I sometimes stop to give thanks for some of the people God has put in my life. Today, I was praying for an old friend, who was my 1st mentor in ministry. I'm not sure if he realizes what an impact he made in my life, but I rank him in the top 3 people who helped form my character. Even though I was an adult when we met, his guidance helped me become a man. Some of the things David taught me -

Wait on God. See, David was a Jew who came to know Christ, and was a New Yorker. He had a typical New York Jewish accent. I can still see him, sitting at his desk, saying, "Eric, (although he knew me by my stage name, Christian - it's a long story), God values the process. Wait on Him". I'd probably hear this at least 4 times a week. At least. I tend to be a bit headstrong, and an idea person. We creative thinkers usually are. He was the man that God put into my life to help mentor me in this area, above all. Wait on God. God values the process. In other words, Eric, stop rushing it. Let God do it. Not you. He wants to do it for you, and wants you to go through all the steps according to His plan. Let Him lead.

Compassion. David oozed compassion from his pores. Nothing was beneath him. He taught me how to minister in a homeless shelter without being condecending. Or in a wealthy person's home. It didn't matter to him, because they all mattered to God. He would look at me (cue NY Jewish accent here) and say, "Eric, God loves them where they are at. Shouldn't you?" He was especially skilled in hospitals. I remember him leading someone to the Lord who had come in to see her sister. His compassion for her circumstances and situation made what he had to say very real to this woman. She had been toying with the idea of God, and he made it plain to her. He could do this to a grocery clerk, or to a businessman. It didn't matter. His ability to get to the heart of the person through compassion was a true gift from God. I can only pray I have half as much compassion for God's people.

Love the church where it's at, not where you want it to be. This was a tough one for me. Our church was a small one, and we had quite a few elderly people in it. I was a 23 year old kid, still involved in a theater career, just venturing into ministry, and didn't relate to some of them right away. I knew that God had led Jen and I to this church, but thought it was my job to change it. Boy, was I wrong. He taught me how to love them for who they were, not who I wanted them to be. That church changed and grew in the 3 years we were there, but not because of me. That was God's job. My job was to be obedient and love them where they were. David was very good at that. Even when the church wasn't being obedient, he still loved them.

I learned from him that most of what we fight about as a church doesn't really matter, anyway. God doesn't care what kind of song we sing, as long as we have thankful hearts while singing it (See Colossians 3:15-17). God could care less about what color the carpet is, or whether we use pews or chairs. Are we obedient, though? Are we offering up our lives as a living sacrifice to God? That's the important thing.

Finally, I learned how to be a good husband. David and Alice have an amazing relationship, and one that people wanted to model. He put her needs first, always, and made sure that she felt loved. Jen and I were in a marriage group with them as leaders, while we were engaged to be married, and learned how to communicate. Most couples don't learn that for a while. Jen and I got a head start because of them. What a joy!

I don't know why I felt the need to share this with you all, but I felt that it was important, somehow. A bit of a postscript - David now has a ministry with special needs adults, and remains faithful to God. Jen and I see them when we get back to NY, and never pass up an opportunity to pray with them. We miss them dearly, but know that when we all get to heaven, they'll be right down the street. :-)

It's been awhile...

Well, hello! Sorry that I haven't posted since Easter, Faithful Followers. Honestly, I've been dealing with a lot, and not quite sure what I wanted to share with you. So, now I have clarity in my mind about what I should share with you. And it is......

wait for it....

keep waiting....

okay, I got nothing. Really. I suppose I can talk about the band for a minute. For this summer, we have a number of dates lined up to play, but are looking for much more. We want to play anywhere we are able to, and are actively looking for new venues. If you know of anywhere that would let us play, please tell me. Our drummer, Lea, will be returning on May 11th, and we'll get into the studio right after that to lay down about 5 tracks. Then it's time to kick off the summer! We really want to make this summer memorable, so we'll be rehearsed up, and ready to rock.

New video is posted on youtube of our last concert, so check that out under the "stearnse1" channel. Here's a taste:



Enjoy!

Passion...

Passion week is here! Wait. Already? It sure feels like this year is just flying by! Either that, or I'm getting old(er). Probably a bit of both, really. Oh well. My wife comments frequently about the amount of grey in my hair. I just smile, and comment on how great her (new) hair color looks. :-)

Easter is such an amazing time in the life of a Christ-follower. This is the time of year that helps everything else make sense. How can you understand Christmas without Easter? How can you know God without Easter? How can you fathom why the death of Christ was necessary without Easter? None of those things make sense, unless put into the big picture of God's redemptive plan. Jesus had to be born a lowly birth, be raised a sinless man, suffer a horrible death, and rise after 3 days in order to fulfill God's relational plan for us. Without His death and subsequent resurrection, we would have no way to God. We would be lost in our sin. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God". If that's the case, then God must have some sort of plan for our redemption. I mean, why create us, only to have us perish? His plan included Jesus, God's only son, that He would become the spotless lamb of sacrifice, that His blood would pay the price for our sin. Death had to happen, so victory could occur. What a joy we can know, because God cared enough to provide that way for us to have a relationship with Him! Without Easter, none of this happens. Praise God!

One of the things that can be frustrating for the Christian during this time, is the merchandising and secularism of society in regard to Easter. I would encourage you to pay it no mind. This isn't to say you should run out, get a bunny costume, and show up to your sunrise service this way. Hardly. Still, remember that the world doesn't know Jesus in the way that you do, and they can't be asked to have a mind for the things of God until they come to know Jesus as savior. So, asking them to do "church" things on Easter is like asking a civilian to field strip and clean an M-16. They wouldn't have a clue! Nor would they care to learn about it, as it isn't something they think they need in their daily lives. The world needs to become convinced of their need first. For a Christ-follower, this means living our lives in a way that sets us apart. Then, as our relationships blossom with non-Christians, they will see God in our lives, and want it, too. Expecting them to want to come to church and take communion might be a bit much for the first "date". Talking about how God prepared you for your job might be just right.

Gotta run to a staff meeting. Love you all! Be the church!

some photos from the concert...

All these photos were taken by Danielle Martin, our photographer. Thanks, Dani! Video is coming soon!

whew!

Had a bit of a scare last week. Wait. I guess I should apologize for not having blogged for the last two weeks. With all the preparations for Easter, I haven't had much time for blogging. Then, last week, I had a possible cancer scare. See, my father has had melanoma about 7 or 8 times, so I always check my skin for changing moles. I found one that really started to scare me. It was changing shape around the edges, and changing color in the middle. I quickly made an appointment with my doctor, and she agreed to see me right away. After seeing it, she hustled me to a procedure room and took the mole off for a biopsy. A few stiches later, I was sent home to wait out the results.

Talk about trust! I mean, having no control whatsoever over the results is a truly humbling position. The only way to stay sane during a time like that is to trust God and His perfect will. As hard as it can be to wait for results, I know that I'm right where God wants me for today. There's real peace and joy in that, you know?

Anyway, the results came back negative, and I'm in the clear. Praise God! I know that God is good, all the time, and I'm thankful for His provision in this. For those of you who knew what was going on, thank you for your prayers and well-wishes. Your prayers mean so much to Jen and I. Thank you.

Infusion tonight...

Tonight is another great installment of that wonderful time we call...Infusion!!!! I'm excited about worshipping with the other guys in the band, and leading others to the foot of the cross through song. We've got a half hour of worship planned, and then we'll be off to let Pastor John (PJ) teach about Godly relationships. I love working with the people that volunteer on Wednesdays. Their hearts are truly turned toward God, and they give of their time sacrificially. I'm so proud to serve alongside them in the trenches. *getting teary-eyed*...:-)

Ok, I'm better now. I'm off to finish planning things for tonight. If you're in the greater PDX area, and want to drop in, it's at 6:34 tonight! Drop me an email and I'll give you directions!

Blessings!

Success!

The concert was a great success! I am so pleased to say that we raised almost $5000! With that money, Medical Teams International can purchase almost $200,000 worth of medicine! All of that goes right to Haiti, and the people there will be blessed. What a joy it was to partner with MTI and Deophobic. We look forward to more fundraising in the near future. MTI is currently serving in over 70 countries, so the need is real. Be praying!