Gary Rounsavall

Consumerism and Following Christ

2011-07-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Alan Hirsch says that consumerism and a life of consumption is the single greatest threat to the practice of discipleship in our world today. When we live to consume rather than living to serve and give, then church becomes nothing more than a vendor of spiritual experiences and religious services. Instead of being the church, we go to church. We go to one church for the preaching and teaching. We go to another church for the worship. And we go to another for their outstanding children's and youth programs. We end up consuming rather than following Jesus. Our mantra becomes "Feed me! Wow me! And care for my kids!" instead of "Jesus is Lord!"

Opinions

2011-03-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

Be careful of having a high opinion of your opinions!

True Success in Life

2011-03-03T15:42:00.000-08:00

"But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place!" 2 Corinthians 2:14

Political Vultures - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online

2011-01-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

Political Vultures - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online
Interesting thoughts in light of some irresponsible comments I've heard on TV with regards to the AZ. shooting. It's interesting how we try to politicize almost everything. I think what our world needs today is a little less political rhetoric and a little more common sense. We also need a message of hope that says the real problem is sin in the heart and the real answer is found in the person of Christ.

Prayer: What on earth does God want from us?

2011-01-10T10:47:00.000-08:00

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Jesus

Prayer isn't prying what we want from the hand of a reluctant God!

So, what is prayer?

Thoughts for the New Year:

2011-01-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

"The more willing I was to look honestly at what I was thinking and saying and doing now, the more easily I would come into touch with the movement of God's Spirit in me, leading me to the future. God is a God of the present and reveals to those who are willing to listen carefully to the moment in which they live the steps they are to take toward the future. 'Do not worry about tomorrow,' Jesus says, 'tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own' (Matthew 6:34)." Henri Nouwen from "In the Name of Jesus"

Rob Dunbar: Discovering ancient climates in oceans and ice | Video on TED.com

2010-09-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

Rob Dunbar: Discovering ancient climates in oceans and ice | Video on TED.com I watched this video on climate change and ocean acidification and thought it was interesting. God has called us to be stewards of creation. I'm not sure that I know how to fix all the problems. But I know we need to care and we need to make sure we are getting the facts.

Integrity

2010-09-23T22:21:00.000-07:00

I'm reading a great book by Henry Cloud called Integrity. I strongly recommend it. He challenges you to think about the wake you leave in your life. Are people better because of your presence in their lives?

My Voice: My Voice - How did We get Here?

2010-08-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Jim and Annie are good friends and faithful stewards of the gospel in Chico. Orchard Church is one of the most exciting churches that I know about. I think they have had greater pound-for-pound kingdom impact than any church I know. To read more about their story check out this link: My Voice: My Voice - How did We get Here?: "This month we are celebrating the five year anniversary of the Orchard STEPs House, a clean and sober living environment committed to helpin..."

Logos 4 Mac

2010-08-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

Logos Bible Software is giving away thousands of dollars of prizes to celebrate the launch of Logos Bible Software 4 Mac on October 1. Prizes include an iMac, a MacBook Pro, an iPad, an iPod Touch, and more than 100 other prizes!

They’re also having a special limited-time sale on their Mac and PC base packages and upgrades. Check it out!

A few weeks ago I converted to MacBook Pro after years of using PC's. I wish I had done it sooner. I am really enjoying Mac and it is much more stable than what I had been working with for so long. I am also looking forward to getting new Bible study software to go with it. My software of choice is Logos. If you have a Mac or PC and your looking for good Bible study software it's worth checking out!

Ed Stetzer - Back to Church Sunday: Reaching the UnChurched and DeChurched

2010-08-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday September 12th is National Back to Church Sunday and Solano Valley Church will celebrate its 16th birthday. Over the last 16 years a lot of lives have been touched and changed through this church.

According to a recent survey by Lifeway Research 63% of the 15,000 people surveyed would accept information about a church if it was offered from a family member. And 56% said that they would receive it from a friend or neighbor. According the same study, personal invitation is still the most effective means of bringing people to church. What if everybody in our church were to invite a friend to church for National Back to Church Sunday? What if every person in every church in our community were to invite someone to church for National Back to Church Sunday? How might God work in peoples' lives? Ed Stetzer - Back to Church Sunday: Reaching the UnChurched and DeChurched

How did we get the Bible and can it be trusted?

2010-08-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes people ask me how we got the Bible or question its reliability. This is a short interview with Craig Blomberg that addresses some of these questions. The Question Group: How did we get the bible? Interview with Professor...: "Untitled from Dave Morlan on Vimeo."

Following Jesus

2010-07-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

How do you FOLLOW Jesus?

"18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.' 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

"21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."

When Peter, Andrew, James, and John responded to the invitation to follow Christ, there was no putting it off for another day. They immediately left everything and everyone that once defined their lives to follow Christ.

So how do YOU follow Jesus?

High Seas Expedition

2010-07-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

Today we are doing day four of High Seas Expedition - our version of VBS. The kids are having a great time.

Joy has been leading it and we have had excellent participation by the people of our church. We are also seeing a lot of new kids from our community involved. Close to 40% of the kids participating don't come from our church.

Every night after we finish, between 9:30 and 10:00 p.m., we have gone home as a family and I have prepared sit-down meal for the family. That's a lot of late-night dining!

I think making time to be together as a family when we have been very busy with ministry has kept the whole experience healthier and more fun. But I look forward to getting my wife back after we finish.

Well it's time to go. Someone said something about refreshment time!

Following Christ

2010-07-19T15:27:00.001-07:00

"We may as well face it: the whole level of spirituality among us is low. We have measured ourselves by ourselves until the incentive to seek higher plateaus in the things of the Spirit is all but gone... [We] have imitated the world, sought popular favor, manufactured delights to substitute for the joy of the Lord and produced a cheap and synthetic power to substitute for the power of the Holy Ghost." A. W. Tozer (as quoted by Francis Chan in Forgotten God)

This week we are going to do part five in our series What Makes Christianity Christian? This week we are going to talk about what it means to follow Christ. So tell me what you think. What does it mean to follow Christ? How is believing in Christ different or the same as following Christ? And how can a person know if they are a true follower of Christ?

Losing God in Sermon-Making

2010-07-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

"Even sermon-making, incessant and taxing as an art, as a duty, as a work, or as a pleasure will engross and harden, will estrange the heart by neglect of prayer, from God. The scientist loses God in nature. The preacher may lose God in his sermon." E. M. Bounds in Power Through Prayer

May God protect me from making much of preaching while making little of prayer! Protect me from losing God in sermon-making!

Blog post on Toy Story 3 by Donald Miller

2010-07-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog post by Donald Miller. He shares some interesting thoughts on life and leading a team based upon the movie Toy Story 3.

Toy Story 3: What We Can Learn From a Great Story Pt. 1 of 3

"Who is the Holy Spirit and why should I care?"

2010-07-14T15:18:00.000-07:00

If you are a Christian and someone were to ask you, "Who is the Holy Spirit and why should I care?", how would you answer them?

If you have some thoughts, I would like to hear from you. On Sunday morning we are doing a message on The Forgotten God. This is our fourth message on What Makes Christianity Christian? series.

Send me any thoughts or questions you have and I will try to incorporate them in my message.

The Forgotten God

2010-07-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

In his book The Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit Francis Chan says, "The Holy Spirit is absolutely vital to our situation today. Of course, He is always vital; but perhaps especially now. After all, if the Holy Spirit moves, nothing can stop Him. If He doesn't move, we will not produce genuine fruit--no matter how much effort or money we expend. The church becomes irrelevant when it becomes purely a human creation."

Power through Prayer 2

2010-07-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

E. M. Bounds in his classic book Power through Prayer says, "What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use--men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow on methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men--men of prayer."

Do you agree or disagree with Bounds' comments? Why?

Power through Prayer

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

How would you describe your prayer life? What kinds of things are central to your requests? Do you tend to pray primarily about your “wants” and things that have little eternal significance? Or is your prayer driven by the missional mindset of Christ to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:1-10)?

Do you pray specifically expecting God to answer? Or do you protect yourself from disappointment and pray in a manner that is so generalized you would never know if God had responded in some way to your prayer?

Would you describe your prayer life as powerful? Would you say that your prayer produces wonderful results?

James 5:16 says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

What does it mean to pray earnestly? What does it mean to be a righteous person? When you read this text how do you want to see God change you and the way you pray?

Tell me what you think.

Forest Home 2

2010-07-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

Last week Joy, the kids, and I went to Forest Home in the San Bernardino Mountains. It was a great time to connect, worship, rest, and play.

In this picture Caleb is engaging in a little competitive "diving" - trying to score points for his team!

We also had some time with the Contreras family, who are always a blast to hang out with!

On the last night Joy and I had dinner with Stan and Angie White. Stan is the president and CEO of Forest Home. I enjoyed getting to know him and learning more about the history of the camp and their vision for serving churches and building the kingdom.

Forest Home

2010-06-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

I'm taking Joy and the kids to central and southern California for a couple of days. We're going to stop off at San Luis Obispo on the way. We're going to look at Cal Poly, the mission, go to Pismo Beach, and then continue south for family camp at Forest Home.

I hope to come back with some fun stories to share.

Until then, grace and peace!

When God's Grace Shows Up

2010-06-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

In Titus 2 Paul tells us what happens when God's grace - his love and power - invades our lives.

It prepares and empowers us to say no to sin of every kind. It trains and strengthens us so that we are the masters of our impulses and we are able to live healthy and holy lives filled with the joyful expectation that Christ Jesus - our great God and Savior - is coming again.

Christ Jesus laid down his life for ours so that he could set us free from the power and contamination of sin. Now we can be God's holy people excited and passionate about doing what is right!

What if we prayed?

2010-06-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday during staff meeting we had an interesting conversation. I asked the staff what would happen if we were to grow - really grow - in our understanding and practice of prayer and dependence on God? How would our church be different?

The answers were interesting. Elsa said we would hear from God. Matt said it would change everything. There would be a sense of God at work. Tessa said we would have a greater sense of boldness and urgency in everything we do.

There have been times for me when so much of prayer has felt boring or like a long list of petty petitions about a lot of things that don't really matter.

I want to change. I want to be changed. I want to grow in my understanding and practice of prayer and dependence on God!

Strategic Planning

2010-06-07T22:10:00.000-07:00

In his book Advanced Strategic Planning Aubrey Malphurs says that every church or organization has a corporate soul. Effective leaders seek to understand and tap into the core values that are the heartbeat of the church or organization.

Malphurs says that these core values are building blocks or DNA that explain why the church does what it does. And these values become the foundation on which the mission and vision are built.

As a single individual’s values explain what is most important for a person and what drives his/her behavior, a church's values explain the priorities of a church and what drives its behavior.

The Importance of Values:

Malphurs lists nine reasons why a church’s values are important.

1. “Values determine ministry distinctives”

Values define the culture of a church and the culture of the church is what makes it unique.

2. “Values dictate personal involvement”

The more an individual shares the values of a church, the more involved they will be. The less that a person shares the values of a church, the less involved they will be.

3. “Values communicate what is important”

A basic principle for people and organizations is that what is valued gets done. What isn’t valued is usually ignored.

4. “Values embrace good change”

This, of course assumes, that the organizational values of a church are good. If a church doesn’t have healthy defining values, it may resist change when God wants it to embrace change and grow.

When we have healthy values and we have clearly identified them, they help stir the decision-making process of defining good change.

5. “Values influence overall behavior”

What is truly valued gets done. If we say it’s a value, but we don’t really value it at a heart level, then it won't really drive our decisions and behavior.

6. “Values inspire people to action”

When a group of people share values it has a unifying and energizing effect that mobilizes a cooperative effort that results in greater impact.

7. “Values enhance credible leadership”

Leaders must articulate their values well if they hope to lead people in any kind of kingdom-building venture. If people do not know or respect the values of a leader, then the leader’s ability to influence others will be compromised.

8. “Values contribute to ministry success”

Malphurs says, “It is the organization’s ingrained understanding of its core values more than its technical skills that make its success possible.” (page 99)

9. “Values determine ministry mission and vision”

Malphurs says, “Just because a church decides that the Great Commission will be its mission does not mean that this will be the case. If the church does not value evangelism, then in reality it will have some other mission that aligns more closely with its values, whatever they may be. churches that are not evangelical or that do not value the Bible may have some other mission and vision based on what they do value.” (page 100)

Silver Spur

2010-05-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

Today I drove up to Silver Spur Camp in Tuolumne. I'm having a good time connecting with some friends and hearing from God. Tonight we looked at Psalm 22 together. I miss my family and look forward to seeing them again on Wednesday.

Unity of the Spirit

2009-10-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

God wants us to understand that our assurance is based upon the saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ and his, rather than our good works. He wants us to build our lives on the solid foundation of his word. He wants us to draw near him in prayer. He wants us to delight in him through worship - both personal and public worship. And he wants us to experience the kind of spiritual connection that helps us grow.

Unity of the Spirit is a humble and rich way of relating as the spiritual body of Christ on earth that creates an environment where people grow spiritually and the world is drawn irresistibly to him.

This Sunday morning we are going to talk about how we can practice, promote, and protect this kind of togetherness that can change our lives while pointing others to Christ in a powerful way. And if you are not currently involved in a 2:42 Group or one of our 2:42 Ministries like Advance Student Ministries, these are wonderful opportunities to build safe friendships where you can grow spiritually!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Ephesians 4:1-3

Turning 50!

2009-09-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

Today I turned 50 and I am excited about the future!

Here are a few thoughts on my 50th birthday.

I used to admire people mostly for their gifts and intelligence. Now I admire men and women who finish well by following Christ and serving him for a life-time! Besides my parents there are several men who inspire me to want to be like them:

I admire:

My father-in-law Vic: He is energetic. He gets things done. He loves to learn. He enjoys life whether hunting, playing his trumpet, fishing, reading, playing pool or golf, preaching, or writing notes to his family and friends!
My uncle Jim: An evangelist who has invested his life in leading "forgotten people" to Christ whether serving poor African-American churches in east Arkansas, men in jail, truckers at truck-stops, or the aging in assisted living centers.
Bud Hart: My pastor growing up, a faithful teacher of the word of God, patient and forgiving when wronged, energetic, lover of people, and always gracious!
Paul Null: A man who has encouraged me, admonished me with great kindness and patience, challenges me to think about the true measure of success, and makes me laugh when I feel like blowing a fuse or telling someone off!
Glennon Culwell: Faithful messenger of God's word and servant with the board of Next Generation Churches when most men are dead or waiting to die!

These are just a few men who have marked my life! Thanks!

I am grateful for:

Every day I spend with Joy! My partner for life, best-friend, and wonderful mother of my children!
Caleb: a heart tender for the Lord, loyal friend, scary smart, athlete, loves to excel, Razorback-fan, and funnier than many of you know!
Casady: bright, eager to explore and learn new things, lover of animals, creative, witty, personable, fun, and makes a pretty darn good chocolate cake!
Faith: a reader, adores all things beautiful, artistic, lover of people, friendly, compassionate, smart, and feistier than most people know!
My parents, sister, in-laws (or as Joy's mom likes to say, my "in-loves"), uncles, aunts, cousins, and my friends spread out from coast to coast!
Four people who said they wanted to surrender their lives to following Christ as their Lord and Savior this past Sunday!
Good health!

I hate:

Anything that looks or feels like quitting!
Complacency about our spiritual lives or the status quo!

I am excited about:

The future!

A few thoughts on aging:

"You don't get old until you outlive your dreams!" ~I would like to think that I was the first one to say this. But my guess is that there are probably a few thousand people who said this before I did!
"Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul." ~Samuel Ullman
"In dog years, I'm dead." ~Author Unknown
"A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams." ~John Barrymore
"Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read." ~Francis Bacon
"I don't believe one grows older. I think that what happens early on in life is that at a certain age one stands still and stagnates." ~T.S. Eliot
"First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up, then you forget to pull your zipper down." ~Leo Rosenberg
"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm." ~Henry David Thoreau
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

May the Lord bless you and teach you to numbers your days and gain a heart of wisdom!

Warmly in Christ,

Gary

Faith Venture

2009-07-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,

You were made for the adventure of walking by faith and seeing God prove His faithfulness in your life! A life spent doing anything less will ultimately leave us feeling dissatisfied and empty.

In Matthew 14 we read the story of how the disciples were on a boat in the middle of a storm. When Christ comes to His disciples walking on the water, His disciples were afraid. In verses 26-27 we see an interesting parallel between the reaction of the disciples and the message of Jesus.

"But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, 'It is a ghost!' and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.'"

When the disciples were terrified, Jesus said, "Take heart!" When the disciples said, "It is a ghost!" Jesus said, "It is I!" When the disciples cried out in fear, Jesus said, ""Do not be afraid!"

Sometimes it's in an area of great fear that our Savior wants to meet us in a special way. God doesn't want us to live in fear. He wants us to walk by faith. And this life of walking by faith is the greatest and most satisfying adventure that any person can ever embark on.

This Sunday we begin a new five-part series called Faith Venture. I believe that God has a special purpose for the life of every person. I believe that God wants to use you to make a difference in your world. And I believe that God's plan for you is more thrilling and satisfying than any action-adventure movie.

I hope to see you Sunday if not sooner!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

2009-07-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

Over the last four weeks, two of my heroes have come to our church to preach for me. This has given me a wonderful opportunity to reflectively read the word of God and pray with a listening ear. Too often the weekly deadline of preaching another message pushes me away from slowly marinating in the word of God and letting Him speak to my heart and mind.

As I have been reading and praying in this manner, I have thought a lot about the future of our church and where God is leading us to go. A lot of writers and seminar speakers like to talk about the importance of setting goals. And in particular they talk about S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. is an acrostic for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-constrained or some other similar variation.

In large measure I agree with much of what these speakers and writers share. But I believe in a slightly different variation. I believe that each one of us, as followers of Christ, needs Christ-honoring goals for our lives. I believe that setting goals and planning is prayerfully seeking to know God's heart and mind for our lives, rather than dictating to God what His will for our lives should be. So let me offer you a slightly different acrostic for S.M.A.R.T.

S - Specific, but giving God room to do what pleases Him most: Goals that lack specificity can leave us without a real sense of direction to guide our actions. But we also need to understand that as the heavens are higher than the earth so are God's ways higher than ours. God oftentimes chooses to work in ways that we would have never planned. When this happens, we need to humbly yield to Him.

On one occasion the apostle Paul was planning to go to a place called Bithynia for ministry (Acts 16:6-10). But then the Spirit of God redirected the apostle Paul to Macedonia. As a result of Paul's flexibility to the leading of the Spirit, the lives of many people were changed in cities like Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth. Paul's plan was to go to Bithynia. God's will was for him to go to Macedonia. Paul surrendered his plan to God's will, and today we still reap the blessing of reading the books of Philippians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and 1 and 2 Corinthians in our Bibles.

Specific goals can be very helpful. But we need to balance this by being flexible and giving God room to do what pleases Him most.

M - Measurable and in measure with how God has gifted us: I believe goals need to be quantifiable. But I also think the measure we use needs to be in measure with how God has gifted us.

Not all of us are equally gifted, but we are all vitally important to our Master. And nothing that we do is unimportant to Him. No one should ever think that because we are not as gifted as others, that our actions no longer matter or have value to God. We need goals that properly understand our part in God's plan. And we need to faithfully fulfill the stewardship we have from God.

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells the story of a master who goes away for a journey, and he entrusts each of his three servants with a portion of his property until he returns. To one slave he gave a portion of five talents, to another two, and to the third he gave one. According to Jesus, the master gave them a portion of his property in keeping with their ability.

When the master returned, he rewarded the first two slaves for their diligent service and doubling the portions that the master had entrusted them. But the master was deeply disappointed with the third slave, because of his wickedness and laziness. The third slave had only buried the talent entrusted to him, and so he had nothing to show his master on his return.

What are you doing with the time, talent, and treasure that God has entrusted you? What will our Master say to you when He returns? Each of us has a holy trust from our Master. We need to use it in measure with God's trust to us. To whom much is given, much is required. He who is faithful in little will be faithful in much.

A - Aligned: Our goals must be aligned with God's mission for our lives: As followers of Christ, we do not get the privilege of choosing our mission for our lives. And it is hugely important for our goals and ambitions to be fully yielded to His mission and plan for us.

God's mission is for every believer to be involved in the task of making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). God wants us to make disciples who worship Him, grow in Him, serve Him, and reach others for Him.

R - Rooted in Scripture and born in prayer: When our goals are rooted in Scripture and born in prayer, we can have a greater assurance that we are truly being guided by what is important to God and with the assurance of His blessing.

When we delight in God's word, when we meditate on it day and night, then we will be like a tree firmly rooted by streams of water. We will live fruitful lives. We will have spiritual vitality. We will be successful in all that God wants us to do (Psalm 1:1-3).

When we come to God in prayer, not "dictating" to Him our will for our lives, but humbly listening to Him speak to us through His word, then we will hear God speak to us about His plans and will for us (Eccl. 5:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; and Jer. 29:11).

T - Time-constrained, but with an eternal perspective: Although it is important for us to have timelines for our goals and a right understanding for sequential action, we also need to understand that God's timeline is guided by His infinite wisdom and perfect plan. In Galatians 4:4-5 the Bible tells us that in God's perfect timing He sent His Son, born of a woman, and born under the law so that He might redeem those under the law.

What about you? What are some goals that you have for your spiritual lives? If you don't have any spiritual goals for your life or if it has been a while since you have taken time for prayerful reflection on how God wants to work in and through your life, I would like to encourage you to take some time to listen to God with a humble heart and partner with Him in how He wants to work in and through your life.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

Update On My Parents

2009-06-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

I want everybody to know how grateful I am for your prayers and concerns for my parents. Everyday they seem to do a little better. When I first flew in to Little Rock on June 10th my mom was unable to carry on a coherent conversation. But now she appears to suffer from no long term effects of her brain bleed. She is able to carry on a clear and lucid conversation, although she still gets tired very quickly. Her broken neck, fractured sternum, and broken ribs will take longer to heal. She still needs lots of rest.

My Dad is getting around well with a walking cast on his broken ankle and with the use of a walker. In about a week and a half the doctor will confirm whether or not his ankle requires surgery.

Recently I have been meditating on Matthew 14. One of my favorite stories of the Bible is how God took the offering of five loaves of bread and two fish to feed an entire multitude. Verse 20 says, "And they all ate and were satisfied."

It is amazing how God is able to take such an "insignificant offering" and multiply it to feed such a large multitude. This text points out to us that there really is no such thing as an insignificant offering. And there is nothing that God can't do when we sacrifice what we have for Him to use for His glory.

In the summer months it is not unusual for giving to take a dip in many churches. I want to remind you that your offering is not insignificant in the Lord's eyes. Bring what you have to God and let Him multiply it to meet the needs of many. Perhaps because of your faithful offering to God, heaven will declare, "And they all ate and were satisfied."

Warmly in Christ,

Gary

Please Pray For My Family

2009-06-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

Many of you are aware that my parents were in a car accident yesterday and are already praying for them. I appreciate your prayers and concern. Joy, the kids, and I were due to fly out on Monday for vacation. Joy and the kids will still be flying out Monday, but I will be flying out of Sacramento at noon today.

The story was on the local news at the link below. My dad, who just turned 83, is fortunate that he wasn't more seriously injured. They were hit by some guys who were test driving a Mustang. According to witnesses, they were weaving in and out of traffic and driving at a high rate of speed. My dad, who was making a left turn, said he had plenty of room to make the turn when the car "came out of nowhere." Both of my parents (in the white car) were knocked unconscious by the impact of the crash. The driver of the Mustang that hit my parents was thrown from his car. And all three of the occupants of the Mustang were hospitalized as well.

http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext?cid=228892

The major concerns for my mom right now are a broken c2 vertebrae and symptoms of a brain bleed. For a brief time this morning she didn't know who my sister was and she was talking without making any sense. They are preparing to do an MRI that will tell them more about the strength of her neck and whether or not that requires surgery and it will also reveal in more detail the extent of the bleeding in her brain. My mom is a strong person spiritually, physically, and emotionally which all works in her favor. And my parents’ church has rallied around them in their need.

Please continue to pray for my family. I will let you know more when I get more information.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

1 Corinthians 15:58

The Wondrous Cross

2009-06-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

What do we learn from looking at the cross?

In his hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Isaac Watts wrote:

"When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride."

Erwin McManus writes about the cross:

"If the cross of Christ teaches us anything, it teaches us that sometimes God doesn't show up until after we are dead."

The apostle Paul wrote about the cross:

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14

On Sunday, June 7th, we will being doing our fourth of five messages looking at what the hymns of previous generations can teach us about worship, theology, and the Christian experience. This Sunday we will take communion together and look at Isaac Watts’ When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

Fay B. King

2009-06-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dear friend,

The Scripture says to absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Many of you are already aware that our dear friend, Fay B. King, passed away to be with the Lord on May 31st at about 8 PM. I would like to ask you to be in prayer for her family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 1 PM on June 20th at Liberty Christian Center in Fairfield.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

The Prayer That Changes Everything Is The Prayer That Changes Me

2009-03-19T19:08:00.001-07:00

Dear Friend,

Do you want a powerful prayer experience?

Do you have a powerful prayer experience?

(Before you answer this question in the affirmative, I would ask you to consider and compare the scope of God's power and the extent of your experience of it.)

When was the last time you prayed and saw a sea parted? When was the last time you prayed and saw the sun stand still? When was the last time you prayed and saw the dead raised? When was the last time you prayed and saw a national revival?

When was the last time you prayed and saw the power of God? When was the last time you dared to pray for something so big it could only be explained by God at work?

And when was the last time you prayed - sincerely prayed, prayed with all your heart and might - but it seemed like your prayer bounced off the ceiling? When was the last time you gave up on prayer because it felt like it didn't really matter? It felt like God is going to do what God is going to do and my prayers are pointless?

This week we are going to look at a passage of scripture on prayer that convicts me and my prayerlessness (Ephesians 3:14-21). It's implications scare me. It scares me to think about what I haven't prayed for, but could have. It scares me to think about what I haven't seen - not because of God's limited power, but because of my misguided desires and agendas for God.

I hope you will read it. And I hope that God's word will speak to you in a fresh way - maybe even a life-changing way - that revolutionizes and revitalizes your prayer life!

I am praying for you and for me and for what God is going to say to us!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

Seeing People The Way Christ Does

2009-03-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,

What do you say or do for a friend facing the possibility of cancer, a parent with an adult-child addicted to drugs, a friend who has lost a loved one to suicide, or someone who is in real danger of losing their home?

When Jesus looked at people, He saw their heartaches, fears, shame, and disappointments. The Bible says this about Jesus,

“When he saw the crowds, he felt deep concern for them. They were beaten down and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is huge. But there are only a few workers. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.’” Matthew 9:36-38 (NIrV)

Some people think of church as a place where you have to look good so all the good people will like you. That’s why a lot of people have given up on the church. For Jesus, the church is for people who are hurting, lonely, afraid, and confused. It is a place where you can find a “Shepherd” for your soul who is deeply concerned about the things that concern you…the things that leave you feeling beaten down and helpless.

When we see people the way Christ does, we will be moved with the same compassion that moved Christ.

Jesus said, “The harvest is huge. But there are only a few workers. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.”

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
1 Corinthians 15:58

Reach Others For Him!

2009-02-06T08:04:00.000-08:00

The Bible says,

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” 1 Peter 3:15b-16

and,

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6

Last Sunday we talked about building bridges to reach people who don’t know Christ. To help us think through how we can do a better job of reaching others we used the following acrostic.

B – Be friendly, not preachy!
R – Respectfully listen to others before you share your own opinions!
I – Intercession: Pray for your lost friend!
D – Demonstrate genuine interest in your friend as a person! Don’t treat them like a “project”!
G – Give God time to work! Don’t try to “microwave” the process!
E – Equip yourself to tell your story well!
S – Share as much as is appropriate depending on the person and the situation!

Since that time many of you have taken it upon yourselves to write out your testimony – the story of how you came to Christ – in a hundred words or less. The key to writing out your testimony is to answer three questions: What was your life like before you met Christ? When and how did you begin to follow Christ? How is your life different because of following Christ?

Below is my story.

As a young man in high school I was deeply insecure, lonely, angry, and afraid.

Then some friends invited me to a conference for high school students. While I was there, I loved being around people who really wanted to follow Christ. They seemed to have a joy and purpose in life that I wanted for myself, but lacked. And so I asked Christ to be the Lord of my life.

I didn’t instantly become perfect. Sometimes I still struggle with old insecurities. But it gave me a new hope, joy, meaning, and purpose in life!

I hope this helps you!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

Full Engagement Step 1 - Prayer

2008-12-30T15:21:00.000-08:00

Last week we started a new series called Full Engagement! God wants us to be fully engaged in making disciples who worship Him, grow in Him, serve Him, and reach others for Him!

For the last eight months I have been praying with many of you in our church and asking God the question, “What will it take for us to go to the next level as a disciple-making church?”

The first and most important step is prayer. The Bible says, “Continue steadfastly in prayer…” Colossians 4:2

Why is prayer so important?

Unless God is at work in us, all of our labor is vain. Our very best efforts are meaningless without His blessing.

But the kind of prayer that God blesses, isn’t just an occasional plea to Him to “bless our church.” The Scripture says that we are to “continue steadfastly in prayer.”

What does it mean to “continue steadfastly?”

It means to be fully engaged! We are to be diligent. We are to never give up. If prayer falls off our radar or we lose focus, we must recommit ourselves to the work at hand.

We need to “continue steadfastly in prayer” because it is a great work that we do when we ask God to do what only He can do!

What would happen in and through the ministries of our church, if we had 150 people praying daily with this kind of full engagement? How might God work? Wouldn’t it be exciting to see!

I would like to encourage you to take ten minutes right now to walk away from your email and pray! Ask God to make you into a man or woman of prayer! Ask God to raise up a company of people in our church who “continue steadfastly in prayer!” Ask God to prepare our hearts to do whatever is necessary to go to the next level as a disciple-making church!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

Immanuel - God Is With Us!

2008-12-18T13:35:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning we had a special Christmas celebration as a family with my parents and sister who were visiting from Little Rock. As much as we enjoyed giving and receiving gifts, the greatest joy was just being able to be together!

The message of Christmas is a joyful message of togetherness ...

"Immanuel" means "God is with us!"

God the Son - infinite in every way with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit - crossed the threshold of eternity and took on the fullness of our humanity, except without sin.

It is because Christ is fully God, fully man, and without sin, that He is also the perfect sacrifice for our sin. And it is because of His sacrifice that we can have the joy of togetherness with God.

I hope that you will come and join us as we celebrate together the birth of Christ on Sunday, December 21, at 10:00 a.m. and again on Wednesday, December 24, at 6:00 p.m.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

Reach Others For Him!

2008-12-04T12:33:00.000-08:00

God wants us to worship Him, grow in Him, serve Him, and reach others for Him!

On Tuesday night some of the women of our church hosted our annual Ladies Christmas Tea. This year's speaker, Sharon Allen, told her story of how she became a Christian. She then shared with the women present about how they could make the same decision to follow Christ.

Seven women indicated that they made the decision to follow Christ, and one other woman said that she wanted to talk with someone further about committing her life to Christ!

Tomorrow night about 100 people will gather at our church for the Solano Warrior's (my son's football team) end of the year party. We will be giving away about 50 New Testaments published by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and 33 copies of Facing the Giants - an evangelistic film about football. Pray that God will use the gifts of New Testaments and DVDs to reach at least one of these young men for Christ!

Thanks to all of you who are serving with us to help reach others for Christ!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

Serve Him!

2008-11-19T13:31:00.000-08:00

Do you want to experience God's blessing in your life? Do you want God to pour out His goodness on you in overwhelming measure?

I think most of us would answer both of those questions in the affirmative.

Recently I have written some about where we are going as a church.

I have said that God wants us to...

Worship Him, Grow in Him, Serve Him, and Reach Others for Him!

Serving should be thought of as more than filling a slot in a ministry org-chart or calendar. Serving should be thought of as a powerful way of relating and loving others.

In John 13, Jesus was about to celebrate Passover with His disciples. But there was no one available to wash their feet - a job normally reserved for the most humble of slaves. Certainly it was a job that was too humiliating and unworthy of any of the disciples!

Jesus didn't stop and take a spiritual gift inventory and then evaluate the opportunity based upon His giftedness. He didn't spend days praying over the commitment. Instead He saw the need and rose to or - perhaps better said - humbled Himself for the occasion and washed the feet of His disciples.

True servants see needs and seize opportunities! (Galatians 6:10)

After serving in this very humble manner Jesus says something like this to His disciples, "I have given you an example. You should do for each other as I have done for you. I am the Master and you are My servants. If I as the Master serve you, certainly you should serve each other. Now you understand My concerns. But you will only be blessed if you serve each other as I have served you!" (John 13:1 - 17)

What drives how you and I serve will determine whether or not we are blessed in the serving.

So how can a person get started in serving God through the ministries of our church?
You can be a greeter on Sunday mornings or help with refreshments.
You can help run sound or multi-media if you are tech-savvy.
You can serve as a worker or teacher in the children's ministries or student ministries.
You can host or facilitate a 2:42 Group or small group.
You can serve on the worship team as a musician or vocalist.
You can feed, shelter, and give the homeless a message of hope through Nomadic Sheltering.
But there is one thing you can't do and expect to experience God's blessing. You cannot simply sit back and do little or nothing.

Jesus has given us an example to follow! We will only be blessed if we do it!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

VOTE!

2008-11-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

Today we will elect a new president and vote on some very important propositions.

The mission of the church is not to elect the “right president.” It is to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

As followers of Christ, God wants us to be good citizens. But ultimately our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21). Our greatest loyalty must not be to a political party or ideal. Our greatest loyalty must be to Christ (Matthew 16:24-26)!

Last night I was in the middle of a lot of people talking politics where my political views were definitely in the minority. I tried to listen well and hold my tongue.

I have very strong political opinions, but I reserve most political discussion for my family and closest friends. With everyone else I try to point out that all change without a change of heart is superficial. Our principle concern shouldn’t be over who occupies the White House, but who reigns in our hearts!

Most of us, if not all, want an honorable peace in the Middle East and we want to bring our young men and women home safely. But the ultimate reason for all war is that there is violence in our hearts. And only Christ can change the heart!

Most of us, if not all, want a stronger economy. But a lot of the mess in our economy is due to greed in our hearts. And only Christ can change the heart!

Most of us, if not all, want cleaner, less expensive, and renewable sources of energy. But only Christ, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, can release God’s power in abundant measure that cleans our hearts from the inside out!

Today, I hope you will vote. But more importantly, I hope you will invest your life in following Christ and being a change-agent for Him in our world (Acts 1:8)! This should be the mission of every person who calls Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.

Next week I hope to share more with you about where God is leading us as a church.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

Grow In Him!

2008-10-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be great if you could grow into a "Spiritual Champion" simply by showing up for church and listening to inspiring sermons? Wouldn't it be great if you were automatically patient with your children, kind to your spouse, and never tempted to watch too much TV, eat too much dinner, or visit a compromising website?

How many Olympic champions have become the best in the world in what they do, by doing little more than listening to motivational talks by inspiring speakers?

Over the last couple of weeks I have been saying God hasn't called us to make church-people busy with church activity. He has called us to make disciples! (Matthew 28:19-20)

God wants us to worship Him, grow in Him, serve Him, and reach others for Him! Growing in Christ isn't the result of simply attending inspiring services.

Growth isn't a work we do. It is a work that God does in us (Philippians 1:6). But it is a work of God that we must cooperate with and be fully engaged in (Philippians 2:12-13).

Paul reminds us that a passive approach to anything "Christian" destines us to failure.

"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (NIV)

If we are to grow, we need healthy and holy connection with God's people where we build friendships for spiritual encouragement and accountability to train like champions for the purpose of godliness and growth in Christ-like character. (1 Timothy 4:7-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)

One of the things that I want to see happen in our church is the emergence of dozens of 2:42 Groups (Acts 2:42) that encourage life-changing spiritual growth! I want to see groups shift from a focus on being "small" to being "2:42 Communities" where people continually devote themselves to the word of God and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer! I want to see groups where people experience God's grace, love, and power for spiritual transformation!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

Worship Him!

2008-10-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote to you that God hasn't called us to make church-people busy with church activity. He has called us to make disciples! (Matthew 28:19-20)

I also told you about how we have been praying and asking God about the steps He wants us to take to go to the next level as a disciple-making church.

God wants us to worship Him, to grow in Him, to serve Him, and to reach others for Him!

Some people think of worship as a service they attend once a week on Sunday mornings. But there is more to worship than just giving God a one-hour slice of our week.

Worship is not a service that the church provides for people to watch and listen to, like they might go to a concert, movie, or sporting event. Worship is a service that we individually and collectively give to God.

Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."

When we think of and practice worship as the full surrender of our lives to a merciful God, then we take the first step toward becoming a more effective disciple-making church!

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary
Acts 20:24

Making Disciples

2008-10-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

God hasn't called us to make church-people busy with church activity. He has called us to make disciples! (Matthew 28:19-20)

A disciple isn't a religious nut who wears a long robe, sports a long beard, and carries a 20-pound King James Bible. He is a person who embraces self-denial, sacrifice, and even death to follow Christ, but discovers hope, meaning, joy, and abundance in the journey and in the end, eternal life. (Matthew 16:24-26; Mark 10:28-31)

So how do we go to the next level as a disciple-making church?

In July of this year I asked three people to lead three teams to prayerfully consider what it will take for us to become a more effective, disciple-making church and to draft a plan that would answer the question above.

At the end of August, these three teams came together to present their proposals and interact with one another.

Since that time, I have met repeatedly with Steve Acord, Joy Rounsavall, Matt Skinner, Tessa Valle, and Johnny Wilson to glean some of the best ideas from the team proposals and prayerfully put them together in a unified ministry plan that we believe can help guide us to the next level as a disciple-making church.

Over the next few weeks I would like to share with you some of the ideas that have come out of this process.

Warmly in Christ,

Pastor Gary

Acts 20:24

2008-06-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

In recent months I have felt like God has wanted me to rethink several aspects of ministry in our church. I want to have three teams of people to ask and answer the question, "How do we take our church to the next level as a disciple-making church?"

I want to have three groups to encourage greater participation and diversity of thought.

There are several things I want them to keep in mind as they try to answer this question.

1. I want them to think like missionaries and not like “club-members.” Matthew 9:9-13

We want to engage the lost of our community on their turf where they are comfortable, rather than waiting for them to come on ours where we are comfortable. This means serving our community in a way that builds trust and opportunities to proclaim the gospel.

2. I want them to focus on disciple-making over crowd-gathering. Matthew 28:19-20

Our challenge is to change lives and not just attract numbers. This means that we want our people to understand and practice things like whole-life stewardship. We want our people to follow Christ – to surrender their time, talent, treasure, thinking, and testimony to Him. We want people to follow Christ and use every resource that He has entrusted them to bring others to Him.

3. I want them to think relationship-building over event-planning and programming. John 13:34-35

This doesn’t mean that events and programs are bad. But relationships are key for true disciple-making. “You can impress people from a distance, but you can only impact them up close.” Howard Hendricks

We must not confuse busy-ness in church activities with spiritual growth and discipleship. (Our aim is to make disciples and not just make church-people busy with church-activity. This may mean some – perhaps even many – programs must go.)

4. I want them to think multiplication over simple addition. 2 Timothy 2:1-2

How do we multiply ministry by reproducing leaders? “He who does the work is not so profitably employeed as he who multiplies the doers.”

If I could do it all over again...

2008-04-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Seventeen years ago I was a young seminary student, engaged to be married, and excited about “changing the world!” I wanted – and still do – to spend the rest of my life with Joy planting a church that makes disciples, making disciples that plant churches, and planting churches to reach our world!

Since moving to Fairfield, I’ve done a few things right and a few things wrong.

So what have I done right?

1. About six or seven years ago I started consistently taking my Fridays off and taking a short ride over to Napa with Joy. Getting out of town and spending time with Joy helped me detach from the ministry and focus on deepening our marriage. Now my Fridays with Joy are the most treasured part of my week.

2. About four or five years ago we challenged the people of our church to transition away from being primarily a Sunday-morning event to become a seven-day-a-week, 24-hour-a-day disciple-making church that is reaching our community and our world one person at a time. It hasn’t been easy. A lot of people left the church. But we saw a lot of other people grow in a heart-deep commitment to Christ.

3. About three years ago we were facing some financial challenges. It didn’t look like we were going to be able to meet all of our commitments in the coming months. I felt like the unstated mission of our church had become survival instead of seeking and saving the lost…instead serving others with a sacrificial spirit. So we decided to do something reckless. We decided if we were going to crash and burn, we might as well crash and burn doing something we believed in. So we gave away an entire week’s offering to help plant a new church. Three years have passed, the economy hasn’t been the greatest, but we’re still paying our bills and we still haven’t crashed and burned.

So what would I do differently?

1. I would have spent less time watching TV and playing computer games for relaxation and more time reading, reflecting, writing, bike-riding, hiking, or just sitting in the backyard enjoying a cup of coffee with Joy!

2. I would have been less concerned with attracting a crowd and more concerned with serving – really serving – a community!

3. I would have spent less energy trying to please people and more energy on challenging people to follow Christ and bring others to Him!

4. I would have been less concerned with the survival of our church and more concerned with multiplying new churches!

In some ways I grieve because we still haven’t become what God wants us to be as a church. I believe, in part, because of many of the things that I have done and haven’t done mentioned above. I want to invest what is left of my life in leading our church in making disciples, making disciples that plant churches, and planting churches to reach our world!

**********

The other day I was wiriting a few thoughts about what the church is. So what does Jesus say to us about the church and being the church in the world?

“…I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Matthew 16:18

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

“…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

So what is a disciple?

Disciples aren’t just a bunch of pewsitters wanting to be “fed!” Nor are they people who live in a bubble of religious activity trying to hide from the world! A disciple is someone who abandons everything dear in this life to follow Christ, only to find that nothing on this side of heaven can compare with what we find in Him!

Jesus said,

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44

A disciple is someone who follows Christ and brings others to Him!

Jesus said,

“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

Thoughts about church as it is and can be

2008-04-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ran into a friend of mine at a baseball game. I have been praying for him for about seven or eight years. I invited him to church on Sunday and told him I'm doing a message for people who don't yet believe in God , but are spiritually open. Like so many other people, my friend said that he believes in God he's just not too crazy about the church. When I asked why, he said it was mostly the money thing. Even the last time he was in church they were talking about tithing.

I told him the Bible says a lot about money, so it's kind of hard not to talk about it as a pastor. But the Bible says a lot more about money besides giving. God wants us to please Him not just with how and what we give, but how we spend, save, and earn as well.

From there our conversation went to a book I'm reading - Bob Roberts The Multiplying Church. I commented that a lot of people in the church are hungry for change. In Bob's book he tells us that the church in the west may have more to learn from the church in the east, than the other way around. So my buddy asked if he could read the book after I finish.

It'll be interesting to see what happens.

As I was thinking about my conversation with my friend I realized how similar we are. My buddy didn't like the church so he gave up on it - at least for the time being. I didn't like the church, but I was much more arrogant and presumptuous so I became a church-planter. The truth is, we have been deeply dissatisfied with the status quo.

After reading the first couple of chapters of Roberts book I decided to work again on my definition. I am sure that my definition was and still is inadequate. But this is what I'm thinking as of now: "The church - local church - is a group of people who share a common devotion for God, who are committed to following Christ together, and who want to be a powerful force for good and dynamic witnesses for Christ as they live lives led and directed by the Holy Spirit. They are people who believe they are stronger together because of how God is working in and through them. They have a passion for reaching their community and world one person at a time. And they are content with nothing less than changed lives - theirs and others."

News from Hungary

2008-04-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

This blogging stuff is still new to me. I'm still not sure what to say.

Earlier today I read an email from a friend of mine in Hungary. I met him back in 1980 when I spent a year in Hungary doing missionary work. Pishta wrote me to tell me that his mom died. She was 82.

I remember Pishta's parents. They couldn't speak English and my Hungarian was horrible so I really didn't have the patience to try and pursue a conversation with them. I don't know the stories of Pishta's parents, but I know they lived through the years of World War 2 and probably a lot of other hard years I don't know about. I'm sure they could have told me a lot of great stories if I had the wisdom and patience to ask and listen.

I have a lot more appreciation and respect for their generation now, than I did then.

2008-04-04T16:07:00.000-07:00

I have recently been thinking about what makes Christianity Christian. A lot of people or groups may claim to be Christian, but what are the central, core, defining beliefs that most Christians - if not all - have claimed over the last two thousand years?

I am currently preaching on this subject on Sunday mornings and I have been using the Apostles' Creed. I have always wondered how you take the one thousand-plus pages of material, that we call the Bible, and reduce it to a two to three page statement of faith.

The Apostles' Creed has been used by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, as well as many other Christian denominations as a starting point of defining much of the essential beliefs of the Christian faith.

I like Alistair McGrath's version in his book I Believe:

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.