Random Event of Today

While grabbing a bite to eat at Chick-fil-A with a student, we were pleasantly surprised by an amazing event!  Four cop cars came to a screeching halt between the restaurant we were in and In-n-Out (which was right next to us).  Immediately following them were two motorcycle cops, security guards, and a fire truck to block the road.  The cops pulled out their guns on two cars and instructed the "suspects" (six or seven in all) to step out of the car, put their hands on their heads, and walk towards them backwards.  They arrested all of them and searched the cars.  

My favorite thing about it was when the student I was with, Benny, turned to me and said, "This is awesome!  You should find a way to work it into the sermon for tomorrow night!"  

I'm still working on it. 

What I Love About PCI...So Far!

So I have been working at Pacific Church of Irvine for a little over a week now, and I have to say that there are many things I am thankful to the Lord for.  Since I love blog lists, I shall grace you all with one now:

• The close-knit, welcoming community/body of Christ.  Kaitlin and I have felt so embraced and loved in such a short amount of time.  Everyone from the staff to the students have been a major blessing!
• The nurture and investment of others who are committed to see my grow into me position.  I cannot stress how amazing this is!  I feel like I am being discipled into my job by very wise people, which I greatly appreciate.  At the same time, I feel trusted as a leader of the youth group.  
• The snapshot of the world in such a small place.  Irvine is VERY culturally diverse.  Almost every major ethnic culture is represented here, and it is refreshing.  I am forced out of my tunnel vision and thrust into a global mindset.  
• Gelson's Market!  Have you ever been here?  Seriously, you must go!  It's like a gourmet shopping market.  Coffee shop, salad bar, groceries, and pastries! Google it. 
• Hanging out with awesome students for a living.  This is rad.  The guys and girls are rad.  Let me tell you... it's rad!
• Boba.  Everywhere...BOBA!
• Parents who go out of their way to let me know that they are glad I am here and they are available to help anytime.  This is probably every youth worker's dream.  I am so impressed. 
• The fact that I have had sushi twice in the last week with people from the church.  So good!
• Meetings at Strawberry Farms.  Nice. 

I praise God for the many blessings in my life, at my new church home, and in my relationships.  My he receive the glory and not me.  May I rejoice in his goodness and faithfulness, even when it is difficult to be thankful.

Broadcasting Blessing

God's intention has always been to create a community, a group of people, that broadcast who He is to the world.  

We see that deeply woven into the fabric of humanity is the design to be conduits of God's blessing, shining forth His glory to the nations.  

The promise made by God to Abram in Genesis 12:2-3 is the pure intention for humanity.

I will make you into a great nation

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all the peoples of the earth

will be blessed though you.

There are three important things here.  First, the people of God will be a "great nation," not individuals.  The focus is community.  Secondly, God says, "I will bless you."  It always starts with God, and all we can do is receive the blessings he bestows on us.  Finally, this great nation "will be a blessing."  They are blessed to be a blessing!  This is their purpose on earth.

Therefore, our mission is to be a blessing to the world, pouring out into the lives of others the love and grace and forgiveness that God has poured into our lives.  

Exodus 19:3-6 talks about how the people of God are to be a kingdom of priests.  Priests represented God to the people and people to God.  The same is said not only of Israel in the Old Testament, but also about followers of Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 2:9.  We, as Christians, are "...a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).

The Christian mission flows out of the God-given identity as representatives and broadcasters of who He is and what He has done!  May we live our of our identity as found in Him and be faithful to the mission to shine forth the blessings of God. 

Simple Church.

Our church staff and elders started reading a new book together.  It's called Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer and Eric Geiger.  So far (and I'm only a couple pages in), they are talking about the revolution of simplicity in our culture, and how the healthiest churches in America are not busy, but simple.  This seems like a fascinating book and I am excited to dive into it more deeply and also engage in the exercises our Senior Pastor is leading us in to move our church in a more simple direction.

YouTube: Broadcast Yourself

Well, since I started my full-time youth ministry job, I will be blogging on on that topic more.  Here is my first Youth Ministry post!  

Tomorrow we start a four-week sermon series, YouTube: Broadcast Yourself.  It is a chance for me to "broadcast" my story and who I am to the students as their new youth leader.  I am looking forward to the students doing the same, as I teach on things like testimony and our identity in Christ.  Our broadcast as Christians is the Gospel contextualized in each individual story.  

We will explore how Israel broadcasted God in their lives, how Paul broadcasts the Gospel, and what Ephesians has to say about our identity in Christ.  We will then explore "corporate broadcasting" in worship and communion.  To finish it off, we have Youth Sunday, where we will be able to broadcast individual stories of God's love, faithfulness, and salvation to the congregation!

So now I ask you the question, "How are you broadcasting Christ in your life?"

Rob & Robin's Wedding

Yesterday (Sunday, June 1, 2008), Kaitlin and I were blessed to celebrate the marriage of Robin Lauterjung and Rob Schannep.  It was a beautiful wedding located at the Fullerton Arboretum.  Everything from and outdoor chandelier to a scrumptious candy table made the night perfect.  They are a beautiful couple who love the Lord Jesus in everyday life.  Together they run a ministry called Broken Hearts (see my link on my list of websites on the right) to hurting souls in Hollywood.  Their life and their love models the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Newlyweds!

Kaitlin and Me

Our Friend Whitney Gettin' Down!

Thank you, Lord, for the love that was shared by Robin and Rob at their wedding.  I pray that you bless them and guide them on their journey.  May they magnify you in all that they do!

Las Vegas

I am sitting in the Las Vegas airport, waiting for my flight back to Orange County.  My dad was on business out here, so my brothers and I flew out yesterday morning to spend the last day with him.  We just relaxed by the pool, ate great food, and saw Spamalot! The Musical.  The show was hilarious!  

Even though we had a good time, I could not help but notice the emptiness that was so apparent everywhere I looked: from billboards to hotel facades, casinos to the massive Barry Manilow picture on the side of the hotel that flashed his fake smile over the city.  The cries of emptiness and pain were evident amidst the glitter and lights. 

This reminded me not only of the pain and brokenness of the world, but also of how we, as Christians, can fall into the same trap of fake lives, building facades so that we look "Christian" on the outside. We can do all the right things, say all the right words, and pray all the right prayers.  

Jesus addresses this in Matthew 23:27-28.  In talking to the Pharisees and religious leaders, he says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!  You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."    

These were the words in my mind as I walked down the Las Vegas strip.  These are the words I hear when I notice that I have fallen into Pharisaical living--"righteous" on the outside, but an unclean heart on the inside.  

I hope and pray that we all seek authenticity in how we live. I don't mean to give an exhortation to act rude, mean, and cold if that is what we are on the inside.  Rather, let us have a sober mind about how we act as Christians:  talk to God about your heart condition, ask others to pray for you, and seek the transformation of your heart.  The Holy Spirit will change us from the inside out.  

May our hearts be the focus, not the outward appearance, for the Bible says, "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man." (Proverbs 27:19)  God is concerned with our heart, not the glitz and glam of our outward appearance, no matter how bright and attractive it may be. 

I'm A Youth Pastor?!

After a long interview process of a couple of months, I have been offered the position of Youth Pastor at Pacific Church of Irvine!  I start this Sunday!  I am so excited!!!  God has definitely been guiding this process, and I cannot wait to embark on this journey.  

May the Lord guide me...

The Storm Before the Calm

The current weather is so indicative of this week of finals for me.  It was a flood of craziness, a rain of stress, disconnect, and gloom.  I'm not bring dramatic, I actually feel like it was a storm spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.  However, I see the storm subsiding and the calm arriving.  Oh, summer!  

I Am Officially Done with the Semester!!!

I finished my last final!

Now I just have to wait until Monday to go home.