Marc Neppl

Prayer works. It often takes longer than we’d like. It usually forces us to depend on God when we’d rather do it ourselves. But sometimes prayer is the only thing you have. Our little miracle boy is proof though. Prayer works.

@c_talbot And we are generally one of the least weird reformed camps. Not many of us running around causing division online or in person. Source: trust me bro. My vibe discernment is pretty unmatched.

Hot take: Reformed Arminianism provides an excellent basis for a rich Christian spirituality.

@Mousahh We have concrete floors so we don’t mind. However I do try to encourage and model that we should finish drinking before worship begins. I’m just getting old I suppose. I’m also pretty tired of ball caps in the auditorium. Gimme a soap box and I’ll tell ya what I think about crocs

Okay, I’m looking for opinions and Twitter seems to be the right place to seek those out. Whats your take on non-water beverages in the main worship gathering?

The Social Media User’s Prayer: God grant me cacophonous wrath about the things I cannot change, habitual neglect of the things I can change, and absolute ignorance of the difference. - Alan Jacobs

@c_talbot I can only assume you misspelled naps sir. We want naps. Snacks are a given

Hear me out: snacks after kid’s sports games, but for parents.

We NEED the word of God to live. God put the blueprint to abundant life and joy in the pages of scripture! Did you fill yourself with the bread of life today?

@MikeCosper It is musical perfection imo

I guess I’ve been on a musical nostalgia kick lately (inspired by an outstanding pair of headphones) but my goodness, is there a more perfect recording than Radiohead’s “Let Down”?

A Wall Street executive once told me shepherds were the ancient world’s janitors - bottom-feeders who couldn’t get real jobs. I told him that’s exactly why God chose that metaphor. He laughed. Said I was romanticizing poverty. I said no - I’m exposing how badly we’ve neutered the most violent leadership metaphor in Scripture. Your greeting cards show gentle Jesus carrying lambs. Your pastors preach green pastures. You’ve turned wolves into sheep. Ancient shepherds didn’t carry lambs because it was cute. They carried them because the lamb’s legs were broken - BY THE SHEPHERD - to stop it from wandering into death. They slept outside with predators circling. Real ones with teeth. David killed a lion and bear with his hands. A teenager wrestling predators to death because one sheep mattered that much. Their bodies were maps of scars. Every wound proof they stayed when hired hands ran. They smelled like dung and death. Temples wouldn’t let them testify. Society’s absolute bottom. And God looked at kings, priests, warriors - and said: “I’m like the guy who sleeps with animals.” That’s not beautiful. That’s scandalous. We turned shepherd’s rods into walking sticks. They weren’t. They were clubs with nails. Skull crushers. Shepherds knew which sheep had infected wounds. Which would bolt. Which would lead others off cliffs. Daily. Manually. Fingers in wool, checking parasites. Your pastor doesn’t want to know you like that. “The Lord is my shepherd” - The Creator comparing Himself to society’s rejects. “Valley of the shadow of death” - shepherds actually walked through death valleys. Went first, rod ready. “Your rod comforts me” - the skull-crusher comforts because your shepherd will get bloody for you. That’s not a greeting card. That’s a blood covenant. Jesus says “I AM the Good Shepherd.” Then distinguishes Himself from hired hands who run when wolves come. Your accountability partner? Hired hand watching hired hand. Your prosperity pastor? Hired hand. They run. Always. Ezekiel 34 - God says shepherds fed themselves while flocks starved. Then: “I am against the shepherds.” Against. Modern shepherds build buildings while souls starve. Never fought because never loved anything enough to bleed. Show me your pastor’s scars from real fights for real sheep. Can’t? Because we replaced shepherds with CEOs. Your grandfather’s faith had callouses. He knew shepherds die before letting wolves near you. You traded that for life coaches who smell like cologne instead of sheep. True power comes from protection, not position. The shepherd’s authority: he stood between sheep and death. Not title. Not education. Scars. Every scar said “I stayed.” Modern men can’t lead - never fought for anything. Want authority without scars. The Good Shepherd builds to crucifixion. Literal death. The Shepherd between wolves and you. The cross wasn’t leadership principle. It was losing on purpose to win. He entered death’s valley alone. Let it swallow Him. Broke its teeth from inside. Your binary choice: Jesus enters death’s valley for you, or you enter alone. No third option. What kind of man are you? Run when wolves circle? Or have shepherd scars? Shepherding isn’t calling, it’s choice. Daily. Sheep or self. The rod isn’t for walking. It’s for war. We made shepherds therapists when they should be warriors. Jesus carries lambs because He broke their legs to save them, now carries them until healed. Uncomfortable? Good. Love looks like scars. Leadership looks like staying. Shepherding looks like war. I don’t want hired hand accountability partners. I want shepherds who smell like sheep and fight like David. That executive was right - shepherds were bottom-feeders. Exactly why God chose them. Rock bottom teaches comfort is protection’s enemy. Your move. Follow the Shepherd with scars or explain to wolves why your accountability partner couldn’t make it.

Plan your visit this Easter at Restore. You'll experience a welcoming environment, meaningful worship and a powerful message from God's Word. Your children and students will enjoy worship services and environments created for their age group.

STOP RUSHING JESUS Yesterday's message was 🔥🙌😳

If you were taking notes today we learned that Peter lays out four steps toward a steadfast life: work diligently to protect peace, trust in Christ's long-suffering patience, guard against false doctrine, and grow in grace and knowledge. A great word from Pastor Corey Minter.

It’s pretty telling how comfortable “Christians” have gotten with every four letter word, but the minute sin or hell are mentioned they get squeamish. Guess which words Jesus used tho…

We’ve been studying false teachers in our series through II Peter. Last week Pastor Kevin outlined how false teachers always embrace 3 vices: lust, greed & power. These common drivers of human behavior are also key areas Jesus called us to lay down in pursuit of Him.

We are not the same.

Voting early should come with some kind of code you can enter into all the streaming services that removes all political ads through the election. Guaranteed record turnout.

@daniela0spector Wild that I see this on here. Just a few days ago I digitized some slides from my grandparents storage unit. Still learning best techniques

Gambled on another mystery batch of film slides.

@brysongray We tried everything and were finally told it just wasn’t possible for us to have children after years of attempting drugs, IVF. Once we gave up about a year and a half passed and we conceived. Our healthy boy is 3 now. Only God. Praying for you all.

The doctors said my wife can’t get pregnant but I believe that God will give us children.

Too many of us blaming Jesus for choices we made... 🫠

@pastorwebby I thought this was someone petting someone’s head like patronizing. Now I see it’s a salute. Either way. Happy to be ignorant.

The Gen Zers in my life love to send me 🫡 . Is this just a Gen Z thing or am I really this bossy?

I was genuinely shocked when I asked my wife if she ever thinks about Roman Empire. She was a history teacher for years. She loves history. She flat out said nope. I dunno why.

I dunno. For some reason I often wonder what it would have been like to be a common citizen in Rome. Or worse what it would have been like to be a Northern European tribe trying to oppose such a huge well trained army. Movies like Gladiator only amplify these ideas.

Look here’s what I think is happening with Roman Empire stuff. Guys tend to worry about big picture stuff (civil unrest, regime change, oppression from a foreign power) and how they’d respond. I think often about how I would have dealt with issues Roman Empire faced.