We Interrupt This Program...

Hello All,

Lately, I have noted that this blog has been the target of spam comments. It hasn't been a problem on my other blogs, but this one has had a few target the comments. Usually, I'll check the newest entry for comments, but rarely look for comments on older posts. I thought I'd just check through a few and found a couple at a few locations. Sadly, these links predominantly lead to pornographic material, which we obviously do not want people to be exposed to in any way. This has led me to take a full moderation status with our comments, which means that each comment this blog receives will go to an email, which I will have to approve. It's a step of administration that I have wanted to avoid, but is now necessary.

If I have missed any of these "comments," please bring them to my attention and I'll delete them immediately. For those wanting more direct contact with me, please join me over at Facebook.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

The Best Photos Of Spring 2010

Our First Sunday

Hello All,

Our first Sunday is in the books and it was a great start to what I pray will be a long succession of great Sundays. This entire adventure is a brand new experience for me. I have never been on the ground floor of anything. To be doing that now, in my hometown of Colton, is surreal. In many ways, I am thoroughly familiar with Colton and in other ways, I feel as though I never lived there. I know how to get around and have been in many of it's places, but to feel at home in Colton has alluded me.

Ironically, that is a little of what I felt personally on Sunday. I have been in church every Sunday for what feels like a thousand years. Yet, it feels so different when it's a little baby just learning how to be! To exacerbate the feeling, we were meeting in a new place, with a new set-up routine. It was familiar and completely foreign at the same time.

Thankfully, the group that has gathered around this ministry is gifted with a servant's heart. Each member just got to it like they have been doing it for years! I was amazed at the chemistry and the ease that seemed to carry us. It blesses me to know that God has brought such likeminded souls together.

Things were up and running and it was time to pray. We stood together and dedicated the morning to the Lord who has called us. This was all for Him, in order to bring an offering of praise and honor to Him.

After prayer, the people trickled in, including some dear friends from Orange County who made the hour plus drive to join us! I was floored by their gesture of love. It meant so much to me personally to see these people that have been a huge part of my life over the last few years, come and join in this inaugural moment of this church. I will never be able to convey my appreciation to them fully, but I will say from the bottom of my heart: Thank you!

From there, we did what you are supposed to do. We read, prayed, worshipped, and studied the Word of God. Our first Sunday saw 45 adults come, 10 children, and 2 captive audience center workers! The number that made it all worth it was the number 1. That's the number of people who received Christ as their Savior! What a joy it was to get a party going in heaven! As the Pastor, I pray that this is simply one of a horde of people that will give their lives to Christ over these next years.

The best part about Sunday is that I can't wait to do it again! To those who have been in on this from the beginning, who have made Thursday night what it is, I am so grateful that the Lord has joined us together. I pray that we will see greater things than we can ask or imagine!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

F.A.Q. Regarding Sundays

Hello All,

I am sure that most of you are familiar with the above acronym. For those who are not, it stands for "Frequently Asked Questions." In this case, with our first Sunday right around the corner, just hours from now, these questions are rightly being asked of me. I hope that I cover them all and even manage to preemptively deal with those that might be on your mind. These are the top 6 frequently asked questions regarding Sundays:

1) Where and when will it be?

We will be meeting at the Lawrence A. Hutton Center in Colton at 10AM on Sundays. The physical address for those wanting to Mapquest this is

660 Colton Ave.
Colton, Ca. 92324

2) How long will the service last?

90 minutes max. I usually want to speak for an hour, you want me to speak for 30 minutes, so I try to split the difference!

3) What can I expect when I come?

I grew up in Calvary Chapel. Contemporary worship, congregational prayer, section by section study of the Word and fellowship. The Gospel will always be presented and an invitation to receive Christ will always be given! Even if I know everyone and they are all believers, I will be giving an invitation! Come comfortably, casually dressed, but with a heart ready to offer worship, praise, devotion and honor to the Lord!

4) How can I give?

Currently, checks can be made out to "The Packinghouse," with the words "Colton Outreach" in the memo line. These gifts and offerings are tax deductible. If you choose to give cash, please give this in an envelope that indicates from whom the offering comes. At present, we are asking that all offerings come directly to us, either on Sunday or on Thursday. At either service, there will be a box on a table that you can put your offering in.

5) Will there be childcare/youth services?

We have limited childcare available for infants and young children through 6th grade presently. In time, this will be expanded.

6) Who is welcome to come?

Anyone! If you are a Christian without a home church, come! If you are not a Christian and you wonder what all this "Christian stuff" is about, come! If you have a desire to see God move in Colton and participate with Him in what He is doing in all Bible believing churches, COME!

"But I don't have anything to give!" COME!

"I don't have anything to wear!" Wear what you have and COME!

"I don't know where and when the service is or what to expect or how to give or if there is childcare available!" Read 1-5 and then COME!

For those about to join us in this venture, for those who have already begun the journey on Thursday nights: Let us pray that God would do exceedingly abundantly beyond that which we can ask or imagine, according to His power and glory!

Come Sunday and say "Amen" with us!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

Sunday #1 April 11th, 2010

Hello All,

A belated "Happy Resurrection Day" to each of you. This last weekend left me with little time to blog my feelings and discoveries regarding the resurrection of Christ. Perhaps I will get to that soon. Suffice it to say: I am grateful to God for His obedient, courageous and unique Son, Jesus Christ, who willingly laid down His perfect life for the totality of human injustice in history, in order that sinners like me and you can have life and that more abundantly in Him! Thank you God for Your wisdom, Your mercy and Your grace toward us.

As resurrection Sunday draws to a close, I am keenly aware that this is the last resurrection weekend that I will be outside of a pulpit. Beginning next Sunday, our Thursday Night group will begin to meet on Sunday mornings at the Hutton Center in Colton. Our service will begin at 10AM. For the near future, the Hutton Center will be our Sunday home, the Gospel of Matthew, our first book to study.

Thursday Nights will continue at the Gonzalez Center. We'll continue to meet and study the book of Genesis each Thursday night at 7PM.

Perhaps a little explanation is needed...7 months ago, we began meeting on Thursday nights. That first night saw about 16 people attend, 5 of which were my immediate family, 4 being my parental units, 1 being an Uncle! It was a good night, but who knew at the time that any not related to me, would return for more! As weeks went by, we added a few people here and there, had visitors come by to see what was happening. Today, we have grown incrementally to over 20 people, and a fellowship and love has grown to the point where going to Sundays is the only thing left to do! I look forward and want to spend Sundays with this group of people for as long as they will tolerate me! The Lord has given me a zealous and Pastoral heart for this local expression of God's body. I look forward to spending the next few decades of life taking in the Word of God, and watching the Lord's movement in and around the city of Colton.

I tell you this first to solicit your prayers. We are beginning a spiritual work in the city of Colton, alongside the other Bible teaching churches that are currently there. Consequently, there will be attack, stress, and difficult decisions. I have always been blessed knowing that many of you that read here, are wonderful at prayer intervention! Many of you have prayed us to Spain and back again! How shall you pray? Pray for wisdom, a natural open door into the community for evangelism, and fervent love among the body for Christ and those who might enter into the doors. More than anything, pray that Christ is exalted, God's Word is honored and His Spirit is freed to minister through His church.

Second, I am asking you to share with friends or family members who might live near Colton, who do not already have a home church, and would appreciate a Calvary Chapel style service. We would love to have the honor of ministering to them. Perhaps you might forward or send them a link to this blog post. Perhaps they might even want to investigate our church's blogspot over at http://ctnbs.blogspot.com. They can find directions, devotions, notes and audio there from recent Thursday night studies.

Finally, to my good friends that are not connected anywhere for one reason or another, my heart and desire would be to see you come and see if this might be a place for you. I, along with those who are apart of this body, would welcome you in the name of the Lord. Finding a church home can be difficult. Perhaps it's easier when you know that the Pastor is a guy you've known for a long time, not as a Pastor, but as just a regular guy/Laker fan/drummer dude!

Whichever "category" you fit in, Sunday April 11th will be a great day for our family. I thank you in advance for however the Lord might move you to be involved.

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez