Proverbs 3:5 ESV 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.
1. Outcomes / “wins” 2. The World 3. Our Students
Changes in the World • Kodak (1998) 170,000 employees, 85% • Amazon & stores • Uber & Airbnb • AI and manufacturing • Cost of higher education • Analog vs. digital
Students First Generation that: 1. Doesn’t need adults to get information 2. Can broadcast their every thought or emotion in real time 3. Has external stimuli at their fingertips 24/7 4. Are socially connected at all times, but often they connect in isolation 5. Will learn more from a portable device than from a classroom 6. Uses their phone instead of calendar, camera, board game, etc.
Matthew 7:24 ESV 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
GENERATION Z UNFILTERED • Empowerment without wisdom • Stimulation without ownership • Privilege without responsibility • Involvement without boundaries • Individualism without perspective • Accessibility without accountability • Fluidity without integrity • Opportunity without resistance • Consumption without reflection
“Inspire and strengthen the hearts and minds of the next generation of leaders to serve, love, and impact the world in Christ”
Pastor Rick was inspired by this spoken word delivered by Christian Paige. He used it as an illustration in his message on Sunday, February 16 titled Incarnate in Sacramento the City of Trees.
Sacramento was initially called the “City of Plains” because it was mostly void of trees — but that quickly changed: A miner stuck 12 cottonwood trees in the ground near his tent. “That was the first planting in Sacramento.”
After, it was a community effort. Eucalyptus trees were among the first imported, helping to dry out swampy areas. Later, the city’s elite, including Margaret Crocker and C.K. McClatchy, influenced the planting of trees, including in Capitol Park.
By the 1930s, Sacramentans were planting one tree for every two residents, which sparked talk that the city had a more robust canopy than Paris. “We don’t have more trees than Paris,” experts said. “We have more trees per capita.”
Sacramento’s top city arborist, Kevin Hocker, says, “We have one of the top urban forests — in terms of numbers of trees, shade coverage, diversity, in terms of distribution of trees. “In every measure that you can measure, we’re up in the top.”
But as Hocker notes, the city can still do better. Land Park, a heavily canopied neighborhood, is also very affluent, and that’s mostly how it works in Sacramento: The wealthier the neighborhood, the more trees. Other ZIP codes in the city have tree coverage below 10 percent.
Apart from aesthetics, one reason experts say it’s important for cities to have urban forests as large as Sacramento’s is because people who live in tree-rich areas are generally healthier and happier overall, according to studies.
Have you ever attempted to read the Bible in one year? We believe the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. This year, we want to take the church and school on a journey through the Bible. There are several reading plans available online that you can access. We have chosen The Bible Project as a starting point if you are newer to this challenge.
Be sure to download the Bible app before services this weekend. It’s free! Find Pastor Rick’s sermon notes in the app each week.
If you have any questions about how it works, please find a volunteer on a Sunday morning and they’ll be able to help you set it up.
WEEKLY EVENTS
1- Find Capital by clicking “More” and then “Events” in the bottom right of the app.
2- Click on the map or type ‘Capital Christian Center’ into the search field.
3- When the notes are live, make sure to “Save” the event by clicking “Save” in the right top corner so you can access the notes after the message.
S.O.A.P.
Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
We want you to be devoted to Jesus Christ. Being devoted to Jesus is a life-long journey and we are committed to helping you along the way. Devotion to Jesus comes through devotion to the Bible, which is His Word written to you personally. We encourage you to use the SOAP personal daily devotional process. SOAP is an acronym: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. While doing this, write your thoughts down in a journal. Journaling is an excellent way to record and process what God has spoken to us. Without writing our experiences down, you may forget those blessings and some very important lessons!
SCRIPTURE
Take your time reading each chapter and allow God to speak to you. Look for a verse that particularly spoke to you and write it in your journal.
OBSERVATION
What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write this scripture down in your own words in your journal.
APPLICATION
Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Write how this scripture can apply to you today.
PRAYER
This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two-way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say and journal about it
From the beginning of Capital in 1916, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. We will do this collectively as a church in January. Together, we faithfully seek God first, trusting in His power alone to create lasting impact in our lives, our church, and our world.
21 Days of Prayer is For You
If you sense God has more for your life, 21 Days of Prayer is a great place to start believing Him for all that He has for you. As you practice seeking Him first, He will move on your behalf like never before. You will start to see the power of prayer impact your relationships, work, family, and every area of your life. Whether you join us in person or online, we would love you to be part of 21 Days of Prayer.
WEEK ONE FOCUS: OURSELVES
WEEK TWO FOCUS: OUR CHURCH
WEEK THREE FOCUS: OUR WORLD
21 DAY PRAYER FOCUS
OURSELVES
1. Wisdom & Self-Control
2. Reflecting on Jesus
3. Health
4. Renewed Passion to Serve God
5. Clarity to Hear God’s Voice & Obey
6. Compassion Towards the Hurting
7. Personal Vision for 2020
OUR CHURCH
8. Our Church’s Vision
9. Our Pastors & Church Staff
10. Growth Track & Dream Teams
11. Connect Groups
12. Capital Kids
13. 678 & Local Youth Ministry
14. MLK Day Celebration
OUR WORLD
15. Our City
16. Our Nation (Revival in America)
17. Our Leaders (Local, State, etc.)
18. The Lost
19. Missionaries
20. The Church (Body of Christ)
21. Closing Prayer Service
FASTING
The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out. It also enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God and prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives. Remember, your personal fast should present a level of challenge, but it is very important to know your body, your options, and, most importantly, to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
TYPES OF FASTS
Complete Fast
In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.
Selective Fast
Selective fasting involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.
Partial Fast
This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00am to 3:00pm, or from sunup to sundown.
Soul Fast
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.
Join us for special Thanksgiving service on Wednesday, November 27, at 7pm in the Auditorium. It’s a great time of giving thanks to God for His many blessings. Make it part of your holiday tradition! (Childcare available birth-4 years old.)
One of our favorite parts of this service is the open mic segment. Those in attendance are given the opportunity to say what they are thankful for. We love hearing stories of God’s faithfulness over the past year from those who attend weekly. It’s a highlight for all!
