7 WEEK CHALLENGE

At the end of the evening everyone walked to the front of the auditorium to be part of the 7 week challenge. The idea behind this challenege is that small acts of kindness done with GREAT LOVE can change the world. This challenge entailed everyone getting a card with a random act of kindness or bold witness of Christ. The goal is that every person do at least one of the challenges in the next seven weeks. If you weren't there, take the challenge with us. Here are some of the challenges:

-Tell a co-worker something you genuinely appreciate about them
-offer to wash someone's windshield at a gas station and tell them God bless you.
-ask a co-worker or fellow student for a prayer request and follow up with the as to how they're doing.
-Take time to appreciate someone we tend to take for granted. (police, fireman, nurse, grocery store worker)
-While eating, ask your waiter/waitress for a prayer request and pray for him or her while you pray for your meal.
-pack a couple sacks of goodies for a homeless person, put in your car and hand out when you see one. (socks, food bar, water, TP, tract, etc.)
-add your own act of kindness that shows the love of Christ.

If you have done one of your challenges share your experience, write about it here so that others will be inspired to partake.

The Revolution Begins

Last night was awesome. It was the kickoff of our new fall series "Revolution; we are the change we've been looking for." Our guest speaker was Terrell Fletcher, former San Diego Charger and current pastor and founder of City of Hope church in San Diego.

He spoke on the fact that revolution will not be easy. Change always comes at a price and if we really want that change we must be willing to encounter resistance. He ended the call for revolution with an appeal towards everday random revolutionary acts. This means simply being aware of the needs of people around us. It alos means showing the love of Christ in small yet meaningful ways.

The capstone of the evening was people rising up to take the 7 week challenge and small group sign ups.

NEW SEASON OF EPIC

Well Epic officially launched its Fall season last week with a fresh feel and an challenging look towards the future. The evening started with RESTORE, a time where people could enter the Sanctuary fifteen minutes early and quietly meditate, or pray or unwind from a hard days work. Then at 7 Epic began with moving worship with Dominic Nuncio at the helm. This was followed by a poetic interpretation of John 4, the woman at the well passage which also happened to be the story for the evening's message. The message focused on our God-given mission for this ministry which is "to be a community that loves others the way that Christ loved." In this example Jesus encounters a shady, struggling Samaritan woman, and He shows her unconditional and true love by accepting her unconditionally and giving her life-changing truth at the same time. When the culture of Jesus' day were ignoring, rejecting, condemning and judging people like this, Jesus was actively and lovingly pursuing them.

This is who we want and need to become! We need to radically seek to accept and love all people regardless of their lifestyle, views, baggage... In a time where religiosity, judgmentalism, self-absorption and self0righteousness plagues the church, we need to rise up and be to a hurting and broken world what Jesus was to this woman...love and truth incarnate.