These were my thoughts when one of my beloved mentors, Clyde Cook, went to heaven several years ago:

Larger Than Life

I’m writing these words from one of my favorite places on earth—Cannon Beach, Oregon. Judy and I walked the beach this Monday morning with heavy hearts. One of the most important men in our lives—Dr. Clyde Cook, President Emeritus of Biola University—died suddenly Friday evening.

The breathtaking beauty of Cannon Beach and its spectacular Haystack Rock seemed a fitting backdrop to our prayers for Clyde’s beloved Anna Belle and their children. Clyde Cook was one of those Christians whose dedication to the Lord Jesus made him larger than life.

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There’s nothing like it:

A web of redemptive relationship sharing Jesus’ love in protective and nurturing ways.

I just wrapped up five of the most authentic community days I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been speaking at the annual Thanksgiving at Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center in Cannon Beach, Oregon. But it was so much more than a conference for my Judy and me: it was intimate community.

About thirty of our faith community in SoCal–Church of the Open Door–traveled two days braving the rain and snow just to experience it with us. A few families from our past–choice families God has privileged us to disciple now living all over the United States also joined us. Some of our dearest friends in the extended family of God lead the ministries of Cannon Beach–Ecola Bible School and CBCC. Finally, my daughter Celia with her husband David and little Zachary, and my daughter Aimee with her three children, Jackson, Megan, and Camryn were with us.

We ate Thanksgiving together, centered our thoughts on Jesus and His Word, worshiped Him, laughed, cried, prayed, played games, talked about our lives, watched our children draw closer together, and simply experienced the joy of sharing our lives with Jesus and one another.

It’s Sunday evening and everyone–including my Judy–has returned to their “real life.” I’m prepping to teach at Ecola Bible School next week and work on my next book. But before I move on, I have to tell you three reasons why this type of community enriches your Christian life:

It’s a taste of heaven. Judy and I have been coming to Cannon Beach for twenty years now. As we anticipated some of our friends arriving, we kept saying, “I can’t wait until they get here and we can show them this place and introduce them to our Cannon Beach friends.” Judy remarked, “We’ll probably have these same thoughts when we’re in heaven and the Lord Jesus tells us someone we love is about to show up in that wonderful place.” Heaven is going to be all about relationship with the Lord Jesus and one another. Community brings some of that experience to earth.

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“Whatever happened to our hope of heaven?”

That’s the question an aged saint asked of a small group she had joined when a twenty-something Bible student told her he could care less about heaven because, “He was into being the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world.” He was about living for others, not about what He would get someday through some, in his words, “pie-in-the-sky” promises that, again in his words, “medicate the poor and hurting” so that they’ll accept social injustices.

As a Jesus Movement convert of the 60’s, I’d have to own some of this young man’s charge. We were so focused on “getting people to heaven,” we convinced ourselves we could ignore the social insensitivities, the prejudices, and injustices of our day. Wouldn’t want anyone to accuse us of preaching a “social gospel” like the liberals.

However, if I’m reading my Bible correctly, there’s no good hell and no bad heaven. Seems to me this isn’t an either-or but a both-and deal. Believers who ignore the hurting aren’t living out Christ’s love in this world; believers who ignore eternity aren’t living out what He says about the world to come.

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