New Year Rituals

Do you have any? I do. This is the beginning of an evaluation time. I spend the 1st month of the year thinking about last year. Praying through the year and evaluating my/our direction. Search me o God......

With the news of the tragedy in SE Asia, I feel like what I do is so trivial at times. The things I focus on, worry about, get frustrated with. Yet, I still have to live my life. Hopefully, recent events will once again remind me to focus on what is important and be grateful for God's blessing.

Please pray for SE Asia. For grace and mercy. For comfort and peace. For safety and health for those who are picking up the pieces, and those who have lost.

Life is short, so play hard. Seek God and squeeze every ounce out of every day. No regrets.

Peace,

K

Christmas in SE Asia

It is hard to believe the devastation that SE Asia is experiencing, due to the Tsunami this week. This morning the death toll was up to 68,000. It is heart breaking to see the loss of loved ones and the grief that those people are enduring, while trying to stay alive themselves. I feel so helpless. I have no point of reference for what these people are going through. I can only pray, and give some cash to the relief effort.

We have spent a ton of money on Christmas, buying things we don't really need, in the true sense of the word "need". Now we are faced with people in real need. They have nowhere to live, nothing to eat and are faced with disease due to the death toll. It is easy to think that my $20 is nothing, but if enough of us give sacrificially, it will have an impact. These people who are suffering are part of God's Kingdom. It is our duty to help.

Whatever church you are associated with, bug them to contribute to this effort. This is an opportunity for us to be the church in a "hands on" relevant way. Pray for the people of SE Asia. They are hurting beyond anything I can imagine.

For me, this kind of situation really brings home how blessed I am, even when I think I have it hard. What do I know?

Peace,

K

If you read the Gospels....

We are back from Cuba. It was an amazing time, made better by the reports of snow and freezing rain going on here. I was checking my voluminous email today and found this article . Check it out. I thought it was an amazing analysis from outside the family.

Peace,

K

I'm going to Cuba...

and you're not! Syl and I will be in Cuba for a week. We will try not to enjoy ourselves too much.
I am looking forward to this little break. Have a great week.

Peace,

K

UCC ad campaign

The United Church of Canada has released an ad campaign stating that - like Jesus - the United Church of Christ seeks to welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race, economic circumstance or sexual orientation. The UCC takes this further than I believe scripture does, however I admire their willingness to clearly reach out to the marginalized in the world.

I find it interesting that the CBS and NBC networks have banned these ads for being too controversial. They have no problem airing comedies that dipict the gay lifestyle, but refuse ads saying Jesus would accept them. God loves all people. He created everyone with the hope of having a relationship with them.

How do we, the church navigate loving the sinner and hating the sin. We are pretty good at the latter. Jesus came for the hurting, not the well. I would hope that the church's mission would be the same as Jesus. What do you think?

Peace,

K

Solid Definition

I was browsing some sites today on postmodern or "emerging church" stuff and came across
this definition or description of the emeging church. I think it is pretty clear, more so than many others I have read. Leave it to Wikipedia...

Peace,

k

Can't see the Forest....

The OD is about to be 1 year old. That's right. We have been "doing" church for 1 year. We started with 27 people. Lately we are in the mid 50's every week. One week we hit 73. We have seen over 100 people come through our door. We have eaten together 52 times. We have done 28 street runs, feeding approximately 2800 people. We have worshiped together 52 crazy times. We have had four weddings. We have been a community of followers, seeking to figure out how to walk this walk. It has been an amazing year.

I was telling Jared today that we do this thing, and to us it is just, what we do. I am often amazed when I talk to others outside the community about The OD, how blown away they are by what we do. To us it is "normal". However, it is good to get outside sometimes and see that God truly is doing something cool with us. When you break it down, and look at the parts, it is pretty awesome. It really is like riding with the top down.

I can't wait to see what He does in year 2.

Peace,

K

An Encouraging Day...

I had an awesome morning this morning. I met with a bunch of leaders who are trying to do church in more relevant ways. relevant to the communities they live in. Some of them are just leaders trying to understand this "New Christianity". It was amazing to be together and share. Share questions, concerns and answers, and more questions. We shared what we do in our own contexts. Some of our churches are very different, but we are trying to do the same thing. We encouraged each other. I have been a part of many "emerging" church conversations over the past few years. I have become tired of many, because they are all about philosophy and deconstruction issues. It was amazing to actually focus on what IS happening and how good stuff is, rather than sit around bitching about what was and how bad it was. It was a breath of fresh air.

God is doing some good things in this city.

Peace,

K

Leadership

What is leadership? Someone once said, if you think you are leading and no one is following, you are just out for a walk. Often, we think of leaders as the "up front" people. They are "People of influence." Although this can be true, it is not the rule. The best leaders, shepherds, mentors are the ones that are "present". If you want to have influence, then you have to do the hard work of being available. It is easy to get up and spout some lofty thoughts, or lead worship. The real influence and leading takes place on the floor. This means having what seem to be meaningless conversations sometimes. It means listening to people, whether you feel like it or not.

I can't remember one sermon or Sunday school lesson from when I was growing up, but I remember the teachers and pastors. I know the impact or lack of it, they had on my life, by watching them live.

We tend to want position and status, NOW. We want results, NOW. We want to see the impact of our words, NOW. Well, in real life it is rarely like that. We need to be in this game for the long haul. We have to be willing to do whatever it takes. In leadership, the first "must" is, you must be present. I wish it were easier. It isn't.

Peace,

K

What a ride.....

God you are so faithful. When I am down or losing focus, you do things that just bring me back to the place of trusting you. You give more than expected. Amazing.

As many of you know, we run a food bank. We are presently helping to feed over 100 families every week. Food is just flooding in. God has given us favor with suppliers. We had to buy 4 freezers(for a total of 7 freezers), just to handle the load. We are now in a position where we are helping other food banks. God is good. I pray that as we help our community, they will see Jesus in our actions and our words.

Peace,

K

Swallowing hard

I am a fighter by nature. I don't give in easily. I strive to find what is right and live by it. This week I have been forced on several occasions to swallow my pride and let go of what is "right". It is a struggle for me to not fight back when lies are being spread. When slanted stories are being told. I am not so good at turning the other cheek. It doesn't "feel" right to me to let injustice go untouched. Yet, I find myself in this position, asking myself how shall I respond as a recipient of Grace. How did Jesus and the apostles respond to injustice and unfair treatment? They took it on the chin and focused on the BIG picture. I gotta tell you, it sucks.

Jesus said there would be days like these. So did paul and almost everyone else in The Book. God, give me faith and courage to do what is right in your eyes, not my own.

Peace,

K

Ignorance is suckyness.....

I was out with some friends last night and got into a conversation with a waitress about Catholicism vs. Protestantism. It is amazing how we can assume what people know and don't know based on our own understanding. Danielle asked me is if I was P or C, I said I just try to follow Jesus. This kind of confused her, so she asked a clarifying question. She asked, "well, do you believe in the virgin birth" I said yes, totally. "Then you can't be P" she said. I explained that P's also believe in the virgin birth, but that they have been remiss in giving Mary the honor The Book says she deserves. She was shocked. She had been taught that P's don't believe in the virgin birth, and that is what separated C's from the P's Rather eye opening.

The moral of this story is, you can't assume what other people believe or think about God or "religion". You have to have a conversation.

Peace,

K

People pleasing and other satanic rituals

Why is it that we are so pressed to be "okay" in other people's eyes. Most times we will bend over backwards to make sure that what we do is acceptable in the eyes of people, with it seems, very little regard for the fact that it may not be the right thing to do. We will carry on activities that kill us, if we think someone will be upset if we stop. The Israelites wandered for 40 years because they did the comfortable, acceptable thing, rather than the harder, God thing. Why aren't we more worried about what God thinks? He never seems to avoid the right thing in deference to what people think.

The fear of man sucks. We need to learn to fear God. I wonder what difference that would make in this world.

Peace,

K

yeah,... anyone want to buy a Pathfinder

Well, I finally got my hands on a GMC Safari. It is just like my Astro, which I have missed. The Pathfinder is a great truck, but, it can't handle much cargo. I needed another van/truck for food bank and ministry issues. I am thrilled. God is good.

Anyone want to buy a Pathfinder?......

Peace,
K

Elyon?

i have been reading a trilogy written by Ted Dekker. It is a fantasy style series that tells the story of God and humanity. He paints a striking picture of how we sometimes miss God, even when we are looking for Him. I have been thinking about the people of Israel and how they missed Jesus while waiting and watching for The Messiah. How could they have missed the signs? In the Book, those who love Elyon(God) the most, totally miss Him.

This got me wondering, how often do I miss God in my own life, because He doesn't come in ways I would recognize? Have I got Him so pigeonholed that sometimes, I miss Him? I guess the question is, can I put aside my preconceived notions of who God is and how He operates, and learn to see Him as He really is. It is not that all my notions are wrong, but they can't be all right either. So, I need to humble myself and learn to see the "wonder" of God. Yeah,... this will be easy......

Peace,

K

I'm outta here

Hi guys' I am out of town for the week, I am at a pastor's conference with FMC. have a great week. See you next week.

peace,

K

How long can we fake it

I am stuck on this cup analogy. This idea that all we have to do is keep up the appearance of change. We can be like the Emperor in The Emperor's New Clothes, we are convinced that no one really sees the reality of our heart. We can smile and say the right things for a time, but eventually we start to crack. Our attitude starts to show in our comments, facial expressions and behaviour. This happens because keeping up a facade is hard work. It takes alot of energy. So, why do we start a game we can't finish. Why do we convince ourselves that we can do it.

It takes alot less energy to be transparent. Sure it can be hard at first, because we are used to living the lie. It is uncomfortable. Transparency seems like nakedness, but the freedom it brings is amazing. "I am not perfect. I have cracks. But, by God's grace, not anything of me, I am striving to live my relationship with God. It isn't always pretty, but it is real." We don't have all the answers, so why pretend we do. That just pisses people off. People were drawn to Jesus because of His transparency. I am sure they will be drawn to Him by ours.
This can only happen if our cup is clean. Which can only happen if we fill our cup with His Spirit.

Peace,

K

How's your cup?

Is it cleaner on the inside or the outside? Sometimes we as followers tend to get tunnel vision about how things appear on the outside. Maybe preoccupied is the right word. We worry about looking good. Looking holy. Looking happy. What a crock. Many of us have been guilty of making sure our appearance is pristine, but neglected to clean the "inside" of our cup. We say and do the right things, but our heart is black, or at the very least, grey. This amounts to placing us in the same category as used car salesmen. I have a friend who used to say, if you make a car shiny, no matter how bad it runs, someone will buy it. I think at times we hope the same for our faith.

What people really need is to see that the inside of the cup is different, not just the outside. If we are transparent and allow people to see our hearts, and they are "clean", people will be drawn to Christ. They want to know that God really makes a difference that is more than superficial. For the most part real people don't care about appearance, language, style, etc., as much as we think they do. They care about being loved and accepted, people having compassion, people serving each other. As Karl has pointed out, he is drawn to Christians who do stuff, not ones who just talk pretty(my Paraphrase). Which are you? Which am I?

Peace,

K

Talk, Talk, Talk

We are good at it aren't we? We can talk all day about vision, passion, ministry. I think, we think that as long as we are talking about doing something, it is as good as doing it. Which may be the case, if all we had to do was impress ourselves. The rubber eventually has to meet the road. Talking is great,.... if it leads somewhere, if not, it's just GAS.

Peace,

K

Being Holy

I am struck by the thought of what it means to be incarnational. I was challenged yesterday that being holy isn't about "not" doing, but rather, it is about "doing". Being holy has more to do with being in the world than, in church, or prayer, etc. It has more to do with living out what God has called us to than it does striving for perfection. Love the unlovely, that is holiness. Feed the poor, that is holiness. It is definitely a different way of thinking. It is also very freeing.

Peace,

K

What's in my head

I have so much stuff running through my head these days. Thinking alot about what it means to be incarnational. Heard a great recording today of Micheal Frost from the YFC National conference. It was an encouraging reaffirmation and challenge to do church well. We have not perfected it, but we do it well. We are on the right track. I pray that God will continue to guide us down this strange road of incarnational community. The challenge is to continue to grow this philosophy and spread it around. I don't know if any of this makes sense to you, but this is what's in my head.

Peace,

K

AAHHHHHH!!!

What Would Jesus Eat? Dr. Don Colbert
Discover a comprehensive nutrition plan that incorporates Bible-based eating.....

I am ashamed to be associated....

Peace,

K

WWJD

I have no clue most of the time. I know what He would do in some situations, because we see Him in action in The book. But, most of the time I hear people expounding on what Jesus thinks, it is usually judgemental and is more what they wish or hope Jesus thinks, because that is what would make them happy or comfortable. As a friend pointed out recently on our message board, I don't think Jesus is so quick to load the shotgun as we are. I know that Jesus' first reflex is to love, including loving the unlovely. Maybe we should just try doing that for a while and see how it works out for us.

Peace,

K

I am back

Hello everyone. I am back,... I think. Life has been very busy lately, with Rockfest and weddings, etc. Syl and I just got back from Alberta. We were at Leni and Mark's wedding. It was an awesome time. More country music than I needed to hear, but still alot of fun.

I was officiating the wedding and barely kept control when I saw leni enter the church. Okay, I lost it. I don't know how I am going to handle my natural daughter's weddings.

We went to the West Edmonton Mall. Interesting to say the least. Waterslides are cool, I guess, but I would rather go outside. The amusement park looks fun, but stuff ain't cheap. Some stores have 2 or 3 locations in the mall. It is big, but, it is still a mall.

Rockfest is two weeks away. We are looking forward to it. If you are in the area, please join us for a day of music and food.

God is growing us these days. Ministry opportunities are increasing and so are the trials. We keep praying for God's grace and wisdom. Please join us in this prayer.

Keep our eyes on Jesus, Lord.

peace,

K

Busy, Busy

I realize that I have been slack on my blogging the last week or so. I am sorry.

Life is busy. We are doing alot of foundation work on our food bank system. We are feeding 70 families every week. This Saturday we are in Ile Bizard and the IGA collecting cans for the bank.

Rockfest is also in the works. We still need a few bands and a million volunteers.

I will get more regular (in my blogging) in the next few weeks.

Peace,

K

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

Sucks doesn't it. Sacrifice is so much easier. We get to choose the time and place, as well as what we will give up. Usually anyways.

God on the other hand, prefers obedience. If you love me you will keep my commands. No control here. Just do what your told, when your told. Even though we come to understand that God's directives are there to protect us, we find it hard to obey.

The heart is desperately wicked, who can know it... We say we love God and convince ourselves it is so. But, He says, if you love me you will obey.

What are you doing or not doing that God is clearly directive about? What are you doing or not doing that the Spirit has spoken to you about?

Will you obey?
Do you love God?

Peace,

K

Stupid Christians

So, a buddy of mine tells me the other day about these two guys he works with. He has been building a friendship with them and has had the opportunity to express his faith. At first they were a little suspicious or guarded, but over time have opened up. Understandably, they have pre-conceived ideas about what a "christian" is.

Anyway, the other day a "christian" shows up at there company door, wielding tracts and being very pushy. One of these guys was the recipient of said "evangelism". He later walked by my friends desk, threw the tract on it and said, "I think this is for you."

You can imagine the frustration of my buddy as he realizes that some of the damage that has been undone, through his relationship with these guys, is now reinstated by the stupidity of a believer who apparently is not interested in building relationship, only in covering his own butt, by "spreading the word". At the end of the day, he can say he was a witness, without ever considering what he was a witness of....

Peace,

K

How to do Friendship Evangelism......

I got this from a new friend. What do you think?

How to do Friendship Evangelism.

First... befriend someone with the goal to influence them with your personal agenda.

Second, remember that you are not equals. You know Jesus, they do not. Make sure the friendship is one-way... if not you'll be unequally yoked. This is complex. If you do not appear to be a close friend then you will not receive friendship from them. If they do not see you as a friend, you are not doing friendship evangelism. You are doing, stranger evangelism. Everyone knows that stranger evangelism is not real evangelism. If you are too much their friend, they will influence you with their worldliness and you are on the slippery slope to the bowels of hell.

Third, spend time with them, proportionate to the amount of time you spend with your family, other "real friends" and your job. The formula goes like this.
NF is for Nuclear Family. God want's you to spend more time with your family, because he loves them the most. Of course theologically God loves everyone equally,( but we all know the truth.)
RF - is for Real Friends. these are the people who are equals. They are your true peers. You watch football together. You hang. You shop together, but only if you are female. These friends help minister to your Lost friends.
LF is for Lost Friends. They don't know Jesus and are going to hell. They are your friends too, but not really.
The Friendship evangelism formula is:
4 parts NF, 3 parts RF, 2 parts job and 1 part LF
so for every 2 hours you spend at work God wants you to spend 4 hours with your family and 1 hour with a lost friend. Got it?

Fourth, and this is key. in every conversation think through your personal agenda for them. Looking for the opportunity to make your point at the right time. probably a time when they are needy.

this is what friendship evangelism is.

Satire aside:
we need to get rid of evangelism as we know it. Toss it out.
and we need to either redefine friendship and what it means or we need to redefine integrity.

Peace,

K

Food for thought

For the last little while we have been hooked up with a ministry called Julia Kraft for the purpose of giving food to approx. 70 families every week. It is an amazing thing to get together and put the boxes together for families of 2 to 9 people.

There are so many people involved in this effort. There are the stores and distributors who give us the food and those who drive and pack boxes.

Think about it, once a week 70 families are blessed by something as simple as being able to start the week with some food in the fridge and pantry. Something most of us take for granted.

I am blessed to be a part of this.

Peace,

K

Real Authority

This morning in our meeting the topic of deliverance came up. This always leads to a discussion about the authority that we as followers walk in, or don't.

Jesus has given us all the authority that we need to carry out our commission here on earth, it is a matter of whether we choose to walk in it. Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. Do we truly believe that. If so, then we need to do a whole lot more butt kicking to the "dark side". We often find ourselves stuck in the mud of lies that the deceiver tells us and we so eagerly believe. I suck, I am weak, I can only do so much, I can't... All lies.

We need to get into the habit of listening to the truth, which is what God says. It is so easy to believe "the lie". Ask yourself, "what does God think about you"? Do the thoughts in your head match up with The Book? With God's character? If we are to make a difference in this world we need to put the "dark side" in perspective and walk like God actually is bigger than you know who. Because, He is.

Peace,

K

It's the little things...

Last Saturday the boys got together to take Frank out before his impending wedding. We were downtown outside Hurley's when I bump into Rich. Rich worked in the store across the street from the original "Vault". He used to come over all the time and ask questions about what we did and why we did it.

One day Rich came in and asked me to pray with him. He wanted what we had. Our "prayer" was an impacting event for him. he said he felt God put His arms around him and hug him.

Well, 12 years later we bump into each other and the first thing Rich does is thank me again for the time I took with him that day. He says it has made a difference in his life.

No offence to Frank, but this was the highlight of my night. I barely remembered the event, but, Rich has never forgotten it. It is the "little things" that God seems to use. I pray that my eyes would be open to the "little things" God puts before me.

Peace,

K

Busy, busy

Since June 14(the On Rock Golf Tournament) life has been moving pretty fast. We have been busy with the aftermath of the tournament and regular life to boot. It was a good tournament. We made about $20,000 for On Rock.

This week is a short one. Tomorrow we go to Family Camp at Frontier Lodge. I am looking forward to it. A few days of hanging out, fishing and a whole lot of nothing.

I have been thinking alot about spiritual warfare in a redemptive community, about staying alert and walking expectantly, like God is actually going to do something.

Peace,

K

Second Chances

I was reminded this week of a time when I totally blew my "testimony". God called me when I was 18 to go work in the Eastern Townships with retarded adults. This was confirmed by a few other respected sources at the time. I was supposed to be a light to those I lived with. Instead, I proceeded to party my face off. Within 5 months, god "removed" me. I got fired. I spent the next couple of months getting my head straight. About 3 months later, I bumped into one of my party buddies, at a Christian camp. I asked her what she was doing there. She proceeded to tell me that most of my party friends had gone to a rally and decided to follow Jesus. That hit me like a ton of bricks. These people I partied with were ripe for the harvest and I totally ignored it because of my own selfishness. God, in His mercy put the touch on them anyways.

I am so thankful that God is a God of second chances. he did not write me off because I was a bad representative. He disciplined me, loved me and put me back on the front lines. The "enemy" would have us believe that when we blow it, it is over. Our integrity is finished we are useless. This is just not true. That is not the God that I serve. He is far more forgiving than I am. I have to learn to forgive myself the way He forgives me. Unconditionally, without condemnation. A hard road...

Romans 8:1

Peace,

K

I am Encouraged

I have had a very encouraging week. her is why, people have been asking questions. All week I have been in the company of people who are seeking God. Most of them have a relationship already and are seeking to go deeper. So, they are questioning, reading, and talking about what it means to be in relationship with a loving God. They are not just accepting the Sunday school answers, they want more.

This to me is exciting and fun. Sometimes the question is more important than the answer.

Peace,

K

Breaking the "Religious" Bone

We all have it. It comes from the socialization we experience through Church. I knew a guy who was a dealer type street kinda guy. You know, leather jacket scruffy, long hair, etc. he met some Christians and started his relationship with God. Started going to church. two months later he was in casual pants, polo shirt, cut hair and speaking a language that was foreign to him, but he was catching on quick. the lingo was Christianese. I bumped into him at a concert in a local church and didn't recognize him. This is an extreme example to make the point.

last night we were talking about Creed and their song "what's this life for". It is a great worship tune, except that Scott says "God damned" in it. It is in context, true, etc, but we have learned that there is something wrong with putting those two words together, no matter what the context. That is religion at work. Not true religion, but man made religion. We spent the evening talking about interpreting or sometimes reinterpreting what we have been taught about some scripture. We are so sure we know what the bible says, but do we. We tend to read it so 2 dimensionally. All those verses we read are part of a story, about an amazing God. If we can't see God's character in the the broad sense, we will never get the details right.

I am constantly questioning my "immediate" reactions to situations I deal with. Is this God's heart, or something I picked up in church?

If we are going to be Christ-like, we need to be vulnerable, humble and willing to change.

peace,

K

Porno Night.......

I am headed to Kingston this weekend to speak at NEXT church. I am speaking at Porno Night and then again on Sunday on practical evangelism. If you are the praying type, I would appreciate your cover.

It will be good to see J-$ and Dogsucker again, as well as Kat and the little man.

By the way, if you are wondering what Porno night is,.... keep wondering.

Peace,

K

Words & Action

I have been struck this week by how brainwashed we are about evangelism. Remember the saying, "actions speak louder than words"? Apparently the church hasn't picked up on that little tidbit yet. We haven't really picked up on Jesus' example either, because He was much more into action than words.

His actions were that of love, compassion, and kindness. He almost always blessed people before talking about who He was.

In conversations I have had this past week it seems there is still a large group of us who would rather focus on condemning peoples sin and demanding they live like followers of God, even though they aren't "followers". Why do we feel that practicing condemnation is pleasing God? We say we "love the sinner, but hate the sin". really? Most times it looks to me like we pretty much hate the whole package. Often, in an effort to "take a stand", we do not exemplify the "good news".

I think we need to go back to the life of Jesus and really take a look at how He interacted with people. If we are truly trying to be like Jesus, we need to spend more energy on speaking and acting out the GOOD NEWS, and less time taking stands on issues and condemning people groups for their behaviour.

Peace,

K

Impressions

Last night Frank and I went to Jerry Mercer's wedding reception. it was held at Pete's Smoke Meat. It was a good time. The music was awesome, it is fun to watch musicians who love what they do. Jerry played with The Buzz Band and they were amazing as usual.

I almost didn't go. I was tired, I injured my foot yesterday, etc. Syl kind of pushed me to go. I figured there would be alot of people there, Jerry would be surrounded with people who wanted to talk, etc. When Jerry saw me, his whole face lit up, he threw his arms around me for a big hug. He told me more than once what it meant to him that I showed up.

I had no clue that he would be so happy, encouraged, blessed that I would show up. Sometimes we under-estimate what our presence, kindness, encouragement can mean to other people. I am glad we went.

Peace,

K

Internet Radio

Today I got to experience internet radio. There is a Christian station that runs out of Montreal, called eJNM.net . Don Alexander (Open Arms Cafe) and I went in to talk about On Rock and The OD. It was an encouraging time.

Gene Kelly, interviewed us. he was very encouraging. As we explained the ministry we are doing he asked, "How come I haven't heard about this, this is amazing".

The interview replays tonight around 12am, for you night hawks. Gene was encouraged and so were we. God is doing a good thing through us.

I pray that He continues to do so.

Peace,

K

The big one-eight

Syl and I celebrated our 18th anniversary yesterday. We had a glamorous day of running errands and scrubbing our deck to get it ready for sealer.

Last night we went out for supper. What a great time. We went to this quiet little place on The Main called A L'OS. I had ostrich tartar and caribou. Syl had lobster.

Syl pointed out that we have been together for over half her life,...
God is good.

peace,

k

Good times

We get so busy. Spring/summer is an amazing time. The weather becomes tolerable so we can sit/stand out on the deck and just talk and dream. I don't know what it is about our deck, but it is good for that stuff.

Last night Jared, Sean and I stood out on the deck, smoking cigars and dreamtalking. This kind of time helps put life and ministry in perspective. Sean stated at one point how he had missed these times, we agreed. It was a good time, and with the season just coming in, I look forward to more of them. Where is Steph and that 30 year old port I have been hearing about?

God is good.

peace,

K

Thank God

I am encouraged. As I sit here and contemplate our ministry and evaluate On Rock and The OD, I am blessed. In the last year, God has doubled our ministry. Today we are involved in food bank work, street ministry down town, soup kitchen work and we have a night for 16-21 year olds.... Who knows what is next. We have also partnered with another food bank that uses our facilities on Mondays to make 50+ food baskets a week.

I am thrilled that God chooses to use us. He is good.

peace,

K

Kingdom Building vs kingdom building

I had a great weekend. The retreat went really well. The crowd was small, about 40, but is was a good atmosphere to explore christian spirituality. I think people were challenged.

Kikki, Kayla and I had fun as well. We had an ice cream fest at midnight on Saturday night. Ben & Jerry for president....

I have been thinking alot these last few days about God's Kingdom. How He loves what He has created. He wants to redeem all of it. Do I have the same goal? Of Building God's Kingdom... or am I building my kingdom? The former requires selflessness, the latter is built on selfishness. Am I looking for respect, credit, glory, etc, for doing what God has called me to do, or am I satisfied with the pleasure that my obedience gives my Father?

This is tough, because the heart is desperately wicked. Many times, I am sure that I am doing something for the right reasons, and only later realize I was really doing it for selfish reasons.

In order to build God's Kingdom, I must decrease and He must increase. I am humbled by the way God moves in me and through me. I want to constantly be checking my heart, making sure that it is His Kingdom I am building.

Peace,

K

This Weekend

I am off this weekend to Frontier Lodge, for May Weekend Retreat. We are going to spend 3 days having fun and talking about Christian spirituality. Kirstyn and Kayla are coming along as well, which should be alot of fun.

Have a great LOOONNNGG weekend.

Peace to all,

K

What do you think?

A friend of mine, a young pastor who recently started a church, talks to me from time to time about the new face of Church in America "about the post-modern church. He says the new church will be different from the old one, that we will be relevant to culture and the human struggle. I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. It is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing."

Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz

Peace,

K

It's a Beautiful Day

I am spending the day on my deck, preparing for a retreat this week-end. I cannot tell you how thankful I am that summer is here. God is good.

I have officially been appointed Pastor of The Open Door by the FMC, as of May 17. This may not be big news to you, but for me it is a significant step in a long process.

My son has decided he wants to be a drummer. This is like balm to my soul. I would have preferred he wanted to be a musician, but drummer is the next best thing,.....:) So, now all he talks about is playing drums, taking lessons, getting drums and drum sticks. He even air drums, I can't wait till he starts using the table and every other surface within reach.

All this to say life is good. The sun is good. God is good.

Makes me want to raise Wild Turkey.

Peace,

K

What is the proper response

Looking at the news, especially in the last week or so has been very depressing. I read about the Americans in Iraq and the beheading of an American and I don't know what to think. What is the proper response of a Christ follower? I find myself torn.

I think that the American invasion of Iraq may have been initiated for the wrong reasons, but that it was the right thing to do. Saddam was systematically killing his own people. I feel bad for Bush because he's damned if he moves and he's damned if he doesn't. I feel bad for the American soldiers who have been put in a situation that has become more political than it should be.

Decisions are no longer made on the basis of what needs to be done, but on how will it look. Sometimes, I think the best solution would be to turn off the cameras, boot the reporters out and do the job.

I feel bad for the Iraqi prisoners who are being abused because of the desperation American soldiers feel at being abandoned to do a job they weren't cut out for.

I just plain feel bad about this whole situation. I pray that God would have mercy on all parties. I know that God is grieved by the way His kids treat each other. We do crazy, unspeakable things when we are in crisis and not trusting God.

Peace,

K

Foul Language

Have you ever noticed that the majority of words we use to describe our relationship with God and the world are "war words", courtroom words or "accounting words".

We Get "saved". We "engage" people. We "battle" temptation. We "present" the gospel and its benefits, like we sell cars. God "tests" us. We go through "trials". We "surrender". We are "guilty". We are "condemned".

Now I am not saying these words in and of themselves are bad, but with them we create a picture of God that does not speak of a real relationship. It sounds like an adversarial relationship or at best a contractual one. Not the kind of relationship one has with a loving Father. not the kind of relationship I think God wants to have with us.

Here is a challenge, when talking about God, listen to your language and try to replace the words you would use on a battlefield, courtroom or business. Talk about God like he is someone you are in relationship with. With affection, warmth and humor.

What do you think?

peace,

K

and I quote....

I am reading Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz. This is a great book about Don's spiritual journey, It is very real and transparent. I am loving the book. I am also challenged by it. Today I was reading chapter 15 called Community Living with Freaks, here is a quote that challenges me, "If we are not willing to wake up in the morning and die to ourselves, perhaps we should ask ourselves whether or not we are really following Jesus".

I am not always willing to put others first, actually, it is often a struggle for me to put others first. I can't say I like this quote, but it does ring true, doesn't it? Now I have to figure out what I am going to do about it. Stupid book....

Peace,

K

Get The Picture?

Yesterday, Peter and Donna Jordan joined us for church at The OD. They shared with us and encouraged us. Donna created a great word picture of how the Bride of Christ treats the groom sometimes.

She said imagine you are the
groom" waiting at the front of a church for your bride to come down the isle. The bridesmaids come down and then the flower girl, and you wait with expectation for your bride. Then, she appears, dressed in grubby jeans and a t-shirt. she walks in, but does not have her eyes fixed on you, but rather is checking out all the other men in the church to see if she might be missing out on something better. Imagine how you would feel.

That is sometimes the way we treat Christ. Is He really our hearts desire? Do we have eyes, only for Him?

Heavy picture.

Peace,

K

Kingdom Building

What does it mean to be a Kingdom builder? Are we building and involved in God's Kingdom, or building our own little kingdoms?

I met with a friend yesterday who encouraged me greatly. He is a Kingdom Builder. His desire is to do whatever he can to grow God's work.

In a "Christian culture" where so many seem to be willing to do ministry if it is convenient, it is amazing to see someone who is willing to go "balls to the wall".

Building a Kingdom isn't a Lone Ranger job. It requires the body to work together. Everyone doing their part because without you doing your part, everyone else has to labor harder and sometimes the job doesn't get done.

We are too territorial, too individualistic. We need to develop God's love for the world and work together to make sure the Kingdom is being built, not just "our" little acre.

Peace,

K

About Last Night

Donna Jordan joined our core group meeting last night. She is an incredible lady in that she is a humble servant of God, who goes around the country encouraging people in their ministries and lives to listen to God, their Father.

She encouraged us in the work that God has called us to do. She also encouraged us to make Jesus our Lord, not just our Saviour. Donna doesn't say anything earth shattering, just the truth. I wish I had her knowledge of The Book.

We had an awesome prayer time, with brokenness and encouragement. God was with us.

Peter and Donna will be with us this Sunday.

Peace,

K

Despise your life

Alright,Think about this, If you love your life, you will lose it. This is more than where your treasure is.... We are being given a very clear heads up, as to how God expects us to approach our lives.

Jesus once told someone who wanted to go bury their mother to "let the dead bury the dead". Do we understand this concept? Our lives, the things we hold dear, the people we hold dear, are not to be held above God. If God calls us to do something, we are to be obedient to that call. Our time is His time first, the same for our resources.

We do not really understand sacrifice. We think a few hours a week, serving the church or community is a big sacrifice.

We have been called to "make disciples". Are we willing to do what it takes to make disciples? Are we willing to "let the dead bury the dead"?

This is more than, "it isn't about you". This is, "it is totally about God". It is not your/my life, our lives are His, and if they aren't, we are dead.

We want Peace, Joy and Victory, this is how we gain it, by dying to ourselves.

Peace,

K

Question ???

John 12:25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who despise their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

What do you think this means today?

Peace,

K

Boarding

Well, the new message boards are up. There is one for On Rock and one for The Open Door. Just go to http://forums.caedmon.net and have fun. It looks pretty fancy shmancy, but is fairly easy to navigate. you can set your own profile and everything, but, it doesn't do dishes.

I am headed to Kingston today to take a theology course. I guess that's a good thing. It's called "Thinking Like a Christian", which I find kind of weird. It's about time to learn I guess, I am a pastor. Not that I want to learn to "think" like a Christian. However, I would like to get better at thinking like Jesus.....

I may blog from The big K, but if not, have a great weekend.

peace,

K

I Love It

I was at Jerry Mercer's surprise birthday party last night at Bourbon Street West. It was an amazing time, great blues and rock music. Jerry is 65 and was overwhelmed by the turnout.

I ran into a lady there who used to go to church. I asked her where she was going now. She said nowhere because she just found it too theoretical and not very "rubber meets the road". I told her about the open door and her eyes lit up. It was very cool. She said she thinks this might be a place she can bring her kids. We will see her soon I am sure.

I ran into another friend, who is a great harp player(harmonica, Blues remember..). He is not a "follower", he asked what I was up to these days. I told him about church and his eyes lit up. he said, "now that's a church I would go to." he asked for the details. I think we will see him soon.

I was so encouraged, that people out there are searching, they just haven't found something they relate to yet. For many of those, we may be it. I love our church and what we are trying to do. Be encouraged. I am.

peace,

K

Servanthood

What does it mean to be a good servant? Is it enough that I do stuff for God or does my heart matter? The Book encourages us to serve with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. Basically, with all that we are. We are experts at finding very rational(sometimes) excuses as to why we can't or don't want to serve. The question is, who are we fooling? If it is ultimately God that we serve, then fooling people about what we do or don't do, doesn't really amount to much. To God, heart and attitude matter more than "what" you do. Do you have the heart of Christ as you walk this life and serve God?

As an author once put it "How is your serve?"

Peace,

K

Guilty by association

It is refreshing in a twisted sort of way when you see things that get attributed to Christians, happening in the "real" world. Syl was talking to a Teacher today from Kirstyn's school. The teacher informed her that Kiki was going to fail science(she has an 86 average in the course). Her primary reason was,... she doesn't like the way Kiki dresses. That is supposed to be why people don't come to church, they get judged on appearance and stuff.

Then I was told by the vice-principal that Kiki was a good kid, but she hangs out with "at risk" kids. Surprise! So do her parents(not referring to everyone..).

Kiki has never shied away from "at risk" people, she has grown up with them. She befriends them, she brings them home when they run away. She cares deeply for her friends.

So now she finds herself judged by her appearance and her friends.... and not by the church..... interesting. Kiki is also on the honor roll, but that goes unnoticed.

I can't wait til they see me at parent teacher meeting.....

I guess the church is going to have to work harder at finding unique ways of alienating people. ;)

Peace,

K

It's a Beautiful Day

I spent about an hour this morning worshiping and praying while listening to U2. I am now listening to Sigur Ros and getting my head on for Sunday. God is Good. It's that simple. God is good.

Sunday we try worship with paint. My daughter Kayla is excited about the concept. So am I.

Take time to listen today. Pray for someone.

Scott, Troy and Sonny are in the John Abbott battle of the bands tonight with their bands. It's at 7pm. in The Agora if you can make it(7pm). Pray for them. See you there.

Peace,

K

Let him who has two.....

As we seek to be a genuine community of Christ followers, we need to ask ourselves, what has God asked us to do? One of the things he asked us to do is to take care of each other. Let he who has two, give to him who has none.

There is no greater testimony than for people to see that we take care of each other. Jesus said this. As we grow, we need to be asking God, what it is that He wants us to do with our stuff, money, food, material goods, time, etc. Then we need to be obedient.

It is amazing how giving in the name of Jesus blesses everyone involved. The giver and the receiver. We should not rob ourselves or others of that blessing.

Let's "listen" for needs and then find ways to fulfill them.

Peace,

K

Boston in 05....

Last night my Bruins were defeated in Game 7. It was an excellent game, but, alas, we could not put the puck in the net. However we were very acquainted with the goal posts. So, my hockey season has come to an end, not to mention my 2nd place in the hockey pool.

We will be back to fight another day,... next year. To Joe and the boys, my hat is off to you. To Josh and Kayla, keep hope alive and your sweater clean.

ABC,

K

The Prodigal Who?..

The story of the "Prodigal Son" is, in my opinion, improperly named. The story, as I understand it is about the love of the Father.

We wander, sometimes very far from home. We do things that hurt us and those we love. We grieve God. However, His response is to wait patiently, hopeful for our return. When we come back, He looks on us with eyes of love, not condemnation. For we were lost, but now we are found. His response is to celebrate.

The road back is not easy, but the reception is always the same, open arms, and forgiveness. All that is left is for us to humbly accept His grace and mercy, and to forgive ourselves.

God is so Good. This is our example.

peace,

K

bodily functions...

It has been impressed upon me this week, through various situations that we need each other. In a world where there is great value in individualistic accomplishment, the bare truth is, we can't function alone. God knew what he was doing when he told us not to isolate ourselves, but to struggle together.

There is little joy in suffering, even less in suffering alone. There is little joy in accomplishing something without someone to share it with. It's like hitting a great golf shot that no one else saw. No fun at all.

Community can be tough sometimes. We don't always get along or enjoy each others company, but it sure beats going it alone. Think about the people God has placed in your life. Thank Him for them and celebrate those relationships. After all, we are part of the same body.

Peace,

K

PS. Boston 3 Canadiens 1, and back to Beantown......

A God Thing

Scott(this could (not) be his real name depending who wants to know) is an amazing dude. Over the past year or so, he has been a part of our community. He has been in and out, but he is always there, if you know what I mean.

He has been around more lately, which has been awesome. He has been searching and asking questions since I have known him. Last night he came over to our place and declared that he wanted to take the "next step" in his relationship with God, and that he wanted to do it at our house, but alone. This was incredible news, so while Sean & I watched a movie and Syl did the mom thing, Scott found a quiet place and did the God thing.

Later on, Scott joined us for the movie and before he left, we prayed with him.

All this to say, welcome to the family Scott, and God is..... It is so cool the way He starts talking with a guy like Scott and slowly draws him into a love relationship with Jesus. When did Scott's relationship with God start? Who knows, but he made a commitment last night to go deeper. That my friend is a 'God Thing". We are blessed to be a part of it.

Peace,

K

Boston in 6

Last night I got together with a bunch of guys and did a hockey pool. By the end of last night I picked up 10 points, and Boston smoked les Canadiens. Life is good.

Big discussion today, How does a redemptive community deal with sin and discipline?

Peace,

K

What to do with a toenail

Romans 12:4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

We often struggle with this whole body thing. Intellectually we seem to understand it, but in practice we struggle. It is easy for those of us who are more extrovert to feel like the quiet, behind the scenes type people aren't living up to their calling. After all, imagine the impact we could make if we were all out there "pastoring", "evangelizing"....

We forget that in order for those of us who are "out there", to do our thing, we need those "quiet", behind the scenes guys doing what they are gifted at. Their gifting is not less, it is different.

At The Open Door, most of what we do is carried out by behind the scenes people. The meals are coordinated by Syl. She never says anything, but take her out of the equation and we're in trouble. The same goes for Sean and Jared, who set up, tear down and do sound. It would be easy to say, "why aren't these guys "talking" to everyone". Don't they love people? Yes they do. The fact is they create the freedom for me and others to do what we do best,... "talk".

In order to function as a healthy body, we need all the parts, doing what they were created to do.

1 Corinthians 12:12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 Suppose the whole body were an eye, then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything?
18 But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. 19 What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."
22 In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.) 1996.

I want to thank behind the scenes people everywhere. You are needed. I also want to apologize for mentioning Syl, Jared and Sean by name, because they are all going to hate me for it. :o) Oh, the opportunities for forgiveness I create...

Peace,

K

Good Times

Yesterday, I was reminded how much fun church can be. We had a great time at The Open Door. Paul joined us to scream on The Wonderful Cross. I am not sure what MWS would think of our improvements but the worship was amazing.
Dan S came in from FMC and gave us a short presentation on Sri Lanka. This was our first mention of "far away" missions, a good intro.

We had a discussion about forgiveness and how it is a crisis of the will. This walking with God thing can be hard at times. This is probably our biggest obstacle.

God is good.

peace,

Kim

Money talks

Besides being an eventful April Fools, yesterday Dan Sheffield from head office FMC was in town with J-money to help us put together a budget for The Open Door. It was fairly grueling because this stuff is not in my realm of gifting whatsoever. However it was also encouraging. In the evening we got together with our leadership team and fine tuned the budget. We actually have a budget that reflects our vision.

I am encouraged by the commitment and encouragement from FMC and Next. Thanks Dan and J-money, along with everyone else in the FMC office.

It has been a good week,

I got a new vehicle this week, a 94 Pathfinder(new to me). No more driving in L2.

I made myself a duct tape wallet.

As I Lay Dying rocked at L'X.

Out of Angst did the same last night at Clyde's. Good job Scotty.

I finished reading Acts, Paul was nuts, God was/is Good.

Now for the Weekend....

peace,

K

April Fools

Ahh, a day for true a**holes to shine. Luckily (for my kids), they didn't wake me up with something "silly". I am not a morning person. My son did see fit to put peanut butter on the taps and apparently butter on the door knobs. He got up at ridiculous o'clock to set his traps. My daughters were working last night at filling Josh's school bag with confetti.

But top marks go to Sean "Puffy" Coates who sent out a message to all that love him saying he had accepted a job in Boston and that he would be leaving this great city with the lousy hockey team for more $$$. he has been receiving farewells all morning, and love and tears, all for the sake of the "joke". Good job "Puffy". Those who love him, now hate him, and wish he would move,... for today anyway.

April 1st brings us to such a height,... so much for evolution. Next thing you know we will be peeing ourselves on a dare...

Peace,

K

A crisis of the will

Forgiveness. This is the place that I think most of us need to start, if we are to be a redemptive community. The book says, we can't be forgiven unless we forgive. Are we willing to let those who have hurt us, "off the hook"?

This is a crisis of the will. It is not about feelings. Praying "God help me to forgive *****..." won't do. The prayer needs to be "God, I forgive *****..." Many times we need to pray this prayer often, because we have a tendency to take things off the alter, after we've placed them there.

If we "the church" can become forgiving individuals, therefore a forgiving organism, then we will be on our way to being a redemptive community. Let's encourage each other in this pursuit.

Peace,

K

Stuck

I'm really stuck on this redemption thing. I find myself thinking about this all the time, lately. I think this is because I have realized that we can only be this kind of community if we are intentional about it. Meaning we have to be evaluating our behaviour and thinking through our actions.

It also means we have to give up some "rights". You know, turn the other cheek, etc. This is a hard road. It shines a light on pride and a bunch of other things that most of us don't want to look at in ourselves.

We can only be a redemptive community, if we are redemptive individuals. Love is Kind....

Peace,

K

Redeeming isn't just for coupons

How are we, the church, a redeeming people. A better question might be, are we a redeeming people. As I read papers, and message boards, I realize that we are more apt to make judgements than be redemptive.

The pharisees saw an adulterous woman, Jesus saw a wounded soul in need of a saviour. What or who do we see, when we look at a fellow creation. Do we see a person created by God for relationship with God, or do we see a geek, bum, homosexual, terrorist, slut, and/or immigrant.

It is hard work being different and thinking different. The Book says to hold every thought captive. Basically, to train our minds to think like God. God's heart, even in discipline is redemptive. Therefore we need to be a people of reconciliation and redemption.

How's that working for you?

Peace,

K

We have arrived

The Open Door has arrived. We now have our Website up and running. It is basic at the moment, but a very pretty green none the less. Check it out, won't you.

Peace,

K

No Excuse

I was out for lunch yesterday with my buddy J-money from Kingston. We got to talking about how "dark" Quebec is spiritually. He was asking me to describe what "we" mean by that because in his travels, he hears alot of people describe their area as really dark, etc. The bottom line is that many people use this as an excuse for "not" doing effective ministry.

I shared with him what I mean when I say it is dark here, but that this was in no way an excuse for ineffective ministry or feet dragging. I see it as part of the challenge in following Jesus. I do not know where we got the idea that this should be an easy road, because , all I see in scripture is how the disciples, got their butts kicked. It makes no sense that we expect kudos for doing what we are called to.

If we are living Jesus, it is supposed to be hard. He said "they hate me, they are going to hate you". Let's rise to the occasion. Ministry is hard in Quebec. It is dark. So, let's shine the light, live in Hope, that he who started the work will be faithful to complete it. Remember, we are not alone...

Peace,

K

An easy day

Today is Kiki's birthday. She is 13. Kiki has two friends over (Jess & Sexton) and Auntie "B" is doing their nails. Mom is taking them to jack A's for supper. Josh and Lucky are hovering to see what they can inhale in the kitchen. Mom is making rice crispy squares,... one day I will share my theory on those nasty things.

Sean and I are sitting in the kitchen with our laptops,... you know... drinking coffee.
I am actually smoking chickens on the deck. It is a very laid back day. It is a good day.

Peace,

K

What are we called to?

I have been participating on a few message boards where, "how do we do church and respond to the culture?" type questions get asked and kicked around. I am amazed and concerned at times that there is a trend out there that says God is Love, and we forget His other attributes. He is also Holy, Just, The Only God, etc.

I bring this up because someone on one of these boards, and she is not alone, can't bring herself to tell a friend that their sinful behaviour is "sin". You see, she wants to focus on the "love" verses, and not the "go and sin no more" verses.

Are we presenting an accurate picture of who God is? We aren't called to "make Christians", but we are called to "make Disciples". In doing so we need to be honest and unapologetic about the fact that God hates sin and it keeps us apart. We also need to be loving and compassionate in doing so. Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. The heart of Christ and the message of Christ.

Peace,

K

Thanks

Hey people, thanks for tuning in. I am quite amazed at how many of you are reading this already. I also want to say thanks to my buddy Jared"j-money" Siebert for posting my blog on his blog, so I thought I would return the favor. J-money
He is one of the pastors of Next Church in Kingston. Enjoy his stuff.

Question; What is the most amazing example of God's grace that you can think of?

Out of the mouth....

I heard this week of a pastor who, when introducing a foreign missionary to his congregation, (which has several local missionaries in it), said "we are privileged today to have a real "live" missionary with us today". One of the "local" missionaries was very discouraged by this. He had thought that he was a real "live" missionary. His pastor says he values local missionaries, but then makes a pronouncement that says otherwise, that speaks volumes to those other "missionaries" about their value.

This brings home to me the need for us as a church to speak clearly and often of the things we value. We need to publicly declare our values. This keeps us accountable to them because people can compare our actions and our words. We strive to be an honest church, a transparent church. My hope would be that if someone saw us giving lip-service to anything, they would point it out to us.

I want to go on record saying, The Open Door values local missionaries,... and not just because I am one, but because this is the neediest mission field in North America and it is hard. If you can do missions here, you can do it anywhere. It can be discouraging. Our job as a local church is to support , pray for and work with local missionaries to impact our community with the love of Christ.

Matt 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.....

New Beginnings

Hello Everyone. This is my first ever blog entry. I had Sean set this up for me so that I could communicate and formulate my own thoughts through a running journal. Thanks Sean. As we head down this new road of starting a church and I practice being a pastor, I thought this would be an interesting and semi-public way to think out loud. I may also include some silly stuff here, because I am (at times) silly.

You the reader, are free to make comments or ask questions. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

At present, Giancarlo and Johnny are setting up lights and camera to continue interviewing me for a documentary they are doing about On Rock and The Open Door. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. They are great guys and are genuinely interested in what we do here. Today, we will be talking about The Open Door. Good times. Keep us in prayer

K