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Speaker: I want to say thank
you, Steve Staten, wherever you

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are for all the hard work you've
put to get this process rolling.

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I also want to say thank
you to the LA church.

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We have a number of elders from the
Los Angeles, please stand up so we

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can reckon and deacons and deacons.

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I see deacons.

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Thank you very much.

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Multiple regions here to
support and to share in this

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historic moment with you today.

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Two men, Ron Richman and Kenny
Barber are being appointed

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shepherds in God's kingdom.

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But wait, there will be more, but not yet.

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Two for today, shepherds in God's flock.

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This is a role that has
been incredibly significant.

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Among God's people for thousands of
years, for thousands of years, God has

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worked through shepherds, through elders
to protect his people, to heal his

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people, to train and teach and prepare
his people for the challenges they would

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face in this life so that they could
be with the father in the next life.

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And God used shepherds.

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They provided wisdom and spiritual
direction for the community of God.

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They were charged with
protecting the community of God.

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They were charged with caring
for the needs of the people

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in the community of God.

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Because they have such a significant
role in His plan for humankind.

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That he was very cautious about who
would be a shepherd in God's people.

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Who would be, who can be, an
elder in the community of God.

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Paul told Timothy, when it was time
to appoint elders in the church,

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which was something entirely new.

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Because previously, they had all been,
the community was Jews, and they knew God.

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But now all of a sudden the church
had started spread and it was full of

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Gentiles and full of people with different
cultures from different languages.

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And there were many more needs.

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And so there was a great need for
shepherds of that new community.

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And it was incredibly important
that they would be men who could

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deal with a diversity of issues
and challenges for all people from

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all backgrounds in all languages.

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from all nations.

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And so Paul told Timothy that they are to
be above reproach, faithful to his wife,

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temperate, self controlled, respectable,
hospitable, able to teach, not given to

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drunkenness, not violent, but gentle,
not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

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He must manage his own family well
and see that his children obey him.

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And he must do so in a manner worthy.

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of full respect.

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Anyone does not, anyone who does not
know how to manage his own family,

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how can he take care of God's church?

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He must not be a recent convert,
or he may become conceited and fall

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into the same judgment as the devil.

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He must also have a good reputation
with outsiders so that he will not fall

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into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

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And he told Titus, an elder must
be blameless, faithful to his wife

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and a man whose children believe
and who are not open to the charge

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of being wild and disobedient.

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Since an overseer manages God's household,
he must be blameless, not overbearing, not

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quick tempered, not given to drunkenness,
not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

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Rather, he must be hospitable.

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One who loves what is good, who
is self-controlled, upright,

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wholly, and disciplined.

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He must hold firmly to the trustworthy
message as it has been taught so

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that he can encourage others by sound
doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

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God was preparing a community that
would have to deal with all the

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challenges of the Greco-Roman world.

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Yes, a world in major transition, a world
is shifting culturally and socially,

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but not just that world for the next 20
centuries and who knows how many more

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centuries to deal with all the world
would dish out in the shifts and the

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pools and the tides and the ups and
the downs and the challenges and the

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influences that the world would try to
exert on God's community to protect them.

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To guide them through the many,
many challenges they would face.

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And therefore, he sent Timothy
and Titus to finish the work.

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Meaning he had already sent out
evangelists to preach the gospel

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and to advance the kingdom.

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But now you have a church and
it has to be taken care of.

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And it has to grow and be healthy
and thrive and shine so that

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it can be a light to the world.

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And that's not an easy thing.

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Because we are constantly
in this spiritual battle.

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We are constantly under attack by Satan.

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And we are, we are hurt by those outside.

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We are hurt by ourselves.

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We hurt ourselves sometimes.

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And there is a great need for godly
shepherds to take care of this church.

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And so, these instructions that
we were given are the instructions

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we used to choose these men.

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These are the men that you have called
on, that you have recognized and

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approved to be appointed as shepherds.

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Now a shepherd and elder is a man, but
we know that there's no righteous man

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or ever going to be righteous without
a righteous woman helping him along.

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And part of the wisdom of elders is
they know that they're not getting

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anywhere without their wives saying,
honey, don't you think we should pray?

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Don't you think we should ask
directions on how to get there?

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Don't you think we should get some advice

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in their loving, humble,
but powerful ways?

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Guiding their husbands, as
somebody once said, he may be

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the head, but she's the neck.

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So I would like to ask We're going to
recognize the wives of these men first.

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I would like to ask Becky and Karina and
Lisa and Julie to come on up on the stage.

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Speaker 2: She's learning.

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What a great day.

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Thank you everyone for coming.

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Um, all the elders and their wives
that drove so far, I'm so grateful.

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We feel so supported.

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We feel so encouraged by your prayers.

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And you, you were in the
battle with us as we searched.

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For God to reveal who would
these, who this couple would be.

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So I'm here to share about Lisa Richmond.

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And

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Thank you.

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Yeah.

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I don't know if many of you know our
story, but it didn't start off great.

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But it has ended great, right?

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Yes.

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Lisa is a noble woman.

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And I'm so proud of her.

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If you have an opportunity to be her
friend, she will love you forever.

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She calls you when you least expect.

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She cries with you.

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She prays with you.

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She encourages her husband.

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She encourages her
children, her grandchildren.

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She served her father until his last day.

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She's a great example of
what a noble woman is.

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I'm so proud of you.

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I am grateful to have you by my side.

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With their arms up in
prayer for our congregation.

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I know you and Ron will do amazing things.

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I know Ron can't do this without you.

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And I love you a lot.

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Speaker 6: In 1 Timothy 3, 11, it's
talking about the elders and the

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deacons and it says, In the same way
the women are to be worthy of respect,

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not malicious talkers, but temperate,
and trustworthy in everything.

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Oh, I'm getting emotional.

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Sorry.

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Um,

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worthy of respect.

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I feel like that's Julie.

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From the moment we've been here, I have
seen young children, preteens, teens,

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older women, men, men of all ages.

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Respect Julie.

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She is wise.

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She is hardworking.

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She is kind and gentle.

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Temperate or self controlled.

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I've never talked to Julie.

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She has this gentle, soothing voice.

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She asks all the right
questions in all the right ways.

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She tilts her head a little
bit, makes it a little softer.

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She is a woman of deep convictions.

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It's not just how she
communicates, but it's her life.

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Her life communicates
a life of self control.

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You live righteously, you're devoted
to God, and following all of His ways.

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Trustworthy in everything,
and I mean everything.

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Julie does everything.

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She helps with the children's ministry.

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She just volunteered to serve as
a children's ministry coordinator.

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Um, she serves in just about every
rotation of children's ministry already.

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She helps with the shepherding classes.

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She helps with mental health classes.

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She helps with grief recovery.

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Um, Julie, you have been So helpful
to me personally and to the church.

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It's a little gift for you, but
you are definitely worthy of this.

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And I know that together with
Kenny, I know he, I know you

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will be of great support to him.

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Speaker: Elders are a
sacred role in the church.

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In God's community.

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There's three different words
that we run into in scripture that

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describe them in Greek Presbyteros,
which is the presbyter, the elder,

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simply put, they're the old guys.

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This isn't their first rodeo.

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They've been around the block a few times.

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It's not just the years, it's the miles.

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And they're the ones that can
just nod their head and go,

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yeah, I know why you're mad.

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I get it.

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You know, they're the ones who are
able to rise above the angst and

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the fear and the frustration and
the anger and the emotionalism that

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we all wrestle with as a community.

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They are the Episcopal, the overseers.

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They oversee things, they just
make sure everything's going well.

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It's funny how in, in my family
this weekend with everybody there,

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grandkids, kids and Michelle's parents,
automatically, we all look to her dad,

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what did, when we have to decide what
movie to watch, . And he just makes sure

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he is taking us all out for lunch and.

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And we know him, he's not going
to let anybody pay, he's just

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going to pull out the card.

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He's just oversees the family.

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And it's wonderful, and the minute he
steps out of the room, everybody looks

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at me, and it falls on my shoulders.

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And it's just the way it is, there's
just the Presbyters, the elders, the

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Episcopoi, they're the dads in the church.

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To make sure everybody's taken care of.

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To make sure we don't forget somebody.

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We don't forget a ministry.

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We don't, we don't forget to think
about this group and to keep us ministry

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evangelists thinking of everybody
and remembering that the church is

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not just the army of God, but it's
the family of God and complete with

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grandparents, children, and grandchildren.

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And we want to get everybody
to be with God forever.

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That's the mission.

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Amen.

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Church.

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They are the Poyman, the shepherds, the
ones who watch over the flock and deal

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with false doctrines and divisive people
and errant leaders and errant members.

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And they're the ones that have, that love
to take care of the ministry staff, but

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also the courage to challenge ministry
staff, to take care of the whole flock.

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They're the caretakers.

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They're the shepherds.

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They watch over the flock
and everybody's in it.

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They embody so much of Psalm 23.

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The Lord is my shepherd.

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I lack nothing.

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He makes me lie down in green pastures.

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You ever wonder why it
says he makes me lie down?

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He leads me by quiet waters.

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He refreshes my soul and shows me the
paths of righteousness for his namesake.

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And even though I walk through the valley
of shadow and uncertainty, and I don't

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know where we're meeting next week or
what's going on, I fear no evil for you

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are with me and your rod and your staff.

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They protect me.

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You even appoint a table in
the presence of my enemies and

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you anoint my head with oils

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and my cup overflows.

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Surely goodness and love will follow
me all the days of my life and I

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even I Will dwell in the house of
the Lord forever and ever and ever.

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That's the mission.

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Amen.

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That's what shepherds, that's
what elders make sure we do.

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Make sure the church does.

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Make sure that we stay on point.

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It was a very, very important
role in the early church.

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Working with the evangelists, working
with the teachers, working with the

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prophets, working with all the different
roles that were advancing and spreading

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the gospel and building up the church
and baptizing people to make sure we

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stayed on point and stayed on the path.

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In Ephesians 4 he says, So Christ himself
gave the apostles, the prophets, the

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evangelists, the pastors, and teachers to
equip his people for works of service so

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that the body of Christ may be built up.

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00:17:36,075 --> 00:17:39,385
So we can be strong in
every one of those roles.

237
00:17:39,385 --> 00:17:43,055
The apostles, which today are like
evangelists who plant churches.

238
00:17:43,660 --> 00:17:47,060
They're the ones that started new
things that spread the gospel out there.

239
00:17:47,250 --> 00:17:50,940
And there's a whole lot more
people in Orange County that

240
00:17:50,940 --> 00:17:52,809
need to hear the gospel.

241
00:17:54,310 --> 00:17:55,640
They desperately need it.

242
00:17:56,150 --> 00:18:00,350
And the prophets Who was
willing to preach God's word.

243
00:18:00,350 --> 00:18:03,970
They're not out trying to figure out
what is the world want or what do people

244
00:18:03,970 --> 00:18:05,400
want or even what is the church want?

245
00:18:05,619 --> 00:18:07,960
They're in charge with what does God want.

246
00:18:08,970 --> 00:18:13,330
Because they know better than anybody that
the best way to do anything is God's way.

247
00:18:14,469 --> 00:18:17,899
Always seek the Lord first.

248
00:18:18,719 --> 00:18:20,609
And everything else will fall in place.

249
00:18:21,449 --> 00:18:27,465
And the evangelist who spread the good
news, not the bad news, the good news.

250
00:18:27,465 --> 00:18:27,915
Amen.

251
00:18:29,115 --> 00:18:35,645
Of Jesus Christ, the good news that
we can all be forgiven of our sins.

252
00:18:36,135 --> 00:18:38,405
That doesn't matter how much you blew it.

253
00:18:39,454 --> 00:18:40,494
You can be forgiven

254
00:18:43,034 --> 00:18:44,704
and you too can make it.

255
00:18:46,205 --> 00:18:50,415
And spread that good news and the
teachers who helped to train and equip

256
00:18:50,475 --> 00:18:52,815
and help us understand how do we grow?

257
00:18:52,985 --> 00:18:55,335
How do we grow in being formed in Christ?

258
00:18:55,945 --> 00:18:58,325
How do we place the
scriptures in our hearts?

259
00:18:58,474 --> 00:18:59,965
How do we live that out?

260
00:19:00,724 --> 00:19:04,045
The rest of that Matthew 28, go and make
disciples, baptize them in the name of the

261
00:19:04,045 --> 00:19:09,965
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and teach them
to practice everything he taught us to do.

262
00:19:11,715 --> 00:19:13,655
And he would be with us
forever and ever and ever.

263
00:19:14,900 --> 00:19:22,430
And lastly, the pastors, that's the
elders, the shepherds that would watch

264
00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:26,050
over us, take care of us and make sure.

265
00:19:26,050 --> 00:19:30,419
And we know, we know from
experience, the church will not

266
00:19:30,419 --> 00:19:35,470
be healthy without this whole team
in play, without the evangelists

267
00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,360
and the elders working together.

268
00:19:37,860 --> 00:19:39,750
And even some teachers is good for us.

269
00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:47,220
Keeping us on point and the
deacons all doing their part and

270
00:19:47,220 --> 00:19:49,120
he tells us why we need all this.

271
00:19:50,299 --> 00:19:55,940
We, so that we all reach unity in the
faith and in the knowledge of the son of

272
00:19:55,980 --> 00:20:03,950
God and become mature, attaining to the
whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

273
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:06,940
Boy, that's a mouthful.

274
00:20:07,859 --> 00:20:08,890
What does that mean?

275
00:20:09,519 --> 00:20:14,979
Attain the whole measure
of the fullness of Christ.

276
00:20:16,479 --> 00:20:18,040
It's that promise Jesus made.

277
00:20:18,649 --> 00:20:20,530
Life to the full.

278
00:20:21,269 --> 00:20:23,590
Even though he knew this
world would be all messed up.

279
00:20:25,149 --> 00:20:26,969
But you could still have life to the full.

280
00:20:26,969 --> 00:20:29,570
Not just in the life to
come, but in this life.

281
00:20:30,689 --> 00:20:33,919
And no matter what Satan deals out to us.

282
00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,580
No matter what happens
to us in this world.

283
00:20:36,610 --> 00:20:38,479
And horrible things happen in this world.

284
00:20:39,580 --> 00:20:43,510
We could still have life to the full.

285
00:20:44,879 --> 00:20:52,070
And that's why he gave us this team to
help us and to train us so that why,

286
00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:58,620
and that's not even the end of the goal
so that we can do works of service for

287
00:20:58,620 --> 00:21:06,070
the Lord so that we can be the light
of the world that sits in darkness so

288
00:21:06,070 --> 00:21:13,800
that we Can be the pioneer spreading the
gospel so that we can help our Children

289
00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:21,329
and our families and our neighbors and
our co workers and our co students so

290
00:21:21,330 --> 00:21:27,190
that we even with all our faults and
weaknesses could bring God's good news

291
00:21:27,190 --> 00:21:30,030
to everybody and to help everybody.

292
00:21:30,815 --> 00:21:35,365
And the results, he says, then we
will no longer be infants tossed back

293
00:21:35,365 --> 00:21:39,905
and forth by the waves blown here
and there by every wind of teaching

294
00:21:40,184 --> 00:21:43,615
and by the cunning and craftiness of
people and their deceitful scheming.

295
00:21:44,275 --> 00:21:47,374
We live in a time where there's
a lot of tossing back and forth.

296
00:21:48,684 --> 00:21:51,755
There's a lot of forces out there
trying to influence our minds

297
00:21:51,755 --> 00:21:56,485
and our hearts to divide us, to
separate us, to fill us with fear.

298
00:21:58,415 --> 00:21:59,745
To protect us, he said.

299
00:22:00,215 --> 00:22:06,254
Instead, speaking the truth in love,
we will grow to become in every respect

300
00:22:06,554 --> 00:22:08,815
the mature body of him who is the head.

301
00:22:09,225 --> 00:22:10,264
That is Christ.

302
00:22:12,054 --> 00:22:17,945
From him, the whole body, joined and
held together by every supporting

303
00:22:17,945 --> 00:22:24,304
ligament, grows and builds itself up
in love as each part does its work.

304
00:22:27,174 --> 00:22:28,304
That's us, guys.

305
00:22:29,165 --> 00:22:30,074
That's us.

306
00:22:31,085 --> 00:22:33,014
And shepherds, that's you.

307
00:22:33,944 --> 00:22:34,764
That's you.

308
00:22:35,665 --> 00:22:36,475
That's you.

309
00:22:36,985 --> 00:22:37,804
To help us.

310
00:22:37,935 --> 00:22:38,625
That's you.

311
00:22:39,525 --> 00:22:41,274
To help us get there.

312
00:22:42,015 --> 00:22:43,414
And we need your help.

313
00:22:44,374 --> 00:22:46,344
We need help as a people.

314
00:22:46,725 --> 00:22:48,975
What a fantastic vision for the church.

315
00:22:49,985 --> 00:22:55,404
And yet, today, is a significant
step in that direction.

316
00:22:56,155 --> 00:23:01,844
And the truth is, we need more men and
we will have more men who rise up and

317
00:23:01,855 --> 00:23:05,585
take that charge to lead and to serve.

318
00:23:06,085 --> 00:23:07,654
And that's coming, but not just men.

319
00:23:07,655 --> 00:23:14,005
We need more women to rise up and take the
charge to serve and to help this church

320
00:23:14,155 --> 00:23:16,415
be healthy and be a light to the world.

321
00:23:17,065 --> 00:23:18,625
We need that.

322
00:23:18,675 --> 00:23:22,175
And God is moving forward and praise God.

323
00:23:22,690 --> 00:23:25,299
For doing so because he loves us.

324
00:23:26,859 --> 00:23:31,929
And I know we've, we've struggled with a
vision for who and what is Orange County.

325
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:33,889
God hasn't struggled.

326
00:23:34,709 --> 00:23:40,810
He knows exactly who you are and he loves
you and cherishes you and can't wait

327
00:23:40,819 --> 00:23:42,810
for your light to shine brighter still.

328
00:23:43,929 --> 00:23:46,190
And today's a big step in that process.

329
00:23:46,739 --> 00:23:49,960
I would like Ron and Kenny
to come on up and Marcel.

330
00:23:52,284 --> 00:23:53,465
Let's appoint these men.

331
00:24:20,035 --> 00:24:20,845
Come up here, Ron.

332
00:24:21,495 --> 00:24:23,685
First Ron, then we'll do Kenny.

333
00:24:26,985 --> 00:24:27,994
Let me tell you about Ron.

334
00:24:29,075 --> 00:24:29,885
Here's his bio.

335
00:24:31,645 --> 00:24:33,574
Born in New York City.

336
00:24:33,575 --> 00:24:37,904
1961.

337
00:24:38,385 --> 00:24:39,575
He's a Presbyterian.

338
00:24:39,645 --> 00:24:40,375
He's old.

339
00:24:41,985 --> 00:24:43,475
One of three children.

340
00:24:43,475 --> 00:24:43,539
Children.

341
00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,010
His older sister, Betsy Edmonds, is
probably here somewhere this morning.

342
00:24:47,010 --> 00:24:47,960
There she is over there.

343
00:24:50,510 --> 00:24:54,839
Went to Duke University,
where he graduated with a

344
00:24:54,839 --> 00:24:56,909
BA in biochemistry in 1983.

345
00:24:59,810 --> 00:25:01,780
I almost said 63, but that
would have made him two.

346
00:25:03,770 --> 00:25:09,000
He then graduated from the University of
North Carolina Medical School in 1988.

347
00:25:09,750 --> 00:25:12,319
He decided to specialize
in family practice.

348
00:25:12,935 --> 00:25:18,395
and went to Akron, Ohio for residency,
finishing his training in 1991.

349
00:25:19,004 --> 00:25:23,565
God was serving and opened a door for
him to work as a traveling physician

350
00:25:23,885 --> 00:25:28,125
for two years, working in six to
eight week stints across the country.

351
00:25:28,784 --> 00:25:31,885
It was during this time
that the Lord moved.

352
00:25:32,375 --> 00:25:36,055
It was during this time that
he was invited to church

353
00:25:36,065 --> 00:25:38,105
in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

354
00:25:38,105 --> 00:25:42,075
For He studied the Bible there,
but God had further plans.

355
00:25:42,075 --> 00:25:46,085
And so his next assignment was
here in Los Angeles, where he

356
00:25:46,085 --> 00:25:47,875
was baptized by Mike Stefan.

357
00:25:47,875 --> 00:25:50,384
I think Mike's around here
somewhere right over there.

358
00:25:52,845 --> 00:25:57,975
And Henry Kramer in November 1st, 1992.

359
00:25:58,925 --> 00:26:03,325
The following summer, Ron was asked
to move to orange County to help form

360
00:26:03,325 --> 00:26:05,215
a medical professionals ministry.

361
00:26:05,455 --> 00:26:05,985
Here in O.

362
00:26:05,985 --> 00:26:06,455
C.

363
00:26:07,065 --> 00:26:10,785
Coincidentally, Lisa, then
Gardner, moved to Orange County

364
00:26:10,805 --> 00:26:12,655
as well from the East region.

365
00:26:13,155 --> 00:26:19,424
Lisa was baptized in 1982 in the
Plantation Church in Florida by none

366
00:26:19,425 --> 00:26:21,045
other than Bruce and Robin Williams.

367
00:26:21,065 --> 00:26:25,715
One year after her mother, Joyce
Dilley, was baptized in the same church.

368
00:26:26,575 --> 00:26:29,975
Ron and Lisa were soon married in 1994.

369
00:26:30,275 --> 00:26:33,415
And raised up Evelyn and
Andrew here in this church.

370
00:26:35,975 --> 00:26:39,825
Evelyn married a wonderful
disciple, Christian Bolaños, who

371
00:26:39,825 --> 00:26:41,535
grew up in the San Diego church.

372
00:26:42,255 --> 00:26:45,964
And they just had their second child.

373
00:26:46,305 --> 00:26:51,244
First Finn and Mavis, Mavis, Mavis

374
00:26:51,245 --> 00:26:51,515
Speaker 7: Roe.

375
00:26:51,555 --> 00:26:52,074
She's back there.

376
00:26:52,385 --> 00:26:52,904
She is a

377
00:26:52,905 --> 00:26:53,265
Speaker: man.

378
00:26:54,535 --> 00:26:59,965
I know Ron actually met Ron when
I was leading hope worldwide and

379
00:26:59,965 --> 00:27:02,395
I was so impressed by Ron's heart.

380
00:27:03,755 --> 00:27:11,784
Because as much as God blessed him, he
was so concerned about the poor and he

381
00:27:11,784 --> 00:27:14,085
was so concerned about helping people.

382
00:27:15,055 --> 00:27:20,344
And he was concerned that hope
worldwide be run righteously

383
00:27:21,144 --> 00:27:22,824
and be done the right way.

384
00:27:23,364 --> 00:27:29,225
And I was very, very impressed by Ron and
I felt so blessed later to be able to come

385
00:27:29,225 --> 00:27:31,215
and work with you here in Orange County.

386
00:27:31,935 --> 00:27:35,345
And us to be coworkers
in God's kingdom here.

387
00:27:36,075 --> 00:27:37,165
And I'm super proud.

388
00:27:37,165 --> 00:27:37,705
I know.

389
00:27:37,705 --> 00:27:42,534
And I hear from so many disciples,
how you've impacted them, how you have

390
00:27:42,534 --> 00:27:48,335
been a rock in the midst of many storms
here, and you have been rock solid.

391
00:27:49,425 --> 00:27:52,055
You are a shepherd of God's people.

392
00:27:52,514 --> 00:27:58,125
And today we have the privilege to
recognize that and appoint you an elder.

393
00:27:58,965 --> 00:28:00,524
So I have some gifts here.

394
00:28:02,225 --> 00:28:04,815
First of all, a shepherd's rod.

395
00:28:08,145 --> 00:28:09,205
So we don't show up.

396
00:28:14,215 --> 00:28:19,275
A shepherd's rod is to protect
and defend God's people.

397
00:28:20,095 --> 00:28:21,615
As a good shepherd does.

398
00:28:22,504 --> 00:28:27,195
You are to fight the lion,
the wolf, and the bear.

399
00:28:27,935 --> 00:28:29,235
And they do show up.

400
00:28:30,205 --> 00:28:34,585
You are to keep the church
protected from false doctrines.

401
00:28:34,895 --> 00:28:39,295
From sin and Satan's attacks
from without and from within.

402
00:28:40,295 --> 00:28:41,895
You are given that charge.

403
00:28:42,685 --> 00:28:43,724
I also have

404
00:28:47,055 --> 00:28:54,445
oil from Jerusalem scented with
frankincense and myrrh and oil.

405
00:28:56,765 --> 00:29:02,485
Is representative of the Holy spirit
and representative of healing.

406
00:29:04,110 --> 00:29:09,639
As we just heard in Psalm 23, the
Lord anoints us with perfumed oils,

407
00:29:10,090 --> 00:29:15,600
and I give you this oil to heal and
to anoint the Orange County Church.

408
00:29:22,380 --> 00:29:23,499
And I have another gift.

409
00:29:23,500 --> 00:29:28,510
This is the shofar.

410
00:29:30,810 --> 00:29:31,790
This is a shofar.

411
00:29:32,439 --> 00:29:34,399
We'll have to get Malcolm
to come up here and play it.

412
00:29:35,780 --> 00:29:41,230
The shofar has two
major symbolic gestures.

413
00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:45,830
One, it was used to call
God's people into battle.

414
00:29:47,010 --> 00:29:49,789
And you are to call us
to fight the good fight.

415
00:29:51,170 --> 00:29:53,410
Help us in this battle.

416
00:29:53,980 --> 00:29:57,960
Number two, it was also used
to call God's people to prayer.

417
00:29:58,540 --> 00:29:59,780
To the times of prayer.

418
00:30:00,615 --> 00:30:03,775
To get on their knees, to
humble themselves before the

419
00:30:03,775 --> 00:30:05,805
Lord, and to pray to him.

420
00:30:06,025 --> 00:30:11,825
And you are to call us to prayer, that the
church be a house of prayer for the Lord.

421
00:30:16,455 --> 00:30:20,405
I give you, I give you this charge.

422
00:30:21,105 --> 00:30:22,445
It's the charge of Peter.

423
00:30:22,495 --> 00:30:27,105
He wrote, Be a shepherd of God's
flock that is under your care.

424
00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:33,960
And watch over them, not because you must,
but because you are willing as God wants

425
00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:40,020
you to be not pursuing dishonest gain,
but eager to serve, not lording it over

426
00:30:40,030 --> 00:30:46,470
those entrusted to you, but being examples
to the flock so that when the chief

427
00:30:46,510 --> 00:30:51,760
shepherd appears, you will receive the
crown of glory that will never fade away.

428
00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,420
I give you these gifts,
and I give you this charge.

429
00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:58,770
Do you accept?

430
00:31:01,310 --> 00:31:01,860
I do.

431
00:31:22,180 --> 00:31:24,420
Speaker 4: I want to
introduce to you Kenny Barber.

432
00:31:27,090 --> 00:31:30,430
Kenny has been married 29 years to Julie.

433
00:31:30,860 --> 00:31:33,200
They have two daughters,
Courtney and Kelsey.

434
00:31:35,190 --> 00:31:37,670
Kenny was born and raised
in the Washington D.

435
00:31:37,670 --> 00:31:37,960
C.

436
00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,040
metropolitan area, also DMV.

437
00:31:43,430 --> 00:31:46,270
He did want me to mention
that he is younger than Ron.

438
00:31:50,110 --> 00:31:55,890
Kenny received, Kenny received his
bachelor's degree from Townsend

439
00:31:55,890 --> 00:31:59,800
State University, has been working
at, and has a career in the

440
00:31:59,810 --> 00:32:01,990
informational technology management.

441
00:32:02,730 --> 00:32:07,740
Kenny has been a Christian for 30 years
this month and has spent the last 28

442
00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:09,820
years here in Southern California.

443
00:32:11,310 --> 00:32:14,440
Kenny was converted as a
Christian in the Baltimore church.

444
00:32:15,210 --> 00:32:16,870
He has been part of the Baltimore.

445
00:32:17,265 --> 00:32:17,865
The Metro L.

446
00:32:17,865 --> 00:32:18,584
A.

447
00:32:18,585 --> 00:32:21,485
Region and Orange County
Ministries in our fellowship.

448
00:32:22,355 --> 00:32:24,525
Kenny is a staple here in the O.

449
00:32:24,525 --> 00:32:24,845
C.

450
00:32:24,875 --> 00:32:25,445
Church.

451
00:32:26,135 --> 00:32:31,195
And has been a part of our North OC core
group leadership group for over, uh,

452
00:32:31,215 --> 00:32:35,865
for over a decade and currently leads a
small group here in North Orange County.

453
00:32:36,255 --> 00:32:41,475
He has led the chemical recovery and
disciples in motion classes and recently

454
00:32:41,495 --> 00:32:43,375
our shepherding classes as well.

455
00:32:44,225 --> 00:32:48,235
He enjoys spending time with his
family and watching his Washington

456
00:32:48,235 --> 00:32:50,235
Commanders football team.

457
00:32:51,915 --> 00:32:53,675
That shows you what kind of man he is.

458
00:32:54,725 --> 00:32:57,135
To stay loyal to the
Washington Commanders.

459
00:32:59,055 --> 00:33:00,405
That's hard living right there.

460
00:33:01,665 --> 00:33:04,045
That's a man of faith and
perseverance right there.

461
00:33:07,675 --> 00:33:11,305
Kenny admits that his weakness
in kryptonite is his affinity

462
00:33:11,305 --> 00:33:15,485
for white chocolate raspberry
truffle Haagen Dazs ice cream.

463
00:33:19,655 --> 00:33:23,575
Kenny, you are a man of God.

464
00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:28,440
That is the very first thing that
comes to mind when I think of you.

465
00:33:29,060 --> 00:33:31,610
That you are a man of God.

466
00:33:32,230 --> 00:33:34,840
You had, you have a deep faith in God.

467
00:33:35,475 --> 00:33:40,795
You have a deep faith in the power of
Jesus and his ability to change lives

468
00:33:40,795 --> 00:33:43,385
and the power of Jesus and his word.

469
00:33:43,895 --> 00:33:48,575
You care for God's people with
the sincere love that is seen,

470
00:33:48,675 --> 00:33:52,605
heard, felt, and experienced by
those who come in contact with you.

471
00:33:53,375 --> 00:33:57,235
You work hard, and you have been
faithful to God's people, and

472
00:33:57,235 --> 00:33:59,960
you are worthy of imitation.

473
00:34:00,730 --> 00:34:04,330
We are grateful to have you here in
Orange County and I am personally

474
00:34:04,330 --> 00:34:09,580
grateful for our friendship and service
together over the last several years.

475
00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:14,630
Corinne and I respect you and your
wife and we have learned so much from

476
00:34:14,630 --> 00:34:17,610
you and we love and adore your family.

477
00:34:18,739 --> 00:34:22,460
I am confident that you will
serve God, and you will serve his

478
00:34:22,460 --> 00:34:25,870
church with integrity as an elder.

479
00:34:26,699 --> 00:34:29,270
I too will give you these three gifts.

480
00:34:34,900 --> 00:34:39,219
I give you the Shepherd's Rod
to protect and defend God's

481
00:34:39,270 --> 00:34:41,960
people as a good Shepherd does.

482
00:34:42,530 --> 00:34:45,409
You are to fight the lion,
the wolf, and the bear.

483
00:34:45,949 --> 00:34:49,230
As a shepherd of the family of
God, you must protect the church

484
00:34:49,429 --> 00:34:54,070
from false doctrine and Satan's
attacks from within and without.

485
00:34:58,830 --> 00:35:03,820
I give to you also a vial of
olive oil from Jerusalem to anoint

486
00:35:04,910 --> 00:35:06,790
and to heal the Lord's people.

487
00:35:07,580 --> 00:35:11,060
The oil also represents the
presence of the Holy Spirit, which

488
00:35:11,070 --> 00:35:13,280
you are to listen to closely.

489
00:35:19,270 --> 00:35:21,700
I also give to you the shofar of Israel.

490
00:35:24,490 --> 00:35:26,230
The shofar, as was mentioned earlier,

491
00:35:33,750 --> 00:35:36,020
was blown to call God's people to battle.

492
00:35:36,990 --> 00:35:40,660
You are to call God's people to
fight the good fight and to wage

493
00:35:40,660 --> 00:35:42,710
the war in the spiritual battle.

494
00:35:43,620 --> 00:35:46,200
A shofar was also used to
call God's people to prayer.

495
00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:51,170
You are to make sure that the OC Church
is a house of prayer for the Lord.

496
00:35:52,820 --> 00:35:55,910
I give you now this charge
in 1 Peter 5, verse 2.

497
00:35:55,910 --> 00:35:56,334
Amen.

498
00:35:56,755 --> 00:36:00,235
Be a shepherd of God's flock
that is under your care and watch

499
00:36:00,235 --> 00:36:02,635
over them, not because you must.

500
00:36:03,050 --> 00:36:09,020
But because you are willing as God
wants you to be not pursuing dishonest

501
00:36:09,020 --> 00:36:14,730
game, but eager to serve not lording,
not lording it over those entrusted to

502
00:36:14,730 --> 00:36:17,760
you, but being examples to the flock.

503
00:36:18,130 --> 00:36:22,485
So that when the chief shepherd appears,
you will receive the clown of Crown

504
00:36:22,485 --> 00:36:25,795
of glory that will never fade away.

505
00:36:26,255 --> 00:36:30,565
Do you accept these gifts and
thereby doing so accept this charge?

506
00:36:33,155 --> 00:36:34,155
Yeah, I do accept

507
00:36:34,155 --> 00:36:34,795
Speaker 5: this charge.

508
00:36:44,045 --> 00:36:48,295
Speaker: We have presented these
two men, men that you've chosen, men

509
00:36:48,295 --> 00:36:53,565
that you have approved of men that
you have selected to be shepherds

510
00:36:54,085 --> 00:36:59,695
over this flock, to watch over the
Orange County region to be shepherds.

511
00:37:00,030 --> 00:37:03,320
In the body of elders for the
Los Angeles Church of Christ.

512
00:37:03,850 --> 00:37:06,520
Now, I have a charge for you.

513
00:37:08,250 --> 00:37:14,980
In Hebrews 12, 17, He tells us,
Obey them that have oversight

514
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:20,650
over you, and submit yourselves,
for they watch over your souls.

515
00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,030
As they that must give account,

516
00:37:28,470 --> 00:37:29,314
they watch over you.

517
00:37:30,115 --> 00:37:34,415
that they may do it with
joy and not with grief.

518
00:37:34,855 --> 00:37:37,625
For that would be no advantage for you.

519
00:37:38,355 --> 00:37:46,795
Do you Orange County region accept
this charge to follow these men

520
00:37:47,115 --> 00:37:49,080
as your overseers and elders?

521
00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,455
And if it is yes, then let the church say

522
00:37:57,720 --> 00:38:01,110
With God as your witness,

523
00:38:03,890 --> 00:38:09,110
you have recognized
these men as your elders.

524
00:38:09,410 --> 00:38:13,400
I would like all the evangelists and
elders in the room to come up here, come

525
00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:18,820
up here to lay hands on these men so that
we may pray and the wives too, please.

526
00:38:21,700 --> 00:38:23,300
As we know, it's a team.

527
00:38:25,250 --> 00:38:29,880
I'm going to do a blessing and then
James Willis is going to come up and pray

528
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:33,140
over them as we all lay hands on them.

529
00:38:37,140 --> 00:38:38,620
We didn't get this from Avatar.

530
00:38:38,630 --> 00:38:39,720
They got it from us.

531
00:38:49,310 --> 00:38:51,630
Go ahead and put your hands
on these fellows here.

532
00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:58,720
May the God, may God,

533
00:39:14,290 --> 00:39:16,080
how many elders does it
take to organize a group?

534
00:39:19,270 --> 00:39:23,000
Let us bless these men,
bless them with your hearts.

535
00:39:23,690 --> 00:39:29,140
And with agreement in these words, may
God, the father prepare your journey.

536
00:39:29,780 --> 00:39:36,230
Jesus, the son guide your footsteps, the
spirit of life, strengthen your body.

537
00:39:36,330 --> 00:39:40,840
The three in one watch over you
on every road that you may follow.

538
00:39:41,290 --> 00:39:46,680
May the love of Christ be active in
your heart, be heard in your words, be

539
00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:53,040
seen in your actions and inform your
choices today and all the days to come.

540
00:39:53,595 --> 00:39:54,225
Amen.

541
00:39:55,205 --> 00:39:59,655
May the Lord protect and bless all
that you set your hands to accomplish.

542
00:39:59,985 --> 00:40:05,005
Watch over your families and
guard your heart, mind, soul,

543
00:40:05,165 --> 00:40:08,075
and body in the name of Jesus.

544
00:40:08,625 --> 00:40:09,265
Amen.

545
00:40:10,105 --> 00:40:10,595
Go ahead, James.

546
00:40:15,035 --> 00:40:15,405
Speaker 8: Amen.

547
00:40:18,795 --> 00:40:19,385
Speaker: Hands on.

548
00:40:20,005 --> 00:40:20,765
Speaker 8: I will pray.

549
00:40:20,815 --> 00:40:26,195
But before I do that, I want to thank
all of you for your prayers and support.

550
00:40:26,890 --> 00:40:30,520
For this region, I don't want
to thank the men and women up

551
00:40:30,530 --> 00:40:32,910
on the stage and support the L.

552
00:40:32,910 --> 00:40:32,990
A.

553
00:40:33,010 --> 00:40:34,210
Church and the M.

554
00:40:34,210 --> 00:40:34,380
L.

555
00:40:34,380 --> 00:40:34,670
C.

556
00:40:34,670 --> 00:40:37,100
And the service team have provided for us.

557
00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:38,060
Steve Staten.

558
00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:42,320
Thank Robert and Michelle for
their willingness to serve and to

559
00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:44,550
minister and shepherd us as well.

560
00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:50,675
So, I just want to encourage all of
you to continue to pray, continue

561
00:40:50,845 --> 00:40:54,345
to call on each other to encourage
one another because we are family

562
00:40:54,775 --> 00:40:56,445
and one part of the body suffer.

563
00:40:56,825 --> 00:41:00,545
We all suffer and I'm grateful
for all of you and your faith

564
00:41:00,725 --> 00:41:01,935
and your commitment to God.

565
00:41:02,365 --> 00:41:02,995
Let us pray.

566
00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:10,550
Dear Heavenly Father, we are in
awe of you and your many blessings

567
00:41:10,740 --> 00:41:12,630
that you constantly bestow upon us.

568
00:41:13,060 --> 00:41:14,820
We're grateful for this day.

569
00:41:14,870 --> 00:41:19,410
God, we're grateful for all that
you have done to help us to see

570
00:41:19,730 --> 00:41:21,430
what an amazing God you are.

571
00:41:21,890 --> 00:41:23,830
And Father, we lift you up right now.

572
00:41:23,830 --> 00:41:29,870
God, as we lift up Ron and Lisa
Kenny and Julie to you, Father, we

573
00:41:29,870 --> 00:41:35,550
thank you so much for the Holy Spirit
that called upon them to serve in

574
00:41:35,550 --> 00:41:40,560
this role as elders, as overseer of
your flock here in Orange County.

575
00:41:40,570 --> 00:41:45,220
God, we pray that you will be with
them, strengthen them in their faith,

576
00:41:45,390 --> 00:41:49,290
strengthen them in their weaknesses,
help them, God, to turn to you.

577
00:41:49,380 --> 00:41:53,790
Like your word says, Jesus, to
come to you, all who are weary and

578
00:41:53,790 --> 00:41:55,870
burdened, for you will give them rest.

579
00:41:56,250 --> 00:42:02,760
Take your yoke upon them because
you are gentle and humble in heart.

580
00:42:03,460 --> 00:42:09,380
God, I pray that they will be a
safe place for the flock to come to.

581
00:42:09,750 --> 00:42:15,150
God, to shepherd, to encourage, to
inspire, to cry, to lift them up to you.

582
00:42:15,740 --> 00:42:17,070
Because they are yours, God.

583
00:42:17,490 --> 00:42:18,920
And we are only overseers.

584
00:42:19,170 --> 00:42:20,580
And we thank you so much.

585
00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:25,440
For your faithfulness to us, we ask
you to please be with us, protect all

586
00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:29,900
of our hearts, protect their hearts
because we know who the real enemy is,

587
00:42:29,910 --> 00:42:32,270
God, and we cannot lose sight of that.

588
00:42:32,270 --> 00:42:35,960
God, we have to continue to rely
on you and your Holy spirit and

589
00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:38,100
put on the full armor every day.

590
00:42:38,370 --> 00:42:40,760
God encouraging one lifting each other up.

591
00:42:41,450 --> 00:42:43,230
Father, we love you, God.

592
00:42:43,230 --> 00:42:46,630
And we thank you, Jesus, for
this calling that you have given

593
00:42:46,630 --> 00:42:48,770
these men, not because they must.

594
00:42:49,240 --> 00:42:52,470
Because they are willing and I
pray that you will be with them.

595
00:42:52,470 --> 00:42:53,270
Be with their wives.

596
00:42:53,270 --> 00:42:55,040
Please watch over and
protect their families, their

597
00:42:55,050 --> 00:42:56,640
children and grandchildren.

598
00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:57,950
God, we love you so much.

599
00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:00,240
We lift all these things up to you, Jesus.

600
00:43:00,270 --> 00:43:02,760
Please be with us in a powerful way.

601
00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:03,560
God, we love you.

602
00:43:03,810 --> 00:43:04,250
It's your name.

603
00:43:04,250 --> 00:43:04,630
We pray.

604
00:43:04,695 --> 00:43:05,934
Amen.

605
00:43:05,935 --> 00:43:06,505
Speaker 7: Amen.

606
00:43:09,835 --> 00:43:15,745
Speaker: Orange County, I give you your
two new elders, Ron Richman, Kenny Barber,

607
00:43:28,255 --> 00:43:29,565
Speaker 3: Ron Kenny, you see this?

608
00:43:30,485 --> 00:43:31,475
Have you seen the crowd?

609
00:43:33,675 --> 00:43:34,505
Look at your people.

610
00:43:37,435 --> 00:43:39,625
Speaker: And we're going to
close out with a few words.

611
00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:42,420
from their hearts, beginning with Kenny.

612
00:43:48,590 --> 00:43:49,180
Speaker 5: Amen.

613
00:43:49,860 --> 00:43:51,360
God is good, right?

614
00:43:52,490 --> 00:43:55,790
Um, I'm full of emotion.

615
00:43:56,510 --> 00:43:57,310
I'm here.

616
00:43:57,950 --> 00:44:03,615
Um, first of all, um, My wife
being by my side, I'm seeing the

617
00:44:03,615 --> 00:44:04,955
wonderful things said about her.

618
00:44:05,885 --> 00:44:11,165
Seeing my father here, who traveled from
Maryland, Washington DC area, the DMV.

619
00:44:12,835 --> 00:44:21,005
And my uncle, Jimmy as well, my two
girls, and it's quite a journey.

620
00:44:22,965 --> 00:44:26,855
My wife, Just to know
that God chose her for me.

621
00:44:27,255 --> 00:44:30,825
Uh, I knew that from the beginning,
uh, in bringing this journey together.

622
00:44:31,515 --> 00:44:33,485
Uh, she shaped me.

623
00:44:33,565 --> 00:44:38,405
Um, every argument we've
had, every Um, joyful moment.

624
00:44:38,565 --> 00:44:40,905
Uh, I think God shaped me for this.

625
00:44:41,345 --> 00:44:46,195
Um, I, I see that, uh, with my,
my kids, uh, seeing them growing

626
00:44:46,195 --> 00:44:48,025
up from child to an adult.

627
00:44:48,215 --> 00:44:53,055
Um, every argument we may have
had or every conflict we've had.

628
00:44:53,600 --> 00:44:56,830
Just seeing how they've always
given me the space to come

629
00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:58,880
back and change and repent.

630
00:44:59,090 --> 00:45:02,880
They've always given me that space,
uh, so I appreciate them for that.

631
00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:08,270
Um, you know, uh, just seeing their
journeys move me, uh, shape me.

632
00:45:08,270 --> 00:45:11,130
My daughter here singing,
um, moves me as well.

633
00:45:11,580 --> 00:45:13,000
Um, my father.

634
00:45:13,375 --> 00:45:15,875
Uh, he's always been my role model.

635
00:45:16,565 --> 00:45:23,015
Um, his gentleness, uh, his humility,
his strength, he's well respected.

636
00:45:23,475 --> 00:45:26,375
Um, I've always wanted to
imitate him and still do.

637
00:45:26,535 --> 00:45:29,325
Uh, I appreciate him
coming here to support me.

638
00:45:29,715 --> 00:45:37,755
Uh, he, even being humble enough
to ask for my Um, scripturally, um,

639
00:45:38,185 --> 00:45:40,205
um, spiritually as well recently.

640
00:45:40,515 --> 00:45:44,975
Um, my, my, my uncle has always challenged
me in character ever since I was young.

641
00:45:45,385 --> 00:45:47,625
You know, I grew up pretty, pretty fast.

642
00:45:47,645 --> 00:45:50,525
Uh, I mean, physically I was,
I think in the seventh grade

643
00:45:50,525 --> 00:45:51,655
I was maybe six foot two.

644
00:45:52,885 --> 00:45:54,005
And he would challenge me.

645
00:45:54,015 --> 00:45:55,905
He says, you're, you're, you're tall.

646
00:45:56,285 --> 00:45:57,155
And I'd slump over.

647
00:45:57,155 --> 00:45:59,355
He said, you need to act like
it and be tall and know you're

648
00:45:59,355 --> 00:46:00,695
tall and stop slumping over.

649
00:46:00,705 --> 00:46:02,315
He'd always challenge me on my character.

650
00:46:02,665 --> 00:46:06,075
I respect them so much, them both,
in their walk with God as well.

651
00:46:06,955 --> 00:46:14,160
Uh, Also, um, seven years ago, uh, Kevin
Maynes, he used to lead the church here.

652
00:46:14,230 --> 00:46:16,030
Um, he, he passed away deceased.

653
00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:21,050
Uh, he'd always, um, toss it
around eldership to me, uh, a lot.

654
00:46:21,590 --> 00:46:24,050
And it's something I was, didn't
want to grasp, you know, I was, I

655
00:46:24,050 --> 00:46:29,320
was never willing, you know, to that,
it was such a high esteem and, uh,

656
00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:35,400
we had a men's retreat and, uh, he
was rushing out the door for lunch.

657
00:46:35,775 --> 00:46:42,125
And he sees me and he says,
Kenny, Eldership, it's yours.

658
00:46:45,745 --> 00:46:47,795
Literally an hour later,
he had a heart attack.

659
00:46:48,115 --> 00:46:49,695
Uh, and I never saw Kevin again.

660
00:46:49,715 --> 00:46:50,385
He died.

661
00:46:50,855 --> 00:46:51,985
His last words to me.

662
00:46:52,965 --> 00:46:54,245
It's been seven years.

663
00:46:54,345 --> 00:46:56,235
It was 2017 in January.

664
00:46:56,305 --> 00:46:57,815
Uh, seven years.

665
00:46:57,855 --> 00:46:58,735
Uh, seven years.

666
00:46:59,455 --> 00:47:02,915
Scripturally, it talks about, it's a,
it's a magical number for some reason.

667
00:47:02,915 --> 00:47:04,435
Like it says, how many
times do you forgive?

668
00:47:04,435 --> 00:47:05,355
It says seven, 77.

669
00:47:05,355 --> 00:47:12,275
So seven years, it's been a journey
from that point to a noun, really, um,

670
00:47:15,665 --> 00:47:17,065
becoming closer to God.

671
00:47:17,655 --> 00:47:21,985
Uh, I've had kind of, not because of those
words, but things that happen in a way,

672
00:47:21,985 --> 00:47:29,940
just really seeing God and, um, Wanting
to, um, have a relationship with him.

673
00:47:29,940 --> 00:47:32,350
Um, Curiosity set in.

674
00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:34,870
I wanted to find out more about Jesus.

675
00:47:35,120 --> 00:47:36,330
More about how he thinks.

676
00:47:36,330 --> 00:47:37,510
More about what he wants from me.

677
00:47:37,510 --> 00:47:38,480
What is he telling me.

678
00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:40,260
Uh, really moved me.

679
00:47:40,580 --> 00:47:42,700
And it caused me to want to love him more.

680
00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:45,520
Uh, it talks about, you
know, like loving God.

681
00:47:45,520 --> 00:47:47,360
And, you know, with all your
heart and soul and strength.

682
00:47:47,510 --> 00:47:48,310
And loving your neighbors.

683
00:47:48,310 --> 00:47:49,450
I really caught on to that.

684
00:47:50,070 --> 00:47:52,199
Um, and then with curiosity.

685
00:47:52,570 --> 00:47:56,800
People, I started falling in
love with God's people more.

686
00:47:56,800 --> 00:48:03,740
Uh, and um, and just in love, just
getting time with people and finding out,

687
00:48:03,820 --> 00:48:05,990
um, interesting things about someone.

688
00:48:05,990 --> 00:48:09,160
I realized it was hard for me to love
someone unless I really knew them.

689
00:48:09,605 --> 00:48:11,735
You know, talk to them and do
something about them and love.

690
00:48:11,735 --> 00:48:14,855
So that's my quest, just
to get to know and connect.

691
00:48:15,275 --> 00:48:17,285
Uh, and I started thriving for that.

692
00:48:17,295 --> 00:48:20,215
Um, really understanding and
I love hearing brokenness.

693
00:48:20,365 --> 00:48:22,515
You know, too, because
there's always opportunity.

694
00:48:22,865 --> 00:48:26,305
So many men here has shaped my
life, and women have shaped my life.

695
00:48:26,345 --> 00:48:29,215
Just hearing their stories, and so
many have so many great stories.

696
00:48:29,725 --> 00:48:31,225
And that's so important to me.

697
00:48:31,795 --> 00:48:36,450
Uh, Through the time, grace, seven years
and understanding God's grace and just

698
00:48:36,450 --> 00:48:41,400
how broken I am and how many challenges
I've had the whole time spiritually, uh,

699
00:48:41,610 --> 00:48:46,860
and just how God has Really understand
how he healed me, uh, through this.

700
00:48:47,170 --> 00:48:53,300
Uh, and it does say you have to, you know,
we have this, um, I realized that you have

701
00:48:53,300 --> 00:48:58,100
these, we all have these unlovable parts
of us, you know, we can push it away.

702
00:48:58,110 --> 00:49:02,050
Don't want to, I don't want to
address it, but it's like loving

703
00:49:02,050 --> 00:49:03,870
those unlovable parts of you.

704
00:49:04,180 --> 00:49:07,000
And when you can do that, as you
understand God's grace, and then

705
00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:09,620
you can love other people fully.

706
00:49:10,420 --> 00:49:13,980
And you can love the evils you see
in them, too, you know, so like it's

707
00:49:13,990 --> 00:49:17,860
magic to that and this christian
this christian walk is fairly simple

708
00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:19,620
It's not we can make it so complex.

709
00:49:20,050 --> 00:49:24,170
It's just love god, you know, um, which
you love god You start loving yourself

710
00:49:24,170 --> 00:49:28,790
and love other people and I started really
Grasping that it's like i'm gonna love

711
00:49:28,790 --> 00:49:33,900
god's people You know regard and this and
and just my my time together with god.

712
00:49:33,900 --> 00:49:38,950
I had this quiet time And then,
uh, it really hit me with God and

713
00:49:38,950 --> 00:49:42,660
I'm like, you know what, I like,
I feel like I really touching God.

714
00:49:42,660 --> 00:49:43,260
I love you.

715
00:49:43,530 --> 00:49:46,560
And it's like, I think this
was maybe four years ago.

716
00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:50,280
I was like, I think you've got
me for the rest of my life.

717
00:49:50,780 --> 00:49:52,800
I mean, really, I think you've got me.

718
00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:54,740
I think you've got me here.

719
00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:58,890
I mean, that's, and I, you got me
no matter what, because I really,

720
00:49:58,910 --> 00:50:02,400
and I, and so I think this,
this statement here, and I do.

721
00:50:03,035 --> 00:50:05,825
Um, I do think this appointment
is by the Holy Spirit.

722
00:50:06,325 --> 00:50:13,085
I accept it, um, to protect his people,
um, to continue my curiosity with God.

723
00:50:13,435 --> 00:50:16,805
Uh, it's going to always be in prayer
as well, so, you know, I look forward

724
00:50:16,805 --> 00:50:18,845
to doing this and pray for me.

725
00:50:19,135 --> 00:50:22,805
I look forward to what God's going to
do for us in the church, so thank you.

726
00:50:31,355 --> 00:50:36,945
Speaker 7: Um, good morning family, uh,
you know, Lisa and I are very honored.

727
00:50:37,410 --> 00:50:42,950
Uh, to be taking on this role of
elder and elder's wife, uh, alongside.

728
00:50:43,400 --> 00:50:46,940
with some great people, Kenny
and Julie and James and Vicky.

729
00:50:46,940 --> 00:50:50,570
So there are some spiritual people on
this team, and that's a good thing.

730
00:50:51,300 --> 00:50:55,410
Um, I was convicted the other day
I was talking with James and Vicky.

731
00:50:55,620 --> 00:50:59,355
I mean, with James and Kenny about
something, and we were You know, it was

732
00:50:59,355 --> 00:51:02,425
a planning thing and whatever, and both
of them were like, Well, I was up this

733
00:51:02,425 --> 00:51:03,975
morning and I was praying about this.

734
00:51:04,485 --> 00:51:06,495
And I was like, Oh, wow, there's an idea.

735
00:51:06,585 --> 00:51:07,545
That's a good idea.

736
00:51:10,105 --> 00:51:11,485
Because I was just thinking about it.

737
00:51:11,485 --> 00:51:11,765
I was,

738
00:51:14,005 --> 00:51:16,025
so I was like, I'm in,
I'm in good company here.

739
00:51:16,025 --> 00:51:16,945
This is good for me.

740
00:51:18,135 --> 00:51:19,815
But family, we've been through a lot.

741
00:51:19,845 --> 00:51:25,350
And, you know, I was thinking coming
here of, of 30 plus years of, of

742
00:51:25,360 --> 00:51:32,250
meeting Anaheim Hilton, Red Lion,
Hyatt, Teller Building, uh, the Freeman

743
00:51:32,250 --> 00:51:34,780
Forum, uh, we've been everywhere.

744
00:51:34,780 --> 00:51:37,700
We've been in parks, you
know, we've been everywhere.

745
00:51:38,110 --> 00:51:40,330
And God is not done with us.

746
00:51:41,210 --> 00:51:45,430
I mean, that's the temptation sometimes is
to feel like, oh, well, it was a good run.

747
00:51:45,645 --> 00:51:46,334
Yeah.

748
00:51:46,515 --> 00:51:47,045
All right.

749
00:51:48,535 --> 00:51:48,775
Yeah.

750
00:51:48,775 --> 00:51:49,705
They found us out.

751
00:51:49,775 --> 00:51:53,985
We're not really that, that good,
you know, but you know, I'm always

752
00:51:54,015 --> 00:51:59,155
encouraged by the scripture of outwardly
though we are wasting away inside,

753
00:51:59,155 --> 00:52:01,685
we are being renewed day by day.

754
00:52:02,665 --> 00:52:03,505
And I feel that.

755
00:52:03,505 --> 00:52:04,155
How about you?

756
00:52:05,095 --> 00:52:10,775
I mean, I feel like I'm wasting away
and yet sometimes we get renewed.

757
00:52:11,345 --> 00:52:12,675
We get refreshed.

758
00:52:12,675 --> 00:52:14,035
We get filled up.

759
00:52:14,365 --> 00:52:17,765
And I feel like this is that time
that God has set aside for us.

760
00:52:17,775 --> 00:52:19,435
This year was brutal.

761
00:52:20,225 --> 00:52:20,575
Right?

762
00:52:20,615 --> 00:52:24,935
I mean, we all feel beaten up,
tired, like, Oh my gosh, I can't

763
00:52:24,935 --> 00:52:26,345
handle another controversy.

764
00:52:26,345 --> 00:52:26,725
Right?

765
00:52:27,165 --> 00:52:29,165
And yet God's like, no, no, no, no, no.

766
00:52:29,485 --> 00:52:31,905
See, I am doing something new.

767
00:52:32,985 --> 00:52:36,184
Do you not perceive it?

768
00:52:36,465 --> 00:52:38,485
And it's, you know, it's hard to hope.

769
00:52:38,485 --> 00:52:38,764
It's hard.

770
00:52:39,215 --> 00:52:39,515
Right?

771
00:52:39,515 --> 00:52:43,245
It's hard to give your heart to, uh,
well, maybe, and, and to have a hope.

772
00:52:43,875 --> 00:52:47,045
And yeah, I feel like that's
what God's been saying.

773
00:52:47,125 --> 00:52:51,775
You know, it's like, forget the
past, forget the former things.

774
00:52:52,085 --> 00:52:53,705
We're moving in a new direction.

775
00:52:54,015 --> 00:52:55,385
We're not abandoning everything.

776
00:52:55,405 --> 00:52:57,015
We haven't done everything wrong.

777
00:52:57,460 --> 00:52:58,800
We did a few things right.

778
00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:02,720
We have a great family of believers
here, brothers and sisters.

779
00:53:03,050 --> 00:53:06,440
That didn't, that didn't
happen by accident.

780
00:53:07,250 --> 00:53:12,590
We were, we were loving each other all
along, you know, sometimes good, sometimes

781
00:53:12,590 --> 00:53:14,140
bad, but there's some relationships.

782
00:53:14,560 --> 00:53:15,980
Just walking around the room.

783
00:53:15,980 --> 00:53:19,700
I mean, seeing John Varghese and like,
I remember when he and I were like

784
00:53:19,700 --> 00:53:23,490
the two most arrogant guys on the
basketball team here in Orange County,

785
00:53:23,490 --> 00:53:24,880
like talking trash to each other.

786
00:53:24,880 --> 00:53:25,420
I didn't like him.

787
00:53:25,420 --> 00:53:28,430
He didn't like me, you know, but you
know, he could shoot better than me,

788
00:53:28,430 --> 00:53:31,950
but anyway, I'll give him that much,
but he didn't know how to play defense.

789
00:53:32,240 --> 00:53:34,199
But, uh, and, and, and,

790
00:53:36,780 --> 00:53:42,100
and Ramon and Maureen moving
back and just countless people.

791
00:53:42,110 --> 00:53:44,690
I mean, one of the things that
I don't know about you, but.

792
00:53:44,930 --> 00:53:49,040
I look forward to heaven, because I
feel like finally there will be enough

793
00:53:49,040 --> 00:53:51,080
time to hang out with everybody.

794
00:53:52,650 --> 00:53:52,970
Right?

795
00:53:52,970 --> 00:53:57,130
I mean, at times Lisa and I sit down
and we're trying to plan out the week,

796
00:53:57,150 --> 00:54:02,660
and it's like, there's like 15 people
that we want to, or should, or need

797
00:54:02,660 --> 00:54:06,480
to, or just would love to hang out with
and it's like, well, we've only got

798
00:54:06,480 --> 00:54:10,260
three evenings free and you know, and
you're constantly feeling that pressure.

799
00:54:10,630 --> 00:54:12,900
And I'm sure all of you feel that as well.

800
00:54:13,210 --> 00:54:16,150
And so heaven's going
to be great in that way.

801
00:54:16,490 --> 00:54:18,530
But along the way, we still have this.

802
00:54:18,530 --> 00:54:23,120
And I appreciate what was said
before life to the full, right?

803
00:54:23,160 --> 00:54:26,340
I mean, I remember a day when
there was nobody I could think

804
00:54:26,340 --> 00:54:27,870
of to talk to about my life.

805
00:54:28,975 --> 00:54:32,065
Now, I can't, I feel stressed
out because there's too many

806
00:54:32,065 --> 00:54:34,125
people to talk to about my life.

807
00:54:34,715 --> 00:54:37,615
And also there's a lot of people that
want to talk to me about their lives, you

808
00:54:37,615 --> 00:54:39,815
know, so that gets overwhelming at times.

809
00:54:39,835 --> 00:54:46,795
But we need to revel in that, in the
fullness that we share as God's people.

810
00:54:47,175 --> 00:54:49,765
And I was thinking about the
scripture that said you are a

811
00:54:49,765 --> 00:54:52,625
royal priesthood, a holy nation.

812
00:54:52,655 --> 00:54:56,445
And, uh, so, you know, Kenny and
James and I, we may be elders,

813
00:54:56,445 --> 00:54:58,960
but you are royal priests.

814
00:54:59,950 --> 00:55:01,160
You're the people of God.

815
00:55:01,730 --> 00:55:05,460
And, uh, you know, so I think as
we move forward, it's important

816
00:55:05,470 --> 00:55:09,400
for all of us to be thinking
where, what's God calling me to?

817
00:55:09,860 --> 00:55:11,150
What's my ministry?

818
00:55:11,170 --> 00:55:13,220
Who am I ministering to?

819
00:55:13,680 --> 00:55:15,370
And not just what am I getting?

820
00:55:15,370 --> 00:55:18,810
So anyway, Lisa and I
are excited to serve.

821
00:55:18,830 --> 00:55:22,520
We're willing to serve, you know,
this job does not come with, uh,

822
00:55:22,830 --> 00:55:24,640
without, you know, some forbearance.

823
00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:26,560
You know, I know that it's a hard job.

824
00:55:27,050 --> 00:55:28,770
But we're willing because we love you.

825
00:55:28,770 --> 00:55:33,680
I mean, we've been doing and many,
many of you have been doing the job.

826
00:55:34,160 --> 00:55:35,250
You've been shepherding.

827
00:55:35,260 --> 00:55:37,530
We've all been shepherding
in our own ways.

828
00:55:37,530 --> 00:55:40,970
And so we are happy to
take part with the team.

829
00:55:41,310 --> 00:55:45,190
And I just pray that we can all
throw our hearts back in the circle

830
00:55:45,580 --> 00:55:50,040
and, and just see where God's going
to take us in the coming days.

831
00:55:50,070 --> 00:55:52,490
I like to think of life as chapters.

832
00:55:53,305 --> 00:55:57,505
Um, you know, Kenny was talking about
growing up and everything and, you know,

833
00:55:57,505 --> 00:56:01,685
as many of you know, I grew up in New
York City with a dad who was abusive

834
00:56:01,685 --> 00:56:06,995
and alcoholic and a mom who was awesome
and loving and, and made us all feel

835
00:56:06,995 --> 00:56:12,585
special, and Betsy and I didn't have a
great family start, you know, and yet,

836
00:56:12,855 --> 00:56:17,905
you know, we hung in there together, my
sister Evelyn and Betsy and I, close.

837
00:56:17,975 --> 00:56:18,745
We love each other.

838
00:56:18,775 --> 00:56:22,145
We've been there for each other and
even brought our parents back where

839
00:56:22,145 --> 00:56:25,455
we were able to, you know, they were,
Oh, my dad opened up about everything.

840
00:56:25,455 --> 00:56:29,845
We all had forgiveness and we wrote a
great last chapter of their lives where

841
00:56:29,845 --> 00:56:36,445
they were able to be in the family and
wrote great chapters with Joyce and, uh,

842
00:56:36,445 --> 00:56:39,535
with Lisa's dad, Jerry, uh, moving out.

843
00:56:39,555 --> 00:56:43,465
And even though he was sick in our
house for five years, In a hospital

844
00:56:43,475 --> 00:56:50,915
bed got baptized, you know, that, uh,
you know, family, it takes work, you

845
00:56:50,915 --> 00:56:54,655
know, there's time we don't all get
along all the time, but we work at it.

846
00:56:54,915 --> 00:56:58,585
And so, you know, there's just
different chapters as we move along.

847
00:56:58,585 --> 00:57:03,595
And, um, you know, so I pray that this
next chapter for Orange County is just a

848
00:57:03,595 --> 00:57:05,935
chapter that we are all super proud of.

849
00:57:06,510 --> 00:57:11,320
Excited by that we can look back
and go, Oh, that's where God poured

850
00:57:11,320 --> 00:57:13,340
out his Holy Spirit among us.

851
00:57:13,740 --> 00:57:19,720
And we felt refreshed because that's
what being close with God is all about.

852
00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:23,840
It's about having life to the
full, feeling the freshness of

853
00:57:23,840 --> 00:57:26,840
the Holy Spirit in and around us.

854
00:57:27,130 --> 00:57:31,770
So I pray to be walking that walk with
all of us as we write the next chapter

855
00:57:31,770 --> 00:57:34,540
in Orange County's long history.

856
00:57:35,250 --> 00:57:35,670
So