Welcome back.
From David at Origins. This is how I feel about Long Beach. It's not just that I grew up here, it's what the city does, who it is, it's art, it's diversity, it's complexity, the fact that Long Beach is a tough city to reach, to understand, it's dark, secular, yet so hungry, so thirsty, so in need of Jesus.
And it's who I am, how I'm wired, who I'm married to, our children, our values, our roots, the color of my skin, the way I think and feel, inside and out, all those things make me feel so connected to Long Beach. I hope to be here for a long time, and if the day comes when I have to leave, I will surely know that I have given Long Beach my all...
"You need to be in love with your city - or leave. Know every inch of your city. Fall in love with it. God has called you to own it. "You see that city? That's my city!" Does you heart break because their are idols in the land. Part of being a mystic warrior is translating to your culture. Part of being a mystic warrior is seeing God in everything. Can you exegete your culture to show people that God is romancing them through everything in this world. Erwin McManus."
Here are some pictures from Origins 2005.
Into the future,
davidT