Pastor Joe Steenholdt
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneMarch 12, 2025What kind of decisions keep you up at night? Topics like proposing to your girlfriend, choosing a job, selecting a school, or deciding whether your family should foster or adopt? These are all life-changing questions and require careful consideration. In these moments, we often turn to wise friends and internet searches for guidance. However, I’d like to focus on a question that is even more…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneDecember 24, 2024Another Christmas has come and gone, leaving us in this reflective week at the end of the year—an in-between week to consider when to take down decorations and plan for New Year’s. We may feel hopeful about the future or anxious about what lies ahead. The message of Christmas is still fresh in our minds, yet I invite us to reflect beyond just the baby in Bethlehem. In the Gospel of Mark, he…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Luverne Christian Reformed ChurchOctober 09, 2024Seeing the combines out in the field reminded me of a phrase that stood out in a series study on the book of James this past summer, “a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18). As we assess this year’s crop yields, let’s also consider the yields of our lives. Is there evidence of a harvest of righteousness in 2024? The book of James is a lot like the book of Proverbs in showing the value of…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneJuly 24, 2024Do you wanna give it a try?” Scott asked as I was eyeing his ’78 Goldwing motorcycle one summer afternoon in the early 2000s. I had a minibike as a kid and knew how to ride a bicycle, but jumping on a full-size motorcycle seemed a little intimidating. I ended up taking him up on the offer and taking the bike for a spin up and down the road. Scott, who would become my father-in-law, had been…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Luverne Christian Reformed ChurchMay 08, 2024I imagine many of you are getting ready to celebrate the mothers in your life this weekend. If you are not — take this as a reminder! I do not want to rush past Mother’s Day or downplay their unique place in our lives, but I have noticed another spring holiday has fallen on hard times. If you read this article on Thursday, May 9, do you know what holiday it is? Thursday, May 9, is forty days…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneFebruary 21, 2024John Ch. 20 recounts Jesus’ resurrection and post-resurrection appearances, which reaches a crescendo when the previously doubting Thomas is finally able to see the resurrected Jesus with his own eyes — the very one who had been crucified and laid in a tomb. Now Thomas is able to proclaim his beautiful confession of faith, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). It is after this that the author John…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneNovember 01, 2023Growing up, my parents taught me to fold my hands and close my eyes when I prayed. This posture was a good practice not to get distracted and remain focused. Yet, how does one follow the instruction from 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing” if you always have your eyes closed and hands folded? Then it is good to consider prayer as not only a separate quiet time — but as essential to…
- By Pastor Joe Steenholdt, Christian Reformed Church, LuverneSeptember 06, 2023‘Tis the season for back-to-school shopping, checking off supply lists, implementing lesson plans, and adjusting to new classes and schedules. Yet there is one thing you won’t find on the back-to-school checklist, but it is one of the most profound things you can do no matter what your connection to the school is this year – pray. Here are some suggestions with the help of Scripture to pray for…
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