Preaching this week? Read the Passage 50 Times

“...Before I prepare to preach a series of sermons on a book of the Bible, I first read it out loud 50 times before preaching it."

-John Mitchell ( Founder of Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon)

Quote taken from a great article by Ken Berding on the excellent blog, "The Good Book Blog"

Sweet Note From My 6 Year Old Daughter to God

Read the Words of Jesus 4x in 2012

I came across a great service that emails you a chapter a day from the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
and allows you to read through the entire words of Jesus 4 complete times in 2012.

You can even pick what Bible version you want to use!

Interested to join me?  Go here to sign up

A Truth that Sets Me Free

i Attended a great class at Calvary today taught by my friends Steve and Kathy Weems on World Missions ("Perspectives"). Check out info on the class here or better yet, if you live in Orange County, join us next Sunday...  During the course of the class Steve asked me to read out loud the following verse.  I almost couldn't finish it without openly crying as the truth of this wonderful passage hit me to the core.  We are free from sin and death because...

¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

¹⁴ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 

Galatians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Video of John 12:20-26 Sermon from Calvary

Missed Church last Sunday?  Not to worry, here is video of my message at Calvary Church from New Years Day called, "Following Jesus in 2012."


New Year's One Service from Calvary Arts & Media on Vimeo.

Great Preaching Discussion with MacArthur, Swindoll, Laurie and McDonald

This post is directly for Pastor's.  I love the discussion and insight Swindoll and other's give in this link below.

Go here to watch.

John 12:20-26 Sermon Outline

I had the honor of preaching at this morning's January 1st service at Calvary.  It was a tough week to study for a sermon, as the family  and I were up in Santa Cruz all week visiting my parents and brother-in-law and sister.  But at the same time I loved the process of preparing and preaching this message to the Church I care so much about.

Here is my sermon outline of John 12:20-26 for January 1, 2012.

I.       Jesus invites us to Follow Him (John 12:20-22)

a.         Gentiles too!
John 12:21  (Greeks: “…Sir, we wish to see Jesus…”)

b.        Whoever Believes
John 3:16 (“…that whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will not perish…”)

c.         Pray for those who haven’t yet “seen” Jesus
2nd Corinthians 4:4 (“…god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving…”)

II.      Jesus warns us that there is a great cost to Following Him (John 12:23-26)

a.                 Jesus’ Personal Cost

                                                                          i.      John 12:23 – “…The hour has come…”

b.                 Dying to Self

                                                                          i.      John 12:24: “…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies..”

                                                                        ii.      John 12:25:  “…He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates this life in this world…”

c.                 Following Means Serving

                                                                          i.      John 12:26(a): “…he must follow Me

                                                                        ii.      John 12:26(b): “…if anyone serves Me…”

III.     Jesus encourages us that there is a great reward for following Him (John 12:23-26)

a.                 Glory thru Suffering

                                                                             i.      John 12:23 – “…for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

b.                 Fruit thru Death

                                                                             i.      John 12:24: “…if it dies, it bears much fruit…”

                                                                           ii.      John 12:25: “…he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal…”

c.                 Honor thru Service

                                                                            i.      John 12:26(a):  “…and where I am, there my servant will be also…”

                                                                          ii.      John 12:26(b): …if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”