Posts tagged: csuf
I love my campus. I love my city.
I pray for this campus and city daily.
May it be in Fullerton, at Californian State University, Fullerton as it is in heaven.
Found this video on RockHarbor’s Vimeo page. The Fullerton update brought so many memories. So much joy. So many stories. So many God stories.
I love my community. So thankful to have been with it from before the beginning even started.
RockHarbor Fullerton you are my family. I am so excited for our next season. 3 services and so much more.
May it be in Fullerton as it is in heaven.
As an alumni of California State University - Fullerton, I wonder how the Church can step into the CSU and love it? How can we usher in the Kingdom in the CSU as it is in heaven?
aw, the artificial bell tower…
yet again, so true… haha.
love my campus.
one of my favorite things about the culture and campus vibe of CSUF, is the tradition referenced in the photo.
we garnered a David statue, one that was broken in an earthquake. we turned it into new art by placing its broken pieces on a grass lawn - all spread out.
as legend has it, if you touch David’s butt, you get good luck before a test.
love it.
This is amazing. I love my city. I love my campus.
Our Father, who art in heaven, let it be in Fullerton, at CSUF, as it is in heaven.
Today, I sit in class, with my mind not in the ballgame. It isn’t here. I’ve decided to not fight it today - because no matter what I do it won’t be here. My soul and brain are in two places - with Ramon and Allison and celebrating what God has done at RockHarbor Fullerton - the place where I met both of them; the place where they got married.
I could take the time below and talk about all god has done. All the firsts of our community. All the times God has shown up mightily in our community - it has been amazing to watch. Instead, I look forward to our next season. I look forward to my next step in with this community - as we prepare to launch college ministry and begin to engage with California State University - Fullerton.
I am excited, but in order to look forward, I also look back at where God started this journey.
Today, I celebrate the grace, mercy and blessing of God.
Today, I thank Him for providing me with community, family, friends, healing, opportunity and the ability to encounter Him regularly.
Today, I am left in awe of what He has done and what He will do.
February 28th. It begins. It becomes real and fully tangible. RockHarbor Fullerton launches, the second campus in a 2+1 vision of campus plants and church plants. RockHarbor Fullerton fully becomes my community. RockHarbor Fullerton becomes the place where a group of believers will come together to see and live out the Gospel together.
When I first found out that there was going to be a campus in Fullerton back in July, from the one and only Steve Carter, I was beyond stoked. The city I tangibly felt God calling me to pour out my life to, for a significant portion of my twenties (maybe beyond), was receiving the second campus in this vision that RH felt God leading them to work towards. I immediately wanted in, how could I not? Fullerton is an amazing city that God has cultivated a passion in me to reach. I believe that if one can reach and engage Fullerton, the rest of Orange County and Southern California can be impacted.
I remember the first conversation I had with Steve Carter in the RockHarbor Bullpen. I remember meeting up with him the day we got to look at potential buildings to hold our Sunday service in. I remember walking in to the Wilshire Auditorium and just feeling that this was a unique place that we could engage Fullerton from. I remember our first prayer gathering, the second, third, and vision night.
For 8 months my heart has been pulling and leading me closer and closer to the city of Fullerton. For 8 months I have been praying that God would allow us to be part of the work that God is already up to in Fullerton. For 8 months God has been allowing me to help play a part in launching this campus with other amazing people that love Jesus, Fullerton, and North Orange County. I’ve grown so much these 8 months for numerous reasons.
As I’ve been reflecting this past week God has been reminding me of a beautiful picture of a missional Church, a picture of what my prayer for RockHarbor Fullerton is. Let me take you inside that picture.
If you have grown up near church you have heard Jeremiah 29:11 quoted to you “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” A great verse, but the you is the Isrealites in a time of exile. What intrigues me most is that this verse is preceded by Jeremiah telling the Isrealites how to live inside this time period of exile, how to play out their lives. This gives context to verse 11. Jeremiah 29:5-6 says “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there and do no decrease.” Essentially, live in community. Be a part of your city. Engage it. Transform it. And then, he adds to this call in verse 7 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf for in its welfare you find your welfare.”
Simply, it is my prayer that RH Fullerton is a place where we learn to engage the city in which we live. Where we establish ourselves, get to know our city and build relationships through life by living there. It is my prayer that above all else we learn to fall in love with the cities God has placed us in. It is my prayer that we, for the sake of the Kingdom, for the sake of the Gospel, seek the welfare of our city. It is my prayer that we pray for our city. This is my prayer. This is my hope.
Pray for this campus. Pray for the Christian groups on campus. Pray for the students. Pray for the Churches near this campus.
Good, better or best?
As I sat through the night last night, I sat and observed my brother, friend and mentor - Dan Allan. I heard him talk and share from his heart. I was drawn back to my two summers with him, in community, on mission. It stirred my heart with the reasons why CRU captivated my time in college. It stirred my soul with reminders of how God used CRU and this man to change my life.
Good, better or best?
Occasionally, a person is blessed to meet someone so amazing, so filled with the Holy Spirit, so in love with Jesus, who has encountered Jesus is such a special way that you just want to spend as much time with them as humanly possible. For me, this person, is Dan Allan. If I can be half the man and leader he is, I will be greatly humbled and honored. When he speaks - passion and wisdom flow. When he listens - the Holy Spirit glints in his eyes. When he moves - his intentionality is obvious.
Good, better or best?
Not having to leave my community, my home of Fullerton, my local expression of the church - RockHarbor Fullerton - still being able to be trained up by another man who I am humbled to be equipped by and learn from, is definitely good.
The combination is better then what I could ever wish for.
But, is it best? I refuse to take the crumbs. Deep down, the more I seek, the more I see, this opportunity is not crumbs.
The words I received last night and prayer and have been sitting on ever since were not a yes or a no - but simply: “Be ready, my son.”
Good, better or best?
Father, your son is ready. My hands are open. Don’t let me take the crumbs.
Earlier today, a great friend and sister of mine from RHF sent me a text. In it, she said some pretty amazing, God inspired things. It’s so good, I’m just gonna quote her:
We make our decisions based on good, better or best. Praying a posture of surrender over you. Praying open hands. May you have the discernment to see what category this job falls into. And the courage to receive only God’s best for you. Whatever that may be. Don’t take the crumbs.
The bolded words have been marinating through my head all day. As this opportunity lies before me, as I’ve been processing this adventure for 5.5 months - I have been pursuing this opportunity in the posture of this text. Hearing my friend say it in these words, at this time, reinforced how faithful and genuine God has allowed me to be in this season of exploration and waiting.
Ever since I was told about this conference - this weekend - God had me circle this weekend on the calendar as the quote on quote “magic time period” of when full clarity and vision would come. I have come in expectant. After night one, God has already met me.
Tomorrow I’d be with the CRU staffers from the PSW all day if it was up to me, but alas, I have to work. So, I’ll be seeing them at around 7pm.
6 moths ago this was not even a dream I could have imagined. 5.5 months later, it is a dream that has been pushing me to draw closer to Jesus. Today, it is one that captivates my soul. Now, it is one I wait eagerly for God to fully open up the doors.
The time has come to finally bring clarity and speak the details of what God is up to. I have waited patiently and purposely for this time to come before I release this information, but now the time has come to open the vault and let the dam flow.
This week I will be hanging out in Anaheim with staffers and leaders from Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) that work on the campuses of the Pacific Southwest (PSW). My friend, brother and mentor has been allowed to bring vision and oversight to this team of men and women. He has asked me to join this team.
This week I will be spending Thursday & Friday night, all day Saturday & Sunday morning with this team. I will be watching and praying. I ask you to do the same.
I have an interview at 2pm on Saturday. I have been waiting for God to part the ocean of my soul. He hasn’t - slowly clarity is coming.
I ask you to join me in praying for: wisdom, vision, clarity, discernment, faith & the ability to take holy risks.
My week will be long. I don’t expect God “to show up” for He is already here.
He has been in this journey since before I knew I was on it. So I am not waiting on God to show up - He has been waiting, lovingly, patiently on me.
God has allowed me space to process and seek. He has allowed me the grace to go against my nature, desire and tendency of jumping before I know all the details.
This will be a week to remember.
(As you are praying or reading this, please, please, please message me or comment with whatever you hear, see or feel. I would love to hear from you regarding this!)
This is a name not many people will ever recognize.
Gene Murphy died Saturday. He was a college football coach.
His place to fame is being the head coach of Titan football at California State University - Fullerton, when the football program was dropped.
Me and a brother, Nat Higgins (http://aharlequinfaith.tumblr.com/ @aharlequinfaith on twitter), are beginning to dream how our church, RHF can bless the campus of CSUF as the exciting, yet to be launched CollegeTown, gets off the ground and continues the process of bringing our alma mater out of the commuter campus mentality it finds itself in.
One way we have dreamed about the Church and our church, RHF, blessing CSUF and Fullerton, is by becoming the biggest proponents of bringing back Titan football. We believe, that in order to break the notion of a commuter campus, a football team is going to be needed. We want to be people who lover our city so much, we help bring change to the campus in this way.
The transition from commuter school to CollegeTown will bring with it so many more opportunities and people. It is going to be a beautiful thing. The chance for city and cultural engagement will exponetionally grow.
How beautiful is that?
