Sunday, August 1, 2010

Goodbye CCBC



So I'm sitting in front of the Chapel Cafe at Calvary Chapel Downey, the place that has been my home church for the past 5 years. Almost right next to the Cafe is the small classroom I have been spending my Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights in for the past 3 years. It's Downey's extension of the Calvary Bible College that's headquartered in Murrieta, CA.

It's crazy to think that when I started the Bible College, 6 or 7 students in a class was pretty typical. But 3 years later we are starting to outgrow this tiny room that seats about 15 people max. Some of the classes have had to be moved to our Fellowship Hall here, which is typically used as an overflow room which is meant for a few hundred. Not saying that the Fellowship Hall is full of students! But rather that we've needed a bigger room to accommodate a growing student body. A typical class can range to about 15 to 25 students now, and it isn't just Calvary Chapel Downey congregants attending these Classes, but also local Christians, some that don't even attend a Calvary Chapel. God is definitely moving in this ministry, and it bums me out a bit that I won't be able to stick around until I graduated like I had planned to. But hey, God's up to something and I can't stop that.

I thank the Lord for the opportunities I've had here. The many friendships that I have made, the growth in my knowledge of the Scriptures and in my heart Spiritually. The falling in love deeper with Jesus as I have seen His faithfulness in my life and in the life of my fellow classmates. I thank the Lord for awesome teachers who have had a tremendous impact on my life. Teachers like Bruce Baloian, Manny Coronilla, Joel Abel, Andrew Cochran and Jason Norton.

The world may see it as wasted time invested going to School because I won't finish with a degree, but I've learned plenty here and from what the Lord is showing me, my time is up here. This Bible College will always hold a special place in my heart, and I'm gonna miss it for sure.

With my Deans blessing, I've stepped down from my Internship to pursue what God has planned up ahead, and my prayer is that it is handed to someone who is sold out for Jesus. Who can't afford to pay for the Bible College but wants to be a serious student and wants the Lord to use their life.

Cheers CCBC, I'm definitely gonna miss ya!

... now, what's this I hear about no Calvary Chapel being within a 40 miles radius from Missoula? hmm... haha j/k j/k!