Posted by justinfox on Jun 5, 2011
As my family and I dove into the ROCKHARBOR community five years ago, we were struck by a risky dependence on God. It was electrifying to rally around “giving ourselves away” and the wave of missional service as thousands stepped into the first “Go” campaign. The weekend we cancelled services for Serve Day was a time I’ll never forget; my kids actually washed windows in a trailer park!
Although our outreach efforts of late have not been quite as high-profile as things like The GO Campaign, our posture as a church has not changed. We are still a faith community marked by gutsy dependence, risky generosity, and radical service. One of the ways our church has continued to press into this posture is by creating the new volunteer position of “City Pastor”.
What is a City Pastor, you ask? It’s a journey in process, but the main idea behind it is to seek out, create, and participate in mission endeavors within the city, and to invite our church community into the action.
The big question City Pastors are asking is; if ROCKHARBOR were to end today – if we were to close our doors and shut down, would the cities of Costa Mesa, Laguna Hills, Fullerton, or Huntington Beach miss us? Sure, a couple thousand church goers might be disappointed, but would the city miss us? Would the public schools miss us? Would our civic leaders, immigrant families, homeless population, at-risk teens, or neighborhood children really miss us? This is a haunting question, and one we continue to wrestle with…
There are a few other local churches that have aslo felt a similar call. And we began talks about what it would look like to be involved more in our cities. Two weeks after I officially started as Costa Mesa City Pastor we were called into action.
As many of you know, a Costa Mesa city worker committed suicide after learning he was going to be one of hundreds to be laid off. We responded with a network of churches for crisis care, a city-wide prayer gathering encircling City Hall, and a memorial service followed by a hospitality area for prayer, refreshments, and a listening ear…all on city grounds. Something started that day, and the ripples of it are still being felt at the civic level in many ways as the relationships built continue to grow.
A month later, another tragedy struck; a student at Costa Mesa High took his own life. He was a well-liked sophomore on the volleyball team. As the school community reeled in shock, we had another invitation to respond with many pastors on site for prayer and counseling, and I was able to sit down for an hour with his team as a mentor, chaplain, and friend – quite a change from when, just a few weeks ago, I was told no pastors would ever be allowed on campus.
In the midst of pain and brokenness, God is moving in this city.
As a church, we now have invitations from this school and several others, the city council, and MIKA Community Development to invest in relationships like never before. Beyond a summer service project or a single mission trip, this is our chance to begin making a sustainable, deep, long-term impact in Costa Mesa. There is a dynamic balance in giving and receiving, of caring and being held, of comfort and risk, and I believe God is calling us once again toward a season of daring adventure.
If you live in Costa Mesa, we invite you to love our city with reaching arms, quickened feet, and open hearts. Let’s love the people around us in such a way that God’s grace is compelling and the Gospel is heard loud and clear. As Jesus followers, this is what we do.
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reblogged from http://www.rockharbor.org/2011/05/city-pastor/
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Posted by justinfox on Mar 28, 2011
My first ever video podcast interview! Click on the image below to be taken directly to the Circles blog at ROCKHARBOR where you can view the podcast in it’s entirety, subscribe to other episodes, and even leave a comment. Darin McWatters is a fun interviewer and brought out some deep subjects, as well. I was humbled and honored to be a part of this!
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Posted by justinfox on Mar 20, 2011
“How can you cope with the end of a world and the beginning of another one? How can you put an earthquake into a test tube, or the sea into a bottle? How can you live with the terrifying thought that the hurricane has become human, that fire has become flesh, that life itself came to life and walked in our midst? Christianity either means that, or it means nothing. It is either the most devastating disclosure of the deepest reality in the world, or it’s a sham, a nonsense, a bit of deceitful play-acting. Most of us, unable to cope with saying either of these things, condemn ourselves to live in the shallow world in between. We may not be content there, but we don’t know how to escape.
The way through this by sheer unadulterated worship of the living and true God, and by following this God wherever he leads, whether or not it is the way our traditions would suggest. Worship is not an optional extra for the Christian, a self-indulgent religious activity. It is the basic Christian stance, and indeed (so Christians claim) the truly human stance. Worship derives from “worth-ship” and it means giving God all He’s worth.
Worship is humble and glad; worship forgets itself in remembering God; worship celebrates the truth as God’s truth, not its own. True worship doesn’t put on a show or make a fuss; true worship isn’t forced, isn’t half-hearted, doesn’t keep looking at its watch, doesn’t worry what the person in the next pew may be doing. True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God even in the dark.
Worship will never end; whether there be buildings, they will crumble; whether there be committees, they will fall asleep; whether there be budgets, they will add up to nothing. For we build for the present age, we discuss for the present age, and we pay for the present age; but when the age to come (Christ’s return) is here, the present age will be done away.
Worship is nothing more nor less than love on its knees before the beloved; just as mission is love on its feet to serve the beloved . . .”
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Posted by justinfox on Aug 1, 2010
I was reflecting the other day on the story of Jesus, his disciples, and the stormy sea (Mark 4:35-39). You know, the one where he’s asleep in the boat and all the other guys are freaking out, scared the wind and waves might sink them:
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“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”
A book by Brennan Manning was encouraging me to imagine a biblical scene, and put myself in the story – to ask myself who I’d be in the drama, and to view it from that perspective. Well, as crazy as it sounds, the first thing I thought of was; “I’m the storm“. I figured that was too weird, quickly tried to think of an actual person in the story that I related to, but the “storm” idea just kept coming back.
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And I began to see why it hit me like that: I’m a Type-A personality. I love making things happen, directing events and experiences. I work hard at shaping my calendar, ministry, art, and communication. Like a storm, I’m used to making waves, rocking the boat, and charging forward like a force of nature. I began to look at the narrative from that point of view, and I was floored by the voice of Jesus to me in the story. It hit me like a ton of bricks: “Quiet! Be still.”
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This month, I’ll be attempting to obey this directive like never before. I’ve felt led and supported to embark on a month long SABBATICAL this August 2-27. The first break like this for me, ever. It will be difficult in some ways, but I’m so excited to follow God with this radical step. These 26 days will be a time of family, rest, solitude, silence, study, reflection, retreat, and renewal. I can’t wait! I’ve never even taken two weekends off in a row in 17 years, so this will be quite a new, transforming experience. Please keep my family and I in your prayers as we intensely seek God’s direction, peace, and unique presence during this time. I will not be performing, leading, singing, speaking from a stage, or booking future ministry dates, so please also keep my ministry and God’s future plans for it in your prayers, as well.
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My I fully let go, releasing my grip on everything but Jesus! And may his peace, like a sea smooth as glass, carry us toward a new shore.
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Posted by justinfox on Jun 16, 2010
An excerpt of my book The Christian Musician’s Guidebook has been published by a magazine, and the article is now online! Check it out by clicking the image below. I’m on page 33 – excited to have you join the conversation!
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Posted by justinfox on Apr 2, 2010
Tonight we ponder Good Friday and then celebrate Christ’s victory on Easter Sunday. These are some of the biggest gatherings our churches will ever have this year. Many of us worship leaders will be in front of our largest audiences, and quite frankly, we’re feeling a bit of the buzz. With all the excitement, services planned, productions being set up, big and small (Jonas Brothers at Saddleback?), I’m praying we all move beyond the staging and lights this weekend toward the deeper purposes at play. And just as a reminder, here’s a cutting-edge take on the whole thing:
(Of course, the British lead the way once again…)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbtkhB3cFGs[/youtube]
Now, will I still be putting on my skinny jeans, my tight, vintage, black button down with the perfect thrift-store suit vest (Good Friday, you know), tucking my ear-bud deftly behind some bed-head highlights, strapping on the Hummingbird, and walking up to the microphone a few times this weekend? Yes. Will this video be nagging my every move? Yes.
And I think that’s a good thing.
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