Pasion Cielo, excellent coffee shop in Coral Gables. Esta muy bien! Blue Mountain from Jamaica, etc., etc., wow.
Main event, creative session for the 2012 One Conference in Miami. The team that does Catalyst primed the pump. We'll be at the University of Miami next February, but this is how the work gets done. www.oneconference.com
Without a vision..... here is Pedro Garcia the Miami Hurricane Himself. Dreaming kingdom dreams & talking about it.
The last person you might expect Christopher Hitchens, one of the world’s best known atheists, to turn to for help would be an evangelical Christian.
But a highly religious doctor might be the only individual who can help the author and journalist who is suffering from cancer.
Dr Francis Collins, the former director of the National Human Genome Research Project was one part of the team which developed techniques to map out the entire human DNA make-up is using Hitchens as a guinea pig for a new treatment.
Friends: Atheist Christopher Hitchens, left, is being treated by Christian Dr Francis Collins using a new technique of DNA mapping to tackle the mutated DNA directly
Hitchens, author of God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, has had his genome mapped out in its entirety by taking DNA from healthy tissue and from his cancerous tumour.
On each sample six billion DNA matches were run, in order to catalogue the mutations in the cancerous cells which had given Hitchens cancer of the oesophagus.
Then in the New Year Dr Collins found a mutation and went about tackling the DNA directly.
He discovered that a drug already existed to treat the particular mutation and now Hitchens takes just one tablet a day, rather than undergoing gruelling chemotherapy.
Hitchens, 61, told London’s Daily Telegraph: ‘I’m an experiment.
‘These are early stages, but in theory it should attack the primary site of the tumour.
Authors: The duo have both written books about God. Hitchens said of Dr Collins: 'I won’t say he doesn’t pray for me, because I think he probably does.'
‘If that does happen, it won’t just be good news for me, it will be very exciting in the general treatment of cancer.’
The unlikely alliance between the Christian and Atheist formed when the pair used to debate each other about whether God existed, leading to the two becoming friends.
Dr Collins, who is director of America’s National Institutes of Health, has authored his own book on religion’s role in medicine: The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief.
Hitchens added: ‘It is a rather wonderful relationship.
‘I won’t say he doesn’t pray for me, because I think he probably does; but he doesn’t discuss it with me.
Hitchens, a prominent Atheist, he refused to change his views on religion even after his diagnosis in June 2010.‘He agrees that his medical experience does not include anything that could be described as a miracle cure.’
He said he finds the new treatment very exciting.
‘At least it spares me some of the boredom of being a cancer patient because what I’m going through is very absorbing and positively inspiring,’ he said. ‘But if it doesn’t work, I don’t know what they could try next.’
He added that during his treatment he was constantly contacted by other atheists sending him positive messages.
‘I get a huge number of letters and emails every day, a lot of them from people I don’t know, and they quite often say things like, “If anyone can beat this, it’s you”, “Cancer is a fool to take you on”… Jaunty, upbeat stuff like that.
'A lot of people, because of my contempt for the false consolations of religion, think of me as a symbolic public opponent of that in extremis. And sometimes that makes me feel a bit alarmed, to be the repository of other people’s hope.’
Passion 2011-
http://www.268generation.com
The emergent church hypesters like to pontificate on the failures of the church. Pardon me, Jesus sort of said He would build His church & He does all things well. Case in point: Passion 2011 in Texas: 10,000 18-25 year-old's spending the weekend in a poorly ventilated conference center in Ft. Worth. Chris Tomlin rocked,
Francis Chan wept, Louie leveled us with his message on branding and the Koso people group got their Bible translation funded. I slid in as the guest of Pedro Garcia through Shelley & Louie Giglio. Louie may not be the best Bible teacher on the planet, but he could be the best Bible communicator.
The new Mrs. Chris Tomlin (Lauren), unknown guy, Chris & Pedro (texting of course), lunch Passion 2011.I finally had the chance to meet him after admiring his ministry for more than a decade. These guys could act like rock stars, but they are totally down to earth.
Fifteen years in, Passion shows no signs of decay. They are pushing the edges, going large and leaving a mark. If this is the American church in decline, I will gladly go down with this ship.
Rob Bell: What the Hell? To great fanfare, his book, 'Love Wins,' came out challenging the concept of eternal separation from God.
This new book pretends a lot of the red letters in the New Testament are invisible. Great angst and confusion over heaven and hell.
Really? This makes me grieve for the 10,000 plus in his Grand Rapids flock. How does he start each message, 'We can't be sure, but …..?' 'Love Wins' is a confused, ambiguous book at best. No one likes the idea of hell Rob, its just that Jesus and the Bible are very clear about it. Get over it & get with the program or get out of the pulpit.
Let's remember this is the same guy who observed,'We have to admit that the church in America is mostly a failure.'
I'm sure he can find a liberal seminary that would love to have him on the faculty.
Guest Speaking at Awaken in Tennessee:
Church Planting is an exquisite, exciting, frustrating adventure.
This was a flashback to my start up days at Calvary Chapel Southbay and later in Colorado. The results are out of your control, I remember standing in parking lots wondering if anybody would come. Somebody always did. At the end of the day, God was always faithful, you learn not to despise the days of small things. Sometimes, a gusher of living water shows up as in Albuquerque, other times, not so much. But that is not the issue, Jesus said Go! I salute those who have Gone.
Montana
My favorite new question, 'Are you related to Levi Lusko?'
My favorite new answer, 'Who?' Not really of course. Levi is blazing trails and setting records. I could not be more thrilled.
See for yourself: www.freshlifechurch.com
(Plus, look at these grand-daughters!)
Miami
In addition to having the worst drivers in the country, south Florida has the distinction of being the cross-roads to South/Central America and the Caribbean. It also has Pedro Garcia. I cannot tell you what is about to happen in Miami, but I know a spiritual hurricane is forming. I want to be in the eye of the storm.
This might kickstart it:
www.oneconference.com
Here are some shots from the Life FM open house along with Pedro and Lourdes Garcia during Team Week.
Passion 2011 in Ft. Worth this weekend. Outrageous worship and teaching. Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Louie Giglio & Francis Chan. Need I say more? Yeah, I know it is for 18-25, but I was the guest of brother Pedro - very, very grateful for the chance to see this. 10,000 college students- truly the hope of America.
Late night with part of the Anthem team in Phoenix, much needed by the ASU campus, 50,000+ students.
Dr. James Dobson was kind enough to give me an interview for the Never Surrender Documentary.
I was able to stop by and see Al Pittman while in the Springs, this shot is from his office balcony- million dollar view of Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. His church is blowing up (in a good way).
Heidi- joined me in Texas, the Fresh Life Team Van from Montana was able to swing by ABQ and pick her up. Here's a shot from downtown Fort Worth with two angels warming up for the resurrection.
Spring Break in Montana with Larissa & Heidi. Our friends at Pottersfield Ranch were kind enough to provide a nice condo and a pick-up truck for us to drive. Felt like a real resident!
Mush you huskies! Always wanted to do this.
Whitefish, Montana, home of Hammer Nutrition. Met with them to set up a Fresh Life Radio ride next summer.
Heidi Summer Lusko on the first sunset of spring in the Flathead Valley. Saturday night service at the Strand.
Sunday morning at the Whitefish Fresh Life Campus. Packed. 
Levi preaching the Rise & Rise Again series. The intro video was outrageous.
Side trip with Levi & Coy to Billings, where Fresh Life Radio is getting a new FM station. This could be a future location for a Skull Church Event.
Levi & Bob Coy compare study note technology
Tappan dinner with Scott and Pam Richards. Planning some diving excursions hopefully.
Sunday night at ABQ. Anthem launch for Nick Crespo & the Phoenix team- Arizona will never be the same. Glad to serve on his board and help blow things up in AZ.
Pre-game green room
Weekend in Fla- classic corner at Calvary of Ft. Lauderdale. 
Spent a big weekend at Calvary in Miami- one year anniversary for Life FM
Good to see Pedro kicks off the One Conference for next year. Epic.
