We had a great inaugural celebration yesterday on the campus of University of Illinois-Chicago. It was exciting to see our church enter into the campus of UIC. The part that encouraged me the most is that about 2 years ago when we planted the Evanston site, we put in the DNA of church planting and […]
Karissa’s Party
Karissa finally got to celebrate her birthday with some of her friends at Jump City – a premier inflatable indoor party zone. It is so different having a birthday party at Jump City with a bunch of girls compared to just boys. It is a bit calmer, but nevertheless it is chaotic with all the […]
Josiah’s Soccer Team(s)
Josiah decided to play soccer, not only for the Vardar Ann Arbor club team but also for his school’s team. At first, Christina and I were a bit hesitant due to the increase of school work in middle school, his commitment to Velocity (our Junior High ministry), and other responsibilities. But he wanted to play […]
My Little Girl’s 5th B-Day
It is hard to believe that KiKi is 5 years old today. It has been 5 years of pure joy that she has brought into my life, as well as in our family’s life. She has added an awesome dimension to the interaction in the home. She is really a gift from the Lord. Due […]
DJ in Town
Yesterday, DJ Chuang came into town to spend a few days with us. He is a fellow networker, strategist and innovator, who has a great big heart for God’s Kingdom. DJ currently works with the L2 Foundation and also with Leadership Network. It is always awesome to talk with guys who are constantly thinking about […]
Patriot Day
Today marks the 7th Anniversary of the September 11th attack on the United States. It is also known as the Patriot Day. By a vote of 407-0, the House of Representatives approved a bill which designated September 11th as a day to remember the nearly 3,000 people that died in the terrorists attacks. It is […]
Spontaneous Date
It is still a bit surreal for Christina and me to think that all our kids are at school for the whole day. Gone are the days where we had to pick up the kids in the middle of the day, which usually broke the rhythm and the flow of the day – especially when […]
We Finally Have a Home
We had a great inaugural celebration yesterday! It was exciting to see all the people come into the sanctuary of the Transformation Center. Seeing their reaction on their faces was awesome. It was quite a testimony that we were able to get everything ready for the celebration. The contractor told us that what would have […]
Bye Bye to Set Ups
Yesterday, at our Friday ACCESS gathering, it was our last time of setting up our band equipment at Angell Hall. It was a pretty moving moment as we have been a portable church for the last 12 years. I think the worship team got a bit misty eyed and nostalgic 🙂 But I think they […]
Transforming Lives… Transforming the World
This Sunday will be our inaugural celebration in our new Transformation Center. We are praying and working hard to get everything ready for the big day. As we come to this historical moment, I am going to share on our mission at HMCC. Our mission of “transforming lives into Christ’s disciples […]
Training Camp for Churches
There are so many sports illustrations that help highlight a biblical truth. I love how the imagery of a team in sports gives us insight to the life of the Church. Dave Burchett, who wrote, When Bad Christians Happen to Good People, uses the football imagery to talk about how we assemble our church team. […]
Getting Closer Every Day
Now with 3 more days before the big inaugural celebration, we are trying our best to get everything ready. In football terms, it is 1st and goal and we are on the 10 yard line. It always takes great focus to bring the ball over for a touchdown. It always boggles the average “sports watcher” […]
Kids’ Are Back in School
Yesterday, the kids started school for this new year. Even though they had a half day, the reality of going back on a tight schedule hit all of us. The summer fun has ended and now we are back in business with academics and their other extra curricular activities. After this week, Karissa will even […]
Covenant Retreat 2008 Update
Our married couple’s retreat was a blessing. As the theme was centered around “Radically Committed,” we focused on being radically committed to Christ, to our spouse and to God’s Kingdom mission. Phil and Barb Tiews did a phenomenal job of sharing from their 36 years of marriage experience. Their wisdom and their love for the […]