A day with Pastor G

Canada, eh?

2011-09-20T14:07:00.001-07:00

We left Boulder City on August 23. We arrived in Richmond, BC on August 25. We have been here in Canada for almost one month. It has been great! We have had a lot of support getting the new house ready, unloading boxes, settling in, and just making this our new home.

Two weeks ago we were introduced to the Chinese church, Richmond Chinese Baptist Church, that we share a building. Ray, Jessica's dad, preached and it was all translated into English. It was very cool to see the Chinese characters on the screen, along with the English words, and the two congregations worshipped in unison.

This past Sunday was my first Sunday to preach at Towers and it went well. No one got up a left and they all said see you next week. That is a good thing, Ha!

One of the most amazing things that has happened, happened this past Friday. Jess and I took the kids to school and we decided to go on a morning coffee date to Tim Hortons. Andrew was with us and as we sat and ate our donuts and tea biscuits and drank our double doubles, Andrew caught the attention of this Russian lady named Alexandra. As Alexandra became infatuated with Andrew, we were able to strike up a conversation. It was the typical, what is your name, where are you from, and what do you do. I love it when people as me those questions, because I get to say, I just moved here from Las Vegas and I am a pastor of a church.

As I told these things to Alexandra, she looked at me in amazement. She obviously said, I 've been to Vegas, but what she said next I never expected. She told me that she has never met a pastor before. She also said that much of the Russian community (over 100,000 people in Greater Vancouver area) had probably never met a Christian pastor before. She told me she was a radio host at a show nearby and asked me to think about coming on the show to be interviewed. She thinks the Russian community would like to hear what I had to say about being a pastor. Just so you know, she said she has interviewed government officials from Israel and Russia on the show and it is broadcast to the UN. I asked her if she was sure she wanted to interview me. Ha!

We began to talk about what a pastor does and who a pastor is and I was able to explain to her that it is different from a priest (that was her main question). She couldn't believe I was not worried about "title." I had just started sharing with her that I base my beliefs on the teaching of the Bible and that I follow the example of Jesus Christ because I have a relationship with Him. She was amazed that I said those things. I was just getting ready to ask her if she believed in God (if you know the history of Russia you will know why I would ask that) and her and her colleagues had to go.

I am going to ask you to pray for Alexandra. I am praying that God will grab a hold of this lady and radically change her life. When I asked her about her religious background she referred to herself as a Russian and a Jew. I emailed her this morning to try to connect again and continue our conversation.

I also will ask you to pray for Silas. Silas is a barista at one of my local Starbucks and she is from India. She remembers my name and she is a very nice lady who is always smiling. Pray that she would come to experience the one true God.

God is at work here and we are very blessed to be a part of what He is doing.

Tony Bennett said what?

2011-07-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

I first visited San Francisco in December 2002. I made a trip to the Bay Area by myself to visit Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. I immediately fell in love with the area, the culture, the people, and I knew without a doubt that God was calling me and my family to move all the way from very rural Mississippi to the huge metropolis of San Francisco, California. We spent four wonderful years in that area. We studied, we trained, we ministered, and we fell even more in love with the people and the area. We made the greatest friends anyone could ever want, but we knew that one day we would have to leave the place we loved and called home.

I graduated in May 2007 and God began to do a work in us again and we knew without a doubt that He was leading us and calling us to pastor in Boulder City, Nevada. I have been serving as Pastor of Youth and Education and we served in this role for a little over four years. These past four years have been amazing. We have, first of all, seen lives changed and have learned and grown a lot in our relationship with God. I announced my resignation yesterday.

However, almost a year ago God began a stirring in our heart. He began a restlessness in us that was hard to explain. As I have eluded to in the title of this blog post, I left my heart in San Francisco. This time in my spiritual journey began a deeper yearning for God that I had ever had before. God began to bring about relationships in my life that was needed. God allowed us to "church cheat." We began to attend a friends church in Las Vegas on Saturday night and through that fellowship, through their teaching and preaching, and through the relationships that I began to have with leaders there, God began to reveal things to us in unexplainable ways.

I have always wanted to plant a church. I have always wanted to create something new in an area where people have limited knowledge of Jesus or that don't know about Him at all. God began to reveal to me in September of 2010 that I should plant a church in the city of San Francisco. After a lot of prayer and searching the scriptures and reading, God made it apparent that I needed to take a trip to the city and pray and talk and He also revealed to me that He would show me what was next when I got there.

In October 2010, I took a trip to the city having faith that God would show us what to do. I visited friends, prayed, chatted with locals and other strategic people, and even got to see the Giants in a playoff game. As I was meeting with a church planting strategist in the Richmond District of San Francisco, God made it clear that I was to plant a church in that neighborhood. I shared this information with Jessica and we were ready to pack it up and move that week. However, church planting requires a set a gifts, skills, and resources. Jessica and I knew we had the gifts, most of the skills, and none of the resources. We definitely wanted to plant a church in San Francisco, but we didn't want to do it wrong, because that would dishonor the process and most of all would dishonor God. I want get into all the statistics, but I will tell you a majority of church plants fail within the first 4 years. We didn't want to be a statistic.

We took a very hard look at our abilities and God was revealing to us that although He is calling us to plant in SF, it may take some time. We decided to take it slow and just be open to His leading during this "slow" time. During this time, I would intentionally meet with people, read books with church leaders, practice vision casting, attend conferences, and do anything I could to make me a better leader. While I was doing this I was introduced to an organization called Launch (www.launchstrong.com). This organization is designed to help potential church planters. They assess, train, and partner with planters through churches to plant churches. They were partnering with Hope Baptist in Las Vegas to do an assessment for planters wanting to plant in the West. I was encouraged to go through the assessment. Jessica and I had the opportunity to have dinner with their Chief Launch Officer and his wife to here more about the program. After hearing more details about it, we felt comfortable that we would go through the assessment. The assessment required us to spend money, complete an intense online component, and sit through an intensive 2 day assessment with other couples planting in the West.

Over the next several months we began to try to figure out what we could do while we were taking it "slow" to get ready for SF. One option that came to my mind was to look for a different position. We prayed for opportunities with other organizations and thought strategically about what would be best for us. Nothing seemed to be working out. I truly believe God gave me this idea. I know of a church in the Vancouver area that has been without a pastor for a while. I know of some great church planting systems, training's, planters, and people in Vancouver too. Many of you know my father in law is a church planting catalyst in Vancouver and so I thought what if we connected with him and his people for a while to train and get experience. I submitted that to him and he began to work on a proposal. Meanwhile, we attended the SBC Pastor's Conference in Phoenix and doors began to open and connections were being made that really made us want this "Canada Training" to happen. As I shared this with many church leaders and the words that almost all of them used was, "that is very wise." All of this was taking place in early June. In late June Jessica and I went through the assessment with Launch in Las Vegas. We knew going into the assessment what our results would be and when Mac, the guy I had dinner with, called to give us the results it was exactly what we expected. The assessment teams suggestion was although we had the heart, desire, humility, and passion to plant a church, we were not quite ready. We need to take the next 2-3 years and work on leadership complexity and leader multiplying. While we were at the assessment we shared the proposal for Canada. During the phone call, Mac said that the opportunity for Canada would be great for us.

After more praying, we felt a peace about pursuing the option to move to Vancouver to pastor and train. It took a few weeks, but all of those details are working out and a couple of weeks ago Towers Baptist Church voted and called us to become their first church planting resident. These duties include preaching, pastoring, church planting, training and a bunch of other things.

San Francisco is still in our hearts. We are going to figure out in more detail what that means over the next 2 years. God could possibly allow us to develop into great leaders with better skills and more resources to plant a church. He could provide the teams, the money, the partners that we don't currently have. He could call us to stay longer and develop partnerships between the similar cities and train people to go on mission or to help train people to be the ones to plant the church. Although we will be in Canada, our heart is for San Francisco and the West. We plan to be involved in the city that we left our hearts in as much as possible.

We are blessed to be able to live in the house that Jessica grew up in and be near her family. God is good and we are just being obedient to what is He is calling us to do now. Many of you have asked about what happened to San Francisco. I hope this explains it better. We want to honor God by doing this right. We want to do it well.

We ask that all of you pray for us as we pack boxes and get ready to move. We ask that all of you pray as we seek to raise funds to help us move and then serve up North. As I said earlier, this past Sunday I announced to the church and to my students that I was resigning. My last day at Bethany Baptist is August 21. We move August 23.

Wisdom

2011-05-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

I noticed that it has almost been a year since I posted a new blog. I am writing today after reading Proverbs 2:1-6. Proverbs is a great book to read everyday. Read a chapter everyday. There are 31 chapters and therefore you could read a chapter for every day of the month.

I met a guy back in late November/early December. His name is Sam Douglass. He is a church planting coach and has coached many people that I am associated with. We happened to be on the same flight from Albany, NY to Chicago and so we sat together and he began to coach me for the next two hours.

One thing I remember him saying on that flight and one thing that I have been doing is praying Luke 2:52. We all know the story of when Jesus was a boy, hanging out in the temple, and being seperated from His parents. As Jesus "stayed behind" it tells us that He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people. Sam Douglass told me that I should pray in this way. I should pray that I would increase in wisdom and in favor with God and with people. I have been doing that.

As I read in Proverbs 2 this morning, this conversation that I had with Sam came to my mind. Read what Proverbs 2:1-6 says: "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding."

How much is the wisdom of God worth to you? In life decisions do you first seek the wisdom of God? Are we drawing close to Jesus Christ, so that He can live through us?

Too many times us pastors, church planters, church leaders, make hastily decisions. Too many times we do not seek the wisdom of God. We do not fear God. Fearing God, Proverbs says, is the beginning of knowledge.

My challenge to you leaders is to have the wisdom of God. You are leading a church. You are leading a small group. You are making disciples. Therefore you need the wisdom of God and the favor of God and of people. People put their trust in you and you need to be sure that your relationship with God is top priority, so that your relationship with others is beneficial for God's Kingdom. Knowing God intimately is better than doing things for Him tirelessly.

Do you want to be like Jesus? Stay in constant communion with the Father and ask God to help you grow in wisdom and if favor with Him and humanity.

An Amazing Race

2010-05-14T23:11:00.001-07:00

Written by my good friend Jason!

An Amazing Race

This past Sunday was the finale for the Amazing Race. Teams of two raced around the world, completing tasks with the risk of being eliminated should they be the last team to arrive at the end of each leg of the race. This season we favored the cowboys from Oklahoma. Brothers, Jet and Cord were just a couple of good ol' boys travelling around the world on this elaborate scavenger hunt. While other teams had melt downs, threw fits and surrendered to hopelessness, Jet and Cord worked together, even in the midst of possible elimination and made it to the final three.

Disappointment filled our hearts when two other brothers walked home with the million dollars. The very guys that would lose their cool when things got rough or take it out on a cab driver calling him an idiot in the midst of their frustration, these were the champions. These guys won the prize. That's not how it was supposed to end!

In the last interviews Jet and Cord again showed nothing but respect. Not reflecting on what was not theirs but on what they did gain from this experience. Two brothers, no million dollars, but still seemed to have incredible joy in their hearts. No complaints, no regrets and insight on a much greater prize.

My mind turned to 1 Corinthians 9:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable."

So I ask myself, what is the race? The human race? The rat race? The race of our lives, the purpose of life? Why do we live every day? Because we are all in the race. All the runners are running, but only one receives the prize. So run to win. Run so as the one who gets the prize. What Paul is saying may sound hopeless, if only one wins, why run? We run because the one that wins is Jesus Christ. He came as man to run the race amongst us. On that cross He gave everything for all of man's sin. The weight of humanity's errant ways plunged him to the depths of hell and Jesus broke free. He broke through the bondage of the eternal abyss and conquered sin. When we come to believe this in our hearts and confess this with our mouths, we have won the race for Christ has won it for us.

Is there more to life than money, power, fame, all the pleasures that come with our mortal lives? They are just consolation prizes. Not wrong to possess, but pale in comparison to the prize that's eternal. We are all running the same race. We are NOT all running for the same prize. While in this life it may seem others, who appear less deserving, are receiving the prizes of life's race, I will know that a prize waits in eternity and is available for all who wish to receive it. - jason

Very funny

2010-04-30T20:57:00.001-07:00

This is an email from William's teacher.

I have to tell you something too funny!
But first let me tell you your son is at my desk whining that he doesn't like what you sent him for snack and you never send him anything good!! You pack "bad" snacks! Lol Poor deprived child!

But here is why I am writing you. Will brought his little calculator thing to me and said "Mrs. Matherly, I broke this can you please fix it?" I said "well honey, I can't fix it right now, I don't have time. Why don't you take it home and have your dad fix it" He said , "my dad is not a fixer.... He can't fix ANYTHING"! Now seriously, how could I refuse that poor child...... His dad isn't a "fixer" and his mom packs "bad" snacks!

Sent from Garrett's iPhone

Going home

2010-04-17T17:00:00.001-07:00

The latest chest x-Ray was clear and there is one more round of
antibiotics to go.

We should be out of here before midnight. There are 3 little anxious
ones waiting at home with Aunt Lisa.

GOD IS GOOD!

Sent from Garrett's iPhone

Maybe this weekend

2010-04-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Things are looking great! Andrew is only on an IV now. The doctor said
he would be on it for 7-10 days and day 7 is tomorrow. It is hard to
believe we have been in the hospital for a week.

We have great friends who are helping us with meals & childcare. THANK
YOU!

Yellow

2010-04-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Andrew is doing GREAT. He has no more tubes and is nursing. He has to
be on antibiotics for a couple of more days and will have to sit under
the light and a blanket that glows. His billiruben (sp?) has increased.

Maybe he can come home this weekend.

Things are better

2010-04-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Andrew is off the ventilator and his breathing is great. We are able
to hold him and hear him cry. When he was intubated he didn't make any
noise.

He will be on antibiotics for the next 1-3 days. He may be able to
start nursing today. His blood work continues to come back good.

Our nurse this morning is Leena. She is from Delhi, India and we have
discussed her culture, her kids, her husbands Seik religion, and where
in Vegas to get the best Indian food.

If things continue to go well he may come home this weekend. Auntie
Lisa arrives tonight.

Again I want to thank everyone who has helped out with our kids,
brought us food, and all of you across the world who have been
praying. It is really cool to have friends in countries all over the
Earth.

We love all of you.

2010-04-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Apparently Andrew "coughed" out the ventilator. I am on my way to get the details. Stay tuned!

Sent from Garrett's iPhone

2010-04-13T07:53:00.001-07:00

Quick update

2010-04-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

It is about 9:20 pm and I just arrived in the NICU to visit Andrew.
These numbers you see in the picture are great. The one that says 47
was in the high 70's. The number that is 20 started out at 45. Those
are big improvements. He still has fluid in his lungs, but the nurse
said it is pretty thin. They have also started him on a new IV of
electrolytes and protein. He looks comfy and hopefully they will
extubate tomorrow.

2010-04-12T09:08:00.001-07:00

Jessica was discharged last night from the hospital and we were able to spend the night at home.

Andrew has had slight improvement. He is wearing very stylish shades because he is under a bright light for jaundice. His billiruben (sp?) level is better.

He is still on the ventilator, but the assistance from the vent has reduced over half. It was assisting him at 45 bpm and now it is down to 20 bpm. He is still breathing a little fast. All of his blood work has shown improvement.

The fluid in his lungs is thinning and he seems to be happy despite all the tubes and poking.

There is no estimated time of discharge for Andrew. Logan, William, and Sara really want to see him.

Thanks for all your prayers. Thanks to Rachel, Michelle, and Brad for all you have done.

2010-04-12T09:03:00.001-07:00

2010-04-12T09:02:00.000-07:00

2010-04-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

Sara is ready for her new brother to come home.

Latest update

2010-04-11T09:40:00.000-07:00

The latest exray showed that Andrew has a touch of pneumonia. He is
receiving antibiotics. His breathing seems to have improved slighty.

Jessica & her friend are down in the NICU now. Only two people are
allowed at a time and so I am wandering around the hospital looking
for "secret" doors to open.

Sent from Garrett's iPhone

2010-04-11T06:26:00.001-07:00

It's Sunday

2010-04-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

Andrew is still about the same. He is still on the ventilator and probably will be for another 24 hours. He will be having an echo-cardiogram this morning. All of his blood work continues to come back good.

The hard part will be leaving him because Jessica will be discharged today.

It is hard to see him like this. Because of the tube in his trachea and throat when he cries there is no sound. He started crying this morning and I held his hand and put my hand on his head and he stopped within seconds. We just want to hold him. However, we are thankful that he is as healthy as he is. He definitely is the "big dog" in the NICU.

Thanks for all the continued prayers, visits, calls, texts, emails, facebook messages, and tweets. It is nice to know we have so many friends.

The other kids are doing great. Our friend Rachel has been taking care of them. She has taken them to Pizza Hut, the park, the movies, and all kinds of other things.

Logan is going with me tonight to The Rock and Road Worship Show. I know our kids really want to see their new baby brother.

God is perfect and His timing is perfect and so we are just along for the ride.

Pray

2010-04-10T11:57:00.001-07:00

They are having to intubate Andrew to give him assistance for breathing.

It's kind of scary to watch.

Sent from Garrett's iPhone

2010-04-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

Things are about the same. He is now on SiPap. It is a mask (similar
to sleep apnea headgear) to control breathing and pressure.

Next option is to sedate him and put him on a ventilation machine to
help him rest.

They just ran antibiotics through the IV in case of infection. His
last blood gas and check exrays were good.

We will be here for a while.

Andrew Paul Holmes

2010-04-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

He was born at 6:33pm on April 9. He weighed exactly 7 lbs and 0.7 oz.
He was 19 1/2 inches long. Labor and delivery were very easy.

Since Andrew was a little early (37 weeks) his lungs weren't quite
ready. He is having a little trouble breathing.

He will be in the NICU for a few days to be monitored with the
possibility of intubation. Overall, he is doing well, but we would
appreciate your prayers. We don't want to be here too many days.

Baby watch

2010-04-09T14:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I took the day off to go with Jessica to her doctor
appointments. We went to the Center for Maternal Fetal Medicine to be
monitored and then over to Dr. Skinner's for a check up.

Dr. Skinner put Jess on bed rest and scheduled an induction date of
April 24. Jess and I decided to go have lunch at Gonzales Y Gonzales
at NYNY then to a movie at Green Valley Ranch. I joked about this
being our last date before the baby was born and well it was.

Today, I drove Jess and the kids to school an then spent some time at
a local café. Jess is iChatting me and saying she doesn't feel well.
Per doctors orders we go to the hospital to be checked. Luckily Dr.
Skinner was at the hospital and he decided to get this thing going.

Everything is underway and we are just waiting. Thanks to Charlotte,
Rachel, and Brad for taking care of our kids. Thanks to all the church
people for covering my weekend duties and willingness to help and buy
gifts. Thanks to Michelle for hanging with us at the hospital. Thanks
to our friends, literally all over the world who are praying for us.

Andrew Paul Holmes will be here soon. Stay tuned!!!

Sent from Garrett's iPhone

2010-04-06T22:26:00.001-07:00

Why do you think Jesus waited to reveal Himself on the road to Emmaus?

Does He still do this today?

Proverbs

2010-04-06T09:32:00.000-07:00

I will be reading through the book of Proverbs and I just want to share the thoughts on what I read on here.

The theme of the book of Proverbs is in chapter 1, verse 7: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Bowing down, submission, understanding in humility who God is, is the beginning of knowledge. Turning toward the Holy One, trusting Him, worshipping Him (as Job) is the beginning of knowledge.

Do you fear God?

Back to the real world

2010-01-04T23:20:00.001-08:00

Holidays are over and things are back in full force. Youth wad good
last night. There was a small crowd, but I encouraged them to make the
greatest commandment their new year resolution: "love the lord your
God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I was back in the office today and got a good bit done. I brainstormed
about our education and children's ministry. Also talked with my
cousin about possible mission trips.

I play in a men's league basketball game tomorrow night and I am pumped.

Sent from Garrett's iPhone
702-332-7845

The New Year

2010-01-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

We had a great time with our "family" visitors over Christmas and the New Year. They left on New Year's Day and then we had some more visitors show up. Sara and Linsday from GGBTS were driving back from OK/TX to SF and they stayed a night with us. Fun times!!!

However, I ended up getting sick in the middle of the night and have felt bad ever since. I even stayed home from "work" today to just get a little extra rest so I would be ready for youth group tonight. Third day of the year = Sick day #1.

I managed to push through our Saturday night service last night. I felt bad the whole time, but it was still a great service. It was a great time of worship. It has been a little frustrating that we see no community people. I feel that I am out and about building trust and relationships with the lost of Boulder City, but still none want to experience Jesus. I am trusting that God will draw them toward Him.

I am using the Logos iPhone app frequently and I am committed to reading the Bible all the way through this year. Everytime I read it gets better. It truly is the Living Word.

I start Tuesday playing in a men's basketball league. I hope to be able to keep up with the college kids that asked me to play with them. At least they asked me to play. We should be good!

A lot of things are happening this year. The biggest is baby #4 coming in May.

This has not been a philosophical or theological blog, but I am getting started for the year. Stay tuned for more to come.

obsession

2009-12-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

What are you obsessed with? Money, looks, sex, power, pride, technology, etc. I just read an article from The New York Times entitled “To Deal With Obsession, Some Defriend Facebook. Here is the link to the article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/technology/internet/21facebook.html

It really got me to thinking about the purpose of this group and the reason why I wanted to start it sometime ago. This culture, our culture is obsessed with everything but God and our relationship with Him. As a pastor I am always telling the people I minister to, to focus on Jesus and spend time getting to know Him. I have to confess that I am hypocritical.

For example, I look at how I spent most of my day yesterday. Everything I did was all about me. I did not humble myself at all to really listen for God yesterday. I spent the morning organizing my office, so it would look nice. I then went to lunch and a basketball game and to the Las Vegas Bowl and then came home and drank hot chocolate, took a shower, and went to bed. I was obsessed with me yesterday.

Think about yourself for a moment. What are you obsessed with? Do you wake up in the morning looking to be obsessed with Jesus Christ? We are approaching a new year. This is the time when we make resolutions to be nicer, lose weight, read more, and spend less money.

If we followed the Greatest Commandment given to us by Jesus Christ as our resolution, how would our lives change? How would the lives of the ones around us change? Jesus says, “to love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” To take it a bit further and look back in the book of Deuteronomy 10 the title of the section of scripture is “to circumcise your heart.” In verse 12 it goes onto say, “what does the Lord require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul.”

Cut off the part of your heart that is causing you to obsess and refocus your heart and fearing God, walking in His ways, loving Him and serving Him fully. Make that your obsession.

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-25T10:32:00.001-07:00

Remember what God sacrificed for you. The ultimate freedom in Jesus
Christ.

Sent from my iPhone

Ponder this

2009-03-13T23:26:00.001-07:00

What if we had the ability to have Jesus' eyes and ears for just one
minute? How would it impact the way we speak, think, and love others?

Sent from my iPhone

your name

2009-02-16T11:12:00.001-08:00

don't have much to say today, but think about your name. who are you? what is your identity in Christ? Don't think about anyone else! Think about you and what is your path. What has Christ called you to do?

African Impalas and church

2009-02-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

How do we advance God's kingdom in the "valley"? What is the "valley"? This is the topic that Pastor Efram Smith spoke about during the afternoon session at the NPC. He said, "In the midst of crisis we can not paint the valley as the enemy. What does he mean by that? Even though we may be in the valley (recession, foreclosures, addictions, problems, etc.) we must proclaim the power of God. Do not forget His hand is upon you!

How does this relate to the church? What are we doing to help lead people through the valley? He wants to lead us, the church, but he also has a mandate/mission for us. Say YES to the mission.

What is the mission? Is the church really going to be the church? We need transformation. This is what the church must preach. There is a need for the breath of God. The is the need for new life. There is the need for heart change. Do we really believe in new life? JESUS IS ALIVE!!!

As the church we must be ready for shift. We must be ready for change. We must have no walls. No barriers. We must become one church.

Do people know Christ? Are we healthy? Are we missional?

Ask yourself these questions.

Are we focusing on Christ, covenant, and community?

If the church is healthy we will hear stories of transformed lives. If the church is missional we will publicly pursue God's kingdom and tell the good news. There must be an intersection of salvation and social justice.

We have to believe and pray that others can believe that there can be life in the valley. JESUS IS ALIVE!!!

Pastor Efram Smith challenged us to go deeper. He challenged us to reflect deeply about our intimacy and identity in Christ. Ask yourself this, is all of what God has placed in me being utilized? I think not!

He told a story about the African Impala. African Impalas have the ability to jump 13 feet high and 30 feet out. While visiting the zoo, however, the Impala was contained by a 3 foot fence. How can an animal that can jump up 13 feet and out 30 feet be contained by a 3 foot fence. When the Impala was a baby the trained it that it could not jump out. Now it is an adult impala and it doesn't know that it can jump out. If it only knew that it could jump out.

If we only knew what we could do. What is in us naturally that God has placed in us that we don't even know we can do? What is our 3 foot wall? Are we afraid to jump?

I dare you to jump. Take a risk and jump.

In order to live through the valley, proclaim God to those in the valley, transform lives, be ready for change, and be ready to say yes to the mandate we must not be afraid to jump. If we don't know we can jump we need to reflect deeply on our intimacy and identity in and with Christ!

short, tall,grande or venti

2008-12-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading a book entitled The Gospel According to Starbucks. Well today I am sitting a Starbucks and I am watching people. The book is basically around the premise of our passion. We all have our favorite drink at Starbucks and we all have a passion for Starbucks or we would just drink truck stop coffee that has sit on the burner for several hours.

Why do people stand in incredibly long lines and pay $4-$5 for something to drink? People long for the quality and the atmosphere. They have a passion for the coffee.

What if we had a true passion for Christ? We will do anything to go out of our way to get Starbucks, but will we go out of our to grow close to Christ?

What are you doing? Are you waiting for Christ? What type of passion do you have-short, tall, grande or venti? Or is it decaf?

Peace, Garrett

Caught up with taking care of your own house...

2008-12-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

I was recently reading from the Old Testament book of Haggai. I have never really looked at it that closely. Today as I was reading through the first chapter, it meant something to me. Here is the context: When the first wave of Jewish exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem they began to rebuild the temple but soon gave up. Inspired by the prophetic words and ministry of Haggai and Zechariah, they finally completed the task about 20 years later. Haggai's words rebuked the people for living in fine homes while God's home remained in ruins. He warned that despite their efforts their wealth would not last, because the Lord was not pleased with their lack of responsibility. He called them to repent and renew their covenant with the God of their fathers. He assured them that God would achieve his purposes for his people and all other nations. The rebuilding of the temple symbolized God's restored presence among his people.

So, what does this mean for us? I see a few things. The first thing I see is we need to get over ourselves. This is what is says in the scripture: You have spent a lot of money, but you haven't much to show for it; you keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up; you keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you're always thirsty; you put on layer after layer of clothes, but you can't get warm. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much - a leaky, rusted out bucket, that's what. (The Message)

We are wrapped up in ourselves. We are selfish. We are more concerned about us than others. This story is a great example. These people had an opportunity to honor and glorify the Lord by building the temple, but instead were too busy being wrapped up in their mansions and fancy lifestyles to care. I wonder how that is true of us. We get so busy and so comfortable that we forget about God's house today, the church, the people. As a pastor it is easy for me to say it's my job, but I still find myself wrapped up in the business of my personal life to make even minor sacrifices for the church.

Consider your ways.

Only true obedience leads to true satisfaction. How can we be satisfied in God? Apparently the people thought that they could be satisfied with their materialism, but Haggai spoke the word of truth. They have sown much, but harvested little. You eat the Vegas buffets, but never get full. You drink and drink and drink, but never have your thirst quenched. You try to clothe yourself, but cannot get warm. The people who earn wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.

Consider your ways.

The people did consider their ways. They obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet because they were the words of God. They repented and feared the Lord and the Lord said to them "I am with you." The temple was completed.

Our challenge today is to put aside selfishness and our own motives. Our challenge is to repent and fear the Lord. He will be with us. A little bit of sacrifice is obedience and it brings about satisfication in the Lord. We must look at the bigger picture. This life is temporary, but the things we do for Him will have eternal results. As this story teaches we are assured that God will achieve His purposes for His people.

Here is a key thing to remember. It is HIS purposes for HIS people. It is not our purpose for us. Take a good look at your life. Consider your ways. Think it over.

God can accomplish a lot through you, but what are you doing to show faithfulness, sacrifice, and obedience. The opposite of holiness is selfishness. Quit being selfish and pursue holy living that is pleasing to God. Stop living the fancy life, while there are those in our midst who are barely living at all.

choices

2008-11-06T20:16:00.000-08:00

For the past month I have been speaking on Sunday nights about choices. We can choose faith. There are usually consequences to our choices. We react in certain ways when we choose. We are created with a purpose and we choose whether or not to fulfill that purpose.

Don't get me wrong, God begins a work in us and we can choose to ignore it. If we ignore it there will be consequences. Why do people react in this way? What is your purpose?

Choose this day who you will serve.

If you do not choose to serve the Lord, then what are you choosing to serve.

slandering jesus

2008-08-04T21:20:00.001-07:00

I am reading a book entitled Slandering Jesus. From time to time I will post thoughts, ideas and questions. Let's discuss!

As I read through the first part of Chapter 1, the author lays out different assumptions that are required to "reinvent Jesus." The first one I am guilty of and I would assume we are all guilty of doing this. Let's talk about it.

The first assumption is we try to remake Jesus by taking a lesser aspect of his ministry and try to make it the heart and soul of His ministry. For example, we talk about how Jesus is just a compassionate teacher who helps those who are marginalized such as women and the poor. We leave out the big picture that Jesus died to save us from our sins. How is this effecting the gospel message? We must not forgot what it says in Mark 10:45 - For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Peace, Garrett

Why be Holy? (my first sermon at my church)

2008-07-21T11:45:00.001-07:00

Why Be Holy?
I Peter 1:1-16
Last Sunday marked my one year anniversary here at Bethany. It has been a really great year. I have thoroughly
enjoyed getting to know all of you. A lot has happened over this past year. I graduated from Golden Gate
Seminary, packed up a moving truck and drove from the Bay Area to the desert. It was quite an adjustment, but
didn’t take us long to adjust. We have settled in, got the kids in school and even Jessica decided to go back to
teaching. We have had to make new friends, learn our way around, survive a broken air conditioner, but it all
has been a great year. The youth group took off and we did a lot of things and had a lot of fun. I have grown
really close to the youth and it has been sad and a bit emotional to see six of them move in the past week. But as
Doug Cannon and I were speaking about that over dinner last week, he said that is part of ministry. You have to
teach them, disciple them and then send them out. So I am hoping that those six, the Ball’s and the Calderin’s,
have learned something from me, have grown in their faith and will make an impact in their new places.
Another thing I learned and I learned this early on in ministry is that ministry is all about people. There are a lot
of things that go on at “church” but the focus of ministry should always be people. Another thing to remember,
it is not our ministry. It is His ministry that we are entrusted with. If we let it become ours, then we become
selfish. If we remember that it is His ministry and His people we are serving, then we should have a different
type of motivation. I spend quite a bit of time preparing Bible studies, planning youth activities, answering calls
and emails, and going and doing lots of stuff, but the most rewarding time is when I am around people, such as
the youth and all of you. I have had the opportunity to minister to not just youth, but from infants in the nursery,
to the kids in children’s church and even to some of the adults and senior adults. Everyone is very different and
all of you are very different. You each have your own personalities, thoughts and opinions and it has been fun
over the past year learning all about you.
Even though we are all very different and all people are very different, there is one thing that links us, one thing
that gives us commonality, Christian and non-Christian, together. We are all created in the image of one Holy
God and what I want to share with you today is about holiness.
Pastor Kurt asked me if I wanted to preach about a month ago and I said, “Sure.” As soon as I knew I was going
to preach I went into my office and asked God to give me a clear picture of what to speak about. I started
flipping through different scriptures and thinking about different topics and everything kept coming back to the
topic of holiness.
On a side note, Jack Taylor said that one time a pastor spoke on holiness and not too long afterwards he died
and then another pastor spoke on holiness and not too longer after that he left, so I am going to have to take my
chances today.
Once I decided that I would preach about holiness I went to Joann to see if we could sing some songs about
holiness. Joann usually plans the songs several weeks in advance, so I wanted to see if maybe we could change
some songs around. Joann opened up the file on her computer to see what songs she had already put down for
this day and as you can see some of the songs already sung today were on the subject of holiness.
Today, I want to share with you “how to pursue holiness” and then finally at the end answer the question “why
be holy.”
We are going to read today from 1 Peter 1:1-16, but our focus will be on verses 13-16.
On another side note, as I was preparing this, about half way through I noticed that all the points I was making
started with the letter P. So, I decided that I would stay with that theme, so all of the points today will be with
the letter P, I had to be a little creative, but I think you will see the point.
So, if you have your Bible today please turn with me to 1 Peter. If you don’t have a Bible with you let me
encourage you to grab a bible from the chair in front of you and read a long with me. It is on page 180 of the
NT section.
I am going to read the first 16 verses, but as I said our focus today will be on verses 13 – 16.
Let me read verses 13 – 16 again
I am going to try and break down verse 13 into three parts. The first part of verse 13 says this, “Therefore,
prepare you minds for action.”
In another translation it says, “Therefore, gird up the loins of your mind.”
And it Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the Bible, The Message, he puts it this way, “So, roll up your sleeves,
put you mind in gear.”
Verse 13 begins with the word, “therefore.” In the first 12 verses, Peter has just greeted and reminded the newly
converted Christians about their living hope in Jesus Christ.
These new Christians do have a living hope in Jesus, but Peter knows they are going to be witnesses and
experience trials and sufferings, so he begins in verse 13 with the word “therefore or for this reason” prepare
your minds for action.
Peter is encouraging us that in order to pursue holiness, we must prepare our minds for action. Actually the
original language, says to “gird up the loins of your mind.” Picture this - People in Biblical times would gird up
their long robes and tie them around their waists so they could be prepared to move quickly and freely.
That is what Peter is saying here - to pursue holiness we must prepare our minds and do whatever it takes to
focus our thoughts on higher things that allow us to serve God successfully and at the same time eliminate the
thoughts, the bad thoughts that can hold us back.
Hebrews 12:1 says let us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Get rid of the
sin, get rid of the trash, get rid of all that stuff that is slowing us down and think about Godly things. Have Jesus
thoughts!
While living in the Bay Area I was always surround with people who were followers of Eastern Religions, such
as Zen Buddhism. I was able to visit several Zen Buddhist centers and interview and openly talk with them and
one central aspect of their practices was making sure their mind was empty, so they could focus during their
meditation and become “centered.”
The mind is a powerful muscle that God have given us to use for His glory and what Peter is telling us here is to
get our minds ready, prepare our minds, and center our minds on the thoughts of God, so that we can live a holy
life before the Father and others.
There is a worship song by an artist named Charlie Hall. The name of the song is Center and part of the lyrics to
that song, read like this – Christ be the center of our lives, be the place we fix our eyes, be the center of our
lives.
To be holy we must PREPARE our minds and center our lifestyle on Christ Jesus.
Peter continues on in the next part of verse 13 by telling us that in order to be holy we must be self-controlled.
First he says, prepare your minds for action, then he says be self controlled.
Other translations and actually the Greek word is to be sober. It literally means to be free from intoxication.
When people are not sober and are intoxicated, they have the inability to make good judgments. Peter is
encouraging us to be sober in order to use good mental and spiritual judgment when it comes to the practices of
the heart and the mind.
In Galatians 5:22 – 23 it says this: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law it speaks of the fruits of the spirit.
These fruits are qualities of a growing follower of Christ. They are examples of someone who is pursuing
holiness and the last one that in mentions is self control.
I mentioned earlier that to be self controlled is to use good judgment both mentally and spiritually when it come
to the practices of the heart and mind. When I hear that I think of what we do when no one else is looking,
because no one can see into our heart and mind. It is easy to seem self controlled when we are with a group of
people, but is it that easy to stay self controlled when it is just you and temptation is surrounding you.
There recently was a story about a pastor at a Baptist church in Texas who was arrested, basically for not having
self control. He was the adult pastor at a very large church and instead of being self controlled and using good
judgment, he let temptation and his desires that he knew was wrong overcome him and he began to have a
“chatting” relationship with a 13 year old girl. It eventually became more than a chatting relationship, which is
another example of losing self control, when he loaded himself and certain sexual paraphernalia, camera’s gifts
in his car and drove 60 miles to meet with this teenage girl. Little did he know that it was a sting operation and
he would be arrested. I just picture him driving and saying over and over, “this is wrong, this is wrong, this is
wrong.” His lack of self control and lack of a pursuit of holiness has been very destructive to the whole
situation.
To be holy we must practice self control. What Peter says next is very simple. We are still in verse 13. Prepare
your minds, be self controlled and now he tells us to set or rest our hope fully on the grace to be given you when
Jesus Christ is revealed. He is encouraging us to confidently and patiently wait upon the Lord.
Over in Romans 8: 24-25 it says, “For in the hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who
hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Strong leaders never lose hope. The story is told of a great, never say die general who was taken captive and
thrown into a deep, wide pit along with a number of his soldiers. In that pit was a huge pile of horse manure.
The general had much hope because he said Follow me, as he dove into the pile of horse manure, there has to be
a horse in here somewhere.
What is this hope that we are to wait for? It is the hope of Jesus Christ. He is not finished with us. We may go
through suffering, through pain, through doubt, we may even be thrown into a pile of horse manure, but the
hope is that Christ is going to accomplish all His purposes and there is a future glory that we can look forward
too.
To be holy we must patiently and confidently hope. This is what Peter says as we move into verse 14: As
obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. And what does it
mean to live in ignorance – this is how we live when we are not living for Christ.
Before these early Christians were converted they lived in ignorance. They were not a holy people. The word
holy means set apart, sacred, worthy, free from impurity. Now they are Christ followers. They are set apart.
They are his obedient children and Peter is encouraging them to not go back and live with the evil desires they
had when they were ignorant.
Romans 12:2 says: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind.
Christians should not pattern their lives after the desires of this world or the desires that controlled them before
they give their lives to Christ when they did not know the ways of God. Christians should not pattern their lives
after ignorance.
The best example of this I can think of is Britney Spears. I know people that know her and knew her when she
was a little kid. Britney grew up in a Christian family; she went to a private Christian school. She was just a
nice, southern Christian girl. When she got famous, she stood by her beliefs. She was proud of the fact she was
a virgin and that she was a Christian. Time went by, she got bigger and bigger and she ended up losing her
virginity, denouncing the Christian faith and now we have seen her downward spiral. She let the evil desires of
this world lead her back into ignorance.
To be holy we must put off our evil desires. Next in verse 15 it says this, But just as he who called you is holy,
so be holy in all you do.”
The key word in this verse is the word ALL. If Christ has called us into his family, if we call ourselves
followers of Him, we are called to be and be holy in ALL we do.
I am a big fan of the speaker Louie Giglio. He leads a movement of college students called Passion. I have
several of the Passion DVD’s and was watching on the other day and he was speaking of Colossians 3:17.
It says, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through Him,”
The word whatever covers pretty much everything and then is says whatever you do, whether in word or deed
and what else is there besides world or deed, Paul says to do it ALL in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus Christ lived on the earth for about 33 years. He lived in complete perfection and complete holiness in
ALL that He did. He was not a half-hearted Jesus, he was a passionate Jesus and we are not called as Christians
to be half hearted Christians. We are called to be a passionate people. Whatever we do, we are to be holy in
ALL we do and do it in the name of the Lord Jesus.
To be holy we must be passionate in ALL that we do. Finally, here is the answer to the question “why be holy?”
It says in verse 16 “For it is written: be holy because I am holy.” In the book of Leviticus chapter 11:44 and 45
it says this
I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean
by any creature that moves about on the ground. I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your
God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.”
It should be the joy of every Christian to pursue holiness. One place I was reading said it is the duty of every
Christian to pursue complete holiness. Let me clarify one thing. I do not like the word duty. To me a duty is
something we just do to do it. We are supposed to do it, because it is our duty. But, if we do something out of
joy that means there is a special motivation or happiness in our heart that is causing us to do it. Pursue holiness
with joy.
Complete holiness may seem impossible to achieve. After all, we are sinful, imperfect people in constant need
of forgiveness. There is a term that it talks about at the beginning of 1 Peter. That term is sanctification.
Sanctification is the process by which we are made holy. Sanctification only happens by the power of the Holy
Spirit. This power is able to transform us. This power is able to give us strength to abstain from our evil, earthly
desires. This power is able to perfect us.
To be holy we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the book of Genesis, the first chapter, it says that when God created man, he created him in His image. We
are created in the image of God. If God is Holy and we are created in His image, then it must mean we were
created to be Holy.
To be holy we must:
Prepare our minds
Practice self control
Patiently and confidently hope
Put off evil desires
Be Passionate in ALL we do
Rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit
There is one other “P” word I want to throw in. Can you guess what it is? It is pray. We must be in constant
communication with the Father. We must be talking to him, but we also must be listening to Him.
To be holy we must pray
A lot of people see Christianity as having a list of do’s and don’ts. I must do this and I must not do that. That is
not what it is all about. It is all about holiness. Holiness is a lifestyle. We can either choose to pursue holiness or
we can either choose to continue to live in a way of ignorance and be selfish. I believe that the opposite of
holiness is selfishness.
If we are pursuing holiness, we are pursuing to live a life that is pleasing to Christ and that is an example to
others. Selfishness is all about self and the Bible tells us in John 3 that He must increase and I must decrease.
There are many leaders of the world who claim to be holy. There is His Holiness Pope Benedict.
There is His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
There is His Holiness Khalifatul Ahmad.
None of those leaders are holy. It is just there title.
There is only One who is Holy and there is only One whose life we should try to imitate in order to pursue
holiness.
The challenge now is to you. In everything you do, pursue holiness – be Holy because He is holy

time to begin

2008-07-21T11:42:00.001-07:00

just a quick post to say that I will begin writing again soon. i feel that it is something i need to do in order to help me think and create.

later,

g

Encouragement for making New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about New Year's Resolutions. I want you to know that you can make all the resolutions you want, but if you don't let God control your life then they are meaningless.

The greatest commandment of the Bible is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Before we can make Godly resolutions for the New Year we must think about our heart, our soul and our mind.

God chose David because he was a man after His own heart. David prayed that God would create in Him a pure heart. Examine your heart. Is it a heart after God's own heart? Have you asked God to give you a pure heart. You must have a revival of the heart.

In 1 Timothy Paul tells us to pursue Godly training. In order for us to love God with all our soul, we must train to be Godly. Athletes train daily to become stronger and rid themselves of their weaknesses. If you pursue Godly training and pursue your spiritual disciplines you will become more Godly, more holy and your sinful desires will fade away. This happens through a deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You must have a refitting of the soul.

In Romans, the scripture tells us to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We must change our thinking about how we pursue God and our relationship with Him and others. Do your thoughts follow God's thoughts or the thoughts of the ungodly world?

I hope you will make resolutions this year - Godly resolutions.

take time to realize...

2007-12-17T08:00:00.001-08:00

I heard a song this morning with the title, Take Time to Realize, and of course that got me to thinking...

take time to realize that -

you woke up this morning
you took a breath this morning
you did not fall down in the shower this morning
you are blessed this morning
you saw a bird fly
you saw a car go by, without hitting you
you saw the police pull someone over and it wasn't you
you drank coffee
you said hi to someone
your kids gave you a hug
your loved one gave you hug
someone kissed you or shook your hand
you have life
you have life abundantly
you have the ability to share your story
you can buy a cheeseburger
you were created
you were created with a purpose
you are fulfilling that purpose
you are a child of the Father
you have brothers and sisters
you know what a cross is
you know the true meaning of Christmas
you have opportunities
you have a friend
you can say the name Jesus
you have a friend named Jesus
you have an opportunity to tell others about your friend
you should be thankful

You can add something to this list, whatever you want. Just take time to realize that God loves you and stop letting the little things control us. Next time you think the world is going to end and it just can't get any worse, try to put it in perspective with how big God is and what He has done and think, "really, is it that bad?"

It could be worse, always realize that it could be worse. We have a choice to make each day - give our day to God and have the same attitude as Jesus Christ or let the little things bother us and take our focus of God and others.

accept the legend

2007-12-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Friday’s are my day off of work. Each Friday I go exploring across the Vegas Valley. Today my adventure took me to Red Rock Canyon and Red Rock Resort and Casino. I saw the 9:30am showing of I Am Legend.

I watch movies with a “theological” mind and this movie was over-run with theological messages. I am going to break those down into three parts. If you plan on seeing the movie be careful as you read this. It might be a spoiler.

First of all, Robert Neville, is the only human survivor on Earth to his knowledge. Due to a botched experiment a virus has wiped out humanity. Robert is the only one who can save humanity. Normal humanity was wiped out. There were several zombie like creatures due to the viral infection. They didn’t die, but were sort of mutated. They represent the evil of the world. They lived in complete darkness and any hint of light was painful to them. Robert’s job when they came after him was to expose them to light and try to offer them a blood serum that would save them from their mutated state. There are many scripture references to darkness and light. This is one of the first Bible messages I see from this movie. The darkness could not associate itself with the light. It was painful and all the zombies cared to do was hide. They waited for darkness to come, so they could come out and search for the blood that would cure them. I think we are like that sometimes. We all have that hidden darkness, or shame, or sin that we let consume us. It is painful if that comes to light and others see it. We end up searching for the blood of Christ that forgives when no one is looking. If that sin were to come out it would embarrass us and that is why we hide it. Just like the zombies couldn’t hide from Robert, we can’t hide from Christ. Seek the forgiveness that Christ offers and live in the light. Jesus says He is the light of the world and whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. What a promise.

Secondly, there is a section of the movie where Robert and a lady talk about God’s plan. She says that she is sent to Him because it is part of God’s plan. She says she was sent to get him and take him to a colony where some survivors are living. Robert denies that there are other living humans. Robert say’s there is no God. God did not do this, we did this. He is partly correct. We did do this. We have screwed up. A long time ago, we screwed up, but Jesus was sent to help us. It was all part of God’s plan. Just as the lady heard Robert’s voice over the radio and she arrived to help, God saw our need for a Savior. He saw that we were just doomed and we needed someone to help us out. We celebrate Christmas this month. God knew we could not and would not get better, so He sent His Son to help us out. It was part of God’s plan. The rest of God’s plan comes next.

Lastly, as the movie draws to a close the evil zombies have found out where Robert lives. Thousands of zombies attack his home. He tries everything he can to stop them. He shoots them, sets off bombs and explosions, but nothing is slowing them down. He and the lady retreat to his lab in the basement and enter into a glass cage where one of the zombies is being kept for research. He notices that the blood serum from his body (Robert is immune, he cannot be infected) has started to heal this zombie. He pleads with the zombies attacking him that he can save them, but they keep attacking. He sends the lady through a secret passage to escape. Right before he closes the door to send her out he gives her his blood. This blood will be able to save humanity if there is anymore infection. She doesn’t want to leave him to die, but he tells her this is God’s plan. She leaves as the zombies continue to attack. With no guns or anything else to protect him, he reaches into his desk drawer and gets a grenade. He pulls the pin and rushes head on into the zombies, sacrificing himself and killing all the zombies. How more Bible can you get? He offers his blood to save humanity and then wipes out evil by sacrificing his life. That is the rest of God’s plan. Yes, He sent His Son into this world as a baby. That baby grew up and lived a perfect (immune) life. That baby, as a man, gave His blood, and died as a sacrifice so that humanity be saved.

The movie ends saying that God’s plan continues because of the legacy that Robert wanted to leave. He worked so hard to leave a legacy. He died in order to leave a legend. He was a legend. Are we leaving a legacy? There are people in our midst who need us. What is the legacy we will leave behind for them? What about the people of the future we will never meet? What will be the legacy for them to see in years to come? Be a legend.

Most of you that read this will already be believers of the message and will have accepted the free gift. Maybe there is someone out there who needs the best gift ever this Christmas – Jesus Christ. My prayer is that you will “accept this.” Go see the movie, you will see what I am talking about.

solitude

2007-12-07T08:01:00.001-08:00

I am sitting in a cafe all by myself. It is filled with art, flat screen tv's, very modern IKEA type furniture and is impeccably clean. It is on one of the busier street on the South side of Vegas and yet I am all alone.

It is cloudy and gloomy outside. The rain drizzles and a cold, cutting wind blows across the parking lot filled with cars, but no one is in here. The coffee is great and the atmosphere of this place is amazing. I have been looking for something like this since we moved here.

Why am I alone? I usually go to these types of places on Friday's (my day off) in order to meet people and talk with them. I did this in Marin and have done it in other places I have lived. There is no one to talk to. I am going to talk, no wait, I am going to listen to God.

complainers...

2007-12-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

I have been doing a lot of reading lately and it has caused me to do a lot of thinking. We, as ministers, battle the daily grind. We wake up and help everyone get ready for work, school, class, or whatever and then we are expected to be perfect, energized, happy ministers. I hear too often complaints in ministry. I am guilty of it too and I am not pointing fingers. We complain about people. We complain about money. We complain about the other pastor. We complain about being tired. We complain about too many phone calls. We complain about too many interruptions when trying to read or prepare. We complain because we have to be in two places at once. We complain because people in the church don't think like we do. We complain because there is only one Starbucks in town. Did I say that? Anyways, whatever it is we (you) probably have complained about it.

Think about this: Jesus' parents did not understand him when he spent all His time in the temple talking to the leaders. Jesus' family thought He was crazy. His friends did not understand the heart of His mission. He had friends who stole and betrayed. He had friends who said they did not even know Him. His friends would argue about who is the greatest. They fled when He was arrested. They associated Him with Beelzebul. Through false accusations, He was crucified. He went forty days without food. He was tempted. He did not have a place to lay His head. He ministered to so many that He did not have time to eat. He walked many, many miles to minister to people. He was arrested. He was beaten. He was sentenced. He died.

Through all of this Jesus never complained. Why do I think I have it bad? Why do I complain that I have to stop and get gas? At least I have a car to drive me from ministry appointment to lunch and to ministry appointment or whatever the schedule may be. At least I have time to rest and remove myself. Jesus couldn't do this. People followed Him wherever He went.

Jesus even chose to deprive Himself of His rights to save humanity at His death. He agonized in the garden. His death was not an easy one. It was full of pain, torture. It is beyond description.

The point is that Jesus foregoes several legitimate rights in order to be effective in His ministry. Do we do that? I don't. He became all things to all people so that He might save some. Another topic of discussion could be, why did He say "save some" and not say "save all?"

Doulos - bondservant - someone who could be free, but chooses not to be. That is how Jesus served us and that is how the attitude of our servant hood should be. Ajith Fernando says, "We are children of the King and servants of the people. We pay a price so that we can identiy with people and serve them effectively."

my feet are dirty

2007-12-05T08:08:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, I spoke about John 13: 1-17. If you are not familiar with this passage it is about Jesus washing his disciples feet. Now think about it. It is the night before Jesus is to be executed. He is going to die in just a few hours and what does he want to do for his disciples? He wants to wash their feet.

Now it is probably dinner time. It has been a long day. The disciples feet are dirty, dusty and who knows when their feet were washed last. Jesus wants to take this time as a time to teach them.

I probably would have had the same response as Peter (read v. 6-8). Would you want the Son of God to wash your feet? No, you would want to wash his. Jesus responds to Peter by saying, "unless you let me wash you, you have not part in me." What does he mean by this? I see a little bit of Pride vs. Humility here. Are we too proud to think the the Son of God could lower himself to wash our feet? Are we humble enough to listen to Jesus and allow Him to cleanse us of all the dirt in our life?

This is what I told the youth - Jesus has washed us, cleansed us and we have become part of Him. It should be our hearts desire to serve others. Jesus tells us we should wash one another’s feet. This doesn’t necessarily mean for you to take off your friends shoes and socks and a get a rag and soapy water and scrub off their toe jam. It just means serve someone.

Read Philippians 2:5-8. God had to humble Himself and become a man. Jesus was that man and he had to humble himself and be obedient to death upon a cross. Jesus is the suffering servant. To me that is what this story is about. It is about serving with humility. Jesus served his disciples that night by washing their feet. Think about how good it feels when you have been walking or working all day and you pull those shoes off, then next those socks and jump into the shower or bath and wash your feet. That is what he did for them. They were probably refreshed. I think he did it because they had dirty feet, but I think He did it for a bigger reason.

How did He serve? He cleaned their feet. He taught them a valuable lesson. He died on a cross. I don't know who reads this, but if you need to humble yourself and say Jesus please wash me clean and help me start over, please do so. I have been trying to explain to the youth the magnitude of Christ's death. It was bloody and more gruesome than we can even imagine. I think sometimes we paint to pretty of a picture of His death. It was bad.

Think about what He did for you. He has offered us a free gift. Are you ready to accept this free gift?

Part 1 of 2

2007-11-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

part one really has nothing to do with part two, but I wanted to mention two things today.

A few summers ago I took a class at Golden Gate called Theology and Imagination/Film and Faith. Basically it was about watching films, reviewing those films, developing a Biblical message from those films and using it as conversation pieces if the subject ever came up. Believe me it is really easy to find messages in TV and Film.

The other night I was watching Grey's Anatomy and I was really struck by what Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) said in one certain part of the show. The scenario is this: two ambulances collided, a man is trapped inside and dying. There is no way to save him. His wife works at the hospital and Meredith rushes to find her so that the nurse can say goodbye to her dying husband.

What Meredith says afterwards just struck me. I am just going to paraphrase what she said. She says that she has worked at that hospital for a long time and has never seen the wife. She is a complete stranger. She has never met her, but she is the one who handed her the most awful news she will ever get. Meredith will always be in the wife's life story the one who handed her the bad news. That is how this woman will remember Meredith. Meredith's boss replies to her and says, "that's the job."

Now I have thought about this a lot and this will sound cheezy and over baptized and whatever other words you want to use, but how true is this for us as Christians. We are all someone in someone else's story. We will have encounters with strangers. We will have encounters with someone we have never met. We will have encounters with someone that we have never seen before. We need to be the person in someone's life story that shares with them the good news. Maybe, just maybe that is how they will remember us. We may never ever see that person again, but we will have left an impression, a legacy with that person. THAT'S THE JOB!

Just as Jesus did with the Samaritan women. She did not know him. They were strangers. Jesus shared with her the good news. He became part of her life story. What happened? She went and told everyone else and others believed.

That is how it is supposed to work. Get involved in someone's story. Do your job and share with them the good news. How great it will be that when you have shared the news and the person has heard and believed the news, you will be a part of their new story to be shared with others and so on.

God Bless!

God is big

2007-11-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read Psalm 86? Particularly verses 8-13. If not take a moment and read those now.

8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.

9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, O Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.

10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.

13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

I had never read these verses until a couple months ago. Well, I probably had read them, but not in the way I did this time. This is such a worshipful passage. I am suprised that it as not been turned into a song (maybe it has and I just have not heard it yet).

There is none like our great God. He has made the nations and the promise is that they WILL come and worship and glorify His name. Lord teach us, teach us, teach us. Lord break us and mold us and show us your way. You alone are God. Help us walk in your truth with an undivided heart. I will praise you forever Lord. You have saved me!

What is your response to these verses?