.

In this exhortation, Jon Hoglund remembers a story of some Christian men overseas being arrested for gathering together in prayer. If something similar happened among our communities, would we be more or less likely to make life group and community group meetings a priority next week?

In this exhortation, Ryan Griffith looks to Paul's teachings on the church body and its individual members which reminds us of our need for one another. Each follower of Jesus has an indispensable gift. Let's fully grow together as a holy community, as a field hospital for the hurting, as an outpost of kingdom-expanding mission.

In this exhortation, Pastor David Mathis addresses our 21st-century frustration with God's sense of timing and points us toward the instruction of 1 Peter 5:6.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann encourages us to consider how we might respond if Jesus were to interrupt our pursuits by coming back right now.

In this exhortation, Pastor Jonathan Parnell asks how our theology compels us when it comes to multiplication.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley shares Proverbs 27:21 which speaks of the testing that is brought on by praise. It tests our hearts, but so can the absence of praise. Do you steadily take the absence of praise, with the same trust and gratitude toward God as the times when praise is present?

In this exhortation, Jon Hoglund reminds us of one of the short prayers we found in Psalm 86 last Sunday that calls us to pray beyond ourselves to God's wider purposes. Do you pray beyond the fenced in yard of your own needs toward God's glory?

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann encourages us to ask ourselves this rare question when it comes to how we live and the choices we navigate. We cannot be united to Jesus and not united to His people, so we must consider how we can be more like Jesus in this way.

In this exhortation, Deacon Josiah Bennett implores us to live our lives for Christ despite the sacrifices that it may require. All of our lives will one day end. What will your life have been about?

In this exhortation, Pastor Daniel Helstrom reflects on the limitless help God has for us when we come to a point of true surrender in our daily lives.

In this exhortation, Ryan Griffith reminds us that the most important thing about us has to do with Jesus. Our late sister in Christ, Jean Swenson, grasped this with great clarity. She knew she was precious in God's sight because he loved her. Our value is in God's love for us, not our own merit.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann exhorts us to talk lovingly about the church. Is the Christian church perfect? Certainly not. But Jesus has committed himself to the church – his bride. Let's love, speak well, give grace, demonstrate commitment, and labor in hope for the betterment of the church.

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley imagines a team's conversation after winning the championship game. We may often feel more free to share our failures when a positive outcome is already secured. How much more should we feel this when it comes to confessing our sins?

In this exhortation, on Easter Sunday, Pastor David Mathis reminds us of the magnificence of Easter. Let's have the greatness of Jesus's triumph shine against the backdrop of our needs, desperation, and sin. This reminds us of our need to confess our sins.

In this exhortation, Pastor Kevin Kleiman reflects of the haunting question asked in Psalm 42. As humans, we experience seasons of the soul, a variety of emotions and responses to circumstances internally and externally. It's good to be curious about these emotions, like the psalmist. But Psalm 42 doesn't stop here. There's a turn.

In this exhortation, Pastor David Easterwood reflects on the sneaky and costly sin of envy. We have robbed ourselves of delighting together with others in their blessings when we have harbored an ugly discontentment in our hearts.

In this exhortation, Jon Hoglund reflects on the practically impossible word of exhortation from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6. How often do we hide our anxieties, nurse our worries, and perhaps even say that we need God's help, but then neglect God's chosen means for renewing our hearts in the midst of worries?

In this exhortation, Pastor Jonathan Parnell reflects on the most salient reminder to him from his late grandmother's life which reminds us to keep eternity in view, in whatever we do with our lives. This life is a vapor, but it matters. So live for eternity, for the glory of God.

In this exhortation, Pastor Daniel Helstrom reflects on the depths of loneliness that people face. We are all susceptible to experiencing the pain of loneliness and so we look for a relief. To whom or to what, other than God, do you turn for comfort?

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Polley leads us into a time of confession by pondering the question: What is the cost of sin?

In this exhortation, Pastor Mike Schumann reminds us that there has never been a time when God has owed us any good. Have you ever felt like God failed you? Should have done something, or prevented something, or provided something for you, but he didn't, and that upset you? Have you ever gotten angry with God?