Stone The Preacher -

mini-vangie: My Wife’s Big Idea

Jul 3, 2006Steve SanchezBits 'n Preaches, Stupid Million Dollar Tracts

My wife Karen is a great help-mate; I just don’t always realize it, you know, being a guy and all. I had to preach four sermons this past weekend on: What else? Evangelism. Karen suggested that I invite the congregation over to our house for P.I.E. (Pizza, Intercession, Evangelism) afterwards, then everyone would walk on down to the Redondo Beach Pier to hand out tracts and do some one-to-one witnessing. Being the kind, sensitive, Spirit-filled husband that I am… I said, “No.” She pleaded that I pray about it, then give her an answer. Being the kind, sensitive, Spirit-filled pastor that I am, and attuned to the very things of God, I sensed that it would be a good thing to pray. I prayed for a full thirty seconds. I sensed that it would be wonderful to invite a congregation of about 1500 people to my house for a pizza party…

E-vangie Tales #83: Pastor Bar Hop

Jul 1, 2006Steve SanchezE-vangie Tales

Unashamed, I stood in line outside Patrick Malloy’s, a party bar popular with the college crowd, and waited for my I.D. to be checked. I hadn’t done this in probably fifteen years, so I felt a bit awkward; but it was Happy Hour and I was ready to PARTEEE! The bouncer looked at my driver’s

CODA: Kurt Cobain (1967-1994)

Jun 30, 2006Steve SanchezLast Words/Tombstones

Kurt Cobain was the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter of Nirvana. His last words from a suicide note were: Frances and Courtney, I’ll be at your altar. Please keep going Courtney, for Frances for her life will be so much happier without me. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.

mini-vangie: Everyday Life

Jun 29, 2006Steve SanchezBits 'n Preaches

It occurred to me today; it wasn’t a huge insight, but still… The exciting interactions I have with people are because I make it a point to interact with people. And with the opportunity to share about Christ each time, it makes for a dynamic mix. Today was Farmer’s Market day. I talked to two

Famous Lost Words: Lance Armstrong, 7 Time Tour de France Winner

Jun 28, 2006Steve SanchezFamous Lost Words

The night before brain surgery, I thought about death. I searched out my larger values, and I asked myself, if I was going to die, did I want to do it fighting and clawing or in peaceful surrender? What sort of character did I hope to show? Was I content with myself and what I had done with my life so far? I decided that I was essentially a good person, although I could have been better–but at the same time I understood that the cancer didn’t care.
null I asked myself what I believed. I had never prayed a lot. I hoped hard, I wished hard, but I didn’t pray. I had developed a certain distrust of organized religion growing up, but I felt I had the capacity to be a spiritual person, and to hold some fervent beliefs. Quite simply, I believed I had a responsiblity to be a good person, and that meant fair, honest, hardworking, and honorable. If I did that, if I was good to my family, true to my friends, if I gave back to my community or to some cause, if I wasn’t a liar, a cheat, or a thief, then I believed that should be enough. At the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hoped I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whether I believed in a certain book, or whether I’d been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn’t say, “But you were never a Christian, so you’re going the other way from heaven.” If so, I was going to reply, “You know what? You’re right. Fine.”