In recent weeks at IBC, we’ve been discussing the importance of wrestling with our own personal past—our life story—to better understand our present and God’s intentions for our future. This is a vitally important part of our ongoing spiritual growth and development. God has made us who we are through the formative experiences and relationships of our lives: though our heritage, our heroes, our high points, and our hard times.
Read MoreThis past weekend, I had the honor of leading worship for IBC’s Youth Fall Retreat. The weekend started off with a wild storm, complete with thunder and lightning. I went into the retreat frazzled because my plan for day one had gone out the window. I was feeling really unsure about how the weekend was going to go. However, when we woke up in the cabins Saturday morning, the sun was shining and the energy was electric.
Last week we sat down for a conversation with Gerald Ridgway, who many of you have probably met without even realizing it. Gerald serves on the Hospitality Team as a greeter and can be found each Sunday giving high fives and handshakes to IBCers entering through the Kids entrance off Regent. He’s been doing this—same role, same door—for 25 years.
Father God
Let me not dissolve into the chaos of the world,
nor my resolution fade into fear crafted images.
The art and practice of building cultural and linguistic bridges has been a rhythm I have incorporated into my life since I could remember. As a child to immigrants who came to this country in pursuit of a better life, I was consistently reminded of the beauty of Colombian culture and language while navigating the nuances of being Colombian-American.
My family came to IBC about 13 years ago when our girls were very young. Each week we checked them into childcare while we attended worship. It wasn’t long before we felt like we needed to find a spot to volunteer for a couple reasons.