I recently shared that I was having one of those moments in my life where I’m feeling old. As I write this , our son and the team he served with in Albania are safely home and we’re grateful and are excited that our son was able to participate in an experience that I have no doubt has changed his life. I trust that the Lord worked in many of the lives of both kids and adults and we’re grateful to a dear church for allowing him to participate. You can see their team blog here.
As I shared in my last post I recently helped officiate a memorial service for a wonderful man in Clark Paddock. Clark was loved by many and was especially loved by his family. Clark had a wonderful family in Dorothy and Barbara. Both whom I appreciate and especially Dorothy who was one of my youth leaders when I was in high school, so to help was an honor. When we arrived to the church on the day of the service I met up with Pastor Scott and we both spent some time briefly with some of the family members prior to the start of the service. It was kind of surreal for me. What was surreal about the experience was that as folks were arriving I saw many that I’ve known for years. A few of the folks in attendance were people who had a huge impact on my life for Christ. There were two former Jr. High youth leaders of mine who were in attendance. One who was with me when I accepted Christ into my life in Jr. High at Forest Home. I hadn’t seen her for almost 20 years. Gail and I would sit in the Jr. High lounge of the church and listen to old Mike Warnke tapes Forest Home used to give away when students would come to know Christ and she’d help me study the scriptures. Mike Warnke I guess was a former Satanist and had a wonderful testimony that Forest Home felt was important for youth to hear about and that God used in the lives of many students in bringing kids to Christ over the years. (Apparently Mr. Warnke has had some issues over the years that I hadn’t known about until I wrote this and I’m guessing Forest Home doesn’t give out the tapes anymore)
Lisa who was also in attendance at Clark’s memorial service I had met when I was in the 7th Grade at what used to be called the “Lost Creek Ranch,” at Forest Home. Lisa was one of the volunteer youth workers at the church at the time and would later become the Jr. High Director for the church. The way I had met Lisa I still remember like it was yesterday. There were two kids in the Jr. High youth group who were named Casey at the time. I was one of them and there was a Jr. High girl also named Casey. (I didn’t realize until I was much older that my initials were K.C. and that for some reason my parents liked the name Casey better) The youth staff who had put the cabin assignments together assumed I was a Jr. High girl because of my name and assigned me to a girls cabin with the other Casey. So, I made my way to my “cabin assignment, thinking I was going to the boys cabins and that’s when I walked into the girls cabin and had met Lisa for the first time who graciously helped me find the “boys” cabins after her asking me what my name was. I smile every time I think about that summer at Forest Home and being in the Jr. High youth group with Lisa. There were others like Lisa in attendance at the memorial service who all played different roles in my life for Christ just like Clark.
As I helped with the service and stood in front of the church I had a wave of memories flood my heart. Some of the memories were of me sitting in the pews of the church for so many years, hearing the grace and mercy of Christ preached and worshiping each and every Sunday growing up in the church. Other memories were of being one of the youth in the youth groups, running around at midnight in the church at a plethora of lock-ins, playing hiding go seek in the sanctuary and eventually being one of the youth directors who would continue the tradition of doing what so many did for me in giving me Jesus over the years. Even the memories of Debbie and I getting married close to 20 years ago and remembering the faces who cheered for us on that day we committed our lives to one another and to Christ, even remembering seeing Clark sitting in the crowd.
As I made the walk up to the lectern I felt honored and blessed to stand before some wonderful followers of Jesus and it was a joy to reflect on the many, especially Clark who had impacted my life in a way that influenced my call to serve Christ and the church and be in the role of one of the “pastors.” I even had a couple of folks comment on my “clergy robe” before the service. I don’t wear my robe usually when I preach or lead worship, but I usually wear my robe for weddings, memorial services, communion, and sometimes baptisms, but for this particular service it was a way to honor Clark and it was something I had wanted Clark to see me wear that he had never gotten to see.
Although to some I’m still a kid, it was the first time I didn’t feel like a kid. I felt like I had moved from just being the broken kid from the city, to the kid that God continues to transform and change, a child of the king, who was given a chance to do something with his life, to show the world what happens when a church does what its supposed to do in loving the people of God. One particular man, who was close to Clark who was in attendance got up during the time of sharing about Clark’s life. Red said, “There were two things that Clark cared about. Kids and kids.” If it weren’t for people like Clark, I don’t think I’d be where I am at today in my life.
As I reflect on my birthday “week” I sit in awe of God’s amazing grace in my life. I get to be a husband, father, and a pastor. I get to reflect back to the world what so many had given to me in giving me Jesus and showing me what it means to follow Christ when I was that “kid,” growing up. I get to preach the grace and mercy of Christ and I get to live it out before the world. I get to celebrate the lives of our own kids and that all in all we’ve done pretty good as parents and yet we still have much to do. Most of all I get to show the world what happens when a church does what its supposed to do in loving the world, its neighborhood, and its people as Jesus loved. Do I still feel old? Sure. Am I loving the life God has blessed me with?
One of our sons along with some other wonderful high school students and some awesome adult youth leaders are leaving for Albania this Saturday. The trip is being sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. What a neat experience. It’s something that I would of loved to have done in High School. Please pray for the team and for the work they will be doing and that the Lord will continue to shape the hearts and minds of some amazing kids and adults. They’ll be serving with Alongside Ministries International. They’ll serve at a kids summer camp and will be helping put a roof on one of the buildings at the camp. For more information about where they’re going visit here. You can also visit their team blog here to stay updated on their experience.
Let’s especially keep the Stoschers in our prayers as they continue to serve Christ faithfully in Albania and as they seek to show the students what it means to follow Jesus in a different part of the world. Thank you friends and family for your support and most of all your prayers. Thank you to our friends from Littlerock, Sacramento, and our Princeton Seminary pals for your prayers and support as well. We are grateful to God.
26 years ago I got to attend my first Jr. High Winter Camp at Forest Home when I was in the 7th grade with my home church.
26 years ago at Winter Camp at Forest Home I gave my life to following Christ and to serving him.
I remember everything that happened that weekend.
This Friday our middle kid will attend Jr. High Winter Camp at Forest Home as a 7th grade kiddoe with a very cool church. I pray that it will be a powerful time in his life.
I am ever so grateful and will be praying for people like Nick and other folks and especially Forest Home staff like Nate and Joel who will be ministering to kids in the name of Christ.
God is always at work. I affirm this with all of my heart. I believe God is still working in my life and the feeling is surreal as I think about this post. Some of these thoughts aren’t really new to some of you. I’ve shared in previous posts these reflections.
This post is unique.
A very long time ago I wondered upon the campus of a church that I’ve come to love very much. It’s my home away from home. I’ve always loved this church. It’s composed of people who’ve become some of our dearest friends.
There are people in this church who have no clue and don’t even realize how much of an impact they’ve made on my life for Christ. I am a follower of Jesus, husband, father, and pastor because of how some of these people were used in my life by Christ.
When I was a Jr. High kid there were two places I could be found.
The boulevard or at church.
This past Wednesday I had an experience that was so surreal that I felt I was in a scene out of the matrix. It happened again on Friday and even on Saturday morning.
I dropped my kids off with some friends of theirs at this church for a youth group function. At this church there is a room where the youth function took place. This room always takes me back to my life as a kiddoe.
This room was where I learned from folks that I was loved and valued by Christ.
It was a room where I learned how to play guitar and lead worship. It was a room where I earned a Holy Land coin from my 7th grade Sunday school teacher if I memorized scripture. It was a room where I heard good news as a youth that Jesus loved me and would be faithful in the midst of the joys and struggles of life. It was even the room where I served with my wife in ministry prior to us getting married, helping her run an after school children’s program for the neighborhood.
This week our two boys got introduced to this room. They were introduced to people who continue the vision of loving kids and giving Jesus to them by showing them simple acts of kindness. Seeds of faith planted into their hearts.
As I drove off after dropping them off, I couldn’t help but remember the emptiness I had as a kid not having parents who were available and who showed up as parents. As I drove off I was overwhelmed with God’s blessing that although I didn’t have my parents, that I had the church, the kingdom of God here on earth filing that hole in my heart. As I drove off I was tickled pink that my wife and I get to be parents of some awesome gifts from upon high. As I drove off, I felt grateful that the Lord of the universe, through the work of the church, saved my life. And as I drove off I was overwhelmed with joy that the seeds of faith that were planted in my heart as a youth, were being planted and rooted in the hearts of our kids. Seeds of faith that I took from people who loved me and that we gave and still give and will give to our kids as parents.
Over a month ago a member of the church came to me and said he had something he wanted to talk with me about. He was talking with some folks and he had an idea that would be another way of reaching the local youth of the community in Littlerock. It would be a concert for the youth of the neighborhood that would be held out of his back yard. He’s invited several other church youth groups and some other bands who will be coming to play. The persons heart is awesome and his passion for Christ and the kids in the town is obviously from the Lord. How do you say no? You can’t say no. You don’t say no. And because of this persons desire to do something to reach the kids for Christ, the Littlerock Christian Youth Fest is now taking place on Saturday, June 7th from 12pm – 5pm. The music will be loud and will hurt my ears, but it’s not for me or any of the other adults in the church. It’s for the kids and to share Christ’s love with them. The two bands that will be helping us in helping kids become followers of Jesus are farfromfamous and dead theory. Now when you listen to these guys, trust me when I say it’s loud and its loud. And music again has come full circle. So, turn down your speakers and say a little prayer for our church and the other churches who will be bringing kids to this event. And when someone comes to you with that sparkle in their eyes and has passion that’s overflowing and contagious? You might want to just listen and you might want to just yes and ask, “how can I help?” And if you are one of the cool folks from cpclr we’d love your prayers and support. We’re still needing support in the areas of food, outhouses, and other items for the day. And if any of you have a connection in getting some Bibles? Let us know.
What a weekend. First, let me say I love Del Mar and Solana Beach more and more every day. There is a little tiny beach off of hwy 101 that we hung out on for a couple of hours and enjoyed every moment. As for Spirit West Coast 2008? I have to say God is good and that the students and adults enjoyed the time away. The adults came together as a team and the youth all made the weekend a wonderful weekend all in all. There was some rain which we’d thought would never end, but ended up being a refreshing gift of God’s grace. We had another youth group join us for the weekend which was cool. Hello Lancaster peeps! (Ruth, Greg, and the storybook crew) As for the bands this year? I must say Newsboys of course are always a treat. As for Jars? Boys, God has used you and continues to use you, but I must admit “Skillet” rocked this year. It was my first “skillet” experience. Per Greg’s suggestion we’d like to start an “old farts” for “skillet”group. Anyways, the video here is something someone else put on youtube from the skillet show this past weekend. Watch it carefully. And notice the little wave of heads dancing in the spirit to the right of the video. I could be totally out of touch which is usually the case with the amount of stuff we’re trying to just keep up with in our lives. I had seen “moshing” in the past, but I never really paid attention until this year for some reason. Someone, if they haven’t already needs to write a book on the “theology of the mosh pit and youth culture.” There is something that happens in the mosh pit that needs to be disected just for fun and would be revealing for those of us still serving in our old age in youth ministry, trying to figure out how to minister effectively, and would add insight to the way we do ministry in the midst of the 21st Century. When “Skillet” shifted gears for some worship the moshing took a break until rockin’ resumed which I was blessed to see. Anyways, good time this year! As for Third day? Nothing trumps Third Day. Their music keeps getting better with age. Did I just compare Third Day to a bottle of wine? Weird. But talk about a spirit filled group of guys. Thanks for leading us into the throne room of grace boys! I must say its time for Crowder to come back to Spirit West Coast. What’s the deal David?
(Last years Third Day Concert in Del Mar) Steve has his Coachella koo koo festival and a whole lot of youth groups this weekend from all over California will have Spirit West Coast Del Mar. Mind you there a couple of the bands that are just way to loud for me and I can’t understand the lyrics in my old age. The idea of a mosh pit scares the poop out of me and I’d be happy hanging watching Jars of Clay and Third Day all day long. But for some reason God moves and groves in the pit of mosh. Anyways, a bunch of us from the Antelope Valley and Littlerock will be cruising down to Del Mar for a weekend get away to worship God and to build some relationships with some really cool youth. Say a pray for us and especially for some of mi familia as they will be in another part of the country hanging with relatives.
While at LJO’s thing last week picked up some more books at the Fuller Book store. Tonight I decided to see what this one was about. Very applicable to my ministry as a small church pastor.
Right from the first chapter…
“Culture is the most important social reality in your church. Though invisible to the untrained eye, its power is undeniable. Culture gives color and flavor to everything your church is and does. Like a powerful current running through your church, it can move you inland or take you farther out to sea. It can prevent your church’s potential from being realized, or-if used by the Holy Spirit-it can draw others in and reproduce healthy spiritual life along the way.”
When Jesus sends us out into the world, he sends us to places that either bring us joy or places where we will be challenged to grow in our faith. After finishing a week of vacation Bible school, I can’t help but hear the words of Jesus, “as the father sends me, I also send you…”
Ministry is a whole lot of sending sometimes. Every where you go and everyone you meet is an opportunity for giving and living like Jesus. I have to say that I was on the receiving end of grace this week as we concluded a week of VBS. I love watching kids move from that initial first day of, “what have I gotten myself in to,” to singing goofy VBS church songs, which yours truly always enjoys doing. (I will be singing “whose side are you leaning on” in my sleep for about a week in my dreams) I especially enjoyed our celebration this evening when the kids whose parents had showed up for an end of week BBQ wanted to sing the songs for their parents. It was awesome and refreshing. I especially enjoyed watching the adults give of their lives in a way where one adult made a comment to another, “now what am I going to do now that VBS is over?”
I have no doubt they experienced what I experienced in receiving grace from a bunch of kids who were challenged at the beginning of the week to do just one thing…just have fun. The joy in being sent by God is knowing that even when we are sent to places that either bring us joy or challenge us that God has a way of renewing our hearts for for his purpose. Even when and if we’re feeling spent after a week of goofy VBS church songs, bible themed snacks, and loud ear piercing sounds and smells of kids just trying to enjoy the gift of being kids.
