NINTH DISCERNMENT TEAM WORKSHOP

Ninth Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on September 7, 2014, 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm in Granite Bay, CA

Task Five: Developing a Plan

Step Three: The Mission Plan

Scriptures: Acts 6:1-7

Pentecost has happened. The church is growing. Miracles, dangers, and all kinds of exciting and scary things are happening fast. And now, the followers of Jesus have reached a situation where organization is needed.

To examine what’s going on in Acts 6:1-7, lead a discussion using the following questions:

• Who is leading this new worshiping community in Jerusalem?

Although the new worshiping community in Jerusalem was planted by the 12 Apostles with vision, they delegated the most of missional works to the newly appointed seven deacons who are faithful, wise and full of the Holy Spirit.

• What are the needs of the community? What needs are not being addressed?

Community was in great need of taking care of widows and orphans who were oppressed at that time, however, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

• How will new servants be chosen? What gifts do these leaders need? What will they be doing?

The new servants selected among the disciples were  in good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom the Apostles appointed to the task of food distribution. So that, the Apostles can focus on preaching and prayer.

• How are decisions made?

Decisions were made by the Apostles through the Holy Spirit.

________

Step Four: Adopting the Mission Plan

Scriptures: Philippians 1:3-11

Pray for the people God has called you to engage. Take your time, encouraging each person on the Discernment Team to pray.

After reading Phil. 1:3-11 loudly, we took another 5 minute to meditate upon the verse which was testified by Apostle Paul: “that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.”

Then, we shared the followings:

• Identity Statement:

“Who” this fellowship is being started for and “why” it needs to be started?

The Fellowship of Mosaics is meant to bring the Gospel—the “good news” that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sin so that we might become the children of God through faith alone in Christ alone—of the Scriptures to people born between 1980 and 2002 living in the Greater Sacramento Metropolitan Area. They are the Mosaic or Millennial generation. We are aware that many Mosaics drop out of regular church attendance (through the “Silent
Exodus”); they are wrestling with their identity as church-goers.
Sacramento, of course, is not unique in this regard. The Barna Group, a market research firm specializing in religious surveys and other data gathering relative to the state of Christianity
has found Sacramento to be the 17th most post-Christian city in the United States. Barna Group researchers base this ranking on a variety of “post-Christian metrics,” which the Fellowship of Mosaics will seek to address. We will accomplish this initially through our
website and related online networking platforms and ultimately with our church services, Bible study and other “real-world” gatherings.

• Vision Statement:

Fellowship of Mosaic exists to build authentic koinonia (Acts 2:42-47) while pursuing the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:36-40) and the Great Commission of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:16-20 & 2 Cor. 10:15b), especially for the Mosaic Generation (“Gen Y” or “Millennials”) in the Sacramento Metropolitan Area. We will do our best to achieve following visions:

1) Revival of church through fervent prayers and faithful actions (Heb. 11 & James 2:17-18) instructed by the Word of God with the power of the Holy Spirit.

2) Healing and mobilization of the Mosaic Generation to be used as harvest workers of Jesus Christ (Luke 10) for the expansion of the kingdom of God (“The Great Commission”).

3) Building and rebuilding of communities of faith, hope and love (Acts 2 & 1 Cor. 13) to glorify God (“The Great Commandment”).

• Description of the Missionary Leaders: Our two young leaders are Sacha Stafford and Brittain Stafford, Jr. who are in our worship team and will be our key evangelists for Millennials.

• Mission Plan: Developing the Fellowship of Mosaics website (www.nextg.org) has been taking place on an ongoing basis since January 2014. The website is one of the Fellowship’s most important outreach tools due to the fact that Mosaics use myriad communications technologies and software to interact with each other and the world. Therefore, we will diligently work to
constantly update and refine our messages of the Good News to Mosaics. The website will be our anchoring platform in “virtual space.” In addition we will provide in-person services such as Japanese and Korean language classes, Asian cooking classes, Instrument classes, counseling and more as a way of helping the Mosaic community and letting them know the Good News.

________

Step Five: Establishing Benchmarks

Scriptures: Luke 10:1-11

1After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near. (New Revised Standard Version)

After we read the above verses loudly, we spent 5~10 minutes to meditate upon these verses. Then we shared each other of the particular verse that touched each person.

We prayed for the wisdom and courage to address the need to hold the ministry to a high level of accountability.

We committed to bring at least one friend to our bi-weekly Saturday worship service to increase the number of participants. We also discussed to have a big “kick-off” service soon to announce our new beginning. Our new goal is to increase our members to at least 32 people within a year so that we will effectively influence our communities in the city of Davis, Elk Grove and Sacramento Midtown.

Closing: One more task to wrap up the discernment process and continue the work!

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20 (New Revised Standard Version)

We, 8 leaders, celebrated our completion of discernment workshop which was ended with 9 big formal sessions (3+ hours of discussions and prayers per session) with many informal gatherings.

1. Did we do our best in each task? Yes

2. Did we complete each task? Yes

3. Are we ready to move forward? Yes

Finally, we were out of incubation and gave a birth to a new beginning with full of hope and enthusiasm! A new journey began on Sept. 7, 2014!! Praise the Lord!!!

 

Share Button