Teaching You Can Trust Blog Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Rick Renner Ministries

Editor’s Note: Joel Renner is the CEO of RENNER Ministries. Alongside his father, Joel has actively participated for many years in nearly every facet of the daily operations of the ministry. Joel resides in Moscow, Russia, with his wife and two sons.

The Gospel in the Marketplace

The Gospel is so very powerful. Many people think that the Gospel is meant to be spoken about only in the church. They think, We should leave that for the preacher. But, my friend, the Gospel is meant to be spoken about anywhere and at any time to a person who is open to hear about Jesus.

We have to trust that the Gospel will change a person’s life, and we must understand it is our job to tell people about Jesus — be it at the bus stop, in the grocery store, in the tag-agency line, or at work. If you feel that the person you are next to is looking for answers and is open to hearing about the Gospel, take that opportunity to seed the Gospel into his or her life.

Once when I was a child, I was getting a haircut, and I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to tell the stylist these words, “Everything will be okay.” I didn’t know this person, so who was I to tell her that “everything will be okay”? But after the haircut, I told her those words and then I got up and went to the car. When my parents went to pay for the haircut, this woman started to tell my parents how those few words were what she needed to hear. She had just gone through a divorce, and she didn’t know if everything would be okay. But the words the Holy Spirit gave me opened that lady’s heart up to hear the Gospel.

Let’s be open to hear what the Holy Spirit has to say, be bold enough to say it, and trust that the Gospel will do its work in people’s lives.

God bless,

Joel Renner

The Miracle of Jesus’ Birth

By Rick Renner

Editor’s Note: This article has been adapted from Rick Renner’s book Christmas — The Rest of the Story.

Believers all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ — a time when God Almighty laid aside His glory to appear temporarily in the earth as a man. How wonderful, how beautifully marvelous, to think that God would momentarily discard His divine appearance to actually take on the flesh of man! Yet this is precisely the miracle that manifested the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

In John 1:1, we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The word “Word” in this verse is a reference to Christ in His pre-incarnate existence. Speaking of Him, the apostle John wrote that “…the Word was with God….” The original language uses the words pros ton theon, which pictures a face-to-face relationship and portrays the unity that existed in the Godhead before Jesus’ manifestation as a baby in Bethlehem. This emphatically means that Jesus is not merely a component of God or a symbol of God, but He is God. And just as the Father has always existed, Jesus, who is called the Word, has always existed.

John continued his description of the preexistent Christ by saying, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Thus, we find that Jesus Himself is the Creator. The apostle Paul repeated this truth in Colossians 1:16 when he wrote, “For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by him, and for him.”

But John 1:10 says that “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” This amazingly means that when Jesus came into the very world He created, the very people He created did not recognize Him. However…

When the Master spoke to the wind and the waves, those elements recognized the voice of the Creator and obeyed Him (see Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39).
When Jesus saw the multitude was hungry and the need to multiply loaves and fishes to feed them, the atomic particles in the food recognized the voice of the Creator and multiplied miraculously so He could distribute food to all the people (see John 6:5-13).
When Jesus spoke to the fruitless fig tree, it recognized the voice of the Creator and withered at its roots as He commanded it (see Matthew 21:18,19).
When Jesus needed to get to His disciples, who were out at sea being battered by a storm, the water recognized the Creator, and the atomic particles in the water solidified for the Master to walk on the water He had created (see Matthew 14:25).

John 1:14 declares, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The word “dwelt” in the original text describes a tent or a tabernacle. Jesus’ physical body was a “tent” that God lived in during His earthly life. God literally pitched a tent of human flesh, took on human flesh in the form of Jesus Christ, and tabernacled Himself among us.

God exchanged His royal, celestial robes for the clothing of human flesh. Out of His deep love for you and me, He was willing to leave His majestic realms of glory to enter the sphere of humanity. That little baby in Bethlehem was the eternal, ever-existent God Almighty, who dressed Himself in human flesh so that He could dwell among men and purchase our salvation on the Cross as the Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world and render its punishment powerless. That is the miracle of our Savior’s birth!

Merry Christmas!

It is getting cold outside, and in the next few weeks everyone will be celebrating Christmas, telling one another, “Merry Christmas!” and giving loved ones gifts. It is a wonderful time of the year. But even with all the excitement of the holiday, let’s not forget that the Christmas celebration is about the birth of our Lord Jesus.

I would like to tell you about our Renner family Christmas tradition. Maybe it is like your family tradition, or maybe your family celebrates a different way. Every year, the entire Renner family gets together before noon at my parents’ house (Rick and Denise Renner), and before we open any gifts, we read the Christmas story. Everyone gathers around, and each grandchild, parent, or grandparent takes a small part of the scriptures that tell the Christmas story and reads it out loud. During the reading, we also get to ask questions to one another — and Grandpa Rick Renner gets to make sure we answer the questions right!

Possible questions could be as follows (there are many more questions besides):

How many wise men were there who came to see Jesus?
Was the star that appeared an angel, a comet, or a star?
How old was Jesus by the time the wise men came to see Him?

By the way, my dad Rick Renner wrote a book about Christmas that opens up many untold facts about the Christmas story. It is called Christmas — The Rest of the Story, and if you would like to order it, go to renner.org. It is basically the Christmas story with answers to all the questions that our family asks every year, giving wonderful detail to the Christmas story that you may have never heard before.

After our family is done reading and talking about the details of the Christmas story — this could take from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much laughing we are doing — we then all get on our knees and pray. Our prayers honestly sound more like giving thanks to Jesus. It is hard not to be thankful after you read the Christmas story.

Next, one of us gets out a trash bag and another one of us starts to hand out gifts. We have a wonderful time! The gifts are fun and often practical.

After the gifts are given, which takes probably about 15 minutes (also depending on the fun we are having), very soon around noon time we go to the dinner table and have lunch. We all make a plate of food and bring it to the table. We bless the food, and as always, during this wonderful lunch, someone will ask (usually my father Rick Renner), “What are you thankful for this year?” We all go around the table talking about what we are thankful for, and after that, we eat a little more. Then someone will ask (usually my father Rick Renner), “What are you hoping for in the coming year?” These are important questions, and sharing with one another is a wonderful time of fellowship.

After lunch is over, we all clean up the table and kitchen and then take a little break. We come back for tea and coffee and to enjoy a wonderful dessert that Polina (my sister-in-law) usually makes while we fellowship some more. Soon after the dessert is gone, we all go home.

That is our Renner Christmas tradition. Maybe this tradition sounds a lot like yours, or maybe you have a totally different tradition. Regardless, I want to encourage you to think about what Jesus has done for us, take a moment to thank Him, and enjoy your day.

God Bless,

Joel Renner

Christmas – The Rest of the Story – Excerpt #1

by Rick Renner

John 1:29 tells us that John the Baptist declared, “…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” In addition to speaking by divine revelation, John the Baptist was Jesus’ relative and had spent time with Jesus as the two of them were growing up. All his life, John had heard from his parents that one day, he would prepare the way for Jesus. John had no doubt heard the miraculous stories about Jesus’ appearance at the time of His own birth as the Lamb of God who would “take away the sin of the world.” Even at John the Baptist’s birth, his father Zacharias was told by an angel that John would be born with the divine destiny to prepare the way of the Lord (see Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4).

John’s parents instilled it into him as a young man that he was born to fulfill that divine destiny. This shows the power of parents to guide a child to God’s calling on his or her life. If you do not know the destiny of your own child, ask God to give you guidance about how to prepare your child to fulfill his or her purpose in life. John the Baptist knew that he was called to introduce Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

Rick Renner

Editor’s Note: Joel Renner is the CEO of RENNER Ministries and the National Director of the U.S. ministry office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Alongside his father, he has actively participated in nearly every facet of the daily operations of the ministry since his youth. Joel resides in Moscow, Russia, with his wife and two sons.

What RENNER Ministries Has Meant to You

by Joel Renner

A Testimony is nice to have but hard to get. — Joel Renner

I always thought a testimony had to be some amazing story where a person was once a tool of the devil and did terrible things and then his or her life was turned around by the Word of God. There are many testimonies like that — and praise Jesus for them! But my testimony never seemed this dramatic. I never really knew how to share it because I didn’t experience a night-and-day difference like that. If you have felt like I did, I understand — but I have also learned since then that everyone’s testimony is different and beautiful, so don’t be afraid to share yours.

My testimony is very connected with RENNER Ministries — my whole life has been intertwined with this ministry. When I was born, the ministry already existed, so I have been a part of it my whole life. I moved from Tulsa to Latvia with my parents and this ministry, and then after nine years in Latvia, we moved to Moscow, and the ministry continued to reach people.

I have been a part of starting many churches and constructing, or reconstructing, many church buildings. My wife even became a Christian in our Moscow church, and she and I met in the youth ministry. I also helped prepare TV programs and film them. I read book manuscripts and helped print books too. Whatever way we can reach people with the Gospel, RENNER Ministries has been open to the Lord to go in that direction.

My testimony is basically that I have been a part of a wonderful ministry and family that wants to share Christ with as many people as possible in every way possible.

If RENNER Ministries has helped you in your walk with God, please let us know. To hear from you would encourage not just me, but our whole team.

Remember, the Bible says in Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” So no matter what your story looks like, it’s your testimony, and it matters!

God bless,

Joel Renner

The Business of Ministry

by Joel Renner

We’re in the business of ministry, not real estate. — Joel Renner

RENNER Ministries was started in 1977, and since then, we have been busy doing just one thing: “Taking the Gospel both to our nearby world and to the ends of the earth.” We know what our job is. It is found in Matthew 28:18-20, which says:

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (NIV)

I think it is important to know what your assignment is. Many times, as people become successful, they forget what they started their business or ministry for. Often a business or ministry will buy a beautiful building, and instead of doing the work of the business or the ministry, they take care of only the building. Although buildings are necessary, the goal of any ministry is not to accumulate stuff — it is to do the Great Commission that is found in Matthew 28:18-20.

If you have forgotten why you started something, it is important that you remember what your assignment is and, if you’ve erred from that assignment, quickly get back to it. Our assignment at RENNER Ministries is to take the Gospel to as many people as possible, and if that requires plane tickets, buildings, train tickets, TV equipment, or other things that are needed to share the Gospel, we will purchase them in order to fulfill the Great Commission.

If you are a partner, we want to say THANK YOU for helping us buy those train tickets, plane tickets, cameras, and buildings that have helped us reach people around the world. The church building that was built in Riga in 1998 has been used as a spiritual home for countless people over the years. The train tickets you helped us purchase took the Gospel to places that are difficult to get to, and the plane tickets you helped us buy have enabled us to travel to countries that are hungry for Bible teaching that sets people free. I could give many more examples, but the point is, knowing your assignment and remaining focused on that is the most important thing.

If you are not a partner yet, please pray about becoming a financial partner so we can keep taking the Gospel to more people who need it.

God bless,

Joel Renner

How To God From Glory to Glory

by Joel Renner

Second Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) encourages us, “…We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” But how do we go from glory to glory? Good question, and what a subject! Let’s take a look at what the Bible says.

First Samuel 15:22,23 (NKJV) says:

So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”

In these scriptures, we find King Saul receiving a strong rebuke from the prophet Samuel for not following the Lord’s clear instructions. But just like Saul, many of us want to make huge progress overnight by doing something valiant and big — when, most of the time, we go from glory to glory by being consistently obedient.

In these same verses, we see that being obedient is better than sacrifice. Isn’t that interesting? Many of us want to be earth-shakers, but few of us want to simply be obedient.

Let’s look at it from a higher perspective. If you were in a leadership role, would you like to have people under you who, in an attempt to make a difference, randomly make even huge sacrifices that are not planned — and in the big scheme of things, no progress is made — or would you rather have a team under you who trusts your directives and follows what you ask them to do so that, in unison, the group makes progress because of their obedience? I think we all would choose the second option.

In most cases, God does not ask us to make huge sacrifices, but in all cases, He does ask us to be obedient. And in our obedience, we are trusting Him to change our situation.

I also like this verse found in Luke: “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much” (Luke 16:10 ESV). I like this verse because many people don’t want to be faithful with “very little” — they want to be faithful with “much.” But we all start with little, and, if we are faithful and obedient, our little grows!

Let’s be obedient and faithful with the little in each of our lives, and let God grow it.

God bless,

Joel Renner

Breaking Fear Issues, Especially in These Last Days

by Joel Renner

Fear is a terrible thing. Many people live in a constant state of fear, and it can take so much out of life. But, my friend, fear is not of God. God is love. And we know this because of what the Holy Scripture tells us.

First John 4:7,8 (ESV) says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

We also know there is no fear in love and that perfect love removes fear from us because First John 4:18 tells us clearly, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

But I must tell you that if you are being perfected, or matured, in love, but those around you are not, you will not always share their opinions, just because you’re endeavoring to walk in love. Remember, people can have many fears, phobias, and paranoia, and because of the fear of others around you, fear will try to worm its way back into your life. But even if there is a logical reason for that fear, you have to go back to what the Scriptures say and take your thoughts captive.

Second Corinthians 10:5 (NIV) instructs, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Every thought and opinion we encounter must be held to — taken captive by — the standard of God’s Word.

I’d also like to share this: If you feel like common sense is telling you to prepare for something ahead, but it also feels like fear is motivating you, you may also want to take that thought or idea to a friend you trust and share it with him or her. Sometimes it helps to talk out your impeding thought and hear someone else’s opinion on the matter.

God bless,

Joel Renner

How To Be a Friend to Someone in Crisis

by Joel Renner

How are you a good friend to someone in a time of crisis? This is a question I hope you don’t have to ask yourself too often because you don’t ever want your friends to be in trouble. The truth is, when your friend is facing a really difficult circumstance, you feel for that friend. Depending on your relationship, it can even feel like it is your burden because you care so much. So how do you help a friend in times of crisis?

I recommend that you listen to your friend and put yourself in his shoes. If you need to forgive him because he surprised you by his actions, then forgive him. Everyone responds differently when they are in pain or going through a hard time, so you can help your friend by extending grace to him.

Second, ask your friend how you can help him or her. As believers, it is important for us to obey what the Bible says, and there are many passages of Scripture that talk about helping your neighbor. Here are just a few:

The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
Jesus instructing His disciples to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30,31).
A proverb instructing us to show mercy and kindness (Proverbs 24:28,29).

It may also take time for your friend to recover from his moment of crisis. But that is what it is — it is a moment. Eventually, the difficulty will pass, and your friend will be on the other side. Be patient and prayerful. Don’t try to force your friend to act on your revelation — rather, ask God to give that person a revelation of his own that is very real and personal to him.

We need pray for our friends and reach out to them. Just think about how you would like to be treated in a really hard time. I think most of us would like someone to reach out to us and tell us we are not forgotten. We would probably appreciate someone trying to connect with us instead of avoiding us or treating us like a troubled person.

So today, let’s think about our friends. If they are in a time of crisis, let’s be understanding, show them the love of Christ, and do what we can to help them.

God bless,

Joel Renner

Habits To Strengthen Your Faith

by Joel Renner

How do you develop habits? And how do you develop habits that strengthen your faith? That is what I want to talk to you about today.

One person said, “Most of our days are made up of habits.” If you think about it, this is probably true for most people. For example, you might wake up at the same time every morning and eat the same food for breakfast. And when you get into your car, you might do the same actions over and over again — adjust your seat and mirrors, put on your favorite podcast, or play your favorite music, etc.

Then when you get to work, you start your day the same. You talk to the same people most days, and you may even have the same conversations. If you look at your call history or chat history, you will most likely see that you talk with the same people too. And if you look at your browsing history, you will probably see that you go to the same websites and use the same applications every day.

These actions and decisions are habits, and habits are made. Just try breaking one of these routines, and you will quickly learn that you have built a habit!

For the past few years, I have taken a day to write out all my habits and how much time I spend on each one. I also note where these habits will take me if I continue them. It has been a very interesting exercise. Let me show you how it works.

How many minutes a day do you read? Answer that question and then you can figure out how many hours you read in a year. Once you know that number, ask yourself, If I continue reading at this rate, is this good or bad for me? And you can repeat this process with many different actions or behaviors.

But you may still be wondering, How do I build or develop habits that will strengthen my faith? I recommend you look at what you are doing to build your faith using the process I just mentioned. Ask yourself, Am I doing anything to stretch my faith? Reflect on the answer and write out what comes to mind.

The Bible says that faith without works is dead, so let me ask you: What “works” are you doing that build your faith? Maybe you used to do something that stretched your faith, but now you have gotten used to it and it is not a stretch like it was before. It’s important to remember that building your faith is like any other habit. Once you take a closer look at what you’re doing, you can choose to continue that habit, to strengthen or expand it, or to start building a completely new one.

For example, let’s say you want to be a better speaker, and to do this you decide you will read out loud for ten minutes a day in order to develop your diction. Well, if you do that for a year, you will get used to this habit of ten minutes. To take it to the next level, you might decide to practice tongue-twister phrases in addition to reading out loud for ten minutes a day. This is just one small example of what building habits can look like.

To get started on your own goals, think about what you are doing to build habits that will develop you spiritually. Here are a few good questions you can ask yourself:

How many chapters of the Bible do I read per week?
Do I have friends I can ask Bible questions to?
Am I volunteering at my local church?
How many Sundays do I attend church in a year?
Do I give my tithe? Do I give the whole tithe, or do I just give part of it?

If you need to work on certain areas to build good habits and build your faith, rather that set goals that are impossible for you to do right now, I suggest you start with something you can consistently do. In your consistency, you will build habits.

God bless,

Joel Renner