Comments on: Marketplace Ministry – Chuck Ripka’s Story

By: Ben Cotten

Ben Cotten — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:19:41 +0000

I'm curious too. I don't have a way to contact him myself. It would be great to hear how that is going and what God is doing through him in the middle of this economic crash. My guess? Things have only gotten more amazing…

By: jen thompson

jen thompson — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:28:14 +0000

I've just finished reading "God out of the box" and I'm curisous how Chuck and the bank have faired since the financial crisis has hit. Where can I go to find out info regarding this. Is Chuck still involved in the Riverview Community Bank in Elk River? How has the bank held up under the crisis? What miracles were wittnessed through the crisis? You can see where I'm going with this. I was encouraged and excited to read how God is such a strong powerful force. I'm looking forward to meet Chuck and ask him myself.

By: Ben Cotten

Ben Cotten — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:26:23 +0000

I'm so glad this touched you. It sure has touched me. I've listened to this several times and I'm always amazed at what God can do with a person that surrended to Him. Ed Stetzer uses the phrase "live sent". The idea is that we should live as though we haven been sent as missionaries where we are. No matter where the "field" is, we are called to be missionaries in it.

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your heart. You've encouraged me!

By: Ben Cotten

Ben Cotten — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 11:54:49 +0000

I'm so glad this touched. It sure has touched me. I've listened to this several times and I'm always amazed at what God can do with a person that surrended to Him. Ed Stetzer uses the phrase "live sent". The idea is that we should live as though we haven been sent as missionaries where we are. No matter where the "field" is, we are called to be missionaries in it.

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your heart. You've encouraged me!

By: DCA

DCA — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:29:59 +0000

Hello Mr. Ben!

Wow, between reading some articles and posts (some by you) on Paul Ferree's website and now listening to Chuck, I'm really too emotionally spent (from the crying). to even respond the way I would like.

I'd just like to say that I am a School Social Worker by trade and Youth Director at my church and I've been depressed for months now (which is complicated). But, I feel the Lord calling me to do so much more but I feel stuck. I went to Spain to learn Spanish a few years ago for 4 months and when I returned, realized that it was about more than learning another language…. I really felt a calling to be abroad furthering God's Kingdom.

What Chuck said really inspired me to be excited about the ministry that is all around me here and now, and to still believe God for the bigger dreams when the time is right.

God bless your ministry!

By: Ben Cotten

Ben Cotten — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 02:58:09 +0000

Yep, Chuck Ripka would certainly agree with your favorite mantra: “Every Christian is a Missionary.”

By: Paul Ferree

Paul Ferree — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 01:07:56 +0000

Wow…what an awesome story.

Ben, it’s exactly as we concluded…it’s our obedience that matters and that’s the bottom line.

I was talking with a friend last Saturday right before we went out to do some ministry and we were talking about methods of evangelism and how you measure success.

It’s not in how many souls you save, just look at Noah.
It’s not in how articulate you are. Read 1 Corinthians.
It’s not how loud or quite you are.

The only possible way to measure success in the Kingdom of God is obedience. Are you doing what He is telling you to do? Which does have a prerequisite…are putting yourself in a position to listen to Him?

Chuck seems as if he’s doing this not out of method or strategy, but simply out of the instructions he received while in the presence of the Lord.

And that’s what it all boils down too…nothing matters except our ability to be in His presence.

Great mp3, thanks Ben! I’m glad I finally listened to it!
Paul