By pastorbillwalden
I was recently interviewed by Tim Anderson for a doctumentary on the history of Christian rock music.
The upcoming film will be entitled “Bleed Into One”. 
You can read about it by clicking the following links. http://www.facebook.com/Bleedintoone
http://www.bleedintoone.com/
In the late 70′s, I was singing in club bands, doing top 40 songs, and making a few bucks. I was away from Jesus, and on the wrong side of life. Consequences started piling up, and so did some fear, and in the fall of 1980, I wandered into Calvary Chapel of Yorba Linda (later renamed Vineyard).
I had been singing and playing in rock bands since I was in Jr. High. As I was returning to Christ, I imagined myself singing in piano bars, singing spiritual songs that might get people thinking about God. I could play piano a little, and wanted to sing about God, but had no idea what that might look like. I had no history with any of the Christian music scene, and certainly had no idea what I was about to get into. I just knew that I was done singing about the rest of life. I wanted to sing about God.
While at CCYL, I saw an ad in the church bulletin about a band named Undercover auditioning for a singer. Long story short, I got the job, and was blessed to sing for Jesus for the next 3 1/2 years.
I was an adequate singer, but would eventually become a pastor. Undercover was talented and innovative, and the timing of the band’s appearing was incredible, IMO. Undercover hit when the Spirit of God was moving upon the hearts of the youth in So Cal. Most of you know the rest of the story of that time period. Some have considered it a Jesus People revival 2.0, though definitely on a smaller scale. However you might view it, it was real, and God was working in the hearts of many people.
During those years, I was exposed to the highs and lows of “church ministry”, but seeing much that was genuine was impacting upon me. I saw the Gospel preached, and I saw people respond in faith. That time period laid the groove for the rest of my life re. becoming a pastor, and believing in the preaching of the Gospel. I saw what could happen when people to a stand for God.
Some say that the So. Cal. Christian bands of the early 80′s were trail blazers, and that we laid a foundation of many of the Christian bands that would follow. There is probably some truth to that, but the glory goes to God, whatever anyone’s analysis may be.
What I am sure about is this: I got to be used by God in a fantastic way. For me, it wasn’t about the highs and lows of what was or what wasn’t, or what should have been. It wasn’t about what was fair or unfair in ministry. Now that 31 years have passed, I can look back and say that I know that God used me, and used us.
I heard a pastor once say, “Most of us must accept the fact that our lives may never be more than an asterisk on the pages of history”. I didn’t interpret that as a negative statement, but as one that was intended to bring a healthy perspective to who and what we are regarding this great mass of humanity.
Conversely, however, our lives are seen clearly by God, and he records every act done for His glory and done in faith. I am thankful to have been perhaps only an asterisk, and maybe not even that. The important thing for me and for each one of us is that we make sure that our lives count for the purposes of God, and that in THAT, we find great satisfaction.
By pastorbillwalden
It is interesting that on Wednesday nights, we are studying the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was the man that God used to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.
The people there were in distress and living in reproach. Nehemiah got news as he served the king in Babylon. He mourned, fasted, and prayed for four months, and then was granted permission to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls. The King even helped fund the project. The walls were built in 52 days.
Nehemiah prayed, mourned, and periodically fasted for four months. Then when the opportunity came to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, the project only took 52 days.
Nehemiah prayed more than twice the amount of time that he worked. We often want to rush right in to help those who are in distress and living in reproach, but had Nehemiah done that, he would not have had time to make the detailed plans to present to the King, (who asked for detailed plans) and to gain both his permission and funding.
We do well to pray more and act less. Prayer puts us on target with our attitudes, our faith, and our plans. As Dr. Bruce Baloian (one of my mentors) once told our church: “Don’t plot, pray”.
The attached picture is of the back wall to our platform/stage area. A year ago (more or less) I suggested that we do a makeover on our sanctuary. I wanted it done right away. Our Board of Directors, in their wisdom, suggested that we plan it out. They (and our camera crew) also suggested that we consider upgrading our lighting and video system.
I was ready to do something quickly. They insisted that we plan it out. I will admit that I didn’t enjoy waiting, (to put it mildly) but the finished project is already much more than I would have imagined, and we aren’t even done yet. I was rather un-Nehemiah-ish for most of the planning process. I am still learning the need to pray more, and often, as a result, work less and get more.
Thanks to the construction workers, the painters, the Board, the camera guys, the interior designer, and others who have made this project better than what I would have made it. You all know who you are.
For all who read this: Be a Nehemiah. Help rebuild the walls of other people’s lives, but do so by praying for a clear understanding of what needs to be done, and then waiting for the open door. Don’t just rush in. Don’t plot, pray. The results are well worth it.
By pastorbillwalden
The building where we gather is going through a makeover. 
Over the next 6 weeks, we will be upgrading our video system to be totally digital. For over 15 years, our worship gatherings have been recorded and broadcast on Channel 28, a local cable station in Napa. We have been recording in an analog format, because that is the format that Channel 28 has been using.
The times are changing, and analog recording is all but being phased out. Channel 28 is making the switch to digital, and so are we. This change of format will produce a better quality video. We will be able to easily upload video recordings of our gatherings onto the internet, and we will also be able to livestream. That means that people who cannot join us live for our gatherings, can stay home and watch us in real time via the internet. We will also be able to provide dvd’s of our worship times to people who request them.
Handing a dvd to a friend is a great way to share Jesus, and much more engaging than giving them a cd.
The front the the church building is being modernized, as well as old windows replaced with new glass and coverings. New lighting will be installed for the platform area, providing a better lighting environment for the videos, and brighter lighting will be installed in the sanctuary so that people can read more easily.
Below is a video update of progress as of May 2, 2011. Keep checking back for more video updates, or check our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cornerstone-Ministries-of-Napa-Valley/71375606181
Here is the video. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cornerstone-Ministries-of-Napa-Valley/71375606181
