Looking Back ... Looking Forward

Today concluded nearly 11 years of ministry at Grace Point. We were honored this afternoon with a wonderful time of appreciation and love over a great lunch. What a blast it was reminiscing over all the years of great ministry. What a wonderful community of people to serve with; truly family.

Good friend and long time partner in ministry, Aaron Geist, produced this great video looking back over the years.



As we move forward, we now look forward. We look forward to what God has in store for us next, and are anxious for this next chapter in our lives to unfold. Stay tuned!

Letting Go

Letting go of what I hold so dear, has never been an easy thing for me. Yesterday my departure from Grace Point Community Church was announced. It was difficult, and it was painful. To leave a community of people that you have shared life with and love so much, is a task that without God to lean on, would seem unbearable. It for me is a step of faith and a step of trust.

It is one thing to teach, preach, and sing about living a life of faith. It's another matter when God asks of you to step forward and and walk in it. As I feel God prying my fingers from all that I hold so close to my heart, I find myself asking why, but in the process, know that He holds the answer. I appreciate the words of Oswald Chambers, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One Who is leading." I love my God, and in this process desire to know Him more than ever before.

As I now let go of the familiar, the things I love and hold dear, I must learn to let go of my pain and my fear as I venture into uncharted territory. God has never let me down. God has always surprised me with His amazing blessings and opportunities. I know He will do it once again.

Jeremy Camp's "Letting Go" is a song that resonates loudly with me right now.



To my family at Grace Point, know that it has been nothing but a pleasure and honor to share life and ministry with you. You are loved and close to my heart, and always will be.

Unique Churches

When asked about the Church, the first thing that often comes to people's minds is what sits on the corner down the street ... a building. We know though that the Church is not a building. It's not a place. It is people. Church is not something we are called to go to, but rather what we are called to be. It is the community of people that have given their lives to following the head of the Church, Jesus Christ.

That being said, I recently came across a fascinating series on Ten Of The World's Most Unique Churches, church buildings that is. What follows are ten remarkable feats of architecture. A true testament to the creativity of man.

May we as God's Church be as attractive and unique as the buildings that follow.

Harajuku: Japanese Futuristic Church

This futuristic protestant church is located in Tokyo and it was first unveiled by the design firm of Ciel Rouge Creation in 2005. The ceiling is specially made to reverberate natural sound for 2 seconds to provide a unique listening experience for worshipers and tourists.

Saint Basil's Cathedral: The Red Square 's Colorful Church

(photo: Lst1984)

The St. Basil's Cathedral is located on the Red Square in Moscow , Russia . A Russian Orthodox church, the Cathedral sports a series of colorful bulbous domes that taper to a point, aptly named onion domes, that are part of Moscow's Kremlin skyline.

The cathedral was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of the Khanate of Kazan. In 1588 Tsar Fedor Ivanovich had a chapel added on the eastern side above the grave of Basil Fool for Christ, a Russian Orthodox saint after whom the cathedral was popularly named.

Hallgrímskirkja: Iceland 's Most Amazing Church

(photo: Stuck in Customs)

The Hallgrímskirkja (literally, the church of Hallgrímur ) is a Lutheran parish church located in Reykjavík , Iceland . At 74.5 metres (244 ft), it is the fourth tallest architectural structure in Iceland . The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614 to 1674), author of the Passion Hymns. State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson's design of the church was commissioned in 1937; it took 38 years to build it.

Temppeliaukio Kirkko: The Rock Church

The Temppeliaukio Kirkko ( Rock Church ) is a thrilling work of modern architecture in Helsinki. Completed in 1952, it is built entirely underground and has a ceiling made of copper wire. It was designed by architect brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and completed in 1969. They chose a rocky outcrop rising about 40 feet above street level, and blasted out the walls from the inside. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Helsinki and frequently full of visitors.

Cathedral of Brasília: The Modern Church of architect Oscar Niemeyer


The Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida in the capital of Brazil is an expression of the architect Oscar Niemeyer. This concrete-framed hyperboloid structure, seems with its glass roof to be reaching up, open, to heaven. On 31 May 1970, the Cathedral's structure was finished, and only the 70 m diameter of the circular area were visible. Niemeyer's project of Cathedral of Brasília is based in the hyperboloid of revolution which sections are asymmetric. The hyperboloid structure itself is a result of 16 identical assembled concrete columns. These columns, having hyperbolic section and weighing 90 t, represent two hands moving upwards to heaven. The Cathedral was dedicated on 31 May 1970.

Borgund Church: Best Preserved Stave Church

The Borgund Stave Church in Lærdal is the best preserved of Norway 's 28 extant stave churches. This wooden church, probably built in the end of the 12th century, has not changed structure or had a major reconstruction since the date it was built. The church is also featured as a Wonder for the Viking civilization in the video game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

Las Lajas Cathedral: A Gothic Church Worthy of a Fairy Tale

(photo: Jungle_Boy)

The Las Lajas Cathedral is located in southern Colombia and built in 1916 inside the canyon of the Guaitara River . According to the legend, this was the place where an Indian woman named María Mueses de Quiñones was carrying her deaf-mute daughter Rosa on her back near Las Lajas ("The Rocks"). Weary of the climb, the María sat down on a rock when Rosa spoke (for the first time) about an apparition in a cave.

Later on, a mysterious painting of the Virgin Mary carrying a baby was discovered on the wall of the cave. Supposedly, studies of the painting showed no proof of paint or pigments on the rock - instead, when a core sample was taken, it was found that the colors were impregnated in the rock itself to a depth of several feet. Whether true or not, the legend spurred the building of this amazing church.

St. Joseph Church: Known for its Thirteen Gold Domed Roof


The St. Joseph The Betrothed is an Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in Chicago . Built in 1956, it is most known for its ultra-modern thirteen gold domed roof symbolizing the twelve apostles and Jesus Christ as the largest center dome. The interior of the church is completely adorned with Byzantine style icons (frescoes). Unfortunately the iconographer was deported back to his homeland before he was able to write the names of all the saints as prescribed by iconographic traditions.

Ružica Church: Where Chandeliers are made of Bullet Shells

Located over the Kalemegdan Fortress in Belgrade, Serbia, the Ružica Church is a small chapel decorated with... with trench art! Its chandeliers are entirely made of spent bullet casing, swords, and cannon parts.

The space the church now occupies was used by the Turks as gunpowder storage for over 100 years and it had to be largely rebuilt in 1920 after WWI. Though damaged by bombings there was an upshot to the terrible carnage of The Great War. While fighting alongside England and the US , Serbian soldiers on the Thessaloniki front took the time to put together these amazing chandeliers. It is one of the world's finest examples of trench art.

Chapel of St-Gildas: Built into the base of a bare rocky cliff


The Chapel of St-Gildas sits upon the bank of the Canal du Blavet in Brittany, France. Built like a stone barn into the base of a bare rocky cliff, this was once a holy place of the Druids. Gildas appears to have travelled widely throughout the Celtic world of Corwall, Wales , Ireland and Scotland . He arrived in Brittany in about AD 540 and is said to have preached Christianity to the people from a rough pulpit, now contained within the chapel.

How Much Do You Hate People?

How's that for a title to get your attention? Now that I have it, check out this video and be challenged by a man who not only does not love God, but does not even believe in him.

Listen as Penn of Penn & Teller shares his thoughts on how anyone who believes in God, heaven, and hell, should be sharing (proselytizing) their faith with the world around them. Very thought provoking. Very challenging!



What do you think?

Life of Passion

I have been thinking a lot about my life lately. Perhaps because it's that time of year that people are making resolutions to make some kind of change in their life. I am not one to normally make New Year's Resolutions. Not because I am uninterested in change, or out of fear I will break that which I resolve to change. I think it is more a function of wanting to be flexible enough to make change when change is needed. Nonetheless, I have been thinking about my life, and more precisely the things I am passionate about.

Last Friday I returned from a great two week vacation. It was a welcomed time of catching my breath and pulling away from the busy routine of life. The second half of our time was spent in one of our favorite locations, San Clemente. San Clemente is a great beach town about an hour north of San Diego. We spent most of our time on the beach, soaking in as much sun as we possibly could. San Clemente is all about the beach and all about surfing. Surfing is big there.

As one who grew up in Southern California, I am drawn to the the whole beach/surf scene. I love it! I love the laid back approach to life. I love the sun, the sand, the surf, and what I call the "flip flop lifestyle." As I observed the surfers this last week, I quickly picked up on something that characterizes most all of them - passion. If there was ever a culture of people committed to what they love, it is them. I have always considered myself a fair weather surfer. If I am going to head out into the water, it's going to need to be a warm sunny day with nice water temps. For those committed to surfing, that is far from their approach.

For those that surf, being in the water is of top priority. It comes before just about anything else in life. As I watched them paddle out early each morning, it was obvious. As much as I love the beach and all that comes with it, it is not my passion. I want my life to be characterized as one passionate for the things that are close to the heart of God. As I watched the surfers, I was forced to ask myself, do I have that amount of passion in my life.

As I continued in my reflection, the following words of Christ came to mind...

"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31

I want that to be the passion of my life. I want to live a life characterized by my love of God, and love for the world around me; the kind of love that takes everything I got. I can't help but think what life would be like if that was truly the passion of God's people.

My ultimate goal in ministry is to see those God has entrusted to me, loving Him with everything they've got. For when we do that, the second greatest command comes naturally. It's my prayer this year that that is what is seen in me - a life of passion.

How about you? Where do your passions lie? A good question for us to continually keep in front of us.

Compassion Highlights

2008 was a great year for Compassion International. They have just released a few of their highlights.

• We registered our 1 millionth child in Compassion's Child Sponsorship Program.
• More than 154,000 children in our programs invited Jesus to be their Savior.
• Compassion began work in Togo, our 25th country.
• Thousands of families threatened by the global food crisis have received lifesaving food, thanks to generous donations from our sponsors and donors.

I couldn't be more proud to be partnered with such a great ministry. Have you sponsored a child yet? Perhaps 2009 is your year!

The Good News of Christmas

Santa may be checking his list to see who's been naughty or nice, but the good news of Christ is that He has no list!

"whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:37.

Jesus is, the Good News of Christmas.

John Piper says it well.



May you enjoy and celebrate the Christ of Christmas!

Another Day in The Office

For the last couple of years Aaron and I have put together a year end video greeting for our students. We could not feel more blessed to work with such an awesome group of students and staff.

I now present the 2008 year end greeting ... "Another Day in The Office."

Partnering with Parents

For the last 23 years I have given my life to ministering to students. In my estimation there is no greater and more important age group that one can invest in. In my time, God has shown me and taught me much. Perhaps the most important of which is the value of partnering with parents.

I was recently asked by Tim Schmoyer of Life in Student Ministry to write an article on the importance of partnering with parents. It is now published.

Instead of posting the article here, why don't you head on over to Life in Student Ministry to read it.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Snow Day

Sometimes life just gets going too fast. This has been a very busy and hectic season of life for our family. Just the other day we were commenting on how we wish life would slow down a bit. Today it happened.

Today it snowed and brought everything to a halt. I love how God does that!

The weather men have been predicting a major snow this weekend. We actually expected to wake up to it this morning. No such luck. The rush of our lives continued as we hurried out the door to church, with only a light rain coming down. Within 20 minutes of arriving at church the snow began to fall. It quickly became apparent we were going to have to cancel services.

We were back home by 9:30 and settled into a wonderful snow day! Here is how it looked!



Thanks God!

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

To night I saw an amazing movie. A movie that both depicts the depravity of man and the innocence of childhood. It was a movie that made me think all the more about Jesus' words, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

The movie, "The Boy In The Striped Pajamas" is a story of innocent friendship. A friendship between two, who according to the adult world, should have been enemies. It was indeed a picture of the Kingdom of God as lived out by two young boys, who had not yet been tarnished by the lies of the enemy.

As the movie ended the theater was silent, and many were in tears. It is my hope that this movie will move peoples hearts. That people will be moved to love and accept others in the manner in which we are called to.

Taking Back Christmas

Last Christmas I had a heart change. It was last year that I made the decision to make Christmas more about Christ and less about me. On the second week of advent last year, I preached a messages entitled "What Do You Want For Christmas." Hear it here or on iTunes. In my message I shared what our family had decided to do with Christmas, and challenged others to do likewise. I stated my belief that since Christmas is indeed the birthday day of Christ, that we ought to bring gifts to Him, and make it more about Him, and less about us.

In the spirit of Matthew 25, my family had a great time buying gifts for Christ from the World Vision Gift Catalog. For weeks after my message I was blessed by hearing story after story from families within our church that decided to do the same thing. Each person, as they told me their story, spoke of how it made their Christmas celebration more meaningful than ever before.



This year I am excited that our church has decided to take it up yet another notch by participating in the Advent Conspiracy. I love the spirit of the Advent Conspiracy... making Christmas a world-changing event once again. Two thousand and eight years ago Christmas changed the world. This year it can do it again!

10.6 billion dollars were spent on Black Friday this year. Despite the downturn in the economy, that is a 3% increase over last year! Imagine what that 10.6 billion could do, if spent on the cause of Christ. This video will give you a pretty good idea.




If you are a part of Grace Point, be sure to participate fully. You will be blessed beyond what you can imagine. If you are not a part of our church family, I challenge you to make Christmas more about Christ this year, and less about you. Join the conspiracy!

Here is how our advent season will be looking this year. Join us in taking back Christmas!

Worship Fully - 11/30/08

• Entering the story of advent means entering this season with an overwhelming passion to worship Jesus to the fullest.

Spend Less - 12/7/08

• We're asking people to consider spending less this Christmas (maybe buying on less gift). It sounds insignificant, yet many who have taken this small sacrifice have experienced something that is nothing less than a miracle: They have been more available to celebrate Christ during the advent season.
  

Give More - 12/14/08

• God's gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it's no wonder why we're drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible.

Love All - 12/21/08

• When Jesus loved, He loved in ways never imagined before. Though rich, He became poor to love the poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the sick. He played to the margins. By spending less at Christmas we have the opportunity to join Him in giving resources to those who need help the most.