If Our God is For Us

By Kumi Nakagomi

About 4 years ago, God opened up an opportunity to intern at Newsong NOC right after graduating from seminary, even though I already had a job lined up back in Tokyo in the corporate sector. I was recovering from a car accident injury at the time, and my recovery was not going as fast as I had hoped to start my job in Tokyo on time. But while I was recovering, Brian, our former lead pastor, offered me an internship opportunity, and after experiencing the miracle of receiving my parents’ blessing to stay and be in vocational ministry (as my parents are not believers), I knew without a doubt that God wanted me to stay here at NOC to learn, grow, and serve. Being a Japanese citizen, I had to get a religious worker’s visa (called the R-1 visa) sponsored by Newsong. The first time around was not as difficult, as there were less requirements. However, over the past few years, immigration policies became a lot more restricted, and visas have been harder to obtain.

We started my visa renewal process over a year ago, as we knew that my R-1 visa was going to expire this past September. After hours of getting documents ready with the help of my lawyer Bob, we finally submitted my visa petition to USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) this past April. USCIS told us the average waiting period was about 3 months, but 3 months came around and we heard nothing. We started to inquire with our local congressman, and in August, they finally came by to do an on-site visit, which is required for the visa process. Peter and I were interviewed by an immigration officer, and we were honest and transparent about the process. After the immigration officer left, we felt like everything went well. However, two months later, we were informed that our visa petition got denied due to a very technical issue regarding church plants. We were all baffled and shocked, as none of us expected this decision. My lawyer rarely has cases denied, so he was very frustrated with the decision. As for me, I was very disappointed and disillusioned, to be honest. I was upset at God, and in a lot of grief. The whole time, I kept moving forward because I didn’t sense that my season at NOC is over yet; but in the process of staying here, there were sacrifices I made – in giving up my dreams over to God, in being away from my family, and giving up a financially attractive job opportunity. So I was upset because I felt like I gave up a lot to be here, and yet, God didn’t seem like He was pulling through. A big obstacle was the current visa I had also expired before the decision was made, so when they denied my visa petition, I was suddenly out of status, which meant that I could no longer be employed by NOC and had no rights to get paid legitimately.

With the support of NOC and the leadership team, we decided to move forward to appeal the decision that USCIS made, as it was important to set the record straight, and also try to get another type of work visa so that I could continue working at NOC. Meanwhile, because I no longer had a source of income, I tried hard to figure out what I could do, and started making jewelry to see if it could help support me. However, in that process, I realized that I was so stressed and overwhelmed by the burden of trying to financially support myself on my own, and started hating life because I just wasn’t enjoying jewelry-making as a fulltime career. One night, as I was working in my little sweatshop (aka kitchen table), God clearly spoke to me, saying, ”Kumi, this isn’t a burden you have to carry.” But I snapped, "Then who's gonna carry it for me? I've always had to carry this burden" and I kept working at it. But I was clearly miserable. As I started sharing about this, people started encouraging me to stop. But I wasn't able to let it go, as I couldn’t let go of my self-sufficient, self-reliant mindset. I couldn’t let the burden go, as my ability to produce and financially provide for myself has been a huge part of who I am. Yet that was exactly what God was wanting me to let go of.

In this process, God brought so many people to just love on me and encourage me to let God take care of me, and to also let this community take care of me. Friends at Solidarity have shared with me stories of how God has provided for their needs, and how the process has taken them to a deeper relationship with Jesus. A dialogue with some NOC staff encouraged me to ask the NOC community to financially support me in this journey, as it's not my fault that this had to happen to me, and that there's people that really do want to love on me, and be a part of this journey with me. I did not want to ask others, though, because I've never asked for any financial help from anyone other than my own family. I was taught to never ask for money. Yet I knew there was just no way jewelry making would make ends meet, and that divine intervention was needed. So after much resistance, tears, and the Spirit's nudging, I asked specific people to pray and also consider supporting me financially, and really, just be a part of this journey with me.

The day after I sent out an email asking for support, I was only $50 short of the amount I needed. By the day after, I had more than doubled the amount I needed. The next day, it tripled. And finances continued to roll in. People offered to help cover for my rent and my airfare to take a trip home as I need to in order to obtain my visa. I was dumbfounded and overwhelmed by how this community responded so quickly and with so much love and support. Through the NOC community, I tangibly experienced God’s love that encourages, supports, and provides. The burden of needing to provide for myself was relieved, and that burden became an opportunity for the community to be a part of my process and to be a blessing to me.

About three weeks after my visa petition was denied, we submitted our desire to appeal to USCIS, and began to prepare for the appeal and new work visa process. My lawyer told me that he will do all this work pro-bono as he felt the decision was unfair, and didn’t want finances to be a hindrance. He also brought up my case to the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association (AILA), and they took interest in the decision that was made. AILA then took it up to the senior officials of USCIS in Washington DC, and because of that, USCIS decided to re-open my case soon after our appeal form was submitted, and within a matter of days, they decided to approve my visa petition. God brought a whole army of lawyers to advocate for me on my behalf.

I realize through all of this, God is truly sovereign, and He does what He wills in order for His plan to carry out. He truly is above all government authorities, and desires to carry out His justice and His love in spite of obstacles and unfair decisions like the case that I experienced. And through this, I experienced how God truly is writing the story of my life, as long as I’m up for the ride and am open and willing to follow. As crazy as this story is, it’s been an overwhelming experience of tangibly being loved and taken care of by my Heavenly Father, who totally holds my life and this whole world in His hands. It’s taking me to a deeper place of trust and obedience. And I’m looking forward to what the next chapter holds.

Sermon Rewind 12/19/10 (Peter Park)

Philippians 2:5-11 (New International Version, ©2010)

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Newsong NOC celebrated Christmas with a special service reminding us of the reason for the season - Jesus. The children of Noah's Town relived the story of Jesus' birth to remind us of why He came to the earth - to die for our sins and heal our brokenness. But of all the ways to help humans, why did God choose such a way to enact His plan? Jesus' story reminds us of how God humbled Himself - giving up his deity privileges, being born in a dirty manger, working like a common man, and using his powers solely to benefit others. By reducing himself to a man, God was able to relate and understand human experiences. All of this was done so that He could build a relevant relationship with us - to be not just a cosmic being, but a tangible, personal, and approachable God.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

A Social Network Christmas

Did you enjoy the Status Update Facebook videos?

If so, you might enjoy this similar take on the Christmas story:

www.ignitermedia.com/mini-movies/1905/A-Social-Network-Christmas

Fighting for My Neighbor

by Bethany Anderson

A few weeks ago, I gathered with some brothers and sisters from all across Orange County. There were about 75 of us in total. Our agenda? Prayer.

We prayed against the evil and corruption in so many countries around the world. We prayed for economic growth in these countries. We prayed for those on the journey. We prayed for their safety and protection. We prayed for those who have been manipulated, kidnapped, trafficked, abused and taken advantaged of. We prayed for border patrol and ICE (Immigration Customs and Enforcement), that they would have the strength to be compassionate. We prayed for the millions of undocumented people living in our country. We prayed for the children whose parents were deported, for parents who are waiting for a way their children can come here, for the students who dream of using their future degrees, and for all those currently in Immigration detention. We prayed for every person who the Church has seemingly forgotten. We prayed that they would feel our prayers; that they would know we see them. We heard stories that pushed us to think about the individual instead of the issue. We were inspired by the hope our God offers and reminded that freedom is on the horizon. We worshiped our Lord in Spanish and English and held hands as we took communion together. We confessed our brokenness and asked the Lord to forgive us for our apathy. We laughed together over a delicious dinner. We cried together as we realized just how deep the pain goes. It was a powerful collaboration of different denominations, ethnicities, languages, and ages. I believe it was a glimpse of what heaven will be like, minus the heaviness of oppression.

Mark 12 tells us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength AND love our neighbor as ourselves.

I have been trying to love my neighbor as myself for about 5 years now. As I have cried with my neighbors as they share the struggles of being undocumented, I realized that the call to love must go beyond comforting them in their darkest hour. I have to look at the root of the darkness and take on their pain as my own, just as Jesus did. I choose to carry the burden of my undocumented neighbor because I have to remember how Jesus carried my burdens on the cross.

I speak up for my undocumented neighbors because I know God intended us all to have a voice. I chose to fight for my undocumented neighbors to have rights here, because I know our identity and worth is not found in the country listed on our birth certificate. I care deeply for those that are “orphaned” and “widowed” by the oppression in their home country or by the broken system in our country because I know God is in the business of bringing freedom and justice for those our society says are “the least of these”. I want the Church to understand the complexities of immigration because I think this is our chance to be who God has intended us to be. We can chose to live in fear, hoard our blessings as Americans, and follow the kingdom of the world OR we can choose to live in freedom, lay our lives down for our neighbors and align ourselves with the Kingdom of God. I am here to tell you that amidst the confusion, pain, and struggle of doing the latter, there is indescribable peace and purpose. God calls us to love the orphan, the oppressed, the stranger in the land, not because he needs us to, but because it will make us more like Him.

As they have shared with our NOC community several Sundays ago, Matt and Bethany have taken Marlon, a young man with no family in the U.S., into their home. If you would like to partner with the Andersons in any way, please contact Bethany at bethanyanderson@solidarityrising.org You can also read her blog at www.whyifight.com

Sermon Rewind 12/12/10 (Peter Park)

Luke 10:33-37 (NASB)

³³"But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, ³⁴and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵On the next day he took out two [a]denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.' ³⁶Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"
³⁷And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him."
Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."

Pastor Peter wrapped up the Status Update series by challenging us to not limit ourselves to asking “who is our neighbor?” but to push ourselves to “be the neighbor.” This moves us from thinking to acting. To help us grasp the scope of “loving our neighbor as ourselves,” he presented WWID(fm) – What Would I Do (for myself). Pastor Peter reminded us that the true calling to be a neighbor involves being a neighbor to someone that is hard for us to love. Finally, the results of our correct attitudes and actions are two-fold: Jesus becomes more real to others, but more importantly, Jesus becomes more real for us.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Sermon Rewind 12/5/10 (Alex Wu)

Alex Wu continued the Status Update series with a sermon on Newsong Church's one word focus: Reconciliation. In Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus did not give us new commands, but rather expanded on the message behind the commandments - it's not only about the action, but also the heart behind the act. The Bible clearly states, we need to take care of unresolved conflicts with a person before we come to the Lord. Jesus led by example when he came on earth to reconcile us with the Father. Just as we have been forgiven much by Jesus, so should we forgive others with whom we have conflicts. Although we may not change the other person, we can change our attitudes and ourselves. Is there someone in your life that you have conflict with? How can you take a step to reconcile with that person?

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Sermon Rewind 11/28/10 (Cindy Park)

Cindy Park continued the Status Update series with the topic of grief. It is often hard to understand the rough times in our lives, but we must not fool ourselves into thinking that because we call ourselves Christ followers, that we are exempt from hardships and struggles. Rather, what we gain is the knowledge and comfort that though we may suffer, we do not suffer alone. God is there with us, sharing and understanding our pain. This is made clear in the Bible when it states that "Jesus wept," moved by the emotions displayed during Lazarus' passing. God also provides us a community of support. Just as Taiga Ryu shared his deepest grief to the church during the sermon, so should we learn to share our lives with others and process our feelings. Regardless of the situation we are in, we are loved and never alone.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Dave's Got Wheels Again!

Dave, 62, is a plumber by trade, has a lot of warehouse experience, is a believer, and has been a part of our NOC community for several months. He's an all around nice guy who's just trying to get by and live his life. He currently is living on the streets of Fullerton near the train station. 2 weeks ago his bike got stolen over night so it became difficult for him to get anywhere.

With the help of your donations, and the Hospitality donation jar, we were able to purchase for him an awesome beach cruiser, a new basket, and a lock. After taking a test drive, Dave said the bike was comfortable, easy to control, and "perfect for this old guy." I am thankful that God chose us to provide a tangible need for Dave!

Dave currently receives about $600 from social security a month. With proper budgeting, he could rent a place up to $350-400/ month and have enough for Food and necessities. He has been spending money trying to upkeep his laptop. If anyone knows of a room he could stay in Fullerton for around that budget, Please let Johnny Lee know! Like any of us, he wants to stay out of the rain and cold and have a warm place to rest.

Email Johnnybyullee@gmail.com.

Sermon Rewind: Status Update (Peter Park)

Peter Park continued the Status Update series with a message about loneliness from Psalm 139:1-18. God created in us an innate desire to be in close relationships with our Creator and people. Loneliness is the painful reminder that we don’t have close and meaningful relationships. Peter shared two ways we can overcome our loneliness. First, we must pursue a closer relationship with our God. Being intentionally alone with Him will fill us up with the fruit of the spirit. When we’re overflowing of God in us, it’s easier to engage with others. Second, we must pursue a closer relationship with other people. God calls us to be in relationship with others, not to fill a void, but because we are better together than apart. Is your relationship with Jesus based on business transaction or based on personal interaction?

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Connecting the Dots: Lessons from (W)hole

By Kristin Kwan, Member of HOP Life Group

I’ll admit that charity has never really been my top priority; much less have I dwelt on it as an integral part of my relationship with Christ. I remember being uninterested a few years ago when my college fellowship did a series on social justice, because in my mind, helping the poor was a peripheral Christian issue – something you do for “bonus points.” I was much more focused on maintaining my relationship with Him in a mostly personal, introspective way. Of course, there’s truth to the importance of that personal aspect, but through the (W)hole series I’ve come to see this: To ignore God’s heart for the poor is to ignore a huge part of who He is.

As I was forced to come face-to-face with this issue He cares so much about, I had to examine my own attitude – not just my feelings toward charity, but also how I approach my relationship with God. In a human context, I couldn’t disregard my best friend’s greatest passion and still expect to know her on the deepest level; neither can I do this with God. His heart for the poor doesn’t just have implications for those living in poverty, and His concern doesn’t exist just to exemplify moral perfection. God’s passionate advocacy for the helpless is direct insight into His character, and it’s something that we need to pay close attention to if we want to know Him better.

As I began to realize this during the (W)hole series, I wrote these thoughts in my journal:

‘You don’t require charity for the sake of doing something “good.” You require it because you care. Those who are in pain, who are emotionally and physically tormented, who are lost and suffering spiritually, who are hungry…providing for their needs and touching their hearts, bringing them comfort – these are the things that are close to your heart. These are things that you care passionately about – because you are good.’

There was a time, when overwhelmed by bitterness, I found it hard to believe that God really is good. But through this series, He has corrected and expanded my understanding of Him. The way He provides and comforts those in need is tangible proof that He is compassionate and close to the broken. Better yet, the fact that he commands us, as His people, to do the same shows that He is undeniably passionate about it. He hasn’t asked us to do anything that He hasn’t done Himself.

The dots began to connect in a personally relevant way. There's no separation in God’s character: The same loving compassion that moves Him to care for the needy is the same that moved Him to die for me, and it's the same love that moves Him to guide me even now. As we continue on to a new series, I hope we’ll continue to pursue His heart and actively engage in the causes He cares about, realizing that He invites us to enter into higher intimacy by walking in His example.

A Night of Freedom and Fashion

By Pat Hsieh

I love fashion and I love social justice. I was planning to attend Freedom and Fashion as soon as I heard that the event would be held at NewSong Irvine this year, so when Janice Yu asked me to represent NEO (NewSong Mexico City) at FnF, I jumped on board. NEO’s presence at FnF was to raise awareness about its safehouse for victims of human trafficking (“El Pozo” or “The Well”) and to raise funds for this ministry through the sale of jewelry.

From what I could see with my human eyes, Freedom and Fashion was a huge success. The place was packed with people and we sold over $1000 of jewelry for El Pozo. I feel really great about raising money and awareness for such an important ministry, but the experience left a deeper imprint in my heart that will hopefully last a long, long time.

In the weeks prior to the show, I was feeling stressed out about making enough jewelry to sell at our booth. I knew that Janice was planning to make pieces, too, but didn’t know how much time she would have because El Pozo had just opened. God gently told me that it was more important to pray over the show because it was about what He would do through it, as opposed to what I could do on my own. Even so, God brought me some partners. Cindy Park and Kumi Nakagomi helped me to make jewelry. Kumi, My Le, and Sandra Thio came with me to the actual event to set up, talk to people, sell jewelry, and break down. I am so thankful for their partnership. Being the type of person who is reluctant to ask for help, I am learning how to trust and rely on others.

At FnF, a lot of information was shared about human and sex trafficking. When I think about how widespread this problem is, not only in numbers but also geographically across the world, I feel overwhelmed. When I think about what life is like for a girl who is a victim of sex trafficking, especially compared to what life is like for my own daughters, I literally feel like throwing up. Then God reminded me that, “The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Next Step

By Sandra Thio

Approximately 1,300 people attended Freedom and Fashion Showcase + Tradeshow held on Saturday, Nov. 6th at Newsong Irvine. Jeannie Mai, from Style Network’s “How do I Look?”, hosted the event and shared her poignant journey of how she became aware of human trafficking. Before every line of clothing was modeled on stage, a series of video clips highlighting the designers--organizations and businesses dedicated to fair trade and/or awareness of human trafficking—was shown. Vendors were on site to provide information about their cause and promote their products.
“I had no idea what Freedom and Fashion (FnF) was all about until the night of the event. When Pat Hsieh asked if I would be interested in selling jewelries at FnF and that all profits would go towards El Pozo (a safe house in Mexico City for victims of human trafficking), I said, ‘YES, of course I would help out!’

The event as a whole was AWESOME! Selling handmade jewelries and engaging with people asking about our Cause was humbling. The theme of this event was about “Redemption”, which means rescuing people from something and then giving them the freedom to live. The clothes highlighted on the runway definitely communicated redemption. It was remarkable how the many different non-profit organization (i.e. Newsong NEO, Kristinit, Not For Sale, Definicion, etc.) using fashion to raise awareness in fighting against human and sex trafficking.

I became aware of human trafficking in December 2009 when my husband and I went on a mission’s trip to Mexico City. Through this FnF event, I am more knowledgeable to the different non-profit organization out there. Now the next step is how I can get involved.”

Tour of Fullerton: Gang Neighborhood

By Paul Mason

While on the tour, I learned that the gang in Fullerton was actually connected to a larger organization called the Mexican Mafia (which according to NOC speaker, Tommy Nixon, is run just like a business) I was amazed to hear that the gang had such ties to a larger entity such as this Mexican Mafia. My perspective definitely changed about how wide the gang issue actually reaches.

In the few areas of Fullerton we went by, there was also the juxtaposition of old run-down fourplexes (where 12-18 people lived in each) on one side of the street while there were new "low income" houses being built on the other side of the street. However these new low-income houses were still going to be unaffordable by the people who had lived in the fourplexes that had been bulldozed to make way for the new housing. I haven't made any decisions yet, but it started the wheel in my head. Well, what about those people who were in the fourplexes? Where do they go to live? Why is this happening?

I recommend anyone who has had any curiosity even just about the Fullerton community to go on a tour like this, so that your eyes may be opened up to some of the things that are going on right in our back yard.

Five Things That Aren't in the Bible (humor)

by Chris Cheung

Okay, fair warning. This is an article from Cracked.com. The language is a bit salty and the idioms are unlikely to grace a Sunday worship. Still, it is 1) funny, and 2) actually mostly accurate.

It also begs a question: do you really know what's in our Bible?

http://www.cracked.com/article_18757_5-things-you-wont-believe-arent-in-bible.html

Tour of Fullerton: Understanding Homelessness

By Dennis Han

I had been looking forward to going on Tour of Fullerton for the homeless where I might be able to gain some hands-on perspective on the situation.

Our first stop was Bastanchury Park. We arrived to see a circle of people standing around Chris Lee who was sharing some things about the park. Bastanchury Park is a nice park that looks new; one would never guess that a string of homeless people live just out of sight on the edge of the park. Chris shared how the homeless who live there keep to themselves and don’t intend to bother anyone but people complain about them being there so they are regularly driven out of there by the police. Chris then invited one homeless man named Corey to come share with us about some of his daily experiences. He shared about how sometimes when he sleeps in the field, he would wake up to see ants crawling all over his legs. He said that the ants do not mean to harm him, but they are just trying to get to where they are going. As Chris had told us earlier, the homeless don’t intend to bother anybody and after hearing Corey share, I believed that statement. As he was sharing, a girls’ soccer team formed in a line behind us to buy snacks at a snack counter. Their chattering drowned out Corey’s voice and I got to thinking about the juxtaposition I saw with the girls’ soccer team, oblivious as they were, and the homeless man in front of us. At that moment, I felt glad that I was not oblivious.

Our next stop was the FIES Food Distribution Center where an employee named Michael Shepherd gave us a tour and talked to us about operations. I learned some interesting things such as not having a refrigerator creates a host of problems for people and this center actually provides services to address this issue. This center seems small and meager, but it is heavily relied upon in this city. With the approaching holidays and cold weather, Michael addressed increasing challenges and hinted at the need for more volunteers. By now I was beginning to feel that problems continue to mount, but not new solutions.

Next was the FIES Inter-Shelter Network. Michael explained that this shelter was for those who were serious about finding a job. I was unaware that a shelter had this type of condition. The shelter has a shower, and the staff sets up cubicle like dividers for its clients so they can be in an environment conducive to research and study. Michael invited volunteers here that could teach life skills. Once this tour wrapped up, it was lunch time and we were all invited to a barbeque in La Palma Park.

La Palma Park is home to quite a few homeless people and is one of the regular destinations of the Burrito Project. Thus, many of the homeless people there already know many of us so it was going to be a time of fellowship among friends. I observed in many of the homeless that I saw here that they have a passion for life and I felt excited to catch a glimpse of it. I also saw Corey there. He walked around, mingled, and had fellowship. I began to think to myself that all we need to do is to get Corey to the place where he would be able to help others because he looks like he is ready. What prevents this from happening are various things: the city council as Johnny Lee described, that seems convinced that addressing the homeless issue hurts progress for the city, the people who feel paralyzed because of feeling overwhelmed with what must be solved, etc. If we each realize that one step upon another is what allows someone like Corey to finally get out of the park he sleeps in, maybe we wouldn’t feel overwhelmed.

As I’ve learned these past few Sundays, God only expects us to do something as opposed to everything and I think this tour helped me to understand this better.

Sermon Rewind: Sheep, Not Goats (Liz Yim)

Matthew 25:33-40 (NIV)

³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Liz Yim continued the "(W)hole" series, sharing from Matthew 25. She exhorted us to be sheep, rather than goats. Sheep have the following three attributes:

1. They have a relationship with Jesus. John 10 tells us that sheep recognize the Good Shepherd.
2. They have eyes to see. We must refuse to allow some people or situations to be “invisible.”
3. They commit acts of compassion. We are not called to save, liberate, provision, or embrace every person in need globally, but to love the ones GOD puts in front of us.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Sermon Rewind: (W)hole, Part II

Vaughn Thompson continued the "(W)hole" series, revealing wisdom from Peter's confession of Christ in Luke 9:18 - 27. Therein, Jesus states that whoever chooses to follow Jesus, must "deny himself and take up his cross daily." In order to follow Jesus, then, there must be radical change. Our hearts are naturally wicked, and thus, we must strive to surrender our natural selves to walk out the gospel. Vaughn outlined three things we must surrender. We must surrender to His call, and proclaim Jesus for who He is. We must also surrender to His process of salvation and transformation to continually work in us. Finally, we must surrender to His leading, and follow Jesus as he calls us to move forward. The nature of the call should not be mistaken for our dreams and desires although they may coincide. Rather, understand that the call comes from outside of us and speaks to the inside of us. Only then can we recognize the voice of God calling us to do the things we may not otherwise want to do.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

SOLFUL: Garnet District

By Kimi Iwai

Being a part of SOLFUL this past summer was a great experience. For six weeks, I spent my Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:00A.M.-12:00P.M. working with the "Community Action Committee" of the Garnet District. We had approximately forty children from Kindergarten to sixth grade signed up. From the very beginning the children were so sweet and inviting to all the volunteers. I remember one day three kids came up to me and offered me half of their sandwich during snack time. That was just the start of how they expressed their love to us.

By the second week the children had come up with their own game. One kid would yell out the name of a volunteer and they would all come running towards that volunteer like a herd of zebras and knock him or her down. This turned out to be a ritual every Wednesday that none of us could escape, but we all enjoyed.

God opened my eyes and showed me a key aspect of life through these children. They taught me the value of time. For example, these kids didn't care what activities we had prepared for them, all they wanted and seemed to enjoy was 'time'. Time for someone to listen to their thoughts and ideas and time to just "hang-out" with us. In the end, I felt that the children had blessed my life more than I had blessed theirs.

Sermon Rewind: Dynamic Faith (Cindy Park)

Cindy Park kicked off the new series, based on Richard Sterns' book, The Hole in Our Gospel, entitled "(w)hole" with a sermon about dynamic faith. Sometimes we proclaim our faith, but do nothing to back up our empty claims. This is not true faith - it is dead faith. True dynamic faith is demonstrated by action. Transformation through action leads to obedience. We simply need to take a small step to make a big dynamic impact. The “hole in our gospel” is doing only what is convenient for us. Don’t let your life be just about empty words.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Laundry Love in the OC Register!

Pics and article at http://www.ocregister.com/news/laundry-267659-people-lee.html.

SOLFUL: Building Relationships

By Raphael Chan

The SOLFUL teen program was an awesome gateway to continue to build on the relationships we had with the youth and adults that attend Lifeline Church. We had all participated in various exciting activities from soccer, flag football, art/graffiti class, movie night, and also even a resume building class at the end. I was able to be a part of a community that drew in kids from the local neighborhood, who soon later accepted Jesus Christ. By the end of the SOLFUL program, there were new teens beginning to attend Lifeline.

Growing up in the neighborhood can be very difficult for the life as a child and teen with many negative temptations such as drugs, alcohol, and gangs literally right next door. To have SOLFUL program as an outreach event for a possibility for one or a few kids to turn and keep away from such temptations is definitely worth the all the effort and time involved. As much fun as the events were during this time, there was also tragedy that shocked the community, a death of a loved one. I experienced and observed how everyone comforted, consoled, supported each other, and through this process it brought the Lifeline members closer together as a community.

On a personal note, I was able to work alongside with Pastor Joe and walk with him during this time in the summer and slowly I was able to enter into a spiritual mentor relationship with him. I asked various questions from things about God, life, friends, jobs, conflict, feelings and emotions. He gave great insights, testimony, and through that, I was able to hear more about his journey of different trials and tribulations he had endured. It was much like the TV show Home Improvement, how Tim Taylor who does many things wrong and often talks to Mr. Wilson, who then offers insights to help clarify or encourage Tim (although Pastor Joe does not hide his face behind a fence and nor do I verbally grunt that much). Now that the program is over, I hope to continue to work on building the relationship and ultimately building my relationship with Jesus and God the Father.

Sermon Rewind: Soul Talk (Vaughn Thompson)

Vaughn Thompson continued Soul Talk with his perspective of Genesis 22, where Abraham was asked by God to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Abraham willingly answered God's call, though like any father on earth, worried for Isaac. Yet by faith and obedience, Abraham and Isaac followed God. It's a picture of how we are to take up our cross and follow Christ.

God wants us to be open to a new place, to a new sacrifice and to His Word. Abraham and Isaac journeyed for three days to Mount Moriah. Both continually sought after His will, even as Abraham was about to slay Isaac. Seeing Abraham’s obedience, God intervened and directed him to sacrifice a ram instead. Abraham could have slain Isaac's life for good had he not seek God’s counsel continually.

Will you be open to His voice, His heart, and to a new sacrifice for Him?

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

"You're not helping" defined...

by Chris Cheung

As a fundamentalist Christian who loves science, I watch with awe and fascination as new scientific discoveries mesh with our understanding of the universe as GOD created and sustains it. I truly believe that science and GOD do not fight and those cases where there is apparent controversy are places where the patient, insightful observer will eventually see science correct itself.

At the same time, I understand how many who do not believe in any god, much less our GOD, see the church as backwards, ignorant, and closeminded when confronted with reasonable questions and doubts. Since my college days, I have tried to be a rational, well-grounded Christ-follower willing to have a non-judgemental conversation with scientific atheists. And then I find sites like this: http://www.galileowaswrong.com/. And I sigh.

Sermon Rewind: Dependency & Risk (Tommy Nixon)

Tommy Nixon shared on dependency and risk, drawing from his own life this past year and the parables in Luke 18. Dependency on Christ must involve risk, and the reward is nothing more, nor less, than a relationship with Him. Tommy summed up his point with the phrase, "Following Christ is the art of putting yourself in a place where you will be dependent on GOD." It is a place of great risk. However, the risks we take must be GODly risks, which are characterized by the following four criteria. Godly risks must:

1. be GOD-centered
2. have eternal value
3. change your life
4. be undertaken in the contexts of a deep relationship with Christ and a community of Christ-followers

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Sermon Rewind: Soul Talk (Darryl Brumfield)

Pastor Darryl Brumfield continued Soul Talk with the musings of Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Solomon questioned the meaning of life – is it just a cycle of seasons, a short existence doomed to return to dust after meaningless toils? The answer is “No,” for God has placed eternity in our souls. From our point of view, nothing may make sense. But from God’s immutable and eternal perspective, He is creating a beautiful story for all time. Understanding His perspective can help us weather our time on earth. Remember that God has a reason for everything and is preparing us for His plan – even in the painful moments of our lives. Do not forget to enjoy life and live out loud – God delights in our joy! Finally, don’t worry about things on Earth. God will settle all accounts in the end. How can understanding God’s sovereignty help you today?

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

SOLFUL at Maple

By Valerie Cuevas

The SOLFUL Maple Elementary Program had anywhere from 12 to 25 kids showing up to paint, play, and even learn. At first the outcome was very uncertain. “What if nobody shows up?” and “What if too many kids show up?” were the extremes that we as coordinators and volunteers faced.

The unknown is a hard thing to plan for but from what I saw from all the volunteers, it was nothing to be afraid of. The enthusiasm and love that each volunteer displayed made the program a success. Everybody was willing to adjust as needed and in the end became a very effective group. Making piñatas, having a group session with a professional Disney artist, and eating a whole lot of hot dogs, were only a few of the many experiences that the kids are able to take with them throughout their lives. These experiences along with the love of the volunteers was the foundation for the enthusiasm that kids had for the program and the enthusiasm that the kids brought to our lives—well, that and Jesus working. We were used to help the kids and the kids were used to help us.

In the beginning, it seemed like one of the primary mindsets was to help a bunch of kids do something over the summer, to be “good Christians”, and to lend a helping hand to those in need. I believe that although that may have been what was used to get people to volunteer, it was really the way that God was able to fulfill His intention to bring about change in us “good Christians”. Granted we are called to help those in need, we hardly ever stop to think that those in need are really us. Yes, we did our job that was described on paper, but the real thing was Jesus. To be able to help kids see and feel something different than what they feel on a regular basis, allowed our eyes to see the impact that we really do have in life. What made it beautiful was to see the peace and safety that they had not entirely because of us, but more because of the Light that was shining through us. Seeing that allowed me to understand the need to cling to Jesus is even greater than I thought.

To truly be an effective “Christian” is to understand that without Him you are just another person trying to do good. The impact that we have on people’s lives is only as great as the impact He has on ours. The more that we seek Him and depend on Him, the more we can be used to glorify His name. I am very proud and humbled to say that through our program we have three young kids that have given their lives to Jesus and are still coming. The program was a success.

Oasis Lifegroup ROCKS!!! ~

OASIS LIFEGROUP ROCKS!!!  2009-2010 video of the year....we all had such a blast!  I look forward to many more memories with my Oasis family! ~SJ Thio

Creation as an 8-bit video game...

SUPERNATURAL CREATOR 2 from Mareike on Vimeo.

Not everything needs to be so serious! Enjoy -- chris cheung :)

Sermon Rewind: Soul Talk (Liz Yim)

Liz Yim continued Soul Talk. She spoke on Matthew 14, the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water - a well-known tale, but one that yields truths every day. Liz shared how moving from children's ministry to youth ministry was a trying experience of doubt and fear. But, in obedience, she trusted God, to "walk on the water" in her life and move on to new things God wanted to share with her. She asks us to contemplate: What is your boat, that place of safety and security? Where is God asking you to take a step of faith, a risk to get out of the boat and walk on water? Is it in your giving? Your career? Your future? Getting more involved at NOC? Be confident in His power and presence. Even if your weaknesses are exposed, remember that Jesus is always there to catch you.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

Sermon Rewind: Soul Talk (Charles Lee)

Matthew 9:35-37

³⁵Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. ³⁶Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸"Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest."

Charles Lee from New Hope South Bay challenged NOC to embrace humanity in four ways. First, in an embrace of presence that involves really “being there.” Secondly, in an embrace of sight where we see the story that GOD is telling in every person’s life. Thirdly, in an embrace of compassion that contains real action versus superficial concern. And lastly, in an embrace of work that ultimately requires sacrifice. By embracing the individuals that GOD places in front of us in Fullerton, we can represent Him as The God of This City.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

JAZZ NIGHT RECAP!

Musicians In Black Coffee & Jazz Night! from Lenz Kap on Vimeo.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our fundraiser! We are so blessed to have a community who supports us! Thank you to Dave Martyn and Andy Campbell for holding it down and rocking us with awesome tunes! It was a really good time and hopefully when we are back we will do it again except share all about the trip! We need your prayers still so please continue to pray for us. We thank everyone for your continued partnership and friendships! 5 Days left!

Thanks to God for bringing back the CHINA team safely, and for giving them amazing experiences.
Pray for the Nepal team that just left for 10 days. Pray that they are safe, but also experience God's view of the people there!

Come & Support the SEA TEAM!!!!

Howdy! It's Johnny! I hope y'all are doing swell! I just wanted to share with you about our South East Asia trip coming up NEXT FRIDAY! AHHH! We are all excited! We = Sarah Salcido, Chris Lee, Jean Lee, My Le, James Phan, Winfield Sia, Johnny Lee. We are so deeply blessed to have a community at NOC, friends, and families supporting us! Thank You to everyone who's been praying for us and holding it down!

There are still plenty of opportunities to join us on this journey! Please check out our support page here--> http://themoveprojects.com/?page_id=36

Also if you are free tomorrow night and you want to see our very own DAVE MARTYN and crew tear it up, head to It's A Grind!

Just stop by, grab some coffee, listen to some tunes, and pick up a CD!

If you need any details or have any questions for our team, please email us here —> SEAteam@themoveprojects.com.


Thank You so much!

Origins Conference

By Sarah Salcido

I had a sense of excitement with a hint of anticipation when arriving at Nokia Live in downtown Los Angeles for the Origins Conference. I was looking forward to being amongst a diverse group of people who share a common passion to love and serve others that stems from their love of Christ. At the conference there were multiple panel discussions, interviews, and speakers that all shared what the Lord is doing in their life and how they are being used to embody the Gospel. By the end of the conference, I felt inspired, encouraged, and empowered.

The speakers and panelists came from a wide array of different professional fields that all spoke of tangible ways they are helping and caring for others. Many of the panelists saw a certain need in their community or somewhere across the world and were moved to do something about it. I was inspired by these panelists like Blake Mycoskie the maker of Toms Shoes, and Scott Harrison the creator of Charity: Water and how they had both wanted to meet some basic needs of people in different countries. Blake wanted orphans to have shoes, and Scott wanted people in developing countries to have clean water (check out their websites: http://www.toms.com/ and http://www.charitywater.org/). After listening to both men’s stories on how they started with a small idea that turned into something bigger than they expected, I was reminded that it’s not about what we can do, but what God can do.

The conference reaffirmed a couple things that the Lord has been teaching me. Being a social worker, I constantly hear stories of pain and see needs of people that are not being meet. Sometimes when I get overwhelmed with all that I see, I have fleeting thoughts that I am only one person and do not know if God can use me to make a difference. One of the speakers had mentioned that silence is powerful. I know when I have these thoughts, it can silence me and will stop me from taking action. I was reminded at the conference that we have all been given special talents and blessings for the purpose of the Kingdom of God. I was encouraged when I heard countless stories of how God did amazing things through others when they were obedient to something that the Lord had placed on their heart. Even though I am one person, God is so much bigger. Jesus said that, “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:19-20). This excites me! I desire to listen to the soft whispers of the Holy Spirit because when we are obedient and are moved to action, great things happen.

Finally, I was left empowered through the idea that even in our brokenness, the Lord can use us. A speaker stated that God can use and turn our weaknesses into something beautiful and powerful that can help us connect to humanity. I believe our transformed lives through Christ are what should drive us to serve and love others. As Christ followers we are to “not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Therefore, we need to create and dream big because we serve a big God.

Sermon Rewind: Soul Talk (Benny Yu)

Acts 2:42-47 (NASB)

⁴²They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. ⁴⁴And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. ⁴⁶Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Benny Yu visited from Mexico City with a wide-ranging message about community based on Acts 2 & 3. He asked questions like “are we in awe of GOD?” and “what would we be willing to do for people we deeply love?” He pointed out that GOD sometimes answers prayer in ways we are not expecting and that we shouldn’t withdraw from GOD when He prunes us. As a highlight, Benny drew insights about Christ-following community from the lyrical stylings of Yo Gabba Gabba.

Listen to this sermon and others online!
http://noc.newsong.net/grow/resources/message-archives/

SOLFUL Maple Basketball

By Arnold Wang

Every Tuesdays and Fridays, portable basketball hoops are rolled out to a closed street at the corner of Truslow and Lawrence in the Maple District of Fullerton. About 15-25 kids, young adults, and volunteers come out to play ball. It may look like chaos on the streets, often playing eight-on-eight games with many uncalled fouls, turnovers galore, and much unintentional “crab walks.” However there is beauty in this chaos. This is what real community looks like when people come together to share in on the fun of life and sports.

Third Culture is a term often used at Newsong

Church for having the mindset and the will to love, learn, and serve people in any culture unlike our own. Like delicious food or good music, basket

ball is a universal activity, which can be enjoyed by people of all ages, cultures, races, and socioeconomic status. Finding the common interest in basketball, athletes, and the Lakers is just the bridge in build

ing a relationship outside the courts. Image what greater things can come out of this.

SOLFUL has been a great opportunity to serve and just love God’s people. It’s been a joy coming out here for the past four weeks and seeing the kids have so much fun. I can really see the improvement in their basketball skills. What’s more important, beyond the basketball, it’s all about the relationships that have been built. The respect we have for each other, and sharing the common passion for the sport of basketball. The late Coach John Wooden once said, “I always tried to make clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere.”

FULLERTON CITY PRAYER GROUP LAUNCH

If you haven't heard about Fullerton ACT, you need to check it our right now. Click through some of the pages, you'll get the jist. I am super excited to tell all about the new Fullerton City Prayer Group! It is led by our very own Heidi Tanner and other prayer leaders. The Fullerton CPG is exactly what it sounds like; they meet and pray for our city. Our cities have so many needs, and we worship and pray to the God who can change them, bring healing and restoration. We hope that this group will grow and that we will see our city change before our eyes according to God's will.

If you would like to be invited to the Fullerton CPG, please contact Heidi Tanner at FCPG@FullertonACT.com or of course you can just who up. Fullerton CPG is hosted by The Well church and is held on Saturdays. All the details are below! See you there!

Fullerton CPG
Saturdays @8:00-9:00 AM
Location: The Well 1701 W. Valencia Dr., Fullerton, CA 92833
MAP

19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18: 19-20

Spotlight on HEARTSPEAK

By Caroline Park

On June 27th in the home of Solomon and Sue Tang, the inaugural gathering of the single women at NOC took place and brought women of different life stages together. There was a strong, singular heartbeat throughout the evening, and as each respected individual of our community shared her life, the whole room almost seemed to breathe in synchronization. In addition, the sight of seeing that "click" occur in each woman's heart as something tugged at her heart or sparked a sense of curiosity, it was truly a privilege to witness. This was beyond what I had expected, and it was the opening of a floodgate that had been laying dormant for far too long.

For quite some time, God had been teaching me interesting lessons of connecting with women. For someone who does not have a pleasant bank of memories involving the female population, it was a million thorns digging into my skin each time an opportunity presented itself where I was forced to spend time and get to know women in my life. God seemed to have thought that the time had come to teach me even deeper, more difficult lessons the past several months, so he overwhelmed me with meeting after meeting, all of them filled with women. Even at work, I would walk into a class that I had to teach, only to find that it was at capacity with just-- you guessed it, women. Whether it was from the mothers on welfare who were struggling day by day to the successful career woman who was single and completely satisfied with her life, I began to learn. Soon, this learning started snowballing into a complete paradigm shift, and the scabs over my heart started crumbling, revealing a brand new surface that was rid of past hurts and betrayals. I started seeing the beauty in which God sees each of us, and even to this day, the bitterness is progressively getting smaller and smaller. This was when God instilled in me the desire to initiate a relationship with the single women of NOC and to unite them with the single purpose of pursuing Him together, with support and encouragement.

HEARTSPEAK was a miracle. To see all these women come willingly to listen to stories, to engage in discussion, and to walk into a vulnerable environment, it showed a lot of character and longing within the single ladies' community for connections to be made. Each of those women who were there were just like me where they needed a shift in their perspectives, and we were blessed to receive that motivation from the ladies who shared. Imagine Jesus sitting atop a hill, speaking softly yet powerfully to each person surrounding Him, eager to soak in every single word. This was what I saw before me as I sat there with thirty women in that space. Sue Tang and her sister Jenny, Irene Thompson, and Jeannie Kim poured out their hearts to us, speaking about the greatest Love of all, and how it transformed them through their triumphs over scars and prepared them for the men God had sent them. After a time of sharing, Cindy Park joined them to answer some thought-provoked questions which were answered honestly with no sugar coating. I noticed that the sincerity of these answers really moved some people to re-evaluate some situations that they may have been stuck in, so praise God that challenges were met face-to-face!

There are so many possibilities as to why God called each of these ladies to join Him at HEARTSPEAK. But whatever it was, it united all of us and it was a wonderful time to get to know each other, celebrate and mourn together, and simply get to know the role models who we look up to and strive to be more like. We're not perfect and we carry baggage that we feel are like weights tied around our ankles, disallowing us to feel lovable or even free of shame and guilt. But one of the biggest lessons that I learned from HEARTSPEAK was that God knows exactly what we've been through and He knows what we bring to the table. He wants us to trust Him though, because in His mad pursuit of our hearts, He's collecting the pieces and He's making us whole, so that when we come closer to His heart and we realize the truths of what He's trying to teach us, the gifts of life start pouring in. No matter what, we should never be surprised, right? After all, God is our ultimate knight in shining armor, our King. He is beyond our wildest dreams of Edward, Jacob, the perfect man... and he's just waiting for us to participate in this ultimate relationship.

SOLFUL Experience...

Proper Posture
by Lisa Mo

Reconciliation. It is Newsong’s one word vision. What does reconciliation mean in relation to people, to brothers and sisters in Fullerton? I was not thinking upon these lines as I signed up for Summer of Love Fullerton (SOLFUL). In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that I did not have the best attitude to volunteer. I thought, “I suppose I could spare one morning out of each week to help out.” It seemed like a minimal requirement for participation. And I did feel some obligation to participate since NOC was heavily involved in SOLFUL.

On the evening of Monday, June 14th, God changed my poor attitude and shifted my perspective. In an arid, hot, dim-lit, tile-floored room that fits 15 people comfortably, about 50 members from various north OC churches were packed, some of them streaming out of the narrow door. I glanced around and saw eager, anticipating faces of different ethnicities, young to mature. As the SOLFUL coordinators described the upcoming program, I felt I caught a glimpse of beauty, a glimpse of the church as who she is meant to be, in a spirit of unity and purpose. The crowdedness and heat evaporated in light of the beautiful, radiant bride of Christ around me. Simply amazing.

And as I walked to my car after the orientation, I saw apartments stacked beside each other—noisy, roach-infested, populated. Even in the midst of what some may call a street of poverty, I sensed God’s tender love for this Garnet neighborhood and was thankful that Solidarity had embraced them with it.

During the first couple weeks of SOLFUL, it was a humbling experience. Tommy Nixon, a member of our speaking team and executive director of Solidarity, had asked our group of volunteers to assist the moms in the community in running an arts, crafts and cooking program for the neighborhood kids. He cautioned us that the moms might try to hand over the coordination to us, but our role was to assist them only. I remember thinking, “That’s awesome!” But I didn’t know that it was going to be difficult for me to take a back seat. On the first day, I had to resist giving suggestions. I had to remind myself that I didn’t know better. I didn’t need to fix anything. I was there to experience and learn. Value the neighborhood moms’ ways of interactions, their management styles, and value them.

God tends to teach me lessons in multiple ways (perhaps I am not a fast learner) and so it was in this case. At one of our debriefing meetings, a volunteer asked if Solidarity had ESL classes for the neighborhood parents. I knew she had good intentions. English proficiency is an obvious asset (After all, I am an English teacher by profession). However, her well-intended question made me reflect on this point: “We’re still trying to help them.” And then a can of other thoughts opened up. We—middle-class, well-educated, socially advantaged, privileged groups—want to help them. Does the neighborhood see us as better? Have we put ourselves on a higher playing field by default, by having the attitude to help?

These questions reminded me of Jim Gustafson’s posture during his workshop session at VIBE 2007 (Newsong Alliance Conference). Jim has been an entrepreneurial missionary in Thailand for over 35 years and spoke on incarnational ministry. At one point in his talk, he bent his knee and stretched out his hand to demonstrate his posture to the Thai communities. He often approached them saying, “We want to be a part of your community. Show us, teach us.”

Even though the image of the bended knee and outstretched hand has been deeply etched in my mind these past three years, I’m still learning how to adopt that posture and I have that opportunity in SOLFUL. I wonder if this posture is also part of what reconciliation looks like. Are we willing to learn from others? Are we willing to value them and their ways? Am I?

I’m sure many other SOLFUL participants have had eye-opening experiences. Would you please consider sharing them with our NOC Community? Email us at noccomm@newsong.net.

SOLFUL Begins...

What happens when churches and groups of Christ followers band together and share their resources? Summer of Love Fullerton (SOLFUL) began this past week and will run through August 13th. Since the Fullerton School District is unable to offer summer school for students due to budget cuts this year, churches and organizations who had come together through Fullerton Advocating Community Transformation (Fullerton ACT) decided that they would provide it for the communities. The inception of SOLFUL to its birth was less than a two-month journey.

About 130 volunteers from over 15 churches and organizations are participating in SOLFUL in its three locations: Garnet, Maple, and Richman District. Programs range from morning to evenings; some are Monday through Friday; others, twice a week. Children from kindergarten through high school will be engaged in any of the following activities: learning centers, sports, cooking, art, gardening, music, cultural experiences, math and reading workshops, games, and dance.

Over 30 NOC members have committed to help during the seven weeks. SOLFUL “is about loving our neighbors in Fullerton, without reserve or condition. It is about our own opportunities to grow deeper with Jesus, to see where God is moving in our neighborhoods and join in.” Please join us in praying that lives will be transformed for all those involved — volunteers and children.

Participating Churches and Organizations:

• Anaheim Fullerton
• Burrito Project
• Cal Sate Fullerton InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
• Calvary Chapel Fullerton
• Eden Church Fullerton
• EPIC
• EV Free Fullerton
• Fullerton ACT
• The Gathering
• Lifeline
• Lifepoint Ministry
• Newsong NOC
• Purpose Community Church
• Rock Harbor Fullerton
• SaRang Community Church
• Side by Side Church
• Sojourners Community Church
• Solidarity
• The Rock
• Trinity Baptist
• The Well GMI
• Yorba Linda Friends Church
• ZOE Ministries

Volunteers came from more than 15 of the churches & organizations. Some of the groups have participated through prayer and support and donatations of many supplies that are needed. If you would like to contribute, please visit the SOLFUL info. table in the foyer.

SOLFUL is an initiative started by Fullerton Advocating Community Transformation (Fullerton ACT) which is an open forum amongst Christ-centered community leaders that encourage one another to take steps in transforming the Fullerton community. Fullerton ACT also works with the City of Fullerton through the Fullerton Collaborative to present the needs of the city to our church communities. SOLFUL: Summer of Love Fullerton is one of our first opportunities to unify as the church of the city and build relationships with one another and our communities.

cWOW Design Stars Project: The Nixon's Home

cWOW Design Stars Project: The Nixon's Home
by Angie Pang

You probably have seen or heard of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition before, and we witnessed our own version of it last weekend when Newsong Irvine's Design Stars team in partnership with Newsong Orange County renovated Tommy and Rachel Nixon's home in Fullerton. Tommy is one of our speakers at NOC and the executive of Solidarity, a non-profit organization whose vision is to "impact communities towards holistic transformation."

How was the Nixon family chosen for this free renovation? Tony Kim, who leads Design Stars, was in search of a deserving family and home to bless in an extravagant way — not just for the sake of being a blessing — but in hopes of furthering their Kingdom work and investing into what God is already doing through them.

When I heard this, I immediately thought of the Nixon's. I believe that God has called the Nixon family to this under-resourced area of Fullerton to be a home to the homeless and by this, I don't mean those without shelter, but the kids who live with their parents at their house, but don't have an emotional home where they can feel safe and loved.

I am personally inspired by the Nixon family, their faith, conviction and obedience to God's call on their lives to love those God's brought into their lives and so I wanted the Nixon's to be loved on as well, as they give out so much, in so many ways.

Check out the transformation of the Nixon's home.

Project Statistics:

• 3 days to do this project
• 8 spaces (including the front yard)
• 5 designers
• 70+ volunteers
• 11 trips to Lowe's
• 22 garbage bags of earth and trash

cWOW - stands for "church without walls." We believe our church is more than a building but its loving our community outside of our walls.

To find out more about cWOW Design Stars, check out www.joindesignstars.com.

Angie Pang is Director of First Steps at Newsong Orange County.

On My Shelf: Peppermint–Filled Piñatas (Eric Michael Bryant)

On My Shelf: Peppermint–Filled Piñatas (Eric Michael Bryant)
by Tom Hsieh

I believe that one issue God's been bringing up with me over the past few months is that I need to love others, and engage with others who are different from me. It's not easy for me to do because I'm pretty much an introvert. One resource that I've found incredibly helpful and encouraging is Peppermint-Filled Piñatas (Eric Michael Bryant).

I bought the book only because I thought it was required reading for the NOC retreat back in January 2010. The name of this book didn't inspire much confidence in me that it would be a good read, but it's actually been one of the most impactful books that I've read.

There are numerous passages in PFP that I found to be very profound. For one example, Bryant writes, "Rather than befriending and loving those who do not yet follow Christ, it seems that the longer we follow Christ, the fewer people we actually know who believe differently from the way we believe ... We have (inadvertently or perhaps sometimes purposely) isolated ourselves from the world around us" (p. 21). That passage describes me – over the years, especially as a parent with kids, my world has become very insular and small.

Another theme of the book that struck me is that we simply need to love others, and love is the most effective method of evangelism. In other words, building relationships and friendships with those who don't know Christ is the best means of winning them over to the kingdom.

One small step I've taken to try to break out of my "insularity," and to apply what I feel God's been putting on my heart, is going to Laundry Love. I'm very grateful for the people who run it (primarily the F3 small group), because they've done all the planning and work, and all I have to do is show up. I found myself making excuses even the first time I drove there (I'm tired, I don't really know anyone there, I'm not really good at socializing, etc.), but I'm glad that I've gone. I sincerely believe that we are blessed as we love others; not materially, but we get more of Jesus as we love others. I would describe going to Laundry Love almost as a selfish thing – that I need to go because it's good for the condition of my own heart to engage with and show love to other people.

I'll finish with these thoughts:

• The book is not perfect (I think the author touts his church a bit too much), but it includes many funny and entertaining passages. More importantly, there really are a lot of great insights in the book regarding the importance, difficulties, and joys in "relational evangelism"; and


• I'm really encouraged by the fact that so many people at NOC are engaging with and loving "the other," such as cooperating with Lifeline Church and Solidarity in trying to love the community in tough areas of Fullerton and Placentia, and ministries like Laundry Love and Burrito Project. I'm thankful for the opportunity to actively participate, in a small way, in what others here have started.

On My Shelf: Resource Recommendations

On My Shelf: Resource Recommendations
by Kumi Nakagomi

Practicing the spiritual disciplines is simply a key part of our journey of growing deeper with Christ, and not a "quick-fix" to life's problems. The biggest temptation that comes with practicing the disciplines is that we somehow buy into the lie that we're doing better spiritually just because we are practicing it. But the reality is that the spiritual disciplines are simply a means to engage more with God, not an end.

Why are the spiritual disciplines so significant? They allow us to

• know God more,
• know ourselves more, and
• cultivate a deeper relationship with God and others as a result of engaging with Him and allowing Him to engage with us.

Here are some resources that may help in your journey of growing deeper with God:

For a great overview and understanding of various disciplines:

• The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People (John Ortberg)
  This is an easy-to-read yet comprehensive book that helps spell out what spiritual disciplines look like in everyday life - and it's just very practical and easy to understand. Highly recommend this to people to anyone, regardless of where they are at in their spiritual journey.


• Celebration of Discipline (Richard Foster)
  I enjoy this book as it has so many "golden nuggets" of what the spiritual disciplines are all about and the different platforms that we engage in them (inwardly, outwardly, and corporately). Oftentimes when we engage in spiritual disciplines, we think it's just a personal thing, but it actually is not just individual, but also communal. This book provides a holistic approach to the spiritual disciplines.

For more practical exercises on the disciplines:

• Spiritual Classics: Selected Readings on the Twelve Spiritual Disciplines (Richard Foster)
  If you love to read and can appreciate various people's experiences and perspectives, I highly recommend this book. Foster is a guru in spiritual formation and disciplines, and I would recommend any of his books on specific forms of discipline (such as his books Prayer or Life with God, which are about reading the Bible), but Spiritual Classics is a rich book filled with writings from other Christian authors who have lived life with Jesus before us and so we have lots to learn from their insights and experiences.
  
  There are scripture readings, discussion questions for personal or small group use, suggested exercises you can do, reflections from Foster, and a bunch of resources for each discipline he mentions. This book is a great tool for personal or group use.
  
  There's also another book, Devotional Classics, which is great as well, and he just came out with a daily devotional called A Year with God: Living Out the Spiritual Disciplines which has gotten great reviews. Check them out!


• Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us (Adele Ahlberg Calhoun)
  The book has been very fundamental in my own practice as well as in teaching and guiding others in the practice of various disciplines. It includes a brief summary, reflection questions, spiritual exercises, and resources for each discipline. Very comprehensive and a great tool to have as a resource and guide.

Newsong Orange County also offers resources for spiritual growth on the info. stands in the foyer. Feel free to take them!

Kumi Nakagomi is Director of Spiritual Formation at Newsong Orange County

On My Shelf: The Monkey and the Fish (Dave Gibbons)

On My Shelf: The Monkey and the Fish (Dave Gibbons)

"This book is about becoming water, learning to adapt and become all things to all people. It's about being like Jesus, who is the living water." Dave Gibbons, founding pastor of Newsong opens his acknowledgments with these words and succinctly sums up his book, The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for a Third-Culture Church. If you are relatively new to Newsong, this book will give you a good overview of Newsong's values.

From the onset, Dave defines the church's calling to be a blessing to the nations with the term third culture, which means "the mindset and will to love, learn, and serve in any culture, even in the midst of pain and discomfort." Inherent in third culture are the two greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. He challenges us to consider who our neighbor is and how globalism is causing us to reexamine who the church is. How can we be "the most relevant, most vibrant, most vital element of people's lives"?

The contents of Dave's short chapter, "Three Questions That Become the Answers" are actually featured on our own website: 1) Where is Nazareth? (which could also be phrased as "Who is your neighbor?") 2) What is my pain? and 3) What is in my hand? Dave has used these three questions to guide his ministry and personal life. By allowing them to guide us, we can experience God taking us and enabling us to serve Him in a myriad of ways than just the traditional ministries. Everyone with their gifts and talents — including artists, businesspeople, community-development specialists, educators, health professionals, social-justice lawyers, spiritual support teams, relief workers, and economic developers — are all called upon to be God's holy priests (ref. 1 Peter 2:5). The church should be without walls and everybody plays.

Dave also brings in perspectives from innovative leaders around the world to share their thoughts on the status of the church and the third culture concept with an abridged version of their discussion in a chapter titled "Ripples." There is an interesting exercise toward the end of it that lists the attributes associated with Jesus and next to it, the common characteristics linked to the church. Do you think the list was vastly similar or different?

After the conclusion of the book, Dave provides practical steps of living out the third mindset and ends with the sentence, "Be water, my friend."

Even if you have been a Newsong member for quite some time, reading this book is a great reminder of many principles that we have heard directly or indirectly through the years and have embraced at NOC.

Dave Gibbons is the Lead Pastor at Newsong Irvine.