Postscript
Many changes have occurred during the seven momentous years since this volume first appeared. On the personal side, two losses should be noted, as both are mentioned in these pages. William Riddet, Michael's beloved father-in-law, has left us for a better land. So has my wife of forty-six years, Winola. The church has moved itself to a new location, and now occupies a 20-acre junior high school campus in San Diego's Clairemont district. It has erected a new $1,500,000 auditorium-gymnasium in which two crowded services are held on Sunday mornings, and nearly-full services on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Even the Clairemont move is proving inadequate as the congregation continues to expand. Horizon is now considered the largest church in San Diego County, and is featured in a new study as one of ten of the most "innovative" churches in the United States. Scores of young men and women have been trained in the Horizon School of Evangelism and have gone out to plant and lead churches throughout California and in many parts of the world.
Michael's ministry at Horizon continues to prove popular, both with the "baby-boomer generation" and with the younger set. He seems to understand the end-of-century young people
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and their problems better than most, having experienced them himself. He has become president of Youth Development, Inc., a Christian ministry founded by Jim Vaus, which operates one of the world's largest networks of youth crisis counseling. Doors have opened for him to embark on a national radio ministry, and the voice of Horizon is now heard in many major metropolitan areas from Honolulu to Boston.
Horizon International Ministries has developed a year-round program which faithfully carries out the original vision conceived back in the seventies. Instead of conducting "crusades", Horizon has begun developing on different continents a "Festival of Life" concept which combines the evangelistic preaching of the Gospel with special ministries through medical teams, construction teams, competitive sports, outreach to prisoners, clown ministries to children, music, parades, training schools for Christian workers, and luncheon banquets with civic leaders. These have already proved highly successful in the Philippines and Mexico, and Grenada is the next projected site.
Michael himself has added scholastic goals to his busy agenda, and has been awarded the master of divinity degree by Azusa Pacific University. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary. Michael wears the badge of chaplain to the San Diego Police force. His elder daughter, Melinda, is a recent bride and her husband, David Love, is pursuing an internship program on the Horizon campus with a view of future ministry.
Much more could be said, but this is a mid-stride report, with hoped-for greater things to come as God continues to bless Horizon. Eighty Home Fellowships are now meeting weekly throughout the county and are developing their own programs of neighborhood ministry. In all this growth the note of joy is still sounding clear on campus; prayer remains the church staff's highest priority; Satan is still being battled on every front, and week by week souls are being won to Jesus Christ for eternity. To God be the glory!
—Sherwood Eliot Wirt
To learn more about how to walk with Jesus Christ, or to receive further information about the ministry of Mike MacIntosh and his team, please call Horizon Christian Fellowship at: 1-858-277-4991
