The Santiago Commissioning/Send-off Service

Yesterday at Community Bible Church we had the awesome priviledge of seeing our good friend and co-laborer in the ministry (COV & CORE), Rod Santiago, sent off to become the pastor at Grace Bible Church in Roseville. Rod has been at CBC for 24 years serving in the youth ministry, college and career ministry, discipleship program, teaching sunday school, etc. It was a special night, as Rod, Maria, and the kids returned to CBC (he has officially been pastoring at Grace for over a month now) for this special service we held for them. It was a packed house Sunday night, with about 30% of Grace Bible Church in attendance as well as Rod and Maria's family. We had a guest speaker from another church during the first half of the night preach on 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" and Steve preached the second half of the night from 1 Peter 5, on shepherding the flock:

5:1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The highlight of the evening had to be seeing Rod's two long-time friends and church elders, Jay and Ray Palompo, pray for Rod as all the elders layed hands on him and presented him with his official ordination certificate (I believe that's what you call it?). For a few brief instances I thought Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to walk in and join us (Rod previously worked in Sacramento with all the state big whigs). We capped off the night by fellowshipping over tons of food that the church prepared. We will truly miss the Santiagos but are even more excited to see how God will use Rod as pastor in Roseville (http://www.gracebibleroseville.com/). Rod will have been the 2nd pastor our church has sent out from among us within the past 1.5 years. Nick Haight was sent out as part of a church plant in the Natomas/Sacramento area 1.5 years ago (http://thecornerstonebiblechurch.org/site/). Rod's famous last words to me that night as we said our goodbyes was on marriage..."You don't date to marry, you marry to date." That put a smile on Becky's face as we parted for the evening.