California, pt. 2

Betsey and her brother and sister-in-law. These kind people allow 7 people (Dirkses) to live with them for a few days.

Climbing trees in a park in Pasadena waiting for dinner.

The only vehicle that fits two families when you have the Dirkses along for the ride!

In-and Out Burgers - a taste of California

California Christmas Vacation

It was a beautiful day when we left Rockford on our trip Christmas morning - clear blue skies...a good preparation for the warm sunshine of Southern California.


It turned out that Christmas Day was one of the longest days of the year for us. We left Rockford 9:15 AM and finally got picked up at the airport at 10:3o PM (that's 12:30 AM Rockford time). We were a little tired after all of that!

Every Christians' Library

Every Christian is a theologian; how good of one are you? Theology is the study of God so therefore, when you read the Bible you are doing theology - coming to conclusions about who God is and what He expects. There are are ways to improve your ability as a theologian. Learn from others through book reading. Through books, you can have conversations with great Christian leaders from all over the world and with those who lived centuries before. Let them be your mentor by reading their works.

Here is a list of books that I believe are foundational for every Christian's library...yes, everyone should have a library, not just the pastor.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Edited by Jerome H. Smith
This is a fabulous cross-referencing tool.

Eerdman’s Handbook to the Bible - Edited by David and Pat Alexander
Handbooks like this one will give you historical background material to help you understand the passage along with lots of pictures and illustrations.

Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties - by Gleason Archer
This book gives solid answers for the passages that seem to contradict other portions of Scripture.

Systematic Theology - by Wayne Grudem
Theology is the study of God which is the great pursuit of every Christian. Wayne Grudem is a man who can take you deeper without boring you or confusing you. This is a very readable book. One doesn’t have to read this book from beginning to end like a novel for it to be effective. It can be used as a reference tool when you have a question about the nature of Christ, divine elction, the formation of the canon, angels, demons, end-times, etc.

Evangelical Dictionary of Theology - Edited by Walter Elwell
When you have a specific question concerning theology, this book is helpful and is alphabetized (of course) for easy access. The book also gives a brief biography on key theologians throughout church history.

International Dictionary of the Christian Church - Edited by J. D. Douglas
This book gives you knowledge of Christian leaders, movements, and events from the first century to the twentieth century.

Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 vol.) - by the Dallas Theological Seminary Faculty
Everyone should have a solid commentary of the whole Bible in their library and this is a good one.

Newest Staff Member!

Back in March, the elders were praying about what to do in the High School ministry as Matt Christiansen was planning to step back after serving for two years. We couldn’t afford to pay a full time HS pastor, and we had no one on the “short list” of potential volunteers. It was at that time that I got a call from Big Harvest in Rolling Meadows. They told me of a man named Mike Warren who was in their School of Ministry and needed a year to season a bit before being sent out as a church planter. It was a godsend for us because the Fellowship promised to underwrite a good portion of his salary and we were provided with a HS pastor and administrative help for an entire year… yet it also meant that another change would occur in the spring of ’08.

As early as May of this year, the elders began planning for this change. I received a call that same month from a friend currently attending seminary (graduates Dec. 07) who had ministered with me in Spokane, Washington. He spoke of his desire to come join me in the work here. The more I talked with him the more excited I became.

The man that I speak of is Andy Tobin. Andy is 27 years old, married to Arianna, has a two-month old son named Liam, and pastored the college ministry back in Spokane. To have him at Harvest is a dream come true because Andy is one of those guys that you just know God will use in big ways. He’s been in the back of my mind to keep watch on out of joyful curiosity, but never did I imagine that God would unite us in ministry together.

Andy and company will arrive in Rockford the first part of February, and he will be employed full-time as Associate Pastor overseeing High School ministry, Life Groups, and various other things that fall to associates. Andy’s first responsibility will be to speak at our Junior High/High School Winter Retreat (Feb. 8-10). If you would like to know more about them, you could follow their blog – (toblogin.blogspot.com).

Back to Sunday AM

We plan on returning to a Sunday AM format starting February 3. We have been sharing the facility with the former owner, Windsor Heights Community Church, who will be moving to their new location at the end of January. This frees up the Sunday AM slot for us. Though Saturday evening services have had some advantages for us (people awake, time to linger afterwards), we are finding out that Saturday is not as “sacred” for people as Sunday AM - our attendance has suffered because of school, family, business related things that happen on Saturday.

When there is a second service needed in the future (most likey Fall '08), we will probably lean towards having two on Sunday rather than one on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Advent Starts Today

About 6 years ago, I was introduced to Advent. Sure, I had seen an advent wreath as a boy growing up around the church but I never really understood the meaning behind it.

Advent means the Lord’s coming. Throughout church history, the celebration of Advent spanned the four Sundays leading up to Christmas in which we look back to the OT in order to relive the anticipation for a deliverer. Why? To stir afresh a heart of gratitude for the blessings received in Jesus. It calls to mind the longings in our heart before we were brought to Jesus to find deliverance from sin.

There is another reason to celebrate advent. We, like Israel in the OT, await the Lord’s coming. All is not right. There are many things still left undone and we await the Lord’s return to set things in order and for righteousness to reign.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:20-21)

Presently in my home, we celebrate advent with an Advent wreath and calendar. Each day, the kids open up a neatly folded slip of paper in one of the 25 pouches of the calendar to read a passage of Scripture and attach a symbolic ornament. Each week, we light an additional candle on the wreath until the the Christ candle is light on Christmas Eve (5 candles total). We usually light the candle during dinner time and then read an Advent story, poem, or Scripture.

If you have younger kids at home, I highly recommend these Advent story books:

Jotham's Journey or Barththolomew's Passage, both of them by Arnold Ytreeide

Advent Poems that I've found to be breathtaking are by John Piper. I can't say enough good things about them especially one called "The Innkeeper."

Here's the link: www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Poems/ByDate/