Citywide Gospel Campaign Recap

Recently I blogged about something called the Citywide Gospel Campaign. Maybe you've been wondering what became of that event. Well, here's an article that I wrote for the Missions Worldwide blog that should fill you in on all the details... (Sorry for the poor photo quality!)

Tucked away behind the stage of the auditorium, the San Juan High School dressing room became the unlikely location for prayer. With arms lifted high and hearts heavy, a team of prayer warriors interceded to the Lord for the people of Citrus Heights.  As the team prayed, people were just beginning to file into the old auditorium for an unusual neighborhood outreach event. Along with the band on stage, an illuminating screen welcomed guests to the Citywide Gospel Campaign.

As guests made their way to the theater-style seating, volunteers from various Sacramento churches hustled about making sure everything was ready for the start of the event. The sound team checked microphones one last time, the security team directed traffic in their bright yellow vests, and greeters took their places, holding open doors with radiating smiles. The smell of brewing coffee and chocolate chip cookies filled the air.

For some, this was an ordinary night and simply an event that piqued curiosity. Seeing many unfilled seats, they may have questioned the motives behind such an event and snickered at the seemingly unresponsive results.

But for others, this was the first time they’ve stepped into a building even remotely resembling a church. This was the first time they heard lyrics exalting God instead of money, drugs or lust. This was the first time they heard the message of the Gospel.

 The Citywide Gospel Campaign was organized precisely for this demographic.

While some churches focus on keeping church members from leaving the church and others focus on reaching the poor and hungry in foreign countries, it seems that little is done in our own neighborhood. When outreach is mentioned, places like India, Mexico and Africa come to mind, yet we often neglect our neighbors living across the street.

When the outreach department at Missionary Gospel Church was established, there was consensus that outreach needed to start in our own city, the city of Sacramento, and it needed to start now.

The men of God responsible for organizing the event.

With the help of countless volunteers, ministry partners David Mazur and Petr Smolin worked hard to plan and organize the four-day event that came to be known as the Citywide Gospel Campaign. Influenced by the citywide evangelism model David witnessed during a trip to South Africa, the outreach team chose Citrus Heights as the first city to be reached by such an event.

In the month leading up to the event, close to 30,000 flyers were printed and distributed door to door, enthusiastic volunteers stood at busy intersections with banners announcing the event, and trucks with mounted banners drove around the city acting as moving billboards.

SomeOneElse jammin for Jesus!

Thursday, January 31, 2013 marked the first night of the Citywide Gospel Campaign. The band SomeOneElse opened the evening with their rendition of Lincoln Brewster’s “Today is the Day,” inviting everyone to unite in praise and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When the music died down, David stood up to preach the Word using the story of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus to reveal the truth about Jesus still having the power to resurrect those who are spiritually dead today. After presenting the compelling Gospel message, David invited those who desired to repent before God to come to the front of the room for prayer. As the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of those present, several young people made their way to the front and bowed their knees in prayer. The prayer team that had been praying consistently throughout the evening joined David at the front of the room to pray for those who responded to the altar call.

The audience the very first night of the Citywide Gospel Campaign!

As the event came to a close that night, David encouraged guests to return the next three days and invite friends and family to come along. In the meantime they could grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a time of fellowship in the foyer.

Just some of the awesome volunteers from the first night.

Petr introducing Ruth before her stellar performance.

The next two nights featured a similar program. There was music, the Gospel message, prayer and fellowship. Friday’s service began with Vadim Zanko’s band leading worship. The sermon was presented by Petr who preached the Gospel message and shared his personal testimony. During the altar call, more people came forward to dedicate their lives to Christ.

By Saturday, the word about the Citywide Gospel Campaign had spread and Saturday night drew a larger audience than the previous two nights. At least 300 people were in attendance, some of which had never been to church.

David preaching the Gospel!

After a moving testimony and hymn by Ruth, a dear sister in Christ, David preached the Gospel, this time referencing the story of Zacchaeus and Jesus. During the altar call, several young people who had been sitting with a group of high school students came to the front for prayer. For some, this was the first time they made such a bold step in faith. One of the guys said the last time he went to church was when he was a kid.

Seeing God moving in the hearts of new believers and those who had fallen away strengthened the faith of those who were already saved. Along with the 20 or so people praying at the front of the auditorium, they lifted up their voices and praised God for His goodness and grace. Surely the presence of God was felt that night!

 Early the next morning, unfazed by fact that it was Super Bowl Sunday, the Citywide Gospel Campaign leaders and volunteers got ready for another service at San Juan High School. This time the event was structured to be more like a typical Sunday church service. While there was still a time of praise and worship in the beginning, more time was allocated for the sermon titled “God is…” presented by Vadim Krasnodemsky. Vadim spoke about the true identity of God and invited guests to come to the newly established English service at Missionary Gospel Church on Sundays at 2 p.m. (This later was changed to 10 a.m.)

Vadim speaking the truth.

As the band played the last song that afternoon and people slowly walked out of the auditorium, hope lingered on every note. Even though the Citywide Gospel Campaign was officially over, there remained this sweet assurance that it was only the beginning of something much greater. Over the course of four days, God had been working in the hearts of guests, leaders and volunteers in a mighty way and He wasn’t finished yet.

Several people from the prayer team calling on the name of the Lord...

With that assurance burning deep in their hearts, the prayer team that spent more than half a dozen hours praying during the Citywide Gospel Campaign walked out into the brilliant afternoon sunshine confident that their prayers had been answered. God was listening after all, even from within that little dressing room behind the auditorium stage.

It's been several weeks since the Citywide Gospel Campaign... And it's true. God has been doing some amazing things at MGC because of this initial outreach event. Yesterday was especially blessed! More details on that coming soon!

We'll pass on the karaoke

So I have this friend... Her name is Yana and she is pretty amazing. 

Last night we decided to check out this coffee shop that we both heard of but never visited... Since it was open until midnight, it seemed like a good choice. Or so we thought. Immediately when we walked in, we were met by a white, gangster-looking dude singing karaoke to none other than country. It was awful! His friend was even worse. I really don't understand why anyone would want to voluntarily humiliate themselves in this way.

The lovely Yana and I last summer at MGC Kids Camp

Anyway, we got our drinks and headed back to the car for a nice long chat. Yana is seriously the most optimistic person I know and since I consider myself more of a realist, sometimes it can be challenging to find common ground. But, not that night. We were totally on the same page. Yana is graduating college this semester and has a heart for "something more." It was wonderful hearing all about her dreams and ambitions. I know God is going to do incredible things through her creative, artistic abilities.

Our whole conversation was very uplifting and inspiring, and it turned out to be a lovely way to spend Valentine's Day. This morning I opened up my email to find this little note from my dear Yana... It nearly brought me to tears. Thank God for friends like this!

Hi friend,
Thank you so much for a lovely evening. I am so encouraged and inspired through your friendship towards me. Thanks for just being with me tonight! And for enduring the terrible, terrible karaoke singers :) 

I am so thankful that you're my friend. That we are on this journey together (for now). My prayer is that we can always share common ground, regardless of where life may take us! That we may be united in the one pursuit of our heart... Christ. That we may be able to encouraged each other wherever we may be, whether on the same road, or on completely different spectrums of life because our greatest ambition will be the same.

I love you, Inna! I am so very thankful that you are willing to share your heart with me, that you allow yourself to be vulnerable. I admire you for that. So much. I am also very encouraged by your blog posts. Keep it up.

I hope you have an exciting/beautiful Friday at work. Let's do life together more often.

Sincerely,
Yana

To check out Yana's incredible photography and design work, visit her blog: http://www.beforeiblink.com/

The gift that no one wants...

In honor of Singles Awareness Day, here's a link to a pretty straightforward yet insightful blog post I stumbled upon: http://www.theunitive.com/single-and-ready-to-trust/ Enjoy!

Less of me

Lord,

When I think much of myself, when I become confident and prideful, when I seek my own will and take credit for your work, take your chisel Lord and chip away everything that makes up "me." Strip me of self-glory, self-confidence, self-pity, self-righteousness, self-everything... Reveal in me the naked, the raw, and the ugly. Take off every mask, every veil, every image that I hide behind, to reveal the nothing that I really am. Because Lord, when I see that I am nothing, it is then that I come humbly before you begging you to clothe me in your brilliant righteousness. Apart from You, I am nothing. Wrapped up in You, I am everything. So Lord, take me as I am - naked, raw and ugly - and clothe me. So that it is not I that shines, but your blinding robe of righteousness. Make less of me so that I may make much of You.

Faithful

Most of the blog posts I write are intended to encourage others. I share what God is teaching me so that others can be strengthened and uplifted. But, today's post is really just for me. It's because I need to be reminded of one thing: God is faithful.

Driving in to work this morning, I was feeling kind of crummy. Not that anything terrible is going on in my life. No. It was just one of those mornings when you wake up and feel sorry for yourself. No particular reason. You just feel sad. Maybe it's just a girl thing and guys don't get this way. But girls, I know you've been there.

My usual reaction to these kind of emotions is to run to my best friend, pour out my heart, maybe cry a little and then smile through the tears knowing everything is going to be ok. This time, I didn't have that opportunity... Let's just say it's kind of difficult to arrange a pity party at 7:30 a.m. on a Monday.

The next best thing (should be the first best thing) is to run to Jesus. So there I was driving down Hwy 50 pouring out my heart to my Best Friend. I was asking God to encourage me. To strengthen me. To wrap me in His loving arms and let me know everything is going to be alright. And just like that, He came to my side. You know why? Because He is faithful.

Instead of looking around at my circumstances and comparing myself to others, Jesus reminded me that I need to keep my gaze on Him. Using a song by Kutless as a way to speak to me, Jesus reminded me that despite the changes around me, He doesn't change. He is forever faithful. He is forever good.

"Even If"

Sometimes all we have to hold on to

Is what we know is true of who You are

So when the heartache hits like a hurricane

That could never change who You are

And we trust in who You are

Even if the healing doesn’t come

And life falls apart

And dreams are still undone

You are God You are good

Forever faithful One

Even if the healing

Even if the healing doesn’t come

Lord we know Your ways are not our ways

So we set our faith in who You are

Even though You reign high above us

You tenderly love us

We know Your heart

And we rest in who You are

Even if the healing doesn’t come

And life falls apart

And dreams are still undone

You are God You are good

Forever faithful One

Even if the healing

Even if the healing doesn’t come

You’re still the Great and Mighty One

We trust You always

You’re working all things for our good

We’ll sing your praise 

Even if the healing doesn’t come

And life falls apart

And dreams are still undone

You are God You are good

Forever faithful One

Even if the healing

Even if the healing doesn’t come

You are God and we will bless You

As the Good and Faithful One

You are God and we will bless You

Even if the healing doesn’t come

Even if the healing doesn’t come

A life of Surrender

Surrender. It's one of those words we like to exclude from our vocabulary. It's right there along with words like submission, humility, gentleness... We'd much rather use words like victory, empowerment, control, security...

Yet, Jesus calls us to a life of surrender. You see, in order to be called a follower of Jesus Christ, you must first give up. Jesus said, "...those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." (Luke 14:33)

When the world tells us to accumulate wealth, power, security and acclaim, Jesus responds by saying, "surrender."

Surrender is difficult. It goes against our very nature. Since childhood, we have been taught to pursue our dreams and follow our hearts. We've heard "you can do it" pep talks. We learned to "reach for the stars."   But, we weren't taught to surrender. We weren't taught to give up. 

Giving up means shattered dreams. Giving up means uncertainty. Giving up means losing. 

As people, we have our own ideas for what our lives should look like. Our education. Career. Family. The car we drive. The house we live in. But, are we willing to give up our ideas for God's plans?

I'm not sure why but God has really been speaking this message to me lately. As some of you know, I got accepted into Dallas Theological Seminary where I believe God is leading me to pursue a Biblical education. Leaving the comfort of my home, my family, my friends, my church and my well-paid job isn't something that I imagined for my future. It was never in my 5-year plan. And yet, God clearly put it on my heart to do this. 

When I found out I got accepted, all I could think about was how awesome it will be to attend classes on theology, Biblical exposition, and spiritual formation. How awesome it will be to spend so much time in the Word. How awesome it will be to live on my own. How awesome it will be to grow and thrive in a new environment. Although the thought of leaving behind everything familiar was scary, I was thrilled at the opportunities that glistened on the horizon. 

Now, several months after I firmly made the decision to move to Texas and attend DTS, God has been asking me the same question He asked in the beginning of this journey: "Are you willing to surrender?"

This time, it's not surrendering the comfort of my home, my church, or my job. He's asking me whether I will be willing to surrender the very idea He planted in my heart. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't seem reasonable. Why would God place such a poignant desire in my heart only to ask for it back? Trust me, I've asked God this question countless times and I still don't know the answer. 

I don't know anything actually. I don't know if I will or will not go to seminary this summer. I don't know God's plans. I don't know the future. All I know is I must surrender. I must yield. I must submit. 

Whether that surrender means giving up the security blanket of my life in Sacramento or giving up the dream of a rich Biblical education far away in Texas, I hope and pray that I may be willing to obey God's voice and submit to His divine plan. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8)

I love how the chapter continues to say, "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.” (Isaiah 55: 12-13)

You know why I love this? Because God's thoughts and His ways are far better than anything we can imagine or plan for our own lives. God's plans are more majestic. More abundant. More fulfilling. 

God's plans are worth surrendering to. 

God's plans are worth surrendering for.