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Pastor's Blog

One Special Afternoon Posted 2.02.2012
2.2.12. 2:00 pm. What were you doing? I know exactly what I was doing. And I probably will never forget that moment. It ...

Lessons From a Fall Posted 1.27.2012
Sometimes a simple story can cut to the heart. I came across this story this week and it blew me away. I hope you will be able to take a few minutes this morning to pause long enough to remember how our trust in God is our only point o...

Laughter for the Soul Posted 1.19.2012
Humor in church can be a touchy subject. How much is too much and how much is not enough? In talking about that subject with Pastor Ken this week, we talked about Spurgeon, the great preacher of London.    ...

Number the Sands of our Days Posted 1.12.2012
Yes, indeed, it happened. I misspoke. Again. I can’t believe it actually – and have been trying to figure out what it means all week long. But I guess I’d better set the record straight, although I’d r...

Lessons from a Cave Posted 1.06.2012
As we begin a new year, I am amazed at the struggle that 2011 has brought. Everybody sure seems relieved that 2011 is in the history books. The news is full of tragedy and hints of doom and gloom continue to lurk around every corner –...

New Year, Fresh Start Posted 12.30.2011
Happy New Year! Wow, can you believe it is 2012? I can’t. Are you ready for the new year to begin? Ready to do your taxes? Ready to start all things new and fresh and clean? Too bad if you aren’t ready, because it is here. Sometimes ...

Mary Had A Little Lamb Posted 12.22.2011
The presents are all wrapped. The tree is standing straight and tall. And, it may not even burst into flames before New Year’s Day! The groceries have been bought and cookies baked. The Christmas cards have been deliver...

O Holy Night! Posted 12.15.2011
In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure was the commissioner of wines in a small French town. Known more for his ...

The Stars of Christmas Posted 12.09.2011
The star is still sitting on the dining room table.   The house is decorated. The tree is up. The house is ready to celebrate Christmas once again. But that star is still sitting there. Lonely.&nb...

A Somber Day This Week Posted 12.01.2011
On Thursday, we observed World AIDS day.  I need to put that on my calendar, so I don’t forget it. First observed in 1988, World AIDS Day began as a way to increase awareness of the disease and support those affected by it, their...

Turning Points Posted 11.25.2011
This week had a few turning points, at least in my life. We turned the last corner to Christmas. Nothing stands in the way now. Thanksgiving is a celebration of biblical propor...

Lessons From the Flyleaf Posted 11.17.2011
 Nothing broke at home this week. What will I write about?   I didn’t do anything super idiotic t...

Pioneer Theology Posted 11.11.2011
Last week I ran across an illustration that I could just not work into the sermon, and still get us out in time for lunch! So I thought I would share it here. I found it in a sermon by Ray Stedman on Romans 12:1-2. He is talking a...

Timing is Just About Everything Posted 11.04.2011
Timing. Life can all be about the timing of events, right? The trip to Italy planned for 9/12/01. The Christmas show with an outdoor emphasis coinciding with the biggest December downpour in history of Palos Verdes (or at least it...

Thank you, Martin. Posted 10.31.2011
This morning we bid farewell to Martin and Emily Allen….and Judah and Asher as well. It has been an adventure getting to know them and love them over these past years. Their...

Deos Sepilnlg Mtater? Posted 10.20.2011
 Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch stduy at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can si...

One of THOSE Days Posted 10.13.2011
 When was the last time you had “one of those days”? I just had one. On Monday. I spent two hours getting to and from a doctor appoint I don’t have until tomorrow. But then, I did get a new TV installed in my father&rsqu...

NTHBGNNNGGDCRTDTHHVNSNDTHRTH Posted 10.07.2011
 This morning we begin what I have been praying will be the most significant journey in our lives together. Ever. Seriously, that is my prayer. If you doubt what these next forty days can do – rub shoulders with Pastor Ken this morni...

The Fire Sometimes Burns (you have to read Daniel 3) Posted 9.29.2011
In studying Daniel 3 I came across a story that I will not have time to share. So I will share it here. It is the story of martyrdom. For these dear saints, there was no miraculous deliverance on that day in 1934. But, I thin...

One Reason for 40 Days Posted 9.23.2011
Two weeks. It all begins in two short weeks. 40 Days in the Bible, that is. Let me just highlight a “why” this morning. One reason for this new spiritual life campaign is tha...

Farewell, My Friend Posted 9.15.2011
 I bid farewell to a friend this week. But only for a little while.   ...

Ten Years Posted 9.09.2011
 Ten years ago it was a Tuesday. We never forgot the moment we first heard of the terror attack on our nation. I flipped on the radio in my car as I was taking Jeremy to high school as a freshman at Peninsula. It was unbelievab...

Things that are Tough to Believe Posted 8.25.2011
Some things are difficult to believe, others are not. What’s tough to believe?   1. School is starting up here in PV this week. Unbelievable. What happened to summer and its heat? The season...

The Journey Home Posted 8.19.2011
The journey home can be filled with twists and turns and blessings and opportunities to grow (aka trouble). I’m talking about our journey home to heaven, of course. Oh, but it might has well have been the journey from Bombo to Los Angeles ...

Learning in Bombo Posted 8.10.2011
As I write, there are two more days of medical clinic ahead. But the lessons I am learning this year are very different and actually surprising. As I stop, I am hearing what God is doing in and through this medical mission. Yes, w...

Lessons from Masaka Posted 8.04.2011
What blessings a day can bring!! To represent Peninsula Community Church is a high honor indeed. And this week was one of the highest of that role in my life. It was my honor to sit on the floor of a Ugandan primary school to listen to the soun...

Farewell, John Stott Posted 7.28.2011
The announcement of his passing flashed across the annoying bar along the bottom of my screen this week. I don’t usually read that stuff – it gives me a headache. But the name of John Stott must have stood out – and I was sadde...

Stop. Look. Worship. Posted 7.21.2011
Look around. No, not literally (thought not a bad idea). As we gather in the middle of summer, lots of people are away relaxing – but we are getting ready to worship.&nbs...

A Fresh Reminder of The Cross Posted 7.15.2011
Victoria reigned as Queen of the British Empire from 1837 to 1901. In 1857 rebellion broke out in India against the British colonial government. Peace was finally established in 1877 when Great Britain agreed to allow a native monarch to rule a ...

Back In Seminary Posted 7.07.2011
Strange week. It’s been thirty years since I have been in a classroom setting. I’ve been to conferences, but when a grade is attached to my time, the dynamic is ver...

God Bless America! Posted 7.01.2011
She was “The Songbird of the South” — the on-air host of three popular programs in Radio’s Golden Age and one of the nation’s three most admired women. She would eventually sell more than $7 million in Defense and W...

Pomp, Circumstance, and a Kleenex Posted 6.10.2011
 I have been an emotional basket case for weeks. I knew this day was coming. My baby is now a high school graduate. I cannot believe that I am old enough (I know I don’t look it!) to have all my children in college (and o...

The Face is Familiar Posted 6.02.2011
This morning we will again remember the death of the Savior. As we gather around the Lord’s Table, there is something very special about that moment. We think of His agony.&nb...

A Memorial Day Tribute Posted 5.26.2011
 Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial launch of summer. Around here, that means we are off and running in just seven days to casual summer attire. Yes! It means that school is almost out and all the wonderful programs of s...

What Do I Do When the World Goes Crazy? Posted 5.20.2011
What in the world is going on? This week seems like its been a deluge of crazy statements and bizarre events have come together. Think about – all in one week…....

Our Students Rock! Posted 5.12.2011
All hail to the students! Not just to any students – our PCC students. They are a crop of kids we parents are always proud to identify as our own. They might not get...

Real Moms - A Definition! Posted 5.05.2011
Happy Mother’s Day! Did you all have a nice breakfast this morning? Looking forward to fighting the crowds for a nice lunch out? Well…you deserve it, you who chart the course for the next generation. But how do you...

Resurrection Changes Posted 4.28.2011
Reconciliation is tricky business. How often do you give up after only one try? Jesus said, “If a brother sins against you, go and show him his fault,
 just between the two of you” Matthew 18:15. That is much easier said than d...

Finally Home! Posted 4.21.2011
 Five days. The waiting will be over. The end is in sight. These parents have endured their first experience of having a child study abroad. It’s been a gr...

Walking Down To Look Up Posted 4.14.2011
 Hosanna!   On each visit to Jerusalem we walk down the Mt. of Olives along was is now called the “Palm Sunday Road.”...

The Most Beautiful Ugly Rendition of Happy Birthday Ever! Posted 4.08.2011
My baby is all growed up.  Unbelieveable.   On Tuesday, the...

An A380 Lesson Posted 4.01.2011
On Thursday I had a unique experience. It was a lesson in perspective. I was down at LAX to tour some Qantas airplanes with Tony Vula. When I entered their massive hangar, I saw a c...

Guest Fusion Posted 3.25.2011
I’m excited. I just got out of a meeting. The getting-out-of-a-meeting part is not that unusual, I attend my fair share of meetings! It is more unusual to be drive home from a meeting complete...

God and Japan Posted 3.17.2011
It has been a difficult experience watching the news this week. The images of the suffering and tragedy in Japan is almost impossible to see, and even harder to imagine. I know that I have never seen anything like it.   Watch...

A Night at Hesse Posted 3.10.2011
Hesse Park on a Tuesday night. I was ready to rumble! The Planning Commission is meeting for RPV. I walked in after the “opening ceremonies,” and it was time f...

Doing and Feeling Posted 3.04.2011
 It is a change that happens every year. Thanks to Congress, it’s not quite like clockwork, but it is regular. Once a year it is pure joy. Once a year it is a pain. It is our time for pain. I’m not ready.&...

Honor and Shame Posted 2.24.2011
In October 1864, word came to President Abraham Lincoln of a Mrs. Bixby, a Boston widow whose five sons had all been killed fighting in the Civil War. Lincoln later wrote his condolence:   ...

A Lesson from Billy Ray Posted 2.18.2011
This week, I saw a headline, which quoted Billy Ray Cyrus bemoaning the current state of his family. Just to keep us all on the same page, Billy Ray is father to Miley Cyrus, TV&rsq...

Happy Birthday, Woody!! Posted 2.11.2011
There are moments in life that should be remembered. Celebrated in fact. Of course, there are some that should be forgotten – but we’ll not go there this morning! I am a...

A Magic Mountain Ride Posted 2.04.2011
I enjoy roller coasters. At an amusement park. The ups and downs and twists and turns send the old blood rushing to parts of my body I didn’t know existed. It’...

God's Battle in Bali Posted 1.28.2011
The ways of God are rich and winding. To find someone willing to follow Him with joy no matter what is a cool breeze on hot and sticky day. I felt that breeze this week –...

A Boggled Mind Has Its Place Posted 1.21.2011
This morning we enter mind-boggling territory. One of my most enjoyable activities in life is to head up to Mammoth in the summer (never been there in the winter, so I can’t s...

Lesson from the Zoo Posted 1.14.2011
A couple of weeks ago – the day after Christmas to be exact – the family piled into the van and headed south to San Diego. Just a couple of days to get away. We had...

Week One - Check! Posted 1.07.2011
We are only a week into the new year, and the range of emotions this week have been almost overwhelming. I mean, think about it.  ...

Lessons from The Wise (men) Posted 12.29.2010
 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:2 (NLT)   One o...

The Real Bethlehem Posted 12.16.2010
Years ago, as the Disney enterprise began to expand beyond Walt Disney’s dreams, he famously quipped to his team, “Let’s never forget, it all started with a mouse.&rdqu...

A Moment in Pagik Posted 12.10.2010
It was a good day. It was a long day. All together we would spend ten hours in the car that day going back and forth to Gulu. The road to Gulu is a two-lane affair, with no cen...

Jeremiah and God's Will Posted 12.02.2010
You may be tired of thinking about the will of God. But there was one passage that I wanted to comment on, but didn’t. What is the impact of Jeremiah 29:...

The Best Thanksgiving. Ever. Posted 11.26.2010
It was the best Thanksgiving ever. Now, as I write I haven’t experienced Thanksgiving 2010, but I can just about guarantee that 2010 is not going to be my favorite Thanksgivin...

Shh....It's A Secret!! Posted 11.19.2010
Good news is hard to keep to yourself. I remember the year that the kids went with mom to do some Christmas shopping for dad. It was a top-secret mission.&n...

The Ups and Downs of Relationships Posted 11.12.2010
Some of the best moments of life are those where we get the chance to build relationships. That’s why a trip to Israel is so fun for me (among other reasons!). That&rsquo...

Faithful To The End Posted 11.05.2010
 This story by Paul Wilkinson came across my desk this week. I just had to pass it along. Stay faithful!   ...

Wiggling Waxe Fingers Posted 10.31.2010
In early October, our missionary, Greg Melendes, left the comforts of Colorado for the primitive digs of Papua New Guinea (PNG). He is beginning a final push to translate what remains of the New Testament into the local language. The pro...

Trusting Middle School Boys?!? Posted 10.22.2010
Have you ever done one of those “trust fall” exercises? You stand on something high and fall backward into the arms of your “friends.” Will they catch you? Can they catch you? Do you trust them? Are they...

The Beginning of the End. Sort of. Posted 10.15.2010
I drove home that night with a light heart and sense of relief surrounding me. OK, pure joy. Christie rode next to me, but with a very different reaction. She rode home with a ...

A Teachable Moment From Kashmir Posted 10.08.2010
Sometimes we need to lift our eyes off what we can see, and catch a glimpse of what God is doing where we can’t see. Let me share the story of Mukthar, an orthodox Muslim. He was out to destroy the Church in Kashmir, in northwest I...

A Distracting Week Posted 10.01.2010
To say this week was a bit chaotic around the church office is quite fitting. On Monday I was at Lowe’s (getting more work to do around the house!) when I got a call that some...

Listening to Those Who Went Posted 9.17.2010
Want to enrich your faith? Tonight’s  (September 19) night! Tonight we get to hear s...

A God of Surpises Posted 9.10.2010
The path life takes often confronts us with surprises. Some of those surprises are exhilarating, others But what makes life interesting is the element of surprise. You never kn...

Habits Posted 9.02.2010
Sometimes us preachers bash habits. Sometimes we encourage them. I guess we just can’t decide, right? This morning I may do a little of both. I hadn’t thought about habits much lately, but then I was confronted with a staircase that fo...

Medical Memories Flood the Mind Posted 8.27.2010
How do you put into words the experience of this week? Honestly, I don’t know. I probably have enough Back Pages for a couple of months, but the stories will soon fade fr...

Getting Comfortable in Kampala Posted 8.20.2010
Half the team is on its way. Half the team has been shopping in Kampala. Actually the days of preparation have been smoother this year than last. OK, than ever. A fe...

Off to Bombo! Posted 8.13.2010
Traveling to Uganda is always an adventure. New foods. Smog. Bananas and pineapples. Driving rain. Delicious thunder. Warm smiles. Beyond crowded roads...

A Lesson from Marysville Posted 8.05.2010
Sabbaticals can be tricky things. I, of course, enjoyed mine. But this week I heard of a very interesting impact on a church due to a sabbatical. I spent the first couple ...

Off to Sonora....Really??? Posted 7.29.2010
Last week I received a rather sad email. Of course, I knew figured it would come….eventually. Even though it carried some sad news, it was upbeat. Supportive. ...

Who Is Your Glenn? Posted 7.23.2010
This week Glenn Cohen slipped the bonds of life and entered glory. He is now absent from his body, but present with his Lord. Glenn’s last few months have been difficult physically, but he never wavered in his faith in Jesus...

Lakers Win - Even the Second Time! Posted 7.15.2010
It was the night after the amazing Los Angeles Lakers defeated that East Coast nemesis in the NBA finals. We were the champs. It had not been an easy fight. It had been ro...

One Israel Memory Posted 4.30.2010
Note from Pastor Jim - it is Friday and I am back from Israel/Jordan.  It was a fantastic trip!!  Really.  I wrote the following from Amman a couple of days ago.  Have a great weekend!    &nbs...

Listening to Jesus from Jerusalem! Posted 4.22.2010
My feet ache. My eyelids are heavy. My soul is full. Tomorrow it will be a week since we left home, but it feels like forever. Each day brings a rich experience where we understand to a new dimension the greatness of our God ...

Standing at the Crossroads Posted 4.15.2010
If all goes according to plan, as you worship, I will be relaxing on the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. After a long flight and a night on the Mediterranean coast, our group should have spent today at Ceasarea (a port built by Herod th...

Farewell, Brother Oliver Hunt Posted 4.09.2010
  It was rather fitting. As the sun rose last week announcing the arrival of yet another Resurrection Sunday, our dear ...

Hosanna! Posted 3.25.2010
Palm Sunday. One of my favorite days on the church calendar. In about a month I’ll be on that road which follows the route our Savior took that Sunday morning. Somewhere along that route He wept for the city He loved so deeply.&n...

Grumble. Grumble. Grumble. Posted 3.18.2010
Grumbling. I have honed it to an art form. Often, the things I grumble most about are things where I lack full disclosure. I don’t really know the whole story....

A Humble Wake-up Call Posted 3.11.2010
  This is one week I am glad to have in my rearview mirror. As I write I am seeing “normal&rdqu...

Forced and Painful Waiting - Good for the Soul Posted 3.04.2010
Waiting. We are not a people who enjoy long lines. Queues are not our thing. Waiting? Yuck. But life is full of waiting. Waiting. And more waiting....

Where's Monk When You Need Him? Posted 2.25.2010
There is high drama at Peninsula these days. There is a mystery brewi...

Fight On, Robert Lie! Posted 2.19.2010
  How is your ministry mindset these days? Perhaps we ought to look around at the opportunities we ha...

Back on the Mainland, Looking for the Spirit Posted 2.11.2010
This week the staff did something we had not done in years. We actually had a staff retreat. We trekked over to Avalon and enjoyed the Ellison’s hotel on the island. It was a wonderful couple of days as we shared together and talked toget...

Another Cheering Voice in the Stands..... Posted 2.04.2010
Her smile was sweet. Her voice even sweeter.   This weekend we bid farewell to Lydia Lunetta. She graced us in the twilight of her life. But she was surely a gift of God’s grace to us. She was quiet. Unassuming. In...

Sizzlin' Website Posted 1.29.2010
It’s taken hours of tedious labor. Months of it. It has sucked up hours in discussion. But as you visit our website, you see the sizzle and glitz. It looks effortless. You see the glory, not the pain. But it has finally launched and is ...

Story of God as Told by Yoxu Posted 1.21.2010
Greg Melendes left this week for six weeks in Papau New Guinea (PNG). Here is another story of a follower of Jesus in PNG. As you read it, remember to pray for Greg as he travels to continue ...

On His side Posted 1.17.2010
  Jesus was in the news again this month. A few weeks ago, Sunday Fox News commentator Brit Hum...

Get in the game Posted 1.10.2010
  Games mimic life.   ...

into the arms of Jesus Posted 1.03.2010
I hope you are ready for another year. What I can’t believe is that it has been ten years since we collectively held our breath to see if all things electronic would sur...

Ray Beachler Posted 6.21.2009
On Saturday we will gather to celebrate the life and faith of our very dear friend, Ray Beachler. I hope you’ll be able to come and lift your hearts in praise to Ray’s Savior and Lord. We had some warning that Ray was going to be wit...

Graduates Posted 6.07.2009
The week ahead will be filled with a panoply of emotions. A sense of freedom will be met will collide with a sense of loss. Nostalgia for days gone by will come face to face with a apprehension about the future. Moms will cry. Students will ch...

Marj Posted 5.31.2009
This week I lost another of my “moms” from childhood. Only a couple of you know her, so I won’t belabor the details. What I really want to do is encourage you to invest your life in someone else. I’ve lost another fan, f...