We're migrating to a new site! We'll be combining with the rest of the Homegroups underneath the Koinonia (domain name) banner! Come catch us over here:
New Homegroup 1 Blog
See you over on the other side!
Here's a 3-minute excerpt from a message by Francis Chan. Watching this, I was challenged again and committed to confront and push through my fears as I live out Christian life.
As you study for finals, here's a couple of videos from the Seniors, who took a sentimental walk around the Berkeley campus remembering Gracepoint Live... even redoing the Intro video!
Here's their take on what Gracepoint Live would have looked like with and without different elements:
And here's their REDO of the Gracepoint Live intro video. I can't believe they did this!
Go Seniors! Finish strong, and we'll see you at your graduations!
It's time to Multiply Your Talents this summer! Every year we have a series of classes to develop people's talents and skills, from Photoshop to Photography to Music and Script Writing. They're also offering a couple GTS-type courses: Apologetics in Depth and Advanced Course 101. Class descriptions, prerequisites and more can be found on the MYT 2009 signup page.
Here's the video trailer. Watch it.
Gracepoint MYT Promo 2009 Video from john ko on Vimeo.
8 weeks, 11 classes, great training, and tons of fun! Fridays at 7pm starting on June 5, Gracepoint Fellowship Church will be offering these MYT classes in what has become an annual tradition.
Gracepoint Live, a biennial production of Gracepoint Fellowship Church Berkeley, was completed exactly a month today. It feels like it happened a long time ago, like in another lifetime or something!
Anyway, the freshman class put together this thank you video for their frosh GLive staff. It's a little shocking at parts, but if you like that kind of stuff, this might be your cup of tea. At least it's a great way to start off the week.
Here's a couple quick updates about the news today:
The Dwight sophomores (plus Andy) invited us over for dinner last week. It was trays of meat, one after the other, grilled on a hot plate and served sizzling hot.
Daniel S. even made yukaejang, courtesy Mangchee, who blogs about how to cook Korean food. It was a touching (successful) attempt!
After all that food, it made having LIFEgroup together really difficult. That's why for the first 20 minutes of LIFEgroup that week, all we did was sing really fast songs. Anyway, just wanted to thank and give a shout out to the sophomore brothers!
Special LIFEgroup this week. Brothers and sisters going together to Lake Chabot, where we'll hike in carrying our firewood (and marshmallows), get a roaring fire going, sing some worship songs, pray for one another, and close out the semester thanking God together. We're meeting Wednesday (4/29) at 8:25 PM on the corner of Parker and Hillegass. It'll take up pretty much the whole night, so get your studying done! If you have questions, ask your smallgroup leader.
(Updated 4/28) Thursday night, 4/30, Kevan & Jenny will be at Cafe Med on Telegraph from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. If you come by, we'll buy you a cup of coffee, and you can ask your questions, receive prayer, or just talk and hang out. Please sign up online. Of course, if you just want to drop by, come on by: Bring your books, study, and sit around with us!
Worldview Camp 2009 signups are available online. There's more info about what to expect on a previous post. Also, found the Worldview 2008 pictures so you can take a look at what we did last year.
Last Friday, we had a blast. After GTS, everyone crammed into the First Pres Gym to watch the SICK music video the freshmen made for their freshman staff following the smashingly successful GLive.
Then Homegroups 1 & 8 went to Westminster House, where we took personality tests, and then laughed at each other because of how accurate some of the descriptions were. Ice cream sundaes, line charades, hot wings, and acting out movies, it was a nice way to decompress on a Friday night. Some more pictures below, which, as always, are online at Flickr.
This is so good I have to share it with you. It's the start of the new message series in Joyland: The Gospel Time. Joyland is the children's ministry of Berkeley's Gracepoint Fellowship Church. What're you're seeing below is the intro video. Each week, the intro video is followed by one of the vignettes from the sophomore GLive skit, performed LIVE and onstage for the kids. Needless to say, the kids were thrilled at the first week and can't wait for more.
And if you're interested in volunteering for Joyland, you can start by checking out the beautiful Joyland website. Note that signups are online now for assistant teachers. There's other Joyland volunteer opportunities as well. Go take a look, and enjoy the video:
Joyland - The Gospel Time Intro from Nelson Wong on Vimeo.
This is the intro video for our new message series: Gospel Time.
The march to finals is on. Study hard! Here's the news for the week:
LIFEgroups on Wednesday night (4/22). Homegroups 1 & 8 sisters are meeting at 8:15 pm at 2515 Channing, next to Thai House. Homegroups 1 & 8 brothers are meeting at 8:30 pm at K.Ding's apartment. Let's hope it's not too hot. We'll be praying... for one another. And eating ice cream.
Thursday night is Home Time again at Kevan & Jenny's at Central. You're welcome to come over to eat dinner, hang out, and (if you're diligent enough to move to the next apartment for study hall) get some studying done.
Friday (4/24) is GTS, beginning at 7:00 pm at First Pres. Afterwards, Homegroup Wait (on the Lord... as in Homegroup ONE and EIGHT = WAIT) is hanging out at Westminster House. We're calling it Fun Fever since I had a fever earlier in the week... and also because it's so hot these days and it's going to be FUN. (Guys have setup... be at Dana House at 5:30 pm)
Homegroups 1, 2, 6, and 8 have NorthLoop cleaning this Saturday (4/25). We're meeting at 11 am at NL, and then grabbing lunch together afterwards and studying.
And don't forget to sign up for SummerFest and Worldview Camp. If you have no idea what these are, check out the previous blog post, which has good descriptions and info, plus links to the online signups.
Last Friday the Jr. Brothers hosted the homegroup freshmen and sophomores for a night of fellowship. Starting off with some heart-warming cheezy-sticks, the atmosphere quickly warmed up as Cranium became the chosen game. Early on the freshmen team was dusting the junior and sophomore teams. As any junior would attest, it was largely because of miserable rolling (Rolling a 1 four times in a row isn't easy-) and because of the sophomores' stanfordium luck. (Red data cards simply aren't suited to Berkeley students)
As it turns out, the Sophomores "won" the game. For punishment, they had to do a model walkoff. Due to sanitary reasons (we don't want any acid-refluxes) the video recording is not posted (Many would argue that the punishment was thrown back on the audience). Instead, here's a kosher video of our night: Enjoy!
For you guys thinking about what to do with your summer, check out Worldview Camp, an annual tradition for college students to take a couple days to train and equip their minds with some of the most relevant current topics:
This summer, we're putting on SummerFest for ImpACT (Impaction Asian Communities for Tomorrow), a non-profit organization aimed at academically and personally enriching underprivileged kids from Oakland elementary schools. SummerFest is going to be awesome, but we're going to need plenty of help from volunteers, everything from drivers to lunch prep to team leads to teachers, and much more. If you're interested, check out SummerFest Info and Signups page online. 
Good Friday and Easter Service are over. We had a wonderful weekend celebrating the cornerstone of our Christian faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross. I hope it was a meaningful weekend for everyone, a chance to personally connect with the God who loves us. Afterwards, we had a great potluck with all of Koinonia, played sports, and enjoyed the sun. More pictures to come, but a couple are up on our Flickr site.
Some quick announcements:
LIFEgroups this Wednesday, 4/15. Check with your smallgroup leader for more info.
Home Time (that means dinner) at Kevan & Jenny's on Thursday night, 4/16. You're welcome to come over, eat, and hang out. If you need to study, bring your books. We'll lock you up in the apartment next door! If you need a ride, let me know (at kevanhoATgmailDOTcom).
GTS this Friday, 4/17, back at First Pres, beginning at 7:00 PM. If you have homework, make sure to do it!
Baptism Service this Sunday, 4/19, we have 23 people getting baptized at Gracepoint Berkeley's worship service. You're invited to come and hear their stories. We won't be able to hear all their stories, but we can celebrate all together. Worship Service starts at 11:30 am, following the 10:00 am prayer meeting. (Note: Koinonia is in the overflow for the month of April)
If you want a Summer DT Journal (spans all 3 months!), order them online. Order form will be closed May 6.
Gracepoint Live is really over... As we all decompress, breathe a collective sigh of relief, and wistfully recount all the fun, laughs, and hard work with our friends, it's time to start sharing pictures and stories.
But got a couple announcements:
Live from Berkeley, Gracepoint Live! It's here and it begins tonight! This is it!
For all performers, we're meeting at Willard tonight (Friday) by 6 pm, and Saturday morning by 8 am. Please get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. After Saturday's final performance, we'll head out together and celebrate! And then Sunday after service, we'll celebrate some more with the rest of Gracepoint Fellowship Church: Praxis, ISM, everyone who chipped in and helped!
There's plenty of information about when guests of the performance should come, whether or not you have a ticket over at our Gracepoint Live website!
With all the people who're coming this Saturday, here's some quick information. You can pass it on to your friends who are coming to the performance:
These days, it's been non-stop GLive practice. All last week, while the rest of campus was away on Spring Break, Koinonia, acts2fellowship and Kairos were putting in practice time so we'd be stage ready. I think we're mostly there.
There's a runthrough on Wednesday night, and then our first showing is on Friday. That'll be in-house so we can iron out the transitions, audio, and video and all that tech stuff. And then it's one, two, three performances on Saturday! Yikes! The day is here.
I've been mostly helping out with the juniors (with some on-the-side contracting work for the sophomores!), but our fearless drama directors--Daniel and Sarah--have been bringing our production slowly along. Everyone's putting in long hours, showing up at practices faithfully, even lugging their books to cram in studying during the sporadic downtimes.
If you haven't signed up already, make sure to reserve your spot at Gracepoint Live, showtime's this Saturday, April 4th. Three showtimes: 11 am, 3 pm, 7 pm... don't miss out!
There's tons more pictures online if you want to see what's been going on and share in the memories!
A couple weeks ago, some of the juniors and frosh went to Fenton's Creamery and yes, they all tried The Fenton's Challenge: 3 pounds of ice cream in 15 minutes, plus toppings and bananas. Some people would find this gross. On the other hand, there are others who would admire the audacity and fortitude of going up against such odds.
All 7 who attempted the Fenton's Challenge that night finished. Among them was one brother who has completed (some would say, "dominated) the Fenton's Challenge previously at 11 minutes, and the second time, 6 minutes. So we no longer face the question, "Can he finish it?!" No. Now we can ask, "How long did it take him this time?"
That would be the correct question. The answer, however, might be disturbing for some. Watch at your own risk.
H.1 Fenton's Challenge from kevan on Vimeo.
Some of the guys went to Fenton's and did the challenge. All 7 of them, in fact. One guy, Mike, had completed the Challenge previously... twice. He's going for his third time. This is all just part of having fun, I guess. At least for the guys.
GLive is just a couple weeks away. Spring Break is the big push as all the different classes get ready. Everyday practice! Get professional, look good, deliver the lines, stand in the right place, never-ending, but terribly exciting to be working together.
Saturday, 3/21, was a workday at NorthLoop. Praxis and College, working on props, working on scripts, eating and talking, cardboard, foam core, spray paint, Photoshop, audio splicing. Nice.
Here's a snipped from field report, Eddie C.:
GLive Workday - Props from kevan on Vimeo.
Saturday, 3/21, was massive workday for GLive at NorthLoop. All sorts of people from Praxis to College converged on the warehouse and started to put different things together so they would be stage worthy and beautiful. Fun.
This week we're moving our GTS and GLive practices to Thursday in anticipation of Spring Break!
The guys are meeting for LIFE group at Kevin D.'s apartment at 6 pm, Thursday night. The staff'll bring dinner so just bring yourselves and your DT, and then we'll head to GTS together after. Here are the meeting rooms for GTS:
At long last, I uploaded our Santa Cruz pictures online. What a day that was. The junior guys across Koinonia and Kairos took time off from their busy schedules and decided to go on the mother of all one-day outings. The night before, we had GLive practice at NorthLoop, and decided to just stay the night in Alameda. First though, we packed the supplies, got the firewood, and then rewarded ourselves with late night In-N-Out. The next morning, we packed up our stuff, cooked up home made egg mcmuffins, and did our devotions together through Luke 11.
The day was packed:
GTS as usual is at 7 pm tonight at First Pres.
But beforehand, come join us! We're heading to Nations, home of famous southern burgers (and salads, if that's your thing) and wondrous banana creme pie! We're meeting at Anna Head West at 5:15 pm to grab some food at Nations, and will be back to First Pres so we don't miss our GTS classes.
As usual, GLive practices afterwards. Be prepared!In other news this past week:
Gracepoint Live is coming up fast. Less than a month away. The GLive website is live (no pun intended). There's a neat video online too, which I've embedded below:
Romans 13 is our Scripture Reflection for this week. Here are the questions:
MON Romans 13:1-4
• What is the state of my relationship with those who have authority in my life?
• What place does fear have in the way I relate with those in authority?
• What can I do to be free of fear of those in authority?
TUE Romans 13:7-8
• What vision of human relationships is pictured here?
• What hinders this vision from becoming reality in my life?
WED Romans 13:7-8
• Who are the people I interact with? What do I owe each of them?
• Who are the people I may not interact with, but towards whom I owe a duty of some sort?
• How would a person’s relationships change if he went from the attitude of “people owe me” versus “I owe people”?
• Which of these two attitudes typically characterize me? How can I specifically begin to give people in my life what I owe them?
THU Romans 13:8-10
• Reflect on the truth that love is the fulfillment of the law. Why is this so amazing? How does this change the way I view people in my life?
• Reflect on the truth that all of the commandments are summed up in the command to love my neighbor, and the truth that, when I sin, I am doing “harm to [my] neighbor.” How does this motivate me to become a person of greater love and greater obedience to God’s commandments?
• What does it mean to love your neighbor “as yourself?”
FRI Romans 13:11-12
• What characterizes the “present time”?
• Why is it important to”[understand] the present time?”
• What is it that causes me to slumber?
• What are the things I’m called to do as “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.”
SAT Romans 13:11-13
• What does it mean that “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed?”
• What does it mean to put on the “armor of light?”
• What is the relationship between “[putting] aside the deeds of darkness” and “[putting] on the armor of light?”
• What are the deeds of darkness I need to “put aside?”
SUN Romans 13:14
• What “desires of the sinful nature” dominate my thoughts?
• What practical step is being urged in the words “do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature?” How can I specifically carry out this advice regarding my thought life?
• What does it mean to “clothe [myself] with the Lord Jesus Christ,” and how can I specifically carry out this exhortation in my life?
On Friday, the juniors went to North Loop and embarked on a brave new world: taking on the GLive skit on our own as just Koinonia. A2F and Kairos paired up to tackle the skit on their own too. It was a lot of fun reading lines, acting, seeing the yoga people do their thing.
Any juniors want to chime in here how it went?
Here we are again, for another rundown of this week's news:
Thursday night, apparently, has been labeled fun night. The soph guys are going to Fenton's (will Eddie attempt the Fenton's Challenge again?), and the girls are doing their own thing, incorporating studying with tea-sampling and pastry-testing.
Another thing happening on Thursday night: Ultimate Frisbee for the freshmen. It's an optional thing for those who are bored Thursday (or sick of studying!) nights and want to unwind with their friends. I believe the juniors are hosting. 8-9 pm @ North Field (near Hearst Gym & the Bancroft tennis courts). It'll be an ongoing weekly thing.
Friday night: GTS Courses at 7 pm, as usual, at First Pres. And then GLive practices. Did you know GLive is happening in exactly a month? April 4th. Some of the things I've heard:
This Saturday is awesome day for the junior guys across Koinonia: we're heading to Super Santa Cruz Saturday to hit the ropes course, climb the rock wall, play football on the beach, and put together a roaring bonfire for our hot links and clam chowder, and then sing our hearts out on the beach beneath the night sky.
Don't forget, this Saturday is Daylight Savings. It's Spring Forward, meaning we lose an hour of sleep, so you have to advance your clocks forward!
This past week was cool. At least for me it was, but also as I observe all the things that were happening around Berkeley. On Wednesday night, the guys had LIFE group where we had a chance to share what we've been getting out of our devotionals, pray for one another as we confessed our needs, and just had a chance to bond and recharge in the middle of the week. LIFE group, in case you don't know, consists of Listen, Intercede, Fellowship, and Engage. The girls also met together on Wednesday night.
Thursday, Jenny and I, Daniel and Sarah (from a2f Gold) hung out at the YWCA for three hours, sitting through audition after audition of junior guys and girls who were giving it all for GLive. And speaking of GLive, after GTS on Friday, the juniors and seniors went to NorthLoop, where we got a 20-minute acting do's and don'ts from Daniel, and then broke up into practices. Though the junior skit is secret, little parts are leaking out here and there. Well, I have to leak out this yoga girls scene... which was strange (but fun), to say the least!
On Thursday, some of us went miniature golfing. That's when I found out Andy C. is the Tiger Woods of mini-golf. He carried my team and we gave a whoopin' to Eddie and David. But in the end, we bought them frozen yogurt anyway as consolation.
The other thing that happened Thursday night was a crazy meat-eating fest at Dana House for all the Koinonia Freshman guys. Apparently, someone cooked up a big pot of meat, and all the guys just sat around eating, talking, and laughing. Most people had just finished their midterms, so it was an opportunity to decompress and just connect with one another again.
Saturday, we all went UCSF studying. The library here was very serene, overlooking the SF Financial District, Downtown, Golden Gate Park, and Golden Gate Bridge. Very conducive to studying. We took off in the morning, had a very light lunch (of Chinese barbecue pork buns), and had a scrumptious dinner to reward ourselves for time well-spent hitting the books. As you can see, the guys were knocking out faster than can say "knock-out", and the girls, to their credit, were fully awake and engaged. There's plenty more pictures of people who were knocked out on our flickr site.
And last week, we started with a birthday celebration for Steve and Suzanne, our Koinonia directors (did you know they have office hours you can signup for online?). It was a short, but meaningful time to recount what kind of role they've played in all our lives here at Koinonia as we shared some of their idiosyncrasies, habits, and stories.
In addition to the GTS classes--Gospels, Church 101, SK1, and SK2--plus our week's scripture reflection through Luke 10, God has really been alive speaking to us and in the midst of our fellowship and daily lives together!
Since our servers have only recently come back up, wanted to post the questions for you guys. It's all part of our Devotions, which we do daily: going to God's Word and asking ourselves, "What can I learn about myself? What can I learn about God? How is He speaking to me today?" We meditate on one passage (usually a chapter) for the entire week, focusing on different parts of the chapter each day. Our Scripture Devotion is Luke 11 this week.
The questions are really useful to help us start thinking about the text. Here they are:
Monday, March 2
Luke 11:1-4
• How does addressing God as “father” change my view about prayer and how I relate to God?
• What is implied in praying for the honor due to God’s name and His kingdom before other prayer topics (cf. Matthew 6:33)?
• How often do I pray for forgiveness for my sins?
• What is the relationship between confessing my sins and being able to forgive others?
• Write a personal version of the Lord’s Prayer with the following specific points:
- In what way do I want to see God’s name being hallowed and where do I want God’s kingdom to come to?
- What is the daily bread that I need to ask God for?
- What specific sins do I need to ask God to forgive today?
- Who are the people I need to forgive?
- What temptation do I need to be delivered from?
Tuesday, March 3
Luke 11:1-11
• What does Jesus’ instruction to pray for “[God's] will [to] be done on earth as it is in heaven” imply about what is happening on the earth?
• What can I learn about the importance of prayer and my role in advancing God’s will?
• What is the main point of the parable of the friend seeking bread at midnight and what lesson does it teach about prayer?
• Are there some situations in my life where I am refusing to come to God in prayer? What does this reveal about my view of God?
• How should v.9 be understood in the context of vv.10-13? What would cause a person to desire the Holy Spirit as the gift that they ask from God?
Wednesday, March 4
Luke 11:14-20
• What is revealed about the people who questioned Jesus’ authority after witnessing this miracle?
• Notice that the Pharisees could not possibly have known that Jesus drove out demons by Beelzebub. What, then, explains the authoritative and knowing tone of their pronouncement regarding the true source of Jesus’ power?
• In what ways am I, or have I been, like the Pharisees?
• In what ways has “the kingdom of God [...] come upon [me]“? What has been my response to this?
Thursday, March 5
Luke 11:14-26
• What does the empty house symbolize?
• What constitutes a house being swept clean and put in order?
• How does this passage clearly show the reality of two kingdoms in this world (the stronger man vs. the strong man)?
• What warning does this passage give to those who “clean up their lives” but do not allow God to fully occupy?
• How much do I see being occupied with God’s presence and His work as protection over my life?
• How much am I relying on the stronger man Jesus to “overpower” the strong man sin in me?
Friday, March 6
Luke 11:27-32
• Why does Jesus consider a person blessed “who hear[s] the word of God and obey[s]?”
• Why is Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ demand for a miraculous sign so harsh?
• How is the Son of Man for “three days and three nights [being] in the heart of the earth” enough sign for us to respond to God?
• What is Jesus saying about the efficacy of “miraculous signs” to change the attitude of someone already prejudiced against submitting to Christ?
Saturday, March 7
Luke 11:33-36
• What may be the reason why Jesus talks about lighting a lamp and placing it on an unconcealed place right after reminding the crowd that the men of Nineveh repented after Jonah’s preaching (v. 32)? In this context, what does the light from the lamp symbolize? Since being filled with darkness or light is dependent on our eyes (v.34), what determines the good or bad condition of our eyesight (perception)?
• What lessons can I learn regarding the power of the eyes (i.e., what I see / focus on)?
• What have my “eyes” been full of? What has that done to my heart?
Sunday, March 8
Luke 11:37-53
• Why were the Pharisees consumed with their outward religious activities but negligent of their inner self?
• Why was this so disturbing to Jesus?
• Why was Jesus particularly harsh with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law?
• Reflect on the six woes. Which one am I guilty of?
• What are the inconsistencies in my life that I have not been acknowledging?
• What are things that God cares about that I am ignoring?
Wondering what's happening in these parts other than midterms? Let me tell you:
Some people are still recovering from the past weekend's snow trip
. We got plenty of pictures from the trip and even a snazzy video too. You can check out our extended coverage of the snow trip and get filled in.
There's GTS this Friday, as usual: Gospels, Course 101 and 101x, Survival Kit 1, and more. We'll meet all together at First Pres., 7pm, in the Gym, and then split into our classes from there. For those of you in Church 101 and SK1, make sure you do your homework!
After GTS, there's GLive practice! Not that much longer before we're on stage. We're scheduled for 3 performances on Saturday, 4/4. Anyway, time to get serious. Ongoing GLive signups are online.. It'll help the different skit directors plan for roles and make sure you have a speaking part, get on stage, and don't get missed.
These days, everyone's stressed. To combat all that stress, we're going studying this Saturday, 2/28. We're heading to another college campus, utilizing their marvelous library, and grab a delicious dinner (to reward ourselves) at the end of the day before coming back to Berkeley. If you want to get some studying done, then this Saturday's the time to do it. Join us. Let your smallgroup leader know.
We met Saturday morning and headed up to the Sierras. A brief stop at McDonald's for breakfast and before we knew it, we were in a winter wonderland of fresh snow. It was fantastic. We played 3-way capture the flag, pitting the Koinonia upperclassmen vs. All Berkeley freshmen vs. USF/SFSU. We poured red Kool-aid on the ground to mark boundaries, and then people started blowing through enemy lines trying to capture flags while avoiding would-be tacklers.
Then we went up the sled run, bringing up inner tubes and our swashbuckling adventure spirit, then plummeting down the slopes. The sled run was lined with friends and staff holding out snowballs and other cold wondrous gifts for the trip down. There's a lot more pictures online at our Flickr site as usual, and John from H.5 uploaded another set of pictures online too.
And because you want to see it again, here's the video that was made after our awesome day in the snow. Make sure you're there next time!
Snow Trip 2009 from kevan on Vimeo.
All college freshmen and Koinonia upperclassmen went up to Sierra Lodge to see some snow. While there, we ran into the students from SFSU and USF, and we quickly got to know each other pretty well, throwing each other into the snow and playing capture the flag. Between the snow fights, the sled runs, and the good food, we had a great time. We were a little sore, but it was awesome.
Since our servers have been down (for Gracepoint Fellowship Church), our access to this week's Devotion questions have also been down. Never fear, however, here they are (courtesy Pastor Jonathan's weblog):
Monday, February 23
Luke 10:1-8
• Why does Jesus send the disciples ahead of him? (Cf. Luke 3:4-6)
• Jesus saw this world as a harvest field. Some people view the world as a place to make one’s mark; others, as a place full of dangers and threats; others, as simply the context for their personal agendas. What is my view of the world? Contrast this to how Jesus views this world.
• How does this challenge my view of what I should be doing with my life?
Tuesday, February 24
Luke 10:1-8
• Why does Jesus tell them to ask God to send out workers into his harvest field?
• What does Jesus’ statement, “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves”, say about the nature of kingdom work?
• What is ironic about Jesus telling them to not take anything right after telling them that he is sending them out like lambs among wolves?
• What should be the attitude of the disciples about basic necessities of life?
• How were the disciples going to be provided for?
Wednesday, February 25
Luke 10:9-16
• Why were the disciples told to treat those who do not welcome them so harshly?
• What is the relationship between the miracles performed in these cities (Korazin, Bethsaida) and their responsibility on the day of judgment? What warning does this have for me?
• What does it mean when he says “the kingdom of God is near”? Am I living my life in view of this fact?
• How does v.16 elevate my responsibility as a Christian? Do I understand my role in the lives of unbelievers?
Thursday, February 26
Luke 10:17-21
• Contrast the source of joy described in v.17 and in v.20. What lesson is there here about the key to having lasting joy?
• What are “these things” that are hidden from the wise and learned?
• Contrast the attitudes of the “wise and learned” to that of the “little children.” In what ways am I like the “wise and learned?”
• How is blessing defined in this passage? Do I see that I possess the greatest blessing in life?
Friday, February 27
Luke 10:30-37
• What underlying attitude of the heart is behind the response of the priest and the Levite when they saw the half-dead man?
• What rationalizations might they have given for their avoidance?
• What is significant about the fact that it was the Samaritan and not the priest or the Levite who ended up helping this man in need?
• According to this parable, what is Jesus’ answer to the question “Who is my neighbor”?
Saturday, February 28
Luke 10:30-37
• List what the robbers did to the man and analogize it to what sin does to people.
• List what the Samaritan man did for the dying man and analogize it to what Jesus does for people.
• In what ways was Jesus like this Good Samaritan for me?
• In what ways is the “inn” a fitting picture of the church?
Sunday, March 1
Luke 10:38-40
• How might have Martha felt about herself and about Mary as she was busy with “all the preparations”?
• What is the irony of Martha’s question to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care?”
• Would she have felt this way towards Jesus if Mary were not in the scene?
• When do I have this kind of Martha-like mentality?
Luke 10:41
• What does Martha’s bitterness reveal about her priorities?
• What can we learn about the difference between Martha’s and Jesus’ evaluation of Mary’s priorities?
• What is the “one thing” Jesus is referring to?
• What are the “many things” in my life that distract me from focusing on my relationship with God?
Here's the news for this week:
Snow trip this Saturday! For the freshmen, it's an All-Freshmen Snow Trip to Sierra Lodge across all of Koinonia, Kairos, and a2f. Sign up online. You'll be out all day, from 8 am to 8 pm.
The upperclassmen, not to be outdone, are going on a snow trip of our own. It'll just be Koinonia, sophomores through seniors, and we'll hit the slopes at Soda Springs, home of killer sled runs and lots of fresh snow to give your friend a mid-semester present. Sign up online so we can figure out rides and food.
Our GTS (Gracepoint Training School) starts tomorrow, Friday (2/20) at 7 pm, First Pres. We'll be all together across the different fellowship groups for announcements and a time of music and praise. Then we'll split up into the different classes: Course 101, SK1, Church 101, the Gospels, and more. If you haven't signed up, don't worry: just come and we'll figure it out when you get there. But if you're taking Course 101 (or 101x), you have homework due tomorrow!
Oh, and before GTS, H.1 and H.8 will eat dinner together at Chang Luong at 5:30 pm. If you can make it, come join us.
After GTS, there's GLive practice! Oh my gosh, only 6 weeks to go! Anyway, we'll be introducing the different skits tomorrow, and start practice... can you believe it? There's been scores of people working on the scripts, and I know of a group of brothers who drove down from our Davis Waypoint Church to be here all week to help write GLive scripts. One difference this year is we're asking you if you'd like to participate, please sign up online for GLive. It'll help the different skit directors plan for roles and make sure you have a speaking part and get on stage.
That's pretty much it for now... and here's a video from this past weekend's Valentine's Day of Compassion visit to Hilton House, Oakland. Thought it'd be nice to see for those of you who missed it. If any of you who went with us want to comment on your experience, please do!
H.1 Valentine's Day of Compassion 2009 from kevan on Vimeo.
It's a Gracepoint tradition that on Valentine's Day, we buck the societal trend that celebrates Love with flowers, roses, and romance. We believe love is a lot more than that, and so our homegroup joined with many others to spread out across the Bay Area to spend Valentine's Day with those who could use our company, love, and presence to be with them on this day.
Upcoming Saturday (2/21), it's AWESOME day. Yes, it's a different sort of name, I know, but just wanted to share that with you. Why is it Awesome day? It's because we're having an all-Freshman Snow Trip! Romp around in the snow, get your friends, practice your aim and see how fast (and accurate) you can throw a snowball at moving targets (AKA other freshmen). Plus the sledding and snowman building. It's Awesome day. Sign up online now! And you can start prepping by doing your work and setting aside all day Saturday, from early morning to late at night, and getting your snow gear in order. The freshmen will head up to the Sierras where it's been snowing all week and have the first (of many) fun bonding times as a class. Don't forget to sign up to reserve a spot in a car and some food!
The rest of us (meaning the sophomores and juniors) are headed for a day trip to Stinson Beach, where we'll barbecue, walk along the coastline, frisbee, football, and enjoy some time away from Berkeley. Sign up online for our Stinson Beach trip so we can plan for food and rides.
In other news, this past weekend was really great. We had a chance to celebrate Valentine's Day together as a group with the rest of our church. We decided to break the cultural norm of the Hallmark'd over-commercialized roses, teddy bears, and chocolates holiday. That's not love! Love is God's love, and we sought to express it by going to convalescent homes and shelters throughout the Bay Area on this day when "Love" is celebrated. Love isn't mere romance, it's more than that.
So homegroup 1 went to Hilton House in downtown Oakland and spent time with the 16 residents there. While there, we sang a couple songs for them (Amazing Love, Your Love is Deep, and Zephaniah 3:17). Eddie gave a message sharing what God's love is really about, and even used a couple glasses of water and red food coloring to bring his point home. We finished out our time by singing some more, and working on a gift we had prepared for each of the residents: a picture frame with the words from Zephaniah 3:17,
The LORD your God is with you,It was stirring for all of us to be there, and I think most of us would agree that we received more than we gave. It was a chance to hear their stories, spend time with them, and give them the dignity of being God's sons and daughters. There's plenty of pictures online, so make sure you check it out on the Flickr site.
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
After we left Hilton House, we went to Oakland Chinatown, ate some yummy dimsum, and then went to a plaza to grab boba and other sweets and pastries. Later in the evening, the girls had their Valentine's party, and the guys ate some In-N-Out and then made a ruckus at the local gym playing volleyball and basketball.
It's the third week already! Here's a couple highlights of things that are happening!
* Dr. Craig Hazen, Professor of Comparative Religions and Apologetics from Biola, is joining us this Friday, 2/6 @ 7pm, 155 Dwinelle to discuss Christianity in a World of Religions. 
* There's also an all day training session on Saturday w/ Dr. Hazen. If you're interested, you can sign up online. Cost is $10, and it'll go 10am to 4pm @ Willard Middle School Auditorium.
* This semester, there'll be Friday night Courses in lieu of big group bible study, including Course 101, Survival Kit 1, Church 101, the Gospels, and more. Sign up online by 2/8. There's also plenty of information about what classes are offered, a description of each, and a list of prerequisites and requirements. Take a look.
* GLive practices are going to start soon! Watch out.
* Gracepoint's Sunday Service schedule has changed! We start Prayer Meeting at 10:00am, and Worship Service starts at 11:15am. Dorm pickups are only available for Foothill, Stern, and Bowles from 9:20-9:40am. There'll be lunch after service each week.
* Allen's posted some good info about our Valentine's Day of Compassion activity, which is coming up soon. Check it out and sign up!
* Pictures from Winter Retreat are also online...
A wonderful annual tradition started a few years ago when our sisters decided that they would no longer conform to the pattern of this world by buying in to the romantic views perpetuated by Valentine's Day. Instead, they turned an ordinarily lonely day into a Day of Compassion by visiting homeless shelters and convalescent homes throughout the Bay Area, spreading God's love and sharing His compassion with others in need.
This year on Valentine's day (Sat., Feb. 14), we're planning to visit the Center for Elders Independence in downtown Oakland in the morning/early afternoon, and here's a chance for you to get involved! We hope to do similar things as we've done in the past, such as singing, giving a short message, doing arts and crafts, and simply spending time talking to the elderly. You never know what kind of impact young college students can have in the lives of those who may be ignored or forgotten on this day.
Here's a video of what it looked like a few years ago, and here is some sharing from people who have participated in the past.
Please sign up to let us know if you would like to participate in this year's Valentine's Day of Compassion!
Hey guys,
For this Friday, we're going to be having a Bible study combined with H2 (Joe and Annie's homegroup). We'll provide rides at 6pm from Anna Head West and start with a scrumptious dinner too. Contact Eddie for rides and more info.
Also, there's been a change of plans for this Saturday: because the weather has been very warm, snow has been melting and conditions are not good for sledding. So for this Saturday, we're going to have a college wide BBQ and sports with everyone from Koinonia, Kairos, and A2F! Again, we'll provide rides from Berkeley -- meet at Anna Head West at 10:15am. See you there!
Let Allen know if you have any questions!
happy new year! tomorrow (Friday, 1/2/2009), we're not having our regular bible study. instead, all of koinonia (those who are around) are getting together at Emily's house in Alameda, and we'll have dinner all together. after dinner, we'll talk about and share based on this past week's DT in Revelations 22. and then we'll play!
we'll start dinner at 6:30pm. if you need a ride, let your smallgroup leaders know (or me).
and for the rest of you still at home, hope your new year's was very safe, happy, and fun. those of us in town all got together and made dumplings, and then cooked them every which way that we could: frying, deep frying, boiling, steaming, you name it, we did it. and then when we were all dumpling'ed out, we played a traditional Korean game (yoot-nori), which involved a lot of stick throwing and yelling until we got hoarse.
in other news, the Cambodia Winter Mission Team is leaving in just a couple days, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers: Kevin D, Michael K, Hannah P, Irene K, and Tabitha A. we can't wait to hear their stories and testimonies upon their return!
It's been an exhilarating last few days to close the door on 2008 and kick off 2009! On December 29, some of us (Kevin Ding, David Yang, Brandon Cho, Brian Cho, Robert Kim of Kairos, and myself) ventured out to Valencia, CA to go crazy on roller coasters. Needless to say, it was pretty awesome.
Granted, roller coasters can be pretty scary, but I take it like a man, and when I scream, it's a man-scream that goes like "muuuu-awwwhhh." You can tell from the pictures just how much fun we were having. Kevin Ding was having a little too much fun posing for the camera. As for everyone else, I'm not sure what they're doing.
Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying their time on vacation and being productive. Don't keep clicking on Bearfacts for grades, it's not the way to spend winter break. Neither is just eating and sleeping, though that sounds really good right now. Read a good book and spend some quality time with family. We'll see everyone soon! Happy New Year!
