Well I know that the big gist behind this blog is to perpetuate and encourage churches to become multi-cultural and for people to be encouraged to walk with Christ, but it’s still my blog and I like to dote on my family once in a while. After all, it’s because of their support and encouragement that I can do all of the ministry things that I do. So indulge me periodically. TODAY is our youngest son, Griffin’s birthday. Griffin is 8 today. I remember that Sunday he was born like it was just yesterday. We we’re just about 30 minutes from starting our first service at Oak View School. Christie called me and said… “It’s time.” In typical male fashion I replied… “Time for what?” “Time for this baby to be born you knucklehead!” was her response (or something like that). Pastor Amado took over and hours later God introduced us to a new dude. If you’ve met Grif, you know he is a great kid. He has a lot of my traits. Scarry!
Be sure to wish him a happy birthday the next time you see him. I love you Grif man!

If you are a resident of the United States of America then you know that the national Holiday that will be observed on Monday is a very serious one in the life of our nation. Of course I am referring to Martin Luther King Jr. day. This national holiday which is one of only four United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual person was began when President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal holiday to honor King on November 2, 1983.
Since Westbrook Church is a multi-cultural church, made up of people with every skin color we think it very fitting to take a moment to honor this faithful Christ-follower, passionate preacher of the Gospel, humble servant of Jesus and civil rights activist.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the main leaders among many passionate leaders of the American civil rights movement. A Baptist minister by calling and education, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. Over time, his efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, raising public consciousness of the civil rights movement and establishing King as one of the greatest orators in American history. In 1964, King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent means.
King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee ending the life of a very focused and dedicated man of God. As our nation sets aside a day to remember him, Westbrook is going to take a moment to honor his life as well. Just as we honor and highlight servants like Jim Elliott (the martyred missionary in Ecuador) or Billy Graham (the tireless evangelist and national leader) we see it very fitting to honor this man who gave his life so that others might know the hope that can come not only in Christ but also in our great nation.
Interestingly, I find myself in Birmingham, Alabama today meeting a church planter that I will be coaching this year. On this trip I was able to visit some of the sites that are significant with the civil rights movement. I spent some time at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and then a visit to the 16th Street Baptist Church that you see pictured in this post. Birmingham was considered one of the most segregated cities in the nation and the church was the target of a racially motivated bombing in which four young girls were killed in September of 1963. I even stood in the very pulpit where Dr. King preached and had my picture taken. Without a doubt the day was emotionally charged. This Sunday as we worship our risen Lord and honor a faithful preacher let’s be sure to pray for the peace of our nation and our avid desire to be the kind of inclusive church that Christ died for. And then on Monday take some time to read more about Dr. King. if you’d like I could even give you a copy of Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”
I pray your church is doing the same thing.

It’s Monday afternoon as I write this post and it’s already been a pretty long day. Early this AM I caught a 7:15 AM flight from Chicago Midway to Atlanta and then a little connection to Tri-Cities Airport in East Tennessee. For the next several days I am doing some preparation work for a Pilgrimage Journey to Israel. I announced this trip yesterday at Westbrook and asked for your prayers and today Is really the first step in this trip becoming a reality. In partnership with Emmanuel School of Religion, the Emmanuel Institutes and the Cousins Foundation I was blessed to be invited to join them on a 12 day trip to the Holy Land February 12-26, 2008. My little visit down here to ESR is to meet the other Pilgrims and make final plans for this exciting trip. For the next several days we will be briefed on this excursion and will no doubt continue to prepare our hearts and minds for God to do some amazing work in us so that we might be better suited to serve him with abandonment and passion.
If you have a chance lift up a prayer for me. To say that I am excited would be an understatement. The emphasis of this trip and Pastoral Renewal Program is on retreat, reflection and renewal, not on tourism. Plan on joining me on this journey.

Pastor Rick, Pastor Amado and I are up at a lake house in Wisconsin for a few days planning, writing, praying and strategizing for our 2008 message series. We would love for you to pray for us during this very cool time. Once again several of the series that we teach to our respective congregations: Westbrook main, GUM, and Velocity will share the same theme, idea and focus. As we have over the last several years, our summer expository series will be on the same page as well. Remember us as we listen to God and we can’t wait to fill you in on what’s in store for this new year. Thanks to the great Westbrook family for this quiet little place.

A very important part of becoming a culturally sensitive church and a church that elevates the beauty of multiple ethnicities all worshiping together is the need to Pursue Cross – Cultural Competencies. Beyond just mere awareness of other cultures or a sensitivity toward them, we as Christ-followers must also learn of other cultures whereby we can celebrate when they celebrate and appreciate what they appreciate. One such opportunity to do that very thing in the local American church is just a few weeks away. Of course I am referring to the American holiday celebrating and honoring the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. January 21, 2008 is the National Holiday to be exact but I feel that it is highly appropriate for all churches especially Multi-cultural churches to underscore the life of this faithful Christ-follower, civil rights spokesmen and passionate human being. While we come to corporate worship to honor and celebrate the life of Christ, we regularly speak of those who have faithfully “walked the walk.” Dr. King was more than just an outspoken advocate for the dignity and rights of our black brothers and sisters he was an amazing preacher of the word of God. In preparation for this national holiday, I encourage you to take some time to listen to some of the magnificent sermons that Dr. King delivered. You may just catch a glimpse of more than just civil rights but his heart felt passion to honor Christ as well.