Dale DeMell

🏘NW Suburbs of Minneapolis | ⛪️Lead Pastor 💯In a lifelong pursuit of reflecting the image and nature of Christ.

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

In the 1990s Henri Nouwen noticed peoples appetite for entertainment had increased to becoming “spectators in a lifelong show.” He believed the consequence was humanity losing touch with their souls.

I believe those able to break their souls away, will be our future leaders.

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@erichoke I would love that!

[Maple Grove PD @MapleGrovePD1]

@daleJD & Scott Foster from two @maplegrovemngov churches brought food items & appreciation cards from their members to show support for our angency. They dedicated a wooden American flag built by one congregation member for our roll call room. We value the relationships with our community!

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@stevecusswords Brilliant and terrifying. I was perfectly at peace until I read your monstrously disrespectful and disruptive questions. Thank you?

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

Yes! Learning how to live in a place of gratitude and wonder!

[David @DavidSHolz]

I'm 14, at the beach in my hometown, feeling like "whatever" it so boring, who cares really? And then this woman ran out onto the sand and exclaimed "It's the ocean!" I ask "what?" "I grew up in Colorado. I've never seen the ocean. My God! There's so much water" tears began to stream down her face and I thought "we're on the same beach, but mine is boring and hers is beautiful and if I have to choose ... id rather be in on her beach" as she walked away continuing to exclaim about palm trees and coconuts I thought about how easily time makes us numb to beauty and how I didn't want to live that way anymore. for the rest of my childhood, the beach was very different.

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@DerwinLGray @jarenhall3 @Vikings We’ll take him!

[Mike Winger @MikeWingerii]

When it comes to understanding the Bible, people often make the mistake of starting with the question of “How does this passage apply to my life today?”

I say this is a mistake not because we want to apply the Bible to our lives but because we skip completely past understanding and just try to launch into application.

I have seen this in small groups over and over again. I ask the group, “what do you think this passage is saying?” and someone replies “I need to do or believe such and such in my life when I face such and such circumstances.”

Notice how easy it is to actually skip right past understanding on our rush to application. If we make this mistake over and over again we will likely get really weird with the Bible. It becomes a launchpad for a rotating series of pre-chosen applications that we have ready to drop on top of a passage, while actually obscuring the very meaning of the passage itself.

We don’t end up following a normal study path.
Step 1: Reading
Step 2: Thinking
Step 3: Interpreting (which involves a lot)
Step 4: Applying

Instead, we end up with.

Step 1: Reading
Step 2: Applying
Step 3: Applying
Step 4: Applying

But what are we even applying? Some passages are immediately easy to apply, most are not. If we don’t understand the passage yet, but jump to application, we are literally forced into making something up.

Bible study tip: Don’t apply right away.

As always, I highly recommend gathering a list of questions about any given passage, long before trying to apply it, and letting that keep you grounded as you study.

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@richvillodas The power of the gospel comes in Spirit and repetition.

[Beth Moore @BethMooreLPM]

I mean, I just don’t think we’re going to stand before God on the great day & hear him say, you did such a fabulous job of publicly humiliating heretics. Those pictures were hilarious! Those quotes were the perfect burn! Get in here & let me hug your neck & hang a medal on it.

[Maple Grove PD @MapleGrovePD1]

Great show of support for our agency from the leaders of many faith based organizations. Truly appreciate the community engagement opportunity to build relationships between our organizations!

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@howertonjosh Well said.

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

2022, a year where people were celebrated & encouraged to look for hate around every corner.
If you are looking for it, you will find it every time, even if it’s not there.
Maybe 2023 can be a year of new voices, voices of hope.
#NewYearsResolution

[Jon Erlichman @JonErlichman]

Things that didn’t exist on Christmas 20 years ago:

iPhone
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
Twitter
TikTok
Android
Bitcoin
Tesla
iPad
Gmail
Netflix streaming
Amazon Prime
Slack
Reddit
Etsy
WhatsApp
Messenger
Google Maps
Snapchat
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Chrome
Zoom
Skype
Spotify
Airbnb
Uber

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

“And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing, goodwill towards men.”
C.H. Spurgeon

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@JawnO Truth! It is unfortunate how we say “left the ministry” as if to say, someone failed or fell short of their calling. It is freeing for us to know who we are in Christ, aside from the pastorate. Well done, brother!

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@pmayoder @drewdyck No doubt!

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@tonymorganlive Totally agree! The “hiring for growth” methodology needs to be a strategy of the past; especially if a Church plans on keeping high-capacity staff!

[Dale DeMell @DaleJD]

@erichoke I’ve never understood Twitter, so that’s likely the problem.