When to Turn Love into a Competition
Hello Hello, <<First Name>>!
Well, the 2016 Summer Olympics are over. All of the great competition from elite athletes from all around the world has come to an end for four more years. Sure, there will be world championships and other competitions, but it just isn't the same as the Olympics.
But I'm in luck! Because this week I get to invite you to participate in the Love Olympics.
Ok, there isn't such a thing. But because of this week's verse from Romans 12, I get to invite you to make love a competition.
Love as a Competition
Hopefully you remember that we are walking through Romans 12, discovering what a follower of Jesus looks like. This week we are going to look at verse 10, and it tells us to turn love into a competition.
Well, okay, it doesn't say that verbatim. Here is what it actually says...
Love one another with brotherly affection.
Outdo one another in showing honor.
In other words, Paul is saying to make love a competition by seeking to outdo one another in showing honor and love and brotherly affection. Think about that!
- Imagine what marriages would look like if spouses were trying to outdo one another in showing honor to each other.
- Imagine what your work place would look like if the employees engaged in a contest to see who could do the kindest things to fellow co-workers.
- Imagine what a church would look like if the members sought to outdo one another in honoring each other through prayer, bringing meals, mowing each others' lawns, watching each others' kids, and more.
It would be amazing!
But in order for the games to begin, someone has to go first. So why not you? Why not be the one to kick off the Love Olympics in your home or at your work place? Become an elite Jesus-centered lover, who loves like Jesus loved, seeking to win gold at the Love Olympics, by putting others first.
Your coach,
 Erin
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Serving
As happens each fall, we expect several first-time guests to come and investigate Riverwood. Help us make their experience a great one by serving in one of the following areas on Sundays:
•Worship Gathering Set-up or Tear-down
•Greeting / Ushering
•Graphic Design
•First-Time Guest follow-up
•Music (Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keys, vocals, anything!)
•Kids Creek
•Name it!
If one of these, or another area, seems like something you want to help Riverwood with, simply send us an email.
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Frontier Church Update
This past Sunday, Aug 21, Frontier Church launched in Des Moines. (Why should this interest you? Because Cole Deike, a guest teacher at Riverwood last year, is the lead pastor.) Thanks for praying with us on Sunday for Frontier.
Cole reported this week that Frontier not only ran out of chairs and communion elements, but the place was alive God's Spirit. It was a great beginning - but the marathon has just began! Pray now for them to have years of effective ministry inviting the spiritually disconnected to find and follow Jesus. If you want to hear Cole's first message, head over here.
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Next Series
Just a heads up: we will be doing a three week series called "Come & See." This series will help us learn how to invite our spiritually disconnected friends and family to find and follow Jesus. It will be a video series featuring Joel Thomas, who was a teaching pastor at North Point Church in Atlanta, but now pastors Mission Church in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Come prepare to be challenged in a great way!
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