All Blog Posts
Announcements Thoughts
On May 25th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
I’m Off!
All languages have several ways to say “Bye!” “Goodbye” seems rather final. “So long” implies a lengthy separation. “God’s speed” is rarely used anymore, but it suggests danger and the real possibility that one won’t make it back. Then there is “See you later.” But that still implies a period of separation. So what word […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On May 18th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Next
I want to thank you all for the kind words and ways you honored Jolene and me on Sunday during Pantano’s 60th anniversary. We are so grateful to be a part of a church that has loved us so well. We are blessed! Sunday I announced that I’ll be ending my active time on our […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On May 11th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Pantano’s 60th
In January of 1962, Pantano Christian Church had her first public meeting held in a home on 31st Street. There were 32 people present that Sunday for its beginning. Today, after 60 years, several building projects, and eight Lead Pastors, we have grown to average over 3100 people. We’ve started three thriving congregations in southern […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On April 27th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
The Invitation
Sunday I preached on one of my most cherished and helpful passages of scripture – Matthew 11:28-30. I felt so inadequate to teach the power and depth of this passage. I’ve come to see it as Jesus’ great invitation. Here’s the passage: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On April 20th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Elephants
Elephants are amazing creatures in so many ways. But the thing they are “famous” for is how big they are! They can weigh up to 13,000 pounds and be up to 13 feet tall. They eat so much that they can deposit up to 330 pounds of dung a day (gross!). The point is that […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On April 13th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Easter at Pantano
Easter Services I do enjoy the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. But my favorite holy day is Easter. Jesus is alive, and his resurrection power is still at work today. That’s why our Easter celebration will overflow with worship, joy, and celebration. You don’t want to miss our Easter celebration, either in person or online, at […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On April 6th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Launching
Our Mission – Launching Our mission is “Loving people to Jesus, launching passionate people to make a difference.” There are two phrases within that mission, and both are connected. In all we do, we want to love people to Jesus. One of the ways we love people to Jesus is to launch people in our […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Thoughts
On March 30th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Three Days
New Teaching Series – Three Days There’s never been a greater good news story. It’s so good and great because it transforms all of life. The Gospel (which means good news) is centered on the three most critical days of human history. Our salvation rests on what Jesus did and what happened to him on […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Thoughts
On March 23rd, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Pray for Ukraine
No one wins a war. One side might dominate another and claim victory, but no one really wins. As I watch the destruction of high-rise apartment buildings (most were built during the Soviet era), the loss is impossible to calculate. I lived in those kinds of apartments and spent so many hours visiting friends in […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On March 17th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Generosity
I’m so proud of our church. Your generosity overwhelms me. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” I’ve experienced the truth of those words, as generosity has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my life. Here are a few ways you have and can continue to make a difference through […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Thoughts
On March 9th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Confused and Angry
Last Saturday night Jolene and I put our granddaughters down to bed, and we had a great prayer time together. As often happens during this time, our granddaughters will ask questions. My oldest granddaughter asked if Russia was going to attack us. We assured her the war was a long way away and wasn’t coming […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Outreach Thoughts
On February 28th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Ukraine
I find myself breaking out in tears all through the day. For those who know me well, I’m not one who cries easily. My heart is broken. I’ve been in contact with many I know who live in Ukraine. I feel so helpless living so far away. I’m so grateful for so many of you […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On February 23rd, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Planning for the Future
In my season of transition from being the Lead Pastor, I’ve reminded many folks that all of us are in an interim position. It’s not to be feared but embraced. Nothing in life lasts forever, including the honor of leading our church. All our jobs and roles are temporary. Life itself is temporary. So we […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On February 16th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Struggle is Normal
We are in a super important teaching series on Sundays called Playbook. We are looking at the eight plays of Jesus, called the Beatitudes. We have to execute these plays if we want to become more like Jesus. They are hard. Poor in spirit is the utter need and dependence on God. Mourning is deep […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Outreach Thoughts
On February 9th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Auditorium Reopening Celebration
Super Bowl Sunday This Sunday, February 13th, folks will be partying all around the United States as we celebrate one of our biggest unofficial holidays – the Super Bowl. And yes, I’m pretty excited that my Bengals no longer carry the “Bungles” label. Feel free to wear your favorite team’s jersey this Sunday. You bet […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On February 2nd, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Ecuador Update
Below is the latest report on the church plant Pantano funded through our Christmas Eve offering in 2020. We received this report at the end of last year. Thank you, Pantano Christian Church! Your gift to plant Iglesia Cristiana Verbo de Guabo in Ecuador is currently impacting 787 children and their families. These families now […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On January 26th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Grow Your Faith Roots
We’ve developed what we call our Discipleship Pathway. The Pathway has three groups that will help any person grow their faith no matter where they are in their spiritual journey. Each group starts new sessions soon. I have personally attended and led all three of these groups, and I’ve seen folks grow their faith deeper […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On January 19th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Unshakable
Rooted is our One Word for our church this year. A tree that has deep roots is unshakable in high wind (unlike this tree). As we sink our roots deeper and deeper into Jesus, we’ll discover a depth of faith that will help us weather the storms that continually come. I think we need to […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On January 12th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
Trevor DeVage – New Lead Pastor
I’m so excited to have Trevor DeVage here this week. It’s starting to feel real! Trevor is Pantano’s 9th Lead Pastor since we started back in 1962. Yes, that is right, this year we are also celebrating our 60th birthday as a church! You don’t want to miss this Sunday – in person or online. […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series Thoughts
On January 5th, 2022 / by Glen Elliott
New Year – New Beginning
I’m in my 23rd year here at Pantano, and there has never been a new year with so much change and a profound sense of a new beginning. I believe God has timed everything to help us start 2022 fresh and new. New Digs! Our remodeled auditorium is almost done. The carpet will be finished […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On December 29th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Special Family Prayer Service
2022 brings a sense of a new beginning. That has never been more true than here at our church. 2022 will bring many new things. For one, we are just finishing up our auditorium remodel, bringing a long-overdue improvement. I think you’ll be very pleased with the results. 2022 also brings us our new Lead […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On December 22nd, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
A Christmas Eve Experience
Merry Christmas, everyone! It’s my hope that this Christmas, you’ll remember how God sent light into a dark world. His name is Jesus. This Christmas Eve, we’ll celebrate the light of the world! We’ve got an excellent Christmas Eve service planned. Here’s what to look forward to… The service starts at 6 pm at the […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On December 15th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
An Exciting Season
With Christmas, the auditorium remodel nearing completion, and a new Lead Pastor confirmed, we’ve got quite a few new things coming. I know change is challenging for many. But these changes are leading us to an exciting great beginning for 2022 and beyond. Here’s what’s coming so you can keep track… December 2021 THIS Sunday […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On December 8th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Peace on Earth
The Christmas season is here! And for many, the tagline of Christmas was first declared by an army of angels before some bewildered shepherds. This heavenly chorus said: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14). This theme is picked up in the famous […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On December 1st, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Self-Control
We are continuing our teaching series called Manifest. We are looking at nine qualities called the fruit of the Spirit. One of those character traits that the Spirit wants to manifest in us I’ll cover in this blog; it’s self-control. I’ve never met a person who didn’t want or need more self-control. We want to […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On November 24th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Grateful
Happy Thanksgiving! I think this is my favorite holiday of all. It’s a simple holiday of family gathering around food to be grateful. When we lived in Ukraine, it was a bit more challenging as it was not a national holiday. Finding a turkey and all the traditional Thanksgiving meal favorites was a huge challenge. […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On November 18th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
We Have a New Lead Pastor!
I have great news! We have a new Lead Pastor. With overwhelming joy, excitement, and honor, I get to introduce to you Trevor DeVage. Trevor will be Pantano’s 9th Lead Pastor in our 60-year history. See the DeVage Family photo here. First, let me share the process that got us here. I’ve known Trevor for […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Announcements
On November 10th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
So Encouraged!
There’s been a lot to beat us down these last couple of years. Covid related issues, racial conflict, political polarization, and more. It’s been a tough couple of years at Pantano as well. We’ve had more than usual staff turnover (like the rest of the country!). There’s no systemic problem here, as each person’s departure […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On November 3rd, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Rare Air
My wife and I hiked and climbed Mt. Langley in California when we were in our prime. The peak is just over 14,000 feet high, almost 3 miles. At the top, we watched fighter jets flying below us! Altitude sickness is common at these heights. The air is thinner, and the oxygen is sparse. We […]
Last updated 2 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On October 27th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Fruit
We all face a spiritual struggle. It’s a daily struggle for me. The Bible calls it the struggle of the flesh versus the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17). The flesh is all those desires, appetites, and passions that come from self – that part of us that wants to protect, comfort, and promote ourselves. It’s the selfish […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth
On October 13th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Practical Training
I wanted you to be aware of a couple of really powerful conferences hosted at the Pantano campus. Both of these are valuable to anyone who wants to serve others – students, kids, schools, small groups, etc. 3rd Annual Reclaiming Hope Conference, October 22, 2021 – 8:30-4 pm Almost everyone has been touched by some […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On October 6th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Mercy
In my Bible reading, I consistently return to reading the Gospels because I want to keep coming back to Jesus. I’m just finishing reading Matthew. This time I noticed something I had never observed before about Jesus’ teaching. Mercy was a big deal to him. I love Compassion International’s definition of mercy – Mercy is […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On September 29th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Weeds
The record monsoon rain has brought us an abundance of weeds. I drive past houses that are overgrown like I’ve never seen before. I just happened to be reading the parable of the weeds that Jesus told in Matthew 13:24-30 last week. He explained the parable in verses 36-43. Take the time to click the […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On September 22nd, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Triggered
What triggers you? What sets you off? Long ago, I learned that when someone disrespects me (which is different from disagreeing with me), I am tempted to respond in anger. Why? What’s below the surface that causes disrespect to trigger an irrational emotional response? For me, the disrespect was tapping into my own sense of […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On September 15th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Core Beliefs
Clarity is critical for healthy relationships. Lack of clarity can lead to disappointment, disorientation, and disequilibrium. For a while, I’ve come to realize that we have some core beliefs that govern and shape our church community and ministry that we need to make more clear and easy to find. When folks are checking out our […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On September 8th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Listen, Learn, Love
This past Sunday, I challenged our church to look for ways to connect with those who hold a position we disagree with. We may hold a true or better position or belief (or we might not), but Jesus is passionate and clear that we seek unity with those who follow Jesus, even when we disagree. […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On September 1st, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
A Heavy Responsibility
I was reading Paul’s words that he wrote in 1 Corinthians 11, verse 1 – Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I paused for a long time, reflecting on what he wrote. My strongest initial reaction was that I would or could never write that. I don’t think that I’m following […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On August 25th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Remodeling Begins!
We finally have our permits, and demolition is beginning in the auditorium! Pantano folks took about 23 pews. We have moved our stage, lights, sound, and video equipment to Coop Court, and we’ll meet there starting this Sunday – August 29th. How Long? The remodeling work will take about three months or so. As you […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Outreach
On August 18th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Externally Focused
One of the key characteristics and core to our DNA as a church is to be externally focused. That means that while we care for and disciple our own folks who regularly attend, we also make sure that we are engaged in serving our city and beyond. We will never lose sight of reaching those […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On August 11th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Movement!
WHY?We are finally starting the auditorium remodeling project! Before I get into the details about the necessary moves to make this happen, I’ll explain the WHY behind the remodel; the carpet is 30 years old and beyond repair, the pews are breaking, and more importantly, we need to fix the dangerous slope. But, there’s a […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On August 4th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
The Kingdom of God – Here and Now!
Last week, we began an eight-week teaching series called Bigger Than. It’s a title that lacks a subject and object! What’s bigger? The kingdom of God. What’s the kingdom of God bigger than? Everything except God himself! The kingdom of God was the central theme of all of Jesus’ teaching and it’s a huge concept […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On July 28th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Succession Update #3
My goal is to update our succession progress every couple of months. I’m a month behind due to vacation! Last summer, I asked the Elders to begin the process of finding my successor as Lead Pastor. We actively began looking at candidates as 2021 began. My plan is not to leave Tucson or Pantano; however, […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On July 21st, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Bible Trends
The majority of Americans have a favorable view of the Bible. In 2020, Bible searches rose significantly. No doubt that was due to a combination of folks being home more due to COVID, the social, racial, and political tensions we experienced, and the general upheaval that sent folks looking for trusted answers. The top search […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On July 14th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Agenda or Purpose?
I’ve been wrestling a lot lately with what it means to really love others. I’ve been following Jesus for 50 years, and I feel like I’ve barely moved the dial in being one who consistently loves like Jesus. In addition to loving God with our whole being, Jesus said nothing more important than to love […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On July 7th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Lament
I’ve started re-reading the New Testament, and I’m in the Gospels. I love to read the teachings and life of Jesus. Jesus grieved and lamented often. Twice he laments over the fate of Jerusalem. He wept when he was in the presence of those mourning the loss of his friend Lazarus. His heart was heavy […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On June 2nd, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Summer 2021
Vacation I’m starting this summer by being on vacation. I got to take my granddaughters to a water park in Scottsdale, and Jolene and I got out of town for a few days just by ourselves! I’m doing some major projects around the house (painting, kitchen, etc.). I’m also doing major motor work on my […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On May 5th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Southeast Campus Update
Revolution Church merged with Pantano officially on Jan. 1, 2020. It was our hope (and still is) that we would plant churches and campuses together. Then COVID hit. Empire High School was closed. The timing could not have been worse! We went fully online for a few months last year, and the roles of the […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On April 28th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Key Updates
We are clearly in the rebuilding phase as we continue to move past the COVID world that limited so many for so long. Here are a few areas where we are making progress: Search Our Interview Team has spent a lot of time looking at the profiles of 10 candidates and interviewing them. Four candidates […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On April 21st, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Goodness
Goodness. It’s not a word we are attracted to. It has connotations of being weak and wimpy. Goodness doesn’t win the races of life. The words of Billy Joel’s song ring in my ears: “Only the good die young.” We are more drawn to words like “strong.” Also, there’s a sense in which goodness is […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On April 14th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Should Happens
Sunday, we started a new series, “Should Happens.” If you missed it, you can watch it On Demand. I chose this title not just to be “edgy” but to picture how distasteful and even dangerous all the shoulds in our life can be. Some “shoulds” are good. We should be the people God wants us […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On April 7th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Three Opportunities
Alpha Course If you or someone you know is on the journey toward faith, I’m urging you to consider the eleven-week Alpha Course. This is a course that over 30 million people in 169 countries have taken. Our whole church staff just completed the course. Alpha is for anyone at any level of faith or […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On March 31st, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Easter 2021
Happy Easter! I love Easter! It helps that it comes every Spring that parallels the rebirth of our natural world. It reminds me every year that God is still in the business of bringing newness to our lives. He’s the author of new life! Easter brings hope. It declares that while death dominates this world, […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Teaching Series
On March 24th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Who’s Your “One”?
One Person Matters Jesus told a parable or story in Luke 15:1-7 about a shepherd who left ninety-nine sheep in the dangerous open field to find one that was lost. That one sheep mattered to the shepherd. That one represents anyone who is not connected to God and has lost a life-giving relationship with him. […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Thoughts
On March 17th, 2021 /
Diving Deeper into Gospel
Let me begin with a powerful summary of the gospel that captures the heart of what Easter is all about. It’s found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8. Please don’t skip reading these verses. Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Teaching Series
On March 10th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Your One
Last Spring, as a staff, we prayerfully sought God regarding what our church’s priority focus should be over the next year or so. Little could we have imagined the impact of Covid. But, that didn’t change the direction God had for us. It was clear that God wanted our church to fulfill our mission – […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On March 3rd, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Spring Updates
March is here, and in my mind, that translates to Spring has arrived. Even though we are in a drought, somehow, the weeds are starting to pop up at my house! This is a good time to give some updates, and look forward as Spring approaches here at Pantano. Lead Pastor Search Please remember that […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On February 24th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
When God is Silent
We are in a series called “This is the Way.” The “way” that we are focusing on are some of the ways, practices, and rhythms of Jesus that kept him connected to God, which allowed him to obey God, even when it was hard. But what about those times when we carve out time to […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On February 17th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
New Church Plant in Ecuador
Our Christmas Eve offering of $73,149 was used to start a church and build a building in Ecuador to house a Compassion International project. Thank you, Pantano, for making that possible! We are expanding the reach of the gospel and bringing the hope of Jesus to children and families living in extreme poverty. Your amazing […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Self Growth
On February 10th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Lent 2021
Have you wondered what Lent is all about or how to practice it? You’re not alone! You’re invited to attend our Lent service, where we’ll guide you on how to practice Lent. Lent is a time of repentance and refocusing to experience intimacy with God at a deeper level. It is a time of 40 […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On February 3rd, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Succession Update #1
In October, I announced that we were starting the public process of looking for my successor as Lead Pastor. You can read through the details of this process by visiting https://pantano.church/leadpastor/. Every week people talk to me about my “retirement.” Let me be clear about something: I’m not retiring. Retirement is the wrong word. I’m […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On January 20th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
Make a Point or Make a Difference
Make a Point or Make a Difference We can opt to make a point, or we can attempt to make a difference. I’ve seen this idea quoted in several places, so I don’t know who to attribute it to, but it’s right on. In this polarized, divided, angry, broken, messed up world we live in, […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On January 13th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
The Path to Change
This past year we saw the violence in reaction to the need for changes to bring racial justice. This past week we were mortified by the violence inflicted to and in our nation’s Capitol. I’m not writing this blog about the right or wrongs of these causes and of the changes sought. I’m writing only […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Self Growth
On January 6th, 2021 / by Glen Elliott
One Word
This is the seventh year we, as a church, have participated in the One Word year focus. What is “One Word?” One Word is the Pantano alternative to New Year’s resolutions. While New Year’s resolutions are good, we know they are not as effective as focusing on one thing for a whole year. As we […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On December 16th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Christmas Gifts
What was the best gift you ever got? What was the best gift you ever gave? Is there a special gift you are hoping for this year? Is there a gift you can’t wait to give? Christmas is all about giving. It was God who gave the most significant gift ever that first Christmas – […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Thoughts
On November 25th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Thanksgiving
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This is a challenging command. Giving thanks in ALL situations alludes almost all of us some of the time. Recently I’ve been doing nearly a funeral a week. These folks have died from accidents, old age, cancer, […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Thoughts
On November 18th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
God Notices
I was reading an article by Colin Smith where he made a simple point from an unusual story in scripture. The point is that God notices. The story was of a poorly treated Egyptian servant named Hagar. The story is found in Genesis 16. God had promised Abraham and Sarah they would have a huge […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Thoughts
On November 11th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
First in the World
From time to time, someone in our church shares something that I want to pass on. This story is from Donna Gudgel, who’s been a part of Pantano for almost two decades and served on our mission’s leadership team. Have you ever been the “first in the world” for something? Anything? Or have you ever […]
Last updated 3 years ago
Announcements
On October 28th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Lead Pastor Succession Q & A
We are beginning the search for the next Lead Pastor at Pantano. You can find out more details about the plan and process at pantano.church/leadpastor. However, you might have some questions that we haven’t addressed, or you’d like some clarity. I’ve scheduled three question and answer sessions. Join me if you’d like to have a […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On October 21st, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Lead Pastor Succession
During Pantano’s 58 years, we have thrived because of the quality and depth of its shared leadership. Our health and effectiveness as a church is not dependent on one person but shared by the great team of leaders we have. I’ve been recently reminded that everyone is an interim. Every job has a season. Even […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On October 14th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Simply Profound
I do a Discovering Faith Bible study with a neighbor every week. He is reading the Bible for the first time, and every time we meet, he’s discovering new things about God, Jesus, the Bible, and about himself. It’s so fun to watch the proverbial lights go on and all the “ah-ha” moments. But just […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On October 7th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
A Peacemaker Story
We just finished our Peacemakers series. I wanted to share a story of someone who’s part of our Southeast Campus. Wendy took peacemaking seriously, which resulted in reconciliation with an old college friend. Here’s the story in her words: Ernie and I first met in our freshman orientation at Wheaton College back in the fall […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series Thoughts
On September 23rd, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Politics and Peacemaking
I titled this blog, “Politics and Peacemaking”. Those two ideas never go hand in hand. In our current cultural environment, there is no peacemaking attached to politics. Due to various reasons (which are being documented and verified), our culture and even our church are more polarized than ever. The right is further right, and the […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On September 16th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Making Peace
Peace, for many, is now a pipe dream (sorry for the drug culture connotation). The hostility, incivility, hate, violence, and polarization is so prolific that the idea of folks choosing peace seems ludacris. We are in a series we call Peacemakers. The Bible is clear that as followers of Jesus, we are to be peacemakers. […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Thoughts Tucson News
On September 9th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Praying for Our Nation and City
We just started a new series called Peacemakers. Why? Our nation (and world) needs peace. You and I need peace. Jesus calls us to be peacemakers to fulfill our true identity as his children (Matthew 5:9). But on our own, we can’t make peace. Peace first starts inside us before it can move beyond us. […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Self Growth
On September 2nd, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Online Classes
Pantano fall classes are open for enrollment now! Beginning on August 29th, we are offering a variety of classes available to take digitally via Zoom. Our classes cover topics such as finances, marriage, parenting, and more! Take a look… Bible Thursday Morning Women’s Bible Study (6 different classes) Bible Basics Certificate of Bible Mastery Marriage […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Self Growth Teaching Series
On August 24th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Deeper Dive – Racism
For the last few teaching series, we’ve been adding a digital Deeper Dive live event. Deeper Dives allow us to address specific things at a deeper level and in a Q & A format. For the current series – What Would Jesus Undo, we thought that a Deeper Dive on racism was needed and would […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Thoughts
On August 13th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Physical Regathering
I’m a full-blown extravert! I miss connecting with people. I miss you! I love to sing worship songs with the band in a full room! I know that’s true for many of you also. Yes, I’m excited to regather! My two main goals as I lead our staff and volunteers in regathering are to create […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On August 6th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Re-Gathering
You might be wondering when we will regather for physical services. Our staff is addressing that very question right now. I’ll share the details with you next week. There are lots of issues connected with such a decision. I want you to know the kinds of things we are considering to resume well. I know […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On July 29th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Loss and Grief
I’ve been feeling, dwelling on, and thinking a lot about loss and grief these last few months. Every one of us has experienced a ton of loss through this COVID-19 season. We’ve lost freedoms. We’ve lost interpersonal connections. We’ve lost jobs or income. We lost our routines and “normal.” We’ve lost peace. Many of us […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Self Growth
On July 22nd, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Going Deeper
Do you want to go deeper in your faith and walk with Jesus? There are three opportunities coming up that will give you tools to grow closer to God: Deeper Dive – Tuesday, July 28 – 7:30pm Our Deeper Dives follow a teaching series; our next one concludes our series, The Eye of the Storm. […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On July 15th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Friendship
Some of my greatest regrets are those times when I failed as a friend. Just this week, one of those regrets came pouring into my mind. One of my best friends is Ukrainian. When I started to investigate working in Ukraine, the communist economy created shortages and deficits of almost everything like toilet paper, food, […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On July 8th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Constant Change
I did a blog on May 27th called “Changes.” Well, more changes have been happening since then. That is the season we live in. So much has happened just in the last month. I’m back from my vacation I take during the month of June. It was more disrupted than usual (as has been the […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On June 26th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Pausing Physical Services
In an effort to continue to work together to stay healthy, and with much thought and prayer, we’ve made a few decisions. Before we talk about those decisions, we want to remind you of this: We are still the church! We can still be Jesus to our families. We can still be Jesus to our […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Thoughts
On June 24th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Global Leadership Summit
Global Leadership Summit You and I are living and leading through very difficult times. God wants to use you to have a good and godly influence on those he has placed in your life. But to hear the words, “you have influence” may feel like a weight of responsibility you don’t have the strength to […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On June 10th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Absent for a Reason
You won’t see me for three weeks as I’m taking my annual break. I usually use vacation time to take off the entire month of June, but with resuming services last Sunday, my break will be a week shorter this year. So, if you don’t see me, it’s not because I have COVID-19 or I’m […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On June 3rd, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Physical Services Resume
I know some of you can’t wait to worship physically this Sunday, June 7th, as we resume our services on the East Campus. I also know some of you have concerns about your health and the risk of gathering as a group. If you are at higher risk, we encourage and affirm your choice to […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On May 27th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Changes
When it comes to life on earth, we’ve all heard some version of the quote by Heraclitus – There is nothing permanent except change. Everything has and is changing as we find our way into the new normal. However, as people of faith, we also believe that God is permanent and he never changes (Hebrews […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On May 20th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Resuming On-Campus Gatherings
Everyone is wondering or asking “When will the church be open again?” My favorite answer is that Pantano Christian Church never closed! We’ve been the church throughout this whole pandemic. We’ve offered outstanding online worship and teaching services to all ages. We’ve called almost every family in our church. We’ve made and delivered over 3,000 […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Thoughts
On May 13th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
The Temptation to Judge
Every single one of us struggles in judging others. Every so often, I hear that voice in my head that is judging someone’s actions or behaviors, whether it’s how they drive or the type of music they listen to. I was standing at a restaurant entrance to get take out to honor my wife for […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On May 6th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Unshakeable
Everything in our physical world can be shaken. Nothing is stable. Our health can deteriorate – virus or no virus. Our bank accounts and the stock market are never stable. Our jobs are never secure. Even relationships change… sometimes for the better, sometimes for worse. We live in a world that not only can be […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On April 29th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Internet Danger
The internet is an amazing tool that allows us to do so much. We can’t even imagine life without it. Our stay-at-home life now would be miserable without the internet. More than ever, our kids and grandkids are dependent on the internet to do their schooling. Yet, most of us are unaware of the dangers […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Thoughts
On April 22nd, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Normal
Almost everyone is thinking or saying something like this – “I can’t wait to get back to normal.” We want to go back to our normal work environment. We want our kids to go back to school. We want to resume our normal routine. But does God want to take us back to normal? Was […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On April 15th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Being The Church
Our Time to Shine I know this may shock you, but I love the season we are in. I don’t like that people are dying. I don’t like that people are losing their jobs. In fact, the list of things I don’t like is rather long. But I love how we, the church, have the […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On April 8th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Easter 2020
Happy Easter everyone! Who would have ever guessed that we would not gather physically for Easter services in 2020? But, we are in a critical time when physical distancing is vital, so we’ll celebrate digitally this year. I know many are disappointed that we can’t gather for worship this Easter. We love to dress up! […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On April 1st, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Stay Connected
More than ever we need to stay connected. I was pleasantly surprised as I listened to Governor Ducey announce the stay at home executive order. He made a very clear emphasis on maintaining social distance without losing relational connection. Even though our church offices are closed to the public, we are still operating and serving […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On March 25th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
A Fast-Changing World
Changed Forever 9/11 changed our world forever. COVID-19 will do the same. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that when the crisis passes, we won’t go back to the way things were before. More folks will work from home. We’ll use all our digital tools in new and deeper ways. Small groups will utilize […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On March 18th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
COVID-19
Many of us are already tired of COVID-19 emails, posts, and news. The reaction to COVID-19 is as polarized as our political climate. There are those who refuse to accept that there is any reason for concern. Then there are those who are living in fear and panic. Neither is helpful. Fear Our response in […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On March 11th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
At Pantano, we take seriously your safety and health. With the coronavirus taking center stage in the news media, we understand your concerns and we want to make sure that those with health risks are protected the best we can. First, let me remind you of how YOU can help by taking these precautions to […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On March 4th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Phishing
From Fishing to Phishing Jesus invited his disciples to become fishers of men. Today, fishing has a new meaning and spelling – phishing. In our digital world, phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from a reputable person or company. The goal of the phishing email is to get you to […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On February 26th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Ghost
Ghosts have been a part of our book, movie and TV culture for a long time. There is the Ghost of Christmas Past in the book A Christmas Carol. Then, there was the movie Ghostbusters. There are cable shows like Ghost Hunters. I grew up watching the cartoon Casper the Friendly Ghost. Most importantly, the […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Self Growth
On February 19th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Lent 2020
Lent begins next Wednesday (Ash Wednesday – February 26). It marks the 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays). Lent is practiced by both Catholics and Protestants. Nine years ago we started our first Lent service at Pantano. Many were surprised we would offer this, as that had not been our tradition. While it is […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On February 12th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
The Voice
Daily we are summoned to court. A trial occurs in our head. We hear the voices of a prosecutor (the Hebrew word “Satan” means accuser) and witnesses that testify against us. We’ve got the right attorney or advocate – Jesus, who pleads our case before God. But still, we listen to the voices accusing us. […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On February 5th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Loss
Sunday I watched the Super Bowl. The Chief players and fans celebrated. The 49er fans suffered in their loss. I watched the camera show some of the 49ers players after the game. You could see in their faces and body language how painful the loss was. Loss is a part of life we can’t avoid. […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On January 29th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Enemies
As 2020 began, we started reading Luke in our Pantano Bible reading plan. I strongly urge you to use one (you can also find various in YouVersion). On January 6th I read the sixth chapter of Luke that said… 27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On January 22nd, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
Assortment
I got a box of assorted chocolates at Christmas time. I loved it. And yes, I’m not lost on Forrest Gump’s famous quote in the 1994 film – “My momma always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’” So my blog this week will be about an […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On January 8th, 2020 / by Glen Elliott
One
Happy New Year! 2020 is here. Many have noticed an interesting twist to the year 2020 and it’s the idea that our new year parallels the idea of 20/20 vision. If you have 20/20 vision then you have a normal visual acuity, clarity, and sharpness of sight. I have 20/20 vision… when I’m wearing my […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On December 18th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
December 2019
December Nights 2019 Recap We had an amazing four nights celebrating Christmas and families during our December Nights. Because we don’t charge admission (the event is free), we have no way to know the exact number of people who attended, but here’s what we do know: 3250 cookies were decorated and eaten. 3601 craft kits […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On December 4th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Pantano Christmas
Thanksgiving and Black Friday have passed. It’s Christmas time! Here’s a bit of what Christmas looks like here at Pantano: Christmas Teaching Series The Christmas series for all of our campuses is called Unexpected: The Story of Christmas. The story of Christmas found in the gospel is unexpected. God had been silent for 400 years. […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements
On November 27th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Elders
Pantano is a non-denominational church. We do not have, nor are we part of any larger denominational organization. But we are not without leadership, guidance, and oversight. Our church is overseen by a group of godly Elders. While you don’t often see them “up front” or on the stage, they are very invested, involved, and […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On November 20th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
December Nights!
Like most of us, I love the Christmas season. But it’s a bit more challenging to get into the Christmas spirit when it’s sunny, dry, and 75 degrees outside for most of December! And the fact is there really isn’t much to do in Tucson that is uniquely Christmas. There’s Winterhaven! There’s going to the […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On November 6th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
#Blessed
It’s common for folks to use #Blessed on social media to express something good that has happened or something good that they got. It is a way for folks to celebrate something good while trying to be modest about it. But, that is not how Jesus used the word. Before I get to that, what […]
Last updated 4 years ago
Thoughts
On October 30th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Women in Ministry
There was a lot of social media stir last week about diminishing comments made by a nationally-known pastor toward the preacher and author Beth Moore (See comments and audio here). The role that women can assume in church is a live ongoing debate. At Pantano, we have women pastors and women who teach on our […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On October 23rd, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Whose Yoke Do You Bear?
There’s a statement and truth Jesus made that actually answers so many of my questions about life and what it means to follow Jesus. It provides an answer to my many worries. It’s an antidote to my pride. It’s a check on my temptation to be religious. It arrests my tendency to compare myself with […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On October 16th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
The Battles We Fight
I didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. That’s rare for me. I’m tired. I have some people asking for help that I can’t help the way I wish I could. There are some challenges I’m facing that easily discourage me. They weigh on me. But, I’m not alone. Everyone one of us […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On October 9th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Why Not To Floss Before You Go To Church
I wanted to share a great blog by my friend and fellow pastor, John Beeson, who is the Co-Senior Pastor at New Life Bible Fellowship here in Tucson. The blog is called The Bee Hive – subscribe here. John, in a very creative way, describes the culture we have worked to create here at Pantano […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On October 2nd, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Why We Pray
New Series – Engage Sunday we started a new series called Engage. Sunday was the first day our two campuses (East and Southeast) taught the same series and message! In this series, we want to go deeper and further in our desire and ability to engage with God. The focus is on prayer, but prayer […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On September 25th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Better Together
In case you missed the announcement I made on Sunday, September 22nd, here’s the news. You can also watch the announcement video here. I’m excited to announce that Revolution Church is joining Pantano Christian Church and will become the next campus of Pantano as one church in multiple locations. In other words, Pantano is becoming […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On September 18th, 2019 / by Michael Goodwin
Is Jesus God?
This last weekend I (Michael Goodwin) had the privilege of preaching on the question – Is Jesus God? I discussed how different religions view Jesus and then shared what Jesus actually said about himself. Jesus claimed to be God, and that was clearly acknowledged and understood within the culture of his day (you can watch […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On September 11th, 2019 / by Nick Farr
The Problem of Pain and Suffering
Suffering is one of those things that everyone will deal with at some point. None of us are exempt from the touch of sin in this world. Suffering is difficult for anyone regardless of their relationship with God, but knowing Jesus and all of his promises can add a layer of complexity to our difficult […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On September 4th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
The Elephant in the Room
In my message Sunday I addressed the question – “Is Jesus really the only way to God and eternal life?” This is a question in a culture that has embraced complete tolerance and rejects exclusive claims by any religion or faith. More and more folks embrace religious pluralism which claims all religious paths are equal, […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series
On August 28th, 2019 / by Nick Farr
Can I Trust the Bible?
Every week the opportunity is given to Pastors to prepare sermons. For Pantano, this process begins many months in advance. As Pastor Glen has shared before, sermon topics and basic outlines are typically planned a full year out. As the week approaches for a specific message, the writing process gets more focused. Months of praying […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On August 21st, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Amazing
Yes, I know the word “amazing” is overused, but I don’t have a better word to describe two amazing things that are part of Pantano. These two things make a huge difference in lives; in people they were designed to serve both in our city and in our church. Serve our City I’m so excited […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On August 14th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Science vs. Faith
We began our new series I Got Questions by looking at the conflict between science and faith in God. My challenge Sunday was to choose both faith in God and science. Scientists who have only trusted or have faith in science, need to be honest and admit that science is limited. It can’t answer all […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series
On August 7th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
I Got Questions
This week we start a new teaching series called I Got Questions. We’ll be looking at five of the more common questions that skeptics ask and that sometimes causes those who follow Jesus to question the validity of their faith. It’s my hope that this series will help both those who are skeptical and those […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On July 31st, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Endure
This Sunday we are finishing our Intervention teaching series. Thank you for the great feedback. The content seems to have been helpful for many. The focus of this series has been on how we allow God to intervene in our lives in order to find freedom from our issues, hurts, hang-ups, repetitive sins, and addictions. […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On July 24th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Coming Up!
There’s lots of significant and important things coming to Pantano as our children go back to school and our monsoons finally arrive. Take a look… Global Leadership Summit – August 8 & 9 This event brings insight from the best leaders from around the world to challenge us to have greater influence. I describe it […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On July 17th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Take Every Thought Captive
The primary way that the devil tries to tempt us, trick us and trap us is though lies (see John 8:44). He wants us to believe lies about ourselves, others, our life, about God, about what’s good or fair and more. Our best defense against this is truth. Lies have the power to hurt us, […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth
On July 10th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
One Word
Every January, for the last five years, I’ve encouraged our congregation to prayerfully adopt a One Word to focus for the entire year. This replaces the well-intended New Year’s resolutions that are usually forgotten by the end of January! If you are new to Pantano since the beginning of this year, you can watch the […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series
On July 3rd, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Intervention
One of the crazy things we struggle with in our modern world is to what extent should we intervene in the lives of others? There are too many folks who seem to stick their noses into other people’s business who have no right to do so. Then there’s the polar opposite where folks should intervene, […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On June 26th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Backstage Tour
Sometimes someone will win or pay extra for a backstage tour to see the artists up close and see how things work behind the scenes. There is so much that goes on at Pantano that the average person doesn’t see. Here are a few important things that happen out of sight. Baptisms As I write, […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On June 19th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
MAD in Ecuador
I like to use a lot of abbreviations. One of my favorites is MAD which is short for Making A Difference. That is part of our mission – Loving people to Jesus, launching passionate people to make a difference. I believe we are saved not just from hell but saved to make a difference in […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On June 5th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Global Leadership Summit – 2019
This year, we are hosting our 11th Global Leadership Summit (GLS). Over the last 10 years, I’ve learned so much from the GLS and applied so much of what I learned in my own life and leadership as well as how we do things here at Pantano. I think it was 2011 when I was […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On May 29th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
The Thing We Hate…and Need
I just did a memorial or celebration of life service on Friday for an 11-month old that died from a rare kidney disease. He died one day before his scheduled transplant. What can I say to that grieving mom and dad and family? There are no words of comfort. There is rarely a week when […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On May 22nd, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
The Fuller Picture of Love
This past Sunday, I introduced our new series: This Is Pantano. We looked at the first value that we hold as people of Pantano – What matters most is loving people to Jesus. I made a strong case that it is God’s will that because all people have value and matter to him, we have […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On May 15th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Faith in Action
New Series My wife and I watched a TV series called “This Is Us” about the struggles of the Pearson family. I’ve appreciated the acting, the reality of family dysfunction, and being reminded about the joys of being family. The drama is attempting to expose or unmask the reality of family drama and be honest […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On May 8th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Hope & Safety
Hope for the Homeless We see the many homeless that are in Tucson. If you have a heart, you ache for those who suffer from mental illnesses that cause homelessness. You also ache for the mom and her kids who suffered setbacks or abuse and can’t get on top of things, consequently finding themselves out […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On May 1st, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Updates
Upcycle We started a series called Upcycle on Sunday. In this series, we are learning how to allow God to take the regrets of our past and free us from them, then transform those regrets into something better. This three-week series is designed around the three key steps to freedom – 1) Recognize your regrets; […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On April 24th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Reflection
God commanded a Sabbath for physical rest but also because we need to pause at least weekly to reflect back and see all that God has done. Otherwise, we just keep running ahead and forget all the big and small ways God has guided, provided, blessed, and protected. In our work and effort, we easily […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On April 17th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
He Has Risen
This Sunday we will celebrate that God raised Jesus from the dead. It is a big deal! The resurrection changes everything, in every way, for everyone who believes. There are two passages from the Bible that I love to reflect on at Easter time; each has a special meaning to me and I want to […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On April 10th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Easter 2019
I love Easter! It isn’t the trapping of the holiday that much interests me; I’m not an Easter egg or chocolate fan. I’ve never been much amused by the Easter bunny. But I love Easter because of the reason for the special day. Jesus rose from dead and he’s alive. That’s huge. That changes everything! […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On April 3rd, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Invest in Your Marriage
Last Sunday I talked about values. I said that if we say we value something, if we think that something matters or is important, then we’ll actually take what’s valuable (our time, money and effort) and invest in it! Our marriage should be a top value and priority. If your marriage is truly a value […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On March 27th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Values
Every person, every organization and every church has values. Sometimes we are not aware of them and often they are not clearly articulated, but they drive how we live and shape who we are. Values are the foundational motivations for what we do. They provide our inspiration as non-negotiable guiding principles. They shape what we […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On March 20th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Cars and Food
Change. We are making some changes to our parking and café here at Pantano. I know most of us don’t like changes, especially if we can’t see the immediate benefit! I finally learned where to find things at Target and then they remodel the place and move everything around. What was wrong with the way […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Outreach Thoughts
On March 13th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Strangers
Hospitality! It’s an interesting word. There are many words related such as hospital, hospice, host, hotel, and hostel. They all come from the Latin root word “hospes” which means host, guest or stranger. The core idea is welcoming a stranger and offering food, shelter, and safety. There are many scriptures that encourage hospitality like Romans […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On March 6th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Twins!
No, we did not, nor are we having twins. But I’ve sure enjoyed getting to know some twins. I’ve gotten to observe several sets through our church as well as watch some twins who are athletes, writers, and speakers. Whether identical or fraternal types, there seems to be a very special bond and connection between […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On February 28th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
David Thoresen
David Thoresen has served as our Outreach Pastor for the last 12 years. Recently we made the very difficult decision to transition David out of that role. He has done a fantastic job of setting the strategic foundation of the Outreach Ministry and developing a terrific group of international partners. We have some of the […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series Thoughts
On February 24th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Uncommon Faith
It’s common for people to love Jesus, believe the Bible, be basically good and serve others, but stop short of the radical kind of life that Jesus invites. Well, what more is there to faith? I’ll get to that shortly. Now, I’m pretty sure most of these folks are saved (only Jesus knows for sure). […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On February 13th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Room for More Movement
Things are really picking up and there is a lot of movement happening in order for us to make Room for More! While things have taken much longer than I ever anticipated, we are moving now! Our new building is called the Student Union so we can make room for our high school and middle […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On February 6th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Let’s Celebrate!
It’s one of those things I like least about my personality; once something great happens, I’ve already moved on to work on the next good thing and don’t take time to celebrate. The fact is, we all need to celebrate more and it’s a key part of gratitude which is one of the most spiritually […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On January 30th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
The Cost of Fear
We began a series on fear last Sunday called What Keeps You Up at Night? You can watch a replay of the entire service weeknights at 6 pm on our opening page at pantano.church (scroll down to the “Watch Live” section). Or you can watch just the message anytime – click here. The cost of […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Teaching Series
On January 23rd, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
What Keeps You Up At Night?
We all have fears. Some cause us nightmares that literally keep us up at night. Or, out of anxiety, we have trouble sleeping. Sunday we’ll start a new series called “What Keeps You Up at Night?” We’ll be looking closer at our fears and how God wants to lead us out of our anxiety into […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On January 16th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
Bigger Than Race
Next Monday (January 21) is the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. It’s a time when we remember not just the past racial injustices in our country, but the continual challenges we have with racism, bigotry, and discrimination. This Sunday, we are going to remember that for those of us who follow Jesus, the issues of […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On January 9th, 2019 / by Glen Elliott
New Year – New Beginnings
Christmas Eve Offering Wow, Pantano, you gave $73,213 for our Christmas Eve offering. That will help make a huge difference in getting the Gospel Rescue Mission’s Center of Opportunity to become a reality this spring. In addition, over 250 folks showed up on Sunday, 12/23 to help with the remodel and upgrade. Thank you all […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Teaching Series
On December 26th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Happy New Year
Sunday, December 30th Well, this is my last blog for 2018. The year is coming to a close and we are looking forward to 2019. This Sunday, December 30th, Brian and Mandy Lucas will bring an incredible message about the rhythm of looking back and looking forward. I’ve heard their message and it’s terrific – […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements
On December 19th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Merry Christmas!
I want to wish you a very merry Christmas. In the midst of all the activity of this season, may we all remember that God came to us to be WITH us to show us how much he is FOR us and loves us. May we find gratitude in God taking the initiative to come […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach Thoughts
On December 12th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
End of the Year Generosity
Thank You I am so proud of our church. Pantano is a generous church! Literally, a thousand of us at Pantano serve in some way at our church, in our community or globally over the course of the year. We couldn’t do what we do and make the difference we are making without you. THANK […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On December 5th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
What Do We Live For?
My wife and I took a couple of days off to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We did our first “staycation.” We stayed in town, saw four movies and went out to eat for lunch and dinner. We got to sleep in a bit. And, one afternoon, I even went out by the hotel pool to […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Announcements Outreach Teaching Series
On November 29th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Christmas at Pantano – 2018
Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed so at Pantano we are officially entering our Christmas season! Here’s an overview of what we have planned for Christmas this year. This Sunday we’ll start our three-week Christmas series called Bring Christmas Home. And that just kicks things off! December Nights December Nights are back and […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Thoughts
On November 21st, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Gratitude
Happy Thanksgiving! It’s my favorite holiday. Why? The turkey is great. I love family time. There’s usually great football. But the best part is the focus on gratitude. I’m convinced that gratitude is a lost spiritual discipline in American Christianity. There are too few of us that make gratitude a daily practice and choice. If […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On November 14th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Meet the Man
Last spring I listened to a nationally-known Christian leader tell his story of how he almost ruined his family and his life. Unfortunately, that is not uncommon for Christian leaders these days. But what was so unusual was how God led him through his mess to find hope and freedom. I can’t wait for you […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On November 7th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Voices
Voices We all hear voices. And I’m not suggesting we all have a physiological condition of auditory hallucination caused by a psychotic disorder. We all hear “voices” in the sense that there are statements or beliefs that go through our head, sometimes over and over. We have beliefs that govern who we are and how […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On October 31st, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Spiders
Today is Halloween. Our life group, along with many other groups in our church, are doing what we’ve called the “Halloween Challenge”. Years ago, I challenged our church to make a difference on Halloween. We are serving our neighborhood on this night that has been a bit awkward for Christians. We are not celebrating evil […]
Last updated 5 years ago
Thoughts
On October 24th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Retreat
In military terms, retreat is generally a bad word. It can be a sign of defeat or maybe even cowardice. But sometimes, the smartest commanders know that a tactical retreat at the right time can position you for future victory. There are times when we need to retreat personally. It might be going to the […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On October 17th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Broken
We started a new teaching series Sunday called Interrupting Grace. We looked at how our sin and brokenness and the resulting guilt and shame can interrupt God’s grace. If you missed the teaching, you can watch it online. Broken In the message, I referred to a condition I call “brokenness”. We are all broken, which […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Teaching Series
On October 10th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Breakers
Every safe home has circuit breakers. They are usually found in the breaker box, usually outside the home, apartment or building. The newer style breakers act like switches. If there’s a short or an electrical overload, the breaker will trip or turn off the power to a particular circuit to protect the appliances, devices and […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements
On October 3rd, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Room for More Update
It’s time for a Room for More update. Room for More is what we are calling our new building project. The new building, called the Student Union, will go where the old modular classrooms were. They are gone. We gave one to Desert Lutheran Church and the other one to Move City Church in Sierra […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements Thoughts
On September 26th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Guests
Be Hospitable A church that is healthy, Bible-believing, and Christ-honoring will attract guests, and weekly we have many guests who visit. That is part of why we are growing so much. I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but on Sunday mornings, besides teaching the Word, my “job one” or focus is to […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements Outreach
On September 20th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Poverty in Tucson
Tucson – 5th Poorest City in America I’m sure you’ve heard this by now, but Tucson is listed as one of the poorest metropolitan areas in the United States. That’s not the kind of notoriety we want. About 25% of our city is identified as living below the poverty rate. As Christians, we can’t just […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series Thoughts
On September 12th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Longing
This past week in our series called Contrast, Roger Blumenthal spoke about the idea of being shaped by the cravings we feed 1 Peter 2:1-3. If you missed his message, you can watch it here. Just the day before Roger spoke, I was listening to a podcast as I was driving to the west side […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements Self Growth
On September 5th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Love and Respect
Our last teaching series called Mixtape – The Soundtrack for Marriage was based on Ephesians 5:21-33. What struck me in the passage was the strong theme of oneness. As individuals, we are to be one with Jesus. Husbands and wives are to be one. And couples together are to be one in Jesus. Oneness is […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On August 29th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Story
It has been said that the shortest story ever written was six words: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” This “story” has been attributed to Ernest Hemingway, but there is doubt about that (check out the full story here). The point of this story isn’t its author. The point is that those six words create […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Teaching Series
On August 22nd, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Legal Aliens
Did you know the Bible talks about legal aliens, foreigners, and exiles? It speaks very clearly about these kind of people. And probably your mind already jumped to the political debates over immigration and border security. That’s NOT what I’m talking about, and I’m not so foolish as to jump into that debate in a […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On August 15th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Integrity
I didn’t know what else to title this blog. Integrity is a crucial part. But so is humility and maybe a dozen more words. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the recent scandal involving Bill Hybels, the former founding pastor, of the Willow Creek church. Hybels has been accused of sexual misconduct by […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements
On August 8th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
The Scoop
We are making progress on our new high school space (we are calling it the Student Union) and office building to make Room for More. Here’s the scoop on what has happened so far: The modulars, where the new building will go, are being moved as I type. Our loan is approved. We have our […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements
On August 1st, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Get Ready
In the old days (I can’t believe I’m using that phrase) “fall” started on Labor Day and school started right after. Not any more. Schools start in July and August, depending on the school district. And with school starting already, it feels like fall, except we still have triple-digit heat and there are still no […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On July 25th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
20 Years
Our family had just finished our mission work in Ukraine and we moved to Tucson in June of 1998. It was so good to be back in Arizona, as both Jolene and I grew up here. I was the first mission’s pastor that Pantano had ever had. I can’t remember why, but my employment didn’t […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On July 22nd, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Together to Make a Difference
“Together to make a difference.” For many years I put this phrase at the end of my letters and emails. Our mission is to make a difference and as a church we’ll only make a real difference if we all do something! That’s why, as a church, we ARE making a difference here and around […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Self Growth Teaching Series
On July 11th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
IF
We are in the middle of a teaching series on Sundays called Trust. We are taking a deep dive to better understand this core part of our faith. And as we think about trust there is a pesky word that reflects our struggle to trust; it’s the word “if.” When it comes to trusting God, […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On July 4th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Freedom
Happy Independence Day! In terms of the history of the world, America is a still a young experiment in democracy and true personal freedom. Having travelled and lived in other countries and systems, I’ll tell you that what we have is very unique and special. There are very few places in the world where freedom […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On June 28th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
TRUST
My vacation has ended. I should insert a “sad” emoji here! It was great to unplug for the last 3 weeks. I used some of the time to do major projects at my house that needed attention. Working with my hands is a great way to unplug and refresh. That break and rest gives me […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Announcements
On June 22nd, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Did you Know?
As Lead Pastor, my head is in what and why we do what we do all my waking hours. So I take a lot of things for granted. It hit me that we do some things on a regular basis that you might not know about. Fact is, there is so much that happens at […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On June 13th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
The Gospel
Every once in a while, I get a comment that I (or we at Pantano) don’t talk about the gospel or at least don’t focus on it enough. I find that interesting because we actually plan to share at least parts of the gospel in every weekend service. The word “gospel’ means good news. It […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Thoughts
On June 7th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Everyone Has Influence
This year, we are hosting our 10th Global Leadership Summit (GLS). Over the last 9 years I’ve learned so much from the GLS and applied so much of what I learned in my own life and leadership as well as how we do things here at Pantano. I think it was 2011 when I was […]
Last updated 6 years ago
Self Growth
On June 6th, 2018 / by Glen Elliott
Vacation
Back in January of this year, we did a series called Making Room. In that series, I did a message in which I talked about how vital it is do develop a system of Sabbaths; the message was called Put the Brakes On. I believe that God made us to need Sabbaths. We were made […]
Last updated 6 years ago
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