Thanks for your prayers. The week was great. There were a few interesting moments, but overall… awesome!

We leave for our Mexico trip at 4AM tomorrow morning.  I’ll share some pictures and some great stories in a few days. Please pray for us!

We are just days away from heading to Tijuana for our annual Mission Trip to Mexico.  A team of 39 missionaries will be working again with Amor Ministries from San Diego.  Over the last 10 years we have built 27 houses, one firestation and this year we will be building a school.  We are all pretty pumped and ready to live out our theme for 2008…  Take It In!

With the last minute flurry of details upon us, let me ask of behalf of our entire team…  Please keep us in your prayers.  Not only will our team be building this school, several of our group will also be ministering to an orphanage that we have connected with in the last year or two.  I can’t wait to show you pictures of what God is doing.

I  really think that the Church at large is  beginning to think about Multi-Culturalism in our churches.  I really think that the consistent passionate appeal about the church of today mirroring the world that we live in,  is beginning to spring forth and flourish.  I think that the efforts of so many have taken deep root and a harvest is on the horizon.

Why do I think this?….  more and more people are talking about it.  More and more churches are focusing upon it and more and more people are beginning to write about it.  For instance this past week I was interviewed by a researcher and author from Marymount University in Virginia.  This gal is a professor in the Theology and Religious studies dept. and is working on a book about the rise of intentional Multi-Ethnic  churches.  This is so wonderful if you ask me….  for we are a diverse nation.  In fact as I write this post I am sitting at a McDonald’s waiting  for Griffin to finish at a birthday party.  Talk about diverse:  There are three white people in the store- me and two other employees.  A nice Latino family just left and the last eight people who walked in were either Indian or African - American.  Diversity happens at Walmart, it happens at McDonald’s.  It should happen every Sunday in God’s house.

So we have this awesome young Youth Pastor at Westbrook. His name is Rick Marcum and he has just begun his sixth year of ministry with our students. We are so blessed to share ministry with he and Mindy and Mylan. While we love them beyond words… we’re gearing up to lose them one of these days to church planting. When that happens our loss will be the kingdom’s gain.

While Rick and Mindy are at CIY this week with our students, Rick’s Mother ~ Chelle is here hanging out with Mylan. Rochelle May Gonzalez Pe Benito Marcum is her full name. She came to America from Iloilo City, Philippines in 1968. She gained her US Citizenship in 1996. Christie and I were able to have her over for dinner tonight and now see why Rick is so awesome. And yes, Rick has a great father… but his nanay, (mother)~ she’s awesome!

A great friend of mine named Joe Putting just listed a cool list on his blog. I need to see and hear this kind of stuff all of the time. Thanks Joe.

11 Observations of Bold, Godly Leadership for 21st Century Churches

1. They seek God’s will through His Word, prayer, and the Holy Spirit.
2. They have a spirit of fearlessness/boldness.
3. They have a desire to build the Kingdom, not please people.
4. They have a powerful sense of destiny, mixed with humility.
5. They have a personal commitment to observable ministry, missions, stewardship, and servitude.
6. Their leaders work together in unity.
7. They make bold decisions based on vision of God and need of culture.
8. Their decisions always involve faith, not sight; even more so when there is no money.
9. There is trust between elders and pastoral staff.
10. There is no micro-management at any level.
11. They dare to do the impossible daily, as the church did in the first

Today is Father’s Day and I’m writing this post as our first service is taking place.  (Pastor Rob is preaching.) It’s great to be able to honor our earthly fathers and we Praise our Heavenly Father.  You might say that you have a wonderful father…  but I’m sorry to “one up you”,  My Dad is the GREATEST.  I am so Thankful for him.  My Dad taught me how to love Jesus.  He modeled patience and mercy.  He taught me a healthy and strong work ethic.  I could fill up this entire post with all of the amazing things that he taught me and did for me and for my family.

I was able to spend this past week with my dad.  Last Monday he had his left knee replaced and I took a week of vacation time to go spend it downstate.  I was able to help my mother and visit my dad each night at the hospital.  During the day I stayed around the greenhouse ( a business that he has owned and operated for nearly 60 years).  I think I worked harder this week than I have in 20 years.  You know preachers only work one day a week!  I planted flowers, put in their garden, cut grass, helped with some tree work and made some floral deliveries.  It was challenging (using muscles that haven’t been flexed like that in years) but enjoyable.  In the evenings I drove to the hospital and hung out.  It was weird seeing my dad sitting there.  I’ve never even seen him sick let alone in the hospital.  In fact it was his first hospital stay ever.  He turns 80 in August.  Even still dad was his jovial, loving self.   He’s home now and doing super.  Please keep praying for him.  Thank you Jesus for allowing me to have the greatest dad ever!

All Americans have woken up this morning to literal history.  For the first time in the history of our nation, we have a black Presidential candidate.  Frankly, I’m glad this part of the election process is nearly over but it certainly has been interesting and quite entertaining.  Whatever your political persuasion…  whoever you plan to vote to for in November…  This is a big day for Barack Obama.  I think it is a big day in America.

Speaking of hero’s (see post below)… One of my ministry hero’s is a friend named Brian Jones.  Brian is the Pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley outside of Philadelphia.  Our connection is years old as we met over a decade ago.  I can’t tell you how many church planting things we have been at together over the years.  Brian is not only a great Pastor and leader but he is also a gifted writer.  His most recent book captured my eye and before I could pick one up he sent me an early copy to read.

The book is called Getting Rid  of the Gorilla and it is one of the best books I have read in the last year.  It really was one of those “can’t put it down” books.  I think all of us struggle with the issue of forgiving those who have hurt us and Brian has woven not only the reasons why forgiveness is a challenge but also the way through it.  If  forgiving someone in your world seems out of reach or out of the question it would do your spirit good to pick up this book.  Visit any Christian bookstore or Amazon.  it’s worth it!

Sometimes I feel like having a blog is like having a dog.  You have to feed it to keep it alive.  Same with a blog I guess.  There never seems to be enough time to post all that is on your mind or what you’d like to write about therefore I find myself paralyzed to the point of doing nothing.  But since I enjoy this kind of communication I will prevail.  Actually the last couple of days has been a bit challenging for me as I was transitioning to a new laptop.  So don’t think I’m a total blog loser.  I’ve got some friends that post almost every day.  You’re my hero’s!