Can I get a witness?!?!?

C3,

If any of you have ever heard a charismatic preacher, he or she will ask "Can I get a witness?" What does it mean to witness to the truth about Jesus? It's a simple way of telling your neighbors, coworkers, and friends that Jesus loves them. You guys are doing an awesome job inviting people to church with our CD's and C3 fliers.

So far, this is the best one I've seen yet and unless someone totally works hard and impresses me before Sunday. It's not too late if your CD's are hanging around the house... HAND THEM OUT and if you're creative email them to me.

Here's the great photos.

In Christ,

Kyle

Still My Favorite

Whether I am in great spirits or feeling a bit cranky, this video always touches my heart. I especially love her emphasis on the last word..."for-EVER"... what a great reminder! God's mercy never ends!! Great is his faithfullness!


See you Sunday at C3!
In Christ, Gretchen

Dream BIG?

No church encourages people to dream big more than the Crystal Cathedral, and with good cause! Our founding pastor Dr. Schuller is the most inspiring person I've ever met in my life and he always reminds us all on staff to make sure our dreams are big enough for God to fit in. I love the huge dreams that this church is built upon; but like Dr. Sheila Coleman said, "a lot of times our dreams seem to turn into nightmares."

If I had a nickel for every BIG dream I had that didn't come true or even worse... went wrong... I would be one rich man right now! It's not that dreams don't come true or that God isn't in the dream-accomplishing business. It's that oftentimes when we pray for God to fulfill a dream He gave us, we already have mapped out exactly how he's supposed to do it and we don't let Him be God and take control.

If you have a dream (I certainly do) and want to see God bring it to pass in your life... here's some practical suggestions I have for you.

#1 Find a clear starting point to put your dreams into action.

When Dr. Schuller started the Garden Grove Community church he had less than $300 and the only thing he could use was a drive-in theater but this was his starting point that turned out to be revolutionary!

#2 Create a system for your dreams to be quantifiable.

I don't know what you want to do but I guarantee it can be measured somehow. If you want to be a writer, join a writing group that will critique your work. If you want to be a musician, ask the best musicians you know to evaluate your work. Everyone gets better with time and every dream come true involves a lot of people. If God is working in your life, people are going to be involved and they will help assess your dream.

#3 Work HARD.

At 82 years old, there remains no harder-working man than Dr. Schuller. In fact he's so hard working that his family does everything they can to give him time to rest, and enjoy being retired. Dr. Schuller gave everything he's had to seeing the Crystal Cathedral become what it is today and I would say he DEFINITELY succeeded but it took hard work and lots of hours.

#4 Allow God to refine/recalibrate your dream.

The very thing that works and gets you to your "dream"can become your greatest obstacle to the next stage of that dream. This part takes humility. When something starts out as "your baby" and grows and grows; the future portion of God's dream for your work might involve incorporating someone else's new dream. The mind of the inventor can be the greatest inhibitor to the dream's future. That's why it's so important to stay humble and allow God to set this dream on a new path.

I end this note with a reminder that Dr. Schuller's dream started with a drive-in movie theater that revolutionized the Christian community, became the Arboretum and the Hour of Power, which became the Crystal Cathedral, and now we are C3. We are truly starting back where we began 50 years ago. The baton of that dream is in our hands, and C3 is a beautiful seed from God waiting to be watered. Nothing is impossible with God.

Is God calling you to join our dream for C3 and the Crystal Cathedral? If you do, we would love to have you join our team.

What is your dream?

I'd love to hear from you.

In Christ,

Kyle

Triumph, Tragedies, and Trials

C3,

Last week, the world watched as Michael Phelps triumphed 8 gold medals in a single Olympic Game competition, effectively making him the greatest Olympian ever. That means a perfect record of 8 for 8. This week the games continue and we continue to watch amazing achievements from the world's most talented athletes.

Today, we also saw a horrific plane crash in Madrid that resulted in the death of at least 153 people. Miraculously, there were survivors though the plane was nearly incinerated. In one day there are amazing triumphs, and terrible tragedies. God is sovereign over all of this and he knows what's going to happen before it happens. He hears our prayers and responds graciously. Psalm 139:16 says "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

I have to admit... I will never experience the triumph of winning a gold medal. I know you're all shocked, but it's the truth. I also pray that I never experience the tragedy of a plane crash but all of my days are in God's hands and I have to trust him. Maybe you feel like you can't relate to the incredible triumphs and awful tragedies in the media, but each of us has a trial that God is using to refine us.

What is your trial? How does God want to take that situation and mold you into a better disciple of Jesus?

I would love to hear from you.

In Christ,

Kyle

Is the glass half empty or half full?

C3,

Take a look at these two glasses. Now the classic question... is the glass half full or half empty? Are you the kind of person who looks at the glass and sees it half empty or half full? I have always been an optimist, a dreamer, and the first person to see the positive side of something; but even still I battle negative thoughts like "God when are You ever going to (fill in the blank)?" or "God what possible good could come from the situation You've placed in my lap?".

Don't get me wrong, God answers prayers (even tough prayers) every single day. I also think he answers them when our attitude isn't necessarily seeing the bright side; but when we ask God "why" "how" or "when," I think we're asking the wrong question.

God may want to deliver us from our circumstance, but it could be that very trial we don't understand is what He has for us to grow us, and shape us into the disciples He's created us to be.

My encouragement to you next time you look at yourself and question "Am I looking at the glass correctly?" or "Am I being positive enough?" is to change your self-evaluation to the prayer Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:9-13 when he says "Give us this day our daily bread."

If you're struggling with your circumstance and you simply can't look at the glass half-full, I have news for you... God is OK with that. Pray instead that God gives you the tools, and the strength to walk through this day. The Bible says tomorrow will worry about itself. Read Matthew 6:25-34 for more encouragement.

In Christ,

Kyle

Downsizing because of the cost of...

I know, I know, I like to talk way to much. Grab a cool beverage, toss a frozen burrito in the microwave and be blessed.

Brett DaPena

Pastor, Student Ministries

Little "BreadCrumbs" - Steven Curtis Chapman on Larry King LIVE

C3,

Many of you remember not long ago when Maria Sue Chapman was tragically killed in a car accident. The Chapman family was on Larry King LIVE to talk about this and if you watch this video, beginning at 4:06 Steven shares about there being little "breadcrumbs" that remind them of Maria.

On Maria's last day on earth, she painted a six-petaled flower with only one petal colored and the word "SEE" clearly written out. The Chapmans have 6 kids, one of them is now with Jesus. God gave that little girl an amazing insight into what was about to happen. Maria had never written this word before.

Watch the video...

Oh ya and be at C3 Sunday :)

In Christ,

Kyle

God's Love for Us

C3,

I post this video to you as a reminder to all of us what God the Father did when he sent Jesus to die for us. While we celebrate His glorious resurrection, may we never forget the anguish of the Father in sending His only Son to die for us.

Have tissues handy... this is a tear-jerker.

Romans 5:8 tells us "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Who can you share this amazing love with today? Forward this blog to them, email the video, or perhaps just call them and let them know that Jesus loves them.

In Christ,

Kyle