Author Archives: Brent Kellogg

About Brent Kellogg

Sr. Pastor, Cornerstone Church

I Have a New Life – Pt. 2

Last week, we spent 5 days in the mud of the Third World Country of Nicaragua in Central America.  Behind Haiti, Nicaragua is the 2nd poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Two of those 5 days – we actually spent on a bus.  It took 11 hours to get to the village of Puerto Viejo and 11 hours home. It was on the bus ride back, Susan Cox, a first time team member, made this statement, “I have a new life.”

When you go see how folks live around the world, it makes you darn grateful for what God has blessed us with here in North America and it gives you a new perspective on life!

I’m reading a great book by Richard Stearns, the President of World Vision, The Whole in our Gospel.  In his book he points out that every day 26,500 children die due to preventable causes such as starvation, curable diseases and poverty.

Things we can not imagine in North America and have easy access to curing.

While in Puerto Viejo, we kept a two month old baby from being a statistic.  A mother had walked 2 hours via trail.  There were no roads to her village.  When she got to us, her baby was non-responsive.  We took her straight to one of our doctors.  Our medical team determined the baby was very dehydrated and immediately went to work.

The doctor later told me if we had not seen that baby there is a good chance within 48 hours she would have been dead!

One of the things I constantly remind myself on these trips…  If this was my child, I would want someone to come!

If you would like to contribute towards the work in Nicaragua, simply click here.  

On the right side of the page, simply select “other” and type Nicaragua in the line below. Every dollar given will go to save lives like that of this two month old baby and help make a difference to those in need.

Thank you for helping us to Advance the Kingdom!


I Have a New Life – Pt 1

School is back in full swing. The temperature is below 100 degrees, finally!  And the climax of what we spend about 10 months working on took place in a small village in Nicaragua last week.

I was a part of an amazing team of 46 North Americans who went on an 11 hour bus ride to a small village in North Central Nicaragua called Puerto Viejo, in the Waslala Region of Nicaragua! (You can find it on Google map.)

We set a few personal team records this past week – which was a great feeling of Advancing the Kingdom!  This was my 5th trip to Nicaragua, and our 4th team to lead from Cornerstone.

We saw 3114 (plus) patients.  It was our first time to ever see over 3,000.

We vaccinated over 1,000 animals.

We extracted close to 400 teeth.

We gave away 886 pairs of glasses/sun glasses.

We saw 763 people pray to receive Christ with 39 rededications.

We gave away 1.9 tons of beans and 2 tons of rice.

We gave away over $30,000 in benevolence items, such as new shoes, flip flops, clothes, baby blankets, ball caps and toys!!!

Thank you to an Amazing Church who helped impact a small village in Nicaragua!

If you’d like to see the video click HERE!

We have some great stories to tell, about people of influenced being saved and saving the life of a baby! I’ll share those with you later this week!

Blessed beyond imagination!


Good Problems to Have

In my prayer time this morning I was praying over a couple of issues we need solutions too when I realized, these are “GOOD PROBLEMS TO HAVE!”

We have a couple of things on the horizon we need God’s help!  And it is great to be in this place.  Our kids are at kid’s camp this week! Before they left, we had a little bit of a problem.  We took more kids than we expected.  

Not to get into the details of how kids camp works – but you pre purchase your spots!  This year – we have more kids going than we had purchased spots!  God made a way and we found a church we were able to buy some of their spots! 

In children and youth ministry – overcrowding is a great problem to have.

We send our students to Falls Creek youth camp.  And we have out grown our cabin.  It is a great facility.  But, this year – we were not able for our kids to really invite their friends to go with us – just because we didn’t have the room.  For us, Falls Creek is a great time to see kids get saved!  So we are working on securing a bigger cabin for next year.  (easier said than done!)  But a good problem to have.

Since we have paid off our debt and have money in our Forward in Freedom campaign, we are beginning the remodeling phase of our campaign.  We are adding a drive through awning to our building.  Remodeling and expanding our foyer. Moving our sound booth and adding video equipment!  This is a huge undertaking for us – and a lot of hassle involved!  But a good problem to have!

Growth is painful. Just anyone that has ever been pregnant with a growing child expanding in their belly!  That is how it feels at Cornerstone.  It feels like we are pregnant!! It’s a great problem to have!


Miraculous Deposit

This past Sunday we announced at Cornerstone Church that through our Forward in Freedom Campaign – We’re DEBT Free!!!! It feels great.

Three months ago we asked our people to bring God their best!  Needless to say, they answered the challenge in an amazing way!   There are people who have prayed for this to happen and people who have given towards this. 

When we stop and celebrate something like this – we are so grateful to God for what He has done.  However, I’m afraid some people fall into the category of “God will take care of it!” 

But follow me for just a second!!!

All Glory goes to God! (Make no mistake!) But I want you to understand that there was no – “miraculous deposit” into our Forward in Freedom account!  There was no mysterious large gift that was given – that we have no tracking number for.  We know where 99% of the money came from aside a few anonymous donations!

This is how I have seen God work in all this and where God gets all the praise and all the glory!!! He has greatly blessed his people.  And the kingdom being advanced – boils down to people who believe the Bible. They believe in their God and his calling them to a vision and a purpose.

It boils down to people living and giving sacrificially, ‘til it hurts!  And they do that because of their God! They do that because they know God has blessed them and will continue to bless them!

It boils down to obedience.  I think too many North American Christians are missing out on the best part of life – because we aren’t generous or because we have got ourselves in such a financial mess, we can’t afford to give!

If that describes you, get help! I recommend a couple of books:

#1 The Blessed Life  by Robert Morris!  He teaches, give to give, not give to get!  That is an important concept!

#2 Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.  It is a 7 step process to getting help and control with your finances.  If available, take the course, Financial Peace University!  It will change your life.

All Glory to God – because he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing!  Thank you to God’s people who sacrificially live and sacrificially give because they love their GOD!


Disappointed??

I really try to watch my self and not set myself up for disappointment.  Sometimes there are things I think, “this is going to be AWESOME” and it is just good.  You know what I’m talking about – a juicy rib eye from a steak house.  You wait for it all day… and it is good, but not what you have built it up to be in your mind.

Like a road trip – that will be hours and hours of fun, and you have 2 flat tires and a major breakdown instead!

But I think I’m too far gone about this weekend at Cornerstone.   We have been working all week on the 20 year celebration that will take place on Campus at 6 pm this Sunday night.

We have some cool things happening Sunday Morning as well.  I think I’m about to go “POOF” with Excitement!

If you don’t see me this weekend… I’ve been prematurely raptured, because I’m so excited about what God is doing at Cornerstone Church!

Big announcement Sunday night at our 20 year Celebration, don’t miss it!


How do you smell?

 I know it’s the first of July and that’s not a good time to ask that question. But kids say the funniest things.  Wednesday afternoon I had run home for just a bit and I took a shower and changed clothes to come to our youth service at church.

When I came down stairs – Landon (our 7 year old) says, “You smell like you are going to church!”

As a parent I had to stop and laugh at that one.   He went on to clarify – “You  just always smell like that when you are going to church!”

I hope that is a good thing!

Can people tell where you are going by the way you smell? (I know, weird) Can people tell where you are going by the way you dress, talk, eat, treat people, smile, act, give… and the list could go on and on!

We have an exciting weekend this weekend at Cornerstone.  We have an AWESOME story to share – and it is going to be a powerful time as we celebrate Freedom together with the Lord’s Supper.

I know many are on Vacation – travel safe and enjoy your time away!


It’s What We Do…

I love a good road trip. This week – was an ADVENTURE!!  SEVEN states, 2,000 miles, 2 blown tires, 1 break down, and bad case of sand fleas in 2½ days, all for a Trailer load of shoes to be given to people in Nicaragua!

It is why we do what we do.  After the second blow out, my frustration level was a little bit high. Even at times questioning, with so much going wrong, was this the right thing to do?  But when you are fulfilling the Great Commission – you should EXPECT resistance.

Our goal was to save a little money. I don’t think that happened after the mechanic bill and 2 new tires.  But the end result will be 1,000 pairs of brand new shoes added to what we have collected here at home all to touch hurting people!  That was worth the headache!

This past Weekend was “Barefoot Weekend.” I’m not even going to try to describe the emotion that was attached to this weekend. It was so powerful it was to see God working in and through his people. 

Many people – just didn’t want to leave.  Many just sat there in the tangible presence of God and honored that holy moment!  The Church body came together and acted like the CHURCH! It was POWERFUL!

We see our Purpose at Cornerstone Church is to Advance the Kingdom. In a very tiring, frustrating, stressful, dirty, road trip! I believe with all my heart that happened!

Thanks for being “All In” at Cornerstone Church!


On Break =)

My good friend Paul Taylor, pastor at Liberty Church in Tulsa, once said, we must “work, rest and retreat.”   That would explain why my blog hasn’t been updated lately. I’m really trying to take some time to refresh my creativity and thoughts.

 This spring has been INSANE! And it is very very exciting. We are preparing to take one of our largest teams to Nicaragua! I can’t wait to see God work. We have “all day” VBS going on this week! I have enjoyed just watching Scott and Jamie Bryan and their awesome Team do this! I can’t wait to see kids cross over into the Kingdom of God. Be praying for Friday!

Summers at Cornerstone are filled with awesome Ministry Moments! Falls Creek, Kids Camp, a 20 year celebration of What God has done @ Cornerstone! So I’ve taken some time away from blogging to refresh and refocus myself. Enjoy the month of June! I can’t wait for what God has this fall.

Advancing the Kingdom! – Brent


Double Sided Coin

I e-mailed our prayer team last week and shared this double sided coin.   It seems daily we are getting prayer requests to pray for people. And each request represents a hurting person or family or situation.

I am so thankful for the prayer team of people we have at Cornerstone Church, I believe who really pray for each person or situation – if they know them or not.

It seems our prayer request traffic has picked up a bit.  And it dawned on me, while the situations are a “bad thing,” the fact that people trust us enough to share the painful details of their life is a “great thing.”

In my prayer time today I found myself saying, “God, there are so many hurting people.”

Then it was just that affirming impression from God, “That is why you are here!” WOW!!!!

It is a double sided coin – people are turning to Cornerstone Church looking for help, and the Hope only Jesus can offer!  And I get to be a part of what God is doing!  I LOVE IT!

If you have a prayer request you can share it by clicking  HERE.


Full – Pt. 2

Something happened in that wilderness.   We know he was confronted by Satan and tempted three times.    We also know, going into the wilderness Luke 4:1 says Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. 

But when he came out of the wilderness, Luke 4:14 says he was full for the Holy Spirit.

It requires us being full of the Holy Spirit to face some of our toughest trials and temptations.   You cannot face trials spiritually empty.

On the flip side of that coin, when we walk through them and we are victorious, it increases our capacity to serve God.  It increases the anointing on your calling.

Jesus went into the wilderness, full of the Holy Spirit.  But He also came out full of the Holy Spirit!

Have a great week with Jesus.


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.