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Dear Justin Bieber, I am so pumped for you bro! It is really encouraging to hear that you want to live like Jesus. In one of your recent radio interviews, there was definitely a different spirit about you, one of healthy temperament and also a passionate desire to turn your life around and life for Christ – for this I applaud you and will pray for you to continue forward.

After reading your Rolling Stone magazine interview, I will say that I agree with Continue Reading…

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I woke up this morning to hundreds of notifications from friends and family, wishing me a Happy Birthday. I have to admit that it is very encouraging to know that many people actually remember your birthday. Even if Facebook is the only reason someone remembers, it is still great. After downing my first single shot espresso macchiato of the morning, I knew that I had to write this post. I knew that if I don’t get these thoughts out of my mind, they will be gone forever. Time is a fleeting thing and shows no mercy. Time does not sympathize with my schedule nor is it a respecter of my to do list. Time just keeps going. It doesn’t stop for anyone. This is why Saint Paul emphatically tells us to make the best use of our time (Eph. 5:16). But the frustrating thing about time is that it is not elastic. I can’t stretch it. I can’t contain it. I can’t pause it or store it to use later. My only option left is to use it, before it is gone forever. So my inventory list of things I learned in the last thirty-one years is my feeble attempt of trying to press pause on time and reflecting on what I have learned and how much more I still have to learn.

Continue Reading…

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Hi guys,

I am so excited to let you know about the expansion of our ministry.

 

 

Beginning Sunday March 29 at 10:30am, we are launching a brand new worship experience, specifically designed and strategically located to reach Irvine and surrounding areas.

We are naming this brand new worship experience Forward Church because it describes exactly the movement that God is perpetuating within this community.

Click play on the video below to watch a short introduction to The Forward Church:

 Click play on the video below to watch an in-depth conversation about the mission and vision behind The Forward Church:

To connect with us on the web, click here.

To connect with us on Instagram, click here.

To connect with us on Facebook, click here.

To connect with us on Twitter, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter, click here.

We are going forward with the gospel of Jesus, to a context in need of radical redemption.

I have spent the last ten years working in the business and entrepreneurial world and in a local church.

This has given me an amazing opportunity to share the gospel with people who never darkened the door of a traditional church.

I feel like God has been preparing me for this very moment during this last decade.

There is this unwavering and undisputed call that I have in my life to preach the gospel, to share the message of Jesus and to help others realize that there is no other god that can give you joy and contentment in your life, except for Jesus.

This is also why I believe that now is the time to reach young professionals, young families, business people and entrepreneurs in the place that some call the Second Silicon Valley, Irvine California.
But why launch another gathering when there are so many amazing gospel-centered communities in South Orange County?

Over 3 million people live in Orange County.There are many amazing churches in existence already.

Even if all the churches in South Orange County reached their maximum capacity in attendance, there would still be over 80% of the population who are not followers of Jesus.

That is roughly over 2 million people.

This speaks volumes to the fact that we need more new gatherings and more communities that would go forward to reach more people for Jesus.

No matter how connected the young professionals and entrepreneurs are, there is still a sense of loneliness and lack of authentic community that shapes their daily life.This is why the Forward Church will be strategically located in order to shape, form and cultivate real life community so that the narrative that God has written for each person would visibly be realized.

  • More than 10k people live within 3 miles of the location of Forward Church.
  • The largest demographic of people living in Irvine is aged 18–24 (31.44%)
  • Coming in at a close second is aged 25-44 (24.1%).
  • 40 percent of those people work in the Irvine Spectrum Area which is in the heart and epicenter of where the church facility is located.
  • Irvine was named the best-run city in the U.S. by 24/7 Wall Street
  • Irvine is ranked as the fifth best place to live in America
  • Irvine is consistently ranked as the safest city in the United States. 
With all of it’s glory and impressive statistics, Irvine is a dark place because an overwhelming majority of people living there are not followers of Jesus.
What does it matter if Irvine gains the whole world but loses it’s soul by not acknowledging Jesus as Lord.
This is why I believe with all of my heart that the relentless and resolute call placed within me is to reach the people of Irvine and it’s surroundings with the message of Jesus.
The vision of Forward Church is simple: We are a community of faith, centered around Jesus. We want to help people realize the promise of God’s good news, for every part of their life. 

Having said that, here are some practical and logistical details:

We covet your prayers for every one of these items because we believe that Jesus can do and will do far more than we have ever imagined.

  • By God’s grace, we have secured an amazing space in which to gather, about three blocks from The Irvine Spectrum Center.
  • The address is 90 Pacifica, Irvine CA 92618.
  • The folks over at Irvine Spectrum Double Tree Hotel were gracious enough to allow us to use one of their beautiful spaces to hold our worship services in.
  • If you know anything about The Irvine Company or The City Of Irvine, this in and of itself is a huge miracle and we thank God for that. 
  • We are so pumped about Shea Dalton joining us as one of our worship leaders. Please be in prayer for Shea and our other worship leaders as they prepare to lead people in the worship of the true and living God.
  • We also received news that another solid young guy is basically taking a huge step of faith and moving across the country from the East Coast to Southern California to be a part of this community. Paul Kostyukov will be helping me with many of the pastoral duties. Please be in prayer for Paul as he transitions.
  • Our first official gathering will happen on Sunday March 29, beginning at 10:30am. 
  • Our Easter Celebration Service will happen the following Sunday April 5th, at 10:30am.
  • We will have regular Sunday Worship Experiences every Sunday at 10:30am. 

We want to be a community where the Orange County myth of building an image for yourself is debunked and real, raw and authentic community is fostered among people.

We want to be a community of different looking sinners, in need of the same looking cross.
We want to be a church where indifferent Christians begin to move forward with their faith and those that don’t know Jesus, would get to know him on a personal level as their Savior And Friend.
Most of all, we want to rally around a risen Savior – Jesus Christ and boldly follow Him wherever He leads. 
The best is yet to come (Eph. 3:20-21).
In Christ,
Bogdan Kipko.
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After ten airports, ten flights, two trains, twenty-five Ubers and about one hundred miles of walking, we are back in the best country in the world.  It was super fun to get out of our comfort zone and visit countries where most people speak zero English. Let me say right at the beginning that visiting Europe was Continue Reading…

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There was this incredible event that happened this week and I am so excited to tell you all about it. Two days ago, my wife and I celebrated nine years of marriage. We are coming up to almost a decade and have successfully lived together under one roof, what a crazy concept in our culture these days huh? Before you read this post, I want to warn you. It will be very fuzzy, bubbly with all sorts of cupcakes and sprinkles. Yes, not my usual type of post. So let’s get to the absolute superstar in whose honor this post is written – my wife Vika. Continue Reading…

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My parents brought me to America from Russia when I was just eight years old. So even though I went through the entire educational system in the United States, I still grew up in a predominantly Russian household. I hope this post will enlighten many of my American friends about some amazing Soviet tendencies that we Russians tend to demonstrate, no matter how long we have lived in America. Also, I am sure I am not the first to write this kind of post – but this is the first post I write like this one which offers a unique perspective, my own. Here are ten signs that you were raised by Russian parents: Continue Reading…

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As a Christian pastor, Martin Luther King’s main influence was Jesus Christ and His gospel, which was evident during most of his public life. King’s faith was based on Jesus’ commandment of loving God and loving your neighbor. As we remember this great man today, here are his top ten quotes of all time: Continue Reading…

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Today, I am honored to be interviewed and featured on a prominent Christian leadership blog written by Paul Muzichuk. Paul asked me a series of questions having to do with what gives me the greatest passion in life, how to navigate the ministerial landscape and how leaders can use social media effectively. Check out the full interview by clicking here. Be sure to follow Paul’s blog and get connected with him via Facebook and Twitter.

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Hi Guys! I am so excited to share with you that today, my brand new book Forward is officially released!

Go to www.forwardbook.com to get your copy! 

This is a book that will tell you on every page, that if you have breath in your lungs, God has a plan for your life. A plan that is far better, bigger and immeasurably more than anything you have ever imagined. 

 

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Here is how you can get your copy: Continue Reading…