Welcome Seekers!

For Sunday, December 28, 2025:

Hebrews 12:22 NLT: “You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.”

Seekers are those who have heard about Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but haven’t yet made their decision. But they’re curious. They’re interested. And it’s up to those of us already convinced to “make disciples of all nations.” That’s our assignment from Jesus.

If a church is working right, it should paint an attractive picture for seekers. They should see believers living in harmony with one another. If we’re following God’s plan, he has done away with flaming fire, darkness and gloom. Picture thousands of angels, all with smiles on their faces. God sits at the head-table, accompanied by a flock of believers, all with their names written in the Book of Life! Good times!

We may not have physical angels in our churches, but those present should look like they’re part of the heavenly throng – happy, smiling and conflict free, interested and welcoming, eager to share the Good News, the Gospel.

As believers, we should make it a point to welcome seekers into our midst. Shake their hand, refill their beverage, and invite them back. Do your best to answer their questions, and if you’re not sure, introduce them to someone who does know the answers. Introduce them to your pastor. Say, “See you next Sunday!”

Or say, “See you next time!” Wednesdays work just as well!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Whoever Has the Son!

October 14, 2024 Monday Message:

1 John 5:11-12 NLT: “This is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.”

Eternal life means spending the hereafter in the presence of God, in his Kingdom, as an adopted member of the Holy Family. We have been forgiven through the work of Jesus, made pure and innocent, suitable for living in God’s house. And Jesus is the deciding factor in our eternal destination. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. It’s that simple!

This verse was shown to me back in my college days, and I memorized it as my “life verse.” This scripture is the bottom line in being a Christian. If Jesus is with you, you’re good. If you don’t know Jesus, you’re out!

My prayer is that more and more people would come to know the Son. Jesus commissioned believers to share this Good News with all nations, and for years South Minneapolis was my territory. Now I’ve branched out into Burnsville, where my wife and I live, south of the Minnesota River. The Father’s House is my Sunday Morning church, but last weekend I was in Afton, Minneapolis, St. Louis Park and St. Paul, speaking or singing!

Seekers don’t always come to us. Sometimes we have to go to them. That’s what itinerant ministry is all about. Believers need to get in the habit of saying “yes” when called upon to serve!

Have a great week! Blessings!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Baby Christians!

For Saturday, May 27, 2023:

1 Corinthians 3:3 TLB, Paul writing to the church in Corinth: “For you are still only baby Christians, controlled by your own desires, not God’s. When you are jealous of one another and divide up into quarreling groups, doesn’t that prove you are still babies, wanting your own way? In fact, you are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord at all.”

Most seekers were living in the world, where people sin freely. Then they learn the Good News of salvation through Jesus, become a part of it, but haven’t yet abandoned the ways of the world. Baby Christians.

Paul is looking for what I call a Radical Transformation, a 180º turn-around of a person’s value system. When new believers have God on their mind, Jesus in their heart and the Holy Spirit’s protection, they become a new person, born again.

Believers have been given a fresh start, and it should show!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Messiah!

For Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Matthew 11:3 NLT, John-the-Baptist’s question for Jesus: “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”

Jesus implies that we should already know: The blind see, the lame walk, leprosy is healed, the deaf hear, the dead rise, and Good News - the way to salvation - is being preached to the poor! What do you think? Who Jesus is should be obvious to anyone who gives it even a cursory glance!

At that time, John-the-Baptist was in prison. It must have been challenging to keep his ministry running while incarcerated! His purpose was to herald the arrival of the Messiah, and if Jesus is that Messiah, his job is essentially completed. Seekers should no longer follow John, they should follow Jesus, the one bringing hope to the world!

We have found the Messiah. We can stop looking!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Believers

March 2, 2020 Monday Message:

Jesus speaking: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Question: There are people in remote parts of the world who have never heard of Jesus. Are they condemned?

First of all, no one is condemned for NOT believing in Jesus. Rather ALL of mankind is condemned because of our sinful ways. What is amazing is that God would send his Son to rescue ANY of us! He must truly be a loving God!

God made mankind to be curious. Therefore people all over the world investigate, seek the origin of life, seek a creator. We look for reasons for our existence. To those seekers, God shows his light. If they respond, God shows them more light, because it is God’s desire that none would perish. I leave this in God’s hands.

But as Christians, we are fortunate to have eyewitness knowledge of the One who came to rescue us. Jesus said that no one can come to the Father except through him. I like the converse of that statement: All who repent and claim Jesus as their Savior will see Heaven from the inside!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, March 8, 2020, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Guest Worship Team “People of Hope,” and Chaplain Shar Burgess is our Bible teacher, Luke 5:27-39.

Seekers from the East

Jan. 5, 2015 Monday Message:

Wise Men: “Where is the child born to be King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” Matt. 2:2 CEV

These star-gazers from far away didn’t know much about God or his chosen Hebrew people, yet they were seekers. Attempting to explain creation, divine intervention seemed to be the only answer. So when an unexpected star appeared, they took it as a sign from a higher power, perhaps God, and they followed it until they finally stood beside the baby Jesus.

But upon arriving in Israel, they first encountered Herod, an evil king with no joy. They recognized that although Herod was king of some land, he was not the king over all creation. So their search continued until they found the baby in a manger, and there they left their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Apparently they were good judges-of-character, because they returned to their homeland by a different route, never even saying goodbye to the evil Herod.

These wise men from the east found the true King they had been seeking. Nowadays, many people are still searching for the true king, and our job as Christians is to point them toward the manger.

Blessings to you as we begin our new year!

Norton Lawellin

Come - let’s worship together! Each Sunday Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, Jan. 11, we’re in Acts 13:13-22, Paul and Barnabas in Antioch. Bring your Bible!