help us finish well....  

They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. Exodus 36:3  

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON END OF THE YEAR GIVING  

We are thankful for those of you who sacrificially give to support the preaching of the Gospel of God's Grace financially. I hope you know that you are an integral part in the birth of a miracle called Worship Life Calvary Chapel. It has been said where God guides, He provides. But it has also been said that He provides through His people. That's where you and I come in. As you prepare to make your year-end gift, please keep in mind that you can receive tax benefits as long as we receive your gift by the following cut off dates in compliance with current tax laws. Here are the guidelines:  

Online: Online gifts must be submitted before 11:00pm on December 31. All online gifts submitted after 11:00pm on that date will be credited to 2012. CLICK HERE TO GIVE ONLINE  

Cash, check, and money order gifts sent by mail: These must be postmarked AND dated in 2011. Mail postmarked and checks dated in 2012 will NOT be credited to your 2011 giving statement. CLICK HERE FOR OUR MAILING ADDRESS  

Additional Methods Of Giving can include...

• Gifts of Appreciated Stocks of Bonds
• Gifts of Real Estate
• Gifts of Life Insurance (naming Worship Life as the benficiary)
• Income Life Gifts
• Bequests

The ministry of Worship Life touches over 28 countries through our webcast, podcast and online streaming. But more importantly, you are making a difference locally in South Orange County. Thank you for giving sacrificially to support the work of this ministry. We are a local church with a global vision. Your prayer and financial support are an encouragement to us and a blessing to all those around the world who hear the preaching of the Gospel of God's Grace through Worship Life Calvary Chapel San Clemente.    

SING: WE'VE A STORY    

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LIFE @ Worship Life Calvary Chapel San Clemente

CHRISTMAS IS ON THE WAY....

“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (Luke 2:10)

As I've spent time with you all, I've heard the same thing said over and over again... here comes the busiest time of year. When I worked in the horticultural industry, we would ship 200,000 poinsettia plants between Thanksgiving and the 2nd week of December. I was lucky to even get a few days off to get married. My favorite time of year was quickly swallowed up in the commercial busy-ness of the season. I even began to relate to old Scrooge and the Grinch. What do you do when you get overtaken like that? You pause for a moment and reflect on what it used to mean and you allow the Spirit to return you heart back to simpler days.

For me, I remember watching the great Christmas programs like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas and The Grinch That Stole Christmas. But my two favorite shows of all were Scrooge and The Little Drummer Boy. I loved Scrooge because it was the story of redemption. It reminded me every year that no one was too far gone for God to reach. It reminded me that God's grace was greatest shown at Christmas because it was the time of year when God drew near to man. I loved The Little Drummer Boy because it was the story of a little boy who was too poor to buy a gift for the King of Kings and so he simply gave the only thing he had - himself. That turned out to be the best gift of all.

I have another reason why I love Christmas. Because on December 17, 1983 I married Roxie, the love of my life. We dedicated our marriage and our family to the Lord and today we are happy to say that all our kids know Jesus. We're not perfect and we have many flaws, but we have Jesus and His grace is sufficient. This year we celebrate 28 years of marriage and the best is yet to come.

Our prayer for you this holiday season is that you will PAUSE, take a step back and reflect on the things that really matter. Reflect on the fact that you're sins are forgiven, God's love and favor is on you. Reflect on your family and friendships. Reflect on God's faithfulness over the years and especially remember the lost, the least and the forgotten.

We are webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO. JUST FOR FUN... I WROTE A NEW CHRISTMAS SONG CALLED IT'S CHRISTMASTIME.

Roxie and I are praying for you...

Blessings

P.HD


BUILDING UPDATE
We are continuing to receive donations for our building fund. If you would like to give, please place your donation in a white envelope and mark it BUILDING FUND on Sunday mornings. We have a new target amount of $ 130,000. God has provided through the congregation at Worship Life approximately half of what we need. Please understand that this is above your normal tithes and offerings to the church.

RADIO PROGRAM UPDATE
We are thankful for the opportunity to broadcast the gospel on a weekly basis on KWVE 107.9 FM. However we have made the decision to make December 24 our last program unless the Lord provides. We are still available on KIHL 103.7 FM in Hawaii and we will continue the Worship Life Radio podcast on iTunes. If the Lord is leading you to support the continued work on KWVE, please speak with Pastor Holland.

Happy Thanksgiving

happy thanksgiving from your familly at worship life Roxie and I continue to be amazed at God's goodness in our lives. We are thankful for our family, our friends, our health. We are thankful for God's provision and grace and we are thankful for each of you who make up our extended family at Worship Life Calvary Chapel San Clemente. May God bless you richly this Thanksgiving and may you know His love that knows no bounds.. P.HD

PAUSE AND SAY THANKS

PAUSE AND SAY THANKS...

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

In a few days we'll be joining family and friends for Thanksgiving. I read recently that Thanksgiving is known for two things - Food and Football. Seems like a far cry from it's intended purpose of thanking God for His protection and provision. It was Abraham Lincoln that made the first Thanksgiving Proclamation, but the very first Thanksgiving took place many years earlier when the first pilgrims survived a brutal winter and in the nick of time received much needed supplies from England. They simply gathered around a table and thanked God for saving them. When I think of the abundance of supplies we have in our modern culture today, we have much to be thankful for.

I'd like to issue a Thanksgiving Challange. From now until Thanksgiving, I want to challange you to find something to thank God for every day. Especially when difficulty comes. Maybe it's a cloudy day. Thank God that not every day is cloudy. Maybe it's a challenging neighbor. Thank God for the opportunity to show unconditional love. Maybe you burned the Thanksgiving dinner. Thank God that you'll get to the dessert sooner. See what will happen in your hearts and minds if you would turn every negative situation into a time of giving thanks.

We are webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.

Roxie and I are praying for you...

Blessings

P.HD

BUILDING UPDATE
We are continuing to receive donations for our building fund. If you would like to give, please place your donation in a white envelope and mark it BUILDING FUND on Sunday mornings. Please understand that this is above your normal tithes and offerings to the church.

RADIO PROGRAM UPDATE
We are thankful for the opportunity to broadcast the gospel on a weekly basis on KWVE 107.9 FM. However, the principle we operate on is where God guides He provides. We have finances to support the program through the end of the year. If you are interested in continuing to support the program, please send your donations to Worship Life Calvary Chapel, PO Box 5946, San Clemente, CA. 92674 and make sure you write that it's for Worship Life Radio. You can contribute Sunday mornings and write it on an envelope for Worship Life Radio as well. We want to be good stewards with what God has given us.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

This week at Worship Life Calvary Chapel San Clemente is a special time. The first Sunday of the month we celebrate communion. It's a time for us to remember two things. (1) The Lord is our God. (2) He alone saves us and delivers us from bondage. There are many who teach, when you come to the Communion Table you need to make sure you clean the slate before God and confess all your known sins so you can partake with a pure heart. I think we often come to Christ with our list of sins that we did that week and He listens and says to us... what did you say? We continue with our confession and then He stops us and says... what did you do? I don't remember that.

The truth is when we come to communion, our sins and lawless deeds are remembered no more. Instead, what Jesus notices is that we are still conscious of our sinfulness and not conscious of His righteousness. He notices we are still living under the shadow of the Law instead of living in the shadow of the cross. Next time you take communion, I want you to meditate on two things. (1) Meditate on the reality that the Lord is YOUR God. You have access to Him anytime you want day or night. He loves His people and you are His people. (2) Meditate on the reality that He saved you and delivered you from bondage to sin - PAST TENSE. It is finished. According to Jesus, we who believe in Him are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We are not defined by our sin and we are not bound by our sin. We are free to love Jesus fully and completely. Let that sink in and watch it change your life.

We are webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.

Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD

BUILDING UPDATE
We have decided to form a LLC to raise the funds to purchase the building. This is an investment opportunity that will yield 4% versus less than 1% with a bank. If you are interested in participating in this, please contact us at (949) 228-9117. We are also continuing to receive donations for our building fund. If you would like to give, please place your donation in a white envelope and mark it BUILDING FUND on Sunday mornings. Please understand that this is above your normal tithes and offerings to the church.

NEW RADIO PROGRAM
Become a prayer partner for our new radio program - WORSHIP LIFE RADIO - broadcasting Saturday nights at 10:30 pm on KWVE 107.9 FM. We are excited about what the Lord will do as we proclaim God's Love through His Word. If you're interested in supporting the program financially, please use the white envelopes and mark it WORSHIP LIFE RADIO.

ARE YOU BOMB PROOF?

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." (Ephesians 6:10

Over the next few weeks we are going to look at the subject of spiritual warfare through the lens of grace. The more that we understand who we are in Christ, the more we walk in God's favor, the more we understand His grace - the more BOMB PROOF we become. GRACE makes us BOMB PROOF. GRACE empowers you to see life from the perspective of heaven. GRACE opens your eyes to see people from the perspective of who God made them to be, not who they are in their fallen or captive state. GRACE allows you to see what is really going on. GRACE equips you to be a force for healing, restoration and deliverance. Instead of being a victim of circumstances, you become a victor in the midst of your circumstances. You become BOMB PROOF. My prayer is that we will be a community that sees like through the lens of GRACE.

This week Roxie and I supported Worship Life Kids at the Character Counts event held at Vista Del Mar School. We hosted a game booth where we had a blast with the kids of the community and passed out flyers inviting people to church. We met many folks who didn't know that there was a Calvary Chapel in San Clemente. It was a reminder to me that we still have a big job to do in letting our community know that we are here to serve them and that's a job that Roxie and I can't do without your help. Make sure you invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers or even people you meet in town to church. We have people attending Worship Life from as far north as Newport Beach and as far south as Vista. Something that I learned early in ministry is that a good church is worth driving to.

We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.

Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD

BUILDING UPDATE
We submitted our loan package to the lender on Wednesday and we've been told that we should receive news on our loan status by Tuesday of this week. Pray for God's continued favor and blessing.We are now accepting donations for our building fund. God provided generously for our deposit, now we are raising funds for 6 months of cash reserves to meet the lender's requirements for funding. Also pray for the Foursquare Denomination who owns the building that we are purchasing.

NEW RADIO PROGRAM
I also want to invite you to become a prayer partner for our new radio program - WORSHIP LIFE RADIO - broadcasting Saturday nights at 10:30 pm on KWVE 107.9 FM. We are excited about what the Lord will do as we proclaim God's Love through His Word.

ARE YOU STUCK IN YOUR MARRIAGE? / BUILDING UPDATE

“Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised." (Song of Solomon 8:7).

We are in the middle of a series on marriage called Grace Filled Marriage. It's been interesting to hear feedback from people as they're evaluating their marriage in light of the scriptures. I've noticed two distinct responses. The most prevalent response is the response of the LAW. We see the difference and begin to condemn each other for not measuring up. The least prevalent response is the response of GRACE. We see the difference and begin to thank God for giving us the power to walk as the righteousness of God in Christ. The choice is totally yours to make as to how you will respond. You can respond under the law and continue the cycle of CONDEMNATION or you can respond to God's grace and release LIFE and POWER into your marriage.



I remember a time in our marriage when I didn't think we would make it. I was so bent on trying to fix my wife. Every time we were together our conversations eventually turned to some flaw that I saw in her and I would condemn her. Imagine living with a police officer and a judge every moment of the day. What's worse is that I couldn't even live up to my own standards! Isn't that how the law is? Finally, the Lord spoke to me and told me that my wife belonged to Him and that I was to release her to Him. He told me that I didn't have the power to change her, only He did. When I finally came to the point where I wasn't condemning her, something incredible began to happen. I began to see her for the beautiful and perfectly suited gift that she was. It didn't happen overnight. It took a few years, but today we are more in love than ever before and we know it's because of God's grace. My prayer for you is that you will come into the revelation that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, that you are a new creation and that you will live out of your identity in Christ towards your husband or wife.



BUILDING UPDATE

This week we signed the letter of intent to purchase the building according to the terms set by the International Foursquare Church (the current owners of the building). The building is the current home of Living Hope Christian Fellowship and is located at the corner of Pico and Avenida Vista Hermosa. We are meeting with the credit union that holds the loan next week to secure funding for the purchase. It's been exciting to see God bring this all together - everything from meeting the real estate agent who brought this property to us to the openess of the Foursquare Denomination to give us what we need to fund the loan on the property. We see God confirming every step that we are taking and it's breath taking. Pray that God continues to give us favor as we move forward.



Roxie and I believe that God has called us to San Clemente and we want to see Him do a massive work that only He gets the credit for. As many of you have seen through this journey, God has worked many miracles. As I told someone recently, we are all in. Isn't that how it is in the Kingdom of God? He requires nothing less than our all. I believe there are many others that God is calling to stand with us at this juncture of Worship Life's history. I think of the families whose lives have been turned around by the simple teaching of God's Word at Worship Life. I think of the people who have encountered the life changing power of God through the worship at Worship Life. I think of those who have committed their lives to Christ through the preaching of the gospel at Worship Life and I am excited. We've seen people saved out of Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses. We've seen marriages restored. We've ministered to families that are facing life long struggles such as mental illness and same sex attraction and we've seen God bring encouragement and hope.



If you want to see a home for Worship Life. If you want to see a base of operations that we can reach the community with. If you want to see a place where we can train worship leaders, musicians, artisans, film makers and pastoral leaders with the message of God's grace to change the world. If you want to see a place where the broken, the forgotten and the hurting are healed. If you want to see a church where God's Word is preached from cover to cover. If you want to see people come to Christ in San Clemente and the surrounding regions... will you stand with us?



How can you stand with us? First, you can stand with us in prayer. This is the way God gets things done in His Kingdom, through prayer. Second, you can stand with us by showing up serving. There is a practical side to building a community, it takes people who are willing to do life as a family and get things done. Third, you can stand with us by giving financially. It is true that where God guides He provides, but He provides through people like you and me. The Bible says freely you have received, freely give. That is the principle. I believe the reason that many cannot freely give is that they have not learned to freely receive. Under the law, we believe that God gives to us based on our performance, our goodness, our talents, our abilities. That's not freely receiving. That's receiving what you've worked for. To freely receive means to receive something that you haven't worked for, that you haven't earned, that you haven't performed for our used your talent to get. It's a gift. God gives to us so that we can be a gift to others.



This Sunday we are going to have envelopes available for you to give. I encourage you to pray and come prepared to give over and above your regular tithes and offerings. If you do not have the capacity to give, don't be weighed down by our request. Simply pray for God's wisdom, guidance and favor. That is gold in the Kingdom of God.This is not a burden, this is an adventure and we're all in it together.



NEW RADIO PROGRAM


I also want to invite you to become a prayer partner for our new radio program - WORSHIP LIFE RADIO - broadcasting Saturday nights at 10:30 pm on KWVE 107.9 FM. We are excited about what the Lord will do as we proclaim God's Love through His Word. This week we feature a testimony of a couple in our church whose grand daughter was recently healed after we prayed for her and continue our series in Ephesians. It's fast and quirkly like your pastor.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.



Roxie and I are praying for you...

Blessings

P.HD

P.S. Don't forget to invite a friend to church. A good church is worth driving to.

THE CHURCH THAT GOD BUILDS

“Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. " (Nehemiah 4:17).



At Worship Life we teach the WORD of God verse by verse so that we will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The result of knowing Jesus is a growing love for Him that expresses itself in passionate, unabandoned worship. The overflow of a heart filled with WORSHIP and love for God is a life that wants to reveal God's love to others through our WITNESS. This produces healthy believers and the natural by produce of healthy believers is growth. That describes the process that many of us have been through at Worship Life Calvary Chapel and we are growing as a church both spiritually and numerically.



When God called Roxie and myself to lead up a small, rag tagged team of nearly burnt out believers to step out into a new venture of faith in San Clemente, we had no idea what God would do. All we knew is that we wanted to be in a place where we could experience God's grace and see God's Presence work in real tangible ways and see lives changed through the practical application of God's Word. This step of faith revitalized our relationship with God. The result is Worship Life Calvary Chapel. God provided us with a place to meet at Vista Del Mar School in San Clemente, but the rest of our ministries have been scattered all over South Orange County. Our youth meet in Ladera Ranch, our women and men's ministries meet in San Juan Capistrano and our midweek is in a home in San Clemente. As we were in the initial stages of launching the church, the Lord spoke to me and told me that He had a building for us and that a church would give it to us. I had no idea what that meant, but I started to look at existing churches with the thought that it could be a future home for us. We even tried to rent a couple church facilities for our midweek services. But the door wasn't opening.



A few weeks ago, through a series of divine appointments, God has brought a buiding to us. It's located at the intersection of Avenida Vista Hermosa and Pico. It's currently owned by the International Foursquare Church and today I sent a letter of intent to begin the formal process of meeting to discover God's heart in this matter. They are excited because it allows this building to stay used for the Kingdom of God. There is a brand new Foursquare Church that is seeking to relaunch that has been holding organizational meetings at the church. Our heart is to be a blessing and assist them in any way.



I am asking you to partner with us in prayer. I am asking you to pray that God will give us wisdom as we discover how Worship Life Calvary Chapel can acquire this building for our next home. Pray for God's favor and provision as we move forward in this great venture of faith. I am also asking you to consider how you can be a part of this venture of faith with us. We read in Nehemiah that every family took their part in the building of the wall around Jerusalem. Each had their own section, their own area of responsibilities. I am asking that you prayerfully ask God what that means for you. For some it may mean stepping in to volunteer in one of our growing ministries. For others it may mean increasing your level of financial support of the ministry. For all of us it means praying for the friends, neighbors and coworkers that we are going to invite to come to church. We have people driving from as far south as Vista and as far north as Ladera Ranch and Santa Ana to come to Worship Life. A good church is worth driving to. It is true that God builds the Church, but He builds it through you and I.



I also want to invite you to become a prayer partner for our new radio program - WORSHIP LIFE RADIO - broadcasting Saturday nights at 10:30 pm on KWVE 107.9 FM beginning this Saturday, August 6. We are excited about what the Lord will do as we proclaim God's Love through His Word. Our first program will deal with the issue of unwanted same sex attractions and begin our series in Ephesians that we have been going through on Sunday mornings. It's fast and quirkly like your pastor.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.



Roxie and I are praying for you...

Blessings

P.HD

P.S. Don't forget to invite a friend that needs Jesusto the Harvest Crusade August 12-14 at Angel Stadium. It's an invitation that yields eternal rewards!!!

LIVING IN THE PRESENCE

“And He said, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14).

Do you realize that Jesus is with you every moment of every day? Or do you live as if you're all alone in this world and you've just got to do the best you can with what you've got? The Bible tells us that we are different. We are special. We have been personally selected for relationship with Jesus and the effect of that relationship in our life is rest. In the original language it literally means I will cause you to rest.



We all face giants in our life. We all face our own private Goliaths. If you believe you're on your own, then you will be filled with anxiety, fear, self doubt or insecurity. But how comforting it is to know that you are not alone. That Jesus is with you and He has incredible strength, courage, power and confidence. He's not struggling with indecision or fear. He is at rest and His Presence causes us to be at rest.



You may be saying to yourself that's all great, but how do I access God's Presence? What if I told you that it's easy to be in God's Presence? What if I told you that you have an access point to God's Presence? Well, it's true. It's called Worship. Worship is the access point to God's Presence. The Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. The Bible tells us that when we draw near to God He draws near to us. How do we do that? Through worship. I want to encourage you to do something. The next time you feel overwhelmed, discouraged, anxious, insecure, fearful or powerless take a moment and worship the Lord. Cultivate a sense of His Presence through praise and watch God cause you to rest.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD
P.S. Pray for Worship Life as we begin looking for a facility that we can call our own and pray for Revival in South Orange County I've also been invited to bring Worship Life to KWVE 107.9 FM. We have absolutely nothing, but that has never stopped us before. Where God guides, He provides and God is doing great things!!!

GRACE FILLED LIVING

“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32).

Something that God has been speaking to me about personally is on the topic of forgiveness. Like many in South Orange County, Roxie and I went through some horrifying experiences related to the church we were attending. Without going into any details, all I can say is that It left me deeply hurt and saddened. I spoke to a close friend and mentor who looked at me in the eyes and said Holland, you need to totally forgive them. He gave me a message from R.T. Kendall entitled Total Forgiveness. He also encouraged me to get the book, which I did. This began a process in my heart of God showing me His love and grace in ways that I have never experienced before in my life. As I totally forgave the people for what they did, God began to release joy and freedom into my worship life with Him. This process began in fall of 2008 and continues to this day.



All of us have our reasons for holding on to resentment and bitterness. You may even be justified in holding your grudge. Maybe someone really did wrong to you. Maybe they even did harm to you in order to damage your reputation or ruin your career. I think of what Jesus endured for us. The Bible tells us that He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Imagine being falsely accused for something you didn't do. That happens all the time. But imagine being arrested for something you didn't do. That would be heavy. Then imagine being beaten for something you didn't do. I think at that point I would get an attorney and fight back. Then imagine being killed for something you didn't do. That's something that I don't have the capacity to understand. Now imagine being in the throws of death and praying for the ones killing you and saying Father forgive them because they don't know what they're doing. That's total forgiveness.



Paul tells us that we are to extend the same forgiveness that Jesus has extended to us. The forgiveness that Jesus gives is complete, generous, unreserved and total. That's the kind of forgiveness that we've received. Maybe this week there is someone that hurt you or even damaged you. I want to encourage you to forgive them. That doesn't mean you have to go out and make them you're best friend. Just begin in your prayer closet with a simple prayer of forgiveness and see what God will do in your heart in bringing back joy, peace and the sense of His presence.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.

Roxie and I are praying for you...

Blessings

P.HD

P.S. Pray for Worship Life as we begin looking for a facility that we can call our own and pray for Revival in South Orange County I've also been invited to bring Worship Life to KWVE 107.9 FM. We have absolutely nothing, but that has never stopped us before. Where God guides, He provides and God is doing great things!!!

The Road To Exodus

THE ROAD TO EXODUS

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland " (Isaiah 43:18-19).





We preach a God of redemption and transformation who takes our broken, messed up lives and exchanges them for His new, abundant life. That's what I believed would happen and that IS what happened, but it didn't happen overnight. I believed when I accepted God's invitation to salvation that I would be on the road to God's wonderful plan for my life. What I faced instead was the crucible of crisis where God brought me face to face with the depth of my need for Him and over time by the power of the Holy Spirit did the work of healing in every area of my life. His goal - to deliver me from anything that kept me from loving Him completely. His process - transformation from the inside out.



How does transformation happen? Transformation happens when we exchange the lies we believe about ourselves with the truth that God says about us. Revelation 4 gives a picture of the worship of heaven. The four living creatures worship God for His attributes. He is the Holy Lord God Almighty. But the 24 elders worship God for His attributes and what He has done. He is worthy because He created all things. Now, why is that important with regards to transformation? Because only God is the Creator of all things - including you and I. That means He is the only One that can say who we were created to be. Our feelings, our conditioning, our culture, our parents - no one on earth has the right to tell us who we are. Only God has that right as the One who created us.



Next week
Roxie and I will be ministering at the Exodus International Freedom Conference. Roxie will be sharing her testimony with the delegates at the conference and I will be leading worship - as well as helping lead the ministry times. Exodus ministers to people who are struggling with unwanted same sex attraction. Every year we see people in the midst of transformation. We see them in the process of exchanging the lies they believe about themselves with the truth of who God created them to be. It's so amazing. Please pray for us as we minister.



I've asked some special guests to come and share on Wednesday and Sunday. On Wednesday Peter Cropsey, a fellow School of Ministry graduate and pastor of a new church called First Love, will come and share. He just finished a book entitled Dead Man Waking and he was a former member of a notorious biker gang and will be featured on New York Ink on The Learning Channel. Yes, he is tatted up from head to toe. On Sunday Tommy Cota from Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa will be sharing. He heads up the Hands of Hope Ministry and also hosts the One Step To Freedom Conference that ministers to people with addictions. Tommy pulled the trailer for my wife when she taught released time education for CCCM. He is an amazing speaker. Shineyhead will be leading worship as well. Please make them feel welcomed and show them the generous grace that you've received in Christ.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD
P.S. Pray for Worship Life as we begin looking for a facility that we can call our own and pray for Revival in South Orange County. We have absolutely nothing, but that has never stopped us before. Where God guides, He provides and God is doing great things!!!

God Is Buildling His Church

GOD IS BUILDING HIS CHURCH

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. " (Ephesians 4:7).





One of the things that amazes me is how God builds His church. As a Senior Pastor, it's easy to get caught up in the success mentality of our culture and feel the pressure of trying to appease the masses with programs or filling the building with people. You can spend thousands of dollars and many more hours attending conferences, reading books, meeting with "successful" pastors all trying to grasp the elusive secret to church growth. But God's ways are so much easier than that. God's ways are much higher than that. He says seek first the kingdom of God and everything else gets added. God says ask and it will be given. God says knock and doors open. God says seek and you'll find the answers you're looking for. Isn't it amazing how easy God's ways are? That has been our experience at Worship Life. When we had a need, we asked and God provided. When we lacked wisdom, we asked and God gave it. But the most radical experience of all has been the reality of His Presence with us as we have sought Him..

But how does God meet needs? How does God provide resources? How does God show His love in practical ways to us? How does God build His Church? Through every day people and you and I. We are the Living Stones that God uses to build His Church. It doesn't happen magically. Open the Bible and they will come. It happens as people like you invite your friends to Worship Life. It happens as people like you help set up or tear down on Sunday mornings. It happens as you show the love of God to someone in a practical way. Each of us have been uniquely gifted by God through the abundance of God's grace. Don't let the world, the flesh or the devil steal your blessing by keeping you from serving Him. Take your place at God's table and enjoy the rich blessings that are yours as you allow God to use you to build His Church.
We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD
P.S. Pray for Worship Life as we begin looking for a facility that we can call our own and pray for Revival in South Orange County. God is doing great things!!!

How Do You Measure Success?

HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name." (Revelation 3:8).





This week we looked at the Church of Philadelphia. Philadelphia was a city under constant change. It was highly transitory. People came and went because it was a major trade center between Europe and Asia. The land was unstable due to volcanic activity which led to earthquakes. The people of Philadelphia were constantly leaving the city because they preferred to live in the safety of the country. The name of the city was in constant change as it was named after the latest Roman emperor. However, despite all the instability and uncertainty that surrounded Philadelphia, the believers there were completely faithful to God. To this day, there has always been a worshipping Christian presence in Philadelphia. They were faithful.

We often look for external evidence of success. A big bank account. A nice home. Lots of friends. A well respected position in a company. I even had a preacher once tell me that my son was called to the ministry because he was good looking and made people laugh. This might define success from the world's perspective. But God sees success much differently. To God success equals faithfulness.

There is such a pull in our culture to be successful from the world's perspective. I was even told, why do we have all these little churches. We just need a few big churches. Unfortunately, statistics show that small churches provide a better environment for accountability and spiritual growth. This is just one example of where our view of success clashes with God's view of success. I want to encourage you to spend some time alone with God and ask yourself this question. What things do I focus on as measurements for success in my life? Am I focused on God's measure for success or am I focused on this world's measurement for success? Be honest and ask God to refocus you if you discover that you're measurement for success isn't the same as God's. Remember, God is only after one thing... faithfulness.

We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.

Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings

P.HD

P.S. Pray for Worship Life as we begin looking for a facility that we can call our own and pray for Revival in South Orange County. God is doing great things!!!

Living In God's Favor

LIVING IN GOD'S FAVOR

"For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield" (Psalm 5:12).





First of all, let me say to all the moms and the moms to be - Happy Mother's Day. We have something special for you this Sunday. On Sunday mornings we are going through the book of Ephesians in our series entitled "Grace Filled Relationships." What I am discovering is that most Christians don't expect God's blessing or favor in their lives. In fact, they really expect difficulty and hardship and when it comes they automatically assume it comes from God. The belief is that God needs to use hardship and difficulty in our lives to keep us dependent on Him because He doesn't trust us with His blessing and favor. If we are too blessed then we will drift away so He keeps us on a tight chain with adversity. What a crock of rotten stinky produce. In this season of my life, God has been challenging that belief in me. Do I really believe that God wants to bless me and pour out His favor on my life?

We had something happen this week that really brought home the reality that God is working to show favor and bless my life more than I realize. We have been praying and asking God what evangelism looks like at Worship Life. With all the musicians and artists at church, we've been asking God if perhaps music and arts is the way He wants us to impact our culture. We hosted a night of worship at The Green Earth Coffee Shop with great success and we've been asking God to open other doors of opportunity. It was particularly hot at our midweek study, so we left the door open to allow the breeze to come through. Without our knowledge, a lady who was walking her dog stopped outside our door and began to listen to the worship. Tears filled her eyes. One of the ladies from the study was coming in late and noticed her standing outside. She asked if she could help her and the lady commented on the worship coming from our Bible Study. She said that she was the marketing director for Chik-Fil-A in Laguna Niguel and wanted whatever was happening in our Bible Study at her store and asked us to contact her. I emailed her and she responded very positively and wants Worship Life to partner with them in some events. All this to show that we have no idea what God is doing and how He is setting things up to pour His blessing and favor in our lives.

Does that mean we never encounter adversity? Absolutely not. Jesus said in this world you will have tribulation. But He also said to be of good cheer because He overcame the world. My prayer for you is that you will believe more and more the truth that God wants to bless you abundantly. Even in the midst of adversity, there is favor and blessing coming your way if you are looking from God's perspective. Believe what God says about you and doubt everything else.

We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD
P.S. Pray for Worship Life as we begin looking for a facility that we can call our own and pray for Revival in South Orange County. God is doing great things!!!

The Road To Easter

THE ROAD TO EASTER

"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” " (Matthew 21:9).





This week we celebrate one of the most documented events in human history - the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The historians of the first century never doubted that Jesus rose from the dead. It was a known fact that was testified by Jesus' disciples and witten of by non-Christian reporters. The resurrection was central to the gospel message. In fact Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." (1 Corinthians 15:12-14).
Statistics tells us that most people are open to accepting an invitation to come to church at Easter. Over the next few days, Worship Life Calvary Chapel has provided several opportunities for you to invite your friends to come and hear the gospel. Wednesday Seder Dinner with Bob Probert, Good Friday Service with Cherri Keaggy and our Easter Together Services on Easter Sunday. I'm also putting on a Night of Worship at The Good Earth Coffee Shop in Lake Forest with Shineyhead, Brenda Harp, David Ostrea and the Worship Life Team. Date is April 15 and time is 7:30 - 10:00 pm. It is my prayer that you take advantage of these opportunities to be a life changing influence to your friends, neighbors, family and co-workers by simply inviting them to come to church. In preparation for the events of Easter, Worship Life will be joining with six other churches for a PRAYER WALK throughout San Clemente this Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm. We have designated 50 locations that will be divided amongst all the folks that turn up to pray. Nothing happens in the Kingdom of God without prayer. Come and join us. We will be meeting at Heritage Christian Fellowship at 8:45 am for instructions.
As we enter the Easter season where we are remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus, I pray that the power of God's forgiveness would be unleashed in your life as you realize that your sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ.
IMPORTANT EASTER SERVICE INFORMATION: WE WILL NOT BE MEETING at Vista Del Mar School on Easter April 24, 2001. We will be joining the Body of Christ in San Clemente as part of the Easter Together Celebration. We will provide opportunities for you to bring your normal Sunday tithes and offerings for Worship Life at the Seder Dinner and at the Good Friday Service. You are also invited to send in your offering to the church office by mail or bring it the following week to services. CLICK HERE for a link to all our Easter Events.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD
P.S. Starting Sunday, I've put together a daily devotion called - The Road To Easter. Each day you will be sent a scripture to meditate on and a prayer for the day. I pray this blesses you.

Easter @ Worship Life

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him will not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).





When I was thirteen I had a powerful encounter with the risen Christ. It was authentic, genuine and real. I've never doubted my faith because I didn't base my faith on a system of beliefs or someone's theology. I based my faith on the reality of a person who loved me and made Himself known to me. We live in an age where people talk about Jesus like you would the friend of a friend that you've never actually met. They talk about the idea of Jesus. They talk about their philosophy of Jesus and the kind of Jesus they would or wouldn't believe in. They talk about what books say about Jesus. In fact, there is a growing generation of post modern religious people who talk about the ideal Jesus and write books based on their idea of Jesus. Jesus is love and therefore Jesus would never want to condemn anyone to hell because that Jesus wouldn't be very nice. That is their "ideal" Jesus. The problem is that Jesus isn't an ideal, He's a person. Jesus the person would never condemn anyone to hell. People condemn themselves by rejecting Jesus. That's why Jesus came and died... so that we could live forever with Him. There is a school of thought that believes that after death we'll have a second shot at Jesus because it's not consistent with the "nice" Jesus to condemn people for eternity. Here's the truth. If you don't want anything to do with Jesus on earth... why would Jesus make you spend forever with Him? That would be really be "mean" and not "ideal." Again, Jesus died to make a way for everyone that accepted His free gift of salvation.
The real passion of Jesus is that He so passionately loved us that when we hated Him, He put His love on the line for us and made a way for us to be rescued, saved, delivered from destruction. We are entering a season where the reality of what Jesus has done for us will be proclaimed throughout the world. I want to challenge you to begin praying for the family, the friend, the co-worker, the cashier at the store, the person that you want to introduce to Jesus. Most people are open to an invitation to church and I pray that you will invite them to come with you to church over the Easter season. Maybe you will be the catalyst for their lives to be forever changed. At Worship Life we have a full week of services. Palm Sunday, Wednesday Seder Dinner with Bob Probert, Good Friday Service with Cherri Keaggy and our Easter Together Services on Easter Sunday. I'm also putting on a Night of Worship at The Good Earth Coffee Shop in Lake Forest with Shineyhead, Brenda Harp, David Ostrea and the Worship Life Team. Date is April 15 and time is 7:30 - 10:00 pm. Make sure to mark your calendars
CONCERT FOR JAPAN: Come join us for an evening of fun music by the Surfaris with Bob Berryhill, original author and performer of the 1963 hit song "Wipe Out." There will be a special opportunity to give financially to support relief efforts in Japan. Proceeds will go to a mission organization supporting Japanese relief efforts including Asian Access and Send International. This event is sponsored by Calvary South County. Date is Sunday, April 10. Time is 6:00 pm. Location is the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano.




We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD
P.S. SPECIAL NOTE FOR EASTER: We will not be meeting at Vista Del Mar School on Easter April 24, 2001. We will be joining the Body of Christ in San Clemente as part of the Easter Together Celebration. We will provide opportunities for you to bring your normal Sunday offering for Worship Life at the Seder Dinner and at the Good Friday Service. You are also invited to send in your offering to the church office by mail or bring it the following week to services. The offering received at Easter Together will go towards relief work in Haiti.

There Is Power In The Blood

THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD

"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Eph 1:7).





When I was a young boy, I thought I wanted to become a doctor. I read Issac Asimov's book on the Human Body and Grey's Anatomy. I watched the TV show Medical Center every week and used to play games where we would rush people into surgery and save their lives. That was until the day when I encountered real blood. I was playing football around the trailer I grew up in. I was tackled and slid into a metal frame the held up an oil barrel that was used to provide fuel for the trailer. My knee was completely gashed open. It was a mess. I nearly fainted. I also decided that maybe I wasn't cut out for the medial field because I really couldn't take the sight of blood.

Most people are like that. We don't like to talk about unpleasant things like blood. In fact, the blood of Jesus is something that is missing from the message that many churches preach in America today. It's not politically correct. It's not seeker friendly to talk about the blood. But without the blood of Jesus Christ there is no forgiveness of sins. There is no sacrifice without bloodshed. In the tabernacle we see an amazing picture of the power of the blood. The High Priest would enter into the Holy of Holies once year to sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat sat on top of the Ark of the Covenant where the 10 Commandments were housed. If you could imagine, the mercy seat would be sprinkled with blood. The blood dripping down would cover what? The law. The law told us that the wages of sin is death, but the blood of Jesus dripping from the Mercy Seat covered our sins and released us from our debt of sin. It was the picture of total forgiveness.

As we enter the Easter season where we are remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus, I pray that the power of God's forgiveness would be unleashed in your life as you realize that your sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ.

PRAY FOR JAPAN: We have all been shocked by the recent tragedy in Japan. I have friends and relatives in Japan. Thankfully they are safe. I believe this is an incredible opportunity for the Body of Christ to demonstrate the love and power of the Christian God to the people of Japan. There will be a special prayer meeting at The Shoreline Sunday, March 27 at 7:00 pm.




We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD

A Case Of Forgotten Identity?

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (Eph 2:13).





This week my son was staying at a friends house and he called me for to help him recover his Xbox gamer tag so he could play Xbox at his friends house. He asked me what my Windows Live ID was so he could log in on a different machine from another location. I told him what I thought it was, but it wasn’t working. He says to me, "You’ve got the wrong ID dad." So I went through every possible password and User ID combination I could think of. Nothing worked. I couldn't get into the game because I had forgotten my identity.

There are alot of Christians who are struggling to get into the game of life because they've forgotten their identity in Christ. They listen to what the world says about them. They listen to what their conditioning or training says about them. They listen to what people in authority say about them. They listen to everyone and everything but God. However, God is the only One that can actually tell us who He created us to be and what He created us for. As we go through the book of Ephesians on Sunday morning, I pray that you will be reminded of your identity in Christ so you can get back into the game based on who He says you are and not any other voice.

PRAY FOR JAPAN: We have all been shocked by the recent tragedy in Japan. I have friends and relatives in Japan. Thankfully they are safe. I believe this is an incredible opportunity for the Body of Christ to demonstrate the love and power of the Christian God to the people of Japan. There will be a special prayer meeting at Heritage Christian Fellowship Friday, March 17 at 7:00 pm.




We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD

Who Do You Think You Are?

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

"or we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10).





I don't know about you, but I live in the tension of God's Word and the reality of what I see in the daily circumstances of my life. I read God's Word and I walk away thinking God's promises are yes and amen. Then I get one phone call that makes me doubt everything I just read. Do you ever feel like that? What do you do when your reality doesn't appear to match God's Word? Do you trust your circumstances or do you trust what God says?
This Sunday we begin a new series entitled "Grace Filled Relationships." We will be going through the book of Ephesians and looking at the life that God says is ours. It's important to remember that Paul is writing the book of Ephesians from a prison cell. While he is describing life from a heavenly perspective, he is facing the circumstances of every day life in a prison cell on earth. How does he do it? We'll discover how as we go through what is considered the High Sierra's of Scripture.



SPECIAL NOTE: This Sunday, we will not be observing Daylights Savings Time until after the service. SO... Don't change your clock an hour forward the night before. Do it on Sunday after church. Of course, if you don't get the message, we welcome your help in setting up.



We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.




Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD

The King Is Coming

THE KING IS COMING

"28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28).





I believe we are living in the Last Days. Literally ever aspect of Christian life is under attack. In the UK, a couple is banned by the court from becoming foster parents because of their Christian values and belief that homosexuality is a sin. On the ABC Network a new pilot program called "Good Christian B*tches" is being brought to life by "Sex In The City" executive producer Darren Star. ABC is owned by Disney. The new Catholic Bible is reframing the virgin birth by reinterpreting Isaiah 7:14 to say a "young woman" shall conceive and bear a son instead of a virgin. Finally, our President in a very revealing decision has decided that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional because it defines marriage as being between a man and a woman and excludes same sex marriages. It's only a matter of time before Pastors will be charged with "hate speech" simply because they are teaching the Word of God.

Tonight we start our study through the Book of Revelation. On Sunday we will begin our study through the book of Ephesians. Both are crucial for the life of every believer at this time. The Book of Revelation is crucial because it not only reveals God plan for the last days that we find ourselves in, but it also reveals God's desire for how we are to live during such troubled times. Ephesians is crucial because it tells us who we are in Christ and how we are to relate as Christians to the world around us. How important it is for us to understand God's heart for us in these last days. I invite you to come out and join us on Wednesday evenings and encourage you to bring a friend on Sunday mornings. We have started webcasting our services. You can view them at USTREAM. You can also catch up on studies that you've missed or perhaps your following us from a distance at VIMEO.

SPECIAL NOTE: This Sunday, we will not be observing Daylights Savings Time until after the service. SO... Don't change your clock an hour forward the night before. Do it on Sunday after church. Of course, if you don't get the message, we welcome your help in setting up.



Roxie and I are praying for you...
Blessings
P.HD