How to Bless Those You Love

Fri, 14 Jun 2013

This weekend, we honor our fathers on Father’s Day! And to celebrate, we have invited Dr. Tony Wheeler to be our speaker for this special weekend. Dr. Wheeler has worked with Dr. John Trent (author of The Blessing with Gary Smalley) for the last fourteen years teaching seminars and helping individuals, couples, and families find hope and healing.

Dr. Wheeler is a professor at Barclay College, and in the past, he has been a youth pastor, an associate pastor, a church planter, a senior pastor, a director of counseling, and a marriage and family pastor, so he understands the practical side of ministry.

He has a passion to help people find freedom and hope through a deeper relationship with Christ. Dr. Wheeler has been a counselor since 1989 and has helped hundreds of people deal with marital, parenting, and many other issues people face today.

This weekend, the title of Dr. Wheeler’s message is “How to Bless Those You Love.” Decades of research have shown that there are specific relationship characteristics that build strong friendships, courtships, marriages, parent-child relationships, and families. You will be encouraged to explore specific, intentional ways you can create a “culture of blessing” in your home.

There will be no evening service this Sunday so you may spend time with your families.

A big thank you to all of you who participated in our recent “Outstretched Arms” campaign! Hundreds of bags have been returned to stock our pantry shelves. If you have not yet returned your bag, there is still an opportunity to do so. You can return your bags in the Pavilion this weekend.

Have a Happy Father’s Day!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Fear of Natural Calamity

Fri, 7 Jun 2013

This week at Shadow Mountain: “What Are You Afraid Of?” We have looked at many things that can cause fear in our hearts, but this week we will examine the one thing that has been in the news more than any of the other “fears” we have examined...Disaster - The Fear of Natural Calamity.

What do we say to people who ask us about the tragedies of our world? Often it comes across something like this: “Where was your God when that happened?” We certainly cannot be expected to answer for God, but there are some things we need to know so that we can respond to the questions with meaning. What is God’s role in natural calamities? What should our role be when they happen to us or those that we love? This is the message for this 8th week in our series- Saturday night at 5 and Sunday at 9 and 10:45 am.

Sunday evening we are privileged to have Franklin Graham with us for the second week of the Summer Bible Conference. Franklin has spoken at Shadow Mountain once before, and we are thrilled that he has agreed to return for this important engagement.

Along with Franklin, we will be hosting Dennis Agajanian. Dennis is one of the greatest acoustic guitar players of our generation. He has played at countless Billy and Franklin Graham Crusades. And best of all, he is a member of Shadow Mountain Community Church.

I promise you... this will be a great weekend at Shadow Mountain. I look forward to seeing you at one of the services.

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Debt - The Fear of Financial Collapse

Fri, 31 May 2013

This week, we will face the seventh fear in our series of nine. The fear we will explore in the weekend message is “Debt - The Fear of Financial Collapse.” I doubt if there will be anyone in these services who has not been either personally touched by this fear or knows someone who has. This has been one of the most awesome fears of the last several months in our culture. What does God’s Word have to offer us when we are afraid of loss? How can we sustain our spiritual vitality if we are constantly being assaulted by financial difficulty?

You will be surprised at the incredible encouragement the Bible brings to this issue. The Psalmist dealt with this particular problem in one of his Psalms, and he has left us with some inspired truth that is better than anything I have ever read at any secular level. How blessed and honored I am to be the messenger of the Lord this weekend as we open His Word and allow it to intersect with the challenges of our lives.

As you know, this weekend is the first weekend of our Summer Bible Conference. Our special guest for the evening session is David Phelps. As in the past, we are beginning the summer with a concert, and we have chosen a very gifted singer to share his gift with us.

David Phelps is a Christian vocalist and songwriter who is best known for singing first tenor in the Gaither Vocal Band. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House and has also received multiple Grammy and Dove awards. David will be singing in the Sunday morning worship services, and then presenting a concert with his full band on Sunday night. You don’t want to miss out on hearing one of the most dynamic singers in the country.

I will use just a few words to remind you of the importance of joining with us in sponsoring the Summer Conference. We still have a long way to go to reach our goal, and we will need your help to get there.

Finally, Operation Outstretched Arms is ready for us to help restock the food pantry. The need this year for food has been great as there are still many people out of work. Once again, we are providing bags that you may take with you, fill with the items listed on the bags and return next weekend. Your donations are a great help to those who are struggling and will keep us stocked up until the holidays. Bags may be dropped off next weekend in the Pavilion area or at the Family Ministries building during the week.

Looking forward to a great weekend at Shadow Mountain!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Fear of God

Fri, 24 May 2013
This weekend marks the unofficial ending of our small group campaign based upon the “What Are You Afraid Of?” series. When I say it is unofficial, I am simply reminding you that we only asked you for a six-week commitment. But here’s the good news, you don’t have to disband your group now. In fact, I would encourage you to keep meeting at least until the summer break at the end of June. After this weekend, we still have three more messages on fear. We still have to learn how to handle the fear of debt, the fear of disaster, and the fear of disapproval. These messages are coming up during the month of June, and with the time off for Father’s Day weekend, we will need every Sunday in June to conclude our series.

For the final three messages, we will not have videos to be used in homes. I would encourage everyone to try to get to church so that they can hear the messages and be ready to enter into the discussion.

This weekend, I will be bringing a message on "The Fear of God!" Of all the messages in this series, this one has had the greatest impact on my own life. There is so much in the Bible about the fear of God that I cannot understand why there is not more teaching on the topic. I believe that our understanding of this subject is vital to our spiritual health. God makes some incredible promises to those who will learn to fear Him and live their lives in awe and astonishment of who He is!

Here is our memory verse for next week. I am printing it in this email because it incorporates one of the many promises God has given to us if we will learn to fear Him:

“Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.”
Psalm 31:19-20

One man who has written an entire book on the fear of God believes that the verses about fearing God, salted as they are throughout the entire Bible, are the keys to life. Among other things, the Bible promises prosperity, prolonged life, protection, provision, and purity to those who fear God.

As we have been studying the fears that plague us, we have discovered that the fear of God is the one fear that will conquer all other fears. The man or woman who “truly” fears God will discover that their other fears are melting away.

I am looking forward to sharing these wonderful truths with you this weekend as we gather on Saturday night at 5 and Sunday morning at 9 and 10:45!

As you know, we do not have services on Sunday nights on Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy the extra time with your family and friends.

Finally, I want to say a sincere “thank you” to the many of you who opened your homes for this small group campaign. This has been, without a doubt, the most successful small group series we have ever experienced at Shadow Mountain. Thanks to John Dehnert and his small group leadership team for giving us great direction and encouragement during these days!

See you on the weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Fear of Death

Fri, 17 May 2013

Someone asked me this week if I knew what the number one fear was for most people. When I answered that it was "public speaking," they looked surprised. In fact, that is the fear that appears at the top of many lists, and having been a public speaker for many years, I can certainly identify with that fear.

But the top fear on almost all of the lists that I have researched...and if it is not number one, it is in the top three...is the fear of death, or better spoken, the fear of dying.

If I look at all the "fears" on our list, I have to say to you that I have better good news about this fear than any of the others we have discussed or will discuss. The Bible has such important truth about "death." It is possible to live one’s life without the fear of death. I can’t wait to share with you what I have learned about this important "fear." In the services and in our small groups, this will be our message for the coming week.

I also want to let you know that we will begin our Summer Bible Conference Sponsorship Program this weekend. We have a great lineup of speakers this year and the conference brochure will be in your worship folder. We also have selected an incredible resource to present to those who help us with their one-hundred dollar sponsorship. I will be telling you all about this on Saturday night and in the Sunday morning services.

Believe it or not, we have had our final "regular Sunday night service," until the fall season. Next weekend is Memorial Day, and we do not have services on the Sunday night of that weekend.

This Sunday night we will be hosting the Christian High School Baccalaureate service in place of our regular Sunday evening service. We used to hold the Baccalaureate on Sunday afternoons, but with the growth of our Hispanic services, we are no longer able to make our previous schedule work.

I would like to invite you to attend this very special service that honors our graduating seniors. I will be giving a short message as part of the service, and I am told that the program is about an hour in length.

Thank you for praying during the current series of messages. God is doing some great things on the weekends and in our homes during the week!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Fear of Mother

Fri, 10 May 2013

“What Are You Afraid of?” is the name of our current series of weekend messages at Shadow Mountain Community Church. So far, we have learned about the fear of defeat, the fear of depression, the fear of disconnection, and the fear of disease.

Since this weekend is our celebration of Mother’s Day, I have been telling my friends that this week’s message is titled “The Fear of Mother.” No joke! I did have a healthy fear of my mother. She made us behave, and as I look back on it all now, I am thankful.

One story from my childhood will illustrate my mother’s authority and power over her kids. We had this rule when I was growing up that if we did not sit with our parents in church, we had to sit in front of our parents in church. Since my father was the preacher, that meant always sitting in front of my mother if I was with my friends in the church service.

We also were forbidden to chew gum in church. That was one of my mother’s pet issues. She thought it was totally disrespectful to the Lord to chew gum in church. I never did figure that one out, but my mother said it, and we had better do it.

One Sunday, I was sitting with my friends in the evening service, and I had a piece of gum in my mouth. I stuck it in my cheek and every once in a while tried to carefully take a chew so that no one would notice. About half way through the service I felt my mother’s eyes on my back. I know you probably don’t think you can feel someone’s eyes. I promise you; you could feel my mother’s eyes. She had caught me, and when I turned around, she made a chewing motion with her mouth and shook her head sideways. We talked about it when I got home that night!

Yes, I feared my mother, but I loved her dearly. She was a rock and the backbone of our family. She cared for us so lovingly, and she had to do it on a preacher’s budget, and back then that was not very much. On this Mother’s Day weekend, I salute my Mom. She’s in heaven, and sometimes I feel her eyes on me now.

But my title this weekend won’t be “The Fear of Mother.” Rather, we will talk about a woman you may never have heard about. Her name is Phoebe, and she is mentioned in only one place in the Bible. The characteristics of this woman will surprise you, and motivate you, no matter what your role in life may be.

After last week’s terrible event on Interstate 8 that sent some people home and made many people late, I am looking forward to a “normal” weekend, and I am so excited that you have decided to come to church on Mother’s Day.

There will be no service on Sunday Evening at Shadow Mountain!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Fear of Being Alone

Fri, 26 Apr 2013

This is the third week of our series “What Are You Afraid Of?” So far, we have examined the fear of failure and the fear of depression. This week, we are going to talk about the fear of being alone! With all of our new tools and gadgets to link us together, research shows that we are the loneliest generation in American history. We are well “connected” and at the same time “disconnected” from one another. What does that mean to you and to me? What does that mean to the church of Jesus Christ? I hope you will be present in one of the three weekend services as we discuss this important Biblical topic. The Bible has some amazing answers!

I want to say a word to all of our 300 hosts and hostesses who are opening your homes for this small group campaign. You are doing a fabulous job! The feedback is great! The emails are so encouraging, and the results will be eternal. Keep it up! We are right where God wants us to be with our host groups.

As you will remember, last weekend we celebrated with Gordon Mote and ended up giving him the entire evening service. What a blessing he was to us!

This week in the evening service we will return to our study of Revelation, Lord willing. The ninth chapter of Revelation promises to be one of the most awesome chapters we have studied so far. It answers many questions people are asking about the reality of hell and life after death! With the descriptive terms and pictures that only this book presents, we will peer into the future and get a glimpse of earth as it will be when the church has been taken to heaven.

Last weekend, there was an increase in shuttle riders, and also a modest increase in Saturday night attendance. Once again, I want to alert you to the opportunity to help us manage the number of people who are coming to hear the Word of God during this series. These are two definite things we can do to help reach our neighbors and friends with the gospel. If we open up parking spaces, they will fill them! If we come on Saturday night, there will be room for them on Sunday when they would most naturally attend! We can do these things! Thank you for believing that and responding!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Fear of Depression (4/19)

Fri, 19 Apr 2013

Not much has happened this week to make us believe that we can live without fear! Every time the news was turned on, reports continued from Boston, and then from Texas. I was in Oklahoma City this week to speak at a conference, and while we were there, there was an earthquake. I mean really...I left California and went to OKC, and we had an earthquake...in fact there were five of them. They shook the furniture in our hotel room! The next day, there was a bomb threat at the memorial of the OKC tragedy of several years back. The next day, we were on a tornado watch throughout most of the day. I was glad to get back to “safe” California.

Let’s face it! This is the world in which we live, and we must learn how to live in this world. I cannot claim any prophetic vision for announcing a series on fear at this time, but it is certainly a very relevant topic. I have been praying for you as you have invited your friends to discuss what the Bible has to say about all of this. I have been hearing some great stories about your experiences. Please send me your stories and keep me up-to-date on how God is working in our small group campaign! These are great times for the church to really be the church! Thank you for joining me in this great endeavor!

This weekend, the title of the message is: “The Fear Of Depression.” This is one of the most overlooked subjects in the entire series. Nobody wants to talk about it. And yet, we are facing an epidemic of the fear of depression in our nation. We are not only afraid that we will become depressed, but when we do experience profound discouragement we are even more afraid. Once again, we will appeal to a character from the Bible to see how we can deal with this fear! If you have never been depressed, you surely know someone who has been. I promise to give you hope and encouragement. Don’t miss this weekend’s services.

On Sunday night, we continue our study of Revelation. I am sure you have been listening to the buzz that has been circulating about a spate of new books that are denying the existence of hell. This Sunday evening, I want to tell you what the Bible says. Please get this message in your hard drive so that you will know what to say when people come up with the nonsense that has been cultivated from books like the one written by Rob Bell, “Love Wins!” The number one teacher on the subject of “hell” is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! Believe me! Hell is real!

This weekend, our friend Gordon Mote will be our musical guest in all of our weekend services, including a short concert on Sunday night. Throughout his exciting career, he has shared the stage with such popular performers as Martina McBride, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, and famed Grand Ole Opry star, Porter Wagoner.

Since 2006, Gordon has served as pianist for the popular Gaither Homecoming Tour, with legendary songwriters Bill & Gloria Gaither and the Gaither's Grammy Award winning Gaither Vocal Band, and has performed throughout the world with the Tour. We are so glad to welcome him back to Shadow Mountain once again.

Last weekend, we had over 8 thousand people on our campus. The radio and TV spots have attracted many visitors, and your excitement about the small groups has also created a desire to be at Shadow Mountain for this series. We really need your help if we are going to be able to continue the momentum from the Fear series. I know you know what I am about to say. The shuttle is the only answer. Would you commit to riding the shuttle for the next five weeks during this series so that those who come, especially to the second service, can find a place to park and get into the Worship Center? You will make a huge difference if you will do this!

Also, we still have lots of room on Saturday night, and the message is exactly the same as on Sunday mornings. If you can come on Saturday nights during this series, that too will alleviate some of the challenges we face when we have so many people on campus on Sunday morning.

These are exciting days, and I don’t want to miss one moment of what God is doing in our midst. See you on the weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

What Are You Afraid Of (4/12)

Fri, 12 Apr 2013

This weekend is important! This weekend we begin the new series on the subject of fear. The series is called “What Are You Afraid Of?” We have been working on this series for many weeks, and as you know, we have reached out to our community with invitations to people to attend the services. The title of this week’s message is “The Fear of Failure.” There are so many people who go through life so afraid of failing that they never try to succeed. The Bible has several illustrations of people who felt this fear, and from their lives, especially the life of Joshua, we will gain insight into handling our fear of failure. That’s Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 9:00 and 10:45 am.

As you know, this is also the first week of our HOST groups meeting in homes all over San Diego County. Hundreds of you have opened your homes for this series, and I am filled with excitement and anticipation for all of you as you have the opportunity to interact with your neighbors and friends around these very relevant topics. If you would like more information about getting involved in our small group campaign, please stop by Small Group Central in the Pavilion.

Don’t forget to come prepared in your heart for the Lord’s Supper this weekend. We will be sharing the bread and the cup at all three weekend services. There will also be a deacons’ offering in all three services.

On Sunday evening at 6:00 pm, we return to the study of the book of Revelation. The message on Sunday night is called “The Seventh Seal.” In this message, we will read of one of the most incredible answers to prayer in the entire Bible… an answer that ultimately incorporates all of our unanswered prayers and encourages us to persevere in prayer. As always, we will conclude our service with worship!

We are looking forward to welcoming many visitors this weekend. Let’s be on the lookout for those who need encouragement and directions. Also, it would be a good idea to ride the shuttles this weekend!

I am so excited about this new series and look forward to seeing you on the weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Easter Weekend Recap (4/5)

Fri, 5 Apr 2013

Before I give you the information for this weekend, I want to give you a report on Easter. Turns out that Easter 2013 was the greatest weekend, from the standpoint of attendance, in the history of our church. What at wonderful celebration of our Lord's resurrection we all experienced!Our Middle School and High School departments (The Crew & The Gathering) produced the best “Nite Before” event ever. The very conservative count on that event is - 2,675

The Adult Attendance in the four Easter Services was - 7,785

Our Children’s Attendance for all four services was - 1,090

The International Churches’ adult attendance was - 1,456

The International Children’s attendance was - 111

FOR A TOTAL RECORD ATTENDANCE OF - 13,117

This milestone in Shadow Mountain’s history was the result of hundreds of you working so hard to see that we exposed as many people as possible to the message of the Resurrected Christ. For all of you who went out of your way to ride the shuttle, and invite your friends, and serve in the nursery, and teach the children, and work at the “Nite Before” event, and usher, and sing in the choir, and work in the parking lot, and drive the shuttle busses, and do all the clean-up that was done in the RAC and on the campus, and so many other things that are too numerous to mention- Thank you. This was a wonderful thing to behold and experience, and I know God was honored by your faithful service to His name. Thank You!

This weekend, I will be giving the dedicatory address at the Grand Opening of the 130 million dollar First Baptist Church of Dallas. This is the largest building project in modern church history, and it is something to behold. My friend, Robert Jeffress, is the pastor of the church, and over one year ago he asked me to do this. I believed then, and do now, that this is something God wants me to do, and I would like to ask you to do two things:

• Pray for me that I will glorify the Lord and encourage the people who will be in attendance at this event.
• Make a special effort to be present at Shadow Mountain this weekend.

We have a great weekend planned, and please do not use my assignment in Dallas to stay away from church. Make a special effort to be present and encourage one another. Ron Walters, one of our favorite guest speakers, will be bringing the weekend message Saturday at 5 and Sunday morning at 9:00 and 10:45, and here is what he will be sharing:

“It may be the most profound statement in all of scripture. And yet, in my Bible this truth is translated in just three little words: “[He] emptied Himself.” This phrase from Philippians 2 refers to Christ when He left heaven 2,000 years ago and entered time and space. And, in doing so, “He emptied Himself.” But what did He empty Himself of? Did He cease being God? Did He forego His divinity? Or was it something else He gave up in order to save us? The answers to these questions will explain what it cost God to redeem mankind, and why He was willing to pay it. It may be the most impactful truth you’ll ever hear. And I can’t wait to share it with you!”

As many of you know, last year, I was privileged to be the chairman for the National Day of Prayer. At the event, which was held in Washington, DC, the Azusa Pacific College Men’s Chorale was the special music. Donna & I were so blessed by what they did at that event that we invited them on the spot to come to Shadow Mountain. I want to encourage you to come back on Sunday evening at 6:00 for their concert. They will be a huge blessing to you as well. Here’s a little more information about them:

"Celebrating their 40th anniversary, APU Men’s Chorale, under the direction of Harold Clousing, M.A., has been an admired choral ensemble in the School of Music for decades. Comprised of men from all disciplines and majors offered at APU, this 100-voice ensemble performs regularly at churches, schools, and civic organizations. Their repertoire represents many musical styles, including traditional men’s choral music, spirituals, jazz arrangements, hymns, folk songs, and contemporary Christian music. The ensemble regularly performs newly commissioned works by APU faculty, students, and contemporary composers, and appears in concert throughout the year."

So there you have it! What God has done! What God is doing! And What God will do if we just keep trusting Him!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Easter Weekend (3/30)

Fri, 29 Mar 2013

It’s Easter Weekend, and what a weekend we have planned! It all begins on Saturday night with our incredible young people. The “Nite Before” outreach is scheduled to kick off at five o’clock with food trucks and all kinds of exciting activities.

We are expecting over 2,000 6th-12th graders to gather in the RAC to hear music from Jon Foreman of “Switchfoot,” and the gospel from Sean McDowell, son of Josh McDowell. By the way, Sean spoke at our Summer Bible Conference last year, and he was very well received. Please pray for this event and for the tremendous amount of logistical challenges that must be overcome. We have invited the whole world! What if they all come?

Also on Saturday night, at 5:00 pm we have our first of four Easter services in the Worship Center. Historically, this Saturday night service produces one of the largest attendances of the weekend. Shuttle service is available from Granite Hills on Saturday beginning at 3:30 pm and running throughout the evening until everyone is safely returned to their cars.

On Sunday morning, we have added an additional service that will begin at 8:00 am. Shuttle service will begin at 6:45 am from Granite Hills and run throughout the morning. This is a great time to come to the Easter service, and then go out for breakfast afterwards. Each year, this becomes a more popular service for our church, and I want to encourage you to consider bringing your family at 8:00 am.

9:30 am is the second service, and this usually produces the largest attendance of the weekend. Parking will be critical, and I cannot stress in strong enough language how important it will be for ALL the Shadow Mountain family to ride the shuttles if at all possible.

11:00 am - The final service! In the past this has been the least attended service, so if you want to be sure of a seat in the Worship Center, this might be a good hour to attend. During all of the services, there will be video overflow in the chapel.

Our choir and orchestra have planned a weekend of glorious worship and praise. Wes Hampton will be joining our regular team of musicians for this special day. As many of you know, Wes Hampton is the tenor in the Gaither Vocal Band and a good friend of our own Marshall Hall. Think of it: Tobin Davis, Marshall Hall, Ian Oakley, Wes Hampton, Molly Rogers (violin) and all of the other fine musicians. This will be a weekend to remember.

The Easter message is titled: “The Seven Signs Of Easter!” The story of the resurrection is the greatest message of the Bible, and it has such important implications for all of our lives. Let’s pray that God will bless the preaching of His Word to all of our hearts, and that many who may hear the gospel for the first time will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior!

On Easter Sunday, we do not have Junior High, High School, Young Adult or Adult Bible Fellowships. But all children’s ministries from baby nursery to fifth grade will be in session just as always.

In the children’s program, through the use of dramas and special glow-in- the-dark effects, the children will discover that “Jesus is Indeed Alive” even when they can’t see Him. Hands-on activities will ignite their hearts as they enjoy a Glow-in-the-Dark Easter Maze Hunt, Reflective Quiet Time with Christ and a meaningful celebration of His Eternal Life.

There is no evening service this Sunday!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Feeding of the Five Thousand (3/22)

Fri, 22 Mar 2013

This weekend, in our journey through the book of Mark, we come to one of the greatest miracles ever performed by Jesus which was the Feeding of the Five Thousand. In reality, it was the feeding of the fifteen thousand since only the men are counted in the five thousand number. This miracle stands alone as the only miracle of Christ that is recorded in all four of the gospels. Obviously, it was meant to be read about, preached about and listened to.

One of the interesting things about this miracle is the fact that it precedes, by just a few verses, Jesus’ claim to be the Bread of Life. In other words, the physical bread is a picture of the Spiritual Bread who is Jesus Christ Himself. Just as there was organization and administration in the feeding of the five thousand who needed physical bread, so there must be strategy and purpose in the distribution of the gospel. We have so much to learn from this narrative.

I just saw the program schedule for this Sunday night’s Hosanna presentation. I know this evening will be a great blessing to all of us as we worship the risen Lord and prepare our hearts for the celebration of His resurrection. Hosanna is a free presentation, and it begins at 6:00 pm. This is one of those nights when you might want to come a bit early to be sure that you get a good seat!

Next Saturday night, March 30th, Student Ministries is hosting The Nite Before, a free outreach concert event featuring Jon Foreman, lead singer of the world renowned band, Switchfoot, with Sean McDowell presenting the gospel. Please invite all students (6th - 12th grade) to be a part of this event. It will be held at the Ryan Athletic Center with a pre-show featuring food trucks and music at 5:00 pm and the concert at 6:00 pm.

Easter weekend we will have four identical services in the Worship Center: Saturday night at 5:00 pm; Sunday morning at 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00. Shuttles will be running for all services. I want to get a head start on encouraging you to use the shuttle on Easter if at all possible. We will need every available parking space on campus for our many Easter weekend visitors.

I will see you this weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

John the Baptist (3/15)

Fri, 15 Mar 2013

I trust you have had a great week! How wonderful it has been the last few days to see the sunshine again. It looks like we are going to have a beautiful weekend, and I am looking forward to the opportunity of fellowship and ministry that awaits us. I am very grateful that we have negotiated the time change once again. That seems to get harder for us each year, but by now we should all be adjusted.

The weekend message from Mark is centered around the personality of John the Baptist. Jesus called him the greatest man who ever lived and that is what I have decided to call my message. This unheralded hero of the New Testament is the fulfillment of Malachi’s prophesy that Elijah would come before the Messiah appeared. John the Baptist was not Elijah, but he came in the spirit and ministry of Elijah, and he was a crucial player in the plan of redemption.

Most of all, we see John the Baptist as a man of courage. An example for all of us who live in a world where almost no one is willing anymore to speak out for morality and truth! John spoke out, and he paid dearly for it, but he also heard the words, “Well done, enter into the joy of your Lord!” This is a captivating story that you don’t want to miss - Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 9 and 10:45 am!

Sunday night, we return to the book of Revelation and to a portion of God’s Word that is filled with beauty and comfort. Here we are allowed to look into heaven and see the multitude that have come to heaven, having been saved during the great tribulation. It is a glorious sight, and it will encourage all of us as we wrap our minds around these verses. I am sure that the worship will be special on this night as we reflect on God’s Word!

It’s hard to believe that we are closing in on Easter! But it’s just two weeks away. Next Sunday night, we will celebrate the joy of the risen Savior with our annual Hosanna musical presentation. It’s free, and it’s always a great blessing as our choir and orchestra along with Marshall Hall present the message of Easter in song!

Finally, a “shout out” to all of our student ministry team! We are all so proud of your vision to reach your generation with the message of the risen Savior. Saturday night, March 30th (the night before Easter) is a free outreach event featuring Jon Foreman, lead singer of the world renowned band Switchfoot, along with dynamic speaker Sean McDowell will be taking over the upper campus and the Ryan Athletic Center with a goal to reach over 2000 students with the message of the gospel. We are praying that this will be the largest student event in the history of SMCC!

So a lot is going on! See you on the weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Rejection (3/8)

First, let me tell you about the opportunity that has been put in place for us at Shadow Mountain. Can you imagine a secular talk show protecting a spot for a local pastor to talk about his upcoming weekend sermon? Well, it is happening to me! Each Friday morning at 8:45, on the KFMB Mike Slater program, I get to call in and talk about the weekend services and anything else that is on my heart. It all happens so naturally that it is almost like I am in the studio. What a privilege to share this announcement before a secular audience. Surely, someone will hear and come to SMCC as the result!

This weekend, I will continue our series through the book of Mark as we begin the sixth chapter together. The title of the message is “Rejection!” Few are aware of the “rejection” our Lord experienced from His own family. And that is at the core of this week’s message. How did it happen that this One who is The Savior of the World, would be pushed away by His own brothers and sisters? Have you ever felt rejected? You are not alone! And we will talk about it this weekend - Saturday @ 5 pm and Sunday @ 9 & 10:45 am!

After a week off to enjoy the Cal Baptist Choir, we return this Sunday night to the book of Revelation. One of the questions I am often asked is this one: “Pastor, if all of the believers go to heaven at the rapture, how will anyone get saved during the tribulation period?” The answer to that question is found in the message from Revelation that I will be bringing this Sunday night. What a thrill to examine God’s plan for massive evangelism during the darkest time this world has ever seen! He is a God of great mercy, and that attribute will be on display this Sunday evening.

Finally, I want to once again urge you to consider opening your home for our small group campaign which begins Sunday, April 14th. All you have to do is let us know at Small Group Central that you are planning to help, and we will get you everything you need to make it happen! There will also be another opportunity in the worship folder this weekend.

DON’T FORGET TO SET YOUR CLOCKS FORWARD ONE HOUR ON SATURDAY NIGHT!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Jesus' Power Over Disease and Death (3/1)

This weekend, we will explore two more gripping stories from Mark’s gospel. In the last verses of the fifth chapter, Jesus ministers to two people who could not have been more different. One is a well-educated and well-respected religious leader with a breaking heart. His beloved twelve year-old daughter is at the point of death. The other is a woman to be pitied. Prior to meeting Jesus, she had dedicated the last twelve years of her life—and all of her money—to finding a cure for a disease that had left her on the fringe of society and alienated from any meaningful relationship though different in so many ways, each show an extraordinary measure of faith. The title of the message is “Jesus’ Power Over Disease & Death.” I am eager to share this section of God’s Word with you on Saturday at 5 and Sunday morning at 9 and 10:45.

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, please welcome the Turning Point Rally Band to Shadow Mountain. Each year, Turning Point leads several rallies across the U.S., and just like here at Shadow Mountain, music plays an integral part. The band members come from several different states, and have joined up in San Diego for rehearsals this weekend. We are so glad that they will be with us as we worship this weekend.

This weekend we will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Sunday night at 6:00 pm, the California Baptist University Choir and Orchestra will be with us to perform a wonderful concert once again. Through all its varied ensembles, the School of Music seeks excellence in performance, which in turn honors God. The University Choir and Orchestra is one of four choirs offered at CBU, consisting of 140+ men and women, and directed by Dr. Judd Bonner. The ensemble provides a fresh and exciting approach to music in a variety of styles. This group combines musical variety with a high level of performance in their ministry. You don’t want to miss this great concert!

I would like to tell you about something exciting. We have accepted an opportunity to be able to share what is going on weekly at Shadow Mountain Church with the San Diego listening audience. Each Friday morning at approximately 8:45 am, I will be talking with Mike Slater on KFMB 760AM radio for a few minutes about the upcoming weekend message. Besides reading the weekly church email, you can tune in each week to KFMB 760AM to hear what is going on.

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Legion (2/22)

As we approach the last Sunday in February, I want to thank each and every one of you who have made a commitment to the Generations Campaign. While we will be receiving commitments to this project throughout the days of the coming year, this Sunday is the last weekend for the commitment cards to be distributed in the worship folders.

This week, I was in Florida for a Turning Point event, and a man who lives in Texas came up to me and said, “My wife and I watch your weekend services on the internet, and we have been following your Generations messages. After praying about it for several days, we have decided that we would like to help you with this project.” And they gave me one-hundred-thousand dollars. This gift, from people who do not attend our church, is a reminder of the wonderful opportunity God has given us to influence not only our own congregation, but to make an impact on others far and wide.

The message on the weekend once again comes from Mark’s gospel. The first twenty verses of the fifth chapter tell a thrilling story of a man who was rescued from a life of demon-possession to become the first missionary of the gospel to the Gentile people. The title of the weekend message is “Legion.” I have been so blessed as I have studied these twenty verses this week. I look forward to sharing this portion of God’s Word with you on Saturday at 5 and Sunday morning at 9 and 10:45.

The subject of Sunday night’s message from the book of Revelation will resonate with all of us as Californians. From the sixth chapter, we will learn about a time in the future when God will shake the earth. The title of this message is “When The Whole Earth Trembles.”

As we come together this weekend, let’s think of someone in our family or among our friends or co-workers whom we can invite to church. Only heaven will reveal the incredible things God has done just because a simple invitation was given and received. All of us can do this!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Perfect Storm (2/15)

Have you ever felt like life was ganging up on you? Have you wondered if you were experiencing the perfect storm in your life? So many of you have shared with me the challenges you are facing at this time, so you will understand why I am so excited about the message from Mark this weekend. Actually, the message is titled “The Perfect Storm.” It is the story of our Lord’s disciples in the middle of a storm on the Sea of Galilee, and the Lord Himself is asleep in the boat and is not awakened by the storm! What lessons are in this passage! If you are in a storm, I hope you will find your way to one of these three weekend services: Saturday at 5 pm; or Sunday at 9 or 10:45 am.

Sunday night, we return to the book of Revelation for a message titled“The Souls Under The Altar.” During the tribulation period on the earth, there will be many who will be martyred for their faith. What happens to these faithful martyrs? Sunday night’s message from Revelation chapter six will answer that question. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I am to see so many of you returning for the evening service. I am sure you also are noticing that we have many visitors on Sunday evening as well.

This weekend, we are blessed to have author, singer, songwriter and worship leader Michael Neale with us as our guest musician. Michael’s songs have been recorded by such artists as Michael W. Smith, Natalie Grant, and Rebecca St. James. His hit song “Your Great Name” is impacting churches worldwide. Michael Neale will be with us for all four of our weekend services, and I know he will be a blessing to us all!

I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Growing Vibrant Christian (2/8)

THIS WEEKEND WE ANNOUNCE THE TOTAL OF OUR
SUPER BOWL WEEKEND OFFERING.

Saturday night and Sunday morning, we will be back in the fourth chapter of Mark. This message is about growing in Christ. Jesus is telling three more stories that will help us understand what it means to be a growing vibrant Christian. Don’t miss this message: Saturday at 5 pm & Sunday at 9 and 10:45 am!

Marshall is back this weekend after his week away! We look forward to a great time of worship in all services.

On Sunday evening at 6 pm, we return to the book of Revelation. The title of the message is “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” Once again, we will study first and worship last! I am excited to get back into this profound book with its simple applications to life. Have you ever thought of making Sunday evening a part of your weekend routine? What might God do on the hard-drive of your heart if you gave Him some more material to work with...like the understanding of the last book of the Bible?

During our services, I will be showing a one-minute video that will invite our men to the STEPPING-UP MEN’S CONFERENCE. This event will be held in the basement of the Mountain High Kids’ Building on Friday and Saturday, February 15-16. Tickets are available online and in the Pavilion after the weekend services.

I want to challenge you to think about hosting a small group in your home beginning the weekend of April 14th. I will be teaching a special series on fear which we are calling “What Are You Afraid Of?” This six-week series will be produced for small groups, and we are hoping to have the greatest outreach into our community ever! I will be sharing more about this opportunity this weekend.

See you then!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Sower and the Seed (2/1)

Please click on the following link for a special video message from Pastor Jeremiah: Video Message

If you were on our campus last weekend, I am sure you will agree with me that the spirit and atmosphere was electric. The Ministry Fair was the best ever. The bad weather hurt our attendances, but it did not touch the spirit and enthusiasm of the weekend.

On Sunday night, we had the largest attendance ever at a Vision Dessert. Over eighteen hundred people attended this special event. There were hardly any empty seats at any of the tables, and I sensed the presence of the Lord throughout the entire evening. I heard that the kids’ program also hit the ball out of the park!

Our Generations campaign is nearing the end of the first phase. We still have a long way to go, but we have gotten off to a great start. Many of you turned in your Generations commitment cards on the weekend, but there are many cards that still need to be returned. I want to once again emphasize that this project will require all of us to be involved. If you haven’t turned in your card, this Sunday will provide another opportunity for you to do so.

As you know, we have been announcing that on Super Bowl Weekend, we would be taking a Super Offering for the Generations campaign. I believe this will be the largest offering ever taken on a weekend in the history of Shadow Mountain. But my faith and my belief will not be enough.

I am encouraging you to gather together as much of your commitment to the Generations project as possible and place it in the offering this weekend. Donna and I have already written our check for this offering, and I want to urge you to do the same. This up-front offering will enable us to do all of the preliminary things that must be done as we await the ground-breaking for this new facility one year from now. There are many tests and permits and environmental studies that must be completed, and the architect and builder will be getting everything ready so that we will be able to move quickly once the college has relocated to their new campus.

So once again, church family, it is our time to get this thing done.

We usually end our annual stewardship campaign with a time of worshipful giving as we come forward and present our gifts to the Lord at the end of each of our services. We did that rather informally last weekend, but this weekend the offering will be taken as the very last thing in the service, and we will have the wonderful joy and privilege of bringing our special gifts and commitments to the altar, and presenting them to our God. Remember what we have learned: This is the Lord’s Offering!

All of our giving this weekend will be presented through the Joash boxes at the front of the Worship Center. So bring your regular giving, your special Generations gift and your commitment cards to the services this weekend, and let’s end our 2013 stewardship campaign with a loud “Amen” to God’s calling upon us as a congregation.

Sometimes on Super Bowl weekend, I have given a special “Super Bowl Message!” This year, I have decided not to do that. We have been away from the Gospel of Mark since the last weekend of November, because of all the seasonal things and the stewardship emphasis. It is time to get back to this incredible book. We are returning at a great time and to a great passage. This weekend’s message is about “The Sower And The Seed.” More than any other passage in the Bible, this passage teaches us what happens when the Word of God is sown in the hearts of men. Why is it that some receive it and others refuse? Why is it that some seem to receive it, and then turn back to their old ways? In Jesus’ parable of “The Sower,” He answers these questions and many more as well. I am looking forward to the weekend with much anticipation.

There will be no evening service this weekend!

I will see you on the Lord’s Day!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Sorting Out Our Priorities (1/25)

This is a high priority weekend at Shadow Mountain! For the last four weeks, we have been thinking together about the Generations Building Project, and now it is time for us to make our commitments known. I know that many of you have already made your commitment in your hearts, and some of you have emailed me to tell me so. But now we need to write our commitments down, and bring them to the weekend services so that we can offer them up to God.

I cannot over-emphasize how important this weekend is for our church family. There have only been two other days like this in the last thirty years. We don’t plan to have another one in the near future. This is the day for us to step forward by faith and accept the challenge of our new building.

This past week, I sent you a letter and enclosed with it a commitment card and an envelope in which to place your card. If for some reason you did not receive a card, you will find one in your worship folder as you enter the Worship Center on Saturday night or Sunday morning. We will also have them at all of the tables at the Vision Dessert on Sunday evening.

We will have special receptacles for the receiving of these cards, so don’t put them in the offering bags. The commitment card boxes will be marked and easy to identify in all services, and they will be placed where it will be easy for you to get to them. On Sunday evening, we will also have Joash Boxes for the cards.

In all of the weekend services, I will be speaking on “Sorting Out Our Priorities.” This message will be taken from the book of Haggai.

And don’t forget the Ministry Fair! These displays are more creative and motivational each and every year. If you want to get the big picture of the ministry of our church, you must walk through the Ministry Fair in the Pavilion. It will be open on Saturday night, and before and after both services on Sunday morning.

Sunday evening is a wonderful, beautiful, once-a-year opportunity for us to come together, and enjoy one another while we are also catching the vision for the new year. We will have a great time of worship and music, and I will share my heart about the opportunities that are before us in 2013.

Everyone is calling and telling me that it is going to rain this weekend. But I know that we will not let a little water keep us from the King’s business. We need to fight through the bad weather, and make a statement with our presence in all of the services this weekend. The enemy will try to convince you to stay home, but you must not let him have your heart. Defy his discouraging urgings, and come to church!

The shuttles will be working from all campus parking areas on Sunday evening, and they will not stop until everyone has been returned to his or her car.

Please also note the special kids program that has been planned for kids through the fifth grade. Our children’s staff always does something very special for this night.

I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend, and once again I want to convey how very important it is for all of us to be present this weekend. This is our church, and this is a high and holy day for our congregation!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Just Do It (1/18)

This weekend marks the beginning of our final week of the Generations Stewardship Campaign. But let me be clear: We are just getting started with this monumental project, and I want to tell you that we are really off to a great start. I hope you and your family are praying about your commitment to this project!

The encouragement that is coming from all of you is a great blessing to me and keeps me fired up every day. I just talked to our Vision Dessert Coordinators, and they tell me that we have had the greatest and earliest registration response in history. We are going to have a great meeting next Sunday evening. I hope you have registered...if not, you might want to do that this week. There will be a tear-off registration card in the worship folder, and you can fill it out and drop it in the offering bag!

Here’s something else I thought would be a blessing to you. As you know, each January we invite people to become members of Shadow Mountain, and this year we have already added more new members than in any other January in history.

Most of all, I am energized by your response to God’s Word. This weekend (Sat. night and Sun. morning) I will be sharing a message from the Old Testament book of I Chronicles. The 28th and 29th chapters of that history book tell the story of one of the Seven Wonders of the World...the temple of Solomon. I have decided to call my message “Just Do It.” That phrase, although famous for a sports emblem, actually comes from the Bible. And it gives us the motivation we need at this particular time in our church ministry. Don’t miss the weekend services!

I don’t really know what to say about what is happening on Sunday nights these days. Last Sunday night, I went home from the service filled with such a sense of praise and worship. Our worship team responded to the message in Revelation chapter four, and we actually ended our service singing the words that were in the text we had just studied. Revelation is filled with hymns, and many of them have been set to modern melodies. I stood in the front of the church and just listened as the people of God worshiped, and I knew in my heart that I was experiencing a special moment in the life and ministry of Shadow Mountain.

This Sunday night, we will study the fifth chapter of Revelation, and once again we will end with a time of triumphant worship. If you have time to read this chapter before the evening service, you will be able to anticipate the wonders of heavenly worship which we can only imitate as creatures of earth. But imitate we will...with all of our hearts... responding to the wonderful Word of God. The message for this Sunday evening is “The Title-Deed To The Earth.” As I mentioned last week, we are now into the prophetic portion of this book, and you don’t want to miss one session. Don’t forget to pick up your printed notes from last Sunday’s message.

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Generations Kickoff (1/11)

We are off and running into the new year, and this week we officially begin our annual stewardship emphasis. I know, I talked about the Generations offering last week, but the rest of the program begins this weekend. Here’s what you can be looking forward to as you come to worship this weekend:

• As you come to the services this weekend, we will be distributing a fourteen-day prayer guide. We have designed this to encourage your faithful prayer for our congregation as we prepare our hearts for the Generations initiative.
• In all of our Adult Bible Fellowships, youth services and children’s programs, there will be lessons to keep us all focused on the Generations’ opportunities. These lessons have been written especially for this program, and they are riveting!
• Last weekend, I told you a story about a group of people who were called by God to build a fifty million dollar worship center. It is one of the most motivating stories in the Old Testament. This weekend, I will be finishing that story and making the application to our lives.
• We are off to a good start with reservations for our Vision Dessert which will take place on Sunday night, January 27th. The registration table for table hosts and hostesses is set up in the Lobby of the Worship Center on Sunday morning. If you are willing to serve in this capacity, please stop by the registration table, and they will give you all the details, or fill out the bulletin tear off and drop in the offering bag on Saturday evening or Sunday morning.

This Sunday evening, we return to our study of the book of Revelation as we explore the first few verses of chapter four. We have finished the historical part of this book, and this week we move into the prophetic section. The message this weekend is “A Look Into Heaven.”

The apostle John is given the opportunity to see heaven at the beginning of the tribulation period. What does he see? Is God on the throne? Where is the church at this time? These are but a few of the questions that this passage answers. I hope you will be with us as we return to this great study. As in the past, we will conclude our time in the Word with Worship.

I am excited to get back to this book. I hope to see you at the weekend services of the Shadow Mountain Community Church!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Generations and Stewardship (1/4)

We have just come through a tremendous season of ministry at Shadow Mountain, and now it is time for us to look to ourselves and to the needs of our own congregation as we prepare for our next step of growth as a church.

As you know, we have announced the construction of a new Generations building which will enable us to minister to the next generation of Christ-followers at our church.

This week we begin the teaching of the new year with our annual Stewardship Emphasis, but this time it is directed primarily toward the need for this new facility.

I want to challenge you to take this opportunity for growth and ministry very seriously. We have a huge barrier to future growth in front of us, and by the grace of God, and in the power of the Spirit we are going to confront that barrier and break through with our hands up high!

I believe God has called us to this project, and I am so excited to be leading the way as your pastor. But I cannot come to church for you...I cannot listen to messages for you...I cannot pray in your place...or respond to the Spirit of God on your behalf. So I urge you to weigh in on this new initiative with all your heart. You may not think God has anything in this for you. You may be thinking right now, “I do not need to go to these services because there is nothing I can do to help.” But I promise you, if you will come each week for these next weeks and simply ask God what He wants you to do, He will show you exactly what your part in all of this should be. When we refuse to listen or stay away from the challenge, we keep God from His blessing in our lives.

All that to say that this week, I am going to tell you a story from the Bible about another and very similar project that God called His people to do. And you will never believe the way that He brought it about. God is not into stereotypes. Everything He does is unique to the moment and to the ministry. That’s why you can’t afford to miss one service or one message.

And if you happen to be in an ABF class, you will be learning about the way God has always used generations to carry out His plan. I know our ABF teachers are eager to share this story with you as well.

These are great days at Shadow Mountain. Will you trust me to lead us forward into this new arena of faith? I will seek God’s words and His ways, and do my very best to move us forward in His will!

Because of the seasonal schedule, there will not be an evening service this week. We will get back to Revelation and the regular evening services next weekend.

I hope you are off to a great start in 2013! Make your presence in all of the services at Shadow Mountain a part of your strategy for the new year!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

New Directions in 2013 (12/28)

It is hard to believe that this is our last email for 2012. What a year this has been for Shadow Mountain! And what a blessing it has been to be your pastor and teacher! Of all the things the Lord has allowed me to do this past year, the most rewarding and thrilling to me is to be the pastor of the Shadow Mountain Community Church.

Each year as we approach this particular weekend, I try to share something with you that will encourage and strengthen you as you face the challenge of a new year. The prophets of doom and gloom are everywhere predicting a terrible year for our nation, but I believe God is still on the throne, and we have no evidence that He reads the prognosticator’s words.

In the three weekend services, I will be sharing a message that will challenge you to take a journey in a new direction in 2013. As I read over my notes this morning, the truth of God’s Word resonated with my heart. Yes! This is the journey I want to take this year, and I hope you will join me!

Our choir will be taking a break this weekend, but we have asked a brand new friend of our ministry to share his incredible gift with us in all three services. I first heard Uriel Vega when I was asked to speak at the Hispanic Ministries fourth anniversary celebration. He is an extraordinarily talented saxophonist, and you will be blessed by his ministry this weekend. By the way, we had Uriel at our staff Christmas party, and he blessed us all.

As you know, there is no evening service this weekend.

One last thought: Each year at this time we have the opportunity of presenting our year-end gifts to the Lord. Let me encourage you to do just that. Your gifts at the end of each year help us to stay strong as we make the transition into a new year.

God bless you as you continue to serve the Lord!

Happy New Year from Donna and from me...

David Jeremiah

Why The Music and Joy of Christmas? (12/21)

Welcome to Christmas weekend! This is one of my favorite weekends of the year, and I can feel the sense of excitement and anticipation everywhere I go.

As many of you know, I have been preaching a series of “Why?” messages during the Christmas season for the past several years. Actually, this weekend will mark the nineteenth message in the series. This weekend, I want to ask and answer this question: “Why The Music and Joy of Christmas?” Like no other season of the year, Christmas is dominated by music. Entire channels on the radio and television are devoted for three months to the music of Christmas. Why this occurs, and how it relates to your life and mine is the theme of the weekend message on Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 9:00 and 10:45 am.

And our choir and orchestra will conclude the advent season with the joyous music of Christmas. Marshall Hall will lead us and minister to us as he has been doing so wonderfully during these days.

This weekend, there will be no elementary classes, youth services or Adult Bible Fellowships, because we all come to the main services to celebrate together. Classes from birth through kindergarten will meet as usual.

As part of our celebration, we will have coffee and donuts in the Pavilion after each service (including the Saturday night service). We have also preserved the Christmas backdrop for pictures. You can bring your camera, and take pictures of your family and friends in this beautiful setting.

There will be no service on Sunday evening, but on Monday night, Christmas Eve, we will meet at 4 pm and at 6 pm for our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight services. These next few days are special, and I urge you to make the final celebration of Christmas for 2012...the very best ever!

I am looking forward to a great weekend.

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Why The Virgin Birth Of Christ? (12/14)

As I write this week’s email, we are making the final preparations for our annual Christmas musical presentation. As you know, it begins tonight and continues throughout the weekend. Yesterday, we had some tickets become available for all performances. If you were among those who were not able to get tickets when they were first made available, you might want to check our website, www.shadowmountain.org and see if they might have the tickets you are looking for.

Here are some other things to remember as you prepare for the weekend concerts:

• Don’t forget to bring your desserts to the walkway between the Pavilion and the Solid Rock Café one hour before the program!
• Be sure to visit Christmasville. It is amazing!
• In Christmasville, you will find a petting zoo for your children...and
• A beautiful sand sculpture nativity scene. This is really a “wow!”...and
• A place for family photos to be taken in a Christmas setting....and
• Live music ... and
• For the first time ever, a huge Noble Christmas Tree with over 4000 lights - “best appreciated after dark!”

I know we will have many guests this weekend, and I urge you to reach out to those you do not know and make them welcome to our campus!

The weekend message is one I believe will help us as we try to “ponder” the meaning of Christmas. What was really happening in Bethlehem when Jesus was born? What difference does Christmas make? Do we have to believe the whole story in order for it to be meaningful to us?

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, I will be speaking on “Why The Virgin Birth Of Christ?” In many respects, this is the “theology” of Christmas, but it is not dead and dry. It is the most amazing story in the Bible, and it explains so many things that we wonder about as believers.

I am blessed to be able to share these truths with our Shadow Mountain Family, and I invite you to come with your Bibles and an expectant heart. This is how we celebrate Christmas!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Why Do Some People Miss Christmas? (12/7)

For many of you, I am sure the celebration of Christmas has already begun. The many events, concerts and parties begin to fill up our schedule at this time of the year, and there seems to be a sense of expectation and excitement in the air.

I love to teach the Word of God at Christmastime, and this weekend I want to ask another one of those “Why?” questions: “Why Do Some People Miss Christmas?” Even at that first “Christmas,” some people who were very close to all that was happening, missed the meaning and importance of the celebration. How can we keep from missing Christmas this year? I want to help us all meet that challenge in the weekend messages from Shadow Mountain. I know our services will be filled with the music of Christmas, and our worship of the Savior will be the focus of it all!

There will not be an evening service this weekend. We are all looking forward to our Christmas Programs next weekend, and as you know, all of the programs are completely sold out!

I have been asked to remind all of you who will be attending one of the programs next weekend, to please plan to bring your special Christmas desserts to the walkway between the Pavilion and the Solid Rock Café one hour before the program. Be sure to bring extra, if possible. We always seem to run out of food before everyone gets through the line. Thanks for all you are doing!

One last reminder of the Christmas food drive. If you have not returned your bag full of groceries for our food pantry, I encourage you to do so this weekend!

Looking forward to seeing you at Shadow Mountain this weekend!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

The Christmas Drama (11/30)

I am anxious to tell you about the great weekend we have planned at Shadow Mountain. Each year on this weekend, we try to bring in a special speaker who will help wrap our minds and hearts around the real meaning of Christmas. Last year, Lee Strobel shared “The Case for Christmas.” This year, we have Josh McDowell with us for our Saturday night service and both Sunday morning services. Josh’s message title is “The Christmas Drama.” Was Jesus the expected Messiah? Was "the babe in the manger" truly the one they had been waiting for? Josh will take a close look at Galatians 4:4 for the answers to these questions.

As always at this time of year, the music will be special and the fellowship great. 

On Sunday night, our children’s choirs will present their annual Christmas musical, “Miracle on Main Street, The Little Pageant That Wouldn’t Give Up!” As you know, today more and more communities are struggling with the word "Christmas." Where mangers once stood and carols were sung, Christ is continuing to be dropped in favor of "holiday" celebrations. This children's musical reaches directly to the heart of this matter, and from the voices of children comes the ultimate truth -- a Christmas without Jesus is like giving a present with no gift inside.

Through an upbeat blend of new songs with traditional carols, the story chronicles the dilemma of a group of children who want to celebrate Christmas in public, but face opposition from the politically correct local townsfolk. Despite the challenges, the children stand up for their beliefs and joyfully proclaim their faith. You won't want to miss, “Miracle on Main Street!”

These kids have worked for many weeks to make this program uniquely special. Each year, I am challenged by the commitment that our kids’ choir team has to teaching these children. There is no better way to spend an hour this Sunday night than by sharing the joy of Christmas with 200 + children. 

The gifts for the Angel Tree program have almost all been returned. This weekend is a must for those of you who still need to wrap your gift and return it. Also, the food bags are starting to come back for our food drive, and I would encourage you to return your shopping bag this week if at all possible. Additional bags will be available throughout the weekend. 

If you were in church last weekend, you heard me announce that our ticket money and the money from our offerings at the Christmas presentations will be sent to New York City to help those who are trying to recover from “Hurricane Sandy.” 

Have a great weekend, and make Shadow Mountain a priority!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Can I commit a sin that God will not forgive? (11/24)

First of all:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

And

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (II Cor. 9:15).

This email is reaching you on Wednesday because all of our offices are closed for the next two days as we celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. Our prayer for you and your family is that you will reflect on God’s goodness and rejoice in His provision for you at this season.

This weekend, we will enjoy our beautifully decorated Worship Center for the first time this holiday season. Thanks to all who helped with this project, and especially to David St. John and his team who coordinate all of these things. 

On Sunday, we will return to the book of Mark for one more message before we get into our Christmas teachings. What a passage to focus on before the break. 

For many years, I have fielded the question about the “unpardonable” sin. This week, we are going to study the major passage where that “sin” is mentioned, and we will ask this question: “Can I commit a sin that God will not forgive?” This message will be given on Saturday night at 5 pm and on Sunday morning at 9:00 and 10:45 am. Come expecting to worship with joy, and be nourished up in your soul from the Word of God.

Our special guest for the weekend is vocalist Sara Groves. Sara has released ten albums and appeared on several others. She has been nominated for three Dove Awards including "New Artist of the Year" in 2002, and "Special Event Album of the Year 2003" by the Gospel Music Association. She was named one of the best Christian music artists of 2005, and her album “Add to the Beauty” was named "Album of the Year" in 2005 by “CCM Magazine.” Sara released her latest album "Invisible Empires" in October of 2011.

Sara will be sharing the music from her new Christmas album along with other songs in the Sunday evening service. Once again, our goal will be to meet from 6 - 7:15 pm, and I encourage all who have children in the kids’ choirs to make a special effort to get them to rehearsal this weekend. Their special Christmas presentation is next Sunday night!

Finally, don’t forget to bring your Angel Tree gifts this weekend. We will be finishing up this project in the next few days.

Looking forward to seeing you on the weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love from your Pastor,

David Jeremiah

Thanksgiving

You have often heard me speak of “the rhythm of life.” It’s sort of my way of observing that life has a hidden sense of organization...a kind of schedule, if you will. But these seasons of life often catch us when we are unprepared to accept them. This year, I sense that many are wondering what to do with the season of Thanksgiving. We have just been through an ugly election cycle, and many of the things we had hoped would result from that election did not! We are now facing the prospect of new taxes and regulations and the continued erosion of the values that many of us cherish. So how impudent it is of “thanksgiving” to intrude into our time of mourning and complaining! And yet again...how wonderful to be reminded to stop and let everything get back into perspective! Thanksgiving comes to us this year at exactly the right time...at a time when we need it more than ever. So I urge you to start the thanksgiving parade in your heart today. Let me be your cheerleader, your encourager this weekend as we gather for our annual Thanksgiving weekend services — Saturday at 5 PM and Sunday at 9 & 10:45 AM. The title of my message this weekend is “Learning to Live Thankfully.” Here are a few words someone gave me this week that are meant to get you thinking about thanksgiving: Where does gratitude rank on your list of Christian virtues? In an arsenal that's supposed to include things like mountain-moving faith, radical obedience, patient long-suffering, and second-mile self-denial, for many, gratitude feels like an optional add-on. But this issue of gratitude is far more significant than its lightweight reputation would suggest. What appears at first to be a cute little cameo to go with our finer things is in reality a much weightier, much more powerful, much more necessary component to our Christian life. Try, for example, to sustain persevering faith - without gratitude - and your faith will eventually forget the whole point of its faithfulness, hardening into a practice of religion that's hollow and ineffective. Try being a person who exudes and exhibits Christian love - without gratitude - and over time your love will crash hard on the sharp rocks of disappointment and disillusionment. Try being a person who sacrificially gives of yourself - without the offering being accompanied by gratitude - and you'll find every ounce of joy drained dry by a martyr complex. Sunday night there will be no regular service, but there will be a service. Our Hispanic congregation will be meeting in the Worship Center at 5 PM to celebrate their fourth anniversary under the leadership of Eric Zaldaña. It will be my joy and privilege to bring the message that evening as I speak through an interpreter to this wonderful group of people. Please pray for a great outpouring of God’s grace upon our Hispanic brothers and sisters! There are still a few scattered tickets available for the Christmas program on December 14th, 15th, and 16th. And don’t forget to bring your gifts back to the Angel Tree project this week. I am looking forward to seeing you all this weekend! Love from your pastor!

How to Live Under Pressure

First of all, everyone wants to know what I think about the election. And I would like to dispense with that question as simply and quickly as possible. God is in control! He was in control on Election Day! And He is still in control and will always be in control. We all voted! Our President was re-elected for another four years, and I will pray for him, and I urge you to do the same. We live in a free country, and we expressed our freedom when we voted. It is now our responsibility, no matter who we voted for, to exercise our citizenship in accordance with the Word of God. That’s it! No less! No more! Now on to the important ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend we will resume our study from the book of Mark. The title of the weekend message is “How To Live Under Pressure.” From the life of Jesus, we will discover what pressure really looks like and take away five principles that will help us live under pressure, which, by the way, is where we all seem to be at this time. I can’t wait to share these incredible truths with all of you on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Sunday night we come to the last church in the seven churches of Revelation. This is one of the more famous of the seven: The Church of Laodicea. John Stott had this to say about this church: “Perhaps none of the seven letters is more appropriate to the twentieth century church than this. It describes vividly the respectable, sentimental, nominal, skin-deep religiosity which is so widespread among us today. Our Christianity is flabby and anemic. We appear to have taken a lukewarm bath of religion.” Whether you agree with Stott or not, you owe it to yourself, and to your children and grandchildren to hear what Jesus is saying to the church that will be on this earth when He returns for His own. Tickets for “A Shadow Mountain Christmas,” Dec 14, 15, and 16, are available online at the Shadow Mountain website and in the South Lobby before and after services. It is also that time of year when we have the blessing of participating in Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program. This program allows us to purchase gifts for children of parents that are in prison. This year we have over 600 children with a total of over 1200 gifts that need to be purchased. Please stop by the Angel Tree table in the Lobby. Choose an angel, purchase a gift, wrap it, place the top portion of the angel on the package and return it next weekend. You will be a blessing, but most of all, you will be blessed yourself! Love from Your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Time Change

Fri, 2 Nov 2012
DON’T FORGET TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR ON SATURDAY NIGHT! IT’S FALL, AND THAT MEANS WE FALL BACK ONE HOUR! IT WILL HURT ON SUNDAY MORNING, BUT FEEL GREAT SATURDAY NIGHT! This weekend is one of those weekends that comes along but a few times in the life of a congregation! The announcement of a new expansion initiative will be the focus of our services on Saturday night and Sunday morning. This has been in the thinking and planning stages for many months by our staff, and now it is time to share it with the whole family. I can’t remember being any more excited than I am about this initiative. I won’t say any more about it here, because I want to tell you the whole story this weekend. I do hope you will make it a high priority to be in one of the three services. The Generations Initiative is the next step of faith and vision for our church! For the Revelation series on Sunday night, the sixth church of the seven to which our Lord sent a personal letter is the church of Philadelphia. If I had searched the entire Bible for a message, I could not have found one more suitable for the theme of this weekend. If I could have done it, I would have preached the Revelation message on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Sunday night plans to be a very special time together with the Word of God and with each other. What blessings we have been taking home each weekend of late! This weekend will be the last time for you to get an autographed copy of the book “God Loves You - He Always Has - He Always Will.” The books will be available in the Lobby on Saturday and Sunday night, and in the Pavilion on Sunday morning. Finally, one last report on the Billy Graham ad project. As of Friday afternoon, we have been able to place that marvelous ad in 507 newspapers around the United States. In addition, 67 newspapers have placed the ad in their papers on their own. And countless additional ads have been sponsored by private sponsors and placed in additional papers. This weekend, the ad will be in the "Washington Post" and the "Philadelphia Enquirer," and it was run again in the Friday edition of "USA Today." What a wonder this has been! And to top it off: This week, Donald Trump called Franklin and congratulated him on the ad, and then sent a 100 thousand dollar check to the project! Of course, now the whole issue is for all of us to vote. I am confident that if the Lord’s people do what they should do, we will see God glorified and His will accomplished. Don’t forget our Election Eve Prayer Meeting at 7PM Monday night. This time of prayer will be held in the Worship Center. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who participated in making Royal Nite a huge success. This was the largest attended Royal Nite ever. We ran out of handout resources long before the evening was over, and our young adults prayed with dozens of people who requested prayer and direction for their lives. A special thanks to David St. John, Katie Williams, Bryan Snow and the facilities staff for going beyond their call of duty. I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Is Your Faith a Burden or a Blessing?

Fri, 26 Oct 2012
First of all, thanks to all of you who sent me emails and written notes after last week’s message on “The Election.” You encouraged my heart and made me remember once again, why it is such a blessing to be the pastor of the Shadow Mountain Community Church. Before I tell you about the services for the weekend, I want to give you some more information about the Billy Graham newspaper ads which I told you about last weekend. On Wednesday, of this past week, CNN read the ad on their morning news show and remarked about the fact that it was being seen all over the state of Ohio. I was also told that Charles Swindoll and Jack Graham, pastors of huge churches in Dallas, read the ad to their people from the pulpit and had it up on their IMAGS. Earlier this week, we also had a most surprising moment. When we had strategized this ad, we had thought about placing it in the New York Times. The cost of a one-page ad in that paper on the weekend was 162 thousand dollars. We decided to use our resources in a different way and passed on that opportunity. This week, the Times called us, and said they had seen the ad in the other papers and said they would knock 100 thousand dollars off of the price if we would give them the ad for this weekend. A few minutes later, the Chicago Tribune made a similar pitch and because of the generosity of two donors, the Billy Graham ad is in both papers this weekend! What an amazing experience this has been! This weekend, we return to our study of the book of Mark as we examine two stories that Mark includes to teach an important lesson. Here is the title of the message: “Is Your Faith a Burden or a Blessing?” (Mark 2:23-3:6). I cannot think of a more relevant passage in the Bible. These stories strike at the very heart of those who want to turn the freedom of our faith into a ritual of rules. How powerfully our Lord deals with this issue! Bring your Bibles to church this weekend. Saturday at 5 pm & Sunday at 9 & 10:45 am. Sunday evening, we continue our tour through the book of Revelation. This week, we will visit the church at Sardis. Has anyone ever described a church to you in these terms? “That’s a dead church!” What do you think they meant? For some, it may simply mean that the music was too slow. For others, they might not have been greeted warmly as they entered. But, what really is a dead church? Jesus gives us our answer as He describes the church of Sardis as the church that once lived and had died (Rev. 3:1-6). The history of the city of Sardis is a picture of what happened to the church, and the story of the church is a warning to all of us. We are just one generation away from a dying church. What can we do to make sure that our church continues to be alive and flourishing for many years to come? If you have missed the Sunday night services of late, I encourage you to join us this week. We are teaching first and worshiping second, and the dynamic of it all is thrilling. Because we want young families to be able to attend, and get their kids home and in bed on time, we start at six and try to be walking out the door by 7:15 pm. The children’s choirs are on the same schedule, so it’s a win-win for parents with children in the choirs. This Wednesday is Royal Nite! From 5-9 pm, we will host the largest party of the year on the campus across from the church. The event is free and open to children of all ages...from one to one-hundred! Please park at the Foothills Adult Center, 1550 Melody Ln, El Cajon and take the free shuttle to the event. Shuttles begin running at 4 pm. I will see you in a few hours! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

The Church at Thyatira

Fri, 19 Oct 2012
This weekend, I am going to try to answer some of the many questions that have been submitted to me over the last several weeks. These questions have to do with the issues that are involved in the coming national election. Because they are important questions, and because I believe this is the most important election in my lifetime, I have decided to devote the weekend messages to this subject. I have received some emails from people suggesting that I should not “get into politics.” But, of course, I must get into these issues because they are not political, they are moral and spiritual. We cannot allow ourselves to brush aside major moral and spiritual issues because they happen to be in the political arena in this year’s election process. First and foremost, I am doing this because I believe this is what God would have me do. I hope you will be in attendance to hear this message. And remember, you promised to pray for me this week! Sunday night, we will continue our series on the book of Revelation. This week, we will study the letter that John wrote to the church in Thyatira. It is a letter that deals with the issue of tolerance. How much should a church or an individual tolerate in the name of being loving and understanding? This letter will help us sort out that question, and give us some helpful instruction about living our lives in the balance of love and holiness. I hope you will join the many hundreds who are making this series from Revelation an absolute must in their weekend schedule. If for no other reason, you should come for the incredible worship that takes place at the end of the service. It is like nothing I can ever remember at Shadow Mountain. We are happy to welcome The King’s Brass to our Sunday morning services. They are an innovative team of Christian professional musicians from around the nation who, for more than twenty years, have performed hundreds of concerts. Their ensemble includes three trumpets, three trombones, a tuba, keyboards, and percussion to present a variety of music ranging from Handel to hymn classics. This group’s primary mission is to spread the Gospel, and to encourage and uplift other believers. Please don’t forget your “candy” this week. We are getting ready for our gigantic Royal Nite celebration, and we need your help especially with the candy. Royal Nite is October 31st from 5-9 pm, and it will be the greatest outreach to our community this year. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

A Different Kind Of Religion

Fri, 12 Oct 2012
This week, for the first time in history, the United States does not have a Protestant majority, according to a new study. One reason: The number of Americans with no religious affiliation is on the rise. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life reported that 20% of Americans say they have no religious affiliation, an increase from 15 percent in the last five years. When asked why they no longer go to church, 25% responded that “the teaching of Scripture is being watered down.” Isn’t it interesting that the reason church leaders water down the gospel is in order to keep from offending those who attend, and the end result is that those that once attended stop coming. The Bible comes to us with a promise that when it is honestly taught, God’s blessing will follow. I believe that, and I know that you do, too! So this weekend, I am going to teach the Word of God. On Saturday night and Sunday morning, I will be teaching from Mark chapter two, and the title of the message is “A Different Kind Of Religion.” Here in this early book is a picture of what is happening today in our churches. This is what happens when we try religion instead of relationship. Sunday night, we return to the book of Revelation. The third church in the list of seven churches to which John writes, is the church of Pergamos. The title of this message is “The Church in Satan’s City.” In this message, we are going to discover what happens when the church tries to compromise with the culture. From this historic church is a message as contemporary as the headlines in this week’s paper. Thank you all for persevering through last weekend's interstate closures. CALTRANS is working again this weekend, but they are doing their best to have the I-8 at Greenfield off-ramp open by 8:30 Sunday morning. You may want to leave for church a little early, just in case there are some construction-related delays. Please continue to pray for the Royal Nite celebration on October 31st. We are counting on you to help us with the candy needed for the event, and there are still some places of service available for those of you who can donate some time. This has been an historic week in my life, and I want to share some of it with you when we get together on the weekend. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

The Greatest Miracle

Fri, 5 Oct 2012
I know you have sensed, as I have, that the last several weekends have been very uniquely blessed of God at Shadow Mountain. It is hard to believe that just teaching through the books of the Bible could cause such a stir among us. But Mark’s Gospel and the Book of Revelation are capturing our hearts as we study each week. This weekend, I will be speaking on “The Greatest Miracle.” If you had to choose the greatest miracle that Jesus performed during His tenure on this earth, what miracle would that be? Think about that as you prepare for the services this Saturday night and Sunday morning. What Jesus did during the few weeks He ministered on this earth sets the standard for the work He has called us to do. This message, based upon a familiar New Testament story, will provide encouragement for us as we live out our discipleship before God. Sunday night, we are going to visit a church that was known primarily for its suffering. The church in the city of Smyrna was being crushed under the persecution of the Romans and the Jews. How God ministered to them is how He ministers to us when we are suffering. I was so blessed and encouraged as I poured over these verses, and I want to urge you to come for our study on Sunday evening at 6 PM. So many of you have commented on the time of worship we have been having at the conclusion of our Sunday night message. As I mentioned this past week: “Perhaps we have gotten this all wrong. We have always thought that the worship prepares us for the message. But what if the message was supposed to prepare us for worship? We are discovering just how powerful this order of service can be in our own lives.” Please remember to help us prepare for Royal Nite on October 31st. We need lots of candy and many more volunteers. You can deliver the candy to the Pavilion on the weekend. To help, you can sign up at the Royal Nite booth in the Pavilion or by calling the church. I am looking forward to our time together just a few hours from right now. See you soon! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

The Secret of Jesus' Life

Fri, 28 Sep 2012
This is a great season of ministry at Shadow Mountain. I feel so privileged to be a part of what God is doing in our congregation at this time. This weekend, we return to our study of Mark’s Gospel, and the message from the last verses of chapter one will help us understand the power and influence that Jesus Christ had while here on earth. “The Secret of Jesus’ Life” is the title of the message, and I am praying that it will have the same impact on you that it has already had on me. Mark’s account of our Lord’s ministry is motivating, convicting and encouraging, all at the same time. I really don’t know what to say about what is happening on Sunday nights, except it is wonderful. Last Sunday night, we changed things around so that the message was up front in the service, and we ended the evening with worship. It was one of the most awesome worship times we have experienced at Shadow Mountain. Sometimes I wonder if we haven’t mixed up the whole order of our services from the very beginning. Worship is best when it is in response to the Word. This Sunday night, we will examine John’s first letter written from the Isle of Patmos. This letter, written to the little church in Ephesus, addresses a problem that prevails in many churches today. It is also reflective of what can easily happen in the lives of Christians. What happens when your first love for the Lord Jesus Christ begins to erode? From Revelation 2:1-7, we will examine the answers to that question as we talk about “Losing Your First Love.” This message also has ramifications for our marriages. How do you restore first love to a marriage? It’s all in the message on Sunday evening. At the door, be sure to pick up your copy of the printed notes from the previous week’s study as you enter the evening service. ROYAL NITE - OCTOBER 31ST, 2012 - 5-9 PM Royal Nite is a wonderful outreach to our neighbors and community. This year, we have added rides, and we have more game booths. Beginning this weekend in the Pavilion, we will have the Royal Nite table set up to collect candy and will have a place for individual volunteers to sign up to help. There are many different opportunities to volunteer for this event, so be sure to stop by and check it out! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

The One Who Meets Your Needs

Fri, 21 Sep 2012
This weekend, we gather in four services to worship Our Lord and study His Word. Saturday evening and Sunday morning, we will be studying the next section in Mark’s gospel. The title of the message is “The One Who Meets Your Needs.” What are our needs? Are they spiritual, emotional, physical? Whatever they may be, we have in Jesus Christ, the ONLY ONE who can fully meet those needs. That is what He does. That is who He is. That is what He has been doing since Mark chapter one. He hasn’t changed! He still cares about our needs! And His power is so awesome and overwhelming! Find out more this weekend – Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 & 10:45 am. Could I put in a word here about the importance of the shuttle service? Last weekend, we had over 8,000 people on our campus, and obviously we do not have anything close to the parking needed for such a crowd on or across from our campus. We can accommodate everyone on Sunday morning only as we faithfully ride the shuttles from Granite Hills. Once you try it, I know you will like it. Give it a try this weekend, and make it possible for someone who needs to know Jesus to find a parking space. Wow! Sunday nights have been incredible the last two weeks, and we are just now getting started in the actual verse by verse study of Revelation. What crowds we have had and what energy and enthusiasm for the Word of God! The Sunday evening service starts at 6:00, and we try very hard to be walking out at 7:15. Tell someone about the Revelation series, and join us this Sunday evening. Years ago, I heard about a little girl who was drawing a picture in Sunday School, and her teacher asked what she was drawing. She said she was drawing a picture of God. Her teacher told her that no one had ever seen God and so no one knows what He looks like. The little girl answered, “They will when I finish drawing my picture!” I love the faith of little children. Well, this weekend we are going to see a picture of Jesus that you will never forget. This picture tells us of His clothing, His hair, His eyes, His feet, His voice, and His mouth. So terrifying and majestic was this vision of Jesus that John fell as if dead at His feet...the same reaction that Daniel had in the Old Testament when he had a similar vision. Here is the Lord of Glory as He stands in the midst of His churches. It’s a picture you will never forget! It will remind you that the One who is in control is worthy of our trust. What a time for such a message! See you on Sunday night! Last week, many of you signed up for small groups. For those who wanted to but didn’t, this weekend there is another opportunity for you to do so. Our leaders will be ready to help you in the Pavilion between and after services. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Getting Excited About Revelation

Fri, 7 Sep 2012
It’s time! Part of me wants to say, “Start your engines!” Summer is past, and it’s time to welcome the fall season at Shadow Mountain. This week we welcome back our incredible choir and orchestra. We also introduce our new worship leader, Marshall Hall, and I get to return to teach the Word of God to the people of Shadow Mountain. I’ve looked at the plan for the weekend, and I can hear the music playing in my head. I know we are going to have a wonderful “First Weekend Back.” Everything starts at 5 on Saturday evening and all systems are “go” through Sunday night. My weekend message is about a prayer that has been filtering through my heart these last few days. It is a prayer that two famous presidents have prayed. It is the prayer I need in my life, right now, more than at any other time I can remember. And yes, it is also a prayer for our troubled nation. I don’t know all that is happening with you, but I can safely predict that this prayer has the potential to change your life as well. I’ll be sharing the message of this prayer in all three weekend services - Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 9:00 & 10:45 am. This weekend is communion weekend, so be sure to come prepared to remember the Lord’s death through the observance of this ordinance. On Sunday night, I am going to do something I have wanted to do for the past several years. When I came to Shadow Mountain thirty years ago, one of the first books I taught was the book of Revelation. Many of you have asked if I would ever teach that book again. So much has happened since the early eighties, and so many of you were not at Shadow Mountain at that time. I have gone back to this most inspiring book, and factored in all that has happened and is happening today. I learned a lot about God and His Word in thirty years, and hopefully that will make this series even more powerful in our lives than it was the first time around. I am not going to gradually ease into this. It begins this Sunday night with a message called “Getting Excited About Revelation.” I hope you will make a determined effort to be present for each of these services going forward as we claim these blessings for our own lives: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3) “Behold I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:7) That’s right, there are two special blessings promised to those who read the book of Revelation. More than ever before, I understand why! I am so excited about the future of Shadow Mountain. God is up to something good here, and we need to stay focused on His glory and serve Him with all our hearts. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Bill Butterworth

Fri, 24 Aug 2012
Each year as the summer draws to a close, I am grateful for the time of refreshment the Lord provides in our lives. But I am also eager and energized as I look forward to a new season of ministry. As students return and the campus begins to buzz with activity, I am filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation about what the Lord will do through us in the coming fall season! But we don’t have to wait for good things to happen. This weekend, Bill Butterworth will be our special speaker in all of our weekend services, Saturday at 5:00 pm, Sunday at 9:00 am & 10:45 am, and Sunday evening at 6:00 pm for our Summer Bible Conference. Bill is no stranger to Shadow Mountain, and we once again give him a warm welcome. Bill is one of the most sought-after communicators in the country today. He has an extraordinary ability to blend humor, storytelling, wisdom and practicality. Bill has addressed many Fortune 500 corporate audiences as well as numerous church congregations across America. He is a former Director of Counseling for Chuck Swindoll’s Insight for Living ministry and is the author of several books, including When Life doesn’t Turn Out Like You Planned. When asked what he would be sharing with our church family this weekend, Bill offered the following explanation: “We will be looking at The Importance of Character from some important chapters in the book of Acts. On Saturday evening and Sunday morning, we will examine ‘The Immortals of Character.’ When Stephen made his defense, as recorded in Acts 7, he walked through a Hall of Fame in regards to people of character. The message will inspire us all to be men or women of character--the way God wants us to be!” “On Sunday evening, we will turn our attention to Acts 18, where we will see ‘The Immensity of Character.’ Many of us have worked hard to develop character in certain aspects of our lives, but God is looking for character in every area. We will do an overview of this great chapter in order to see the many facets of ministry available to us today.” There is another opportunity this weekend that I want to tell you about as well. It is time to sign up for the children’s activities that will begin in September. AWANA starts Wednesday, September 5. Also Children’s Choir begins September 9 during service on Sunday Evenings. Volunteers are needed to minister to all the kids involved in both programs. Register your child or volunteer yourself as a helper for AWANA and/or Children’s Choir online or at the tables next to the playground, between the Lobby and the Kids’ Building. I hope you will join us this weekend, because I know you will be challenged and encouraged by the preaching, fellowship, and worship. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah P.S. Our friend and Summer Bible Conference speaker Dinesh D'Souza, has a new film coming out in theaters today, Friday, August 24. The film "2016" will be showing in many theaters across the country; Rancho San Diego Stadium, Regal Parkway Plaza, AMC Mission Valley and Mira Mesa Stadium to name a few. For a full listing of theaters, go to www.2016themovie.com and check your local theater for show times. I encourage you to support Dinesh by taking the time to go see this film.

Ron Walters

Fri, 17 Aug 2012
This weekend, our friend Ron Walters will be our guest speaker during our Saturday night service at 5:00 and Sunday morning services at 9:00 and 10:45. Ron is a graduate of San Diego Christian College. He serves as Senior Vice President of Ministry Relations for Salem Communications, the nation’s largest distributor of Christian and family-themed programming via radio, Internet and publishing. In addition, he’s been a featured speaker at churches, colleges and conferences throughout America. Ron is looking forward to sharing some insight into the life of the Apostle Paul. The Apostle Paul’s statement, “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel,” was more than a handy moniker for the church. He put his life and ministry on the line every day and in every city. He must have had reasons why he was so confident in God’s word…and, he did! His confidence was based on solid evidence…just as ours can be, despite the world’s attacks on the Bible. That’s because scripture proves to be credible at all points. Come and find out how. You’ll see it all in black-and-white this weekend. At 6:00 pm on Sunday evening, John Ortberg will be our guest speaker for our Summer Bible Conference. John is passionate about “spiritual formation,” which is how people become more like Jesus. His teaching brings Scripture alive and invariably includes practical applications and warm humor. John is the author of many books, including “If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat,” and “The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Growth for Ordinary People,” and his latest book, “The Me I Want To Be.” John is Senior Pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, a 4,000-member church in Northern California with campuses in Menlo Park, Mountain View, and San Mateo. The Nelons are back! If you weren’t privileged to see The Nelons at the Gaither Homecoming event earlier this year, you will have another chance this weekend. The Nelons will be with us during all of our services. They have received numerable awards and accolades including three GRAMMY nominations, six Gospel Music Association DOVE Awards, and many of their songs have soared to the top of national radio charts. The Nelons continue a heavy touring schedule consisting of more than 150 concerts annually and are regulars on the famed Gaither Homecoming Video Series. They have an uncanny gift of communicating God’s love that creates a worship experience that you’ll not soon forget! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Dr. Tom Thompson

Fri, 10 Aug 2012
Dr. Tom Thompson will minister during the Saturday night and Sunday morning services this weekend. Tom is the Senior Vice President for World Help located in Forest, VA. World Help is a ministry committed to sharing Christ’s love, hope, and peace with the unreached peoples of the world. Tom has conducted pastoral training and evangelistic campaigns in numerous countries. Prior to his position at World Help, Tom served for over 20 years on our pastoral staff. With Tom’s busy schedule, we are always glad when he can find time to come minister at Shadow Mountain. In Tom’s message, he will examine Paul’s spectacular and life-changing encounter with God on the road to Damascus. In this encounter, Paul received a vision that would alter his life forever and strengthen him to live for something eternal. In light of Paul’s vision, Tom will challenge us to consider questions like, “Do we have a vision from God about what we were created to be and do?” “Do we have a purpose that elevates us from the daily grind of life to something more important?” I hope you will join us as Tom shows us that unless we have a clear vision of who Jesus is and what He has called us to do, we can never expect to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others around us. The exciting part is that a clear vision of our great God will enable us to take risks to love and serve our neighbors and our world! Each year, Tom fills our minds with wonderful stories and encourages our hearts to live a more confident life of faith. I am sure that this year will be no different! Dennis Swanberg will be our featured guest during our Summer Bible Conference on Sunday night at 6:00 pm. If laughter is truly the best medicine, then Dennis Swanberg is just what the doctor ordered! Dennis is a Texas-born, pastor-turned-comedian who has won the hearts of audiences across the country with his blend of humor and impersonations. As a child, one of the first voices Dennis mastered was his television hero, Barney Fife, from "The Andy Griffith Show." Today, he takes over twenty other lovable impersonations and his side-splitting stories of growing up and the funny side of church to over 250,000 people every year. His audiences range from churches looking for fresh and new inspiration, to marriage enrichment seminars, city-wide concerts, business related events and corporate gatherings. As a motivational speaker, teacher, preacher, author, counselor, TV personality, and humorist, Dennis Swanberg knows just what it takes to make life a more pleasant road to journey down - with a laugh or two along the way. I hope you will join us at Shadow Mountain for these special services this weekend. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Dr. Ken Nichols

Fri, 3 Aug 2012
Each year it is a pleasure to welcome back our friend Dr. Ken Nichols to the pulpit. This weekend we will have the privilege of hearing Dr. Nichols speak on Saturday night at 5:00, and Sunday morning at 9:00 and 10:45. Dr. Nichols faithfully served Shadow Mountain Community Church from 1999 to 2008 as the Associate Pastor of Family Ministries before moving to Forest, Virginia where he presently uses his counseling gifts and years of experience to encourage and equip others through ALIVE Ministries. God is using Dr. Nichols and his message of hope to provide help and healing through Biblical counseling, Christ-centered resources and life-impacting seminars. Over the past 38 years through seminars, retreats and counseling sessions, Dr. Nichols’ zealous commitment to minister to the hurting has resulted in hundreds of restored marriages, as well as thousands of individuals experiencing victory over encumbering emotional, relational and spiritual disorders. Men and women have been set free from the bondage of controlling habits and emotional pain. Partnering with him in ministry is his lovely wife, Marlene, who is the Executive Secretary for ALIVE Ministries. Together they share their own joys and challenges of marriage and parenting. Their honesty, humor and transparency radiates throughout all they teach. They have raised three godly children, and are proud Papa and Nana to six grandchildren. On Sunday night at 6:00, we welcome Sean McDowell to our Summer Bible Conference. Many of you might recognize the McDowell name. His father is the well-known apologist, Josh McDowell, author of the classic book, More Than A Carpenter. But Sean is a gifted communicator and teacher in his own right. He serves as Head of the Bible Department at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools where he teaches Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics. In 2008, he received the Educator of the Year award for San Juan Capistrano, California. Sean also travels throughout the United States and abroad, speaking at camps, churches, schools, universities, and conferences. He has spoken for organizations including Focus on the Family, the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and Campus Crusade for Christ. A summa cum laude graduate from Talbot Theological Seminary with a double Master’s degree in Theology and Philosophy, Sean connects with his audience in a tangible way through humor and stories. At the same time, he imparts hard evidence and logical support for viewing all areas of life through a Biblical lens. Sean has also contributed to "Decision Magazine," "YouthWorker Journal," and the "Christian Research Journal" along with either authoring or co-authoring several books, including Is God Just a Human Invention?, Unshakable Truth: How You Can Experience the Twelve Essentials of a Relevant Faith, Evidence for the Resurrection, More Than A Carpenter, and Ethix: Being Bold in a Whatever World. As you can see, Sean has accomplished much, and he is only in his mid-thirties! I hope you will join us Sunday evening to be challenged and encouraged by this young man. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Philip De Courcy

Fri, 27 Jul 2012
What a great summer we are having! This week was certainly one of the highlights! The numbers from Summer Blast are in, and we rejoice in what God has done. There were 1,513 kids and 566 volunteers on our campus this week. Each day, the children brought an offering for the missionary project. When it was all said and done, these kids gave an offering of $7,816.72. This offering will go to our missionaries, the Pyles, serving in Indonesia. Most of all, 225 children received Jesus Christ as their Savior and there were 269 rededications! Today, at the celebration BBQ following the closing ceremony, we had over 1,500 people join us on the baseball field for lunch, and there was every inflatable jump you could imagine. Many people who came this week affirmed to us that Summer Blast has really made a difference in their family’s life, and they are so thankful that we have this each year. I will be back in the pulpit this weekend, and I will be bringing the final message from the book of Hebrews. We began our study in this important book back in February of 2011, and 38 messages later we are concluding our verse by verse study. Your faithfulness to this long book study has been such an encouragement to me. We have seen our congregation grow during these days. Many have come to Christ and have joined the membership of Shadow Mountain. Of great interest to me is the fact that the last few verses of this book (13:17-25) contain some very powerful reminders for all of us in the body of Christ. These verses convey priorities that will serve us well in our walk with the Lord. On Sunday night, we welcome a new voice to our summer conference. Philip De Courcy is the senior pastor of Kindred Community Church in Anaheim Hills, California, and speaker on the daily radio program, Know The Truth. Philip was born in Belfast, Ireland, to Christian parents who loved the Lord. In 1978, at sixteen years old, Philip trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Growing up in a neighborhood where civil tension was commonplace, many of Philip’s friends became involved in acts of terrorism. As a result, Philip decided to serve as a part-time reserve police officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary in North Belfast. While some of his comrades were injured and killed during that six-year period, Philip was unharmed. To this day, he believes God used this faith-building season to prepare him for ministry. Finally, one last reminder about the Men’s BBQ this Tuesday night! Tickets are still available online or in the Pavilion after services this weekend. The special guest for that evening will be Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Famer and 7th degree black-belt Victor Marx. Looking forward to seeing you this weekend! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Voddie Baucham

Fri, 20 Jul 2012
This weekend we will have the privilege of hearing Voddie Baucham speak in all of our services at Shadow Mountain, Saturday night at 5:00, Sunday morning at 9:00 and 10:45, and Sunday evening at 6:00 as our Summer Bible Conference continues. Voddie currently serves as Pastor of Preaching at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, TX. He has served as an adjunct professor at the College of Biblical Studies in Houston, TX, and Union University in Jackson, TN. He has also lectured at Southern Seminary. It is impossible to understand Voddie’s approach to the Bible without first understanding the path he has walked. Raised in a non-Christian, single-parent home, Voddie did not hear the gospel until he was in college. His journey to faith was a very unusual and intellectual one. Consequently, he understands what it means to be a skeptic, and knows what it’s like to try to figure out the Christian life without relying on the traditions of men. With his area of emphasis being Cultural Apologetics, Voddie makes the Bible clear and demonstrates the relevance of God’s word to everyday life. However, he does so without compromising the centrality of Christ and the gospel. Those who hear him preach find themselves both challenged and encouraged. Kids can still sign up for Summer Blast on Monday morning beginning at 8:00am at the registration table in front of the Kids’ Building. A Men’s BBQ Dinner will be held Tuesday Night, July 31st at 6pm featuring Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Famer and 7th degree black-belt Victor Marx. Victor’s story of God’s grace reaching into the depths of his despair and hopelessness is one you’ll never forget. Come see the newly released film based on his life and meet the man behind the movie. Tickets are available online or in the Pavilion after services. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Dr. Ralph West

Fri, 13 Jul 2012
Often, at the end of a letter the writer will stop and emphasize the things of most importance. The Letter to the Hebrews is no different. As we study the middle verses of chapter thirteen, we will be reminded of “SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER”— things critical to the Church in the first century and just as critical in our lives and the life of our Church today. In these verses, we will see how the never-changing nature of our Lord Jesus Christ can give us great stability in the Christian life. In a book all about Jesus Christ, we will discover once again that He is never irrelevant. I hope you will join us this weekend for worship as we examine this challenging section of Scripture and explore some very important themes such as spiritual leadership, holiness and community. On Sunday night, we welcome back to our Summer Bible Conference, Dr. Ralph West. Dr. West serves as founder and Senior Pastor of The Church Without Walls in Houston, TX. The church began with 32 members and now embraces 24,000 families, meeting in three locations and conducting six services each Sunday. Ralph’s preaching style includes careful explanation of Scripture combined with a signature ability to tell detailed indelible stories from contemporary life. Summer Blast happens July 23-27, 8:30am-Noon. Pre-registration is now closed, but it's not too late to attend Summer Blast. Registration tables will open at 8:00 am on Monday, July 23. Kids will be inspired and challenged by many amazing and true rescue stories during this thrilling week full of suspense, excitement and fun! At this time, 1,233 children have pre-registered. I look forward to seeing you this weekend! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Tim LaHaye

Fri, 6 Jul 2012
I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July celebration and that you were not one of the thousands of people camped out all day to see the San Diego Fire Works show. What a story! $500K gone in 17 seconds! It was loud! (You see? have to find something positive to say about it!) Well, this week, we get back to our regular schedule, and we return once more to the New Testament book of Hebrews. As we look to the last three messages in the book, we concentrate on chapter thirteen. This chapter, like so many last chapters in New Testament books, is filled with practical reminders and encouraging motivations that are all based on what has already been communicated in the early chapters. Hebrews is no different. This week, we will study the first six verses of the last chapter of Hebrews, and here we will discover four powerful and practical priorities for our lives as followers of Christ. If we made a list of the ten most important things for Christians to know about and to talk about...all four of these priorities would be on that list. And here they are contained in but six verses. This is a powerful passage. Let’s study it together this weekend at Shadow Mountain Church! Sunday night, Dr. Tim LaHaye makes his annual appearance at our Summer Bible Conference. Dr. LaHaye wrote these words to me about his Sunday night message: “Never in my lifetime have I been asked more prophecy based questions. Sunday evening I plan to answer such subjects as Is America in Bible Prophecy. If not, why not? What is the future of America according to the Bible? And How do we know Jesus will rapture His church BEFORE the seven year Tribulation? Please come with your Bible and a pen as we study God’s Word together.” SUMMER BLAST is just around the corner, and this is the last weekend for you to pre-register your child online or in front of the playground to avoid waiting in line the first day of the program. So far, 1,012 children have pre-registered, and we have 400 volunteers signed up for the week. We could still use about 40 more volunteers, and there is still time for you to sign up to help. MEN’S BARBEQUE - On Tuesday night, July 31st, there will be a men’s barbeque featuring Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Famer and 7th degree black-belt, Victor Marx. Tickets are available online or in the Pavilion after services. I look forward to seeing you this weekend. Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Hearing God

Fri, 22 Jun 2012
If you are like me, you are still reveling in the wonderful things God did for us at the Q last Sunday morning. Everywhere I go, people stop me to thank me for the event and to tell me stories about God’s work in their own lives or in the lives of their friends. God answered all of our prayers and brought great glory to His name. I was encouraged by all that transpired, and I will never forget Father’s Day 2012. I am so honored and blessed to be the pastor of such a great congregation of people who band together to do the seemingly impossible. We could never have pulled this off without your sacrificial service, and I want to say “thank you” to each and every one of you who helped make this thing happen. This weekend, I will be sharing some of the clips that we have from the response of national media outlets. It is truly amazing! But as we all know, life is not primarily about stadium events. Life is about loving God every day and serving Him in the lonely places where we often find ourselves. Life is about faithfulness when no one is watching and no one ever hears about what we have done. In essence, life is about the Body of Christ living out its faith in the daily grind of the world. It’s about getting together on a regular basis with our brothers and sisters so that we hold each other accountable and don’t lose our way. That’s what’s so great about being involved in a local assembly like Shadow Mountain. Yes, we do some audacious things on occasion, but most of all we do church as it is scripted for us in God’s Word. And that is where we will all be this weekend for our weekend services... Saturday at 5 pm, and Sunday at 9 & 10:45 am and 6 pm. When it became apparent that we would never be able to accommodate the people who wanted to hear Tim Tebow speak, we were in a staff meeting, and the idea to take this event to Qualcomm Stadium was floated. At first, we all just looked at each other, and then we just stopped and had a time of prayer to see if God might be in this idea. We left that meeting that day, convinced we had heard from the Lord. We all were praying: “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!” The rest is history! This weekend, I want to talk about the important subject of “Hearing God.” Not listening to God but “Hearing God.” I hope you will be present for one of the three services as we open God’s Word together! On Sunday evening, at our Summer Bible Conference, we will be blessed once more by the ministry of my good friend, Robert Morgan. He is Pastor of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, TN, a prolific author and regular contributor to “Turning Points” magazine. He is a best-selling and Gold-Medallion winning writer with over 25 books in print and over 3.5 million in print circulation. Rob is a gifted expositor and has been featured in numerous Christian television and radio productions. See you on the weekend! Love from your Pastor, David Jeremiah

Dr. Tom Thompson & Ergun Caner

Fri, 14 Aug 2009

Dr. Ken Nichols & Dr. Tim LaHaye

Sat, 8 Aug 2009

Dr. Ed Hindson & Ken Davis