Fellowship of Mosaics Motto Idea:
1. Fellowship of Mosaics: Where A New Life Begins
2. Fellowship of Mosaics: Build the Community of Love Together
3. Fellowship of Mosaics: Haven for the Lost, Challenged, and Oppressed
4. Fellowship of Mosaics: A Community of Faith, Hope and Love
5. Fellowship of Mosaics: Where the Blessing Starts
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2
“Hallelujah For The Cross” by Newsboys
“Greater” by MercyMe
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.
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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.
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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!!!
Eighth Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on August 23, 2014, 7:30 pm – 10 pm in Midtown, CA
Task Five: Developing a Plan
Step One: Preparing to Develop a Mission Plan
Areopagus (Ares = Greek god of war, Pagus = Rock; “Mars Hills” in Romans: Areios Pagos Ἄρειος Πάγος) is a bare marble hill across from the entrance to the Acropolis (means “upper city”) in Athens, center of whole region.
Mars Hills served as the meeting place for the Areopagus Court, the highest court in Greece for civil, criminal, and religious matters.
Holy Spirit led Apostle Paul to Athens to evangelize the city. This sermon is one of Paul’s most significant gospel messages to the public.
The city was filled with religious idolatry of the Greeks where there was an altar to the “Unknown God” which was Paul’s starting point in proclaiming the true God and how they could be reconciled to Him.
– Paul makes the altar of idolatry as his starting point.
– Paul delivers the gospel in a logical and biblical fashion.
– Paul addresses the false beliefs.
– Paul argues in the Synagogue with Jews and Gentiles.
– Paul also proclaims the gospel at the market place daily with those who happened to be there (v. 17)
– Paul encounters some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (v. 18).
Epicurean philosophers: Disciples of the Greek Philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BC); God exists but not interested or involved with humanity; They denied that the world is created by God, and so they thought human affairs were not governed by heavenly providence; The main purpose of life was pleasure.
Stoic philosophers: Stoicism was founded by a Greek Thinker, Zeno of Citium around 300 BC; “God was the world’s soul”; They believed that the world was subject to the providence of God but denied God’s wisdom, justice, and power; They placed the highest good in virtue, but they did not know what true virtue (behavior showing high moral standards)was; The goal of life was “to rise above all things” so that one showed no emotional response to either pain or pleasure.
– These two opposite philosophers loved to debate philosophy and religion. They were intrigued by Paul’s “babblings” about the resurrection of Christ and brought him to the Areopagus where the Athenians and foreigners “spent their time in nothing else but to tell or hear some new thing” (v. 21).
– Paul identifies with his audience and as an example of apologetics in action.
– Paul observes his audience as “very religious” based on the fact that they had many altars and “objects of worship” (v. 23).
– Paul teaches and corrects their wrong view of God with Genesis and creation story. Paul attracted them by introducing who God is, what they were needed to know.
– Paul explains the sovereign God as the Creator of all life and things.
– Paul explains that God is not served by human hands.
– Paul explains it was God who created from one man to all nations, and even set time and boundaries of their dwellings (v. 26). So that men should seek Him (v. 27).
– Paul further explains that the closeness of God and their need to repent of their rebellion against Him.
– Paul completes his message by introducing them to the One before whom they would all stand one day and be judged—Jesus Christ, whom God had raised from the dead.
Result of Proclamation:
1. Some believed and saved.
2. Others mocked and rejected his message.
3. Some others were open-minded and desired to hear more: They may or may not have a second chance because,
Hebrew 3:15 says: “Today if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in rebellion.”
Paul’s message was a call to repentance and acceptance of the two fundamental truths of Scripture—Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Q &A
1. What is Paul’s Mission Plan? Does it show awareness of context and culture? What are our cultural realities?
Paul’s mission plan was totally controlled by the Holy Spirit who directs and provides all wisdom and strategies. As Paul prepared his heart to go beyond what he can handle, the Holy Spirit opened the door of evangelism in a very mystical and powerful way. Paul was not afraid of confronting with cultural biases and unexpected missional challenges in the context of his situation and environment because he was full of boldness, faith and love.
2. How will we build relationships with those identified in the Vision?
We need to examine our target people in many different ways, angles and approaches as we realize that building relationship each other in the community is the fastest and most effective way of evangelism.
3. How can they be introduced to Jesus?
We need to be friends with them first and be able to speak Jesus boldly without compromise just like Paul when the right time of harvest comes.
How Apostle Paul confessed?
To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. – 1 Cor. 9:22, NRSV
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. – Gal. 2:20, NKJV
Millennials:
– born after 1980 and before 2000 — estimated to number at least 80 million Americans, more than the baby boomers.
– Mottos: “Confident. Connected. Open to Change”
– skeptical of institutions — political and religious — and prefers to improvise (right away without preparation) solutions to the challenges of the moment.
– “Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of Millennials said they would rather make $40,000 a year at a job they love than $100,000 a year at a job they think is boring,” according to the Brookings Institution.
– prefer to buy online or get “disposable” clothing at H & M or Zara, which boasts that its organically farmed cottons are “completely free of pesticides, chemicals and bleach.”
– “responded with increased trust (91 percent) and loyalty (89 percent), as well as a stronger likelihood to buy from those companies that supported solutions to specific social issues (89 percent).”
– “For Millennials, food isn’t just food. It’s community,” They like vegetarian and gluten-free diets for their health concern.
– “Millennials are the nation’s most dogged optimists,” as Pew reported in a new study this spring. “They believe their own best days are ahead.”
Seventh Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on August 17, 2014, 7:30 pm – 10 pm in Granite Bay, CA
TASK 4: Finding the Missionary Leaders Step 1: Are We Going or Sending? Scriptures: Isaiah 6:1-9 Reflections:
• Have each person in the group share what it means to them that God is “Holy.”
• What does it mean to you to be “sent by a Holy God”?
Living holy requires separation from the world (sins), however, we are also called to go into the world to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through whom we become holy and heirs of Him.
• Do you believe you have ever been “sent”? If so, describe that time.
• How have you experienced the Holy in your work so far? What have been the Holy moments in this discernment process?
As we engaged in to start a new church plant, we stepped forward with our faith into the unknown, unclear and unsure sphere of God’s activity, which is the holy moment. Each and every gathering were (and are) our holy moments as we faithfully gathered (and gather) for His guidance and wisdom. Our worries are gone now and our provisions have been met as we risk ourselves to start this new worshiping community.
Scriptures: Acts 13:1-3
Reflections:
• What is the difference between “sent” and “sending”?
“Sent” is a calling to the individual person, whereas “sending” is an indirect calling of the group (including denomination, church and/or small group) to support the “sent” ones with continuous prayers and financial supports.
• What would be the challenges of being one who is “sent”? What is required of one who is “sent”?
The challenges of being one who is “sent” requires faith and bold action to engage in the ministry God prepared for the one. This person is the one who is evangelizing the target people in his/her daily activities and ministries. This person is like an soldier in the battle field fighting for the freedom of captive people against devils. The sent one requires strong faith and actions to be able to harvest in the battling harvest fields that is interfering by Satan.
• What would be the challenges for a person who was not sent but who remained in the group that was “sending”? What is required of one who is “sending”?
The challenges of one who is “sending” requires faith and continuous support to the sent ones who needs prayers and financial supports. Although, the sending one doesn’t require direct encounter with non-believers, this person has responsibilities and accountabilities to make sure the sent ones’ needs are met. As an intercessor, this person may encounter with continuous spiritual battles in his/her prayer times. The sending ones needs to discern what’s going on in the harvest and spiritual battle fields.
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Step 2: Who Are We? Who Is Missing? Scriptures: Romans 12:1-9 Reflections:
• What does it mean to you to be a “living sacrifice”?
• How is “being a living sacrifice” of verse one connected with “sober judgment” in verse three?
• What is required of you, of the team, of the church to speak truth about our own gifts and abilities and the gifts and abilities of others?
• How would you handle the situation of a person who believes they are gifted and called to a certain position but the rest of the team does not see that?
• What is required of your team to speak honestly to one another about your roles in this mission from here forward?
• Is your team at a point that you can speak truth in love to one another about your gifts, the gifts of each team member, the gifts needed in those who are to be sent, and the gifts needed of those who are to be the senders? If not, what needs to happen?
Discussions:
• Have each person share who they see on this team who belongs to:
o People of the Vision
o People of the Vision with Jesus
o Senders/Supporters
o Missionaries/Cross-Culturals
• Have each person also share where they see themselves.
• Have each person share his or her homework from the last task identifying who on the current team is “sent” and who is a “sender.”
• Reviewing the last two exercises, come up as a team with a list of those on the current team who are “sent” and a list of those who are “senders.”
• Who needs to be added now? Is everyone on the team “sent” and you now need to recruit “senders”? Is everyone on your team a “sender” and you now need to recruit people who will be “sent”?
• If you are all Missionaries/Cross-culturals, it is most likely time to recruit a few Senders/Supporters to join the team. If you do not have any contacts with people who are “People of the Vision with Jesus” it is most likely time to recruit a few “People of the Vision” to join your team as advisors. Finding the right “People of the Vision” to join your team needs to be assigned to a few of your team as their task before you meet again.
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Step 3: What Roles Are Needed? Scriptures: Acts 18:1-11 Q & A:
• Do you have the senders you need to support this new work?
• What roles will the people on your list of senders play for the future strength and work of this new worshiping community?
• What roles are missing?
• Who will recruit the people who need to be added to the sending team?
• What is the timeframe required to add new senders if that needs to happen?
• Who is now a part of the team sent?
• What gifts do they have?
• What role will each play?
• What roles are missing?
• Do you have a lead missionary or do you need to add that person?
• Will the lead missionary be a “tent maker” (earn their living expenses apart from this new worshiping community), a person who begins a business related to this new worshiping community (earning their living expenses from the new worshiping community’s business income), or will the lead missionary be supported by the senders?
• Who else on the team sent are tent makers, part of the new worshiping community’s business, or supported by those who are sending?
• Do you have the right team to be sent? Who needs to be added? Who is missing?
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Step 4: Finalize Your Description of the Missionary Leaders
Scriptures: Ephesians 4:1-16
Reflections:
• Reread verses two and three of Ephesians 4. How has your team done with bearing one another and making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit? Is there anything that the team needs to address now?
• What does it mean to you that the apostle Paul connects God’s gifts and grace?
• How can “grace” dominate your conversations about roles, gifts, and plans?
• What does it mean to you to “equip the saints”?
Sixth Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on August 9, 2014, 7 pm – 10 pm in Midtown Sacramento, CA
TASK 3: Exploring the Possibilities
Step 1: Brainstorm Possibilities Based on the Vision | Step 2: Experiment
Scriptures: Luke 10:1-16
1. What were some of the implications of the command to the disciples to “travel light”? What might it mean for you to “travel light”? What is behind Jesus’ sending them out in pairs?
We are in the journey in this world. We came to this world with empty hands and will die with empty hands. Jesus asks us to live a simple life by not possessing our treasures in this world but in heaven. Jesus asks us to focus on mission, spreading the Gospel to non-believers, rather than distracted by our possessions and worldly worries. As we “travel light” with one purpose, winning the lost souls, we will be freed from all distraction and easily mobilized to pursue His mission.
2. What does it mean to have your “peace received”? How might you know when your “peace” is not received and when to shake the dust off”?
Jesus instructs us to approach people with hearts of peace by saying, “shalom” to our neighbors and lost souls. For those who accepts us with hearts of peace followed by their hospitality will be the ones who Jesus prepared. They will easily accept the message of salvation, ” Kingdom of God is near.” However, we must avoid those who reject our words of peace because they are not ready yet.
3. What are the implications for the disciples to “Stay at one home and eat what they set before you”?
It is very important to win one soul after another rather than reaching bulk numbers because the deeper relationship will make them disciples. Jesus also asks us to be humble and thankful whenever we reach out non-believers because most of them are broken and poor in their situations. We will never win souls without showing our genuine love and compassion toward others.
4. How do you respond to the admonition (authoritative counsel or warning) to “heal the sick”?
We have to be careful not to offer our healing prayers to everyone, especially to those who are not ready. If there are enough hospitality and repenting hearts, Jesus will forgive and redeem them through our healing prayers. God is seeking people with humble and peaceful hearts who are ready to be harvested.
Step 3: Evaluating Our New Initiative
Scriptures: Luke 10:17-24
Q &A
1. How did the disciples return from their mission? What did the 70 see upon their return?
They returned with joy as they casted out demons in the name of Jesus. Jesus waned them not too much joyful with the power received from the above but rather rejoice because their names are written in heaven.
2. How did you feel after your new initiative was complete? What did you see happen during your new initiative?
After the site visitation, especially with experience in Davis, we felt strongly that our Macedonians are people live and gather in Davis where so many people are ready to receive the gospels of Christ. We identified the City of Davis as our ultimate harvest field with our new initiative.
3. Where was God in your experience? What have you concluded about your Vision? About your ability to move forward?
God was with us throughout our walkings on the streets of Davis and gave us opportunities to chat with many young people who were thirsty for truth and love. God assured all of our leaders to move forward with our vision and missions, reaching out Millennials in Davis.
What is Our Strategy to Reach Out Community?
1. Pray Us to be laborers of harvest.
2. Go out to our harvest field , City of Davis.
3. Approach people with peace (shalom) to find ones who are ready to be harvest.
4. Proclaim the message, “Kingdom of God is near” to those who gives hospitality.
5. Offer a healing prayer and lead them to repentance to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Fifth Leadership Training: Discernment Team Workshop on August 3, 2014, 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm in Granite Bay, CA
Task 2: Step Four: Who has God Placed on Your Hearts to Engage?
Scriptures: Acts 16:9-10
That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans. (The Message)
• Have any new people groups emerged?
We have a new group of people (7~8 people) in their high teens to 20s in diverse ethnic background, who are now gathering at pastor’s house in Elk Grove regularly for Saturday Korean language study. Most of them are coming from Elk Grove and South Sacramento but some are traveling from as far as Roseville.
• Who is calling to you from “across the sea” inviting you to engage them with the Gospel?
We definitely felt that our Macedonians are Millennials from Davis, although further visitations of Midtown and Davis may be required to confirm that after checking each other about their experience with site visits. We were not sure if there are enough of Millennials are gathering or live in Midtown by first visit. We decided to have monthly visit to Midtown and Davis.
Our current gathering is at Parkview Presbyterian Church (727 T Street, Sacramento), located at least 5~6 blocks outside of Midtown, may not be the best place for our Macedonians (Millennials) because there is only one coffeehouse within 5~6 blocks (or 2~3 mile radius) from the church. Parkview can be served as our temporary place until we secure our ultimate location which is more consistent with where our target group is gathering.
After sharing the demographic statistics and site visitation experience, we all agree that Millennials of Davis are our ultimate target group along with Midtown Millennials as our secondary target group.
We have not confirmed yet who is already doing ministry for Millennials in Davis and Midtown and will research. Only church that can be confirmed is Davis Community Church (DCC) that plans to start community coffeehouse ministry by converting their huge social hall located near downtown of Davis. We will be getting involved with DCC as a partner in upcoming months.
For the effective evangelism of Millennials gathering in Davis and Midtown, it will be better to go to the harvest field rather than inviting them. The coffeehouse setting may work really well to attract non-believers to come to know Christ and love-filled young Christians who are ready to serve (or to harvest). Our young leaders are very determined about winning them.
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Step Five: Are We the Ones Who Should Go?
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31
After confirming our target group and target area (Davis), we meditated on the Scriptures coming from 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, which explains what are the bodies of Christ, how we function each other, how we can develop our gifts and talents to serve better in the church, the body of Christ.
We learned that God wants us not only develop His given gifts in our life but use these gifts to build a better body, the community of believers. There are so much gifts that we received from God which He allowed us to use for the body of Christ, however, we tend to keep it for ourselves or forget about it. We need to encourage each other to be able to find out what gifts are given and how we can use these gifts for God and others. The ultimate purpose of gifts are building churches by winning the lost souls.
In order to receive these gifts whether they are hidden in our sprits or not given yet, we need to focus our eyes to God who gives all these gifts freely and abundantly for the glory of God. We have to be very sensitive to voices of the Holy Spirit who is leading our faith with action. We need to pray (with fasting) to follow the footsteps of Christ in a daily basis not to be distracted by worldly worries and flesh desires.
We are now ready to keep moving forward with common vision and tasks with full of love and compassion!
“He 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.” – Luke 10:2, NRSV
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)