Strength for Today's Pastor Bill Holdridge

Matt Valencia pastors The Regeneration Church in Scotts Valley, CA. He's a father of five, a church planter, a former school teacher, a former assisting pastor, and the current pastor of ReGen Church. He also heads up a team of leaders across Northern California and Northern Nevada. These leaders serve the senior pastors and churches affiliated with the Calvary Chapel Association.

In addition to all of these things, and working together with all of it, Matt is a leader. He leads quietly, he leads patiently, he leads with openness.

So, I thought he'd be a good person to talk about the spiritual health of the church, the spiritual health of any church.

There needs to be a clear set of metrics ... biblical metrics ... by which we can measure our own personal spiritual health, as well as that of the churches we pastor.

If we don't know what we're aiming at, how will we ever hit the target?

In this episode, show host Bill Holdridge and Pastor Matt talk together, touching these points from a number of interesting angles.

Lots to glean from in #159.


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It's nothing short of a miracle that Steve Marquez is still with us, here on planet earth.
Listen to the story of his healing, and even more importantly, of the ministry to which God has called him
Pastors and leaders, this episode will provide great insights into how to minister to and care for cancer patients.
Also, this episode will be super encouraging, illuminating many hearts towards kingdom ministry.
Steve is the founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Ft. Smith, Arkansas, and the founder of Stage 4 Ministries.
https://www.stage4ministries.com/
Please listen, and then help Pastor Steve spread the word about this vital and important ministry.

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Pastor Don Rypstra is in his last days of a long pastorate in Rochester, Minnesota. His and his wife's move to northern Idaho means that a new normal is waiting for them, but also that someone will be called into an exciting opportunity to pastor and reach the people of Rochester, home of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.


Pastor Don is not unlike many pastors, world-wide. Don is conscientious, faithful, thoughtful, and committed to Christ and the gospel.


Another thing Don has been: he's been bi-vocational throughout his senior/lead pastor life.


Over 25 years ago, he moved his family from California to Rochester in a career related move. Then the Lord called him into pastoral ministry, and to start a church.
Which is what he did.


Don refers to himself as a small church pastor. More and more, others refer to such pastors as normal sized church pastors, because it's a more accurate description in terms of average church size in the U.S.


In this podcast, Don tells part of their story to show host Bill Holdridge.


Not only is their story told, but the opportunity is now open to another called and gifted man to assume the leadership of Calvary Chapel Rochester.


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It's a huge problem. And because of it, we're losing many of our best youth to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Too often, the young people in our churches run off to college or university and subsequently abandon the faith.
Also, in our churches there often is a big chasm between what happens in youth or college groups, and what is going on in adult church. The younger generation isn't learning how to connect or get involved in service to Christ within the body.
Many recognize these problems, and some pastors are actually doing something radical and visionary to rectify it.
One such pastor is Gary Malkus, Jr. Gary is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in Victorville, California.
Gary's story was told in SFTP episode 155.
In epidode 156, Gary's vision to reach the next generation is told.
What he has to say will get pastors and youth leaders thinking, and some will be moved to do something about their thoughts.
For the sake of God's kingdom...

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Every pastor has a testimony, but very few have one like Gary Malkus Jr.

Inspiring and directional, Gary's testimony touches a lot of lives, from those in the worst kind bondage to those who need to remember where they came from as they deal with present realities and future dreams.

An amazing story... from meth to ministry.


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Sandy Adams is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Stone Mountain, Georgia. He is known as a tremendous communicator and teacher of God's Word.

At the recent International Pastor's Conference in Southern California, Sandy delivered a message entitled "Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should". His text was from 1 Samuel 24, the account of David having had a chance to kill Saul in a cave in En Gedi, but refused to touch the Lord's anointed. Yet, he did cut off the corner of Saul's robe.

At first glance, the story doesn't indicate any serious wrongdoing on David's part, but upon further review... his action had an insidious evil about it, one that David himself was troubled by what he's done.

"Just because we can doesn't mean that we should." It's an incredibly appropriate aphorism for all in spiritual leadership; for anyone who has been anointed by God in such a way that his/her authority gives him/her opportunities to do things that may be possible, but that should not be seized upon.

An epic message, one that is greatly needed in this hour of the church.

Here is the transcript of Sandy's message, just as he delivered it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-QY02yk8MrYGiZXtNC6PxBcEpu00lXLD/view?usp=drive_link


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