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Announcements (Page 2)
The parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37 is very familiar to Christians and non-Christians alike. For most people this is a story about being kind to people around you or being a nice person. Even among secular people, someone who does good to strangers is called a “Good Samaritan”. In California “The Good…
Think of how confused John was. He’s baptizing people in the Jordan river and who should walk up to GET baptized but Jesus! John has already identified Jesus as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) and he knows that he’s not even “worthy to carry his sandals”…
Dear Soldiers, If we do not think that the evil forces of darkness have targeted the family, we all have our heads in the sand, and have lost touch with reality! Strategically launched missiles and drones are destroying the foundation and fabric of our nation! The traditional definition of marriage as a union between one man…
As a highschooler I wasn’t a great student, but I liked to read. I had a literature class where we got to read classic books for the entire period. It was an easy class for the students, and REALLY easy for the teacher. It was there that I first read Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.…
When I was in elementary school, I was what you might call “skinny.” As I’ve shared before, my nickname was “Bones Jones” for a very good reason. Thankfully, now we have anti-bullying measures, but back then it was not uncommon to get picked on for something like that. I, however, was not afraid of these…
Dear friends, I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this weekend! My friend and ministry partner Dave Carlsen is preaching. Dave was on our Valley Church staff for 10 years before we planted Neighborhood Bible Church in South San Jose 17 years ago and he’s been there ever since! This Sunday we’ll…
Recently at Valley Church we hosted a training seminar called, “Listening for Heaven’s Sake.” Among other things, participants learned how to cultivate authentic relationships by increasing their ability to convey genuine caring and interest, overcome barrier-inducing habits and show understanding of the other person. I’ve been thinking about what it means to apply those same…
Hey Family, I met with my friend Andy Wu a couple of weeks ago for coffee. I get there before he does and so I’m getting some work done when he strides in, drops off his computer bag and walks to the counter. I look at his bag and think, “That’s it. That’s EXACTLY what…
Play fair. Don’t hit people. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Take a nap. Share. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. If these tidbits of wisdom sound familiar, it’s probably because they were taught to you at a young age.…
Several years ago, a group of us from Valley Church, along with other friends, participated in an event called a “Spartan Race.” It’s basically a 13.2-mile run, but with one added bonus. Along the way there are 26 “obstacles” – barriers that intentionally challenge the runners to overcome. These include a rope climb, a 100-pound…