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PASTOR BOB’S RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

This summer a number of Christian leaders who were known for their bold public ministries passed away. By far the most prominent news story was the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk. Given his young age and the traumatic nature of his death, it’s understandable that his death earned the most attention.

To see him shot down at such a young age was horribly upsetting. I’ve sat with people in our church for whom Kirk was a guide they admired and followed on social media. I’ve also heard from people in our church for whom Kirk’s conflation of faith and politics was off-putting, as was his debating tone. And there’s also a third group who did not know much about him at all prior to his death.

One of the things that I hope we can all agree on, though, is that it would be wonderful if Kirk’s death becomes a source of revival and people turning to Christ.

As Brett McCracken wrote about at TGC, there may be opportunities for Kirk’s death to serve as a wake-up call for our culture.

But Charlie Kirk was not the only one who died this summer. I also want to point out some other Christian leaders who passed away and leave a similar legacy of boldness and uncompromising convictions - Voddie Baucham and John MacArthur.

The reason I list these three together is that they all were cut from the same cloth with regard to temperament and personality. No compromise, just conviction. And the Church (big “C” = universal church) needs leaders like this.

But I also list them together because I’ve squirmed more than once over the years when I’ve been asked why I’m not more like each of these men. (And, yes, I’ve had people compare me unfavorably to each of MacArthur, Baucham, and Kirk).

There was a fourth Christian leader who died this summer who had more impact on me, personally: John Huffman. “Dr Huffman” was my pastor during seminary while I was an intern under him at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach. He certainly wasn’t as famous as the other men on this list, nor as much of a firebrand, but no less bold in his convictions.

Christianity Today wrote an article about his confronting Richard Nixon in love at the height of the Watergate controversy, which I consider to be a good example of speaking the truth in love.

When I was teenager, my dad told me something that stuck with me: There’s room for all sorts of different personalities in the clergy. (Note: my dad wasn’t a pastor, but was a significant lay leader in our church).

I hope that as you reflect on the lives of Kirk, Baucham, MacArthur, and Huffman, you’ll praise God for the good, leave the bad behind, and pray for God to raise up more workers for His mission in the generation to come.

Our search for a new Children’s Director is now open! We’ve already received about a dozen applicants, and we’re excited to move forward in the process.

If you have an interest in the position, or in referring a friend to apply, check out the Opportunity Profile below. The application process is on the final page.

Opportunity Profile

"I'm an Evangelical Christian." Would you say that about yourself? Why or why not? For our next Pastoral Forum, Pastor Bob is going to lead us through a discussion of the history of the use of the term "Evangelical" over the last couple of centuries. By understanding the history, theology, and social use of the term, you can think through this term for yourself.

While we would love for you to join us in person, it will also be Live Streamed on our YouTube channel.

Youtube Channel

If you haven’t found a group that’s the right fit for you yet, or if you’d like to talk to someone before signing up, email Pastor Jason at jason@gracesealbeach.org. He’d love to help find the right group for you!

Sign up | Groups

Our Stewardship Ministry Team would love to help you find a way to serve here at Grace! We’ve put together a page on the church website that is up-to-date with all the current needs in the church. You can find that page here. Take a look to see if there’s something that fits your passion, and jump on in!

Also, the Stewardship Team is starting a new short-term Life Group in October designed to help you think through what to prioritize in our busy lives. It’s called “Know Your Why” and will be led by German and Nicole Ospina.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES