Slip and Slide Photos

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Where's your wisdom come from?

So this Wednesday Mark spoke about wisdom. How our wisdom can come from earthly sources and how it can come from heavenly scources. This is how i see it, God is so great and wants to give us free stuff so we should take His free stuff. God's stuff is better than anything we could ever do by ourselves and God's stuff is what we need the most. So why then do we sometimes not choose God's stuff, well I'm not so sure, sometimes our way may look easier or better, but that doesnt mean it is the easiest or the best. I've seen some movie trailers that look really really cool, but the movie itself is terrible. So we need to trust that God has our best interest at heart and we should just listen to Him.

Tomorrow is the World's Largest Slip and Slide. I've been trying to keep some secrets about it, but it is so hard. Ill share maybe just one or two. The slide itself is 1,000 sq feet. That is larger than some houses. It is going to be so awesome!

The 02 Experience

I hope you were around to check out the O2 Experience it was awesome! To the right is a picture of the sanctuary as it was filling up, the place was completely packed. If you missed the event, I would like to share a little recap. Everyone was talking in the room and goofing off waiting for everything to get started, then a loud noise came and everyone was instantly quieted, the lights blacked out and i couldnt see anything in the entire room. Then i heard a loud heartbeat and these two red lights flashed around the room. It was so cool. Then Levi came out an introduced the evening. We watched some really cool videos about purity, and then Ryan Dobson spoke. He had a really great message, he was really funny, but i know everyone learned a lot. After Ryan spoke it was intermission time and it was so great outside. There was a sugar shack where one could buy cotton candy, sno cones, popcorn, and anytime of candy bar imaginable. Then there was a meat shack that had pizza, hot dogs and nachos. The nachos didnt have any meat on them, still havent figured out why they were at a meat shack, maybe we should of had a third cheese shack that sold cheese products, such as nachos, quesidillas, cheese on a stick, etc. There were also some really cool games out side, there was a lazer maze, a giant rock wall to climb, bouncy boxing, and my favorite a mechanical bull. To the left is a photo of John going big on the bull. The event closed with a great concert of Phil Wickham. If you want to see more pictures from the event click the O2 Experience on the right and you can check out a tone of them. Also get ready for our next event, THE WORLDS LARGEST SLIP AND SLIDE.

Bits and Rudders

Continuing our series in James we looked at the taming of the tongue. It’s hard sometimes not to say stupid stuff; I know I have said some really dumb stuff. But James tells us to think before we speak. I think the world would be a lot nicer if we took that second to check our thoughts and make sure we really want to say what we want to say. James tells us that taming the tongue is one of the most difficult things we can ever do, but that just means we have to try really really hard. Last night i shared a story of a friend who ate an entire medium pizza for $20. Want to know who it was? It was Nate Heitzig, our speaker on Sunday morning second service. Now I get the privledge of working with Nate every day, so I get to see what he does day to day. Many people dont get this same privledge, so I thought, I can I share what Nate is doing with his time at work. So i made a webcam, so that everyone can enjoy what Nate does all day long. If the picture is of an empty chair Nate is probably out running an errand.

So since I like pictures I saw a new product that I wanted to share. I dont think it needs much of an introduction, but just imagine the uses, you can watch tv or play video games and be completely unaware of everything around you. The only downside is i dont think you can breath while wearing it. Prices and Availabilty not announced yet, but it is coming soon!

More Summer Camp Spaces

I recieved word today that we could get more spaces for summer camp, but we are still on a first come, first serve basis. I can pretty much gaurentee that we will fill up again so sign soon because spaces could be gone in a week. Also make sure to sign up for other events, it is never fun being on a waiting list.

The heart of a servant

This past Sunday we celebrated Communion. We looked at Jesus' 2 greatest commandments, to love God and to love people. In celebration of God and His love we sang songs in worship and took communion. To love people we discussed what we could do to show that we care about others.

Ojai Work Day

Our Ojai Work Day was a smashing success. Click here for the slideshow, or you can always check the links on the right side. We worked really hard that day. We arrived around 9am and got straight to work. We started in the Sanctuary and listened to a pep talk from the church's pastor, Pastor Dan. We then started by picking up trash and vacuuming. We then slowly progressed to weeding the outside area and just cleaning up some areas. In my opinion the hardest part was the shoveling of the gravel. We had to disperse a truck load of rocks to different planters around the church.
While delivering the truck load shovel by shovel, we heard that the local Christian Hip Hop Band, the Reinforcements, was playing at the local Oak View Day celebration. They were a really great band and we had a great time listening to them. Once they finished we started posting flyers all over the city, one of my favorite parts was the boys hanging all the signs by driving around in the van. We got back to the church and the girls started to paint promotional signs for the church's VBS and the boys painted a staircase. It was a really great day and no one wanted to leave when the time had come. If you couldn't make it, sign-up for our other summer events so you can join us in the fun and ministry.

Don't be a Yap Yap Dog

Wow the Summer Calendar is filling faster than i thought! Currently we are completely full for our Summer Camp this year. I called this morning to get more spots, but i don't know. So if you still want to go to Summer Camp we have have a waiting list we can put you on. But our other events still have spaces so sign-up quick before those might run out as well. This Saturday is Ojai (pronouced Oh-Hi) and I am really jazzed about that trip, its going to be a blast. So if you havent got a Summer registration card get one quick, quick you can download it on this page on the links section and fill it out. As a side note, you do not need to fill out a card for the World Record Days and can just sign up the day of, but if you preregister you can skip all the lines and go striaght in a whole lot quicker. So make sure to sign up people to those major outreaching events.

So last night we talked about the difference of faith and works. To get into Heaven all we need is faith. But what James is telling us is that if we have a genuine faith, and if we really believe what God tells us, then our life will reflect that. Actions speak louder than words, and we shouldn't be yap yap dogs. (The dog on the left) Those little dogs that bark all the time but can't even bite their own food. We should model our lives after the dogs that don't have to bark all the time, because they can back up their bark with thier actions, a big old dog bite. (See dog on right) My favorite part of the passage was when James simply said, "I will show you my faith by my works" Can you make that same claim, telling someone that if they looked at every part of your life they would come to the conclusion that you love Jesus?

We are continuing our posting contest, so be one of the first people to respond to this post and win a prize next week. Just make sure that I can read your name so I know who to give the prize to!

Esther

So i got a haircut this week. No i didnt go to some fancy hairstylist, no i didnt go to super cuts. I figured i can cut paper, i can probably cut hair too. Some come this week and check out my new hairdo, i made it myself. Nothing but me and a pair of scissors.

This past weekend, I cant say this past Sunday cause we have an awesome Saturday night service now. But this weekend we looked at the book of Esther. It's one story of a woman named Esther, her cousin Mordecai, the King Xerxes, and the evil villain Haman. It is actually one of my favorite stories in the Bible. i have actually thought of writing a modern day adaptaion screen play to sell to Hollywood. Think about it, it would take place at a high school. Esther is the transfer student from another district and every loves her. The King is played by the Football Quarterback. The head cheerleader doesnt come to his victory party so he dumps her. Haman is played by the Quarterback's righthand man who is really the school bully. It would be awesome.

And finally I leave you with a new concept, what if Ferrari's could float? And in case your wondering, that is a real car, wait I mean a real boat. It can hold 4 people and tow a wakeboarder.

Don't Play Favorites

1st person to post and a random poster gets a free prize next Wednesday!!! So on Wednesday night we talked about not playing favorites. James calls us to treat everyone as equals, just as God sees everyone. I mean we shouldnt judge people on how they look if we don't want them to judge us just on how we look.

To the left you may notice a new pair of shoes that was released early this week. They claim it's just like being barefoot, but i know something that feels more like you are barefoot, its actually being bearfoot.

Nehemiah

Well we went through an entire Sunday without using the classic Nehemiah joke. Knock, Knock. Actaully it goes, "Who is the shortest guy in the Bible?, Nehemiah, cause he was only knee high. But we did learn some serious stuff too. Nehemiah was not a complainer, he didn't see a problem and then just whine about it and cry like a baby, he decieded he was going to do something about, and that is what he did. After praying he went before the king and the king made him a governor of Jerusalem so that Nehemiah could rebuilt the walls around his beloved city. We should most defineitly follow Nehemiah's example, when we see a problem, instead of complaining we should pray for God's strength and see how He uses us to work through the difficulties.

Cool Cell Phone Attachment

There are many fancy cell phones out there that can do many fancy things. Magical ringtones, pretty lights, even complete calendars. But I present to you the coolest cell phone attachment I have ever seen. Is it difficult for you to hold your cell phone between your ear and your shoulder. Do you miss the days of a comfortable handset resting there. Well all your promblems are solved, with this new headset. Better than an earpiece, this is the shoulder piece. And in case you were wondering, it only costs 30 bucks.

More than just listening

Have you ever heard that phrase in one ear, out the other? I always got confused, I imagined noise coming in one hear, traveling through an empty head and then out the others. I always saw it as an insult, like "You ain't got no brain cause when i talk the noise goes in your left ear travel right where your brain should be, but since you ain't got no brain it goes out your right ear. " But we learn this isnt the case. As Mark shared Wednesday night, we need to do more than just listen, to have stuff go from one ear to the other. We need to be "Do'ers". People that listen and hear what God is speaking and then go do something about it. Different ways to do something is to share your faith with a friend, invite them to church, show love to your brother or sister. Remember we are judge on how we act and what we do, not just how we listen.