If the last preview service was one of excitement and anticipation this was one of anxiousness and nerves. From the moment I walked into On Broadway the reality kept hitting me about how big Urban truly is and will continue to be. I knew Urban was bigger than any of us can imagine because it is not just about us, but about the dreams of those that make up Urban. In the scope of the massiveness of such an amazing venue I realized that Urban is not just big in my mind but it is really and actually quite larger than  you and I and really most all of everyone.

This month Urban finalized that On Broadway would be our location for our future  Urban Sunday evening services. On Broadway is one of downtown San Diego’s premier  night clubs. Urban Kids will be meeting downstairs in the billiards room, which originally was a bank vault. The adults will be meeting upstairs in the first room. Diane, an attender of both preview services really summed up our venue saying it was the perfect location. It truly is from the state of the art lighting and sound system to the contemporary decor that makes the place the place to be on Friday and Saturday nights and now Sunday nights as well.

While meeting at a night club was exciting and a new experience for most, what particularly made the evening great was the presence of God, the tangible feeling that something more important that any single one person or location was happening at that moment, and it was electric. It was there during set-up, worship, the message and in the fellowship that took place afterwards.

Ben Brinkman, the lead pastor of Urban, had a great message for us during this Christmas season, titled, “Our Christmas Present,” based out of the scripture in the first chapter of Matthew and Luke. Our Christmas present is that we now have Immanuel, “God With Us.” The main points of Ben’s message about this wonderful Christmas present was that God has a way of interrupting our plans, God’s choice is based on grace, His blessing might not come the way we want it, and when God speaks we have a choice to make. Also that we must remember that God is working on both ends. It was a message of hope as the new year approaches and a message encouraging us to persevere and to remember that we are not doing this alone, but we have a loving God walking it out with us.

Urban Kids had a great night. Pastor, Katie Brinkman, led the children’s ministry along with a great team of individuals. The kids enjoyed playing and making new friends while learning about the meaning of Christmas. Urban’s worship was another great hit of the night. Marked by the presence of God, the team has great vocals and talented musicians. They are not just musicians and singers on a stage, but ushers leading those at Urban into a worship experience with our creator, savior and Lord.

The best part of the night is that it wasn’t a picture perfect service. Many people might have wondered and been worried about numbers or transitions. We could have picked apart the entire night and yes there would be many opportunities for change or improvement, but the greatest part was not our statistics and numbers, but it was people. It was the person who hadn’t been to church in years who actually had fun being at church, or the young men who can’t wait for the next service to bring all their college friends. It is the people who now have an opportunity to be involved, the new relationships and friendships being built and the people that see an open door to fulfill their dreams because Urban exists. At Urban church is life and life is church. Life happens at Urban, it is not always picturesque but it is always unto something greater than ourselves and that is much bigger and better that what we can think of. 

Thank you for dreaming and being a part of the dream. We appreciate you and can’t wait for a New Year and new dreams. Thank you for all who were able to attend our second preview service either at On Broadway or via our live feed online. Thank you for your contributions, your giving of your time and finances are making dreams come true for Toys for Tots and those at Urban. We can’t wait to see you again January 11th at 6pm at On Broadway. Until then keep dreaming big!

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Sunday, November 9th, 2008 will be a night that I will not be quick to forget. The whole night I kept thinking of the quote, “History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it,” by Winston Churchill. That evening that quote rang true as Urban began to write our history, that intends to write history in the individual lives of each person imparted by Urban. Urban exists to be an access point for people to find Jesus Christ, discover their dream and begin to live in it. Sunday night, dreams began to be released and realized from the moment the first note was played by the band and no longer was it just a potential dream in the hearts of two people but it was alive and very real in the hearts of many.

I could not pinpoint when the night began officially, but even if you saw the team setting up you could say it began at that moment. The team entered the theaters around four in the afternoon and the excitement and slight nervousness was visually apparent. Setup is rarely easy, but at first glance you would say those involved were having the time of their lives.  Everyone seemed to be smiling with joy and anticipation at what the night would bring. Before long everything was unloaded and setup and the band began to sound check. With every obstacle came and quick, creative solution and in no time the team was ready to kick the night off with praise and worship led by a group of talented and faithful individuals.

Meanwhile, Urban Kids was off to a great start. We had 18 children that night, which met and surpassed our expectations. Kids could enter into the theater by sliding down a slide through the doors where they started off playing games and coloring while music played in the background. There were things to do for both infants, toddlers and grade school kids alike. After playing for a while the kids got to have snack and watch a new exciting VeggieTales movie called, The Adventures of Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry, that was entertaining, educational and biblically based for children of all ages, followed by a quick wrap-up lesson.

In the main adult service, worship was engaging and marked by the presence of God. There were 107 adults in the service which was remarkable, not because of the number but because potentially 107 people experienced God that night and potentially 107 dreams began to be thought about, if not released in the hearts of those present. Worship was followed by a powerful, relevant and timely word given by Ben Brinkman. The message was appropriately titled, “God’s Bailout Plan,” from the scriptures in Luke 6:38 and Mark 6:38. It was not just a message of hope during financially stressful if not difficult times, but it was a message of practical action. It can be summed up by one word, “Give,” we are to give what we have, receive what He puts in our hand and give away to others.

After the Word, the band came on for one last song before dismissal and the front was open for anyone who wanted or needed prayer. Seven people responded to the altar call before the night was done. People lingered after the service was done meeting new people and catching up with familiar faces. Happy children were safely delivered into the arms of their parents and everyone went away if not satisfied then at least intrigued by what God is doing through Urban in downtown San Diego.

As the team began to tear down and reload everything back into the vehicles all that we could do was smile and wonder how in the world we pulled it off. It was truly amazing from start to finish, whether you were a part of the Urban team, a first time visitor or a child. Looking back on that night it makes me smile knowing that not one person was the star but each person involved shined brightly like a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. Thank you to every person who partnered with Urban whether financially, spiritually or with their time, Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us for Urban’s first preview service. With you we took history into our hands and began to write it for ourselves, this city, our nation and our world.

Dream Big.