In these first few months of joining RB Community, I have focused on four things:
Learn
all about our church, its history, and the activities of faith.
Encourage
our ministry team who serve diligently.
Connect
with as many members as I can through visitations, sitting in life groups, going out for a meal, and even golf.
Preach
the Word of God with discernment and guidance from the Holy Spirit to point our hearts to a glorious God who cares for the world.
Of these four, the one I hold with particular reverence is the preaching of God’s Word. So I’d love to share how I think about Scripture. First, each text makes sense in its context because the Bible is one big story. There are 66 books in the Bible (39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament). The miracle and beauty of the Bible is that the Holy Spirit used people to author one book that connects seamlessly together. This means we never read Scripture in isolation; every passage connects to something bigger God is doing. Second, the Bible was given for our inspiration, spiritual growth, and obedience, but we are not the main characters of the Bible. The main character is the Triune God. The Bible begins with God, "In the beginning God..." Genesis 1:1. And it ends with the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the hero that humanity and this world need. Third, the Scriptures were written for both people in their original time as well as for us today. A good study of the Bible begins by asking questions like, "How did the early listeners read this text?" and "Why did the author write these words?". After studying the initial purpose of writing and how first listeners heard the words, we can seek the truth that applies to us today in 2025. Finally, I believe that the Bible is fresh and powerful today. Some today might assume Scripture is outdated, but my experience—and the testimony of Christians across centuries—shows the opposite. Isaiah 40:8 says, "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." The Scripture survived over two millennia and is powerfully true and relevant to us today, and will provide freedom and joy to those who listen and obey. All of the above make preparing sermons clear: I simply convey God's truth in a way that all of us in San Diego would grasp what the living God desires for us. It is the prayer, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening. Grant me understanding of your truth that I may speak your Word with clarity and conviction." I love being your pastor, and I look forward to studying God's Word with you each week. Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Jason