Mark Beeson

Worship & Bible Study

 

Several artists from GCC join me each year for our summer camping ministry. With their passion for Jesus, authentic faith and amazing talent, they help us connect with the Almighty. 

I'll be forever grateful for the musicians, technicians and artists who give their art to the Church. 

 

 

At camp we worship morning and night. Even so, the kids long for more...

 

 

I need to comment on the next picture. I was moving across the back of the auditorium after our Bible Study. It appeared everyone was singing and worshipping God. But that wasn't entirely true. One young man hadn't resolved the Biblical issues we'd engaged, so when the lights went out he turned on his little flashlight and continued reading his Bible for a few moments. I couldn't resist trying to capture his determination with my camera.

This camper's interest in the scriptures moved me.

The results of my "low-light" efforts are below. 

 

Isaiah 9:6-7

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen!

LaPorte Campus Core Group Training

Mark Waltz launched into a great teaching about the Biblical principles of "blessing" at our LaPorte core group meeting last night. I'm grateful for Mark's leadership. You can read his most recent thoughts on the pre-launch of our new campus here.

Isaiah 48:16-17

"I am God, your God, 
   who teaches you how to live right and well. 
   I show you what to do, where to go.
If you had listened all along to what I told you, 
   your life would have flowed full like a river, 
   blessings rolling in like waves from the sea." 

4%

Ever been inside, looked at the conditions outside, and thought, No way I'm going out there; I'm staying right here where I'm comfortable?

Sure you have. Who hasn't?

I'm looking out the window right now, looking across San Francisco. I think, the greater the difference between "inside" and "outside," the easier it is to decide whether you'll stay "in" or go "out."  

As I look over a city where only 4% of the population is churched, I'm concerned. No one should have to live without knowing Jesus, but if the Church in America doesn't dramatically change, I'm looking at the future of America. We've got to stop glaring out over our communities, thinking we're "inside" and others are "outside." Want the truth?  We're all in community together - all of us - and no one is outside the reach of God.

"Who's in?" and "Who's out?" asks the wrong question. 

"Who's here?" is better.

"Who cares about who's here?" is better yet...because we're all in this together. 

So, if you look "outside" and see people sinking, it's suicidal madness to say, "I'm not going to bail. The hole is in their end of the boat."  

Galatians 5:14-15  -  The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.