Christ the Power of God 12/18/2014

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

Dear CBC Team:

As we approach the end of the year let us prayerfully consider the glorious things that the Lord has accomplished in our midst. We have seen the Lord open up new territories for His word to be preached. He has moved us out of our safety zone to step into new streets and street corners. He has carried us through afflictions both spiritual (such as the seeming fruitlessness of our familiar venues) and physical (miscellaneous thorns and weariness in the flesh). He has drawn men from other churches into our company and we have been blessed by their fellowship and testimony.

But, most importantly, He has caused us to endure. He has empowered and encouraged and motivated us to KEEP GOING. Indeed, we have all grown in our steadfast desire to serve Him and to see the increase of His Glorious kingdom, even as the world has rushed headlong into rebellion and unbelief. He has used these things to sharpen our resolve and quicken our hearts. 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9 ESV)

FYI

Don't forget! Lest we become complacent from too much hiatus, there are two more Saturday evening outreaches left in 2014. Let's make a strong showing this week and next.

The CBC Elders have requested from all the missionaries (that includes our team!) that they provide "media" for use in the weekly services, Missions Conference, and other places. This is for the purpose of keeping the church body informed about and inspired by the various ministries that CBC supports. As we all know, efforts have been made to shoot video during the past year. There is quite a bit of footage, but most of it has not been edited yet. Additionally, we have been taking still photos routinely. We see most of these posted on the blog. Thanks to Jeremy and Forest for help with the stills and the video. Due to various circumstances, these two guys are not always available. So, if you know of anyone at CBC who would be willing and able to help with shooting stills or video, even on a periodic basis, please contact Steve or Mark to let us know. We have all the equipment to capture picture and sound, we just need people to do the capturing! Thanks!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Morning Shift

Recently the landscape of the NoHo Metro Station has been altered. A long berm has been installed and pedestrian traffic has been re-routed. It appears that there are big plans for the facility which may include the construction of a tunnel from the underground train depot directly to the bus terminal on the other side of Lankershim Blvd. During this transitional time we will be looking for new spots to preach from and new strategies for sharing the gospel with busy commuters.

Please stand with us on Wednesday mornings at 6:00 AM at the North Hollywood Metro Station on Lankershim Blvd. it's a great opportunity to share the truth with the thousands of commuters who pass through this area. Although we have been on hiatus, we hope to be back in action soon. Please watch for text announcements on Tuesday evenings. Please always RSVP if you plan to join us on Wednesday mornings.

Abortuary Duty  11/11/2014

You can join the effort at the Mission Hills clinic, 10200 Sepulveda Blvd., 91345, every Saturday and Tuesday morning from 8 to 10 am. No experience necessary.

News Items

Update on Colorado Bakery (includes video)

NFL's Benjamin Watson on Ferguson

Missouri Christian Cleans Up Ferguson

Christian Bookstore Owner to Be Released from Chinese Prison

Pope Claims Mary Was Conceived 'Without Original Sin'

Pope Played Key Role in Cuba Deal

Apologetics Corner

Paul Washer: When God Breaks You For Ministry

John MacArthur: How Christmas Solves the Prophetic Puzzle

Article: Eve Created From Adam's Rib

Article: The Violent Volcanoes of Io

Article: Responding to Atheistic Opposition

Join Us!

Please join us as we proclaim the glorious Gospel to a lost and dying world on the streets of Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood and beyond.

Maranatha!!  Merry Christmas!!

Waist Girded, Lamps Burning 11/29/2014

Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  (Luke 12:35-40 NKJV)

A team of broken vessels, submitted to the calling of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we hobbled, groaned, and stumbled our way over to the corner of Magnolia and San Fernando, once again. And once more the Lord was glorified in our weakness as we shared the Gospel with the busy shoppers passing by. Jeremy, Mark, Dr. Jack, Elder Bob, Dean, Paul (from the Thai Church in Pasadena), and Steve.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from  the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Elder Bob: The head of all human beings, the "Federal" head, was Adam. Adam sinned and fell, and we all have contracted that disease of sin. The Bible says we are born in sin. The Bible says that we have a sin nature and that there is nothing we can do about that. Our propensity is to sin. When we do something and we don't want anyone to know about it, our propensity is to lie. When we see something we want, and we don't have the money to buy it, our propensity is to covet. In fact coveting is the National Pastime! When we want something that God hasn't given us, that is sinful. The Bible tells us that we are slaves to sin. The Bible says that we all will be the slave to something. You're either going to be a slave to sin, or a slave to God. Whatever you are a slave to is what is going to control you. That's not a word that we like to use these days, but really we are bound to that which controls us. The Bible says that our hearts are wicked. We hear a lot of people today say, "Follow your heart." Well, I don't want to follow my heart, because I know what is in my heart sometimes, and to follow my heart wouldn't take me to a very good place. Many people follow their hearts, and that leads to some pretty ugly things. Much better to follow the Bible!  

Deacon Mark: (Responding to a drive-by heckler who called out, "Hail, satan!" as he walked quickly away) No! God is not mocked! Come back, young man! Don't run away! I want to talk to you. You're going to stand before Jesus Christ and He died on the cross for you. You are so valuable, so important to Him that He got nailed to a stick and bled, and His body broken, because you are a sinner! Repent of your sins, believe in Him! Call upon His name to be saved! May God bless you young man.

Brother Paul, from the Thai Church in Pasadena, joined us to pass out tracts. Many bibles were taken and several stopped to listen to the proclamation of the Word of God.

Special thanks to our brother Jeremy who, if we were gifted with artistic ability like our brother Dave, would rightly be depicted, in a cartoon, as carrying not only all the equipment we use but indeed the entire team of back-pained, chest-pained, herniated, broken and exhausted men upon his shoulders. (Photos by Jeremy, as well.)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Special Ministry Opportunity

The CBC Elders have invited all the CBC Evangelism Team members to the Calvary Christmas Concert. Performances are on Friday Dec. 12th at 7 pm, Saturday and Sunday the 13th & 14th at 6 pm. Also, on evenings when you are not attending the concert, the prayer room will be open each night so that people from our team may come and pray for the lost that will be attending the concert.

The Morning Shift  11/26/2014

Please stand with us on Wednesday mornings at 6:00 AM at the North Hollywood Metro Station on Lankershim Blvd. it's a great opportunity to share the truth with the thousands of commuters who pass through this area. Lately, due to health issues, we have not been fulfilling this ministry. Thanks to brothers Paul and Richard for filling in this Wednesday morning.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  (2 Cor. 4:16-18)

Abortuary Duty  11/8/2014

You can join the effort at the Mission Hills clinic, 10200 Sepulveda Blvd., 91345, every Saturday and Tuesday morning from 8 to 10 am. No experience necessary.

News Items

Children Beheaded For Love of Christ

Jan Markell, Gary Kah: Global Government and the Coming Perfect Storm

Pope and Grand Mufti in Unholy Piety Contest (Ed. note: See the video at the end of this article for a genuine Catholic-Islamic Piety Smackdown. See who you think is the winner! ;-)

Apologetics Corner

Christian, Love Your Lost Family by Paul Washer

What more does God need to do?

Article: William Lane Craig's Intellectually Dishonest Attack on Biblical Creationists

Join Us!

Please join us as we proclaim the glorious Gospel to a lost and dying world on the streets of Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood and beyond.

Maranatha!!