A Year in Review

I realized that my post yesterday was the first in many, many months so I wanted to give a more complete update on what's been happening.

Many businesses operate on a 'fiscal calendar.' In the same way, I believe that there is also a ‘spiritual calendar’ as well.

For me, the spiritual year began on Wednesday, the 21st of September, 2011. It was here that for the first time (after 15 years of being a Christian) I witnessed a true outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This took place at the Expect Conference in Colorado Springs. I would tell you who the speakers were but it really doesn’t matter - Jesus was there (that’s all that matters) and He poured forth the Promise of the Father. For three days we were at the very gates of heaven.

Even as I am writing this I realized something very interesting. About two years ago the Lord gave me a very clear word when I was walking down the hall of the school where I teach. It was so simple: "Autumn will be your most fruitful season."

It was a wonderful word! I grew up in New England and autumn is breathtakingly beautiful! It is truly a time of Harvest.

Anyway, I realized that autumn began in 2011 on September 23 - the day after the Expect Conference ended! How awesome of God to confirm His word to me with such a clear sign.

Moreover - I turned 40 several days ago and thus autumn has truly begun!

Since that Conference I have seen what I would call 2 general moves of the Holy Spirit at two different 'retreats.' One adult, men's retreat and one college retreat.

I have also seen 1 general move of the Holy Spirit at a local church.

Praise the Lord!!

Santa Rosa Street Fair (8-1-12)

Nate and I went to the Santa Rosa Street Market tonight. This is an extremely difficult and glorious venue to preach at. Difficult because we preach to thousands of youth who are convinced we are their enemies. Glorious because Jesus literally loves these kids through us.

Have you ever felt your heart absolutely break as you plead with lost souls to come to Jesus? Have you ever had the supernatural experience of feeling Christ actually pour His love into your heart as they rail, blaspheme and mock everything that is precious and holy to you.

I met the most beautiful young woman tonight whom we will call Jane. She said, "Let me ask you a question. I am a hermaphrodite. I was co-joined with my brother in the womb and we were incompletely separated. He ended up dying and now no matter what I do I am gay and being gay is a sin."

I told her, "You’re physically broken like me and everyone else. You’re sexually broken like me and everyone else. This is why Jesus came and if you come to Him He will walk you through all these heartaches."

She began to get teary. "You know," she said, "my grandma is dead now but she was the most beautiful person I ever knew and she was a devote Christian." I told her, "Your grandma spent countless hours praying for you - that's why I am standing before you tonight. Would you take another look at Jesus?"

She looked at me and said, "I will."

Church; can I be real with you? What happened tonight was 10 billion times better than any foolish softball game. I weep for the church as she amuses herself to death. I pray she would repent of her lukewarmness and enter the fields; for they are white unto harvest.

Yes, the labor is hard, but there and only there you can find the fullness of joy...




The love of Christ pouring out of Nate...

This is 'Outreach' 



Pacific Beach Men's Retreat

This weekend I had the unspeakable privilege of preaching at the P.B. Bible Church Men's Retreat. The Lord's Presence was powerfully among us.

I stopped the first sermon a little short as I observed that most of the men were weeping. The Lord fell on our meeting. One man ran out sobbing uncontrollably, shouting "I have to get things right with my wife." Several men went to call loved ones and told them to come up to the meeting as it appeared we were near revival conditions.

The next three sessions went extremely well, but there was definitely not the same sense of God's Presence as at our first session; which leads me to ask the question: "Did we somehow grieve the Spirit of God?" My fear is we may have, though I am not exactly sure how at this point.

My life was profoundly changed at this retreat though and it did much to deepen my conviction that the church of Jesus Christ desperatly needs a revival. We must have Christ come visit us in power.

The Pruning Principle

I preached this sermon at 360 Church of Petaluma on 1/21/12. I am unspeakably thankful for the Lord's Presence at this meeting and the many reports I heard afterwards of changed lives. May God send the revival we so desperately need.

Great Article

Here is a great article on the lost art of street preaching.

Ashley (1-16-12)

Ki-Ki and I headed into the city today. We set up at the trolley turn-around on Market & Powell. I explained Romans 1:16-17 to the crowd for a while. The Lord blessed me with a considerable amount of clarity and conviction and thus many paid attention to the words spoken.

After about twenty minutes, William the tap dancer showed up with his massive sound system. Once he arrives on the scene he pretty much drowns out all noise but his own; and not to mention that what he does is actually illegal since San Francisco municipal codes only allow for ten watts of amplification and his system is clearly over two-hundred! For whatever reason though the police do not hassle him.

Once he started dancing we headed up to Union Square for a while. That did not last long however since one really needs to project one's voice to be heard over the cars and thus the unamplified preacher soon becomes hoarse.

So we headed back down to Market and set up outside of Westgate Mall. As I stood there I remember praying audibly to the Lord, "What possible hope is there of reaching these people? Please Lord, do something."

I was preaching for about two minutes when I noticed a girl who stopped to hear what I was saying. As I was talking about Christ I could tell that something was going on in her heart so I began to very aggressively expound on His grace - fixing my attention on her the whole time.

As I would declare things like, "Jesus says that if you come to Him, He will never cast you away" and "He's the Great Physician and He is ready to restore your soul," I noticed that she began crying and thus I began speaking directly to her: "He's ready to wash all your sins away. Will you come to Him?" "He's ready to take all your shame away, Will you come to Him?" "He said He would pardon the worst of sinners, Will you come to Him?"

At that point this young lady pretty much started weeping - in fact several people stopped to see what was going on.  I stepped down off my 'soapbox' and asked her to come over to me. When she did I asked her if she wanted to come to Jesus. She said - through many tears - that she did, but she did not know how to and she feared that He would not accept her for all that she has done.

So we both cried out together to the Lord that He would indeed meet this poor broken soul where she was at and reveal His amazing grace to her.  I have good reason to believe that He did.

Her name is Ashley and it turns out that about a month ago she was singing in a brass band downtown and she heard us preaching and said that something happened to her then that she was not able to forget.

How gracious of the Lord to cause our paths to cross again; one time for the sowing and another time for the reaping.

When we were leaving Ki-Ki said to me "Why was that girl crying?" I said, "Because it seems like she just came to the Lord." It was a special moment for sure.

God bless you as you simply and sincerely "Declare His glory among the nations!" (Psalm 96:3).

December Update

I have been taking Ki-Ki into the city with me. He has been begging me to go preaching. At first I was apprehensive, but it has ended being up  some incredibly precious time together. He is technically still in diapers but is nevertheless extremely excited about proclaiming the gospel. The second we get off the bus he says, "can I preach first"?

His message is pretty simple: "Come to Jesus, and He will give you rest;" but its biblical, and I am very grateful to have this opportunity to disciple him. Go proclaim His glory Ki-Ki, and let "no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12)

I had the privilege of preaching in Times Square a few weeks ago. It really was a dream come true and quite difficult to put into words. Its impossible to truly know the power of the gospel until you see it reach people's hearts even in that chaos. Several people were arrested by the word and sought council from folks in our group. We also had many, many Christians greatly encouraged to see the word being publicly heralded. A few minutes after I started, the most gracious, young, African-American man said to me, "I thank you so much for doing this. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" He came back a few minutes later with a hot drink and a very generous gift certificate.

Beyond that, the preaching continues in San Francisco unabated. I am grateful for every opportunity to "Declare His glory among the Nations!" (Psalm 96:3).