San Clemente Beach Bash & Retreat 2014

Over the Labor Day weekend, The Stream made it's annual trip to San Clemente, CA for fun in the sun at the beach.  Along with all the fun at the beach, we camped once again at the San Clemente State Beach Park, had church on the beach, a fried chicken dinner Saturday night, and fun around the campfire.  We had stellar weather, great conversations, and made lasting memories.

Come join us at The Stream, and make plans to join us on Labor Day weekend in San Clemente next year in 2015!

Running for the Prize

This past Tuesday night at the The Stream's Tuesday Night House Group, we continued our discussion in the excellent book The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. During our discussion we came across this passage:

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (ESV)

In applying this passage to personal growth in holiness/godliness, we can see the importance of training and discipline. Consider the extensive discipline and training that an elite champion athlete undergoes on a year-round basis (time commitment, workouts, nutrition, rest, coaching, mental and physical focus). All of these things are to be commended. In a similar way, and even more so, Christians ought to apply the same intentional discipline, training, and zeal towards the pursuit of God and godliness.  The champion athlete gets a prize, a reward, a wreath that is perishable, but the Christian receives eternal rewards that are even greater.
Do you apply the same kind of intense level of discipline, self-control, and pursuit of your goals for godliness and holiness as an elite champion athlete pursuing their goals?

In what specific ways is God leading you to step up your efforts, discipline, and goals towards godliness? 

The Stream Women's Retreat 2014

Friends, laughter, learning, worshiping, relaxing, eating, late nights, early mornings, prayer, communion…. we packed a lot into 40 hours! On the weekend of March 28 – 30, Jesus met us in Mesquite, Nevada at the Casa Blanca Resort where we held our 2014 S.W.i.M. retreat. 

Our theme this year was God’s Extravagant Grace.  Lauren Scott and Rachelle Windham led us in heavenly worship, and Carol Stewart, Julie Smith and Linda Salyer spoke on grace between friends, strangers, enemies and finally the extravagant grace of the cross of Christ.

In the midst of typical casino atmosphere complete with an outdoor rock concert, we drew near to God!  Through moments of teaching, sharing and quiet reflection, we found His amazing grace to be our jewel in the desert.

Loving Relationships

We call it loving relationships, its one of our Streams of Water (Core values of our church).  Here's a description of it from our church web page at www.thestream.us/values.php

Loving Relationships (John 13:34-35; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

If you appreciate making good friends and developing solid relationships with other people, then come be a part of The Stream. We believe that the church should be a loving family where people can truly connect with others, and that is what we want to see in this church. The Stream will strive to be a welcoming and loving community of people who help one another follow Jesus, while also having a lot of fun together. We will care for one another, challenge one another, encourage one another, and when necessary, forgive one another. We will seek to discover, exercise in an orderly way, and use whatever gifts God gives us to build up one another and to serve others (1 Corinthians 12-14).

Some of the ways we cultivate this is simply by spending time together. People at The Stream go out to lunch together, they have meals together in homes, they go grab coffee or a workout together, they meet in what we call "House Groups" (our name for small group fellowships/Bible studies/prayer times).  We even go on trips together.

In the last week, house groups met, over 30 people made plans for a trip to San Clemente for our Labor Day Beach Bash and Retreat, and we had a super fun "big game" party (even if the game was a blowout).

The Stream is a place where you can make good friends and have a lot of fun in the process!  Here are a few photos from our cookout this past fall that illustrate the loving relationships we're talking about!

Looking for loving relationships?  Come join us at The Stream! (Sundays at 10am at the Scout Center).