Fourth Discernment Team Workshop

cropped-mosaicswebstamp.pngFourth Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on July 30, 2014, 5:00 pm – 11 pm in Midtown Sacramento & Davis, CA

Task 2: Step Two: People & Places on Our Heart

Scriptures: Acts 16:9-10

During our worship on July 26, after sharing with the story of “Prodigal Son,” we had time to meditate on Acts 16:9-10 and prayed for other people and ourselves.

I bow before you God – you from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name – and I pray that out of your glorious riches you would strengthen ____________________ with power through your Spirit in his/her/their heart(s) through faith. And I pray that __________________ being rooted and established in love, would have power, together with all the Lord’s people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that he/she/they may be filled to the measure of the fullness of Christ. (Based on Ephesians 3:14-19)

• Who is our Macedonians?

We deeply felt that all Millennials are our Macedonians, whether they are non-Christians or ran-away Christians. American churches are losing young people rapidly as the church activities are more focused on preserving tradition and maintaining buildings rather than proactively reaching out for young people. Millennials find themselves more welcome in their own secular gatherings propelled by social networks. More and more young people spend their times with internet where people can hide their agenda and identity or place like coffeehouse where freedom and privacy are protected. Although many of Millennials find their shelters in virtual spaces or a neutral place like coffeehouse, they are very confused with their spirituality and ego. They have knowledge of spirituality (usually dark-side or evil-fueled) but don’t have experience of spirituality so they are seeking easy-to-get new-age ideas and evil-controlled spirituality.

• What might it mean to “get ready to cross over to Macedonia?”

We felt that crossing over to Macedonia in our time is to reach out Millennials to find their ways in Christ who is the head of church.

• What dream has God given you about your “plans?” How will you discern if a set of plans is what God desires or is simply what you desire?

God gave us hearts to pray for Millennials who are least evangelized group in our time. As we prayed, we received strong hearts to evangelize them to glorify God who has most desire to win and love young people. As  we continue praying for Millennials, God will open the door for evangelism of young people because God desires them the most, not us. We are just instruments of God to be mobilized with the move of the Holy Spirit. We decided to visit two sites where the most Millennials are gathering, Midtown Sacramento and the City of Davis according to the recent demographic statistics.

Answer the following questions once you’ve concluded your prayers:

• Which people groups stand out? Where are they located?

• What images or phrases come to mind that describe them?

• Is one area or people group calling to you “from across the ocean?”

• Begin to list the possibilities of who and where that you are identifying.

• What is God saying to you? Is there a calling? Who is God placing on your hearts?

_____________________________________

Step Three: Site Visits – Where the People Are

Scriptures: Luke 10:1-2

Our leaders decided to gather little early at 5 pm to visit two restaurants in Sacramento Midtown and the City of Davis. Because of high temperature over 100 F degrees, there were not many people walking on the streets of Midtown. We first visited the Pour House, located at 1910 Q Street, Sacramento where we had our appetizers together. We observed that many of them are a couple of group of people who came to the restaurant for a happy hour specials and drinks. We noticed that it is hard to hear conversations of other tables due to heavy-volume background music although the place is very open atmosphere. There were lots of young people in their 20s, and some people in their 40s and 50s who were all dressed casually. None of them were alone in the cozy brick-built restaurant.

After the brief observation of the people at the Pour House, we moved to our next place, Ink Eats and Drinks at 2730 N Street, Sacramento where we had our dinner together. Ink was uniquely designed with many tattoo-like special paintings on its walls and ceilings. It was quite enough to hear conversations from other tables, however, there isn’t any excitement that young people are looking for. It was little boring. Because of family-style menus and seats, this place was filled with mostly working people in their 30s and families.

After the dinner, our group headed to the City of Davis where the night life is alive and packed with young people. We walked around several blocks for an hour to catch the street aroma. We finally landed at Mishka’s Cafe, where we had a serious encounter with young people which lasted more than 2 hours of long conversation about church and God, with full of debates, agreements and laughings. We became friends each other as both parties approached each other with love of Christ which was surrounded and covered us throughout our encounter. We exchanged our phone numbers and prayed together on the side of street around 11 pm before departing each other. What an awesome and unexpected gathering planed by God!!

There were plenty of harvest (fishes) on the every street of Davis downtown. Maybe our Macedonia is Davis rather than Midtown!!

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9, NIV

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” – John 3:36, ESV

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” – Romans 1:18, ESV

Additional report will be coming soon . . . (now in preparation by Sacha)

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Never Once

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“Never Once” by One Sonic Society
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Third Discernment Team Workshop

cropped-mosaicswebstamp.pngThird Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on July 19, 2014, 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm in Elk Grove, CA

Task Two: Discerning the vision

Scriptures: Luke 15:11-32 / Eph. 3:14-19

We gathered around 7:30 pm at our backyard in Elk Grove to start with BBQ birthday party for Sacha (one of our young leaders). After the dinner, we gathered inside again to blow Sacha’s 21st birthday cake and to be ready for the leadership workshop.

Step One: Developing A Heart For Those God Loves

The questions are:

– What does it mean to you to “love as God loves”?
– How can you increase your capacity to love as God does?

One of us said that putting others first before us is to love as God loves. Like Jesus who crucified for our sins, we have to follow His footstep to sacrifice for others. It will take a long journey and lots of practices for us to naturally sacrifice or do unconditional love for others. As we start sharing our love that we received from God for others unconditionally, not only people will start realizing God through our words and actions, but also we will increase our capacity to love as God does. It takes one step at a time to increase His love in our hearts.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30, ESV)

We must decrease ourselves while increasing Christ in our daily life to be able to win those who are hard to reach out.

Many times, we are acting like the older brother although we were called to be His children as we wandered around like younger brother. We need to embrace those who are not believing yet with unconditional love to win their souls because God loved us first (1 John 4:19).

God wants all of people in the world to be saved through our acts of love because all of them are created in His image and prodigal sons and daughters of His kingdom. Let us continue praying for those who around us who are not-yet-Christians. Let us also pray for those who are suffering with persecution and famine all over the world. Let God’s love cover all of men in the world so that there will be peace and love abundantly flourishing before the Coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

How can we demonstrate love of Jesus to others? How can we increase our capacity to love as God does?

1. Do good to others.
2. Bless others.
3. Pray for others.
4. Turn the other cheek.
5. Give without expecting anything in return.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. – Eph. 3:14-19, ESV

 

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You Are I Am

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“You Are I Am” by MercyMe
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Second Discernment Team Workshop

cropped-mosaicswebstamp.pngSecond Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on July 6, 2014, 7 pm – 10:30 pm in Granite Bay, CA

Scriptures: Matt. 16:13-25 & Acts 15:36-41, NRSV

7 of our leaders (plus one guest) gathered at our worship minister’s home in Granite Bay. We spent over 3 hours of workshop to complete the “Step Two: Who Do You Say I Am” and “Step Three: All On The Same Page.”

After meditating the Scripture verses (Matt. 16:13-25), We discussed the Peter’s ‘getting i’ and Peter being ‘stumbling block.’ We agreed that we were/are all like Peter who was very spiritual at one moment and very flesh at the other moment. As we struggle with our own agenda, worldly desire and flesh things, we lose the mission as Christians. Rather than prioritizing Jesus, we tend to focus on our own priority.

Each shared who Jesus is and most of us said Jesus is everything of our life as Redeemer, Savior and Healer who we only can trust. To spread the Gospel to non-believers, we have act like Jesus. Without love, sacrifice, and suffering, we cannot be true blessings or blessed ones (makarios in Greek) to others. The only and most effective way to win a soul is to become like mom and dad who give love to their children. Lots of young people miss the true love that heals broken hearts and restores relationship. We also have another duty to restore the reputation of church by spreading the love of Christ, not by the mouth only but with proactive action. Love heals all.

The church (or fellowship of Christians) should be the community of love. When we share our true love to non-believers continuously, they will find the church as their haven and home to grow spiritually. We don’t have to tell who Jesus is directly to non-believers if we are able to show His love through us. Love builds relationship and Jesus can be best presented through our deeper love toward others. Jesus is love!

When we have disagreement in the community of faith, we have to do our best to resolve spiritually to avoid divisions and hurts. As we are guided by the Holy Spirit in every decision-making matter, we will become a great team whether we work together or work individually. The key to the blessed ministry is great team work followed by deeper prayer and love, which is work of the Holy Spirit.

These are the questions and missions that each one of us will pursue as we build a foundation for the Fellowship of Mosaics.

Who is Jesus?, What is Church? What is a witness? What is gospel? What is a disciple?

What is our missions?

Gen Xers should delegate more missions to Millennials (aka Mosaic Generation or Mosaics) as they are the most effective evangelists to their own peer group. Gen Xers should act like “mom” and “dad” who mentor and coach continually behind as Millennials seek love and protection. Gen Xers are responsible to heal the broken generation as healers of Jesus Christ. Love heals everything.

As Gen Xers and Millennials work together as a team, more and more Mosaics will come to know Christ.

Let us keep the fire burning and spreading for the salvation of Mosaics so that the Kingdom of God is expanded and the gospel of Christ will reach the end of the world.

Maranata Jesus!

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38-39, NRSV

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This I Believe

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“This I Believe (The Creed)” by Hillsong Worship
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One Thing Remains

“One Thing Remains” by Jesus Culture
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Leadership Prayer Gathering

 

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<A picture from our Saturday worship service on June 28, 2014 at Parkview Church Social Hall>

God is not only seeking a prepared person but also prepares a person who is ready to serve Him. 

One thing I learned from ministry is that a leader keeps his/her time, words, and missions with God and others. 

Stewardship is all about managing everything (gifts, time, provisions, missions, etc) according to His will and surrendering oneself to God all the time for His glory so that God can use him/her as His instrument over and over again.

Without separating oneself with the world, it is very hard to serve the Lord, Jesus.

I pray that God will use the Fellowship of Mosaics to reach out the Millennials effectively as Satan is stealing their hearts in these days. May God bring more faithful servants to the Fellowship of Mosaics so that our ministry spheres will be expanded and more people will be saved for the glory of God. Let our worship music and preaching to be pleasing aroma to God!

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First Discernment Team Workshop

cropped-mosaicswebstamp.pngFirst Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on June 22, 2014, 8 pm – 10 pm

Scripture: Matt. 9:35-38, NRSV

Eight of us, a newly formed leadership group members of Fellowship of Mosaics gathered in Elk Grove to start the workshops called, “Starting New Worshiping Communities” on Sunday evening. Our first task is establishing our identity by articulating core beliefs about Jesus, Church, witness, gospel, and disciples.

“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

As we meditated upon these verses, we realized that we are living in the worst time of the history as we all face helplessness in our time with our own agonies and selfishness to destroy each other. We all became like sheep without a shepherd. We all confessed that we were so selfish and lived like lost sheep.

We deeply sensed that we need to start a new worshiping community for Millennial (or Mosaic) generation with compassion of Christ because they are most confused and vulnerable generation filled with selfishness. They need Jesus because He alone can gives a true guidance for their life. We all agreed that Jesus is the body of Christ, our Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Healer and the Lord of our life within whom our life will be transformed to become new creations (2 Cor. 5:17).

To build a strong faith community, we have to be accountable each other with love and encouragement as we continually witness that love toward others are getting cold in our days.

We prayed that we want to become a love-giving community for the Millennials in the harvest of Mosaic generation. Amen!

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Are Millennials Less Godly Than Previous Generations?

Are Millennials Less Godly Than Previous Generations?

Young people are leaving the church at an alarming rate. At least, that’s the narrative you hear over and over again.

As the narrative goes, these godless, self-centered, me-first, consumerist millennials are abandoning the church, the body of Christ, for individualistic spirituality. No more will organized religion suffice for them. They are forsaking the faith of their fathers.

We should be concerned, very concerned!

Assuming that young people are, in fact, leaving the church in droves, it raises a question: Are millennials more godless than previous generations?

It seems like the obvious answer is “yes”; they’re leaving the church, after all. But such a question deserves closer examination.

In decades past, America was a traditionally churched, religious nation. A significant portion of society was religiously involved, and church was a cultural centerpiece. Those who grew up in explicitly religious families and contexts attended church out of habit. It was expected that come Sunday morning, they would scrub behind their ears, put on their nice trousers and tie, and off to church they’d go.

The power of cultural expectations was enormous. In entire swaths of the country, a person was a pariah if he wasn’t a churchgoer.

But no more. Sure, the Bible belt still exists, but the cultural pressure to be in church week in and week out has waned to near zero.

Along with waning cultural pressure, the respect for institutions has diminished among young people, and with it the respect for institutional leaders.

While the good Reverend McGillicuddy might once have been a community icon and an authority figure in people’s personal lives, he is no longer.

Neither are churches community hubs (at least in white communities). Young people don’t look to institutions or their heads for instruction. The trust isn’t there.

And there is a reason trust is missing for the institutional church.

For decades, a gospel of moralism and legalism was taught in numerous churches. People attended because it was the “right thing to do” and a way to “get right with God.” The expectations placed on members were a particular brand of morality built around which things we don’t do (drink, cuss, smoke, watch certain movies, listen to certain music, etc.). It was a burdensome law, one nobody could keep.

Many didn’t even try, though they acted like it on Sundays. And while everyone knew it, they kept on doing it. Except now young people won’t pretend any more or follow an institution so full of fakery. They don’t trust the hypocrisy, and they reject the moralism.

So what is it young people are leaving behind?

In many cases, they are leaving a faux godliness. Millions of lost people, people hanging their hat on morality or mere attendance, populated the pews of the church in previous generations. They were just a lot harder to pick out than those who brazenly walk out the door, so hard we can’t even be sure how many there were.

To answer the question, no, millennials are not more godless. They’re just more obvious.

People suffer from the same sin condition now that we have since Eden. This generation’s expression of it is to reject the hypocritical, cultural Christianity of yesteryear. But the hypocrisy that was subtle before, while easier to ignore, was not godlier. It was no more connected to the gospel and to regeneration than is walking away from church altogether.

Yes, be concerned that young people are leaving the church, but be more concerned why. In many cases, it isn’t because they reject Christ; it’s because they never found him at church either from the pulpit or the pews. 

[Disclaimer: Writing anything about “the church” is risky, as is writing anything about an entire generation of people. It requires writing in generalities and broad strokes. This is not intended to lump all churches, church-goers and millennials into the same boat but rather to speak to tendencies and trends over the years.]  

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Barnabas PiperBarnabas works in social media and content marketing for Lifeway Christian Resources. He is the author of the forthcoming The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity (David C. Cook, July, 2014). Barnabas and his wife live in the Nashville area with their two daughters. Read his blog at BarnabasPiper.com and follow him on Twitter @BarnabasPiper.

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Source: http://www.churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/175022-barnabas-piper-are-millennials-less-godly-than-previous-generations.html
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