Generosity is not just about giving to those in need. Â Empowering people to provide for themselves gives them dignity and self worth along with needed help. Â The ACCTS Community Center in Husn, Jordan empowers refugee women to provide for themselves and their families. Â Their focus...
We talk a lot at Mountain View about the restoration of all things. Â It's one of our core values and the end toward which everything we do is moving. Â You could say it is our ultimate goal. Â It includes not just people's "souls", but their...
We got our conditional use permit (CUP) from the city of San Juan Capistrano! Â You may not realize what a big deal this is, but without it, we couldn't even use the building we leased as a church. Â Our first hearing was continued to investigate...
A lot of what passes for prayer is merely wishing upward. Â Whether offered with deep yearning or half-hearted suggestion, our prayers are often wanting. Â I mean that in the sense of "lacking" as well as in the sense of "desiring". Â Prayer requires willing. Â Specifically, I...
There is a place for telling people what you believe. Â It helps if there are good reasons for your beliefs. Â There is even a whole branch of study (called apologetics) designed to help you defend your beliefs. But, by far, the best way to pass...
I should have known it wouldn’t be easy! Nothing worthwhile ever is. Every good idea is opposed by somebody.  But opposition is an opportunity.  We get to learn, grow, build consensus, expand our supporters, and unite in prayer.  We will get our approval from the...
When you think of living like Jesus, what comes to mind? Is it teaching, traveling, healing, casting out demons, pushing buttons of religious people, or praying? Â Of course Jesus did all of these things. Â But more than anything else, Â Jesus spent his time eating with...
Prayer seems like the right thing to do when there is a crisis. Â Some will say we need action and not just prayer. Â I agree. Â But we must begin with prayer. Â However, many of us simply say #prayforlasvegas or #praying and then either don't do...
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a...
 I'm trying to put my experience in Jordan into words. No language is sufficient to communicate what I am learning from the Jordanians and Syrians that I've met these past few days. My baptism into the foreign sights, sounds and smells of Arabic cultire has washed...
