Community Corner

River Valley Pastor Pens Self-Help Book

Rob Ketterling, pastor of River Valley Church, recently released a book called "Change Before You Have To: Discover a New Life of Abundance, Passion, & Satisfaction."

A local pastor has written a book that promises to "slap you in the face with truth, then hand you a cup of hot cocoa."

So said admirer, Matt Keller, pastor of Next Level Church in Fort Myers, FL, who offered his praise to the foreword of Apple Valley Pastor Rob Ketterling’s new book, Change Before You Have To: Discover a New Life of Abundance, Passion, & Satisfaction. Put simply, Change is about how to alter your habits, shape up and fly right, before tragedy or hardship forces you to come to grips with your shortcomings.

In a video interview with Catalyst Backstage.com, Ketterling's moment of truth came while at dinner with friends, when the conversation turned to the following question: What would you do if you tragically lost your spouse?

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Ketterling's offhanded response got him in some hot water with his wife, Becca.

"I said I'd have to lose weight," He said.

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Ketterling was at a loss to explain his words to his wife, until a friend summed it up for him.

"What he's saying is he couldn't attract a woman like you looking like that," the man said.

Needless to say, Ketterling's wife was less than thrilled.

"She said, 'You mean you would lose weight for a hypothetical woman, but not for me, the one who took a vow to you?'" Ketterling recalled.

The discussion was a turning point for Ketterling, who realized that his personal habits were unfair to his wife and could perhaps land him in the hospital as well. He and his phsyician embarked on a weight loss program that dropped him from a size XL shirt to a medium and inspired his latest book.

"Now I can stand next to my wife and people don't wonder if I'm a comedian or rich because I'm with someone as beautiful as her," Ketterling said.

The inspirational treatise is hot off the presses. Change, an Influence Resources publication, came out on Sept. 1.

Ketterling is the lead pastor for River Valley Church, which is based out of Apple Valley, with numerous branch campuses in Minnesota and one in Valencia, Spain. The church recently opened a campus in the Burnsville area.


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