Long Time No Post

It seems ever since I got back from General Council I've been searching. I'm searching to make sure that what I'm doing is in God's will. I want to make sure that my Worship Team and I are doing what God would have us do. I'm searching to make sure that the Youth Group is going in the right direction. I'm searching to make sure that I'm the best husband/father that I can be and to make sure that I'm leading my family in the right direction and making the right decisions. At times I'm a bit frustrated with what I'm doing. I really don't see that much progress, just normalcy. I don't think that is a good thing.

I had the opportunity last Saturday night to speak at the San Diego Teen Challenge center. I took my band with me and we ended up doing the whole service. I think it went well. At least that what others said... Sometimes it's hard for me to gauge.

This Summer has gone so fast. I cannot believe that it is almost the end. I'm trying to look back and see what I've accomplished... nothing. I've been busy, but I don't think I've been busy with the right things. So much that I wanted to do with the kids hasn't come to fruition. With the remaining couple of weeks that we have I don't see doing much except the same thing. Next week we are going to Chowchilla to visit our friends the Chapmans. Yet with gas prices the way they are, it is going to be a struggle. I think I need a week just to stay at home and do nothing but play with the kids and be with my wife.

Denver 2005 (2)

I have to admit it. I love a wireless network. As I sit here and type this edition of my blog, I am sitting outside a hotel in downtown Denver. I searched for an open wireless network and low and behold found one. Technology is wonderful!

Today is the last full day here in Denver for the 51st General Council of the Assemblies of God. We fly out tomorrow. I must admit, I came here with an agenda. I wanted to see if the General Council was relevant. I wanted to buck the system any I could to see if this 90 odd year old organization was able to keep up with the times.

I was born into the Assemblies of God. My first pastor that I really remember was Dr. George Wood. He's now the General Secretary of the AG. My father's mother and father were home missionaries with the AG. My mother's father was head of the Men's Ministry for the AG in the home offices (also called Mecca) in Springfield, MO. They both went to Vanguard University where I eventually ended up. For most of my life, I went to an AG church. There was a small period in my youth when we didn't because my dad didn't like the AG church in the town we lived, in Morgan City, LA. The only other time that I didn't go to an AG was when I lived in North Carolina. I didn't really like any of the AG churches. They weren't relevant to me. They were a bit old fashion and I couldn't see myself amongst their midst. My wife and I ended up going to Faith and Victory Church which was very relevant to my needs and what I wanted in a church.

I can't say that I was always happy with the AG. I remember when I was a kid and went to a youth convention in Louisiana. For the first time in my life I heard music that was like the kind that I liked to listen. I saw people dancing to the Lord, beautifully choreographed to the worship music. They played songs that were new and had a feel, a groove. The next day, during the morning session, the leaders of the convention got up and appologized for what had taken place. They said that they were wrong in displaying such a sinful thing. They said that that wasn't what God liked. They said that what I liked, what I really enjoyed, what stirred my heart, what ministered to me was crap! I was so hurt. I was crushed. Apparently God only liked gospel music. Apparently God didn't care about me and my individuality and didn't like the way that I worshiped him. I guess the music they listened to in the Bible was Bill Gather music. Bummer.

I think I grew somewhat bitter about the church. I still went and I still loved God, but I don't think that I truly learned how to worship Him with all my heart. (Goodness, I still strugle with that!) It wasn't until we moved back to California and started going to a church called Faith Chapel. The music was different that what I had heard in Morgan City and I liked it. My youth pastor, Barry Young, encouraged me to find my voice in my music and gave me the opportunity to help lead worship and then to play rock-n-roll in the church! Wow! Again church became more relevant.

As I grew older and went off on my own, I discovered other churches, nondenominational ones, that were more expressive in their worship with God than what I had ever been used to. One of the greatest strengths of being Pentecostal is also its greatest weakness. That would be emotional side. Pentecostal people are emotional and music has a great effect on the emotions. As a worship leader I know this. I know that a soft ballad will stir the soul and a great groove with a 6/8 beat will get the heart pumping. The danger of this is that we can, if we are not careful, be manipulated into thinking/feeling that we are in the presence of God. Through trial and error I think that I've learned what is geniune and what is show. As a worship leader, I pray that it is the former and not the latter. This being said, I know that the AG is a slow progressor, and rightly so. I don't know of a time when they have jumped on the bandwagon of anything.

I have been to a couple of General Councils in my youth and really don't remember too much of what was going on. I remember Jimmy Swaggart preaching at one and I remember going to a youth event but really don't remember too much. Lately I have been to our Southern California District Council meetings. The preaching, the teaching, the reaching has been relevant. I really enjoy the councils as they provide a place to be ministered to and to learn from the various breakout sessions. So now I was going to go to the Big Daddy of councils and see what has changed in my denomination. I signed up to go the youth events, namely in part because I wanted to see what they were doing for the youth and whether I could take anything back with me to my youth. But the first night, Tuesday, I wanted to hear our leader, Tom Trask, speak. I wanted to hear what he had to say to the "People of the Spirit." I was impressed and ministered to by his words. His message was relevant. I didn't really enjoy the music, but that was me. It didn't mean that I couldn't worship, it was that it was traditional music for the older generation, which in reality, was the majority present.

I attended the business sessions and watched as the body debated the resolution concerning whether the AG should grant credintials to people who had a preconversion devorce. I watched as the body re-elected Trask with a 77% vote. I watched as the Holy Spirit moved in one of the business sessions and that, the ministery of the Holy Spirit, became the business. I attended the Youth Convention services on Wednesday and Thursday. I watched as Jeff Deyo led the 13,000 students in worship to the mighty Father. I heard our second in command Charles Crabtree preach on the Holy Spirit. This impressed me the most. Here was a man old enough to be these students grandfather and for some their great-grandfather and yet he was relevant. Thousand flooded the front to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit. (As I write this, my eyes are filled with tears of joy as I recall the event.) I watched as the Youth Leader for the Gulf Latino District, Michael Hernandez\, poured out his heart on Thursday. He was honest and relevant. He talked about the need of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit in the deepest part of our hearts. Because each of us has a nation inside of us. A nation that is waiting to birthed because we determine to be used by God, to be His vessel, to bring others into the Love.

I have decided that this AG, this Church, has a hunger and a desire to be relevant in this day and age. After all, to be truly relevant, to be truly real, is to listen and do what God, the Father is directing.

So how does this relate to 4Girls4Me. I'll tell you. My relationship with my Heavenly Father is the most important thing in my life. It directs my vision. The church (not Church) that I belong to has direct impact into my personal life. I want to make sure that I raise my children, that I direct family into the best possible relationship with God. So why church when God is dealing directly with each one of us. Simply put: "Where two or three people meet together in my name, I am there with them." Matthew 18:20.

Denver 2005

Every two years the General Council of the Assemblies of God meet as a whole to do business and fellowship as a denomination. This time around the destination is Denver, Colorado. We (my senior pastor: also my dad, Carlos: our Hispanic pastor, and myself) landed in this mile high city late Sunday night. The only reservation I could make was for two queen beds which meant that two of us would have to share a bed. Not the greatest thing. When we got to our hotel, I batted my eyes and gave my weariest look I could muster and asked the front desk attendant if it was possible to get a cot or even just a room with a fold out couch. Mind you, I called earlier in the day and asked if this was possible. The answer that I received was that it would cost an extra $50 a night, way too much to spend for a fold out couch and the room with two queens wouldn’t be big enough for a cot. The front desk attendant was so kind and said that the least she would do was order us a cot. When we got to our room what did we behold? Two queen beds and a fold out couch. God is good!

One of Mackenzie’s teeth had been loose for quite sometime. She was determined to have it pulled by our resident dentist. Let me explain. When Hannah first started loosing teeth, it was Daddy who did the pulling. One night Hannah went to bed with a wiggly, wiggly loose tooth. She woke us up about 3:00 am to announce the extraction of her own tooth. When Mackenzie got her first tooth, I tried and tried to get it out, it just wouldn’t budge. I mosey off to work and before you now it, I get a call telling me that Hannah had pulled Mackenzie’s tooth. So when this tooth came time to be pulled, who do you think got the honors? Hannah: our resident dentist. I got a call when I landed in Denver from my family. Hannah pulled Mackenzie’s second tooth.

I am not jealous one bit.

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Today was a goof off day. After we got up and had breakfast we went and registered for the General Council and then decided to take a little walking tour of the downtown area. One place I wanted to go to was the US Mint. With so many people in town for the various conventions, all the tours we already booked. We decide to go check out the state capitol. It is truly a beautiful place and shows the power of the people. On the way there we stopped at a church, First Trinity Methodist Episcopal. It’s one of the oldest in the downtown area and truly a work of art.

So far Denver has been a beauty. Everyone we’ve encountered have been friendly.

Catch up

I haven't posted in awhile. I've been on vacation and really just didn't want to hop on my PC if I didn't have to. I enjoyed just spending time with my family and not having to do too much.

Just to catch up: The family and I went to Coronado on Wednesday to enjoy the sun and the surf. It was a beautiful day and worth the long, long, long, long, long (ok you get the picture) walk to get to the water from the beginning of the sand (it's a wide beach). The sun was bright and warm and the water was equally exquisite. The waves were a bit flat, but that made for some good lesson time on surfing with Hannah. Mackenzie enjoyed staying in the break waters and riding the small breakers. Zoe had a great time eating sand and playing. The only draw back was the presence of black jellyfish. The waves break the slimy critters up and so you have a bunch of tentacles left over dashing about the waves. Luckily, we didn't get stung... badly.

Thursday and Friday were back to work days. I spent most of the days catching up on unfinished business and then trying to get ready to leave on Sunday for Denver.

Saturday was Gay Pride Parade day in my little neighborhood. We left the area... to the beach of course. Something happened between Wednesday and Saturday. It got really cold at the beach. The sun was out but the water was cold. Don't ask me why, I did hear something about an upsurge. Still, all-in-all, it was a good day with the family.

It was good to be back in our church on Sunday, even if attendance was down. I so much enjoy what I do; I just have to remember at times that God is always in control, period. It was also a sad day for me. I had to say goodbye to Jane, a wonderful mother-in-law. She isn't leaving until Wednesday, but I left to go to Denver. I won't be back until Saturday. It was also sad because I've haven't been away from the family for this length of time in a long time. Over the course of this vacation, my kids got use to having me around 247. When I had to go back on Thursday, they sort of forgot and wondered what they'll do without me. That's a great feeling.