more encounter notes and such...

so there were little breakout things. one i went to was about grief and stuff. it was good. the other one i went to was for girls only and was about 'skeletons in the closet'. it was really really good. they talked some and then everyone did a checklist of stuff, anonymously. like bad, sinful things from insecurites to lying and stealing to sex outside of marriage and stuff. then they collected all of them and then redistributed them. so everyone had a sheet that represented someone in the room but no one knew who had who or anything. then they went down the list and if your list had it checked, you stood. so you could see how many other girls in the room struggled with that too. it was really eyeopening. cause so often we think that we're the only ones going through something, but so many other girls go through it to, we just don't talk about it.

the two-day breakout i went to was about evangelism in a postmodern world. it was about seeing the big picture of evangelism and stuff. heres some bullet points from that: (can't you tell i like lists and bullet points? ;)

-everyones on a spiritual journey

-God is already at work

-He wants to use you

-life is too difficult to not have someone in your corner

-we're just participating in the work of God

-God and the Gospel never change, but our culture and circumstances change so our ways of communication need to change.

-roots are getting shallower

-begin with exploring - find out what they really think/know/their world view

-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

-our culture is spiritually minded but biblically illiterate

-world news/philosophy doesn't fit reality

-http://www.iamsecond.com

-the Gospel online, bearing gifts, in events, embodied, in actions, in conversations

-care about the person - focus the conversation on them - ask questions and listen

-life doesnt work apart from God's plan

-sin is universal and primarily idolatry

-bring spiritual power into the conversation - praying, scripture...

-apart from Christ, world views don't work - they don't fit reality, they don't make sense, and they don't fit how life works

-don't bear the load of the work on yourself but participate in what God's doing

-be more concerned about them - ask permission - say 'sometime'

-Jesus had to be either Lord, a liar, or a lunatic.

there was also a 'prayer journey'. it was like a winding path with different stations. it was really cool. there was a booklet with things to read and react to at each station, as well as props and stuff to interact with. it was really really cool. its one of those things that you can't really fully describe unless you do it yourself. so i'm just gonna sort of summarize things that stuck me...

-the Christian life is not about Christ. it IS Christ.

-we are God's image bearers

-even our good deeds are considered to be filthy rags by God.

-what do you still hold on to as your own efforts to salvation?

-just as Christ died in your place, He also lived in your place

-when God looks at you He does not merely see one whose slate has been wiped clean... He sees one with a slate full of accomplishments!

-when you trust Christ, His record is counted as your own

-you are righteous in Christ

-God never intended for you to live the Christian life - only Christ can live the Christ-life!

-He now lives in you and desires to express His life through you

-as we rest in Him, He will express Himself through our lifestyle.

-we've been programmed to think of identity as inseparable from behavior - God determines identity not by behavior but by birth - we've been reborn in Christ

-when you put your trust in God, you are not a changed old creation, you are a whole new creation

-you are not just a sinner saved by grace. you are a saint who has the life of Christ at the center of your being - 1 corint 6:17

-you are blessed to be a blessing

-we live our lives on a sin-corrupted earth, between Eden and the New Earth - not our natural state

-the most ordinary moment on the New Earth will be greater than the most perfect moments in this life

-no fear

-what we do here matters

-"A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent" -John Calvin

-"They turned the world upside down becuase their hearts had been turned right side up." -Billy Graham

-"By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade." -Desiderius Erasmus

-"Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair." -Blaise Pascal

so yea. :)