Welcome back. You belong here.

Today, 30 or so pastors under 40 met at Cal State Long Beach. Eric Marsh at Grace Long Beach and Brad Fieldhouse at Kingdom Causes organize the quarterly event.

Do you know why I like these events? R-E-L-A-T-IONSHIPS. Those slashes were getting on my nerves!

Yes, it’s awkard being with the big hitters, little hitters, no hitters, in Long Beach Kingdom work – Parckrest, Bethany, Revolution, Grace, First Lakewood, and many church plants… And not everyone is fully integrated, some are more connected than others, some are more isolated, some more relaxed, and after all, we’ve all got regular jobs to tend to so who has time for “group assignments”? Well, I do.

Networking, job opps’ for the future, praying for a pastor with hepititis, helping two Latino pastors meet Roger at Parckrest and Lou at Grace are all part of the process. And you see how funny pastors are, we are all so weird, wanting to take over yet doing it in a kind way.

The speaker Dick Kauffman from Harvest Church in San Diego spoke on “Missional, Grace and Gospel” centered churches. Amazing stuff. When he got to the part on the Gospel, I raised my hand, tears in my eyes and came forward to receive Jesus as Savior while the organist played “Just as I am”…I even got a Bible and the Gospel of John for free, well not really, but the gospel still does it for me!

What’s needed at these events is more time together, more conversation, more from us. I missed the last meeting but this morning I was excited to go and it was great. And we have to visit each other more, be in each other’s churches more often. I’ve visited over 20 churches in Long Beach in the last few years, just saying hello to my fellow pastors. Of course, most of us pastors ‘work’ on Sunday mornings, but when I get the chance I do it. It’s a good way to say, “God bless what you’re doing here…”

I still don’t know what this group will do together, but that’s not the point. Networking and relationship is the point, then it’s up to us to follow up. For me, I want to hire me an exec pastor, a spiritual formation (sf) guy and a worship guy.

Hope you can do the same in your region.

Have a great day.

Into the future,

davidT