As we head into the warm, lazy days of summer, planning or at least dreaming of a vacation or looking forward to a little slower pace for a few weeks, there is a grief – sharp for some, lingering for many – at what we have lost. Whether our loss is personal or just a nagging sense of foreboding at the state of things, most would agree that we live in troubling times and are experiencing some level of grief at the loss of a perceived time of greater peace, stability and community. To this point, our CCC family seems to have encountered more than our share of grief lately, as many in our congregation are battling serious illnesses, relational challenges, loss of jobs and, most devastatingly, the death of several of our brothers in the Lord. While the days are longer and the sun is high and hot, more than a few of us are struggling to keep our heavy hearts from growing cold with grief. Whether we are actively grieving or simply battling a general sense of malaise, we shouldn't be surpri...

Recently, I preached a message from John chapter 14 focusing on verse six, where John quotes Jesus' familiar and provocative words, "I am the way, the truth and the life." As a part of the message, I emphasized that we cannot know the truth of Jesus and certainly cannot enter into the life of Jesus without understanding and walking in the way of Jesus. This observation seems especially relevant at a time when many people are claiming to speak for Jesus and attempting to justify divisive, self-serving and sometimes violent actions in his name. Online pontification, peaceful protest and civil disobedience are increasingly regular occurrences as people all across the globe seek to champion their socio-political agendas, stand up for the disenfranchised, or address abuse and violence from war to human trafficking. There is undoubtedly a time and a place to speak our minds, take a stand for what we believe, or do so for those who cannot stand or speak for themselves. However, those who cla...

When I was eleven, after brief stints in several southern California towns, my family finally landed in the small beach town of Ventura, California, about thirty minutes south of Santa Barbara. In addition to traditional youth sports and other adolescent activities, as you can imagine in a beach town, surfing was very popular and cool!   I love the ocean! And during my days in Ventura, I was at the beach often, at least in the summer. And like any self-respecting Venturan, I tried my hand at surfing. I remember driving with my friends from high school on the northbound 101 freeway many summers, looking for the best waves between Ventura and Santa Barbara. And my bedroom walls were covered with pictures I’d cut out from my subscription to Surfer Magazine.   I loved the beach, and I loved surfing. But the fact is, I never got very good at it, unlike my brother, Mark, who moved to Maui after graduation and spent six months surfing amazing waves. Though I was a decent athlete...