Wooddale Articles

Fall Programming Begins in Two Weeks

lee.ranney — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000

It’s been a great summer at Wooddale, but now it’s time to turn the page. As we head into fall, a whole new chapter of ministry begins as fall programming gets underway. Here are some of the highlights:

September 13
Children’s Ministry Move Up Sunday
Big Groups
Young Adult LifeGroup sign ups

What Is Your Spiritual Gift?

lee.ranney — Sun, 23 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Every believer in Jesus Christ has at least one spiritual gift. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to build up the body of Christ (the Church) and to glorify God and make Him known. What are these spiritual gifts and how do you know which gift(s) you have?
The following list identifies and defines these gifts.

Wooddale Stephen Ministers Are Ready to Help

lee.ranney — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Stephen Ministry is a national program that equips laypeople to provide one-to-one Christian caregiving to people in our congregation and community. Twenty-eight Wooddalers participated in Stephen Ministry training this summer. They were commissioned as Stephen Ministers during the services the weekend of August 8-9.

The Godly Life

lee.ranney — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000

What does a godly life look like? We find a guide in 1 Timothy 3, where the Apostle Paul describes the qualities of an overseer or elder of the church. To be considered godly, one must be:

Getting Married? Congratulations!

lee.ranney — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000

You and the love of your life have a lot on your plates, what with planning a wedding and all that goes along with it. There is a lot that goes into having the wedding of the year. Have you thought about doing everything you can to make sure your marriage is a success?

Man’s Plans and God’s Will

lee.ranney — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000

It is natural for all of us to make plans about our future. As we graduate from high school, we start to make plans for college, trade school or jobs. When we land that first big job, we might start to think about moving to a new home, starting a family, buying a new car or any number of personal goals.

Tell Me About Jesus

lee.ranney — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Faith has been an ever-evolving part of my life. Faith is easy in good times but can be tougher when your world becomes difficult. Being raised in a Christian school and having attended Sunday school and youth groups since I was a small child, faith was easier. Times were good. God had and would provide.

Serving With Joy

lee.ranney — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

“Everyone seems to like people who feed them,” Wooddale Cafe volunteer Becky Aspelund declared tongue-in-cheek. Becky also enthusiastically shared the genuine joy she felt serving coffee to fun people and getting to know a few of them more meaningfully in the process.

Midweek to Launch Romans Study on September 15

lee.ranney — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Midweek, Wooddale’s Tuesday evening adult Bible study program, will begin a new study on September 15 Dr. Michael Wise, scholar-in-residence and professor of biblical studies at the University of Northwestern St. Paul (UNW-SP) will again be the teacher. The study for the entire 2015/2016 school year will focus on the New Testament book of Romans.

Learn More About Life@Work With These Resources

lee.ranney — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

During the month of July we have been studying what the Bible teaches about Life@Work.

While we have considered many of the issues related to the integration of faith and work, there is still a lot more to learn and live. If you would like to continue study, some fantastic resources are available:

When Did Work Become “Work”?

lee.ranney — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Hard day at the office? Or maybe you were sweating over stoves, in dirty fields or stuck in traffic on the road? Maybe you were wrestling with machines or immersed in the gridlock of politics, schools and hospitals? Demanding bosses, too much work, too little pay. How did we get so far from God’s creation where His work was declared good?

Serving Spotlight

lee.ranney — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

My nephew, Grant, got his first serving experience last year during Vacation Bible School when he visited me for the week. This summer when I suggested a possible camping adventure for our week together, he responded with, “Aw, but I want to volunteer again.” He so enjoyed his volunteer experience last year that he wanted to help out again! So that’s what we did.

Volunteer with Nehemiah Ministry

joel.lombardo — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 21:19:08 +0000

Have you seen people wearing orange tags and wonder what that is all about?

Little Things Do Matter

lee.ranney — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Why did God give such specific instructions to the children of Israel for building the tabernacle and why should we care? Consider God’s tabernacle design instructions. Each “little thing” had a purpose, practically and spiritually. Today it’s the little daily things like prayer and Bible study that help us grow in our faith.

Make Wise Choices!

lee.ranney — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Choices matter. The Allies landing at Normandy in 1944 mattered. Pete Rose and a bet mattered. A choice to keep a promise through thick and thin for 50 years matters. Choices matter because by them we set the course of our lives and we become known by them.

For Best Results, Follow the Instructions

lee.ranney — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Instructions are necessary for the construction and preparation of a variety of projects. Simply winging a recipe can lead to little more than polite nods from dinner guests. Assembling furniture from a box, without following the diagrams, can slowly and painfully meander to a humbling end. We don’t want to apply a haphazard approach to our spiritual lives either.

Serving Your Adopt 7

lee.ranney — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

As part of Vision ‘22, Wooddale Church aims to provide a clear pathway to spiritual maturity: Get to Know God, Connect, Serve, Grow, Engage.

Serving is the step in the middle of that pathway! So how does serving lead to spiritual maturity? The short answer is:

Just Do It!

lee.ranney — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

The Apostle Paul has something to say to us about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. In Philippians 1:15,18 he wrote, “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill…. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”

Why Go Camping?

lee.ranney — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Why leave the modern world to sleep in the woods? Good question. If you’ve never done it, it might seem a little strange. If you’re looking for a reason to leave your dry, air-conditioned home for a night, weekend or week in a tent, here are six.

Acquiring Wisdom

lee.ranney — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Truth is truth; reason is reason; wisdom is wisdom – no matter where it comes from. But God is the ultimate author of Truth and all wisdom comes from him. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

Facing Challenges Together

lee.ranney — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

American culture celebrates the independent, self-sufficient achiever. But sometimes there are circumstances and situations – an addiction, loss of a loved one or loss of a job – where support and encouragement are vital to our wellbeing. That’s where support groups are helpful.

Serving Spotlight

lee.ranney — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 23:00:00 +0000

Serving doesn’t have to be lonely! Whether you get to know them through volunteering, or you take a group of your current friends to serve together, one of the best motivators for volunteering can be the people you serve alongside.

Here are some suggestions for finding places to serve alongside others:

Praying for Here, Near and Far

lee.ranney — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Every day Wooddale Worldwide communicates with the Global Partners serving around the world via email, snail mail and Skype. Wooddale supports 86+ Global Partners in 26 countries. Almost all of the communications include ministry updates and prayer requests. These updates and requests are compiled and emailed to 400+ people weekly who faithfully pray for their needs.

Live for the Glory of God!

lee.ranney — Wed, 27 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, “What is the chief end of man?” It answers, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” So how do we, in actuality, live for the glory of God?

Serving Spotlight – First Look

lee.ranney — Mon, 25 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

As we interviewed volunteers about serving at Wooddale, one common piece of advice kept cropping up time and time again: “Try a First Look!”

Forgiveness

lee.ranney — Wed, 20 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:9-12)

Romance in Romania: 3 Keys to Choosing Forgiveness

lee.ranney — Tue, 19 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

It’s a worldwide need: forgiveness in marriage. Dennis and Linda Beck work in eastern Europe and Russia with Family Life Teams as Wooddale Worldwide Partners to reach the lost and multiply disciples. They recently spoke at an evangelistic meeting in Romania called Always Romantic. Here are three key truths they imparted to nearly 50 participants:

Meals on Wheels – It Only Takes One Hour Per Month

lee.ranney — Mon, 18 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

Taking one hour per month to deliver meals to people, who for a variety of reasons are unable to fix lunch for themselves, can really change your outlook and provide a basic need for someone else.

Loving the Unlovable

lee.ranney — Wed, 13 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

T. D. Stokes once said, “If the only way you can love me is after I have perfected my imperfections, then you don’t love me. God loved us with an everlasting love when we were all unlovable.”

We are all imperfect, yet we demand from others what we ourselves cannot attain – perfection. In order for us to accept people, they need to meet our expectations in the way they look and act.

Judging Others

lee.ranney — Tue, 12 May 2015 11:00:00 +0000

I was recently interviewed for a video project for a local middle school. I said “yes” to the request and immediately had a camera pointing at me and the question posed, “What does it mean to be respectful to others in the community?” To paraphrase, I said that everyone has their own background and set of circumstances that influence their actions.