Pastor Kris' 19th Annual... BIBLICAL SUPER BOWL PROPHECY!!

By popular demand - and for a limited time only - this is (drum roll please)....

MY 19th ANNUAL.... BIBLICAL... SUPER BOWL... PROPHECY!!!

Okay, so please don't take this seriously. It's not. But every year I like to use the Bible to predict the score of the big game. Again, PLEASE do not take this seriously. In the last 18 tries, I've gotten the right score exactly,,,, nonce. I never get the right score. I have predicted the right team about half the time - so that's not bad. So anyway, apologies made for being a goofball and not actually being able to predict the future. Here's what I got!

Okay, so first thing I did was use the ole' Bible search for the word Chief. Turns out there are like a hundred of them. It comes up a lot. Every time the Chief Priests come up - there you are. And I was in a rush - so I skipped those. I decided to look up the number forty-nine. Not verse forty-nine - the actual words. Turns out, there is exactly one verse in the whole Bible with the number 49! Here it is...

"And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years." - Leviticus 25:8

(Note that I chose the King James to make it sound more convincing).

So this is actually a pretty cool verse. It's about the Year of Jubilee. Every sevenxseven years, all Israel would celebrate Jubilee - and all debts were forgiven and all bond-servants set free. Awesome! So I'm thinking, since it's Leviticus 25:8, we go with 49'ers 25, Chiefs 8.

Just one problem with that, Biblically speaking. I can't pick the 49ers. Why? Because in 1995, the niners destroyed my Chargers in their only Super Bowl. It was terrible. One of the darkest days in San Diego sports history. Can I pick the Niners? Not happening.

So then I got to thinking. When was the Chiefs' last Super Bowl? 1970. Exactly fifty years ago. Then I kept reading. Next two verses...

"Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.of the jubilee: Heb. loud of sound

10And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family." - Leviticus 25:9-10

Did you catch that?! Jubilee was celebrated on the fiftieth year! And what's Jubilee all about? It's about a comeback - a second chance. God gives a redo. Fifty years have passed, and the Chiefs get a comeback! So that settles it... it's Biblical... in yet another big post-season comeback the Chiefs will come from behind to defeat the 49ers...

Chiefs 50 - 49ers 42

Once again - please DO NOT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.  Love you guys. Enjoy the game!
In other news....




Hey TTW family! We've got all kinds of great stuff for you today...

Sole Podcast #9: Kenya Calling
The best stories in the world come from people who live their life on mission for God. Today we begin our new four part series called Life on Mission. In Part 1, Jonathan & Adrienne Ferguson share their adventures with snakes in the house, baboons in the yard, and God's grace at every turn in Nairobi, Kenya. We discuss the Biblical call to mission, the differing roles of short term and long term missions, and the importance of the sending church.

New App Features!
You can now mark or unmark a day complete (swipe right) and share an audio guide (swipe left) on the app. Make sure you have the latest update - and give it a try!

Donation Statements for Taxes Are in your Email
Check your email for "Your 2019 Through the Word Donation Statement" from no-reply@churchcenter.com. You can also download your statement by logging in at ttw.churchcenter.com (click on your profile, then My Giving, then scroll down to Statements). If you donated by check or did not use your email address to donate, look for your statement in the mail the first week of February. 

Questions? Email help@throughtheword.org

In Christ,
Pastor Kris

Sole #9 (Life on Mission) + Tax Receipts

Hey TTW family! We've got all kinds of great stuff for you today...

Sole Podcast #9: Kenya Calling
The best stories in the world come from people who live their life on mission for God. Today we begin our new four part series called Life on Mission. In Part 1, Jonathan & Adrienne Ferguson share their adventures with snakes in the house, baboons in the yard, and God's grace at every turn in Nairobi, Kenya. We discuss the Biblical call to mission, the differing roles of short term and long term missions, and the importance of the sending church.

New App Features!
You can now mark or unmark a day complete (swipe right) and share an audio guide (swipe left) on the app. Make sure you have the latest update - and give it a try!

Donation Statements for Taxes Are in your Email
Check your email for "Your 2019 Through the Word Donation Statement" from no-reply@churchcenter.com. You can also download your statement by logging in at ttw.churchcenter.com (click on your profile, then My Giving, then scroll down to Statements). If you donated by check or did not use your email address to donate, look for your statement in the mail the first week of February. 

Questions? Email help@throughtheword.org

In Christ,
Pastor Kris

Sole Podcast #8: Recovery Meets Church

Hey TTW! The Sole Podcast is off break and back in action. Episode 8 just went live, so check it out! 

Episode 8: Recovery Meets Church | Drugs & Grace Part 4

Inviting recovering addicts to church can be a little scary. Both addicts and church members have some fears to overcome, but the grace that pours out when the church lives its purpose is something to see. Mike Bonomo shares powerful stories and practical wisdom on recovery as a ministry in your church.

Start a Sharing Habit in 2020!

2020 is here! It's a new decade! Can you believe that living in the twenties is no longer a reference to the distant past? So what do the new twenties have in store for you? 

Pastor Kris here with a little encouragement for the new year and some vision for the decade ahead of us. First off, a reality check. The reality is this: the vast majority of what happens in your life in the next decade will depend on the habits you keep. We often look at life as a set of circumstances, opportunities, and big decisions. Each of those has their place - and we all encounter the occasional big event that changes everything - but looking back over years past most of us can attest that the days and hours of life are primarily made up of the habits that we keep. Plain and simple. The stuff you do daily is the stuff that guides and directs your life. 

So what do we do with that? Here's my challenge for you in 2020.

• If you're new to TTW - start a Bible habit.
• If you already love TTW - share a Bible habit, and start a sharing habit! 

How? Simple. Make it your goal to tell one person about Through the Word every week this year. One person a week. Not that hard. One of my favorite things about TTW is how easy it is to share. I know a lot of Bible, but I've always struggled with sharing my faith. It's just really hard for my personality to open those conversations. Some people are amazing at it. For me it's awkward. But telling someone about a great app that I found is easy! I liked it - so maybe you'll like it. And I've found that a lot of people really like the concept of an audio guide for the Bible. I just say, "You know - like the headphones you get at a museum with a friendly voice to walk you around and explain it. It's like that - but for the Bible. And it's free!" Simple as that. No one's ever been offended, and a lot of people think it's a pretty great idea. No pressure - no sales pitch - no awkward. And if they try it - and they get hooked - you just shared a Bible habit. And after years of doing this, I am thoroughly convinced that a Bible habit is a life changer.

Now think about this. If you share Through the Word once a week this year, and let's say only one in four actually gets hooked - or about one a month. That's twelve Bible habits, and twelve lives changed this year, thanks to you! And what if those people start sharing the same way - once a week - with the same results. By the end of 2020, your sharing would change more than 4,000 lives! Keep it up, and by the end of the decade you would reach the whole planet! 

Is that realistic? Well, it certainly has some challenges! First of all, we need to upgrade TTW, update more guides, and get TTW into more languages. (And there are many languages that don't even have a Bible - more on that coming soon!). We also need to make TTW more accessible - to the blind, deaf, and others. And of course there is the question of whether each listener would actually start not only a Bible habit but also a sharing habit. 

But hold on. Let's not allow excuses keep us from a moment of opportunity! Why not try for amazing. The door stands open before us. The reality of the two thousand twenties is that we have a set of opportunities and tools that no generation before us has ever seen! A decade ago there was no TTW, but there was this amazing new opportunity called mobile apps - so we tried something new - and that crazy idea now reaches 26,000 daily. Why stop here?!

So let's try it: one a week in 2020. Share a Bible habit - and start a sharing habit. And you may be surprised at who’s interested. A lot of people are curious about the Bible - and would really love some help understanding it. So you share a Bible habit - and we’ll keep working on improving the app, making new audio guides - and giving you something great to share! Can't wait to see what God does in the new twenties!

In Christ,

Pastor Kris

  

2019 What a Year! TTW in Review.

Hello TTW!
 Pastor Kris here to close out the year with you. Looking back, we had quite a year. Now for me personally, looking back on 2019, it's hard to see past our main event of the year: my daughter Daisy was married on Saturday! It was so beautiful, and I'm still so excited about it! But we also had a very big year at TTW, so I thought I would share a little year-end review. Before we get to that, a couple reminders here as time is running out...

1. Last Chance for Donations in 2019! Today is the last day to get donations in before the tax-year ends.

• Online: Donate here at ttw.ChurchCenter.com or 
• Mail a check: Through the Word, PO Box 303, Westminster CA 92684. Must be postmarked by 12/31 for 2019 taxes.

2. Last Chance for TTW T-Shirts! Last orders accepted New Year's Day!  We don't keep an inventory, so we only do this once a year. Be sure to follow both steps below.

• Step 1: Donate (see above)
• Step 2: Order here: TTW T-Shirt Order Form

3. 2019 at TTW in Review!

2019 Audience:

• We reached 26,000 daily listens (up 80% over 2018)!
• Adding 1,000 new daily listeners every month!

2019 Accomplishments:

• Radio: Explained in 60 Seconds launched on 1100 radio stations.
• Podcast: Sole Podcast launched with 7,000+ downloads and 5.0 rating.
• App: TTW 3.0 launched!
• Audio Guides: 330 new guides in 17 Bible books.
• Translation: Start Here plan is now in 15 languages with 45 more on the way (thank you YouVersion!).

What a year! Thanks so much for joining us on this amazing adventure. Can't wait to see what God does in 2020!

- Pastor Kris

Questions or Concerns? Contact our HelpDesk at help@throughtheword.org.

And just for fun... here's a few more wedding photos from Saturday's big event!

The groomsmen share some wisdom before the event.

Me and my girl - ready to walk the aisle.

The knot is tied!

All three of my kids!

That's me on the left, and my son on the right. We either have
some serious moves on the dance floor, or we're both about
to fall over. I won't tell you which. 

My Daughter Is Married!!

Hello TTW family!
Pastor Kris here, and I come to you with some big news. My daughter is married! The wedding was on Saturday, and our Daisy is no longer a Langham, but now she is part of Noah and Daisy Short. You might know Daisy from the intro audio on some of our audio guides - and she was a guest on one of our Proverbs studies. Noah was also a guest on one of the Proverbs audio, and both Daisy and Noah continue to do audio editing work for many of our guides. They are both amazing people. As for me, I am as happy as can be. My Daisy is married to a fantastic young man, and I still have the unbelievable privilege of this beautiful young woman calling me Dad.

Down the aisle with my girl! 

Seeing as how both bride and groom are part of the TTW team (and she's my daughter!), I thought I would share a few pics with all of our TTW family. Noah and Daisy are both headed back to GCU to finish up college - Daisy is finishing up a degree in Worship Arts. They serve in ministry together in Phoenix (Noah in youth ministry and teaching, Daisy leading worship), and they head to Romania every summer to serve and lead at a camp for orphans with some good friends of ours (Daisy took her first mission trip there with us when she was two). Congratulation Daisy & Noah! And I hope you all enjoy the pictures...

In Christ,
Pastor Kris = ]

Daisy & Noah - just pronounced husband and wife!
(And yes, it was an outdoor wedding in December - and the So Cal weather was perfect!) 

So my family has a little tradition called random family dance time. Basically, turn on a
good song, and everybody in the house dances! We've been dancing around the kitchen
and living room since Daisy was two. This pic here was one last dance for the five
of us before we invited everyone onto the dance floor. (Yep, that's me on the left).

Congratulations to the happy couple!

PS Last Chance for Donations in 2019! Just two days left to get donations in before the year ends. Once again this year, every $20 reached 8,000 minutes of Bible engagement - and GuideStar awarded TTW with the Platinum Award for Transparency (their highest honor). Donate here: Donation Site on ChurchCenter or send a check to Through the Word, PO Box 303, Westminster CA 92684. Must be postmarked by 12/31 for 2019 taxes.

PPS Last Chance for TTW T-Shirts! We're still taking orders for T-shirts! We don't keep an inventory, so we only do this once a year. Last orders accepted New Year's Day. Be sure to follow both steps below.

Step 1. Donate Here: TTW Donation Site on ChurchCenter
Or send a check to Through the Word, PO Box 303, Westminster CA 92684.
Suggested Donation: $35 for one, $20 for each additional, or any amount donated monthly.*

Step 2. Order T-Shirts Here: TTW T-Shirt Order Form
We can't send you a t-shirt unless you complete the order form. And that's it! Thanks for believing in the mission of TTW, and thanks for sharing us with your friends!

Sole Podcast is on Break!
We're taking a break from the Sole Podcast during the busy season. New episodes will return in January. You can find the first seven episodes here:
Listen to Sole on Apple Podcasts!
Listen to Sole on Spotify!

Questions or Concerns? Contact our HelpDesk at help@throughtheword.org.

The Shepherd of Bethlehem (Christmas Drama)

Merry Christmas TTW!
     Can you believe it's almost here! Well just in time for Christmas, we have a very powerful audio drama that's perfect for the season. The Shepherd of Bethlehem is a a dramatic retelling of the Christmas story from an eyewitness perspective. The story is told by a shepherd named Josiah, who happened to be watching his sheep on the hills outside Bethlehem on that fateful night when a host of angels appeared with some very big news. This one man audio drama in two acts was written and performed by Bill Welsh (TTW Acts audio guides), and it's one of my favorite holiday traditions.

Audio Drama in Two Acts

You can find the Shepherd of Bethlehem plan on the TTW Browse page in the New and Updated section. It's a two day plan, and the audio is about 30 minutes each day. Perfect for listening with family, for your drive time to grandma's house, or wherever this busy season gives you a little time to stop and listen. And in other holiday news...

New on the Browse Page

Donation Match: Every donation in December is being matched, dollar-for-dollar, by a few of TTW's most generous supporters - until New Years Day or until we reach our goal. The drive is going well, and it looks like we might reach our goal early. TTW is 100% listener supported, and so far this year, every $20 donated has enabled 8000 minutes of Bible engagement all over the world.

TTW T-Shirts: We're still taking orders for T-shirts! We mailed out every order that came in through Saturday morning (Dec 21), and most of those should be arriving to US addresses in time for Christmas, and in the next couple weeks internationally. We don't keep an inventory, so we only do this once a year. Last orders accepted New Year's Day. Be sure to follow both steps below.

Step 1. Donate Here: TTW Donation Site on ChurchCenter
Or send a check to Through the Word, PO Box 303, Westminster CA 92684.
Suggested Donation: $35 for one, $20 for each additional, or any amount donated monthly.*

Step 2. Order T-Shirts Here: TTW T-Shirt Order Form
We can't send you a t-shirt unless you complete the order form. And that's it! Thanks for believing in the mission of TTW, and thanks for sharing us with your friends!

Sole Podcast is on Break!
We're taking a break from the Sole Podcast during the busy season. New episodes will return in January. You can find the first seven episodes here:
Listen to Sole on Apple Podcasts!
Listen to Sole on Spotify!

In Christ,
Pastor Kris  = )

Questions or Concerns? Contact our HelpDesk at help@throughtheword.org.