When I moved to Sacramento from the Bay Area, I believed God had some incredible opportunity for me. Well, I still believe that. But my "passion" when getting here to the City of Sacraments was to plant a church. Really? Plant another church in a city where there are a bunch of big churches-- and many small churches? That was the same argument Ed Young, Junior had before he planted his church, Fellowship Church in the metropolitan Dallas-Fort Worth area, which has become one of the fastest growing and largest churches in the USA.
But first, let me take you on a tour of the road of life I went through.
I grew up in a typical agnostic Asian-American family. Even though I am a fifth generation born-in-the-USA Chinese (my mom's family came as laborers when they were building the Transcontinental Railroad, and my dad's family came during the California Gold Rush also as laborers), the thought was always: go to school, go to college, get a good-paying job.
For the most-part, I did. Well, I had hoped to become a doctor, a pediatrician (that's what I knew back then). I had become a believer in Christ as a senior in High School. But in college, I didn't fare so well in calculus and chemistry. I didn't quite get C's in those "C" classes, if you know what I mean.
So although I was strong in Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, I became a Radiologic Technologist (x-ray tech). And after being in healthcare (even during my internship), I knew I didn't want to remain in the healthcare business. God was planning something else for me.
Church Plant #1: Christ Community Chinese Alliance Church
My friend at school invites me to her home for a Bible study, where her father is a pastor-- and a church planter. I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord through that group. We were going to church in Berkeley, where I was baptized, but shortly afterward, Pastor Philip Loh plants a church in San Leandro, where we lived. The bilingual (Cantonese and English) church moves to Hayward when they find property to purchase. I was there for ten years, going through college and my early years in my career as a Rad Tech.
There, I helped develop the Junior High ministry, teaching Sunday school and sponsoring the Jr. High Club. I also served as usher and presider (that was the beginning of me being in front of the congregation, English speaking, but still an up-front position). Then the youth pastor I worked under, Pastor Kenton, leaves to start a church in Pleasanton.
Church Plant #2: Valley Gate Chapel
Renting a room in a Southern Baptist Church in Pleasanton, I help in worship, first playing drums (which was "forbidden" in the previous church). I eventually lead worship playing guitar.
During that time, I thought I was to serve in Worship and music, so I went to Recording School in Massieville, Ohio for a summer. I received certificates in Audio Recording and Music Production. I also went to Masters Institute in San Jose to get my second Associates degree, this one in Multimedia Production.
Church Plant #3: Pathway Community Church
Pastor Brian, who was my previous English-speaking pastor in Hayward left the Chinese church to go back to school for his PsyD degree. At that time, he was also on-staff at a church that went to Saddleback's Purpose Driven Church Conference. There, he received the call to plant another church.
He took a core group of people (me included) to Saddleback. It was there I received God's call to serve Him in ministry. At that time, I was leading worship, so I thought THAT was my call, to lead worship, become a Worship Pastor. I hadn't received a Bachelor's degree. Just two Associate degrees and certificates. But I found a program at San Jose Christian College which took some of those previous units and applied them to my eventual BS degree in Christian Leadership.
Church Plant #4: Calvary Chapel Tracy
A friend of mine was playing bass and percussion in a church in Livermore. That church was also launching another church in Tracy. He asked me if I could help play drums. Eventually, I led worship there. But once they went from Sunday evening services to Sunday morning services, I had to leave that opportunity-- my first out of the Asian church.
Well, the other church plants didn't officially call themselves "Chinese" or "Asian", but the church usually takes on the personality of what you already are, which we were: Asian. Nothing wrong with that, but in the greater scope of ministry, I wanted more. Like in the prayer of Jabez, which I was reading Bruce Wilkinson's book at the time, I prayed that prayer to increase my territory (of influence).
So that takes me to moving to Sacramento after a job opportunity in a surgery center/pain management clinic. And after visiting many churches in the area, I find Bayside Church in Granite Bay. Boy, nothing quite like it.
Good music. No, great music. I audition for the worship team as a drummer, and I don't even make that cut. That's how awesome the worship music is, led by Lincoln Brewster.
Still with the call to serve, I join the video team. Instantly, I find a home to use my gifts and abilities. ( I also did stints in photography with Glamour Shots in the mall, and Lifetouch, the yearbook company). At Bayside, all the doors opened up for me to explore my multimedia experience. There was the 7C's Film School, which I completed and helped make several short Christian indie films. And when Bayside purchased new equipment, they trained me in video switching.
The point to all of this? God never wastes opportunities. All the side trips God led me through is becoming clearer, as I'm beginning to see God working in my life.
Don't doubt the trials and tribulations you have to go through. God will lead you through them. Enjoy your journey. Be quenched in this quintessential quest for your life.
Blessings,
Garret
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