Road Trip: Day 5

Sorry, I'm writting this a few days late. Here is the update for the last day of our trip.

What a long day. We arrived in San Jose at 7:30am on Thursday. That's right, 2800 miles in 3 days. I talked my dad into pulling an all-nighter to beat my mom and grandparents home (they flew back from Georgia on Thursday morning). At first, my dad didn't want to drive all night, but I tricked him into it. I told him he was right, we should stay at a hotel room because he was getting too old to pull all-nighters on road trips. I told him he couldn't keep up with me anymore. It worked.

So, we left El Paso, TX at 7:00am local time and headed toward New Mexico. We spent the majority of the daylight traversing New Mexico and Arizona. As we entered California, we decided to go all the way to LA. We didn't want to fight traffic the next morning, so we went through the city at about 10:00pm.

Ok, cool story. I learned some trucker language on Wednesday night. I was passing a trucker in a big rig when he flashed his headlights at me. I learned that this was the signal to tell me that it was clear for me to come back into the right lane. Well, if they can do then I can try it too. I purposefully went slower so truckers would have to pass me (I know, lame huh). When they signaled to merge back into the right lane, I flashed my headlights to help them out. To my surprise, the trucker flashed his tail lights at me, to say thank you of course. I felt like I was in a special club or something. Although that's not exactly a noteworthy club.

After getting through LA, we drove up to San Luis Obispo and took an hour long nap. Then we grabbed some more coffee and I finished off the trip by driving the remaining 3 hours to San Jose. My own bed never felt so good.

In conclusion, our trip was successful. We made it back to San Jose without an car trouble, major setbacks, or other problems. I'm still recovering, but it was fun. Thanks for following along.

Road Trip: Day 4

(9:17pm PST)
I’m now sitting in a comfortable hotel in El Paso, Texas surfing the web. My dad and I drove over 800 miles today from Shreveport, Louisiana to El Paso, Texas. At a cool 60 miles per hour in our rental truck, that translates to almost 14 hours of actual driving time, not counting stops to relieve ourselves and get some more food and coffee. We are ahead of schedule and I think we may get back to San Jose in 4 days instead of 5. We’ll see I guess.

Texas is a huge state. We spent the whole day driving and there were only oil wells and scrub brush as far as the eye could see. It also rained all day today. We drove right through a major storm system that was moving east. It poured for hours at a time and there was lightning occasionally. It seemed that every time we got into some heavy rain I was driving the truck. When my dad drove, the weather was pleasant and we didn’t encounter any nasty rain. Oh, well. Our plan is to get to the border of Arizona and California tomorrow. I think we may even get farther than that if we can keep that same pace we had today. I’m going to take a hot shower and go to bed. Good night.

Road Trip: Day 3

(12:42pm PST)
We are just about to cross the Alabama/Mississippi border, Ya’ll! After getting started this morning at 8:30am Eastern Time, we have driven almost 400 miles. We gained an extra hour of time when we crossed into the Central Time Zone. We expect to make it to Shreveport, Louisiana tonight. I haven’t acquired a southern accent yet, but its on the tip of my tongue. Well, more to come tonight.

(2:48pm PST)
I just finished watching the movie Unbreakable in the truck. I brought my computer and I let my mind take a vacation while my dad drove us across the state of Mississippi. Its just about dark here and we are going to switch drivers here soon. I’m gonna need a good cup of truck-stop coffee to gag me awake. I am going to keep writing updates as we travel since I brought my computer. My next update will be from Louisiana. That’s all from Mississippi, ya’ll.

(2:52pm PST)
Oh, I almost forgot. This trip has given me the opportunity to think about stuff and clear my head. Thus, I’ve discovered a new passion of mine: southern sweet tea. That right, this beverage is amazing and I’d recommend driving to Georgia just for the sweet tea. Its worth it.

(8:29pm PST)
Its 10:30pm here in Shreveport, Louisiana. We made our goal and we are tired. I drove the last 150 miles to arrive here and I think my dad and I are going to go to bed soon so we can get up at 5:00am and get on the road by 6:00am. We’re hoping to get all the way across Texas tomorrow. Its weird because we went across Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana today and tomorrow we are going to spend the same amount of time going across most of Texas. Anyway, I’m going to bed, I’m tired. Oh, the hotel we are staying at does not have internet access so I’ll have to upload this tomorrow (I know what you’re thinking, “What! No internet! How can that be!”). Apparently, there is no internet in Louisiana. Luckily, tomorrow we’ll be in Texas. I here they have the internet there.

Road Trip: Day 2

(9:48pm PST)
Today is finally over. I thank God I’m still alive after all the work we did today. I’d like to say that this was the hardest day of our trip, but I don’t want to speak too soon. We packed up the rental truck with stuff from 9:00am – 10:30pm (with breaks for lunch and dinner of course). Then, to top it all off, we hooked up the trailer which we will be hauling my Mom-mom and Pop-pop’s Ford Crown Victoria on. Let’s just say, the truck moaned and groaned a lot when we pulled out of the apartment complex to drive over to our hotel tonight. We finally finished getting everything set up at about 12:30am. What a day. I’m going to bed because we are going to try driving 700 miles tomorrow and hopefully make it all the way to Shreveport, LA. I know, crazy eh. Well, more to come tomorrow.

Road Trip: Day 1

(1:46pm PST)
Today is a travel day. My parents and I left the Bay Area at 9:00am this morning. Our flight made a connection in Denver Colorado. I got the window seat and I must say, the Rocky Mountains are one of the most beautiful things God created. The snow looked like powered sugar on the mountain tops as we sailed thousands of feet above the Rockies. It was a brisk 30 degrees in Denver, but luckily we didn’t have to leave the airport terminal.

Our plane left Denver and we headed to Atlanta Georgia at about 1:30pm Mountain Time. Currently, I am cruising at 563 mph at 39, 777 ft. in a Frontier Airlines A319 Airbus. Not that this information is important at all, but there is a cool flat-panel screen on the back of every seat that shows a live map with a little plane showing where we are right now. As a matter of fact, we are right over top of Wichita, Kansas right now. I’m excited, how about you?


(2:12pm PST)
I broke two records today. Are you ready? I traveled at 650 miles per hour in an airplane today and flew at over 40,000 feet. Crazy huh. I think it’s amazing that I am moving at over 600 mph and I feel the same and as when I sitting still. By the way, I’m fascinated with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity (just ask Jon Renfro). By the way, Little Rock, Arkansas is coming up on the right. That’s all for now.

(8:15pm PST)
Its 11:15pm here is Perry, Georgia. We just arrive about 30 minutes ago and spent some time at my Mom-mom and Pop-pop’s apartment before we checked into the hotel. Just to back-track a little bit, we landed in Atlanta, GA at about 6:30pm local time. We then got out rental car and headed for Perry, GA where my Mom-mom and Pop-pop live.

Ok, funny story about the rental car situation. If you know my mom at all, she can get a little worked up about things when you throw her a curveball. My dad and I are only going to be here for one day until we leave with the rental truck, so my mom is going to fly back with my grandparents and take the rental car back. Since my dad didn’t want to pay the extra money to add another driver to the rental contract, my mom was the only one who could drive the rental car. The twist comes because the rental company did not have anymore full-sized cars at the cheaper rates, so the rental company bumped us up to a luxury car. My mom is now the proud renter of a brand new Chrysler 300 and she is driving at night on highways she is unfamiliar with. Fourth of July came early this year because there were fireworks as we navigated through central Georgia.

Tomorrow we’ll load up the truck and get everything prepared for departure. We have a 16 foot truck and a trailer that we will tow my Mom-mom and Pop-pop’s Crown Victoria on. Should be fun.

Oh, I almost forgot. My palm-pilot was stolen on the airplane today. I'm sad, but not because of the Palm-pilot. The Palm was a six year old model and I got it for free from a friend of my dad. I didn't use it very much. But, what really kills me is that I had a very sentimental token in the leather case of the palm-pilot. Greg Marcelo gave me some money from Puru when he went on a missions trip there a few years ago. That bill from Puru was very meaningful to me and now its gone. Well, I guess there's more to life than Palm-pilots and money. Life goes on.

Life

My life is crazy right now. I'm almost done with finals at school and I've got tons of work to do for my new job. More posts to come, I promise.

Also, as of Saturday, I'll be taking a road trip from Georgia to California in an effort to move my mom-mom and pop-pop to San Jose. My dad and I will be driving a rental truck across the country. I'm going to use this blog to post a trip journal. Should be fun.

Day Three in Minnesota

From Sunday

It wasn't as cold today. The temperature was about 35 degrees. What great weather!

This morning, we went to church with my family to Faith Church. It is the Evangelical Free Church in Wahpeton, North Dakota. I enjoyed it a lot.

Next, we went to lunch with my grandparents, my cousins, and my aunt Jan. Then, we packed up and met my parents in Fergus Falls, Minnesota to drive down to Minneapolis to catch our plane. We left Minneapolis at about 9:00pm local time and arrived in San Francisco at about 11:20pm local time.

I enjoyed our trip. I don't know what it is, but I still feel like Minnesota is home. I have some weird connection there and I love being there. Call me crazy, but Minnesota is one of my favorite places.

Day Two in Minnesota

Again, I wrote this a few days ago.

Well, I’m on the road right now between Fargo, North Dakota and Wahpeton, North Dakota. We had a very busy day. Here’s how it went:

1. We left my aunt and uncle’s farm in Northern Minnesota in the morning to go to Grand Forks, North Dakota to go to my cousin’s college football game. He plays fullback for the University of North Dakota.

2. We watched my cousin Trent play his football game that afternoon. We made big poster-board signs that read, “TC=TD” and “Trent, you’re my hero!” (his full name is Trent Christensen for those that didn’t make the connection that TC was his initials.) He loved the signs and they made his teammates laugh.

3. We then went out to dinner at The Royal Fork restaurant in Grand Forks, ND. It is kinda like Fresh Choice in San Jose.

4. Now, we’re on the way to my other aunt and uncle’s house in Wahpeton, ND.

I must say, I love Minnesota and North Dakota. Some of my favorite people live here. It’s interesting to hear people out in Minnesota say, “The weather’s not too bad right now; it’s only 20 degrees outside.” I hear the same thing in San Jose, just with a 50 degree difference in temp.

I love hanging out with my cousins. We have such a great time together. We only see each other once a year, but we pick up right where we left off. We laugh and hang out and I have such a great time with them.

That’s about it for today.

Day One in Minnesota

I wrote this post a few days ago while I was in Minnesota. I couldn't get internet access, so here it is.

Today, I arrived in Minneapolis, MN at 6:00am. My sister Ruth and my brother Brad and I took the red eye flight from San Francisco last night. My parents picked us up at the airport because they were already here. We immediately drove south to Rochester, MN to visit my grandmother in Mayo Clinic. She was hospitalized again because she developed an infection in addition to her disease. But, this morning right as we arrived at the hospital the doctors came into her room to talk to her. What they said was amazing.

They told her that after all the tests they have done on her, the disease she had somehow practically disappeared. They told her that it hadn’t spread to any other parts of her body and that it is pretty much gone! They will be taking her off the medication she was on, which was making her very sick. This is a huge answer to prayer. Praise God.

I’ll never forget the look on my grandmother’s face when I walked into her hospital room today. She had been worried that she would never see us again. This disease had caused her to question whether she would even be around to see us this weekend. When the doctors told her that the disease had been halted and we showed up to see her, she couldn’t contain her joy. I practically burst into tears when I saw the pure joy on her face. She reached out frantically to give me a hug and I embraced her praising God that I got to see her. Today was huge for her because the news about the disease subsiding gave her hope about the future. She was talking about being able to see Greg’s graduation and the rest of her grandchildren get married, etc. I can’t explain how emotional this morning was.

So, I’m on the road right now on the way to meet my auntie Konnie, my uncle Kent, and my cousins Trent and Trevor for dinner in Grand Forks, North Dakota. I’ll publish this as soon as I can get internet access. Stay tuned for day 2.

mewithoutyou

I must say, these guys are awesome. I appreciate their creativity and I love the lyrics in their songs. In the song "The Dryness & The Rain" from their new album Brother, Sister there is a line in particular that I loved. It goes something like this:

"The fish swims in the sea, while the sea is in a certain sense contained within the fish. Oh, what am I to think what the writing of a thousand lifetimes could not explain if all the forests' trees were pens and all the oceans ink."

This is so beautiful.

Amazingly, I was talking to my dad about this particular lyric when he told me that he had already heard that in a song. He went on the sing to me an old hymn entitled "The Love of God". The third verse goes like this:

"Could we with ink the oceans fill and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill and every man on earth a scribe by trade, to write the love of God above would drain the oceans dry, nor could the scroll contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky."

Amazing!

May I quote Solomon: "There is nothing new under the sun!"

I then thought for a while about how the previous generations had similar metaphors and imagery to communicate the nature of God but in a different style. Today, our generation appreciates the same beauty, just in a different style. Interesting.

Also, I love the last track "In a Sweater Poorly Knit". Its like a dream.

David Sedaris

I was in Santa Cruz last night hanging out with a couple friends. We went into Book Shop Santa Cruz in downtown and I picked up David Sedaris' book Me Talk Pretty One Day. So far, its quite funny. I've read the first two short stories and his stories are pretty fun to read. I decided that I need to read some books just for my own enjoyment. I've been reading a lot of dense theology books and books about church and such, not to mention text books for school (not that I don't enjoy these books, except the text books). This should give my brain some relief.

David Sedaris:
Also, last night we went into a couple guitar shops and music stores. My favorite was a small record store just off of Pacific Ave. I bought U2's album WAR on LP. It sounds amazing on my turntable.

Plans

I know this album came out a while ago, but I just listened to it in detail. Death Cab For Cutie's album Plans is amazing; particularly, the song "What Sarah Said". It seriously made me cry.

My grandmother was just in the hospital for about a week because she was diagnosed with a crazy disease that killed her kidneys. She is much better now and is home from the hospital, but I still remember the feeling when I heard that her life might be in danger. I got home from church on Sunday two weeks ago and my dad told me that her condition had worsened. He told me he wanted me to talk to her on the phone (implying that it may be the last time I talk to my grandma). It was all I could do not to cry while talking to her. Memories began coming to mind of summers spent at my grandparents' lake cabin. I remembered her kind smile as she called me in from the lake shore for dinner. I used to sit next to her in the car every chance I could get when I was young. She is such a comforting person. The thought of never being able to say, "I love you, grandma" choked me. Talking to her for those few minutes that day was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I can only imagine how hard things must be for my grandfather. This song is my way to understanding how he might feel.

I thanks God that she is doing better. I'm going out to Minnesota in a few weeks to visit her.

Revelation

I've had a revelation today. (Maybe this isn't new to some people, but for some reason it just clicked today) I was thinking about the effectiveness of imagery and metaphors. I've come to realize that there is something special about imagery. It seems to be the language that speaks most effectively to our heart.

Let me explain. When you read a book and the author writes without using metaphors and imagery, the book seems so dull; like it has no life. But when the author uses imagery, you can almost close your eyes and become a part of the story. The same goes for music. Music without imagery is considered to lack creativity and does not effectively communicate its message. Heck, poetry is the same way. Now, what about scripture? It is written in a way that uses images, metaphors, and parables.

So, where is the revelation you say? Well...

The Jewish traditions all were tangible things that allowed the people to understand God through visuals, touching, and tasteing. Today, we take communion which allows us to taste and smell the body and blood of Christ (Figurativiely of course). But that's my point! God uses elements in creation to allow us to sense Him. Its all imagery and metaphors. These are how we understand God.

But the metaphors, imagery, and senses will never allow us to completely understand God. Its just the closest thing we can get to knowing Him.

So. What bearing does this have in the universe? Why are human being built this way? What spiritual significance does this have?

My brain hurts.

-By the way, this picture has nothing to do with this post. I just thought you might enjoy it. (Yes, that is a cat flying out of that raft)

Wow

This week has finally been a week to relax. After our Men's Retreat last weekend, I've finally had some time to catch up on sleep and get some relaxation time. Leading up to the retreat, my inbox was never empty, I couldn't get enough sleep, and I always felt like there was something to do.

I'm trying to use this week to let my brain relax. It hasn't been easy though because I had a paper due in my communications class, a midterm in history, and a quiz in biology this week. Doesn't sound like a very relaxing week. What's funny is that this week seems relaxing even though I still have lots of schoolwork. Sometimes I don't realize how busy I am. A week like this feels easy when in reality it is still a lot of work.

I'm a workaholic.

AL Central Champs: MN Twins

That's right. The Minnesota Twins just won the American League Central Division Championship. They edged ahead of the Detroit Tigers by 1 game.

For those of you who don't follow baseball, this is kind of a big deal. I am especially excited because the Twins are playing the Oakland A's in the first round of the playoffs. Go Twins!

Oh Boy

Following comments made by Pope Benedict XVI last week about the teachings of Muhammad as "evil and inhuman" and that Muhammad taught to "spread his teachings by the sword", there have been numerous protests, some violent, across the world by Muslims. I just read an article on Yahoo News in which Islamic Extremists said, "The Pope and The West are doomed."

Isn't it interesting that the comments which claim that some sects of Islam breed violence and evil produce protests which are violent? Isn't it also interesting that "the West" is synomymous with Christianity when "the West" often fails to uphold Christian values and does not truely live the way of Jesus? Christianity has its own problems with misrepresentation and violence. How can this twisted argument of "the West" or "Christianity" blaming Islam for violence happen?

Speck and plank parable anyone? See Matt 7:3 or Luke 6:41.

Great Article

I found this article on Wikipedia about Judaism and Christianity. It give an analysis of the differences and similarities between Jewish and Christian faith. It is long, but it's a great read. Please check it out here and leave your comments below.

Quote(s) of the week:

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
-Pope Benedict XVI

"How can (the Pope) imply that Muslims are the creators of terrorism in the world while it is the followers of Christianity who have aggressed against every country of the Islamic world?", "Who attacked Afghanistan and who invaded Iraq?"
-Saudi cleric Salman al-Odeh

"insult ... pushes us back to the era of crusades against Muslims led by Western political and religious leaders."
-The General Instance of Religious Affairs in Libya

This makes me sad.
by the way, the sign in the picture reads, "Christians should remove Pope!"

New Books: Awesome!

I just got a few new books for my birthday! Here they are:

Stand Against The Wind by Erwin McManus


Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem (this one is about 1290 pages)

I am so excited to read the lastest McManus book and I can't wait to get my nose into some Grudem Theology. This should keep me busy for a while.

Also! I have been reading Rob Bell's book Velvet Elvis. This is a tough one for me. I read the whole thing and I agreed with a lot of it staight up. But some of it I wasn't sure about, so I decided to take a deeper look into what he was saying. Thus, I am now reading the book again, but this time I am reading all the endnotes and checking all of his references and discussing the book with a few close friends and mentors. It is a great book and I'd recommend it to everyone. But, you need to read it carefully. Absorb what he is saying and internalize it. Discuss, question, disagree, agree, whatever. It's a great book.



Happy reading!

20 years ago...

...I was born. Yeah, that's right, my birthday was on Saturday Sept 9 and it was so much fun. Here's why: my girlfriend Sarah took me to an Aviation Museum! Cool huh!

I know, I know; an aviation museum? I thought it was awesome because I'm into that kind of stuff. Here were all the highlights of the experience:

-I got to sit inside a real cockpit of a 747 and an F18(Blue Angels).
-There were real refurbished planes such as pre-1900 gliders all the way to modern spy planes.
-There were real engines from airplanes that were deconstructed so you could see the insides (some produced over 5000 horse power!)
-There were chunks of other cool planes so you could see how they really worked.

Overall, I found the whole museum fascinating.

Urbana 2006

This December, I will be going to St. Louis to attend the Urbana Conference. This conference is a gathering of missions organizations and young adults who have a heart for reaching the globe with the hope of Jesus Christ. I am looking forward to the speakers and the opportunities to see what God is doing across the globe. It isn't for a few months, but I will be updating my blog with what I experience at this amazing event. Please pray for me though, because it costs about $700 and that a lot of money for a college student.

A Conversation

Last night I went running with a friend and when we got back to his house we bumped into a buddy of his from high school. He was in his car and decided to stop to say hi to my friend. After I was introduced to this guy I found out that he works with a guy I know who apparently just broke up with his girlfriend. (Note: my friend introduced me as "a friend from church") I asked who the girl was and I was very surprised at his response.

He didn't tell me who she was. All he said was, "Well, she isn't a church goer, so you probably don't know her."

Wow. After this guy left, my friend told me that he was very anti-Christian and even had done a speech about what was wrong with the Christian Faith. This event perfectly portrays the image the church tends to paint in the world today.

Questions, comments, hearsay?

Quote of the Week

"All men die, but not all men live!"
-Erwin McManus

Back To School

I started my second year at San Jose State University on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to some good discussions in my classes, but I'm not looking forward to writing essays and taking tests. Here's a look at my classes:

7:30am- Social Problems
9:00am- US Hist/Gov't
11:30am- Human Biology
12:30pm- Weight Lifting
3:00pm- Intro to Communications

My two most challenging classes will be Biology and US Hist. The classes that will produce the best discussions will be Social Problems and the government portion of my history class. I can tell that these professors will provide many opportunities for questions when we analyze society and politics. Well, here I go again with another year at school.

Talladega Nights: Thumbs Down

I just saw Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby tonight. I must say, it was a very offending movie. I admit I was laughing at some of the scenes in the movie, but many of the jokes were taken way too far. Here are a couple comments I heard from other viewer in the theater with me:

"I will never watch another Will Farrell movie for the rest of my life."

"I feel absolutely disgusting right now."

Need I say more.

That's my blood Ya'all!

My cousin Trent Christensen has been named a preseason All-American by a local football periodical. He is a senior at the University of North Dakota and he plays fullback for the football team. I may drive up to Ellensburg, Washington to watch the first game of the season against Central Washington University. GO SIOUX!!!

Sweet Home Minnesota

Well, I just got back from a week in Minnesota with my whole family. It was so much fun. I must say, Minnesota is still home for me. Here's a rundown on all the fun things I did while in MN:

We arrived at 6:00am after a red-eye flight from San Francisco to Minneapolis. We immediatly met my great aunt and great uncle on their boat for breakfast and a tour of downtown St. Paul and downtown Minnneapolis from the Mississippi River.

We spent two days in my home town: Winona, MN. I saw my place of birth and my old houses, schools, and church.

We drove to my aunt and uncle's house in Wahpeton, North Dakota to have dinner before we drove to my grandparents' lake cabin just outside of Lengby, MN.

We spent the rest of the trip at the lake cabin while we celebrated my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. All my paternal extended family was there. I rode my grandfather's jet ski and ATV. I waterskied and kneeboarded and we swam a lot.

The only downside was that the weather was not ideal. It was jsut as hot in MN as it was in San Jose last week. The temp in Minneapolis the day before we left was 103 degrees. We did get to see one of the coolest thinderstorms I've every seen one night. For 15 minutes it was like daylight outside because there was so much lightning happening all at once. Also, we saw the Northern Lights in the night sky. If you don't know what the northern lights are, just search google images for "northern lights". This phenomenon can't be seen in San Jose.

Well, I am back in California and I miss Minnesota already. The landscape and culture speak to my heart. I love going there because I love the outdoors. Maybe I'll live there at some point in my life. We'll see. By the way, GO SIOUX!

A Must Read

Daniel Garcia and I have been teaching through this book for our leadership training at Hillside called Yelo: Step up. Step out. Lead. Live.

This book is amazing. Daniel already stated this in the Gathering, but Erwin McManus is one of my heroes. I highly recommend reading this book because it will open your eyes to a life that is waiting to break out from within your soul. Pick up a copy of Uprising, or any other McManus book for that matter, and I promise you'll learn a lot about how to live up to your God-given potential.

Busy, Busy

This summer is crazy. I have been so busy that I haven't been able to update this blog for a few weeks. I have so many things that are going on that I want to blog about, but I don't have much time right now. Here are the things I'm doing:

Intern with the Gathering
Yelo: leadership training
Men's Retreat Co-chairman for Hillside Church
Working full-time at a Day Camp

These things keep me pretty busy. I'm also reading a few books: Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus, Uprising by Erwin McManus, and some A.W. Tozer. I'll try to give more detailed blogs soon.

What is this?

I went to the Giants game last night in SF. After the game when Sarah and I were leaving the ballpark, there were two or three guys just outside the gate that had megaphones and big signs. They were announcing things such as, "Judgement day is near!" and "Repent for your sins!". They had signs that read, "What will you say to Jesus on judgement day?".

To be honest with you, I was a little frustrated with those guys. They were just trying to scare people into repenting for their sins. I just don't think that is a good way to go about bring people into a relationship with Christ.

It is an incomplete message of what it means to be a Christian. It sounds like all those guys want is for me to repent. If I repent, then what? Can I just go back to my life? Repenting for your sins is not the whole equation. We are in a relationship with God. We cannot just say a prayer for repentance and thats it.

Maybe I'm reading into this too much. It just ticks me off when people only convey part of the gospel message. We are called to repent, turn away from our meaningless existence, and awaken our souls to be in a living relationship with the Living God. I want people to understand that God is stretching out His hand, like Jesus and Peter, to save us. I want people to grab hold of the life, love, and hope Jesus brings. Scaring people into repentance is not enough. Love people like Jesus, and they will see your new life in Christ.

Yelo: Step Up. Step Out. Lead. Live.

After our conference at Mosiac in LA, I have been so empowered to bring positive change to my sphere of influence. I really felt like our leadership in the Gathering needed an overhaul. The group is already hard working and I love them, but I want to raise the bar to something that is beyond anyone's expectations. This summer, Daniel Garcia and I have put together a three week leadership development class called Yelo: Leadership Training Experience. This is a program put on by Mosaic in LA, but we are using the name and many of the resources we got at our conference in LA. We will be focusing on character development, strengths, and how we can set the bar higher than we ever imagined in leadership. It is going to be very exciting and I hope every potential leader at Hillside Church attends. The classes will be on Sat. and Sun. three weeks in a row from July 8-23. There are really only three session, they are just repeated two nights so we can work around people's schedules. Please check out the flyer in the Hillside Church bulletin or downstairs in the Gathering lounge.

Junior High River Raft Trip 2006

I am going to be the speaker at the Junior High River Raft Trip for Hillside. I am so excited because I have some amazing lessons planned that are going to challenge the junior higher's faith. The theme is "Dive in Deep" and I will be speaking on what is really means to be a Christian, selflessness, and changing the world. Please pray that God will use me to reach the core of these kids' hearts. I want them to leave challenged and empowered to live a life fully devoted to Christ.

6-6-06

So the world didn't end today; at least most of it. It's 10:30 pm on the west coast so there is still a chance for us. Well, I guess life goes on. Actually, I'm glad the world didn't end today. I have friends that need Christ. Well, on to 6-7-06.

I'm a slacker

I posted a few weeks ago that I would start a series of articles on the Catalyst Groupzine, but I've been a slacker. I got distracted by another good book: Blue Like Jazz. I would recommend reading this book. It has great insight into how the world views Christianity. I will be writing a much more extensive review on this book very soon since I just finished reading it today. If you get bored this summer, pick up a copy of Blue Like Jazz. If you can't focus enough to read an ENTIRE book, check back for the clifnotes as determined by me.

Grass-Roots Leadership

An effective leader in the church has a passion for what they do and has a sense of commitment and connection to their ministry. What is the best way to achieve this type of leader? I believe cultivating leaders from the midst of the church is the best way. This grass-roots style of leader has a genuine sense of passion and commitment for their ministry.

I once heard a story of a guy who is now a paid staff member at a church. He earned his position in the church because of his hard work and passion for the area of the church he was involved in. This guy used to work 40 hours a week for UPS. He would also volunteer 40 hours a week at church and he had a family. This guy showed a genuine commitment to his ministry and to the lives of the people he helped. He had a passion for what he did. Eventually, he became so tired and run down from doing all the work he did, he crashed his car when he fell asleep at the wheel. Luckily, he wasn't hurt bad. He did lose his driver's license so he couldn't work at UPS anymore. At the same time, the church found the money to be able to pay him. So, the pastor offered him a job at the church. The next Monday at work, this guy didn't know what to do with himself. The pastor told him, "Just do what you have always been doing, we are just paying you to spend more time with your family now."

How powerful a story. This guy had such a passion and commitment to his ministry that he worked long hours for free. Then, when the church was able to pay him, he just continued on with what he had always done. We can learn from this lesson. The best way to get great leaders is to develop them from within. These grass-roots leaders are already committed, connected, and are already passionate about what they do.

That's Peachy

Do you know what your church's core values are? Can you name them off by heart? More importantly, are you actually living them out? Often, the understanding and fulfillment of the core values of the church is not done well. We need to know what our mission is before we try to be effective in ministry.

If you clearly establish your core values and common passion, then the people of the church will be free to do amazing things. The best thing a church could do in casting a vision is to create an easy way for people to identify those goals and apply them. Visual or literary metaphors are perfect ways for people to easily remember the vision of a church. When a vision is clear, then the people do not have to question if what they are doing is in line with the vision of the church.

The best metaphor for a ministry that is effective with strong core values is like a peach. It is all fuzzy on the outside, it has a juicy and meaty inside, and if you mess with the core you lose a tooth. It is the core that is solid and the foundation for the effectiveness of the ministry.

What the world needs is Jesus Christ. When Christ's followers can be free to fulfill their mission because of a clear vision, then the lost people will hear the good news of salvation. The people of God need to be empowered by a clear vision to be active in their faith and authentic in their mission. Core values are the best way to bring unity and purpose to the hearts of the church. Then, the church can go out and reach the lost.

The Church?

"The church isn't here for us, we are here to be the church." -Erwin McManus

How many of us show up on Sundays to hear the Word of God, sing praise, and fellowship? I know I do. But when someone asks you what church is, do you describe the elements of worship, fellowship, and teaching? This is not the church. The church is people.

When we gather on Sundays our purpose is to empower, instruct, and provide a place to worship together when the majority of our ministry is out in the world. The church is not a place to come to escape the world. The church is a body that reaches out to the world. Isn't our goal to live as Christ lived, with passion for God and compassion for others? When we gather on Sundays to be churched, we are missing the point of ministry. Christians should not come to church to find answers, Christ is the answer. Our weekly meetings are great because they prepare the people (the real church) to change the world for Christ.

Contemplate the quote from Erwin McManus. We are here to change the world for Christ and live like Christ. Jesus spent time with the lowest of the low in His society. He forgave them of sin and let them find new life. The church is people that reach out to the lost and show them how to live according toThe Way. That way is Jesus Christ. "Now go, be the church in the world!" -Kevin Kompelien

The Origins Experience

This week, I will be writing articles about the leadership conference I am attending in Pasadena, CA. These writings will be considering ideas, visions, and new ways of doing church that are being presented at this conference. Please leave comments.

Show Me Your Glory

Moses met with God regularly in the Tent of Meeting throughout the Old Testament. The Bible says "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." (Ex. 33:11 NIV) Biblical commentaries will say that this meant Moses had a different connection with God than anyone else at the time.

It says in Numbers 12:6-8 that "[God] said, 'Listen to my words:
'When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD.''"

The form of the Lord is not the essence of God. Rather, it is an actual manifestation of the living God. The Lord would meet with Moses and speak with him like a friend. What an intimate relationship!

As Christians today, we do not need a Tent of Meeting to speak with God. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and God's presence is constantly with us. Later, Moses asks God, "Show me Your glory." (Ex. 33:18 NIV) God revealed himself to Moses and did many great and mighty things through his faith. But what does this mean for us today?

Open up your own Bible and read 2 Cor. 3:7-18.

Essentially, the apostle Paul is saying this (in modern slang of course): If you thought that God revealed His glory in awesome ways through Moses, how much greater things will God do through us now that we have the Holy Spirit? All we have to do is be BOLD, faithful followers of Christ and desire to see the glory of God fulfilled in your life.

God wants to meet with us face to face. He will reveal His glory through us if we just ask Him, "Show me your glory."

Catalyst Series

I have been reading through a workbook called the Catalyst Groupzine. It is a compilation of articles written by influential people in today's church such as Donald Miller, John Eldrege, Erwin McManus, Andy Stanley, and John C. Maxwell. As I read through this book, I'll write reviews on each section about what I learned. If you want more information about the Catalyst Groupzine, click on the link to the right.

Unavoidable Relevancy

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV).

God desires us to reach out to the lost people of this world. Jesus Himself had compassion on the helpless because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Since we are called to be like Christ, we must have the same view towards the people of this world.

It is easy to use these verse to build a barrier between Christians and the world. Just because the people of the world are referred to as a "harvest" doesn't mean that they are an object to be won. These people are in need of relationships and a God who cares about them and offers salvation. We must carry this message to these people.

In order to reach people with the God's liberating grace, we must do a number of things. First, we need to get out of our box and build relationships with people in this world. This can be done through missions trips, community service, conversing with co-workers, and creating opportunities to connect with the lost. Second, we need to shape the church with cultural relavency. The apostle Paul writes that we are called to live in the world and not of the world. In other words, as Christians we need to be emmerced in culture in order to make a difference. Although we live in today's world, we do not follow the ways of the world. Instead, we are to live a life the reflects the life of Christ. Again, Christ befriended the lowest of the low in his world. He had compassion on people that the rest of the world rejected. Our calling should be the same. We need to reach out to the culture we live in.

We cannot ignore the needs of the culture. Our churches cannot be caught with a complacent attitude that desires to stick with the status quo. Culture is changing, therefore the way we reach out to the lost is changing. This does not mean that we try to follow trends or fads. We just need to be aware of the fact that the church needs to change in order to most effectively reach our culture. We need to be the church in the world. This change may be painful, but we need to be constantly seeking to refine how we fulfill our purpose in order to be effective. But our message does not change. God is still the same and He offers us an amazing gift: salvation.

Do you ever feel like this?

Take a look at this picture. Do you ever feel like Peter? Do you find yourself falling down into the sea of life, unable to pull yourself up? Here Christ offers a helping hand to a man who is sinking. He will do the same for you.

Our walk of faith is often difficult. God knows that. Afterall, Christ went through temptation and hardship while living on earth. He knows what we are going through because He expereienced it first-hand.

The hand of Christ is outstretched waiting for you to grab hold. He desires you to rely on Him. He is our creator and sustainer. God knows that life gets you down, but He is there with you guiding your steps. When we feel like we're sinking, Christ holds out His hand to save you. All you have to do is grab it and never let go.

The Still, Small Voice of God

Often, the importance of listening is overlooked. Culture tells us to speak our opinion, make decisions on our own, and seek selfish materialism, but that is not the way of God.

The scriptures repeatedly emphasize rest and reflection. In fact, the Israelites in the Old Testament were commanded by God to have a day of rest. Jesus Himself even found time to rest. Shouldn't we follow the same model?

American culture today is in overdrive. Starbucks, SUVS, smart phones, WIFI, and HDTV. Life seems to have lost its brakes. We often never find time to relax. Here in lies the problem: life is hard and we are running ragged trying to keep up. We find ourselves stressed and feel hopeless. Maybe there is a looming decision that you are having trouble with. Maybe you feel distant from God. Maybe you don't feel like God is there. There's a simple solution: listen.

God wants to speak to you. When you are distressed, distant, or hopeless, God wants to give you rest and peace. Even when things are going well, God is there. In this world of go, go, go, God desires to speak to us. The best way to listen is to find silence. God speaks in silence.

Listening to God will provide greater meaning and insight to the lesson you hear on Sunday. Listening to God will allow you to draw closer to Him. God wants you to listen. Afterall, He is God. So, shouldn't we let Him be God for a moment?

Oh, now I understand...

This blog is going to be dedicated to seeking insight into today's culture through the eyes of a Christian. I will write periodic columns which provide comments and analysis on topics which are relavent to today's Christian. These columns may appear in numerous installments much like a magazine or newspaper or they could be one time entries.
Throughout this blog, I will share my thoughts, insights, and inspirations as I make my journey through college and graduate school on my way to becoming a leader in the church. I hope someone in cyberspace finds my writing insightful and challenging.

A little about me

My name is Brent Kompelien and I love Jesus Christ. I am 19 and currently in college. I plan to go to seminary for a master's degree in preparation to become a pastor. I am deeply in love with my savior, Jesus Christ, and my purpose is to have a passion for God and compassion for others. This blogspot is dedicated to my journey through college and seminary as I learn and grow in my faith. There will be many posts that discuss things I have learned as well as insights on my faith.

Its Late

Today I have become overwhelmed with my ignorance. Let me explain, today I hung out with a great friend of mine, Robbie Ernst, and we had a lengthy conversation about everything from book to politics to gay marriage to music. We covered all the bases. He expressed to me that he felt he could never achieve the level of knowledge he desired. There just simply isn't enough time in a week to live life and catch up on the books he's been meaning to read. I suddenly felt the same way. I have been so busy with school and work that I've forgotten to really latch onto one thing that I love: learning, sharing, and exploring literature (namely the Bible). I've got so much to learn and so little time. Basically, I desire to seek a better understanding of my faith through a dynamic knowledge of the world and Christianity. I just need to figure out how to create a 26 hour day. Maybe, I could just change my priorities. Just a thought.