Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church Blog

Touched By Fire "Launch Page"

2009-05-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

(Updated June 19, 2009)

Special Update: Our regular website, www.rbbaptist.org, is currently being updated and not accessible at this time.

In the meantime, check out this blog for any breaking news and for a link to our calendar, http://rbbaptist.mhsoftware.com.

You can also contact the RBBC Church Office directly at info@rbbclife.com or 858.487.7676 (Monday - Friday from 9am to 4pm).

Hello World!

The news is still coming in! God has been moving and shaking in community life at RBBC since we have officially kicked off our Touched By Fire building campaign on March 1, 2009!

If you haven't already, bookmark this home page and come back often for updates! From time to time, we'll post updates on the Touched By Fire campaign and building process, videos and/or pics of last year's events, ministry highlights and more!

Click on links designated as New! and they will take you directly to the latest highlights or updates in our RBBC community.

Touched By Fire Campaign Fact Sheet - March 2009
Touched By Fire Campaign Fact Sheet Two - March 2009 New!
Vision and Bible Study DVD Viewing Page - March 2009
Women's Ministry Retreat Page - March 2009
Campaign pledge totals announcement - April 2009 New!
Missions Night Event - May 2009 New!

And comments and suggestions are welcome! Just email us to send your thoughts and we'll do our best to respond to you as quickly as we can.

This is the place to check into on life at RBBC ... so see you again soon!

RBBC Blog Team
rbbclife.com

Gather ~ Grow ~ Give ~ Go
"The mission of RBBC is to lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

Missions Night - May 31, 2009

2009-05-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

On this page, we have posted highlights from our recent Missions Night Event where the stories from the most recent trips to India, Israel, Mali, Rwanda and Peru were shared.

Enjoy! And feel free to share your thoughts with us as a comment below or write to our missions team at info@rbbclife.com.

RBBC Blog Team
rbbclife.com

Gather ~ Grow ~ Give ~ Go
"The mission of RBBC is to lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

This first video is a collection of pictures from our short-term missions trips to India, Israel, Rwanda and Peru. We used this video to start our Missions Night evening.

This second video was the movie shown by Cliff and Digbo to tell their story of their trip to Mali, West Africa.

Having trouble opening this video? Use the following link to watch directly on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvb0SNhh_vM

Campaign pledge totals announcement

2009-04-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday 2009 ~

A Day of Celebration!

It was the day we were all waiting for ... the Sunday where Pastor Dan would announce the commitment totals pledged in our Touched By Fire Campaign. And what a day of celebration it turned out to be! The following is the pledge totals e-announcement sent out by Pastor Dan following the Easter Sunday announcement:

It was awesome to announce the Touched by Fire pledge total on Easter Sunday! We still haven't stopped giving. More and more folks are turning in their commitment cards! But as of this past weekend, God brought us to a whopping ... $1,136,722 ! It felt good to push pass past the 1.1M mark! Thanks to all of you who worked so hard to make this happen. I know we are all giving the credit to God!

Wait...there's more good news! Scores of you participated in our first ever First Fruits Offering on Palm Sunday. It turned out to be our largest single offering in the history of our church. People gave cash, stocks and valuable items that totaled another whopping ... $111,577 !

Half of the church was involved in volunteering and giving toward this team effort. Way to go, everyone! We did something that will long be remembered by all of us. Our consultant said that RBBC had such a sweet spirit throughout this campaign and mentioned that we had a very successful campaign!

Next Steps - We're weeks away from finalizing our drawings with the architect! We've already started the permit process with the city of San Diego. We'll soon put out to bid our project with three construction companies and then pick one to sign a contract with. Once we break ground in the summer, we are told that the project will most likely take 6 months to complete. Our best case scenario is that we will be in our new upper campus ministry center by early next year.

I can't wait to see what God will do next in our midst! Thank you for your generosity and willingness to follow God's leadership in our church!

Thanking God for Tomorrow! (Isaiah 43:18)

Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor

RBBC Blog Team
rbbclife.com

Gather ~ Grow ~ Give ~ Go
"The mission of RBBC is to lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

Touched By Fire Fact Sheet

2009-03-31T11:48:00.000-07:00

Downloadable PDF File

We’re excited! We are entering a very important time in the life of RBBC. God has given us a vision to rebuild our worship center on the upper campus. We long to bring together scores of people who will Gather, Grow, Give and Go! Your participation in the Touched by Fire campaign is critical!

It’s understandable that you would have several questions about our vision and this campaign. We’ve done our best to anticipate them and give helpful answers. Our prayer is that this sheet will help you catch this vision and ignite your heart to make a sacrificial gift through the Touched by Fire campaign.

Yours for the Cause,

Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor

Jon Watters, Director

Jennifer Homan, Co-Director

Terry Rugg, Co-Director

What is Stewardship Enrichment and what can it mean to me?
Stewardship Enrichment is a design using God’s blueprint. It scripturally engages the hearts and minds of God’s people and creates an environment in which individuals can embark upon a spiritual adventure. We’ll be seeking God’s will for our lives personally in order to accomplish God’s will for our church. The end results go far beyond money because we will all grow spiritually through this process. This leads to God accomplishing great things using the family members and friends of Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church.

What is the purpose of Touched by Fire?
Touched by Fire launches Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church into its next era of ministry. Since the wildfires touched our campus on October 22, 2007, God has launched us on a new trajectory. He has given us a new, compelling vision to rebuild our upper campus facility that brings together 700 adults, children and students who will GATHER for worship, GROW to maturity, GIVE to serve and GO reproduce. Included in our vision is a desire to upgrade the Day Care Center facilities and retire the church debt. The Touched by Fire campaign is a call to prayer and spiritual renewal for everyone connected with RBBC. The purpose of this campaign is to fund this vision so that we can lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Our dream is to become an integral part of God’s plan to transform North County into a community where lives change, leaders thrive, and churches start everywhere. Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church will be a place where people lovingly give by serving the Lord as He leads us. All this equips us to confidently go out into the local and global community to multiply followers of Christ.

How much will it cost?
The scope of the project includes:
· $2.1M to renovate the upper campus structure.
· $300K to replace the contents of upper campus.
· $300K to relocate children’s ministries to the upper campus.
· $50K to renovate & upgrade the landscaping.
· $50K to improve the lower campus facilities.
· $450K to retire the remaining church debt.
------------------------------------------------------
$3.25M is the total cost

· We have $1.5M in assets from our insurance settlement and large gifts.

· The gap between the project cost and the assets we have is $1.75M.

Will we have to borrow money?
We remain committed to funding the vision without taking out a long-term loan. However, we will take out a line of credit in anticipation of pledges coming in at various stages of the project. We will not take out a loan to retire the church debt.

When will construction begin and when is the anticipated completion date?
· Complete construction docs by March 2009.
· Break ground May/June 2009.
· Construction lasts 6 months.
· Move in November/December 2009.

How can I get additional information?
Everyone will receive information about the Touched by Fire campaign through newsletters, daily devotionals, regular updates to the church website, and “HIS” Meetings (Home Information Sessions). Please feel free to contact any of the elders or members of the Touched by Fire steering committee with questions you have now or in the future.

Note: If you are not a regular attender of RBBC and would like to receive our updates via our e-newsletter or by mail, you are welcome to do that! Please let us know how to reach you (email and/or regular mail) by sending your contact info to info@rbbclife.com and note in the subject line "Please add me to TBF lists".

Why is it important that everyone participates in the campaign?
Scripture gives insight that God is pleased when we, as one body, are united in Christ. It is important that each one of us seek God’s will personally. The widow’s offering in the Gospel of Luke 21 teaches us that no gift goes unnoticed by God. And the Apostle Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 9 that God loves a cheerful giver.

God has an individual, specific plan for each one of us, discerned only by individual prayers and participation. This is your opportunity to be part of a corporate effort to help bring the people of our community into an intimate relationship with God. Unique blessings are reserved for those who discover God’s will in this effort and take a step of faith to participate. God’s will for Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church can be accomplished when all of us take this step together.

How will I know how much to give?
First, pray that God would lead you in discerning that amount. He will help you balance generosity with good stewardship of your assets. Second, give yourself permission to do what God leads you to do. Your giving may necessitate giving up something in order to give what you have decided. Be prepared to follow God’s leading in this area of your life. The church will not visit you or give you any guidelines for a suggested amount. It is strictly between you and God.

Should my Touched by Fire commitment affect my regular giving?
Please continue to maintain your regular tithes and offerings throughout the campaign. Your Touched by Fire commitment should be above and beyond your normal giving, so that Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church’s operating budget for ministries will continue to be properly funded throughout this effort.

Can assets other than cash be given?
Yes. Some people may choose to give gifts in the form of stocks, bonds, real estate, insurance cash value, mutual funds, etc.

How will I give my commitment?
Most commitments will be given over the three-year period beginning April 2009 through March 2012. Gifts can be made in whatever time increments works best for you, (weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually). Preferably, write separate checks for your regular offerings and your Touched by Fire commitment. Simply make a note on the memo line regarding the purpose of each check. We are currently researching online giving options to offer very soon.

Will my commitment be made public?
By no means! Whatever you commit is between you and God. The only amount to be announced publicly will be the combined total.

When and where will we make our commitments?
All commitment cards will be mailed to your home. Based on the model David gives us in 1 Chronicles 29:6, the leaders of Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church will make their commitments on March 22. Everyone will be invited to make their three-year commitment on March 29. This commitment is between you and the Lord. Just do what God has put on your heart.

Downloadable PDF File

Thanks for stopping by today and if you would prefer a PDF copy of this fact sheet e-mailed to you, just email us at info@rbbclife.com and in the subject line write "TBF Fact Sheet Request" and we'll get one out to you.

RBBC Blog Team
rbbclife.com

Gather ~ Grow ~ Give ~ Go

"The mission of RBBC is to lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

TBF Fact Sheet Two - Campaign Q and A

2009-03-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Downloadable PDF File Coming Soon

One of the most important aspects of our H.I.S. Meetings was providing an open and safe place for attendees to ask questions that may have not been previously addressed. And our attendees had questions! This Fact Sheet was created to answer questions raised in the first three weeks of meetings. Originally printed and available at the end of March, we now offer for viewing online.

Have a new question? Please feel free to contact us at the church office at info@rbbclife.com and we would be happy to answer it!

Thanking God for tomorrow,

Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor
Jon Watters, Director
Jennifer Homan, Co-Director
Terry Rugg, Co-Director

Why did it take so long for us (RBBC) to get into preparing for the rebuilding?
We wish the preparation process would have gone faster. We’ve been engaged with our architect since January 2008. Typically, it takes much longer to prepare a congregation to rebuild a worship center than it takes a family to restore a home. In checking with other congregations that have rebuilt a building, we’ve found our timeline to be comparable.

Will any of the construction or landscaping be able to be done by the congregation?

All of the work will be awarded by bids. We are open to accepting bids by all licensed contractors. Once we have hired a landscape architect, we may invite people to help with the planting.

Will the components of the project all begin at once? i.e. lower and upper campus.

Depending on the amount of commitments given, we have sequenced the projects in this order: upper campus structure, contents, relocate children's ministry, landscaping, lower campus improvements and retire the church debt.

Do we have a source for the line of credit?

It looks like we will qualify for up to a $750,000 loan through the Baptist General Conference Cornerstone Fund, depending on the amount pledged in the Touched by Fire Campaign.

Does the church have to pay a higher interest rate because it is a line of credit?

The loan we will potentially qualify for through the Baptist General Conference is not a line of credit, so it will not be subject to a higher interest rate.

What is the reasoning behind relocation of the Children’s Ministry first?

Many families have expressed a desire to have their children on the upper campus while they worship. After we complete our new worship center, we are seeking to unify all of our ministries on the same level.

Are there going to be any alternate options for funding? (Bonds, Trusts, etc.) Will there be corporate RBBC fundraising efforts?

We have chosen not to look into alternative funding options yet. We believe that the current campaign will yield all that we will need for the entire project. However, we will consider other options if the campaign commitments fall short of the funds required to complete the building phases of the campaign.

We are uncomfortable asking the corporate community for contributions; however if a corporate entity volunteers financial support for the campaign, it will be graciously accepted.

What happens if we don't meet the $1.7M goal in committed pledges by the end of the year? Does the building still proceed and get completed?

If we fall short of our goals for the building phases of our capital campaign, we will consider other options, as stated above. In that case, the congregation will be consulted with any options that the board feels we should consider. We do, however, feel strongly that God’s provision will provide for these needs within the commitments of the capital campaign.

When will the leadership share how the new building will help outreach? What specific outreaches are being considered when we move into the new building?

When we complete the new building, we hope to introduce new ministry opportunities. An example might be using our expanded kitchen capabilities to provide food for needy families. Or we might open our Wi-Fi enabled café to attract others who have never been on our campus.

Can we as members ask family members who do not attend RBBC to donate to the campaign?

Yes! We would welcome others who share in our vision and feel led to help.

Were we under-insured?

No, the insurance settlement would have restored the building to its original condition. However, we voted as a church to upgrade the building to become a more effective ministry tool. Our insurance agent wrote us a fantastic policy and our insurer has been responsive and generous.

How do we handle the donations or jewelry/securities?

We can accept the gift “as is”. However, if you need to know the value beforehand, you may consider selling the item first and donating the proceeds through your commitment or the “first fruits” offering. We have an established procedure for receiving securities as gifts. Please contact the church office for details.

Where does Del Roger’s fee come from? Is it part of the $1.75M?

The Rogers Company was paid in full last year from the committed rebuilding funds account.

Will it only take 6 months to build the church? What will change in the church structure when we start to rebuild?

Our contractors tell us it will take approximately 6 months to complete the construction. Our new facility will have a more obvious front entrance, an expanded, commercial-like kitchen, an indoor/outdoor café, newly designed worship center and a centralized staff office.

How will we handle the play area if the Children’s Ministry is moved to the upper campus?

While not part of the current campaign, eventually, we would like to build a new play area behind the children's classrooms on the upper campus.

What will relocating children’s ministries to the upper campus look like?

An area adjacent to the new facility will be cleared and prepared for two portable classroom structures. We anticipate that the classrooms will hold 100 children at one time. The children's ministry is one area that we expect to see significant growth after rebuilding the upper campus.

How will the commitment cards be returned? Will it be a public act like walking forward, or by mail?

The leaders will walk forward on March 22 to give their commitment cards in all three services. The rest of the congregation will give their commitments in a similar fashion on Sunday March 29th. For those who will not be in attendance on those dates, they can mail or drop their cards off at the church office.

Can we find out the details about the “financial formula” Pastor Dan described in his sermon recently?

Yes, Talk to Dan one-on-one and he will tell you his story.

Thanks for stopping by today and if you would prefer a PDF copy of this fact sheet e-mailed to you, just email us at info@rbbclife.com and in the subject line write "TBF Fact Sheet Two Request" and we'll get one out to you.

RBBC Blog Team
rbbclife.com

Gather ~ Grow ~ Give ~ Go
"The mission of RBBC is to lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

DVD Viewing Page

2009-03-29T23:18:00.000-07:00

Videos linked to rbbclife.com page:

RBBC Vision Video
http://www.rbbaptist.org/video/Vision-Video.wmv

RBBC HIS Meeting for March 1, 2009
Bible Study #1 with Tom Trotter
http://www.rbbaptist.org/video/TBF-Study-1.wmv

RBBC HIS Meeting for March 8, 2009
Bible Study #2 with Kevin Clark
http://www.rbbaptist.org/video/TBF-Study-2.wmv

RBBC HIS Meeting for March 15, 2009
Bible Study #3 with Tom Byrne
http://www.rbbaptist.org/video/TBF-Study-3.wmv

Alternative viewing options
in case the above links do not work:

RBBC Vision Video

RBBC Touched By Fire Vision Video
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RBBC HIS Meeting for March 1, 2009
Bible Study #1 with Tom Trotter

RBBC TBF HIS Mtg Bible Study One
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RBBC HIS Meeting for March 8, 2009
Bible Study #2 with Kevin Clark

RBBC TBF HIS Mtg Bible Study Two
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RBBC HIS Meeting for March 15, 2009
Bible Study #3 with Tom Byrne

RBBC TBF HIS Mtg Bible Study Three

Women's Ministry Retreat - March 2009

2009-03-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

"The Journey from Feelings to Faith"

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to our highlights page for our recent Women's Retreat at Rancho Capistrano where we were touched by the messages from Carol Hopson and transformed by presence of His Spirit that, without a doubt, was with us the entire weekend.

It was a great weekend and if you'd like to check out the photo gallery posted by our very own *awesome* photographer, Wendy, click on the link below.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=whunter2000&target=ALBUM&id=5316220794951775153&authkey=Gv1sRgCIKt2fvOrf-d8QE&authkey=Gv1sRgCIKt2fvOrf-d8QE&invite=CKiF78oB&feat=email

And since this is a blog page, feel free to post a comment if you were at the retreat and share a special time that YOU experienced. We would love to hear how God touched your heart during our retreat weekend.

Because He Lives,
Suzy Ubry
Women's Ministry &
RBBC Blog Team Member
rbbclife.com

Gather ~ Grow ~ Give ~ Go
"The mission of RBBC is to lead people into a life-changing, growing relationship with Jesus Christ."

FIRESTORM 2007 UPDATE

2008-01-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

We have been incredibly blessed as many people and churches have reached out to us with financial gifts for our building restoration fund and to give relief to fire victims in our community. As of this date, over $60,000 has been given from churches and individuals across the nation. Look for our report on Firestorm 2007 in January 2008. In the meantime, we hope that you are blessed to see the list of churches that have given to us in our time of need.

Westchester Church, Grand Prairie TX ♦ Oak Grove Baptist Church, Nacogdoches TX ♦ Crosswinds Church, Dublin CA ♦ Bridges Christian Fellowship, Riverside CA ♦ Evergreen Church, San Diego CA ♦ NorthBridge Church, Antioch IL ♦ American Baptist Women’s Ministry, San Mateo CA ♦ Grace Baptist Church, Woodbridge VA ♦ Calvary Church of Santa Ana, Santa Ana CA ♦ St Charles Ave Baptist, New Orleans LA ♦ East Side Community Church, Fullerton CA ♦ Missions Hills Church, Greenwood Village CO ♦ Pacific View Baptist Church, Torrance CA ♦ The Crossing Church of S. Lake, Clermont FL ♦ Messiah Lutheran Church, Cypress TX ♦ John Vision Ministry (SWBC)

RBBC e-update for Saturday, November 3, 2007

2007-11-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Church Family,

I drove within a 6 block radius of our church property. I counted 94 homes that have burned to the ground from the fire. Some have begun removing the debris with heavy equipment. There are multiple volunteers sifting through debris at home sites and laying "snakes" of straw on hills to prevent soil erosion. We've spent two Saturdays removing burned out brush and cutting down burned trees.

All of the contents in our main building have been removed, inventoried and evaluated for fire damage. Our worship center is now being gutted by a demolition team of 12 men. They will be working for at least a week to tear out sheet rock, plywood, rugs and fire damaged material. The entire interior of our building will be removed to the studs to facilitate drying and eliminate mold. This is a necessary process that must take place before reconstruction can take place.

It's funny. For the first time I've seen our church as a fire victim. We can't accept help from FEMA or other governmental agencies because we're a church. But even better we are part of a marvelous community of faith. We've received dozens of calls from churches and individuals around the country. They have pledged their support, prayers and financial support to help us through this transitional time. We're humbled and encouraged that we don't have to go through this alone. God is leading us and our brothers and sisters in Christ are behind us!

OUT OF THE ASHES COMES HOPE, BEAUTY AND GOD'S BLESSING!

When I have felt overwhelmed, I have found spiritual strength from Psalm 32:8:
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."

Walking through the Fire with you,
Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor

RBBC e-update for Thursday, November 1, 2007

2007-11-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Church Family,

It's been a week since we evacuated and then were allowed back into the Westwood area of Rancho Bernardo after the Witch Creek Fire came roaring through it on October 22nd. Over 400 homes have been destroyed in the Rancho Bernardo and Poway area.

Our church staff attended a gathering of North County Churches to explore ways that we can better coordinate our relief efforts. Here are things that leaders are learning:
· Treat burned down houses of people with respect and sensitivity; just a week ago it contained their most personal possessions and was their home.
· People struggle to identify their needs when asked; it's overwhelming to tell well-meaning people how they can help.
· People need advocates or sponsors who will track with one family during the full 2-3 year recovery period; To have someone who will help them discover needs and connect them with those who can help is huge!
· Each day of response is equal to 30 days of recovery; the recovery time is always longer than the response times needed to meet people's immediate needs.
· Families who have lost their homes can benefit greatly from a small group, an adult Sunday School class or a bible study group who will adopt them to meet their needs; it takes more than a one individual to meet the needs of a family who has experienced significant financial, emotional or physical loss due to a fire.
· Politely tell people that you don't need all their good ideas; it is impossible to implement all the good ideas that people will suggest on how to help fire victims.
· During the 2-3 year recovery period, keep a pulse on the community's needs; their needs will be very fluid and constantly changing.

Thanks again to every church and everyone who have expressed their concern and support for our church! We have truly valued every email, card, and phone call extending your love to us in the name of Christ! We are accepting financial support for both fire victims in our area and our church facility damaged by the fire. Our best estimates indicate that it will take a year before restoration of our worship center will be completed.

When I think about all that we've been through and all our needs in Southern California, the words of Psalm 68:19 has great meaning to me: "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior who daily bears our burdens."

News:
(1) Our Harvest Festival last night was a great success! 425 families and kids joined a 100 volunteers from our church to enjoy games, food, candy and a great time together. We loved providing neighbors in Rancho Bernardo a time to laugh and enjoy life after a week of stress and tragedy dealing with the fire.
Walking through the Fire with you,
Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor

RBBC e-update for Monday, October 29, 2007

2007-10-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Church Family,

On Saturday evening we breathed a sigh of relief! We were ready! God had helped us complete the two day cleaning efforts of our temporary worship facility. Over a hundred volunteers worked tirelessly distributing bottled water, cleaning supplies and boxed meals into the neighborhood. They also rearranged chairs, power-washed patio areas, cleared fire-blackened scrubs, cleaned restrooms, threw out clutter and assisted the ServePro crews.

I was up again at 3 AM to let the CNN camera crew into our fire-damaged auditorium on our upper campus. They were conducting live filming and interviews for their “Faces of Faith” Sunday program airing on the East Coast. I did my interview at 4:50 AM before Tim Nellis, our Student Ministries Pastor, did one with his youth who had helped with our relief efforts in Rancho Bernardo.

Our 9:00 and 10:30 AM Sunday services were great! It was a little intimidating for us having it taped by CNN, CBS radio and ABC news. But God helped us to relax and be ourselves in spite of all the media attention. There were lots of live and taped interviews by CNN and other network affiliates throughout the day. We weren’t pros but it got easier after a while. Our volunteers did a great job providing lunch at 11:30 AM for guests and everyone who came! Our Adult Gathering leaders reported great times of sharing stories and praying together.

Our schedule is full this week dealing with more clean-up, the Harvest Festival, relief work and meetings with area churches coordinating aid. We're rookies at all this but we’re trying to think ahead on how to serve and love the community of Rancho Bernardo. We feel honored that God would choose us to represent Him at this unique time!

Thanks for partnering with us in these ministries through your prayers and support! We have read and treasured every email and phone call that we have received! Thank you for extending your love and support to us at RBBC! We know we couldn’t do this without you and our partnership together for the cause of Christ!

I was encouraged by this verse. I wondered how many of us have experienced this truth in southern California: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” - Psalm 50:15

Walking through the Fire with you,

Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor
Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church

RBBC e-update for Saturday, October 27, 2007

2007-10-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Church Family,

I tried to get up early to answer emails and take phone calls. When I arrived at church, our relief center was already in full-swing with an assortment of supplies: bottled water, cleaning supplies, packaged snacks, a photocopy machine, Starbucks coffee and more! I was proud of our church wanting to do whatever it takes to serve the Westwood area of Rancho Bernardo.

One person heard about what we were doing and gave $100 to buy lunch for all our volunteers. We directed many to the FEMA center down at the park a mile away. One family that had no insurance left their kids for our volunteers to watch while they cleaned their home. I counted over 28 homes within a three block radius that had burned to the ground with only their chimneys standing. Other volunteers worked hard to power-wash our tile roof, remove unwanted clutter and getting our chairs ready for ServePro to clean.

I was tired today. I think the week is taking its toll. I’m so grateful that I’m part of our church family! They give from their hearts to serve the fire victims of our area. When I read this verse, I could almost feel God’s arms lifting us up: “Do no fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10.

Bill Griffin was on Fox News last night giving a report on the homes lost in his neighborhood and the impact of the fire on our church. Our facilities manager did a great job in the 5 minute piece.

Walking through the Fire with you,
Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor

RBBC e-update for Friday, October 26, 2007

2007-10-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

A Message from Pastor Dan Maxton

Dear Friends and Church Family,

I woke up this morning to the sound of helicopters flying over Rancho Bernardo. The smell of smoke was still in the air but the sun was shinning yellow now, not orange. The evacuation of the Westwood area was lifted at 12:35 PM allowing us to return to our church facility. Within minutes, we had put our makeshift banner over our church sign reading, "Free water, snacks, photocopying." We're putting together a relief station. I did two newspaper interviews over the phone and Tim Nellis, our student ministries pastor, delivered a great TV interview with CBN. Look for him on the 700 club!

I met and thanked the four firemen who saved our church facility from the fire: William Chamberlain, Robert Garcia, Robert Macy and Jorge Ybarra. I shook their hands and called them my heroes. We owe a lot to them and all our policemen and firemen who are saving our homes and communities.

I read this verse and smiled, "Because he loves me," says the Lord. "I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." - Psalm 92:14.

Most everyone has now returned to their homes. The generosity of people in our community is great. Please contact us if we can help you!

Walking through the Fire with you,

Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor
Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church

Fire Update

2007-10-25T10:39:00.001-07:00

From Tim Nellis - Student Ministries Pastor

Sorry it took so long for this post to get up, free wifi has been hard to come by the last few days.

Dan and I were able to play the 'pastor card' to get onto our church campus with our insurance adjusters.
It was really erie driving into this silent neighborhood where complete devistation had just taken place. Very different from driving down to San Diego the first time after the fires started. When I drove down on Tuesday I felt overwhelmed with this impending sense of doom. With the black clouds billowing, it was kind of like I was entering the land of Mordor with Frodo and Sam.
But when I drove through this neighborhood, it was just sad, not scarry, just sad.
Walking into the sanctuary of our church was crazy. So much of it was standing and there, and then I saw the stage:

I just taught on this stage 2 weeks ago and now it's gone.
But there is good news! All of our offices were untouched, all papers, books, and computers were dry and undamaged! Oh yea, except mine. My office got got jacked up. I have a skylight above my desk, a complete set of shakespears works (from the mid 1800's)- special waterlogged edition, and a slightly messier than normal desk:

We walked around the church and saw that God had incredible grace and mercy on this place. There were multiple places where the fire burned all the way up to the building and just stopped.

I think this is the first time where I personally feel an incredible debt of gratitude to our police men and fire fighters. They are aaamazing! 9/11 was too far removed for me to really feal the impact of it, but after this experience, I seriously want to seek out these men and woman to thank them.

I really don't know what else to say at this point, there's too much going on.
RBBC is setting up a crisis center for our neighborhood (the neighborhood should re-open today). If you want to help you can go to our Web sight rbbaptist.org and give your donations to the place you feel lead.

The way the church is coming together in this time of crisis is awesome. I was so proud to be part of our team last night. A table full of people (some whose house had burned down) coming up with incedible ideas about how to serve others. It was christians being christian. It was beautiful...

I can't write any more right now, but I will as soon as possible.
Despite what it looks like and how it feels, God is here.

RBBC e-update for Thursday, October 25, 2007

2007-10-25T09:16:00.001-07:00

A Message from Pastor Dan Maxton

Dear Immediate and Extended Church Family of RBBC,

I drove down the I-15 from Temecula on Wednesday into an ominous blanket of smoke. The sun appeared as a bright orange ball. The landscaped was blackened on either side of the highway showing the destruction of what is being called the largest wildfire in San Diego. When I passed Rancho Bernardo, I glanced over the blackened hole in our roof from the fire on Monday.

I claimed this promise for our church and community: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares The Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11

We continue to receive reports that people have found shelter and are beginning to return to their homes. You all are in our prayers as we make plans to serve our communities, prepare for Sunday worship and move into the future. Many RBBC-ers are offering their homes for anyone who needs a place to stay. Please contact us if we can help you!

Regular online updates will continue to be sent to keep you informed. Please log onto our web site at www.rbbaptist.org for additional information. Please forward or download these messages to those who are interested.

Walking through the Fire with you,
Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor
Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church

RBBC e-update for Tuesday, October 23

2007-10-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

A Message from Pastor Dan Maxton:

Dear Immediate and Extended Church Family of RBBC,

The 60 mph Santa Ana winds had been howling all night! I was awakened by the phone ringing at 4:30 AM on Monday, "Get ready to evacuate! The fire is coming!" Sharon was in Argentina so I was alone. I scrambled to grab important documents, family pictures and a change of clothes. I crossed the bridge over I-15 to see if the church facility was alright only to be turned back by a shower of sparks that swept across the road. I felt a little panicked as I joined the long line of cars heading south on I-15 out of Rancho Bernardo. I've heard similar stories of escape. I thought of these words of comfort, "When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel your Savior" - Isaiah 43:2b-3 (NIV)

Our hearts are filled with love and concern for each of you! We are praying for you and our communities in southern California during these fire storms. We have many RBBC-ers who are eager and willing to help if you need support of any kind!

Regular online updates: We will try to keep you updated about our church family and community through email and on our website at www.rbbaptist.org. Please forward or download these messages to those who are wanting to stay connected.

Walking through the Fire with you,
Dan Maxton, Lead Pastor
Rancho Bernardo Baptist Church