future history project

From the Mouth of Emma

2008-06-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

The fun that roles off Emma's tongue is non-stop. This week it has been so entertaining that we have to write some of it down. Enjoy.

Emma, "Let's use that YouTube thing today"
Translation, "Let's film ourselves with a digital video camera."

Emma, "My head's all full of that ancient stuff."
Translation "I watch the history channel a lot."

Emma, "I want a hundred bills"
Translation, "I require a lot of money."

Emma, "Sometimes I don't know half myself."
Translation, "Give me some grace. I am not always aware of when I am misbehaving."

Emma, "Honey comes from Bee-Barf-itt."
Translation, "Bees make honey by barfing combined with vomiting."

Emma "I'm a mini-missionary."
Translation, "I have never met a stranger and love to tell people about God."

i am the future history...

2008-01-30T09:46:00.000-08:00

What if this Generation Does More Than Rock?

2008-01-22T09:32:00.000-08:00

We are less then two weeks away from the Future History Sac gathering and twenty something are in the national news almost daily.

In 2004 much was made about the thousands of first time voters going to get out the vote rock concerts. Many predicted that a new youth movement would take over the political process in the US.

Kerry failed to inspire this but in this election cycle things already be different. 100,000 new under 30 voters came out in the cold of Iowa to caucus. New Hampshire also saw record numbers of literally thousands of new young voters actually engage in the primary.

What if this generation is about to do more then just rock? What if another 1967 summer of love is about to spread through the land?

If it does, will Christians be leading this movement or swept away in a tidal wave of post-Christian sentiment.

Whatever we are doing, we must admit it is not working right now. Twenty-somethings are the least likely group to attend church. They are under-impressed by our efforts. Maybe they are not looking for a cool new name for the next conference, or a worship band with smoke machines or coffee colored paint in the foyer of our buildings.

Maybe the are looking for Jesus and his higher calling for our world.

It may be too late. Maybe a political cause has already caught their hearts. I do not believe it has, just yet, but I worry I may be wrong. There still may be time for this generation to find the higher purpose of their true calling.

That is what Future History Sac is all about. If you want to be a part of this calling, join us on Feb. 2nd at Sacramento City College . We will start at 7 p.m. with a pre-function time to hang and get to know each other. At 8 we will begin the main happening of worship, interactive prayer and vision casting.

If you want to be part of the future come. Bring.

Phone Message

2008-01-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

I just got off the phone with Geary Jimenez of Harvest Church in Elk Grove. He told me that there is so much excitement for Future History Sac that the students in his group are changing their voice mail message to pump up the Feb. 2nd meeting.

"Hellow, you've reach the phone of Sally Smith and I want you to know about this incredible prayer mobilization movement of twenty somethings in Sacramento California." Cool.

Hey, we are still looking for input on the fellowship aspect of out meeting. We have not been able to find a room to put our "Pancakes and Painting" idea. We want to facilitate relationship. Following Jesus is all about loving others so this is important.

Anyone out there have an easy to pull of relationship facilitating idea for us?

Curt

future history sacramento is coming...

2008-01-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

Future History Sacramento is approaching quickly. Here is the lowdown on the night.

WHEN: February 2nd [Pre-function: 7pm. Main Happening: 8pm]
WHERE: Sacramento City College Auditorium [3835 Freeport Blvd]
WHAT: Celebration, Connection and Mobilization
WHY: Connecting and mobilizing hundreds of young adults to change our future history.

What would it look like to see multiple ministries coming together for one purpose: to change our future history. If you are a twenty-something or a leader who loves twenty-somethings, join us for a night of worship, prayer, vision, and connection.

Every major western revival began on a college campus. They started with a handful of twenty-somethings praying. What would happen if hundreds began to pray for the colleges and twenty-something hot-spots of Sacramento? It could quite possibly change the future history.

Spread the word and join us February 2nd at 8pm in the Sacramento City College Auditorium.

Circulating

2007-09-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

We have not tried to promote the FutureHistorySac project. First of all it has come togehter in an organiz way and it is still becoming whatever it will be. That said, I have been asked by about six differant sources to explain the bottom line reason for this effort. Here is what I came up with.
Curt

Revivalist Charles Wesley was a 20-year-old college student when his fate as a founder of the Methodist great awakening was sealed. Evolutionary naturalist Charles Darwin was 22 when he first set foot upon the Beagle. Pioneering missionary Hudson Taylor was 21 when he climbed aboard a boat for China. The father of all anti-supernatural philosophers, David Hume, embraced his convictions at 18. At 17, Spurgeon was a seminary student and in his first year of pastoring near Cambridge. Stalin also attended seminary at 17. By age 21, however, he dropped out to dedicate his life to the socialist movement he first encountered there.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the great majority of world-changers are set upon their course as young twenty-somethings. This historic trend is even more relevant today. According to prominent researchers Neil Howe and William Strauss, the current generation of twenty-somethings is likely to "emerge as the next great generation" in American history.

On top of this, we are in the midst of a massive crisis in retaining our young adults. According to Barna, "a majority of twentysomethings - 61% of today’s young adults - had been churched at one point during their teen years but are now spiritually disengaged (i.e., not actively attending church, reading the Bible, or praying)."

One reason we are not retaining these students is that we are not reaching the community colleges where the vast majority of them congregate. California has 3.5 million college students. Two thirds, or 2.5 million of them, attend the highly unreached community colleges. Similarly, the coffee shops, clubs, and places of employment of the young twenty-something often do not receive enough of our ministry focus. Many young twenty-something ministries struggle to reach critical mass. Most see less then 30 core members involved and a good number are under 15.

We cannot continue with these results and expect to see growing churches, new church plants, and fruitful evangelism in the next decade.

A coalition of leaders in Sacramento is trying to reverse these trends. Masters Commission Directors, young adult church staffers, church planters, Chi Alpha missionaries, and other early twenty-something based ministries have been meeting together for the past 6 months to prayerfully consider how we can raise the tide for all young adult ministries.

These meetings started with just seven leaders, but in August over 50 leaders, including senior pastors, district officials, church planters, missionaries, and business people, gathered to be a part of the FutureHistorySac effort.

These 52 leaders committed to gathering 200 more workers and reconvening on Oct. 16th to launch a prayer mobilization effort in Sacramento. On Feb. 1st. we hope to see this group grow to over 2000 in the city. If it works here, we hope to take this to other cities. Bottom line, by praying and working together, we can learn from each other and raise the tide of all of our efforts.

Choices made in the early twenties impact vocation, spouse, faith, and worldview for the next 50 years of life. If we are serious about reaching our world we must reach this group. If we do, like Wesley, Taylor, and Spurgeon they will send shock waves of revival through a sleeping modern church. If we do not, like Darwin, Hume, and Stalin will they use their enormous political and intellectual skills to convince another generation that God is dead?

Why?

2007-08-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

A coalition of leaders is trying to change the FutureHistory of the church in Sacramento by working together to pray for and mobilize young twenties. Why? Here are seven reasons.

1. According to prominent researchers Neil Howe and William Strauss (http://www.amazon.com/Millennials-Rising-Next-Great-Generation/dp/0375707190) the current generation of twenty somethings is likely to "emerge as the next great generation" in American history.

2. Barna tells us "that a majority of twentysomethings - 61% of today’s young adults - had been churched at one point during their teen years but are now spiritually disengaged (i.e., not actively attending church, reading the Bible, or praying)."

3. California alone has 3.5 million college students. 2.5 million attend Community colleges like Sac City College, Cosumnes River, Folsom, and American River. Neither local churches or para-church organizations have mounted consistent efforts to reach the community colleges.

4. This is the most pivotal time in adult development. Choices made regarding vocation, spouse, faith, politics and worldview during this time will impact the next 50 years of life.

5. Based on the evangelism success rates of churches that are over 25 years old, the rate of church decline and church closure, we can expect literally hundreds of Sacramento area churches to close their doors in the next twenty years. The only way to stop this is to see a massive influx of new church planters - i.e. the young twenties of today.

6. Masters Commission, young adult church staffers, church planters, Chi Alpha Missionaries and other early twenty something based ministries have all had some success in reaching and discipling this crucial group. By working together they can learn from each other and raise the tide of all efforts.

7. Many young twenty ministries in the Sacramento area struggle to gain momentum and reach critical mass. Most see less then 30 core members involved and many are under 15. By joining together with 2000 participants for prayer and mobilization we can help facilitate this momentum for multiple local ministries at one time.

a historic gathering...

2007-08-15T09:39:00.001-07:00

want to say a big thanks to all who made last night a great success. thanks to the church planters, master's commissions directors, chi alpha directors, young adult pastors and various leaders. last night was a historic gathering and God was happy.

pray for our october 16th gathering and your five leaders. we would love to hear your thoughts on last night and what you sense God saying to all of us.

the beginning...

2007-08-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

we are at the genesis of something that could be historic. a partnership between church planters, pastors, master's commission's directors, and chi alpha directors. the facts speak for themselves: twenty-somethings are not gravitating to church and none of us has done a good job reaching them.

but, this partnership could change everything. see you 8/14 at 8:14pm.