I lead a missional community of faith in Santa Cruz, CA.
I am a husband, dad, musician, speaker, performer, community catalyst and dreamer.
Welcome to the conversation.
I posted on the conference blog to see who else is here and blogging about it. If you got here via that, welcome! And for those of you that aren’t here and want to hear what’s going on, here are some people I’ve found who are bloggin it:
Anyone else? If you are leave a comment so I can add your link. Let’s share the love friends!
We made it. Conference started this morning. We walked in a tad bit late, and to be honest, I wasn’t really diggin the worship vibe when I got there. Great musicianship, just a bit "contemporary" for me. I like a little edge, but after some time I started enjoying it more. It was nice having a few peeps come in and lead one of their songs, Brenton Brown, Matt Maher.
Then Rick Warren started with the opening session, talking about the Character of a Worship Leader. I haven’t had a lot of experience with Warren outside of Purpose Driven books. After listening to him speak, I really gained some more respect for the guy. Not that I didn’t respect him before, just more after hearing his heart. here’s a few key things he shared:
The Character of a Worship Leader
BIG IDEA: If you want God’s anointing on your life, you must build your life on integrity, humility, and generosity. They are the antidotes to the most common traps that leaders fall into.
The three biggest temptations of leadership:
Integrity, humility, and generosity are the polar opposites of these temptations.
Integrity: You will be tempted to use your ministry to make yourself feel good physically, emotionally, and spiritually. You need to be whole in Christ.
Generosity: The only antidote to the problem of get, get, get is to give things (and yourself) away.
Humility: Humility is NOT denying your strengths. It is being honest about your weaknesses. False humility = pride.
Great Quotes:
Tim Hughes
After a break, we had an awesome time of worship with Tim Hughes. I have to admit, I was enjoying it at first, but not really "into it." Then he came to Awesome God. He really lost me there. That song is so old and bleh to me.
But then I was reminded how much of an effect media can have in worship in making something fresh. In the middle of the song, an excerpt of the E.V. Hill "That’s My King" sermon was played. That pulled me in and the song was fresh. And from there, I just went deeper into worship as Tim led. Great morning!
Now I’m sitting in a room listening to Tommy Walker and his pastor share about their relationship in ministry. Lovin it.
I’ll keep updating as the week goes. It’s helpful to me to sharing the things I’m learning, so hopefully you enjoy it too. Check out what Rich has to say, too. I’ve been here with him and a few guys from his church. Also feel free to check out the conference blog.
In a few minutes here I’ll head to San Jose and meet up with my friend and fellow Worship Leader/Blogger Rich to make the trek down south to Saddleback’s Worship Conference and Festival. Four of us guys will be crashing in a friend’s Fifth Wheel in Anaheim to save some denero (Thanks Rick!!).
Never been able to make this worship conference in the past, so I’m pretty stoked to get to check it out this year! I think I’ll be headin away from the church for all my lunches and dinners, so if anyone wants to meet my in Lake Forest, let’s do lunch! And if you’re gonna be at the conference, let me know! Let’s hang.
A few days late.
Sorry, it’s been crazy. And I finally resigned myself to the fact that a video isn’t gonna happen this week, so I went ahead and weighed myself this morning, and you’ll just have to take my word for it.
THE UPDATE:
current pledges = $25.01 per pound
weigh in: 173.2 lbs
week1: 168.2 lbs total loss: 5lbs = $125.05
week2: 166.6 lbs total loss: 6.6 lbs = $165.07
week3: 163.6 lbs total loss: 9.6 lbs = $240.10
week4: 165.8 lbs total loss: 7.4 lbs = $185.07
week5: 164.4 lbs total loss: 8.8 lbs = $220.09
make a pledge – make a difference
Well, I didn’t get back down as far as I would have liked, but I’m actually pleasantly surprised after eating camp food all week. Next week: Saddleback conference food. This is a rough couple weekd to focus on the diet! No bike riding either!
Right now I’m typing this from my BlackBerry. Why?
After worship preperation with the band tonight, I walked into my office and my laptop is gone. The front door seems to have been left open after bible study tonight and my office door wasn’t locked. Now I just have to call the police tomorrow with the serial # and hope either the church insurance or my renters insurance doesn’t have much of a deductible.
Now I think thieves suck even more.
Did I mention I’m really, really pissed?
Two words to describe God this morning.
Above is a picture of the view from the spot where I took some time with Jesus during some down time at Royal Family today. There’s something about being in the middle of God’s beautiful creation that makes it a bit easier for me to spend some time reading and praying. It was a great backdrop as I read this passage from Isaiah:
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing. (40:26 – NIV)
Then I read this:
For trouble, if it merely turns us to God and hence renews our strength, ceases to be evil and becomes good; it becomes the best thing that could possibly come to us, next to God himself. For our growth in power and happiness depends upon the number of seconds out of each 24 hours that we are resting in God.
-From The Soul’s Sincere Desire by Glenn Clark
The beauty of God’s creation is an amazing reminder of how powerful God is, and how powerful we really aren’t. Our power comes when we rest in God. Kinda counter intuitive, and a good reminder for me today. A lot of the kids at this camp have been through a lot of evil stuff, but if it can ultimately draw them to Jesus, it can be redeemed for good.
I too need to rely on God’s strength continually. That same passage in Isaiah goes on to say,
…those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (v. 31 – NIV)
How about you? What troubles are you going through right now? Or more importantly, where do you need to start relying more on God’s strength, and way less on your own?
Just some thoughts from my morning.
This first week of school year summer is a crazy one here at CLC. We have two major "camps" happening simultaneously. We partner with a church down the road where we hold our VBA – Vacation Bible Adventure (cause who wants to go to school during the summer anyway?). This years theme is King of the Jungle, and my wife is in charge of all of the music for that. She’s still feeling pretty nervous about it, even after a great first day, but I’m sure she’s doing awesome! They have child care available for Caleb which makes it possible for her to help out. But definitely makes it a busy week with Caleb totally off his schedule.
At the same time our church is sponsoring Royal Family Kids Camp in Felton at Camp Maymac. Some of my friends at Revolution participate with this down south. It is a week long camp for foster kids, and these are some kids who have had it rough. I’m tag teaming with our youth pastor, Kyle, as the camp pastor for this one. I spent most of the day there today, and it was blast! It reminded me how much I love working with kids and has kinda made Rachel and I both miss the good ole days at Laurel Pines, where we met.
So each morning I will be there doing object lessons and bible stories. In the afternoons I’ll be trying to get some work done, getting ready for Sunday, which means midweek rehearsal, and continuing with training alongside our preparing Life Group leaders. I’ll try to keep up, but please forgive me if posting is slim this week. And we’ll see if that weigh loss update actually gets up.
Tonight Rachel joined me at Royal Family for dinner and the staff talent show. Anyone who’s been around me at any of the recent camps or missions trips or any extended events with kids around is familiar with the infamous "Banana Song." Well tonight, the kids learned it as part of the talent show. But it went o the next level. A costume! Yeah baby! Yellow pants, yellow shirt, and a banana peel hat made from yellow paper. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture, but I do have a shot of Kyle and I as a pirate and Batman as we helped announce the rules:
What can I say? Sometimes it’s a lot of fun to make a complete fool of yourself, especially in the name of Jesus. This will be a somewhat stressful couple weeks comin up, but it sure will be fun too!
I know, another introspective post after yesterdays sharing. But that’s the thing. Yesterday only tells part of the big picture. And no, this has nothing to do with the dad mentioned in the prior post.
All the time you hear about people who’s fathers are horrible representations of God. This often creates a barrier to people seeing God as the loving and caring "Father" that He is. Perhaps if I got stuck focusing on my biological pops that would be true for me as well. But I was ridiculously blessed to have a different story.
My stepdad. I never called him dad. He was always Vic. I think I was 6 or so when he and my mother were married. I even vaguely remember the wedding. But he was always my father. He took me on camping trips. He was at every one of my shows, events, etc. He was a big dude, and most of my friends were slightly afraid of him when they first met him. Until they discovered the size of his heart and the gentle spirit that came along with it.
He pumped me with encouragement. I’ll never forget the time we were sitting at a show or something and there was this amazing pianist playing. I think I commented about his mad skills, and he told me that he and mom hoped knew I could do that one day. And he meant it. It hadn’t ever really crossed my mind till then that I could strive to be the best at something.
He passed away when I was 16 years old. He truly was my father. He poured himself into us. And it wasn’t always easy. I never spoke with him much about faith. In fact, it was after his death that I found comfort, healing,and community in Jesus for the first time. I don’t know what he believed exactly. But I can’t think of a better example of God’s love and acceptance.
Someday I hope that Rachel and I will have the opportunity to adopt. I want to do so because I think in a way, it will give me a small glimpse of God’s heart for me, a Gentile, grafted into His plan and adopted into His family. But I also feel the confidence to do this because I had an amazing example. And it’s helped me to understand God’s adoption of me into His Kingdom.
It’s been over 11 years since I last hugged him in a parking lot in El Cajon. But if he were here, I’d want him to know how thankful I am for the example he was to me. An example of fatherhood. An example of God’s love. Thanks Vic.
And to all you Dads out there who are doing the same, Happy Father’s Day. I hope it rocked.
It was the summer of 1993. I was 14 years old. I remember being at the gas station at the Navy base when my mom told us. Us being my sister, Megan, and I.
"Bobby, Megan, Your dad wants to come out here and see you guys."
OK, perhaps a little backstory is helpful. My mom and dad were divorced when I was almost 2. My mom was pregnant with my lil sis. He moved to New York. I don’t believe I saw him once between 2 years old and the point my mom shared this with us. He sent child support monthly, but was never actually a part of our lives.
I got to meet him that year. Some of the similarities were uncanny. Appearance (yes, he’s short too!), sense of humor, mannerisms. I was glad I got that opportunity. We kept in contact a bit. The last time I saw or spoke with him was October 2001. I visited there a few times. But he just never was good at keeping in touch. It’s all good. I’m still glad I got to meet him.
Now fast forward another 14 years. I’m 28 years old. It’s my turn. It’s hours away from my first Father’s Day. I’m a dad now. And it’s flipped my world upside down…in amazing and wonderful ways. One of the places our similarities stop will be in fatherhood. I always wondered how a man could possibly conceive a son or daughter, and not have the absolute need to know that child and be involved in their life. Now I wonder even more. I can’t say I necessarily fault him for it. He is who he is. But I just can’t imagine it.
The greatest honor I have in life, next to being married to my amazing wife, is being father to an amazing, bald, blue eyed little boy named Caleb. I can’t imagine living another moment of my life without being involved in his.
Sometimes, on the nights when he’s being a punk, and he won’t go to sleep, I get the privilege of holding him on my chest and rocking him to sleep. I sit there at times and wonder what he will become. I think in that moment, as his eyelids are getting heavy, the soft glow of light is bouncing off his cheek, and his hand is resting on my shoulder, of the days ahead when he’ll be ticked at me cause I have to punish him for something. The times we’ll toss around a ball in the front yard. And as I look into his deep blue eyes staring up at me, I wonder what it would be like for him if he could only remember back to this moment someday like I can. What the view must be like staring up at dad’s face as he falls asleep.
Whatever it is that the future holds, I want to be there to guide him and see him grow up. Thanks for being my son, Caleb. Thanks for a Happy Father’s Day.
First day home. This morning.
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