Hi Guys! It's still a work in progress but my new web site is
www.pastorstevemckinney.com
Monday, June 22, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Go For It ICCJ!!!
This is my first blog posting here, not as the Pastor of ICCJ. Therefore, I will be setting up a new site in the near future and this post will end this era but I will leave the blog up for those who want to reminisce with me :-)
The services this past Sunday in which Joy and I resigned were marked with hugs and tears. I told someone that I think my shoulders were still wet hours after we left the sanctuary. Because of the amazing growth in the Church over the past couple of years, it has become impossible to know everyone by name, and so some of the good-byes were with people we only know by face. Joy had one person come up and exclaim that she has only been with us a few months and had never talked to us, but she will miss us, the Worship and the Word. It's amazing how connected we get in the House of God in a supernatural way!
I looked around the facility, which is not the Church because the people are the Church, but I took a mental picture of all the places where so very many memories were made as we sought the Lord together. Joy and I will never forget the mighty things that the Lord has done among us and our supernatural bonds.
We are grateful to all of you, past and present who have had a part in our lives. You are in our hearts and we love you very very much!!!
I want to now address just those who are presently a part of ICCJ. Obviously, things are going to change quite a bit. The Pastor who mainly preaches and the Pastor who mainly leads worship are leaving. This is big and we admit that. But I want you to know that there is a new preaching Pastor and new people who will lead in worship who have also been appointed by God to lead this congregation. I'm encouraging you to expect great things from Pastor Gordon Myers and his team. Do not allow your emotions to bring you down, but immediately believe God for more of His presence and explosive growth in the Church. Here is some advice. Go to the Church that God tells you to, and never ever leave a Church unless God tells you to. Stick together, pray, and watch what God will do in amazement!
Some are asking about the prophetic word that I received that Pastor Joy and I will be coming back to Indonesia at a later date. Because of the wonderful time we have had, many are asking that it would be soon. Though that is very flattering and touches our hearts, we want you to know that we will only return in God's timing and we do not know how long that is. I further want to say that when that day arrives, only the Lord knows if that will be back to ICCJ or to another Church or even another city. We belong to God, the Church belongs to God and we are simply given assignments by Him for the good of the Church of Jesus Christ. If one day we come back specifically to Jakarta and Pastor a different Church, the same advice applies as I have already stated. Never go to or leave a Church unless God tells you to. Be loyal and stand together in unity.
Pastor Joy and I are praying for a smooth transition and that ICCJ will reach levels never achieved yet in our ministry or any other previous Pastors ministry. Go for it ICCJ! Make us proud and do even greater things through the strength that Jesus Christ gives us!!!
The services this past Sunday in which Joy and I resigned were marked with hugs and tears. I told someone that I think my shoulders were still wet hours after we left the sanctuary. Because of the amazing growth in the Church over the past couple of years, it has become impossible to know everyone by name, and so some of the good-byes were with people we only know by face. Joy had one person come up and exclaim that she has only been with us a few months and had never talked to us, but she will miss us, the Worship and the Word. It's amazing how connected we get in the House of God in a supernatural way!
I looked around the facility, which is not the Church because the people are the Church, but I took a mental picture of all the places where so very many memories were made as we sought the Lord together. Joy and I will never forget the mighty things that the Lord has done among us and our supernatural bonds.
We are grateful to all of you, past and present who have had a part in our lives. You are in our hearts and we love you very very much!!!
I want to now address just those who are presently a part of ICCJ. Obviously, things are going to change quite a bit. The Pastor who mainly preaches and the Pastor who mainly leads worship are leaving. This is big and we admit that. But I want you to know that there is a new preaching Pastor and new people who will lead in worship who have also been appointed by God to lead this congregation. I'm encouraging you to expect great things from Pastor Gordon Myers and his team. Do not allow your emotions to bring you down, but immediately believe God for more of His presence and explosive growth in the Church. Here is some advice. Go to the Church that God tells you to, and never ever leave a Church unless God tells you to. Stick together, pray, and watch what God will do in amazement!
Some are asking about the prophetic word that I received that Pastor Joy and I will be coming back to Indonesia at a later date. Because of the wonderful time we have had, many are asking that it would be soon. Though that is very flattering and touches our hearts, we want you to know that we will only return in God's timing and we do not know how long that is. I further want to say that when that day arrives, only the Lord knows if that will be back to ICCJ or to another Church or even another city. We belong to God, the Church belongs to God and we are simply given assignments by Him for the good of the Church of Jesus Christ. If one day we come back specifically to Jakarta and Pastor a different Church, the same advice applies as I have already stated. Never go to or leave a Church unless God tells you to. Be loyal and stand together in unity.
Pastor Joy and I are praying for a smooth transition and that ICCJ will reach levels never achieved yet in our ministry or any other previous Pastors ministry. Go for it ICCJ! Make us proud and do even greater things through the strength that Jesus Christ gives us!!!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
A Resignation to Begin a New Season
It is with gratitude to the Lord for the great things that He has done, but also with sadness as we close a chapter as I write this entry for the ICCJ Pastors Journal and prepare to leave many close friends behind.
This coming Sunday, March 8, both Pastor Joy and I will resign from ICCJ as Pastors. The Lord has made it clear to us that it is time to make a shift. Pastor Gordon Myers one of the previous Pastors of ICCJ and one of my Spiritual Fathers has come and he will be an interim Pastor until a time that God provides another great Pastor for this wonderful congregation.
I want to thank the leadership of ICCJ for your love and support during these last three plus years. You guys are awesome! Keep up the good work!
We love you ICCJ'ers! I am confident of much fruit that will remain and am looking forward to hearing the wonderful progressive mutual testimonies from here onward. May God bless us all as we continue to walk step by step in unity with Him!
This coming Sunday, March 8, both Pastor Joy and I will resign from ICCJ as Pastors. The Lord has made it clear to us that it is time to make a shift. Pastor Gordon Myers one of the previous Pastors of ICCJ and one of my Spiritual Fathers has come and he will be an interim Pastor until a time that God provides another great Pastor for this wonderful congregation.
I want to thank the leadership of ICCJ for your love and support during these last three plus years. You guys are awesome! Keep up the good work!
We love you ICCJ'ers! I am confident of much fruit that will remain and am looking forward to hearing the wonderful progressive mutual testimonies from here onward. May God bless us all as we continue to walk step by step in unity with Him!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Pastors Power Up... Wow!
Pst Joy and I have been needing a breakthrough in many areas but especially in our own personal relationship together for some time. This last week was spent at a ministry called Pastors Power Up (pastorspowerup.com). It was amazing and God performed the very miracle that we were needing and much much more. I cannot even believe the amazing difference that Joy and I are experiencing in our lives together. For those of you who have been praying with us, thank you so much for your love and support! We are looking forward to our return to Jakarta this week and the powerful ministry that this fresh start will allow! God is faithful!!!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentines Day!!!
Saint Valentine, the Priest who's name we commemorate on this day was supposedly executed by Claudius II (also known as Claudius Gothicus) who was persecuting Christians in Rome during his rule. Among the charges against Valentine, he was marrying Christian couples which is why his execution is linked with this Romantic day which makes the card, flower, restaurant, entertainment and candy industries a few extra billion dollars worldwide.
We're not really sure if this is the only Valentine that was traditionally celebrated, because as it turns out, there were many "Valentine's" executed back in the day. As a matter of fact, the Catholic Church removed him from the Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration in 1969 because of the lack of clarity. All that we really know is that this one Valentine was buried on February 14 at Via Flaminia north of Rome. Pope Gelasius I in speaking of Valentine and others who are remembered in feasts, "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
And so we have Valentines Day. I remember in elementary school, giving a valentine (an actual card, usually heart shaped) to everyone in the class with the help of the teachers... even the boys... ugh! And receiving valentines from everyone in the class including the boys~! I think they were trying to make sure that nobody felt left out??? Sick, man!
Of course as we grew, we switched the giving of valentines to just girls, then later, just a few girls, and then later still, just one girl ~ per year (although I know some guys who gave more). And for the last 25 years, I have given only one valentine to one woman (I'm including the couple of years we celebrated Valentines Day before we were married). For those of you who don't know, Joy is my one and only Valentine until the Lord returns because I highly doubt we will be celebrating Valentines Day in Heaven :-)
I can't help but think about the hurting people on a day like today... The ones who won't receive a card maybe even if they gave one... The ones who don't have anyone even in mind to give one to or who may be too frightened to give one... The husband or wife who are in a difficult situation right now, waking up not knowing whether it is safe to say it --- "happy valentines day" or not. Maybe one of them touched the other one and the touch was not reciprocated (returned or received)... The widow or the widower walking down the street watching the other couples holding hands and feeling especially empty on this day... etc...
If you are one of those and even if you are not, allow me to propose this thought to you. If Saint Valentine really is a Priest who gave his life so that Christian couples could be married in the sight of God, then he is a Priest who had a heart after God and was very much one who followed the example of Christ. Jesus gave His life because God loved the world so much that He sent His only son, Jesus Christ into the world so that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life. God is Love and our Love is made complete in Jesus. Jesus is everyones ultimate Valentine!
All the love that you need for eternity is available through Jesus, the one who binds up the broken hearts and fills us with hope and joy. This can be a great Valentines Day for all who put their trust in Jesus. Happy Valentines Day!
We're not really sure if this is the only Valentine that was traditionally celebrated, because as it turns out, there were many "Valentine's" executed back in the day. As a matter of fact, the Catholic Church removed him from the Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration in 1969 because of the lack of clarity. All that we really know is that this one Valentine was buried on February 14 at Via Flaminia north of Rome. Pope Gelasius I in speaking of Valentine and others who are remembered in feasts, "... whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are known only to God."
And so we have Valentines Day. I remember in elementary school, giving a valentine (an actual card, usually heart shaped) to everyone in the class with the help of the teachers... even the boys... ugh! And receiving valentines from everyone in the class including the boys~! I think they were trying to make sure that nobody felt left out??? Sick, man!
Of course as we grew, we switched the giving of valentines to just girls, then later, just a few girls, and then later still, just one girl ~ per year (although I know some guys who gave more). And for the last 25 years, I have given only one valentine to one woman (I'm including the couple of years we celebrated Valentines Day before we were married). For those of you who don't know, Joy is my one and only Valentine until the Lord returns because I highly doubt we will be celebrating Valentines Day in Heaven :-)
I can't help but think about the hurting people on a day like today... The ones who won't receive a card maybe even if they gave one... The ones who don't have anyone even in mind to give one to or who may be too frightened to give one... The husband or wife who are in a difficult situation right now, waking up not knowing whether it is safe to say it --- "happy valentines day" or not. Maybe one of them touched the other one and the touch was not reciprocated (returned or received)... The widow or the widower walking down the street watching the other couples holding hands and feeling especially empty on this day... etc...
If you are one of those and even if you are not, allow me to propose this thought to you. If Saint Valentine really is a Priest who gave his life so that Christian couples could be married in the sight of God, then he is a Priest who had a heart after God and was very much one who followed the example of Christ. Jesus gave His life because God loved the world so much that He sent His only son, Jesus Christ into the world so that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have eternal life. God is Love and our Love is made complete in Jesus. Jesus is everyones ultimate Valentine!
All the love that you need for eternity is available through Jesus, the one who binds up the broken hearts and fills us with hope and joy. This can be a great Valentines Day for all who put their trust in Jesus. Happy Valentines Day!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Chad & Steve in SD
Chad and I enjoy a moment during our visit to he and Krystal this week in San Diego. The weather here is much warmer then Seattle... but we are heading to the airport in 5 minutes... oh nooo... cold!
A visit with Duane and Violet Parrish (long time friends of ICCJ) at their home in Salem, Oregon, after a powerful Church service in at Hope Community Church in Stayton, Oregon on February 1... Such a wonderful service as a matter of fact, that everyone forgot to take pictures :-) It turns out that Pastor John Jendreson and his wife are more connected with us then we knew. Duane set up the meeting, John used to be the Worship Pastor for Pastor Warren Bullock (long time family friend and current Pastor of Calvary Temple in Auburn, Washington) in Spanaway, Washington (my Mom's home Church), and Johns secretary used to be Jean Ohlerking and Johns wife used to be Dave Ohlerkings secretary. The Ohlerking's are also long time family friends who ministered in the Philippines for a long time. They now run a powerful ministry called Children's Cup (http://www.childrenscup.org/). Small World!
Ethan can sleep anywhere
Ethan sleeps while Parti looks on at the Duck King restaurant on January 26. Parti is married now and lives in her village. She does not normally work for us anymore but she came back to Jakarta on special request to be with Ethan while Joy and I are travelling.
Monday, January 26, 2009
40 Day Multi-Media Fast Begins 27 January
Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! For those of you in America, we celebrated a major holiday today in Indonesia as did many people in countries with large Chinese populations.
I declared a 40 day Multi-Media Fast beginning tomorrow, January 27 for ICCJ. The focus for the Fast will be layed out week by week on the blog here and also through E-mail and in the Pastors Pen of the Church Bulletin. If you don't know what a Multi-Media Fast is, it is refraining from any form of entertainment through TV, Movies, Internet, Radio, Etc. This can be a complete Fast or a Limited Intake fast. For instance, you may want to limit your TV watching to two hours per week or less. Additionally, ask the Lord to lead you to any kind of Fast additional to Multi-Media. Usually, pushing the plate back (limiting food) is involved. Some might eat one meal a day, or exclude meat and desserts, others may go with liquid only... there are many options. You can E-mail me or do the research for yourself if you want more information.
Allow me to encourage you not to conduct a complete no food for 40 days Fast unless you have definitively been led of the Lord to do such a Fast, and I would ask that you check with your Physician first. Please.
In the last year, we have conducted 3, 10 and 21 day Multi-Media Fasts with incredible results. One person I know who was addicted to watching Korean and Japanese movies has no more desire for them and is a different person (more on fire for God). Healings occured, relationships were restored, a new sensitivity to hearing the voice of God was increased in many and so much more!
This week, I am asking for specific prayer for myself, my wife Pastor Joy, my kids, and the entire Pastoral Staff of ICCJ. We are under attack and we asking your partnership in Fasting and Prayer!
In the following scripture, we see that Jesus was strengthened by an angel from God in order to be able to pray with more earnest. Friend, if you receive nothing else through joining us in the Fast, to simply receive the strength from God to pray more earnestly would be mighty!
Luke 22:39-44 (NIV) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
God bless you all!
I declared a 40 day Multi-Media Fast beginning tomorrow, January 27 for ICCJ. The focus for the Fast will be layed out week by week on the blog here and also through E-mail and in the Pastors Pen of the Church Bulletin. If you don't know what a Multi-Media Fast is, it is refraining from any form of entertainment through TV, Movies, Internet, Radio, Etc. This can be a complete Fast or a Limited Intake fast. For instance, you may want to limit your TV watching to two hours per week or less. Additionally, ask the Lord to lead you to any kind of Fast additional to Multi-Media. Usually, pushing the plate back (limiting food) is involved. Some might eat one meal a day, or exclude meat and desserts, others may go with liquid only... there are many options. You can E-mail me or do the research for yourself if you want more information.
Allow me to encourage you not to conduct a complete no food for 40 days Fast unless you have definitively been led of the Lord to do such a Fast, and I would ask that you check with your Physician first. Please.
In the last year, we have conducted 3, 10 and 21 day Multi-Media Fasts with incredible results. One person I know who was addicted to watching Korean and Japanese movies has no more desire for them and is a different person (more on fire for God). Healings occured, relationships were restored, a new sensitivity to hearing the voice of God was increased in many and so much more!
This week, I am asking for specific prayer for myself, my wife Pastor Joy, my kids, and the entire Pastoral Staff of ICCJ. We are under attack and we asking your partnership in Fasting and Prayer!
In the following scripture, we see that Jesus was strengthened by an angel from God in order to be able to pray with more earnest. Friend, if you receive nothing else through joining us in the Fast, to simply receive the strength from God to pray more earnestly would be mighty!
Luke 22:39-44 (NIV) Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
God bless you all!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Don't Miss Sunday 25 January at ICCJ
Hi Everyone! It has been a busy time and I apologize for neglecting the blog!
I want to emphasize the importance of the services, Sunday, 25 January at ICCJ. Please do not miss! I will be sharing a very significant message and if you are a part of ICCJ, please understand that you will not be on the same page with us if you miss. I can't get more clear then that. Please re-schedule anything else that you have going on, and workers, please make an extra effort to attend the service at which you are not serving.
I love you and appreciate you all and look forward to seeing you in service on Sunday!
I want to emphasize the importance of the services, Sunday, 25 January at ICCJ. Please do not miss! I will be sharing a very significant message and if you are a part of ICCJ, please understand that you will not be on the same page with us if you miss. I can't get more clear then that. Please re-schedule anything else that you have going on, and workers, please make an extra effort to attend the service at which you are not serving.
I love you and appreciate you all and look forward to seeing you in service on Sunday!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Chowing down b4 the Count down
Leah, Ethan and Joy make the rounds at the buffet for a late night dinner before the new year arrives... Oyah!
Minutes til the New Year
With minutes to go until the Countdown; Ethan and Steve prepare to make some noise!
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