Always Trust Ads

Apparently beer is great for babies...puts em right to sleep...no more crying!



Cocaine, as we all know has many medicinal purposes. Unfortunately it's only available today through street pharmacists.



Makes me think twice about the toothpaste and gum they recommend...

I Am The King Of Babel

I never understood Babel until I began to pastor. I looked down my nose at these fools from history who ignored God's command to go forth and replenish the earth. Who did they think they were? What could possibly be more important than going out and changing the world - assisting God with the redemption of the world...obeying God's Commission...

In Downtown San Diego, where I pastor an incredible church community alongside my best friend and co-pastor Karl, People are alone. We are one of the leading cities in the nation per-capita for singles. With our cultures' emphasis on Individualism (which has heavily infiltrated the American church in my opinion), people have become exceedingly lonely. Karl and I decided early on that one of the most important things we could do to further the Gospel in our city (and speak counter-culturally to both the world and the church), was to foster a strong sense of Community within our group. Our mode is one of continually building missional communities. Not only is Community One of our 3 Core Values, we speak about it often and practice it with every aspect of our lives. But all this would still be valueless without prayer and God's pull on people's hearts toward community and His helping them realize their need.

That being said, Anchor Gaslamp has grown in an incredible love towards one another. People who witness this from the outside are drawn to the group the moment they see us interact. God is at work in a beautiful way I could have never imagined! It has grown beyond our dreams! One of our groups that meets at the pub on Tuesday's is so incredibly involved with each other's lives, they disciple one another, meet frequently throughout the week 'just because,' and help each other with issues in life...

It's beginning to look like the church of Acts...well, beginning to...and it's beautiful

Therein lies the problem...I don't want to do anything to change that community...to threaten it's existence...to upset the balance. I don't want to multiply that group into more communities, but I know we need to.

See, our Values are 1. Community.... 2. Communion (how we relate to God) and 3. Commission. Commission is moving beyond our walls, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, preaching the good news to the poor and rich and everyone that will hear. The context for this is Community and the idea is growing multiple Communities that they will continually multiply and grow. The hope is that people have such a strong sense of Mission (the commission) that they move beyond comfort zones in every area of their lives to reach out and love people as Christ would.

We've outgrown the pub...

It feels like the time's approaching to multiply. But the feeling of community is so strong...the relationships that have been formed are so beautiful...I don't want to change anything for fear we'll lose something.

I want to keep building that community like Babel of old...

I desire Community more than Commission...I am not progressing...I am not obeying the Commission...

I am the king of Babel

I repent...

(*Side Note... do you think this could be why some institutionalized churches battle so much confusion?)

My Enemies Are Men Like Me

"Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love." -MLK Jr.

I stumbled across this statistic from one of our major news networks. Notice this is not Iraqi Militia or Terrorists. Civilians.

(*Click the Picture to view the whole thing)

Total Deaths for Americans in Iraq (at highest estimates today) is 5,000.
Iraqi Civilians around a Half-Million

Here's an up-to-date counter of Total Iraqi National deaths:

This brought to mind another Derek Webb Song:

My Enemies Are Men Like Me

I have come to give you life
And to show you how to live it
I have come to make things right
To heal their ears and show you how to forgive them

Because I would rather die
I would rather die
I would rather die
Than to take your life

How can I kill the ones I’m supposed to love
My enemies are men like me
I will protest the sword if it’s not wielded well
My enemies are men like me

Peace by way of war
Is like purity by way of fornication
It’s like telling someone murder is wrong
And then showing them by way of execution

Because I would rather die
I would rather die
I would rather die
Than to take your life

How can I kill the ones I’m supposed to love
My enemies are men like me
I will protest the sword if it’s not wielded well
My enemies are men like me

When justice is bought and sold just like weapons of war
The ones who always pay are the poorest of the poor

*Doesn't the Gospel compel us to do something about this? God help me, I'm becoming a "Pacifist!" (Although I despise that term). I Just see the reality of true power, present in non-violent resistance. I see it crossing bridges in the face of unjust laws. I see it on a cross, by a man led like a lamb to the slaughter. I see it in the way Christ continually presses toward my heart, lovingly and persistently, persuading me to embrace His love. To me that's not passive at all...it's the most active form of power and love. But if you want a label for me...call me a pacifist. -Vince

I Repent

The Lyrics of the song "I Repent" by my favorite poet, prophet & songwriter Derek Webb

I Repent

I repent, I repent,
Of my pursuit of America’s dream.
I repent, I repent,
Of living like I deserve anything

Of my house, my fence,
My kids, my wife.
Of our suburb,
Where we’re safe and white

I am wrong and of these things I repent

I repent, I repent,
Of parading my high liberty.
I repent, I repent,
Of paying for what I get for free.

Of the way I believe,
that I’m living right.
By trading sins for others
That are easier to hide.

I am wrong and of these things I repent

And I repent, for judging by a law,
That even I can’t keep, no-o-o.
Of wearing righteousness like a disguise,
Of seeing through the plank In my own eyes.

I repent, I repent,
Of trading truth for false unity.
I repent, I repent,
Of confusing peace and idolatry.

For caring more of what they think,
Than what I know of what they need.
Of domesticating you,
to look just like me.

I am wrong and of these things I repent

What Shapes Our Thinking?

(Click the picture to see the full version)