Fourth 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?
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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)
