Recently our team of seven joined a larger group from the Eleventh Street Baptist church in Upland and went to a Navajo reservation in Burnt Corn Valley, Arizona. We put on a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for children on the reservation and helped a Navajo family, the Chischillys, with building projects on their property. To quote one of our team…

Camp IDRAFOJE is my favorite week out of the year! The name stands for “I’D RAther FOllow JEsus.” Last week I had the privilege of watching more than 50 Christ-followers live that out. While the days were jam packed with ministry, leaving our physical bodies depleted, our hearts were bursting at the seams with joy and purpose.  Do you know that…

Recently we asked you to pray for our Vacation Bible School (VBS): Boot Camp. It was a fantastic week! The gospel was shared in a powerful way, and numerous children put their faith in Jesus. One girl said to her leader, "I knew about Jesus before, but not like this." There's so much we could talk about, but I’m excited…

In Psalm 96:7-9, the Psalmist proclaims, “Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!” When Christ offered Himself as the perfect and…

In our “overconnected” culture, isn’t it ironic that we feel more isolated than ever? We may feel like we are involved in people’s lives because we witness everything they have going on via social media, but in reality we’re lonelier than ever. Because we aren’t physically involved in their experiences, we begin to feel overlooked and detached. This often leads…

This Sunday when we get back into our study of Luke, Jesus is finally going to speak! Dr. Luke has spent the first four chapters describing the credentials of Jesus as the chosen One of Israel and the whole world. This week, at last, we get to study the first words of Jesus’ public ministry. What do you think Jesus…

It was good to launch into the Gospel of Luke on Sunday! We took a look at several humble characters who were faithfully waiting for the intervention of God in some desperate circumstances. One of our own Church of the Open Door members, Cheri Fortner, was willing to share with us her personal journey of waiting long on the Lord. I hope her story encourages you, as it…

More than ever, the circumstances of our lives and our world feel like a chaotic storm on the ocean. Like ships, we are subject to changes from driving wind, undercurrents, and massive waves. Sailors rely on an anchor to keep their ship from drifting during storms. It also protects the ship from capsizing or being destroyed by rocks. Without an anchor, things feel…