sabbatical
It hardly feels like two weeks since I began this sabbatical time. It has been busy so far with a lot to think about already. This last week has been spent in California, especially in the southern part of the state, in Orange county. It has been great to meet up again with Firouz and Carina and their family, Andrew who is three and Crista Rose, who is just about a month old and beautiful. They have been her now for about five years and are connected to Calvary Chapel in Mission Viejo. Firouz pastors the Persian congregation there which attracts about twenty farsi speaking people on a Sunday morning. It was also great to visit the studio in Anaheim where Firouz and his team make programmes for television broadcast around the world and maintain a number of Christian websites which share the gospel with farsi speaking people in many other nations. I was blessed to see the commitment and passion with which this team approach their global ministry. Carina has her hands full raising the children and supporting Firouz in the work. Andrew will be starting pre school in September.
It was great to preach in calvary Chapel last Saturday and Sunday, three services in all. It reminded me so much of Ballynahinch in style. The Pastor, Neil Travisano, and his wife, Nancy, opened their home to me for five days and spoiled me totally, which was great. I hope I can stay in touch with this congregation and with Firouz and Carina, who have such a heart for the work of God amongst Iranian people.
Two days at Saddleback came next with pastor Rick Warren. This is a very impressive megachurch, with around twenty thousand members. They saw a thousand people trust Christ at easter this year and have baptized twenty thousand in the last ten years. It just boggles the mind. Yet Ricks humility and grace, his generosity to give away all his experience and wisdom, blessed me and all of us at the conference. The conference was about mobilizing the entire body of a church in mission to address both local and global needs. Every member a minister was the phrase, quite a challenge for us.
Couple of days at Fuller seminary now and home next week.
God is saying many things to me through these days, both personally and in terms of ministry. I will reflect on some of them through this blog in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.
Gordon.
It was great to preach in calvary Chapel last Saturday and Sunday, three services in all. It reminded me so much of Ballynahinch in style. The Pastor, Neil Travisano, and his wife, Nancy, opened their home to me for five days and spoiled me totally, which was great. I hope I can stay in touch with this congregation and with Firouz and Carina, who have such a heart for the work of God amongst Iranian people.
Two days at Saddleback came next with pastor Rick Warren. This is a very impressive megachurch, with around twenty thousand members. They saw a thousand people trust Christ at easter this year and have baptized twenty thousand in the last ten years. It just boggles the mind. Yet Ricks humility and grace, his generosity to give away all his experience and wisdom, blessed me and all of us at the conference. The conference was about mobilizing the entire body of a church in mission to address both local and global needs. Every member a minister was the phrase, quite a challenge for us.
Couple of days at Fuller seminary now and home next week.
God is saying many things to me through these days, both personally and in terms of ministry. I will reflect on some of them through this blog in the weeks to come. Stay tuned.
Gordon.
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