Category Archives: Faith

November 5, 2010

Business Cards

By Brent Kellogg

I’m convinced God uses our KIDS to speak to us.   On Wednesday evenings I get to take the kids home after church activities.  We always have to go through my office, just to make sure it is locked up.

It’s a treat for the kids. (I still haven’t figured out why)  This past week, Kalei grabbed on of my business cards out of the holder that sits on top of my desk – and handed it to me and said, “Does this change lives for God?”

I didn’t understand what she said at first… and I don’t know if she knew what she said… but she said it again.

“Does this change lives for God?”

My simple response was, “I sure hope so baby!”  

That is what our business cards should represent – a life and a church that changes lives for God.   Who knows, I might even put that on my next business card!

Cornerstone Church… “Changes lives for God!”

 - Go make a difference for Christ today!

Leave a comment | posted in Church, Faith, Influence, Leadership

September 23, 2010

I Ran

By Brent Kellogg

So I’m tired of being out of shape.  I know… that comes as a surprise to many of you. You look at me and assume I’m in great shape!! (NOT)

So I started jogging.  Two days ago, it was great.  It was pain-free! It was like I was jogging on the clouds! I got home, told Jeri, “Man that was easy!”

Yesterday was a whole different story.  My legs were stiff.  I had to stop a couple of times because I just ran out of gas.  It was not a good day of running!

Here is the principal I learned from my jogging adventures.  Yesterday wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t fast. It was powerful. It wasn’t even what I expected it to be… but I ran!

The same is true in our spiritual life.  So many people sit down to read the bible and it may be an intimate time with God that is faith building and inspiring.  The next day, may simply be just reading the bible… but at least you read.

I believe God celebrates the simple disciplines in our lives.  It’s not always about how you feel or what you get out of it, but the fact that you did it!!!

Leave a comment | posted in Failure, Faith, Trials

August 24, 2010

I Have a New Life – Pt 1

By Brent Kellogg

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!

Leave a comment | posted in Church, Compassion, Faith, Missions

July 13, 2010

Good Problems to Have

By Brent Kellogg

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!

1 comment | posted in Church, Faith, Trials

July 11, 2010

Miraculous Deposit

By Brent Kellogg

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!

Leave a comment | posted in Church, Faith, Money

April 21, 2010

Full – Pt. 2

By Brent Kellogg

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.

Leave a comment | posted in Failure, Faith, Holy Spirit, Strength, Trials

April 15, 2010

Wrong Question

By Brent Kellogg

Reading Joshua 5, as they are ready to march on Jericho, the scripture describes that Joshua encounters a man with a sword in his hand.

Joshua asks, are you on our side or theirs. The New American Standard just says the man answered, “NO!”  Not neither, not let me think about it, he just says, NO!

Sometimes we ask the wrong questions.  The issue isn’t, God are you on my side?   It should be God can I be on your side? 

Technically the man (or angel) was saying, God is not on your side, but you can be on the Lord’s side – if you obey!

 Who’s side are you on?

Have a great week with Jesus!

Leave a comment | posted in Faith, Leadership

February 24, 2010

Struck Dead

By Brent Kellogg

Numbers 14 – is the chapter Moses sends the spies out to look at their new home, called the Promised Land. When they get back, 10 of the 12 spies have a negative outlook on the situation.

The people rebel and basically say, God you brought us here to die!   Vs. 36-38 punched me upside the head this morning.  It says the 10 spies who started the negative criticism and the rebellion were struck dead in the presence of the Lord.

I know they were struck dead because they rebelled against God. But they ultimately rebelled against God because they didn’t have the faith to believe God was going to do what HE said he would do.

How many churches are dead because they lack faith?  That hit me hard.  I don’t want to be a dead church because we lack faith to step out and be and do what God is calling us to be.

Pray for me today, I’m facing a faith decision for Cornerstone Church this week! (and I don’t want to be struck dead… )

Have a great week with Jesus!

1 comment | posted in Church, Failure, Faith

February 12, 2010

Alive pt. 2

By Brent Kellogg

We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5We have been beaten, been put in jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit. 7We have faithfully preached the truth. God’s power has been working in us. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. 8We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9We are well known, but we are treated as unknown. We live close to death, but here we are, still alive. We have been beaten within an inch of our lives.

As you read that, you might think Paul was an adrenaline junkie.  Man, what a life he lived.   You can read the whole passage here.

If that is not enough – in 2 Corinthians 11 – he continues.

I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes.  25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. 27 I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

Paul seems like a regular Indiana Jones of the Christian Life.  His life was full of adventure and excitement.  Yes, he faced trials, beatings, and risk. But I can guarantee you, Paul would not describe his life as “boring.”

As a Christian, are you really living?

Leave a comment | posted in Failure, Faith, Strength

February 10, 2010

Alive pt. 1

By Brent Kellogg

We’ve been in the book of Ephesians @ Cornerstone Church.  You can listen to past sermons here.   

This Sunday we are talking about the words… “But God.”  Two of the most powerful words in the bible.

In Ephesians 2 Paul says we were dead in our sins, but God made us alive with Christ.

How many Christians are living like they are alive and full of FAITH?  Most are living a very safe and secure life.  Many times kind of boring.

I don’t recall Jesus calling us to live a boring life.  He called us to follow him.  Paul’s life certainly wasn’t boring. (more on that later)

As a believer are you fully living for Jesus?

Have a great week with Jesus!

1 comment | posted in Church, Failure, Faith

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