Dear Friends,
Superman, Super Tuesday, and Super Bowl all carry the meaning of something excellent and very great. The fictional comic book hero Superman, of course, could fly, see through walls and leap tall buildings with a single bound.
“Super Tuesday,” in the year of a presidential election refers to a day some time in February or March when the greatest number of states hold primary elections to select delegates for a national convention where a party selects a candidate to run for president. This year it happens to be on March 6, and after Super Tuesday, the nomination is usually secured. The Super Bowl is when the winner of the AFC [American Football Conference] will play the winner of the NFC [National Football Conference] to win the Lombardi trophy for their team’s city and become known in pro-football as champions for that season. This year the New England Patriots [AFC] will face the New York Giants [NFC] at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. I have never known how this feels since a Charger has never lifted the Lombardi trophy, and we in San Diego are again left with “what if,” “what could have been” and “maybe next year.”
During my preaching break as Pastor Sam so skillfully has been taking us through his series Growing Strong, I’ve been reading Let the Nations Be Glad, The Supremacy of God in Missions by John Piper. He lifts my soul to see the glory and majesty of God and makes the challenge to get serious about exalting the Only Being that is truly super. The Bible says, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord;” different, different, different or super, super, super. See, if the truth were known, Superman is a figment of someone’s imagination; no one is faster than a speeding bullet. Super Tuesday is really just a cluster of ordinary primaries put on one day, and the Super Bowl is just another game that modern gladiators play for the fan’s entertainment. But Jesus, on the other hand, He really did accomplish something super on the cross. He forgives us of our sins, gives us a new start and secures our future with hope. That’s great news to celebrate! To help us do that our Men’s Ministry is providing a Super Bowl Breakfast Bar this Sunday between the 8:30AM and 10:00AM worship services. Thanks to Rick and June Buxton, you can enjoy a delicious breakfast after the first service or before the second service. Since there is really nothing else going on in our society and culture until later in the afternoon, attendance should be up; after all, guacamole simply doesn't take that long to make. I hope to see you at Gateway Sunday morning. It will be a great time to praise the Lord and give Him glory for being extra-ordinary in our lives! Make it a Super Sunday for you and yours.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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( 3 / 5 )January 27, 2012
Dear Friends,
“Mukala” is the word for “open” in Hindi, the predominant language in India. This word was repeated often during our recent mission trip. Dr. Paul Velton of Tower Dentistry in El Cajon, CA was part of our team, and he had opportunity to provide a dental clinic for pastors and orphans in Agra in the shadows of the Taj Mahal. Most dentistry for the poor in India is done without antiseptic and anesthesia. It is rudimentary at best, as people simply wait until their teeth are in such bad shape, they stand in a line to see the local person with pliers who pulls out the tooth for a few rupees and then moves on to the next patient.
On this visit, we scrubbed up, used gloves and gave first-rate dentistry to over 70 patients, including sets of dentures to over twenty. None of the work was easy, and it was rarely simple. One patient I remember well. She was a lovely 20 year-old girl, and she knew something was really wrong with one of her back molars, tooth #2 if you’re counting as dentists do. After numbing the area, Paul started to pull, but the tooth was mush and breaking apart. You could cut the tension with a knife; the tooth had to be removed. Ten minutes, fifteen minutes, and the sweat was pouring down. Dr. Velton decides to remove the wisdom tooth directly behind it. After extracting that, he'll be able to get enough leverage to push the infected molar. The young lady did not feel the pain, but she could sense the pressure. She was very brave. 20 to 25 minutes go by, and he is now working on the molar again. Using all of his strength, the 6’4”, 225 pound, good dentist removes the tooth, and we are all so full of relief and joy, it is palpable! Paul showed us why it was so difficult to extract; the roots had grown around the bone, making it more of a challenge. Now I know why the idiom “just like pulling teeth” is synonymous with difficulty. In the USA, there would have been sedation and a drill, but here on the mission field, there was strength, courage and endurance.
What a metaphor for life! An abscessed tooth or one filled with decay will cause pain and illness. The difficult challenges we have: bad habits, sin, and destructive behaviors that latch on to our lives, are like the roots of an decayed tooth. They are hard to remove, but the rottenness must come out. It takes an Expert [Jesus], counseling, group work, and accountability, but it is all worth it. Here is what God’s Word tells us to do about dealing with sin,
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” [Hebrews 12:1,2] So turn your attention on Jesus, and let Him help you throw off that sin, destructive behavior or bad habit, like the root of a rotten tooth, and run the victorious race He has marked out for you!
Click here to see a YouTube presentation of our mission trip in India. See the patients, Dr. Velton and his assistants and come away with an idea of what our time there was all about. To God be the glory, great things He has done! I hope to see you at Gateway Church this Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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( 3 / 15 )Dear Friends,
In his children’s book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis paints a tragic tail of another world unknown to the rest of us, for it grew out of his imagination. The tragedy of this land was that it was always winter, but never Christmas. Now I know of another land that I have traveled to, I have seen, I have been with the people, and even worshiped in their churches and shared fellowship over meals together. For over fifty years, this country has experienced only winter, without outward signs of Christmas. You may ask of what am I speaking? Is this country in my own imagination? Don’t I wish! For I am telling you of very real place indeed and it lies just a few miles off the Florida Keys, the island called Cuba. In 1959, Fidel and Raul Castro led a takeover of this beautiful Caribbean jewel of a country. Being obsessed with their godless, communist ideology, they outlawed Christmas and any of its celebrations, banning Christmas trees and lights, and imprisoning the preachers of the Gospel. Now, however, with the transfer of power from Fidel to Raul, those restrictions are beginning to wane. It was international news when the regime recently decided to allow people to own property again.
This weekend, in our Sunday 9AM Missions Class at the McAlister Center, Pastor Manuel Morales of Cuba, a Baptist preacher of the Gospel whom Gateway supports, will be bringing a message of encouragement to all who would like to stay informed of our partnerships around the world. Manuel and his wife Ana Esther have a wonderful testimony and true-life stories of how God is working in the lives of Christians there, even through persecution and pain. They will help us know how to best pray for our brothers and sisters who are not able to freely worship, a privilege we so often take for granted. The irony of life can be interesting. For Christians in Cuba, their hearts are free because of Jesus Christ. But for some in the United States who have liberty to worship freely, their hearts are still frozen in winter for they have not yet received the warming love of the Christ of Christmas. What a beautiful time of year to share the most wonderful news of salvation, so invite your friends and family to Gateway!
My message this Sunday will be The Best Mother in the series, The Best Christmas Ever. Click here for our website and view more information.
I hope to see you and your friends and family at Gateway this Christmas Season!
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
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( 3 / 842 )I have learned a lot from my father, and as I think back on some of the things he taught me throughout my 50 plus years, some lessons stand out not only because of the truth they convey, but the package in which they were told. One in particular was in the form of a riddle or puzzle, with the gist of it being: A wise king had three sons. Since he wanted to keep his empire intact and pass the majority of his kingdom on to the wisest of his children, he presented them with this problem. Whichever son figured out how to fill the barn in the least expensive way was to inherit his dominion. The first son, a practical fellow, bought hay and filled the barn at a very reasonable price. His brother, thinking he could do even better than his sibling, purchased a couple of skunks, and soon the barn was filled with the animals’ unpleasant odor. This was not quite what the king had in mind. Ah, but the last son was walking along and saw a peasant’s wedding and told the bride and groom that they could have free honeymoon lodging in the barn of the king, and they filled the place with love. Of course, the third son inherited his father’s kingdom.
I was thinking of my father’s story this past summer and early fall when a family of skunks around the area of our industrial park sprayed their scent near the church’s front door. As many of you know, their pungent smell was pretty bad. The skunks, most of which have been captured or killed on the roadside, are no longer a problem. Instead, my hope is that Gateway Church has a reputation for the love that permeates our building, from the different weddings and memorial services to our weekends of celebration. John, the Beloved disciple of Jesus, says it this way in 1 John 4:7 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” A friendly smile, a warm embrace and the words of encouragement shared and received continue to make Gateway a place of love and grace. I hope you plan to fill up on both!
In Christ,
Pastor Mark
What’s happening at Gateway Church
The Holiday Season is here – Gateway is so thankful for you and this time of year!
We’re celebrating this special season with a “Continental Breakfast” offered to you each Sunday morning available starting at 8:00AM and served up to the 10:00AM worship service. There’ll be a variety of goodies for you with love from Gateway: juices, cheese and crackers, quiche, fresh fruit, and bagels and cream cheese! Enjoy! My message series for the season is The Best Christmas Ever, and on Sunday I will share the Christmas story of The Best Man, the cousin of Christ, John the Baptist. Come for the food, stay for the message!
The Angel Tree Party is this Saturday. Please pray that the families that come will sense the love of God and will leave knowing more about the gift of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
I am pleased to announce that on Sunday Dr. David Bray, President of Global Outreach International, will begin teaching a Missions Bible Class for the Master Class: Mixed Adults at 9:00AM in the McAlister Center. The Mission Adult Bible Class is to gain a biblical perspective on missions, discuss current affairs and how they are related to missions, and to pray for the teams that Gateway sends out. He will also introduce his friend, Pastor David Courson who recently returned from Nepal, where he summited one of the highest mountains in the Himalayas. If you like hearing about the Gospel and adventure, you will not want to miss this opportunity.
Also, let me remind you that we are still selling tickets for The Best Christmas Party Ever, truly a “can’t miss event” of the season. Make ticket reservations by calling Janet at (619) 440-1136 or purchase tickets in Gateway Lobby on Sundays. I hope to see you there with your friends and family as we celebrate in song and story the Lord’s birth.
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( 2.9 / 150 )Dear Friends,
For the last few months, our staff and trustees have been working on the lease agreement at 1280 N. Johnson Avenue here in El Cajon. The industrial park where Gateway is located was recently sold; and the new owners were eager to have us extend our lease because we are good tenants and they want as much security for their business as they can get. They also let us know that by signing an extension, we would receive $35,000 in tenant improvements. We did not expect anything! So after offers and counter-offers, we now have a deal. Because the weather in our area is nice almost all the time of the year, we will use a portion of these funds to add a concrete slab in front of our facility. This will extend our Sunday morning fellowship area and give us the space to add a coffee cart, a welcome addition! Also, the Gateway Church sign on our building will be replaced and new indoor carpet will be installed.
As much as these improvements will be appreciated, the ongoing challenge is not just to have a facility that looks nice, but also to provide a place where God can do His work in the lives of people. Gateway, like a hospital for the heart, mind and soul, is a place where His grace through us can touch lives across the street and around the world. Let me highlight just a few. This Thursday, I am leading a team to minister to the people of San Felipe, Mexico. We will be partnering with the Baptist church there and reaching out to the surrounding community.
Randy Ford and the Tanzania team will be leaving for Africa on Friday. You will be glad to hear of the generous $2,600 offering collected last Sunday for the mosquito nets! Thank you, Gateway family and friends; what a difference this will make in the lives of others living in and around Arusha. Click here to see the people and places where are team will be going!
This Sunday - November 20 Pastor Sam Williams finishes his series,
The Keys to Contentment, and his message is The Key To Winning Over Greed - Enjoying What I Have. Don’t miss it; bring a friend!
On Sunday afternoon from 1:00PM-3:00PM at Gateway, Jake Simpson will be sharing about “Restore the Family Ministry.” If you want to know about God’s vision for the family, plan on attending this important get-together.
Whether in Mexico, Africa, around the globe, or right here in the USA, God can use the people of Gateway to reach many for Him; may He receive the glory! This is how Paul encouraged the people in Corinth….”you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:11
At this blessed Season of Thanksgiving, I will be expressing my thanks to God, not only for my family, but also for the family of believers here at Gateway Church. What a blessing it is to serve alongside you as we minister in the name of Jesus as part of His eternal family!
Grateful for you,
Pastor Mark
Read about other Gateway happenings….
WOMEN… Join us this Saturday, November 19 Gateway’s Bistro …have a yummy muffin & a warm cup of something! We’ll chat and have a great tine together wrapping the Angel Tree Caregiver Baskets! Muffins & Beverages provided…bring your own favorite mug! See you there! Questions? Contact Larau Avilez at 619.884.4627 or Linda Lilyquist, linda@gatewaychurchonline.com.
Thanksgiving is next Thursday, and Christmas is around the corner. Make your plans to attend Gateway’s Best Christmas Party Ever. Read all about it here.
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