For the last 3 1/2 to 4 years God has placed in me (Jason) a burden to have a school in Isla Vista that would teach and equip the next generation in the things of God. This last year I strongly felt God prompting me to go forth with this burden and to begin to take steps to make this happen. Officially the school will launch at the beginning of the school year in September of 2009. By the grace of God, a lot of prayer, and work we have been able to put together a brochure and a website to begin to get the word out and enroll people into the Community Living aspect of the school. As of next year, the house that the church has had under its banner the last 7 years, along with the prayer shed and the Jesus Burgers, will all be under the banner of the Isla Vista School of Discipleship. The school will be interdenominational and multi-church affiliated - I have been able to bring in pastors and ministry leaders from all different denominations and backgrounds. I believe one of the main strengths of the school will be its diverse background of teachers and topics being taught.
If you want to check out the brochure for the Isla Vista School of Discipleship you can upload it by going to the website: www.ivsod.com
We are very excited, but a lot of work is still needed before the school officially launches. Please be praying for all the logistics and for the right people to move into the home July 1st, 2009 - people begin to sign leases as early as January for the next school year.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
A Testimony of Friday Night Fruit
Here is a testimony from Jason of some fruit of the friday night outreach...
About 2 years ago I met a guy named Mike on a Friday night at Jesus Burgers. I still remember it very vividly: Mike was waiting in line with all the other partiers to receive a hamburger and when I looked at him from a distance, I instantly felt the Holy Sprit nudging me to go talk to him because God had been drawing His heart. When I walked up to him, I just introduced myself and asked him if he would want to hangout and talk about God sometime that week because I believed God has been talking to him about his life. He was surprisingly shocked I knew that and really wanted someone to talk to about it. Without going into great details about Mike’s life, he lived like most guys in IV. The first time I went over to Mike’s apartment he had a strip poll in the center, posters of women up, and empty bottles of liquor – you get the picture. Not to mention he lived with his girlfriend and smoked a lot of cigarettes. Over the course of the next year I began to meet with Mike and help him to hear from God and encouraged him to walk in the truth. I plugged him into a men’s group that I was leading and I tried to bring him around as much as I could. I even baptized him in the ocean in his Corona trunks one Sunday after church in the ocean. To make a long story short, Mike went to Europe for a study abroad program about 6 months ago and after he returned he moved back home to Anaheim. I was concerned for him, since his walk was very much two steps forward, one big step back. However, I knew God was responsible for him and that God had been growing him while he was living in Isla Vista. Then I received this email from him a week ago,
“…that set aside, i feel like i should let you know that the Lord has never been so evident in life before. Things are becoming a lot more clear and every day my mind is being renewed with the Holy Spirit. Along with some severe chastening i truly am starting to realize God has a special calling for me in my life and there is no time to be wasted in ungodly and worldly sins. After studying much more of the word and putting a lot more time in him i notice how it really starts to benefit me in ways that i wouldn’t expect to happen. Things like completely realizing the ignorance of false and worldly accusations and very lost people, and how our society is prevailing in many good ways but at the same time there is a huge black cloud of darkness and sin that completely engulfs some people, most of the people. I remember how you used to always tell me how this knarly and serious battle is constantly going on with us and Satan and i realize how true this is. I just feel a lot more free and happy and more independent. I really have you to thank ALOT for this. Yeah, i am a smart person but in Santa Barbara i could have gone straight down that path if i didn’t have someone like you there. Isn’t wonderful how God is there to help us in so many different ways and be a father to us at all times no matter what the circumstances are. gatta love our Lord!!”
Praise God! Please remember to pray for Mike – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.”
About 2 years ago I met a guy named Mike on a Friday night at Jesus Burgers. I still remember it very vividly: Mike was waiting in line with all the other partiers to receive a hamburger and when I looked at him from a distance, I instantly felt the Holy Sprit nudging me to go talk to him because God had been drawing His heart. When I walked up to him, I just introduced myself and asked him if he would want to hangout and talk about God sometime that week because I believed God has been talking to him about his life. He was surprisingly shocked I knew that and really wanted someone to talk to about it. Without going into great details about Mike’s life, he lived like most guys in IV. The first time I went over to Mike’s apartment he had a strip poll in the center, posters of women up, and empty bottles of liquor – you get the picture. Not to mention he lived with his girlfriend and smoked a lot of cigarettes. Over the course of the next year I began to meet with Mike and help him to hear from God and encouraged him to walk in the truth. I plugged him into a men’s group that I was leading and I tried to bring him around as much as I could. I even baptized him in the ocean in his Corona trunks one Sunday after church in the ocean. To make a long story short, Mike went to Europe for a study abroad program about 6 months ago and after he returned he moved back home to Anaheim. I was concerned for him, since his walk was very much two steps forward, one big step back. However, I knew God was responsible for him and that God had been growing him while he was living in Isla Vista. Then I received this email from him a week ago,
“…that set aside, i feel like i should let you know that the Lord has never been so evident in life before. Things are becoming a lot more clear and every day my mind is being renewed with the Holy Spirit. Along with some severe chastening i truly am starting to realize God has a special calling for me in my life and there is no time to be wasted in ungodly and worldly sins. After studying much more of the word and putting a lot more time in him i notice how it really starts to benefit me in ways that i wouldn’t expect to happen. Things like completely realizing the ignorance of false and worldly accusations and very lost people, and how our society is prevailing in many good ways but at the same time there is a huge black cloud of darkness and sin that completely engulfs some people, most of the people. I remember how you used to always tell me how this knarly and serious battle is constantly going on with us and Satan and i realize how true this is. I just feel a lot more free and happy and more independent. I really have you to thank ALOT for this. Yeah, i am a smart person but in Santa Barbara i could have gone straight down that path if i didn’t have someone like you there. Isn’t wonderful how God is there to help us in so many different ways and be a father to us at all times no matter what the circumstances are. gatta love our Lord!!”
Praise God! Please remember to pray for Mike – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.”
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