December can feel like a month of tension. On one hand, we want to enjoy the purity and sparkle of the Christmas season, filling our hearts with…

One of the blessings I look forward to during the yuletide season is the music and preaching centered on the birth of Jesus—elements of…

The Christmas season comes and goes, year after year. Yet the memory and influence of each celebration are dynamic rather than fixed. Our experiences…

Our Filamily Thanksgiving celebration is truly one of a kind. No church—regardless of denomination—appears to a…

On this day (November 22) thirteen years ago, I asked Liezel to be my girlfriend. We were seriously just kids—filled with the joy of life and the butterflies that come with young love. But if someone from the…

This past Monday, SECC’s Ministerial Department hosted a pastor’s pickleball get-together at our church! Pastors from all over our region came to enjoy some fellowship, some laughs, and yes, some surprisingly competitive rallies. And if you’re wondering…

I missed the opportunity to share my “one cent” among the many who spoke in support of the resolution to name a park Filipino American Veterans Park, which the Chula Vista City Council passed recently, after about…

Justice and the equitable distribution of resources—ensuring that everyone, everywhere, benefits—once seemed to me the highest vision of human progress. Such ideals, I believed, would…

Many times, God Almighty has intentionally encouraged and blessed my family and me through the loving and thoughtful gestures of His children. These moments are…

As Adventists, we are part of a movement. Our church was raised by God to awaken hearts—to stir a holy discontent with the political, social, and religious status…

“God is looking for shepherds who will lead despite their circumstances, not because of them.” This statement from Heather Thompson Day, shared during our pastors’ meeting at La Sierra University last Tuesday, has lingered deeply in my heart…

William Miller was walking in God’s grace long before he fully recognized it—and so are all of us. Miller became known for preaching about the soon return of Christ, setting the date for sometime in 1843. When that expectation ended in disappointment, he…

When I was at Southern Adventist University, I volunteered for an evangelistic series with It Is Written. John Bradshaw was the keynote speaker. On opening night…

One of the most chilling scenes in the Gospel story is Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Time and again He called His people back to Himself. Yet, the writers often show that…

Discipleship lies at the core of our Mission Statement, defining our calling from God…

Pastor Erton Köhler reminds us that God’s priority for His church is clear: to rise powerfully for mission and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to all nations as the sign of Christ’s return…

The other day, I was playing the piano for Marleigh. I set her in her little Bjorn bouncer and started singing “Jesus loves the little children.” I don’t know if it’s just me, but…

Is vacation necessary—or just a luxury? Here in San Diego, September is considered the best time to…

Baptism is a beautiful and deeply personal experience. Many of us look back on this moment in our lives with great fondness and joy. It marks a decisive point…

For several consecutive years, we have encouraged and challenged our youth to overcome fear and anxiety when sharing God’s message from the pulpit. I’ve worked closely with them in…