WEBVTT 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.280 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:11.599 We exist to awaken this generation to new life in Christ. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.039 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.399 To find out more, go to awakeningchurch.com. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:24.320 Well, welcome to a very special uh awakening service. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:29.679 In fact, we've never done this ever in the history of our church. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:36.159 Uh, this is the day after Christmas Eve, and we have never had a service the day after Christmas Eve. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:42.079 Normally we've been meeting, we've been working, uh, pulled off a Christmas Eve service all in person. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:49.520 And so all our teams and volunteers that set up and tear down, we want to give them a break off. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:01:04.400 Well, we've had a break off for a while, and so we're providing a very special awakening service right now because it's not been a normal, usual year either, has it? 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:05.920 This has been a strange year. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:07.519 And so we want to spend some time. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:14.879 And what I want to do is just take a moment and um, you know, think about 2020 in review. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:16.640 And maybe for some, you think about it. 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:21.599 The way I think about it is like, thank God 2020 is in the rear view. 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:25.120 I can't wait to step into 2021. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:36.159 But if we step into that without looking back, I think we'll miss some things that God has for us and wanted us to see and learn from this past year. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:42.719 Well, you know, I always ask this question at the end of the year, beginning of the new year. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.959 I spend time personally just wrestling with this and journaling about it. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:53.680 And then uh we ask it as a church, and oftentimes our groups sit at the beginning of the year and ask these two questions. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:59.120 The first is, what one word would you use to describe the last year? 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:04.079 Like, what one word would you use to describe the last year? 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:08.560 Now it almost feels like this is an unfair question this year, doesn't it? 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:09.599 It's like, what one? 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:10.639 Are you kidding me? 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:12.400 Let's not even go there. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.080 In fact, Ryan, I can't even say that word in front of you. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:17.280 You're my pastor. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:19.120 That's not okay, right? 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:20.080 What one word? 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:26.639 Well, maybe it would be awful, maybe it'd be terrible, maybe it'd be just disruptive or broken or painful. 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:28.400 I don't know what one word. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:33.360 I was talking to a friend and she was telling me that the word of the year is dumpster fire. 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:34.400 Maybe that's yours. 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:35.680 It's kind of cheating. 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:43.120 It's two words, but I think this year you can cheat a little bit on this and maybe have two words or a hyphen with it. 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:59.280 But what one word would you use to describe this last year as we look back at 2020 and when we think about that, and we think through the last year, it's been a year, hasn't it? 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:06.080 You know, in 2020, we saw a global pandemic bringing the world to a standstill. 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:15.439 I still remember March 17th and us being, you know, and all of a sudden under shelter in place, something never experienced ever. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:26.240 And the fear and the uncertainty overnight, we're trying to figure out how do we provide and care and minister for God's church when we can't gather together. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:30.639 And we were navigating this and trying to figure it out. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:37.439 And then and then as we're starting to go, okay, maybe we're able to regather or not, or summer's happening, we're not really sure. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:48.319 It felt like another wave hit us and a racial justice movement uh rivaling the civil rights movement of the 1960s in June with the tragic death of George Floyd. 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:58.639 And there's an awakening in our country of the reality of some injustices that many of us have been blind to with our black and brown brothers and sisters. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:08.400 And and there was a reckoning and a repentance of the church and things of where we're realizing, oh no, we got to restore and make some things right. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:14.319 And it was deep and it was heavy, and they're sitting in the sorrow of it. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:23.600 And then, and then there was a contentious presidential election revealing just a deeply divided nation. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:34.160 It just was this moment of an awareness as we looked across the country that we are so polarized from one another. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:37.680 And social media hasn't helped, has it? 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:41.839 It's only added fuel to the fire over the season. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:58.240 And I really believe because we've been in a pandemic and because we've been disconnected, that the polarization and the angst and just the overall sense of just heat that people have because we're not in relationship, not able to see each other and talk. 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:08.399 And so it just becomes shouting matches online, and we realize wow, we're really deeply, deeply divided. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:13.279 It's been a yeah, hasn't it? 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:18.319 It's been a hard year, it's been a tough year. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:24.560 It's been a year that none of us wanted, expected, or anticipated. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:33.439 And yet, and and yet, actually, what I want to help us see is that's not the whole story of this year. 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:45.839 And as you look back on 2020, those three monumental events I just described often will be the landmark ways that we think about 2020. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.240 But it's not all that happened. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:52.959 And as we ask that question, what one word would you use to describe this last year? 00:05:53.040 --> 00:06:06.399 I'd ask you to lean in and think about it more deeply and to look at the spaces where God worked and moved in the midst of all of the turbulent seas that we navigated. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:21.199 You see, for awakening, it's been a year where God's actually been on the move as well, where we've seen Him show up and work and bring life and purpose and things that we never dreamed of. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:36.240 I mean, what I want to spend a few moments is just stop and tell you all of the things God has done this year in our community, in our church, through us collectively together, even though we couldn't gather together. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:38.560 How amazing is that? 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:40.480 Think about this. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:42.000 It's been a year. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.199 It's actually been a year of impact. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.000 You're like, wait a second, a year of impact. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.360 We haven't been together. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:50.560 What do you mean? 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:59.360 Well, you know that we're a church about awakening this generation, and college campuses have been closed, but our college ministry partners have not. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:01.680 You know, um, next slide, right there. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:02.399 College ministry. 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:05.120 We are called up team and crew. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:13.199 They've been engaging in digital ways and ministering to students, even though they're not on campus through Zoom and phone calls and relationships. 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:20.000 And God's working and moving through those ministries that we support and that are those are in our community. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:24.240 Whitney Elliott at Called Up and Crew, homeless outreach team. 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:33.759 This team started right before the pandemic began to reach and serve the needy and vulnerable of those who are living out on the streets. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:47.199 And what's incredible is the team has grown over the pandemic and has ministered consistently to those who are super vulnerable in light of the COVID crisis. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:48.720 How amazing is that? 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:50.160 It's been a year of impact. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:55.120 It's been a year of impact where we saw a brand new team, foster the bay, arise. 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.839 We've partnered with them financially, and now we're getting our hands dirty together. 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:11.199 When we think about some of the big areas of bringing about justice in our country and in our society, it actually begins in the foster care system. 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:30.800 If we want to see racial equality and justice, if we want to uh uh do make an impact in human trafficking, if we want to make an impact in the homeless um uh issues of our day, it actually begins all the way back here in the foster care system. 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:37.519 And we had over 18 people who are interested in serving and getting involved in this way. 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.200 And we have an incredible team of people who are serving here. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:42.320 Uh, just love it. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:48.240 Robbie, Jane, and Leela, they're and um Andrew and Bianca, they're leading this team here. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:52.720 Another team that we have is the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Team. 00:08:52.879 --> 00:09:07.759 In response, as we as a church begin to recognize our own shortcomings and areas we want to grow and be part of the solution, uh, we're looking to build a team and growing, and Amy and Eric Frampton are leading that team for us. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:20.879 It's really exciting to think about that there's actually new ministry that has begun that's making an impact when we were not able to gather in such a turbulent year. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:27.600 And then think about this Del Mar High School, Del Mar High, where we've met for eight and a half years. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:31.279 Well, I guess that's not exactly true because we didn't meet the last eight months. 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:32.879 I won't do the math. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:41.440 But we met the entire time, and you would think since you can't gather there, you probably aren't gonna have a big impact there. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:52.559 And the reality is we've had more of an influence and impact while we're not able to gather there than we were even when we were. 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:53.360 Why? 00:09:53.679 --> 00:10:05.200 Because of the crisis of vulnerable families, families that are under resourced and in need, it's only it uh exponentially grown their need. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:14.159 And so our partnership and relationship with the school was so strong that they came to us to ask, could you be a part of the solution? 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:18.960 And we've gotten to be a part of that solution all year long. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:23.200 Which brings me to the next thing that it's been a year about. 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:29.600 It's not just been a year of impact, it's been a year of generosity for us as a church. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:40.000 Now, the way we say it here is we believe that the church should lead the way in unleashing extravagant generosity to a hurting and broken world. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:40.799 Why? 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:44.480 Because we have an extravagantly generous God. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:11:00.480 Now, when the pandemic hit and the economic uncertainty that we all faced, and we're worried, okay, will we be even able to, you know, uh pay our staff and some of these sort of things? 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:05.200 And by God's grace, we've done great, you know, wise financial stewardship. 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:09.039 So we weren't in a crisis, but we didn't know whether giving would remain. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:11.360 We made a commitment ahead of that time. 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:17.600 We made a commitment ahead of before we knew, saying, we're going to err on the side of generosity. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:33.440 We're gonna lean in and leverage what God has given us for the good of others, trusting that our God will supply our needs, because our God is big enough and you can't outgive God even in a pandemic. 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.279 And so this is amazing. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:36.960 I can't wait to share this with you. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:55.600 This is what God has allowed us that we've gotten to be a part of because we trusted him, because we took him at his word, because we leaned in and said, Okay, you are gonna give us what we need as we steward what you've given us for the good of others. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:56.799 And so listen to this. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:58.480 Here's the year of impact. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:11:59.440 Think about this. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:05.440 We've been able right at the beginning to support our first responders, and we didn't know even what to do. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:06.559 We just wanted to do something. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:12.320 We knew we had nurses and doctors and uh different people in our church that were responding to this. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:17.840 And so we just came up with a list of everyone that we knew and were asking people, okay, who's responding? 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:22.000 We wrote cards and did encouragements and gave just little encouragement gifts. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:33.039 I remember even Felicia Larson uh was like um sewing a face mask for people, and then you know, we provided meals just for them to encourage them. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:35.519 It's just just one small way. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:45.840 We said, we we see you, we're behind you, we're proud of you, we know you're stepping out in significant and some scary ways, and your church family is behind you. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:59.440 The second thing that is just really unbelievable is we completed our above and beyond campaign, raised more than we set out or was pledged,$1.4 million during a pandemic. 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:02.159 And here's one of the cool stories on this. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:23.840 A year ago, so that's 2019, we were in negotiation with the building we thought was the building, and we're trying to get all our ducks in order and you know, finance and um uh architecture plans and cost, and in the process, someone swooped in and got the building. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:25.279 It was so discouraging. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:28.080 I mean, we just were like deflated. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:37.120 Now, here's what I've found over years of ministry is that the delay of God is often his blessing in disguise. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:40.480 And we think it's his delay that he hasn't given us a building yet. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:45.919 And when we look back to 2019 and go, God, why did that fall through? 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:48.159 It was his blessing in disguise. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:56.799 How awesome to go into this year not having the weight of a major lease of a building we couldn't even use yet. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:58.639 It's his blessing. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:09.679 And so he has protected us and our prayer in this season as he set us up where we have finances and we're in negotiations and working on a building right now. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:23.519 And I don't know if that'll go through, but we just see God, you're providing a place and you're providing a way for us and you provided the funds for us in a year where it doesn't make sense for that to work out. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:26.480 The third thing is uh the fire relief. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.679 I don't know if you remember this. 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:34.240 This feels like forever ago, but that was just this fall when he had these devastating fires. 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:38.559 And as I shared this with our staff, uh, most of them didn't even know we had done this. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:40.080 So I want to share this with you. 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:51.600 We partnered with Twin Lakes Church over in Santa Cruz, who was a first responding church, opened up their campus uh to be a place for people to shelter. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:15:02.720 They got hookups for all the camper stuff on their, and so they're they're still responding, and we were able to give$20,000 to help in the fire relief. 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:10.240 Well, you're probably going, Ryan, you talked about impact and Del Mar, and you said it's been a year of generosity. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:11.679 Well, get to Del Mar. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.399 Okay, well, Del Mar, let me tell you about Del Mar. 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:22.960 I I just added the total up with how we've served them, and it's pretty remarkable. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:32.559 Uh, Del Mar High School, we've actually supported them this year over$80,000 worth of uh worth of the way we've uh been able to engage with them. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:37.679 And what I wanted you to see is it all on one kind of slide. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:46.480 So it's going to be a little busy, but I just wanted you to be able to kind of take it in because we see this in pieces, but I wanted you to see the whole picture of this year. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:48.799 And this probably doesn't represent the whole picture. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:51.759 This is just all I could remember of this year. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:16:00.879 And so Del Mar support, right at the beginning of the pandemic, we said, okay, there's there's under-resourced families that are in need that they just need food. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.679 And the school said, okay, what would be most helpful? 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:05.759 Gift cards, grocery gift cards. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:06.399 Fantastic. 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:14.720 We just started every uh couple weeks giving, you know,$3,000 gift, you know, chunks of sums for grocery gift cards. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.559 And so$16,000 or$4,000, that that actually adds up. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.279 $4,000. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:22.559 So$16,000 worth of grocery gift cards. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:30.159 Something we've done since the beginning is we throw the teachers a lunch every single uh at the end of every single semester. 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:34.080 So uh we couldn't meet in person, our team. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:35.519 Oh, they were so creative. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:45.200 They said, well, why don't we, instead of you know, doing bringing in a taco truck like we normally would, why don't we hand them, you know, Chipotle gift cards with a note from awakening? 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:59.120 I gotta tell you, the amount of thank you cards that I got uh from Del Mar, um, the principal and teachers, just from that one small gift of feeling seen and feeling love was overwhelming. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:01.440 It was outstanding, it was amazing. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:05.680 And they, yeah, and so we did that in August and we did that in December. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:08.559 We did a teacher encouragement at the beginning of September. 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:16.720 Our care team worked so hard on that of how we encouraged and came alongside and provided different resources for them there. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:21.759 We actually, over the course of this year, built a new outdoor classroom over the COVID thing. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:28.880 A handful of people within our church gathered together, dreamed it up, planned it out, uh, built this outdoor classroom. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.640 We have been supporting consistently families in need. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:34.480 And this is amazing. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:42.960 The principal of Del Mar will email us and say, Hey, we found out about a family, uh, they're not doing well, there's some issues. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:45.440 Is there any way that you could help them? 00:17:45.920 --> 00:18:05.839 And we recognize that as we come out of COVID, we're actually gonna have a poverty pandemic with people who have lost their jobs, who are back on rent, and when the moratorium of um you know evictions goes away, we're gonna have some other big issues we're gonna be confronted with. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:12.559 Well, we've wanted to be on the front end of how do we solve that, not on just the back end of reacting. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:13.599 We want to respond. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:27.039 So we've been helping people with their rent who could not pay their rent, helping people buy food and groceries, put on the, you know, keep the lights on, uh, and phone and all those issues or areas and things. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.400 It's absolutely amazing. 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:31.440 We have gotten to be a part of this. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.839 And in fact, we did fire relief for teachers. 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:39.440 There were some teachers who lost some homes, unfortunately, in the Santa Cruz fires that we came around and supported. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:42.240 Uh, avid student college applications. 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:49.680 So these are students who otherwise couldn't afford to even pay for the application fee to get into college. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:52.079 And we said, we're gonna pay for those for you. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:58.400 It ended up being about$7,000 of where we're helping kids go to college from Del Mar High School. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.759 You're a part of that. 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:02.240 Your giving has given to that. 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:03.519 Isn't it incredible? 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:13.519 Thanksgiving food drive uh we just had back in November, and where we helped families with, you know, having a Thanksgiving meal over the course of that Thanksgiving week. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:23.680 And then we just did the Christmas tree, uh giving tree, and where we provided gifts for families who who wouldn't otherwise have a Christmas or gift. 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:38.319 And in fact, a few Delmar families, they had some family parents who died actually from COVID, that we got to come around and support and provide just love and some care in the name of Jesus. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:44.880 It has been a year of generosity when others have been shrinking back by God's grace. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:52.160 We have leaned in and your generosity and been able to say, no, we're gonna be able to be generous to those around us. 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:57.839 The final area that I wrote down is the area of Haiti. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.359 It's been a year of generosity, and this is really amazing. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:10.240 So in January, through our above and beyond campaign, that 1.4 million means that we've given$280,000 outside our doors over the last two years. 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:19.440 That's a number that's above and beyond what we regularly give every year, which we always give at least 10% of our regular budget outside our doors. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:29.599 And so to Haiti, last January, we wrote a check for$80,000 to support our ministry partners in Haiti at UCI, Jean-Jean and Christy Montpreere. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:32.799 This is helping kids who couldn't go to school go to school. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:37.920 This is helping college students get trained and raise up the next generation of leaders. 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:50.880 This is providing not only just education, but necessary food and resources and homes and training and agriculture and giving people the gospel in the midst of all of this. 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:52.799 I mean, they're just incredible partners. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:57.119 In fact, we had a team ready to go to Haiti back in March. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:59.839 Yeah, that's right, back in March. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.920 And so we couldn't go. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:07.839 I mean, they raised the sport, they were ready to go, and we were hoping, praying, and obviously it didn't work out. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:13.119 And then we tried to plan it for the fall, thinking maybe surely this thing will be over by then. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.039 Not anywhere close. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:24.799 And so we're gonna take a team to Haiti as soon as we can, but it didn't mean we're stopping our support of our team members and ministry partners in Haiti. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:32.400 And just this December, by God's grace, we're able to write another$80,000 check to support them. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.119 I don't know. 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:49.920 I'm just getting teary-eyed about like how we've gotten to be like the church, even though we can't gather together as a church, even though we're not getting to experience all the parts of the church that are so meaningful and important, the church didn't stop. 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.160 It wasn't on pause, it wasn't like, oh man, 2020 was a waste. 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:56.480 That's not a waste. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.880 It's been a year of impact. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.759 It's been a year. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.279 Year of generosity. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:07.440 And finally, the one thing that I want you to think about with 2020 is it's actually been a year of growth. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:18.960 Said it this way: that we long to be a worshiping community, a worshiping community of passionate Jesus followers who walk by faith, are a voice of hope, and who are known by love. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:24.400 Friends, just the things I've shared about, I think we're doing that this year. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:26.400 I think we've grown in that. 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:40.720 You know, I want to encourage you that it's actually in these seasons that God is growing the roots of our faith deeper and more sturdily into Him. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:46.720 And often these storms and they're hard and they shake us, but they often shake off. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:56.160 And a lot of the things that we realize aren't important or aren't about Jesus, or the stuff that that that gets us all tangled up. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:02.079 It's been a year of growth as we saw church online and church with friends. 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:04.480 I mean, this is kind of wild. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:10.799 We have people from all over the country tuning into Awakening and even all over the world. 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:15.119 And we have people in groups that are from different states. 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:20.079 And I just heard about someone from a different country that's a part of our mama's group. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:28.640 It's like we've grown in ways that we would never have anticipated or been able to the way we used to do ministry. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:34.079 Now we want to get back to in person, but it's been an amazing thing to see. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:38.000 We've actually seen our groups and our school of faith grow this year. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:40.000 The consistency of our groups is awesome. 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:46.559 I know everyone's got Zoom fatigue, but because you locked in, we've seen 215 people uh in groups. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:51.680 That represents, that's adults, reps represents uh not quite half of our church. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:57.039 I would love to see that number go up, but that's a great number of people engaging in our groups. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:59.039 We saw tons of school of faith. 00:23:59.119 --> 00:24:02.720 We wanted to equip and grow you from our summer to our fall. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:06.319 We did kids' school of faith, parents' school of faith. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:11.200 It's been a year where we said we're gonna go deeper in our family ministry. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:15.440 You're like, well, families have needed ministering to right now. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:16.720 I mean, amen. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:24.079 You're just like going, our kids are in our house, and now with the rainy season, now they can't go outside of the house, and I don't want them tracking the mud in the house. 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:29.920 And they're doing school and seeing, you know, we hired a brand new family pastor. 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:33.359 She's never done like a normal Sunday with us yet. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:40.480 But she's done an awesome job leading in this season, equipping parents, engaging with our kids. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:57.279 We've seen our youth jump to it and uh do creative stuff like, you know, escape room zoom things and and different parties, and they've done in-person things all in COVID-safe way that have just encouraged our kids and our students and been a resource. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:24:58.960 Our care team. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:14.960 This is a team that started a few years ago, and by a gal named Annie, who just had this heart of like, I want to come around the vision that God's given you, Ryan, of awakening this generation to new life and provide care for people. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:20.160 And I mean, the way they've done this, and this team continues to grow, is incredible. 00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:24.720 I mean, it's just, I'm gonna write down, I'm just gonna list a few things. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:31.279 Our Mother's and Father's Day events that we had, they organized and orchestrated a lot of that. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:33.839 They prayed consistently for our community. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:48.160 When we celebrated our college grads and got gifts for them, they encouraged our leaders, they encouraged our staff, they they provided mill trains for families in need, and that's just a small part of what they've done this year. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:51.440 Our protege, by the way, because of COVID. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:57.279 Think about this was the largest protege class we've had to date. 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:58.640 18 proteges. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:14.480 And it was made possible because of some people who would have loved to have been a part, but during normal circumstances, they would actually have had to go into work and they're able to engage and be a part in this unique season. 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:19.359 And so we're raising up the next generation of world changers, even in this. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:25.440 And so we saw special events take place from Easter and Mother's Day and Father's Day. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:37.039 Our birthday was so fun, finally getting to see people in person, our awakening Christmas uh drive-thru party, which was probably one of the highlights of the year for me. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:41.279 And what's what's so amazing is in all these events, guess what? 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.960 I met new people. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:51.519 I continue to meet new people, new person after new family after new person after new family that started coming to awakening when? 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:52.480 Over COVID. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.480 God is growing his church. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:27:01.119 Jesus said, I will build my church, not us, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:07.119 Certainly then, COVID and a 2020 year cannot overcome it. 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:10.000 And we've gotten to see people come to know Christ. 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:12.000 We had baptisms this year. 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.920 It was a powerful year. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:21.759 And so I know when we ask this question, what one word would you use to describe this last year? 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:23.680 Certainly. 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:35.440 Global pandemic, racial justice movement, contentious election, that will be the predominant thing that comes to our minds when we think about 2020. 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:40.640 But that's not all that 2020 had to offer. 00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:45.519 In fact, I want to invite you to ask that question afresh. 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:55.359 Just invite you to wrestle with it just a little bit deeper and get below just the quick surface answer of horrible dumpster fire. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:58.400 Words that I can't say in front of Brian. 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:08.240 And take some time and review, God, what were you doing in my life and working and shaping and forming? 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:12.880 Oh, I said there were two words, and I only gave you one word. 00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:15.200 The second one is this word. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:19.680 What one word do you want to describe, 2021? 00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:22.799 And so this one causes us to look forward. 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:29.039 And as you look back and you begin to go, okay, this word described this last season. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:35.759 What is the word that I hope will begin to describe the season ahead? 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:41.680 And I've spent a lot of time thinking and praying about that for us as a church. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:48.720 As I have wrestled and prayed, the word that kept coming to mind was the word reset. 00:28:49.599 --> 00:29:03.359 As I believe, as a church, as a community, and often for many for us personally, what we need in 2021 is a reset, or rather, a fresh start to a new year. 00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:06.319 You need a reset spiritually. 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:15.839 Perhaps this year has pulled you in some directions where you just went down some roads that you go, I need a reset. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.960 Maybe reset relationally with your marriage, with your kids, with your friendships. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:28.720 Maybe just a reset emotionally as you feel so frayed and tired and anxious. 00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:34.960 We're actually going to spend the first three weeks in January talking about reset. 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:40.000 This is such a powerful uh series, and I'm really excited about it. 00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:45.039 And we have a prayer journal that is 21 days of prayer. 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:50.319 I want you to take this seriously and go, okay, our word for the year is reset. 00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:51.759 We're leaning in. 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:54.400 God, you want to reset some things in my life. 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:57.119 You want to actually give us a fresh start to a new year. 00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:58.000 How do we do that? 00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:00.799 Well, it begins with you getting with God. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:19.359 And the first Sunday of the new year, we're kicking off this series, and I want you to join us next week for reset as we begin to look at, okay, God, how do you begin to form and make me the person you designed me to be in this new year? 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:33.359 And I think one of the things as I was looking at it for our church is I felt like we needed a reset on mission, a reset for us around the vision. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:43.920 You know, God called us, you know, Jenny and I eight and a half years ago to start a church to awaken this generation to new life in Jesus Christ. 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:50.960 And if I'm honest, my vision began to get smaller through the course of the year. 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:55.680 Because it wasn't like awakened the generation like this big global expansive. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:57.759 It's just like get through 2020. 00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:02.240 And I realized I needed a reset around our mission. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:11.680 And I, you know, every year we're our Jenny and I get a little staff gift for our team, and we do different things. 00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:16.319 And this year, we just, with the year and the usualness, we did something we've never done before. 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:20.240 We wanted to be personal, and we just got them a picture with a frame. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:33.279 And it was actually the picture of San Jose as this one is framed, and it just had the city of San Jose framed and zoomed out, and and wanted this to be a reset of mission. 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:40.079 I thought as I close, I would just read to you the letter that I that I wrote our team. 00:31:40.799 --> 00:31:52.240 And may it be, I believe, the words for God to you too, as we reset on mission together as a church in 2021. 00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:58.720 At the top of it, it says, in San Jose, as it is in heaven, or in Silicon Valley, as it is in heaven. 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:05.519 When Jenny and I were called to plant Awakening Church, we said, if just one person came to Christ, it would all be worth it. 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:07.279 And we really meant it. 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:17.440 Over the course of a year that was filled with uncertainty, constant setbacks and trials around every corner, causing us to reimagine how we even do church. 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:20.160 One thought kept us pressing forward. 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:26.480 If just one person comes to know Jesus, then it will all be worth it. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:36.559 As we finish a turbulent 2020 year, we wanted our Christmas gift to you to be something that's personal and meaningful from us. 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:40.559 It's what fuels our passion no matter what season we're in. 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:46.480 This picture of San Jose brings Jenny and I back to why we started awakening in the first place. 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:54.240 It represents about one million people who do not know Jesus and will spend eternity apart from him. 00:32:54.480 --> 00:32:58.079 We live in one of the least reached places in the United States. 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:06.880 For us, this picture zooms out our perspective from the problems around us and refocuses our hearts on his purpose and calling on our lives. 00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:12.480 Ministry looks different, but our mission has not changed. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:16.960 May this picture be a reminder to you of the good work you are giving your life to. 00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:22.559 May it zoom out your perspective, fuel your passion, and inflame your prayers. 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:27.759 Thank you for joining our team, serving so faithfully. 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:33.200 Thank you for leaning in this in this season to lead people into new life in Jesus. 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:41.200 We're so humbled by the people God has brought around us to fulfill the calling He's placed on our lives all those years ago. 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:51.920 And so I close with Paul's doxology over our church and his words for us for 2021. 00:33:52.160 --> 00:34:01.200 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that's at work within us. 00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:09.199 To him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. 00:34:10.079 --> 00:34:10.719 Amen.