Been battling a head cold over the last two days and ended up taking the afternoon off to get some rest…but not before having an incredible morning with Ryan Sisson, Miles McPherson, and the staff at The Rock Church, one of the most influential churches in San Diego.

Miles McPherson
I had the chance to sit down with Miles and ask him several questions ranging from how ministry on the west coast is unique to how Christian’s in today’s culture effectively share their fatih with an audience that, as the book unChristian reveals, already has a negative view of Christians.  (Our video interview with Miles will be posted as soon as it is ready…)

Ryan Sisson
Huge thanks to Ryan Sisson, San Diego native, for helping make the connections to meet with Miles.  Ryan is the founder of Eleho, a new non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and implementing programs for change in the war-torn country of Burma.  Have you seen the new Rambo movie?  Ryan says that their horrific depiction of the corrupt Burmese government is accurate & current.  In fact, it’s probably even worse. 

Ryan just got back from Thailand, Burma’s bordering neighbor, a couple weeks ago and is already planning to back.  You have to check out the eleho - BLOG and learn more about what Ryan and his team are doing in what many might call an often forgotten and overlooked part of the world…

Stay tuned for more from the road…tomorrow is our final day in San Diego before heading to Arizona!

LV

Brad Abare, Director of Communications for The Foursquare Church and Founder of Church Marketing Sucks met with us in Los Angeles to discuss several topics in the church. Brad has been in ministry all over the US, and we asked him about how the church culture on the West Coast differs from the rest of the country...

Brad Abare - "Ministry On The West Coast"

Catalyts Voices - Brad Abare on West Coast Church from Catalyst on Vimeo.

Why do people leave San Diego?! 

Today was an unbeliebvably gorgeous day - blue skies, warm sun and quality visits with church leaders throughout San Diego.  Over the next 7 days the Catalyst Road Trip will be in San Diego, Phoenix, Scottsdale, & Tucson.  Blog updates from the road AND video updates from interviews we've had with leaders will be posted as time is available. 

(Also, we will be catching you up on videos highlighting past interviews with Brad Abare (part 3 tomorrow) and Larry Osborne from North Coast Church in Vista, CA.)

Here is a snapshot of who we met on our first day in San Diego:

Mark Foreman, Lead Pastor, & the staff at North Coast Callvary Chapel
- pastor, surfer, songwriter and father of Jon and Tim Foreman of Switchfoot.  Amazing heart for being the "church without walls," and good friend.


James Choung, Divisional Director of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in San Diego
- you must read his bio (click on his name), one of the smartest people to ever sit in the Vanagon with a contagious heart for intimacy with the Lord, stay tuned for a great video from James!


Ron Smith (and family), Senior Pastor with Fellowship of San Diego
- centered in tbe heart of one of the most culuturally diverse areas of San Diego, Ron and the staff are learning how to break out of the Southern Baptist Chruch stigma that has kept them at arms distance from their community.  Incredibly humble and available to learning how to be a missional church.


Ed Turley, Senior Pastor & Jared Fehrenbach, College Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Poway, CA
- 2nd oldest church in Poway and experiencing a raw season of change and transition, very real and authentic about their journey as a church through challenging times.  They love their community...

Special thanks to Eisha Bohman, our honorary Vanagon Vagabond, for joining the Catalyst Road Trip today.  She is the Youth & Community Life Minister at First Lutheran Church in Vista, CA and a good friend from college, GO BUFFS!  :)

Yesterday you heard from Brad Abare, the Director of Communications for The Foursquare Church & Founder of "Church Marketing Sucks," share about the challenges that many churches face in the area of communication.  He mentioned that church leaders often rush into answering the question of "methods" when there is a deeper question that must be asked.  That question is the question of identity...as we continued to talk with Brad he began to share about what could be called a "Church Identity Crisis."

Brad Abare on "Church Identity Crisis"

Catalyst Voices - Brad Abare on Church Identity Crisis from Catalyst on Vimeo.

As is the case in much of what we hope to offer, we aren't seeking to answer the questions that are raised...but rather continue the conversation and process of learning.  What are tools that have helped you in dealing with this issue of identity.  How do you identify your church DNA?

(Part 3 with Brad Abare - "How is ministry different/unique on the west coast?")