Allright, here's the latest:
The past couple weeks have been kinda slow on the business side of things at the cafe. While we have been getting new customers virtually every day, there are still times where no one comes in as well. Part of that is due to some unusual circumstances which haven't allowed Sam and me to go promote at PCC, and some of it is just because we are starting a business from the ground and it takes awhile. Needless to say, the word is getting out to the community and we're excited for that. Today especially has been encouraing because we had a good time promoting and there have been many new people who have come in to check it out due to the signs we have up or just because of word of mouth. I talked to one of the leaders of the Black Student Alliance at PCC and she wants to use the cafe for a poetry slam they put on. All good things! God is doing stuff down here, and we're trying to give him the credit. Sam and I are trying to surrender the whole ministry to God and have faith (ie do what we can do, and then give the results to God and trust Him), but it's so easy to grab on and try to control things ourselves! Always a struggle...
We are having open mic nights every other Friday evening, and they have been incredible. It has actually seemed really therapeutic for many people to come and get things off of their chests. We've experienced quite the range of talent and a variety of performances, from rap to piano playing to spoken word to oprah to full bands. It's a great way to facilitate community where people can express themselves in a safe environment.
On the other Friday evenings we started that gathering I mentioned in my previous post. We are calling it Doulos, and we're doing it for three months and then reevaluating (By the way, Doulos is greek for slave or bond servant, showing who we pledge our allegiance and service to). We had the first one a couple weeks ago, and it went great. People really felt okay to speak up and share as I facilitated a discussion, and we also had a good time of praise.
DJ and Charese and Marlene came down this past week/end. It was wonderful to see them. We went to the Melting Pot for dinner Saturday, and it was incredible. Fondue is great. Also, DJ and Charese are pregnant. Good times. Unky Doug.
Peace,
Doug
Monday, October 15, 2007
Less Frequent Posts
Hello friends, for those who actually read this, I wanted to let you know that I am going to write less frequently now. It will probably be like once every couple week instead of every six or seven days. I will probably keep putting pics up (which I have a few I need to upload soon). The blog's main purpose was to help with the transition from Spokane to Pasadena, so if you do read this and want to stay updated, just give me a call and I would love to chat. Like I mentioned, I'll probably update this once every couple weeks or so.
I'll write an update soon. Thanks!
I'll write an update soon. Thanks!
Monday, October 1, 2007
Internet Fun
Hello friends,
Quick word here (after I wrote those words, I realized that I think I start almost every blog off with something like that. And usually they're not that quick or short. Oh well).
God's working in the lives of the people here in Pasadena. For the past couple weeks, Sam and I have been feeling like God is trying to do more in our community. There are a lot of people who are pretty new in their faith, and they have been growing. At the same time, Sam and I have been feeling convicted that God wants to grow people more, so that we can become more mature in our faith. For most of us, the only time we spend some time in the Word with others is at Crux on Wednesday nights, and we haven't been doing praise and worship there because it is an outreach first gathering.
So Sam and I have been praying and wondering what we should do. Last Wednesday Sam spoke on this topic at Crux, and afterwards there was a tremendous response from a large part of the "core" of Crux. People have been feeling the same way-that they want to be fed in other ways, they want to step up in ministry and serve others who are younger, and they just want more of God. It was incredibly encouraging to see how God has been working in everybody's lives, guiding and convicting us in similar ways.
The students who spoke up on Wednesday at Crux have decided that they will take the week to really seek the Lord out (in prayer and in the Bible) and get together again this week to see what they have come up with. Most of the people I've talked to all agree that they want to have a time of corporate praise/worship, some more accountability, some more in-depth teaching/learning in the Word, and a greater time of corporate prayer. So we're going to get together this week and see what we are going to do. Very exciting! I might be the one who is heading up the teaching at these gatherings, which I'm excited about. It will be good to get back into teaching the Word like I was in Spokane.
Please be in prayer as we try to listen to God and be more obedient. It is exciting because I feel like with this other gathering we are becoming a more holistic/healthy ministry/community. We have our outreach focused avenue of Crux, and now we're getting another gathering together for those who are interested. And we have the everyday ministry of the cafe as well.
Another note: Sam and I have been quite convicted of this idea: I have all to often thought of Christianty as an adjective in my life, not as the main noun. In other words, I consider myself to be caucasian, an athlete, a musician, have red/brown hair, a Christian, etc. Jesus often times is another adjective, another part of my life which describes who I am, but not the core from which I find my identity and live. Jesus wants us to find out identity solely in Him, understanding that everything seems like rubbish/crap compared to the all surprassing greatness of knowing Him (Philippians 3). Jesus needs to be the best part, the main part, with all the other "parts" of me being far less important. Check this out: say you are meeting someone. They ask you who you are, what you do, etc. And the most truthful, accurate way of describing yourself is for you to say "I know God" or something like that. It may sound crazy/corny/stupid, but if it was really the way you felt, if you really believed and understood how amazing it is to know God and to be found in Him, then it would seem incredibly natural and right. For me, Jesus is all too often simply another adjective which contributes to who I identify myself to be, when in reality he deserves to be the one who defines who I am, motivates what I do, and supplies the energy to carry all of this out. Hit me back if you have any thoughts on this.
Once again, this is long, but it's been awhile. Heck, I don't know if anyone even reads this, but it's a good way to get some thoughts out there.
Til next time,
Doug
Quick word here (after I wrote those words, I realized that I think I start almost every blog off with something like that. And usually they're not that quick or short. Oh well).
God's working in the lives of the people here in Pasadena. For the past couple weeks, Sam and I have been feeling like God is trying to do more in our community. There are a lot of people who are pretty new in their faith, and they have been growing. At the same time, Sam and I have been feeling convicted that God wants to grow people more, so that we can become more mature in our faith. For most of us, the only time we spend some time in the Word with others is at Crux on Wednesday nights, and we haven't been doing praise and worship there because it is an outreach first gathering.
So Sam and I have been praying and wondering what we should do. Last Wednesday Sam spoke on this topic at Crux, and afterwards there was a tremendous response from a large part of the "core" of Crux. People have been feeling the same way-that they want to be fed in other ways, they want to step up in ministry and serve others who are younger, and they just want more of God. It was incredibly encouraging to see how God has been working in everybody's lives, guiding and convicting us in similar ways.
The students who spoke up on Wednesday at Crux have decided that they will take the week to really seek the Lord out (in prayer and in the Bible) and get together again this week to see what they have come up with. Most of the people I've talked to all agree that they want to have a time of corporate praise/worship, some more accountability, some more in-depth teaching/learning in the Word, and a greater time of corporate prayer. So we're going to get together this week and see what we are going to do. Very exciting! I might be the one who is heading up the teaching at these gatherings, which I'm excited about. It will be good to get back into teaching the Word like I was in Spokane.
Please be in prayer as we try to listen to God and be more obedient. It is exciting because I feel like with this other gathering we are becoming a more holistic/healthy ministry/community. We have our outreach focused avenue of Crux, and now we're getting another gathering together for those who are interested. And we have the everyday ministry of the cafe as well.
Another note: Sam and I have been quite convicted of this idea: I have all to often thought of Christianty as an adjective in my life, not as the main noun. In other words, I consider myself to be caucasian, an athlete, a musician, have red/brown hair, a Christian, etc. Jesus often times is another adjective, another part of my life which describes who I am, but not the core from which I find my identity and live. Jesus wants us to find out identity solely in Him, understanding that everything seems like rubbish/crap compared to the all surprassing greatness of knowing Him (Philippians 3). Jesus needs to be the best part, the main part, with all the other "parts" of me being far less important. Check this out: say you are meeting someone. They ask you who you are, what you do, etc. And the most truthful, accurate way of describing yourself is for you to say "I know God" or something like that. It may sound crazy/corny/stupid, but if it was really the way you felt, if you really believed and understood how amazing it is to know God and to be found in Him, then it would seem incredibly natural and right. For me, Jesus is all too often simply another adjective which contributes to who I identify myself to be, when in reality he deserves to be the one who defines who I am, motivates what I do, and supplies the energy to carry all of this out. Hit me back if you have any thoughts on this.
Once again, this is long, but it's been awhile. Heck, I don't know if anyone even reads this, but it's a good way to get some thoughts out there.
Til next time,
Doug
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