WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:22.480 Happy New Year's Awakening Church. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:29.679 Thanks so much for joining us for this very special New Year's Day service that we're presenting online. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:43.039 I'm confident that the next few moments are going to be deeply encouraging to you, and I believe it'll be a great kickstart to the new year as we step into 2023 together. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:50.000 It is hard to believe that it's already 2023 and that we're stepping into a new year. 00:00:50.159 --> 00:01:01.280 And I don't know about you, but for me, especially like COVID has changed time and it feels like the months just blur and you blink, and a year is over. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:12.719 And then stepping into a new year can often feel like wait, I didn't even really catch up to the last year and feel a little bit, you know, overwhelming or even intimidating. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:31.120 Now, at awakening, there's a practice that we've taken at the beginning of the year, we we often do, that helps slow things down, pause, get perspective on the last year, and then help give some direction and future for uh the upcoming year. 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:35.920 The practice real, it's really actually two great questions. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:43.680 And and the questions are ones that my wife and I came across at a New Year's Eve party many years ago. 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:49.040 We were some of our lifelong friends over in Santa Cruz on New Year's Eve. 00:01:49.280 --> 00:02:02.079 The dinner had just finished, we're hanging out talking, and some of our dear friends, Josh and Danny Fox, they took the um they took the conversation to the next level, you know, and they asked these two questions. 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.760 And it was, it may, if you've been around, you've heard them before. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:12.479 What one word would you use to describe the last year and why? 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:19.599 And then the second question, what one word do you hope will describe the next year and why? 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:30.240 And I gotta tell you, we sat around that table and everybody just grew silent as we're thinking and trying to figure out how do we sum up the entire year in a single word? 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:32.479 And what word would that be? 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:36.560 And I gotta be honest, some of us cheated, we used hyphens on that. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.759 We couldn't get it quite down into one word. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:45.120 Now, here's what was powerful as we began to talk and began to share. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:03:01.520 Not only did we get a window into other people's lives and what was going on, but it began to help us really sum up and begin to think through and process the last year and what had happened and what was the major theme. 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:09.599 And then it gave us just powerful clarity, often clarity that we don't have for the next year ahead. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:14.879 You know, on New Year's, we often set goals and New Year's resolutions. 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:16.879 Those are wonderful, those are great. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:30.879 Uh, and some of you are like, I hate New Year's resolutions, that's fine too, but often we don't have an overarching theme or a word for that year that gives such great clarity and direction. 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:40.319 And so let me ask you, looking back 2022, what one word would you use to describe the last year? 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:50.240 And as we are now in 2023, what is the word you long or hope for will describe this year? 00:03:50.479 --> 00:03:58.000 Now, as you're thinking about your word, I thought I'd take time to talk about the word for awakening. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:25.600 You know, Jenny and I have used this question so many times throughout the year with friends and often around New Year's, but then we've applied it to our family, then we've applied it to our marriage, and yes, we even apply it and talk about it here at Awakening of like, what is the word that God has for us or what for 2023, and what one word would we say describes the last year? 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:31.279 Now, summing up um a year in a single word isn't anything new. 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:36.000 In fact, uh the great dictionaries have been doing this for quite some time. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:42.560 Oxford, uh, the Oxford whatever language dictionary, they summed up this last uh year's word. 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:43.759 It was the word of the year. 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:50.399 It was the first time that the public got a vote on the word of the year, and their word was goblin mode. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:51.839 Yes, you heard me correctly. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:57.519 Some of you are very familiar with it, some of you are learning this for the very first time right now. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:10.639 Goblin mode, which means a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations. 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:14.879 And so the word of the year, according to Oxford, is goblin mode. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:20.560 Well, Miriam Webster is in on this as well, and their word of the year is gaslighting, okay? 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.399 Gaslighting, well, what is that? 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:24.800 You've heard it, all of us have heard it, but what is it? 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:33.199 The act of practice, the act or practice of grossly misleading someone, especially for one's own advantage. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:39.759 And the words for 2022 often seem pretty pessimistic and negative, don't they? 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:56.319 And it speaks, it speaks so much to kind of the current state of our culture and of our country, with a deep sense of angst and even apathy that has come alongside the last several years that we've journeyed through. 00:05:56.560 --> 00:05:59.519 Well, what is the word then for awakening? 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:07.120 And if I could summarize one word for 2022 for awakening, that word would be replanting. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:08.879 Replanting. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:17.439 You know, as we came out of COVID, we often thought, you know, and talked about how do we begin to regather as a church. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:24.639 And very early on, I recognized it's not a regathering, but it's actually a replanting. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:30.319 You know, over COVID, about 60% of our church moved out of the area. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:35.199 Recently we took a survey of our church and it was really insightful. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:38.560 Let me give you just a couple of the stats that came from that. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:44.560 Did you know that 71% of our church today is new within the last three years? 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:52.160 Meaning that many of you who are listening, you started joining us uh during COVID time or after that. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:07:01.199 21% of our church, one in five persons that you come across at Awakening is new within the last three months. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:02.560 That's staggering. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:07.360 61% of our church started attending because they were personally invited. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.639 Two-thirds of you are here because someone invited you. 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:18.879 What encouraging reality that you have experienced what God's doing here and you want to invite people in, and they're sticking. 00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:21.120 They love being a part of this. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:29.680 And then at the same time, recognizing wow, the big aha for us is man, we have a new church. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:33.040 70% of our church is new within the last three years. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.399 We're not necessarily regathering, we're replanting. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:39.759 Well, what's the difference between regathering and replanting? 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:48.560 Well, regathering is looking back at a point in time and trying to get back to that time of what it looked like then. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:54.800 You know, what did awakening look like in the BC era before COVID era, right? 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:59.439 And how do we get back there to the quote, good old times? 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:02.399 And so we look back and go, how do we get there? 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:16.480 We're actually replanting is looking at where we're at today and what is God doing now, and what is the new work he is doing, and how do we step into all that he has for us today? 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:27.120 You know, when Jenny and I planted Awakening Church a decade ago, we began with this vision to awaken this generation to new life in Jesus. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:35.840 And, you know, uh a decade later, that passion, well, it's still burning uh bright and strong in our hearts today. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:39.519 And really, that's the seed that God's given us as a church. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:42.480 That's our North Star that that isn't shifting. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:44.480 Our vision, our values. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:46.559 That's the seed planted. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:59.840 And then here's what's been amazing is as we've replanted this last year, 2022, we've actually got the opportunity to watch God begin to bring new life and growth. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:12.320 Uh, I want to actually share just a few things of what we got to see in 2022 and the new life and the growth, the sprouting up, the budding of new life in this new season. 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.720 We've seen just ministry expansions, uh, first kids ministry. 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:23.840 Something that we didn't have before COVID, and we have today is we actually have full kids ministry at both services. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:26.320 We launched a fourth and fifth grade class. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:31.120 We didn't have before COVID a um a VBS. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:32.480 Now we have our Camp Wonder. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:37.519 We had 108 kids attend that, and four kids decide to follow Jesus. 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:39.440 Our youth ministry is growing. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:43.039 We tailored it specifically for high school and junior hires. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.080 Our high schoolers went on their first mission to Mexico trip. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:47.519 It was awesome. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:57.600 And our junior hires went to Hume Lake camp and had a transformational time, and we saw five of our high school and junior high students get baptized this last year. 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:01.919 Man, we're seeing this sprouting of new life, of this replanting. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:09.600 College ministry, which really went dormant, and we started as a college ministry way, way, way back in the day. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:12.639 And then, you know, over COVID, everything shut down. 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:24.000 Well, it's beginning to get kickstarted again, and we have a college hangout area where we're seeing college students begin to get connected and grow, and they're stepping in, and we have a great small group for them. 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:35.039 In fact, this last year we were given a mini bus, and we used to do this to help students who couldn't drive or didn't have an access to be able to get to church. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:42.000 We'd go pick them up in a bus and bring them to church, and we're looking forward to getting that back going again. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:52.159 2021, we saw Robbie Brown step on as our worship pastor, and he, along with Glenn, they're uh shaping this worship uh ministry. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:11:02.639 And here's what's so exciting after a year of seeing we're we're developing a worship culture of people who are passionate worshipers for Jesus, excited to be in his presence. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:17.039 Uh, we've produced our own original worship music, both uh launching at our uh birthday and launching at Christmas season, and we've done these uh multi-church worship gatherings, which is amazing. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:17.919 I love it. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:31.919 I think it's incredible that we're uh I think it just blesses the heart of Jesus, and it's what the church should be about when we're uniting together as the church, not just kind of doing our own church things. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:39.519 Groups, proteges, groups, we have over 200 people in groups this year growing together to become more like Jesus. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:54.799 Our protege class this year has been the largest we ever had with 19 proteges, many of them professionals, and uh giving up and sacrificing their time to grow their leadership and their discipleship team with Jesus. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:12:04.879 We have ministry teams which have all had to be restarted, rebuilt, and we see in that replanting, God form and grow these ministries. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:10.240 Our prayer team is vibrant, our care team's growing, our cafe team praise the Lord. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:13.360 We have coffee on Sundays and we need it. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:17.679 Well, needs a little strong, but man, is it helpful. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:20.320 Uh, there are events and decor team. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:28.080 We have a newly formed MILS team, which is amazing for coming along families or coming along people in difficult times. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:32.159 And how do we just tangibly love you and help you in a team? 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:40.960 Our space team is just incredible, and they've adapted through all the different iterations from our tent days to moving inside. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:52.639 We recently were able, we're given, we're able, we recently were able to uh install four storage containers, which now allows us to be able to, you know, no longer drive our trucks. 00:12:52.720 --> 00:12:54.799 It's an incredible blessing to us. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:13:00.799 Just kind of a year and um back of all our teaching series that we covered. 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:07.919 Uh, we did just us talking about God's justice and heart for justice, bad advice on relationship, shift. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:17.360 We taught through the book of Jonah, broken God, and we just really talked through and taught through a theology of God of who God is, world changers. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:20.080 Um, it was all about the next generation. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:30.320 Forgive and forgive the four great invitations of what it means to follow Jesus, gifts of the Holy Spirit, when we pray, contentment and take joy. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:32.399 And some of you are like, oh, that's right. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:37.759 And here's what, as I was going through that list, um, it was hard for me to even remember. 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:40.240 I'm like, wow, that was just all in one year. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:44.879 Some of it felt so long ago uh because of all that has happened. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:14:06.320 And one big praise is we've been praying for an executive pastor for oh man, for a couple years and searching, and God answered our prayer with Dave and his family moving out here, and uh, we're so excited uh for what God has for us in the future as they stepped into the Bay Area with us. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:17.840 Now, along with that, we've seen deeper engagement in this replanting, and just think about some of the big events over the last year our Good Friday and our Easter service. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:26.399 We saw a little over 700 people uh engage in our Good Friday and Easter services, our awakening 10th birthday, where we gotta celebrate. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:27.440 I mean, think about this. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:28.320 This is amazing. 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:32.639 We gotta celebrate 10 years of God's faithfulness through all of it. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:36.159 We had a little over 500 people join us through that. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:48.000 As we said, as we step into the next decade, we're gonna fix our eyes on you, and we're gonna we're gonna keep our eyes focused and lean in with prayer. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:15:07.200 We saw 21 people make a public decision uh by getting baptized this last year, and then we spent 40 days this past fall, which was wonderful, of prayer and going like, what does it look like to lead from our knees to begin the next decade totally dependent on God? 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:12.799 And I can't wait to see all that God does through uh that season ahead. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:15.440 Okay, one more area. 00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:16.720 It's amazing. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:20.240 All just think about this is a year of what God has done. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.399 Uh, the last area I want to talk about is just local and global impact. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:35.360 You know, from day one, we said that uh we believe the church uh should lead the way and unleashing extravagant generosity to a hurting and broken world. 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:35.840 Why? 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.279 Because we have an extravagantly generous God. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:49.840 And so we've we've just said, okay, how can we lean in and love and serve uh those that God's brought along our path? 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:51.840 And we made a commitment from the very beginning. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:16:02.799 At minimum, 10% of what comes into awakening is going to go out the door to uh other ministries and what God's doing in both locally and globally. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:17.679 In our fiscal year 2021-2022, we were able to give 22% of what came in, which uh was roughly around a little more than 200, and I think it was 71 or 91,000. 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:22.879 It was$291,000 given away. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:25.759 Now we help lots of organizations. 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:32.720 Uh, we've been able to respond to emergencies and relief in Afghanistan and Ukraine and Haiti. 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:45.679 Uh, and I we do some things locally with Called Up, which is a collegiate athletes um, you know, ministry and foster the city and maintenance for mom and uh city team. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:48.080 But I want to zoom in with Del Mar. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:56.879 And Del Mar, we've said we've been here at Del Mar for 10 years, and we said it's more than a place to meet, but a people to love. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:01.120 And I just want to share just this fall, which is cool. 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:07.359 I mean, it's really, really cool, how we've been able to love Del Mar High School. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:09.039 Now, now think about this. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:23.920 We over COVID, we were able to start a food pantry partnered with City Teen, and twice a month we're able to provide groceries for just around 100 families, and then off and on, we're able to provide uh clothing as well. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:30.799 At the beginning of the semester, as we step into the new school year, we do a backpack drive. 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:36.079 We provided 80 backpacks filled with school supplies for students who are in need. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:50.799 Uh, there's many students here that they come from homes where going to college is like not even a thought, and they couldn't afford even the application fees to even apply for college. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:52.960 We think about this is amazing. 00:17:53.119 --> 00:18:04.960 We were able to give$14,000 to support 50 students to be able to apply for college and be able to step forward into that next season. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:08.640 Um, we really want to serve the teachers and faculties here. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:12.160 So, some small things that we love to do just to bless them. 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:17.519 Right at the beginning of the year, we give them gifts and just try to encourage them from the outset. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:24.960 Every single Friday, we bring them coffee and donuts just to say, man, you are loved, you are seen, we're so grateful for you. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:28.559 And then at the end of each semester, we throw them a party. 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:41.519 So at Christmas time, we threw them a party, and then at the end of the spring semester, we'll throw them a party, bring in a taco truck, and we just say thank you and how we how much we love you guys. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:53.599 Um, this last Christmas, we do a giving tree to help families in need and to provide a Christmas for many families who otherwise wouldn't have uh the ability to have a Christmas. 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:56.960 Church, I'm so proud of you and what we were able to do. 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:01.279 This is the largest giving tree ever uh in the history of our church. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:05.200 Uh talk about replanting and God doing new things. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:25.200 $32,000 between cash and gift cards was given through our giving um tree, and uh 35 families were served and helped, and some really major needs were met through that way to go church. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.039 It is awesome. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:43.920 I mean, it is amazing as you look back, and I know I went through all that really pretty fast, but to think through all that God's done and the work he's doing and the life and the springing up of how he's moving and working in our midst isn't is amazing. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:49.680 Our word, if I had to say for awakening in 2022, it's replanting. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:53.200 Well then what is our word for 2023? 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:58.079 Our word for 2023 um is Jesus. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:24.480 And I know that may sound obvious, um, but unfortunately, if we look around at Christians today, I I wouldn't say that uh we have a reputation to being known like Jesus and wouldn't really describe Christians in the social media sphere as being Jesus-like. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.240 Our word for 2023 is Jesus. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:42.160 What would it look like for us to fix our eyes on Jesus this year, to make him central to our hearts and our lives, that in 2023 it'd be less of me and more of Jesus. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:50.400 Imagine what God would want to do for through us and in us when we just begin to focus on Jesus. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:21:12.079 I remember it was about a year or two ago, Jenny said to me, you know, as I look around and I look at responses, and there's all these issues, all these things that are going on, the thing that seems to be missing, or what's missing, not the thing, is Jesus from the conversation. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:14.720 Like he just got dropped out of it. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:22.720 And our tribalism and our partisanship and our all the things and anxiety and things, and it's like, where did Jesus? 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:25.279 He got lost from the conversation. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:58.799 Dallas Willard in his book The Great Omission writes this He says the greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as Christians will become disciples, students, apprentices, practitioners of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the kingdom of the heavens into every corner of human existence. 00:21:59.119 --> 00:21:59.759 The greatest. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:13.359 Issue, he would say, facing the world today is whether Christians will become apprentices of Jesus, disciples of Jesus. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:18.079 I fully believe he is right. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:31.599 What would it look like for you in 2023 to say, this year, I'm gonna become an apprentice of Jesus? 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:35.920 What would it look like where you say, no, you know, my word for this year? 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:57.039 There's lots of good words, there's lots of things, but but our word would be it's Jesus, the name above every name, the name by which uh we are saved, the name upon which is powerful, where we go, no, it's all about him, all because of him, and all for him, where we begin to go, no, it's all about Jesus. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:03.839 And I'm gonna bring my life under your discipleship, your apprenticeship. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:09.039 You know, a life verse for me is Hebrews 12, 1 through 2. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:29.279 It says, Therefore, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, therefore, since we have so many incredible people who've lived life well through the centuries and loved Jesus and walked with him, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. 00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:34.559 Get anything that's tripping us up and keeping Jesus the focus of our life. 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:39.440 And then let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us in 2023. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:45.920 Let's run with perseverance the race that God has marked out for you and where he's placed you in 2023. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:51.039 And then it says this fixing our eyes on Jesus. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:57.200 At the beginning of the year, it's easy to fix our eyes on all sorts of things. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:28.160 And often our eyes get fixed on the economy, our eyes get fixed on this crisis, our eyes get fixed on what's happening in our family or at our workplace, our eyes get fixed with some of the internal dialogue or emotion that we have, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of the faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.000 What would happen? 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:39.680 What would happen if you if you actually fixed your eyes on Jesus this year? 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:48.480 Imagine what would happen if you just began to go, I genuinely want to know you, who you are. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:52.079 I genuinely want to know what's on your heart. 00:24:53.599 --> 00:25:04.000 And imagine what would happen if you began to go, and I'm just gonna start doing and learning how to do the things that you would do if you were here. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:06.640 And imagine, think about this. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:16.400 If we as a church began to do this, if we as a community began to say, no, Jesus, we're gonna fix our eyes on you. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:25.759 I know it sounds simple, I know it sounds obvious, but it's missing from the church and it's missing from the world, and it is a great need, and it is the call upon us. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.839 Will we fix our eyes on Jesus? 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:35.599 It's incredibly simple and yet profound at the same time. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:50.240 And I wonder, I wonder what God's going to do in our church and in Silicon Valley as we begin to say, no, it's all because of you, Jesus, and I fix my eyes on you. 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:51.440 One word. 00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:55.039 Describe 2023. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:26:01.519 If we're sitting back here, Lord willing, next year, it's Jesus. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.799 Jesus, just Jesus, simply Jesus. 00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:10.640 Next week, we're gonna actually spend time unpacking our vision. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:12.799 Next Sunday is Vision Sunday. 00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:22.480 I want you to join us, come ready, excited for what God has you has for us, and I'm gonna unpack what this looks like, what's the plan? 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:30.559 In the meantime, uh we're gonna start today, and we have a Bible reading plan that's going through the Gospels and out of the Gospels. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:37.599 You can get it at awakeningchurch.com, and that's gonna pop up right now so that you're able to go there. 00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:48.880 But we want to start getting to know Jesus, and so we have to get into the gospels, and next week we're gonna unpack exactly what that looks like in the plan for the entire year. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:58.000 Now, as we close, you gotta hear the words for awakening, replanting, and Jesus. 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:00.160 How about you? 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:12.079 Would you take time this week, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, and would you ask that question, what one word would you use to describe 2022 and why? 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:18.079 And what one word do you long or hope for will describe 2023 and why? 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:22.640 And spend some time with a friend or a family member and kick it around. 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:30.480 It's incredibly powerful questions that give us perspective and then direction into the new year. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:35.920 Happy New Year! Can't wait for what all God has for us in the next year. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:39.359 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:44.000 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:46.240 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:52.160 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.