SUMMIT Magazine | Issue 21 | Relationships Matter

RELATIONSHIPS matter. TRUTH matters. WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR LIFE matters. YOU MATTER.

Fall 2013//Issue 21

CONTENTS

Issue 21// Fall 2013

05

RADAR

05 How Things Work. Ever wondered what the various departments and staff do, or how a service comes together? We take you behind the scenes for a look at the inner workings of Summit.

08 Meet Zach Van Dyke. Get to know the newest member of Summit’s Teaching Team and his family!

CONNECT 10

A Journey to Belief. The story of how one mom—and ultimately the whole family—was led to church and a relationship with Christ by her young daughter.

14

Doing Life Together. Ambia Valentine and her Connect group know the importance of connecting in Christ-centered relationships.

20

An Unexpected Friendship. One was a volunteer mentor at the 33rd Street campus; the other was an inmate. Today, they call each other “friend.”

RETHINK 22

Going Deeper. Kailey Newkirk sits down with Organizational Development Pastor Jeff Kern to get the scoop on Summit U and find out why the learning, community, and service combination is so important.

28

Community Matters. reGROUP Director Jack West gets insight from A Marriage Seminar’s Dr. Dan Allender about the way God designed us to live in community.

32

Why Say “I Do”? In a time when so many marriages are falling apart, Teaching Team Member Jim Keller takes a closer look at what makes this special relationship work.

36

10

20 32

40

Living in the Moment. Mother of four Jill Kern offers words of wisdom on deepening the relationship between you and your children—and it’s a lot easier than you might think.

FAMILY

40 Families Reconnect. Four families share how their time at Family Camp helped them to unplug and focus on what really matters: each other.

45

A Safe Place for Students. Student reGROUP, Summit’s newest ministry, equips high schoolers to face life’s toughest challenges.

ETC. 49

Light Society. Three friends channeled their passion for sharing God’s love and their musical talent and turned it into something truly amazing.

49

a LETTER from

DEAR SUMMIT FAMILY, I recently shaved our bunny’s head.

I tell you this for two reasons. First, I do not expect that statement is often true, and since I do not anticipate it being true of me again, I figure this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to say it. Secondly, I tell you this because I learned a couple of valuable lessons through the experience.

The story started when my wife and daughters went on a girls-only trip to Savannah. There they joined some other women in my family and did the things that ladies do on such a trip. They wore fancy hats, did their nails, rode in carriages, ate at ice cream parlors, etc. Meanwhile, I was left with our three sons to fend for ourselves.

The first sign that the world was not as it should be (or at least I was not as I should be) was when I took on the responsibility to shop for our groceries. Not having the normal list and budget from Brandy, we just decided to buy every awesome thing that we saw and then live on the fruits of our awesomeness. However, our awesomeness ended up not including any fruits, or vegetables, or really much of anything other than meat and cheese.

As the days passed and we slipped into a grilled-meatinduced stupor, our decision-making became increasingly feral and eerily linear and shortsighted. We saw problems and addressed the problems directly, even unthinkingly.

For example, my oldest son didn’t like how the collar of his t-shirt was bunching up, so he walked into the kitchen and cut off the collar. Problem solved. And we all quietly nodded our approval before resuming our consumption of some smoked pork.

It was around this time that we decided that the fleas we had found on our floppy eared bunny, G.K. Chesterton, presented a problem that needed to be solved. So G.K. Chesterton became the focus of our attention...

Lesson 1. There is certain lack of refinement in decisionmaking that happens when the women in our house are gone. While they were enjoying the perks of being refined southern women, we were rapidly approaching caveman status. In the weeks since, I have often pondered how close we came to losing our humanity, how the absence of someone can have such a profound effect.

The reality is that I need Brandy. I don’t need her just in order to have a balanced diet, but in order to be who God wants me to be. Often I will see my quick problemsolving tendency as a gift to Brandy, and occasionally it is. However, I don’t often appreciate how her civility gives substance and maturity to my actions. It is very likely that

THE PARKERS John and his wife Brandy have been married since August 1999. Their greatest joy is raising their children, adopted from Ethiopia: Mulunesh, Sinkenesh, Archike, Samuel, Abush, and Aschalew.

I would be an off-the-grid, swamp-dwelling, occasionallymistaken-for-a-sasquatch wildman if not for the gift of being in relationship with someone as remarkable as my SCOTT COOK wife. Our relationship matters.

In this issue of the SUMMIT MAGAZINE, we are focusing on the part of our vision that speaks to the topic of relationships—Christ-centered relationships. When we think about relationships, we may often think in terms of what we have to offer or would like to receive from a relationship.

While there are many such realities in our relationships, this magazine will be an invitation to have Christ be the center, to give purpose to your relationships. In doing so, we seek first to honor Him and serve those He loves rather than seeing relationships as a way of meeting our needs or fulfilling our goals. With Christ at the center, relationships are a byproduct of going to church, but are realized as the substance of being the Church.

God didn’t give me Brandy because she would be so great for me, though she is. Nor did He give me to her because I am, of myself, all that great for her. Rather, He gave us each other because He is good for us. The same idea goes for our children, our friendships, our Connect group, etc. The social benefits of relationships are not the goal. Jesus being more fully formed in our lives is the goal.

While I have to admit that the idea of being an off-thegrid wildman does hold a certain appeal at times, I would never choose that over the joy of being in the family I am in or the church I am in. In both sets of relationships, I feel the work of God in my life. That reality causes me to remember that relationships matter.

If you are wondering what the second lesson I learned is, here it is. Lesson 2. Once it is shaved, bunny hair doesn’t necessarily grow back.

JOHN PARKER, Lead Pastor

SUMMIT’S VISION To form biblically functioning communities that reach lost people, connect in Christ-centered relationships, teach truth, serve others, and worship God. Learn more at summitconnect.org

ONE CHURCH, MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Summit has four campuses: Summit Herndon, Summit at 33rd Street, Summit Lake Mary, and Summit Waterford.

Whichever campus you attend you will experience the same vision, strategy, worship, and teaching.

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Meet the Staff ADRIENNE EVANS //Controller Adrienne’s job is to ensure that the financial processes and systems at Summit result in accurate financial reports. Adrienne has a BS in accounting from UCF and a Master of Science in accounting. Part of the Summit family since Easter 2009, Adrienne was on the “Going Local” launch team for Summit Waterford, where she currently serves on the First Impressions team. Adrienne has a daughter, Jordan, and two sons, Owen and John. She loves to play sports, go to the beach, and watch good movies with her kids.

Magazine Issue 21 // Fall 2013 STRATEGY TEAM Lead Pastor John Parker // jparker@summitconnect.org Worship Pastor Andy Simonds // asimonds@summitconnect.org Organizational Development Pastor Jeff Kern // jkern@summitconnect.org Administrative Assistant to John Parker Lauren Gaines // lgaines@summitconnect.org TEACHING TEAM Teaching Minister Jim Keller // jkeller@summitconnect.org Teaching Minister Zach Van Dyke // zvandyke@summitconnect.org ONE CHURCH: MULTIPLE LOCATIONS @ HERNDON Campus Minister Eddie Kaufholz // eddie@summitconnect.org Children’s Ministry Director Deanna McLellan // dmclellan@summitconnect.org Children’s Ministry Evening Service Coordinator Melanie Snavely // msnavely@summitconnect.org Elementary Large Group Coordinator Kristen Marks // kmarks@summitconnect.org Elementary Small Group Coordinator Lindsey Cornett // lcornett@summitconnect.org Preschool Ministry Coordinator Jill Kern // jillkern@summitconnect.org Student Ministries Director O.J. Aldrich // oaldrich@summitconnect.org

LOGAN HAAG //Technical Director Logan and his wife, Amanda, found Summit back in 2010 after they moved to Florida so that Logan could attend Full Sail University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in show production. They’ve been avid volunteers at the Waterford campus ever since.

Logan joined the staff in March 2013, leading the tech department by working closely with our campus tech volunteers and helping them strive for consistency and excellence in the production of services. Logan and his wife have five kids: Caiden, Rylan, Kellen, Toben, and Brennen. In his free time, Logan enjoys backpacking, biking, snowboarding, going to the beach with his family, and riding his motorcycle.

Student Ministries Coordinator Sarah Badders // sbadders@summitconnect.org Middle School Minister Ryan Warner // rwarner@summitconnect.org High School Coordinator Kim Clark // kclark@summitconnect.org First Impressions Director Jessica Meyer // jmeyer@summitconnect.org First Impressions Coordinator Amy Scott // ascott@summitconnect.org First Impressions Administrator/Bookkeeper Mercedes Langdon // mlangdon@summitconnect.org Worship Intern Mikaela Johnson // mjohnson@summitconnect.org @ WATERFORD Campus Minister Sam Arocho // sarocho@summitconnect.org Ministry Coordinator Jenny Winderbaum // jwinderbaum@summitconnect.org Children’s Ministry Director Doris Herrero // dherrero@summitconnect.org Children’s Ministry Intern Nicole Sweet // nsweet@summitconnect.org Productions Coordinator Kate Land // kland@summitconnect.org Worship Coordinator David Burleson // dburleson@summitconnect.org Technical Coordinator Ben O’Riordan // boriordan@summitconnect.org Student Ministry Coordinator Cody Stanley // cstanley@summitconnect.org @ LAKE MARY Campus Minister Garry Abbott // gabbott@summitconnect.org Ministry Coordinator Teresa Pratt // tpratt@summitconnect.org Children’s Ministry Director Tracy Beeson // tbeeson@summitconnect.org Worship Coordinator Josh Pearson // jpearson@summitconnect.org

KIM CLARK //High School Coordinator Kim was first invited to Summit by her Young Life leader about five years ago. She jumped in by volunteering on the First Impressions team, became a partner, and was baptized in October of 2011. Kim’s primary responsibility is running The Edge, Summit’s high school ministry, at the Herndon campus every week. Kim has a passion for creating a fun environment where high school students can come to experience and hear from Jesus with their peers and leaders. When not at Summit, you can find Kim watching movies or laying around in hammocks at the park.

@ 33RD STREET Campus Minister Bill Behr // bbehr@summitconnect.org Ministry Coordinator Abbie Abbott // aabbott@summitconnect.org CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Multi-site Children’s Ministry Director Tracy Beeson // tbeeson@summitconnect.org Children’s Ministry Curriculum Coordinator Jessica Gomez // jgomez@summitconnect.org BCL Coordinator Darling Murray // dmurray@summitconnect.org BCL Content Coordinator Michael Murray // mmurray@summitconnect.org LOCAL & GLOBAL MISSIONS Community Engagement/Multi-site Development Director Garry Abbott // gabbott@summitconnect.org Community Engagement Coordinator Elizabeth Cronlund // ecronlund@summitconnect.org Missions Coordinator Nathan Boyett // nboyett@summitconnect.org Volunteer Benevolence Coordinator Niki Wilkerson // nwilkerson@summitconnect.org SUMMIT CONNECT reGROUP Director Jack West // jwest@summitconnect.org Summit Connect Coordinator Will Dickinson // wdickinson@summitconnect.org

2 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

Relationships Matter KRISTY-LEE LAWLEY

LIFE OF PI was on HBO this weekend. The novel by Yann Martel has been on my must-read list for the past three years, and though I have owned the book that long, I have never actually picked up the pages to read it. So, I thought I would give the 2013 Oscar nominee a try.

What I found was a story about survival and a young man’s relationship with his boat-mate—a 450-pound Bengal tiger—and God. (I will not throw any spoiler alerts in this article.

Everything I just said you can deduce either from the movie trailer or the back cover of the book.) See, Pi Patel’s family owns a zoo in India but decides to sell it for a better life in Canada. On their way across the sea, the cargo ship they are sailing on capsizes, leaving Pi orphaned and one of the only survivors. Through a series of tragic events that consist of a lot of crashing waves, Pi finds himself on a boat with the remaining survivors: a zebra, Orange Juice the orangutan, a hyena (I knew I never liked them after The Lion King) and Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger. Soon after, Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger, and Pi are the only ones on the boat.

There is a point in the movie when Richard Parker jumps out of the boat to find fish. At this point, my husband leans over to me and says, “I would let him drown.” Now, Rob is a lover of animals, but he is also a practical thinker. Wouldn’t this solve Pi’s plight? Pi already has to worry about surviving being shipwrecked—the wide, vast ocean, the fierce sun, the hunger, the sharks, the seasickness—but he also has to worry about a tiger… who wants to eat him. But Pi does not leave Richard Parker to die; he saves his life. Why? A few reasons that I deduced: 1) Pi had already experienced so much loss that to lose Richard Parker and for it to be at his own hand would have killed him. 2) The Bengal tiger was keeping him alive: “Without Richard Parker, I would have died by now. My fear of him keeps me alert. Tending to his needs gives my life purpose.” And 3) God does not want us to live in isolation. And through their journey, Pi actually came to think of this tiger as a companion.

The point to my rant about Life of Pi is that relationships matter. God puts people in our lives who we are to breathe life into and in turn allow to breathe life into us. Over the last three months of this magazine’s planning, we have explored what relationships look like in the context of family, work, Connect groups, and church. We asked Summit attendees to share their “Aha! moments”—the moment when they discovered how much God loved them, and in turn, they couldn’t help but extend that love to others. In the Connect section you will find these stories.

In this issue’s reThink section, some of the Summit staff took on relationship questions about marriage, work, family, community, and God. We asked them to share helpful tools and biblical principles that will have us growing deeper in our relationships with our spouses, friends, co-workers, children, and God. Through being a part of this process and having the opportunity to read the attendees’ stories of their journeys to discovering the importance of relationships in their lives, I have become more intentional with mine. You will hear us say often from stage, “Life is better together.” And when we are fully engaged in community, loving the people God has given us to love, and showing them they matter to God on a regular basis… Isn’t it? I hope after reading this issue you will find yourself, like me, digging deeper into the relationships God has placed around you!

GOD PUTS PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES WHO WE ARE TO BREATHE LIFE INTO AND IN TURN ALLOW TO BREATHE LIFE INTO US.

KRISTY-LEE LAWLEY //Communications Director //Editorial/Art Director klawley@summitconnect.org

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Contributors

Magazine Issue 21 // Fall 2013

GINA MARCHMAN //Photographer Gina first attended Summit while she was in town on vacation, back when the Herndon lobby still had popcorn machines and a candy counter! About four years ago, she moved to Orlando and made Summit her church home for good.

Gina has loved the opportunity to photograph integral parts of people’s stories for SUMMIT MAGAZINE. Growing up in Niceville, FL, Gina always had a love for photography. Since becoming a part of the Summit family, she has photographed events including niceSERVE, BCL, and Beach Baptism. Gina and her husband and high school sweetheart, Alan, attend the Lake Mary campus.

COMMUNICATIONS

KALEB HARRELL //Writer Kaleb was introduced to Summit in 2008 by a young lady he was asking out on a date.

She declined, but told him to meet her at church the next morning. Since then, Kaleb has been part of multiple Connect groups, the Prayer team, and most recently, a SUMMIT MAGAZINE contributor. In late 2010, Kaleb was baptized at Summit’s Beach Baptism. He’s a co-founder of the restaurant Hawkers and loves running with his boxer, Jada. Oh, and that girl who invited him to Summit? They’re engaged! Kaleb and Jillian will be married this November.

MAGAZINE STAFF

RACHAEL ROGERS //Editor Rachael and her husband, David, found Summit about four years ago when looking for a church that put a big emphasis on serving. They have a heart for raising their two sons, J.T. (3) and Blaise (1) to know the church as a community of people who serve God and serve each other. Rachael and her family are now part of the Lake Mary campus, where they serve together each week. Rachael has been on the SUMMIT MAGAZINE editing team for two years.

She’s a stay-at-home mom who loves to write and hang out at playgrounds with her boys.

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Communications Director Kristy-Lee Lawley // klawley@summitconnect.org Communications Manager Virginia Schultz // vschultz@summitconnect.org Communications Administrator Tiffanie Brunson // tbrunson@summitconnect.org Communications Administrator Tiffany Goad // tgoad@summitconnect.org Editor & Content Coordinator Rebekah Crosby // rcrosby@summitconnect.org Media Coordinator Brian Hogan // bhogan@summitconnect.org OPERATIONS Controller Adrienne Evans // aevans@summitconnect.org Facilities Director Jeff Porter // jporter@summitconnect.org Bookkeeper/HR Administrator Kailey Newkirk // knewkirk@summitconnect.org IT Administrator Brad Wiltfang // bwiltfang@summitconnect.org WORSHIP Creative Director Greg Perkins // gperkins@summitconnect.org Worship Coordinator Cory Quintard // cquintard@summitconnect.org TECHNICAL Technical Director Logan Haag // lhaag@summitconnect.org Lead Audio Engineer Joel LeGros // jlegros@summitconnect.org Technical Administrator Brendan May // bmay@summitconnect.org

Editorial/Art Director Kristy-Lee Lawley Managing Editor Rebekah Crosby Layout Artist Jeremy Kennedy | Contributing Artist Isabel Ibanez/ 9th Letter Press Editors Nathan Boyett, Lauren Gaines, Shannon Harmon, Abby Holmes, Jessica Meyer, Rachael Rogers, Del Schwalls, Ashley Simonds Contributing Writers Rebekah Crosby, Will Dickinson, Ashley Brit Ellis, Lauren Gaines, Kaleb Harrell, Elizabeth Hunter, Jim Keller, Jill Kern, Angie Kline, Kristy-Lee Lawley, Jeremy Lukens, Sarah Joseph, Bethany Marinelli, Eddy Moratin, Michael Murray, Kailey Newkirk, Cory Quintard, Melissa Stillman, Sean Porterfield, Ryan Warner, Leah Warren, Jack West Contributing Photographers Ryan Bowden, Scott Cook, Gina Marchman, William Arthur Photography, Kristine Rhome, Mark Ronhaar, Lauren Schumacher, Rachel Vasquez, Melissa Watkins, Rachel Whited-Smith VISIT US

Summit Herndon

Summit at 33rd Street Jail

735 Herndon Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803

Service Times: Sundays, 7:30 p.m.

Service Times: Thursdays, 7 p.m.,

(This service is for the Horizon Wing

Sundays, 9 a.m.*, 10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 6 p.m.

inmates at the Orange County Jail.)

(*ASL interpreters available at the 9 a.m. service)

Summit Waterford 11602 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, FL 32825 Service Times: Sundays, 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m.

Summit Lake Mary (Inside L.M. High School Auditorium) 655 Longwood Lake Mary Road, Lake Mary, FL 32746 Service Times: Sundays, 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.

CONTACT US Herndon, Lake Mary, 33rd Street Office: (407) 897-8130 // Office Hours: M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Waterford Office: (407) 601-4911 // Office Hours: M-F, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Email: summit@summitconnect.org FIND US ON THE WEB: www.summitconnect.org

HOW THINGS WORK Ever wondered about the workings of the many Summit departments? Wondered what our various leadership teams are for?

Thought to yourself, “What does the staff do all day?”

Wonder no more. We’re taking you to work with us!

THE DEPARTMENTS Strategy Team //

Multi-site Development //

Children’s Ministry //

These are the senior staff members responsible for leading the church and its ministries according to the pattern in the Scriptures: Lead Pastor John Parker, Worship Pastor Andy Simonds, and Organizational Development Pastor Jeff Kern.

Summit is one church with multiple locations, and this team is responsible for the planning and launching of new campuses in Central Florida, from the early stages of team building and site development, to getting a brand-new Summit community up and running.

They lovingly care for your kids each week in Base Camp while you attend worship services.

They’re teachers, actors, organizers, writers, singers, coordinators, crafters, and most of all, they love children.

And while the kids might be little, the responsibility this team carries is a big one: communicating week in and week out to your kids that God loves them, that Jesus wants to be their friend always, and that God has big plans for their lives.

Campus Ministers //

The Vision for Multi-site

They’re the ones who lead Summit’s congregations at Herndon, Waterford, 33rd Street, and Lake Mary. They’re responsible for providing pastoral care for the Summit community. Meeting people where they are and helping them get connected in service and community are what this team is all about.

By having locations spread around Central Florida, more opportunities are created for people to invite their friends, neighbors, and co-workers to be part of what God is doing through Summit. Multisites also allow us the opportunity to serve in new areas and build relationships in communities where we were previously limited because of distance.

Teaching Team // This team’s purpose statement is: Calling people to take their next right steps by communicating one vision through diverse voices characterized by relatable authenticity, oratory excellence, sound doctrine, and a depth of biblical, historical, and cultural understanding. What does this mean for you? The unique opportunity to hear the same sound, biblical truth from more than one voice—a concept modeled by the early church in Acts.

Speaking of the Teaching Team, have you met our newest addition, Zach Van Dyke? Read more about Zach and his family on page 8!

Student Ministry // This dynamic team has the challenge of helping students take steps toward God and the plan He has for them. They organize weekly large and small group events (The Edge for high schoolers and Surge for middle schoolers), in addition to service projects, camps, lock-ins, retreats, and all kinds of shenanigans to provide opportunities for students to connect with each other and with God. Our Summit Students leaders use relevant teaching, music,

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and fun to show 6th-12th graders that they matter, truth matters, relationships matter, and the choices they make matter.

Operations // They handle accounting, bookkeeping, facilities management, human resources, office administration (answering your calls and emails!), IT, and more—basically, the Summit office wouldn’t run without this team of behind-the-scenes superstars.

Relationships matter, and the Summit Connect team helps our congregation live that out by creating environments where people can grow in the knowledge and character of Christ. This includes Summit Connect groups (read about the vision for Connect groups on page 31) as well as reGROUP, a type of Summit Connect community focused on helping people heal from their hurts, habits, hangups, and hopelessness (read about one family’s reGROUP journey on page 12).

for ending injustices brought about by poverty.

Through these partnerships, we’re seeing God work in amazing ways in parts of the world largely unavailable to us in our ordinary lives and at the same time being sharpened in our understanding of God’s work in the world and becoming a better reflection of the Body of Christ.

Global Missions // This team’s job includes missions planning (we currently send teams to Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic), coordinating and tracking support for mission teams, staying on top of the missions budget, and—at the heart of the department—building relationships with organizations worldwide that share a vision 6 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

The Waterford Tech team at work

First Impressions // This department’s name says it all! They’re responsible for making sure everyone who walks through the doors at Summit feels welcome and at home by overseeing the volunteers and environments that create your first impression of Summit.

They also host the monthly Newcomer’s Review and #summitSERVE events, helping newcomers get plugged in. Their volunteer teams include Parking, Resource Center, Coffee, Communion, ASL, and Prayer, in addition to the wonderful First Impressions folks who greet you at the door and hand you a bulletin. If you ever have questions about anything at Summit, one of these helpful volunteers (you’ll be able to spot them by their name tags!) would love to meet you and help you get to know Summit.

Community Engagement // Think of the Community Engagement department as our local missionaries. They work alongside other ministries, organizations, and churches right here in our community to extend a hand to those in need, invite them to serve with us, and in the process point people toward Jesus. Through Connect groups, churchwide events like niceSERVE (our community-wide service day), programs like jobSERVE (a 12-week program that helps the unemployed and underemployed receive the skills they need to get and keep a job) and assistance provided through Benevolence, this team helps our church care for our communities.

cohesive, purposeful, and engaging for the congregation—from the songs, to the lighting, to the series artwork, to the sermons—in addition to heading up an incredibly talented team of volunteer musicians.

Two Saturdays a year, when we are getting up early and getting ready to serve with our fellow Summit attendees at Herndon, Lake Mary, and Waterford, so is 33rd Street. We have had the privilege to bring our church-wide service day into the jail. Projects may look a little different, but the meaning behind them is just the same: to cultivate a lifestyle of service and show dignity to one another.

At their very first niceSERVE, the inmates wrote letters of thanks to the Summit congregation Since then, a recurring project has been to ask them to write a letter, or letters, of apology to someone they wronged or who has wronged them. What we have seen are the beginning stages of restoration.

Worship & Tech // There’s so much more to it than music!

This talented crew spends week in and week out (and the weekends, too) planning services, ensuring that all elements are

Communications // If you can see it, read it, watch it, download it, or share it, it probably originated in the Communications department.

This crew makes sure the Summit community has all the everything they need to take those important next steps and live out Summit’s vision through providing information and news via summitconnect.org, blogs, e-letters, bulletins, SUMMIT MAGAZINE, handouts, signs, mailers, and of course, social media sites Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. They’re also the creative minds behind the art wall in your campus lobby, themed Base Camp classrooms, the Theatres at Herndon and Waterford, and Summit Students displays and environments.

Leadership Teams //

Governing Board// We look to the Board, a team of seasoned, godly leaders, when it comes to ensuring that the mission, vision, and doctrine of Summit are upheld. Prospective Board members are nominated by fellow attendees, presented to the congregation, and interviewed, and must be voted in unanimously by the existing Board.

Operations Team// The Ops Team offers advice in areas of finance, facilities, human resources, and IT functions of the church. They also make recommendations to the Board on cash management, budget, and asset controls and provide an independent review of all accounting records.

Ministry Team// Summit’s Ministry Team serves alongside the Lead Pastor to review local and global ministry goals for the church.

They also help decide where the church gives 15 percent of its budget, which is allocated to meet needs and further partnerships in the community and around the world.

OUR CAMPUSES SUMMIT IS A MULTI-CAMPUS COMMUNITY with four campus locations. Summit campuses share the same vision, strategy, worship, and teaching. *At Summit Waterford, Summit Lake Mary, and Summit at 33rd Street, the congregation experiences live worship and a video sermon.

LAKE MARY BLVD

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SUMMIT LAKE MARY* 655 Longwood Lake Mary Road Lake Mary, Florida 32746

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SUMMIT AT 33RD STREET*

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11602 Lake Underhill Road Suite 110 Orlando, Florida 32825

33RD STREET IN THE BEGINNING OF 2012, Summit launched a multi-site campus in the Horizon Wing of the Orange County Jail. The congregation is comprised of men who want to worship God. It is our desire to form biblically functioning communities inside the 33rd Street Jail that share Jesus’ grace, hope, and love with the inmates.

We are now able to minister to the veterans and the women of 33rd Street as well, through pen pal relationships and one-on-one mentoring.

INSIDE THE JAIL Worship: In a similar fashion to what you experience at a Summit service, Campus Minister Bill Behr, Worship Coordinator Marco Randazzo, and a handful of Summit volunteers welcome the inmates of the Horizon Wing by leading worship, prayer, and sharing the weekly sermon. reGROUP: Every Tuesday night, 40-50 men attend reGROUP inside the Horizon Wing of the jail. Inmates walk through the

first phase of the reGROUP curriculum, which is called Recognize and focuses on being honest with our own sin and how our story fits in with God’s larger story. There is 15-minute large group teaching (sometimes a testimony), and then attendees and volunteers break up into small groups and discuss questions pertaining to the teaching.

At reGROUP, inmates hear that they matter and that we are equal (broken and sinful) and need Jesus. With the curriculum and mentorship, they begin to believe it! summitconnect.org 7

Welcome to the Team GETTING TO KNOW ZACH VAN DYKE & FAMILY

ANGIE KLINE

KRISTINE RHOME

IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE A BETTER COUPLE to sit down to coffee with than Zach and Kelly Van Dyke. Their welcoming smiles and engaging storytelling, paired with the periodic displays of incredible skateboard-showmanship from their middle son, Atticus, help to shape the perfect afternoon.

Summit Church recently welcomed Zach Van Dyke on staff as part of the Teaching Team alongside Jim Keller. After an overwhelmingly successful series as a guest teacher, he accepted the offer to join the Summit staff.

“The church and the people who are Summit have just won over our hearts in so many different ways,” Kelly says. “It’s just connected to a lot of the things we are passionate about.”

The Van Dykes’ history with Summit Church does not begin there. The couple’s “first date” was in the old movie theater that used to be Summit’s Herndon campus—in 5th grade. “My mom took us to a movie to see Newsies,” Zach says, laughing. “I had forgotten that until the first time we were visiting Summit and Kelly leaned over and said, ‘You remember this is where we had our first date?’” Little did those 10-yearolds know, God would again lead them through those doors and lead Zach into a position on Summit’s Teaching Team.

A TIMELINE

FROM AN IDEA TO SUNDAY’S SERMON

2 MONTHS OUT Teaching Minister begins to pray over and brainstorm the next sermon series.

3 WEEKS OUT (FOLLOWING SERIES PLANNING) Strategic Concerns (just a fancy way to say Announcements) are outlined for the weekend’s services. What events are coming up soon, and how do they tie in to the series? What communications tools would be most helpful for attendees in living out what they’ve just learned? Those decisions are made now.

TUESDAY BEFORE NEW SERIES BEGINS The series design is completed, and the series synopsis is written for the e-letter and website.

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3 WEEKS OUT Members of the Worship and Communications teams, along with the Teaching Team and a few other creative minds, meet to give the series a name and a visual identity. They also spend time thinking through possible next steps the congregation can take away from the series.

WEDNESDAY Worship, Communications, and Campus Ministers meet for Worship Planning, where that weekend’s worship sets and Strategic Concerns are presented and final service details are nailed down.

Later that day, the Teaching Minister preaches that weekend’s sermon for members of the Strategy Team, Teaching Team, and Campus Ministers—a dress rehearsal of sorts!

Kelly and Zach married while attending Florida State and moved to Los Angeles upon graduation. After a short stint in the LA acting scene, God called the Van Dykes, then a family of three, back to Orlando. For the past six years, Zach held the position of Youth Pastor at Orangewood Church in Maitland, the church where he and Kelly grew up. A year ago, Zach, Kelly, and their three children, Oliver, Atticus, and Alice, made the decision that it would be Zach’s last year as a youth pastor and began praying about where God would lead them next.

“It’s been a real interesting year,” Zach says. “There have been so many different paths that we’ve started down and doors have been closed, or we felt like it wasn’t right, so the fact that Summit is the answer is crazy. I never would have thought last August when I said this was my last year in youth ministry that it would end with us being at Summit. Ever since they hired me, I can’t stop smiling!”

His extensive passion for the arts, his creativity, and his attention to detail are some of the things that have always drawn him to Summit. “The appreciation of the craft that goes into creating a service, and worship, and music, and the development of a sermon—it’s all art,” he says.

“I’m excited to be able to grow in such a collaborative environment.

God made us creative.”

Kelly and Zach love that Summit is a community focused on reaching lost people. “We were really praying to have God move us into a realm where we were dealing with people who felt excluded by the church…

One of the things God confirmed through this whole process is that Summit is a place where they can come,” Zach says. “I’m excited for our family to be a part of a place where I really feel like we can invite anybody, and they’d hear about Jesus but they won’t feel like a complete outsider.

In seeing what’s been created here, with niceSERVE and reGROUP, there are such amazing things for people to come in and get involved with.”

Zach is also a part of Key Life Network, which utilizes podcasts, publications, radio, and seminars to present biblical truths taught

by Zach’s mentor, Steve Brown. As a guest teacher on the network’s weekend show, Zach delivers biblically sound encouragement for listeners.

Summit Church is thrilled to welcome Zach and his family. We look forward to seeing his leadership grow. If the opportunity arises to grab some coffee with him, do it.

You won’t regret it.

“THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUMMIT HAVE JUST WON OVER OUR HEARTS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.” —Kelly

THURSDAY (FIRST DAY OF NEW SERIES) Get excited! The new series design is shared on Facebook and Instagram, and an e-letter goes out to the congregation to let everyone know about the series topic as well as upcoming events.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT Our amazingly talented Worship Coordinators and volunteer musicians have band rehearsals in preparation for weekend worship services.

THURSDAY NIGHT Service at Herndon: It’s the first round of preaching for the weekend, and this is also the service that is filmed for the Waterford, 33rd Street, and Lake Mary campuses! After service, a file with the video is sent to the multisite coordinators so that their campuses are all set for Sunday morning.

SUNDAY Volunteers and staff begin arriving as early as 6 a.m. to set up our campuses in preparation for the day. Services begin at 9 a.m.!

SUNDAY NIGHT 33rd Street volunteers set up for a service inside the Horizon Wing of the Orange County Jail. Service begins at 7 p.m. for the inmates.

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Making the Connection

HOW ONE CHILD’S FAITH CHANGED AN ENTIRE FAMILY MELISSA STILLMAN

10 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

RYAN BOWDEN

It surprised Rayna Alexander when her 9-year-old, Elena, asked if she could go to church with a friend from school.

Rayna grew up an Orthodox Jew and married a Catholic and had never felt personally connected to God. Despite her own reservations about religion, Rayna encouraged her children to make their own decisions about it, and therefore let Elena go to Summit’s Waterford campus with her friend Abby.

After that, Elena began attending church weekly with Abby’s parents, Eric and Jami Dellaire.

Rayna noticed a profound change in her daughter and was inspired to give Summit a try herself. After her first visit she didn’t really feel much spiritually. A few months later she visited again, with a very different outcome, feeling what she lacked on her initial visit: centered and at peace. Then, last November, something profound happened.

As Elena and Rayna were listening to Christmas carols on the radio, Elena commented, “Mom, you know what I really love about this station? It plays songs about the real meaning of Christmas— the birth of Jesus.” At that moment, Rayna felt the Holy Spirit cracking her heart wide open. The next week during communion at Summit, she thought, “I’m doing it. I want to give my life to Jesus. I accept Him.” Rayna had long searched for a connection to God but never found it going through the typical motions of church services. Rayna admits that she had grown disillusioned with organized religion. “It was always about doing ‘the things,’ what you were supposed to do, but I never felt anything,” she says.

“Having seen God at a distance my whole life, it was an amazing feeling to really experience a connection to Him through the act of communion. Coming to Summit made me realize it’s about an individual relationship with God, and you don’t have to go through a priest or a rabbi to have one.”

Elena, now 11, also accepted Christ as her Savior, and at Summit’s Beach Baptism at Bethune Beach in April, mother and daughter were baptized together. When asked if she had any hesitation about taking such a public step of faith, Rayna says, “I knew in my heart that Christ was my Savior, and I had no reservations. It’s like being in love with somebody and they ask you to marry them—what was I waiting for?

I had already waited 47 years!”

In attendance was Rayna’s husband, Rich Falzone. Witnessing both his

wife’s and daughter’s decision inspired him to rededicate his life to Christ. “My husband has come back to Jesus as well,” Rayna says. “He was away for a very long time, and now he has more of a relationship with God than ever.”

God was working on the Falzone family long before Abby invited Elena to church for the fist time. Eric, Abby’s dad, shared with Rayna that years before, God had laid it on his heart to begin praying for the people who would eventually move into the yellow house in their Avalon Park neighborhood—the house the Falzones later bought.

The Dellaires didn’t stop at prayer, though, and Rayna points to Summit and the Dellaires as playing major roles in her family’s coming to faith.

“Religious institutions were always scary places for me, but Summit is different because it is very welcoming to everyone,” Rayna says.

“When they say they want the service to be a gift to you, that’s how it feels.” Rayna explains that Summit’s focus on the Word of God and living a life based on Jesus’ teachings has made a huge difference in her life.

In the same way that the Dellaires ministered to Rayna and her family, she now wants to be part of welcoming others into God’s community. She is training to serve at Orlando’s 33rd Street Jail under the leadership of Campus Minister Bill Behr and the prison chaplain. Rayna will be paired with a female inmate for weekly, one-on-one mentoring sessions where they will have a chance to read the Bible, pray, and build a meaningful relationship. Rayna believes that her background in law enforcement and inspired outlook as a new believer have distinctively equipped her to minister to the women of the 33rd Street Jail.

“As I read the New Testament, it amazes me that Jesus first and foremost spent His time with sinners, unbelievers, people who needed Him,” she says. “When I heard about the prison ministry, I thought, ‘Wow, this is for me.’ It came at a good point in my life. I have time to devote to helping, and all I want to do is spread the gospel.”

Reflecting on her journey, Rayna says she doesn’t know how she ever lived without a personal relationship with God. “I’m seeing how wonderful living your life with Christ can be,” she explains. Rayna’s journey began with the invitation of a 9-year-old girl. That powerful invite has changed the course of not only her life, but also her family’s life, and the lives of all the people she will meet in the 33rd Street Jail Ministry. She truly believes that God is in her life daily: “I can handle anything, because He has a purpose for it. He loves me, and that gives me joy.”

“COMING TO SUMMIT MADE ME REALIZE IT’S ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PRIEST OR A RABBI TO HAVE ONE.” —Rayna

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A

Life of Abundance

LEAH WARREN RACHEL WHITED-SMITH

A SUMMIT FAMILY WHO WANTED MORE AARON HAALAND AND HIS WIFE, CHRISTEN, have been married for seven years and have a 3-year-old daughter named Alison. Like most couples, they are busy. Christen coaches teachers who work with children with disabilities. Aaron, a self-proclaimed “lifelong comic book fan and professional nerd,” owns A Comic Shop and a bar and grill called The Geek Easy.

12 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

Like many couples, the first few years of their marriage were spent with Aaron working doggedly to build up his businesses and prove himself in the professional world, while Christen pursued her own career and took care of the home, including most of the planning for their family life. They had a lot of fun together and didn’t fight, although they admit that they really just didn’t engage in a lot of areas.

Then, in early 2012, disaster caused the life they had built together by their own strength to crumble. Five months after a failed intervention, Aaron’s best friend and comic shop colleague was hit and killed while riding his bike after drinking. Aaron hosted the wake for about 400 people and was able to hold it together on the outside, but he knew he was falling apart on the inside. With nothing to grasp at to rebuild his life, Aaron hid in his shame and guilt and drank himself sick at night. They sought counseling, and Christen tried her best to provide a sense of stability at home, hiding what was going on with Aaron at night and pretending to the outside world that everything was fine. When the cycle continued, Aaron finally told Christen he would get help and go to reGROUP. Aaron admits that at first, he came to reGROUP just to listen but not to share.

Listening soon evolved into sharing, and sharing evolved into praying and leading as Aaron began to recognize the old hurts that formed the roots of some of his behaviors. He says it was like learning to use muscles you’d never used before. He grew up in a family where you “put on a happy face—if you bring up a problem then you are the problem.” So Aaron had no framework for dealing with issues and no faith that something good could come out on the other side if you did.

As he began to gain insight into the root of his hurts, habits, and hang-ups, Aaron was excited to share with Christen. Realizing that his pattern had been to isolate, withdraw, and be passive, he started taking more time to connect, sharing his feelings and helping to make plans for the family. At first, Christen admits that it was hard to get used to the “new Aaron,” but as she realized that he was trying to engage her—not control her—she was able to let go of the past. She says then “a fog lifted” in their relationship.

Aaron hired another employee to help out at work so that he could spend more time with his family. When he was able to receive validation from his group members at reGROUP, from Christen, and ultimately from God, the validation he had sought at work no longer seemed like such a big deal. Aaron and Christen began to sit down monthly and make budgets together, which they saw as much more than money

management—it was about being able to faithfully budget their time, values, shared effort, and intentionality. They began writing little notes to one another. Christen began her own reGROUP journey.

As they saw the big picture for their lives, it was much easier to let the little bumps in the road pass without a fuss. They found it much easier to empathize with one another as they began to recognize fights as branches, connected to deeper roots of false beliefs and self-condemnation. Instead of being upset over behaviors, they found themselves better able to speak truth to each other to replace the old lies.

“LIFE WAS BORING WITHOUT HAVING TO LEAN ON JESUS.” —Aaron Aaron admits he lived as a “Christian” for a long time, but the way he was living was not dependent on Christ: “I didn’t need Jesus for my work or to be a passive spectator in my family, but I discovered I did need Him to engage in the past and as a husband. Life was boring without having to lean on Jesus.”

Living this new life directed by Jesus, Aaron knows he has a lot to offer. He pours into other men as they navigate through reGROUP, both as an individual sponsor and as a leader. He also seeks healing and restoration in some of his past relationships, asking, “What did Jesus have in mind when He created this relationship?” and praying openly with those people. Always a rebel, he now sees the chance to change the world out of a place of passion rather than anger. And after all this pouring out, all this passion, Aaron is not tired or drained but rather energized, filled by a God who has given him purpose in investing in relationships. reGROUP is life-on-life ministering, and in this way the Haalands see it as different—and even more necessary—than just showing up on Sundays and listening passively. If there are any hurts, habits, or hangups that prevent you from full integrity in relationships, then reGROUP is a good place to start to get honest and connected.

So, is reGROUP for everyone? According to Aaron, “If you’re OK with life just being OK, then maybe not… but do you really have the abundant life? Do you actually want to be abundant?” The Haalands have found it, and they invite you to join them.

GET INVOLVED Join reGROUP at the Herndon campus on Mondays at 7 p.m. or at the Waterford campus on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

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Life Is Better Together AMBIA VALENTINE’S CONNECT GROUP STORY KALEB HARRELL

14 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

GINA MARCHMAN

Every Summit Connect group has a defining moment. It’s that moment when the group develops a personality of its own, when the walls come down and the most guarded hearts feel safe. It’s the moment when there is a realization that God’s purpose is at work through broken individuals bonding together in faith.

For Ambia Valentine, that moment happened unexpectedly, somewhere between shoveling mulch and eating 4Rivers with her Connect group. Praise God for niceSERVE and brisket sandwiches!

“Our group started in December of 2011 and because some members were out of town at first, it took a while for the group to connect,” Ambia says. “We started meeting regularly after a month or so and began to build our connection and relationships.”

Then it happened.

“We signed up for our first niceSERVE project together, which was an outdoor improvement project at a local school,” Ambia recalls. “For four hours, we raked mulch, painted stairwells, planted shrubs, and loved every minute of it.” Ambia claims this to be the moment when she first knew that this Connect group made life better. “We could see we worked well together, but more importantly, that’s when we really started doing life together.”

Now into its second year, Ambia’s Connect group meets once a week to review a chapter in a study or the next video in a series. “We meet at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and start off just taking a pulse on everyone’s week to see how things are going.

We do this through something called ‘highs and lows,’” Ambia explains.

“Basically we go around the group and tell some great things that happened in our week as well as some things we might be struggling with.” The group then delves into their study and ends with individual prayer requests—but for this group, that’s only the beginning.

“We get together a couple times a month outside of our group study time on Wednesdays,” Ambia says.

“In addition to organized activities, we will go shopping or to the gym together throughout the week.”

Last year, the women in the group went to the New Kids on the Block concert together, and just recently the entire group rented a condo at the beach for the weekend. The group even has its own Facebook page with their social calendar and an area to submit prayer requests.

Tiffany, one of the six women in the coed group, was baptized earlier

this year and was featured in the Beach Baptism video that played during service. “As soon as Tiffany told us she was getting baptized, we said ‘OK, we’re all going to support you, so get ready,’” Ambia recalls.

Four of the group members drove out together, video recorders in hand, and taped the footage that would later appear on the big screen. “It was so great to cheer for Tiffany and be there when she came out of the water!”

As much as the group enjoys sharing their celebrations in life, they also face the tough times together. “Several members of our group have been through really difficult times in the last year. We’ve prayed for them and supported them along the way,” says Ambia. “When one of us is feeling down or maybe not having a great week, the rest of the group can usually tell and is right there to pick that individual up. It’s a support network in every sense of the word.”

Though everyone in the group grew up with Christian backgrounds, they are at different places spiritually. “Because we’re at different stages and going through different struggles, we’re able to learn from each other and grow,” Ambia says. In her experience, those different perspectives are what provide the opportunity for everyone to continue learning.

On Sundays you’ll find Ambia sitting with members of her group at the 10:45 a.m. service at the Herndon campus. At niceSERVE, you’ll see them working on the same project, usually led by one of the group members. And on Wednesday nights... Well, you’ll have to check the group’s Facebook page for location, but rest assured, they’ll be together.

“We have friendships that will last a lifetime,” Ambia says. “I’m always bragging about my Connect group. Everybody is always asking, ‘What is your Connect group doing this weekend?’”

It seems the answer is clear: They’re doing life together.

“WHEN ONE OF US IS FEELING DOWN OR MAYBE NOT HAVING A GREAT WEEK, THE REST OF THE GROUP CAN USUALLY TELL AND IS RIGHT THERE TO PICK THAT INDIVIDUAL UP. IT’S A SUPPORT NETWORK IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.” —Ambia

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More Than a Ride NICOLE BRICHLER POURS INTO THE LIVES OF FOUR SIBLINGS RYAN WARNER

RYAN BOWDEN

IT’S 10:30 ON A SUNDAY MORNING IN THE LOBBY OF SUMMIT’S WATERFORD CAMPUS. A recently engaged 20-something couple walks through the doors, arriving to worship at the 11 a.m. service. So far this sounds entirely ordinary. What makes this story unusual is who this young couple brings with them to service—a sibling family of teenagers.

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“VOLUNTEERING WITH THIS MINISTRY HAS HELPED ME TO REALIZE THAT THERE’S NOTHING BETTER I COULD SPEND MY TIME DOING THAN PURSUING PEOPLE’S HEARTS FOR GOD.” —Nicole

Nicole Brichler and her fiancé, Andrew, the aforementioned couple, have served as volunteers with Summit Student Ministries at both the Herndon and Waterford campuses over the last few years. Throughout the past year, Nicole has developed a relationship with one student in particular, a high school girl named Ashley Cardwell, and God has used this relationship to shape both of their lives.

Nicole met Ashley when she began attending Launch (the former combination middle school/ high school ministry at Waterford) in 8th grade.

Nicole was one of the Launch volunteers at the time, and they developed a friendship. When Nicole later received a summer internship at Waterford with the project of starting The Edge, Summit’s high school ministry, she really wanted to make sure Ashley made the transition from Launch to The Edge.

“Ashley had been faithfully attending Launch, and she enjoyed coming, but she was very off to the side, keeping to herself,” recalls Nicole. “My roommate Camilla and I started driving her and another girl to The Edge once it started. Ashley soon told us that she had a sister and two brothers who were interested in coming, too, so we started bringing them as well.”

It wasn’t long before Ashley wasn’t content with merely participating in The Edge. She soon started asking about what else happens at Summit. “Ashley loved being at church,” Nicole says. “We told her what a Sunday service was like, and she told us she wanted to go. We brought her a couple of times, and then her siblings, Sam, Debra, and Mat, started coming along with us.”

Ashley remembers how different it felt to have a caring adult from the

church start investing so much in her. “At first it was kind of awkward, and I thought it would be a little weird,” Ashley says, “but once we started getting to know each other more, it got easier to talk, and it just kept getting better.”

As their relationship has developed, Ashley has grown to truly appreciate Nicole’s influence on her life. “I like how she’s always smiling and laughing,” Ashley says. “It means a lot to me, because the people I was used to hanging around were not usually happy or making any kind of positive impact on my life.”

For Nicole, pouring into Ashley and her siblings has given her the blessing of seeing how God is showing up in their lives. “The changes I’ve seen in them, especially in Ashley over the past year, have been really incredible,” Nicole says. “She used to say things like, ‘I can’t pray, I don’t even know what that means,’ and now she closes the prayer in our Student Connect group every week. It’s been awesome to see how God is at work in their family.”

Nicole is also eager to see what the Lord has in store for Ashley over the next few years. “I’m hoping for Ashley to see how valuable she is,” she says. “There are so many people in her life who try to tear her down, especially at school, so that’s something she’s always dealing with. I feel like she’s doing a lot better with it, but I’d love to see her free from those kind of things.”

Why would a young, busy, engaged woman like Nicole give so much of her time and energy toward pursuing high school students whom she didn’t even know a couple of years ago? “If I had to put it into words, I just feel called to do it,” Nicole says. “I feel like investing in these students is my gift in ministry, and it’s what I’m supposed to be doing. This family is really awesome. I love how enthusiastic they are about being involved in church even though they don’t come from a church background. Volunteering with this ministry has helped me to realize that there’s nothing better I could spend my time doing than pursuing people’s hearts for God.”

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Putting People First

DRU DALTON & REAL THREAD

18 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

SARAH JOSEPH GINA MARCHMAN

If you’ve participated in niceSERVE, volunteered with Base Camp or Summit Students, or have gone to Africa with a Summit team, chances are you’ve worn a t-shirt printed by Real Thread.

If you are unsure if it’s a Real Thread tee, just run your finger over the design. You’ll find their shirts incredibly soft to the touch. That’s because of their unique screen printing process—they are the only known shop in the U.S. who devotes 100 percent of their time to water-based and discharge inks. They believe that their printing methods provide a far more creative approach to screen printing as opposed to using plastisol inks (an industry standard).

Aside from its innovative printing style, Real Thread is a unique company because of its approach to business. It doesn’t take long when looking over the Real Thread website to realize there’s something a little different happening there. Core values like “choose your attitude and make today great,” “pursue personal growth and discipline,” “serve in the lives of others,” and “live with purpose” indicate that there’s much more happening behind the scenes than just apparel printing.

Dru Dalton, one of the founders of Real Thread and a partner at the Herndon campus, is keenly aware of how his relationship with Christ affects his role in the workplace.

What started as a hobby quickly turned into something more meaningful. Dru explains: “I had started a screen printing company while I was in college simply based on market opportunity. I was deeply involved with a number of organizations on the UCF campus and saw an opportunity to supply them with shirts. Thirty months later, I had graduated and was trying to decide what business (I had three or four) I wanted to devote myself to. I decided that if I was going to pursue printing full-time, I had to find my niche.” That niche came through exclusively using water-based and discharge inks for their prints, leaving shirts soft and comfy, and giving them a vintage feel.

Once the company began to grow, so did the number of hires needed to complete each order and move business forward. Over time, Dru learned a truth that would change the trajectory of Real Thread forever: stewardship.

“When I first started Real Thread, I had only recently given my life to Christ,” he says. “I certainly wasn’t thinking about the employee aspect of the company and the responsibility that comes with it. Being a relatively new believer, I was introduced to the idea of stewardship through Crown Financial Ministries. A stewardship mentality has

ultimately developed my perspective on valuing our employees. We have a responsibility, as a steward of people, to be an amazing employer.

As a leader of the organization, I need to take that responsibility very seriously.”

It’s this view of work within the context of the ministry of God that has helped Dru shape a life-giving work environment for his employees.

When they had four people on staff, Dru sat down with everyone to chart out the core traits and values present in the highest and lowest of points in their personal lives. It was through this conversation that the core values of Real Thread were created. Because of the intentionality and nature by which these values were established, they are core to the DNA of Real Thread. Since they are central to everything that happens in the company, there’s an undeniable sense of trust found there. Dru has found that when people enjoy their work, it’s more likely that they’ll lead a more positive life.

“When people love what they do (a Real Thread core value), when they are fulfilled by their work, they’re more likely to give and volunteer after work because they have just been filled at work rather than emptied,” he says.

No company, no matter how great the product or cause, can create a positive workplace for employees without the devotion of a well-grounded leader. This reality can lend itself to the question: As followers of Jesus Christ, what is our responsibility at work?

Dru’s answer to that question? “My Aha! moment was when I realized that the business wasn’t mine, I am only a steward. It’s God’s business, and He can do whatever He wants with it. He can have whomever He’d like run it. But right now, He’s chosen me, and I’m so, so thankful for that.”

The approach Dru has taken at Real Thread is an encouragement to anyone who is trying to figure out their role at work as a believer.

“A Christian in the workplace has such an amazing opportunity to impact lives; we can transform companies and communities in the process,” Dru says. “But it’s through people, not products. Products are simply the means to the end, not the end itself. People are the only piece of business with infinite value. Everything else is just beautifully organized dust.”

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Restoring Hope

A STORY ABOUT GOD, OBEDIENCE, AND A LIFEALTERING FRIENDSHIP SEAN PORTERFIELD MARK RONHAAR

RONNIE SPENT 25 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN PRISONS AND JAILS. So with his release date looming, his fears about reintegrating into society outside of the jail began to resurface. In fact, he was so desperate for guidance that in the middle of a Summit Connect group meeting at the 33rd Street Jail, Ronnie shot up and exclaimed, “I’ve got a Bible and I know Scripture... I just don’t know how to apply it to my life!”

20 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

Ronnie found guidance in his mentor and friend Tim Iamaio. Almost a year later, Ronnie and Tim recount to me a story of pain and restoration, fear and hope, isolation and friendship—one of opposites that has God’s fingerprints all over it. It is an extraordinary example of mutual restoration in which God is glorified and they are humbled. They have impacted each other’s lives in amazing and surprising ways.

Ronnie recounts the first time he and Tim met one-on-one, sifting through Ronnie’s fears and insecurities. “Tim was my light out of the darkness,” Ronnie explains. “In his eyes, I saw... hope.” Ronnie confesses that after their first meeting, he hardly expected Tim to show up again. When he did, Ronnie was stunned.

During their weekly meetings, Tim taught Ronnie certain life skills that would help Ronnie succeed outside of jail, like how to use a computer and a cell phone. Tim also taught Ronnie important spiritual life skills, like how to how study Scripture in a way new to Ronnie—not merely to pass the time, but as a life guide that is applicable to situations both inside and outside of jail.

Ronnie wasn’t the only one who was being changed by this new friendship. Tim explains that God used Tim’s time with Ronnie to make Tim a better husband, brother, and son. Before meeting Ronnie, Tim explained that he was in a “spiritual rut,” failing to pray and read Scripture regularly. God used Ronnie to excite Tim about reading the Bible and to challenge him to discover how to apply it to his own life as well.

Tim says his path to Ronnie was about surrendering personal comfort in favor of listening to God and serving others. “I have come to a place where I can tell that if God puts something on my heart and I hesitate, I’m going to miss out,” he says. “There were lots of times when all I wanted to do was sit on the couch.

But there’s not a time when I come back from 33rd that I wish I’d stayed on the couch. The first step is putting your body in the right place, and the Lord will use that.”

Their friendship renewed Ronnie’s faith and impacted his outlook in the most positive of ways. In the midst of our discussion, Ronnie references Psalm 1. “You see, in the first three verses is a man who’s blessed,” Ronnie explains. “The next part is the wicked man, who’s cursed. I know what’s down the road of cursing, because I’ve been down that road. Now I’ve chosen to go down the road of blessing—and I like what’s down there.”

Ronnie fully understands that the years of fear that previously chained

his heart are finally being lifted and that he has gained a bona fide brother in Tim. Ronnie is taking ownership of his own walk of faith by choosing which road he will travel, one of blessing instead of cursing.

He now understands that which eluded him for so long—not only how to read Scripture, but also how to apply it—and credits his relationship with Tim as a stepping stone to achieving this new understanding.

At Ronnie’s new home at Hosanna Ministries, a transition program

for former inmates, he applies his understanding of Scripture daily.

Many can attest to his quick progress at Hosanna, where he has gained special responsibilities and even a new position as a House Manager. He encourages his co-workers while on construction projects and ministers to people on his football team. His philosophy is simple: “I want to pour into others what’s being poured into me.”

As I listen to Ronnie and Tim’s conversations, I am amazed by their intimate friendship, complementary faith, and brotherly love. It’s clear God has done something amazing in the two of them. Their incredible friendship testifies to the extraordinary power that God has to change and mold lives, most of the time in the most unexpected of ways.

What would happen if you chose the road of blessing like Ronnie and to get off the couch like Tim? God might just put people in your path who will change your life in unforeseeable ways. Just ask Ronnie and Tim. Finally I ask Ronnie if there is one thing he wants the people of Summit to know. “Give God a real chance,” he says. “Revelation 3:20.”

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

SERVE @ 33RD STREET Ronnie and Tim’s story is just one example of God’s power in the lives of obedient people. There are many more stories just waiting to be written, and you are invited to be part of the process. If you’d like to serve with the 33rd Street campus ministry team, please contact Bill Behr at bbehr@summitconnect.org.

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22 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

Summit U. It’s a term I’ve heard around the hallways for how to create pathways that will help people go deeper in their of the church for years as a staff member here. But learning about God and their lives as believers in Jesus Christ.

At the end of the day, individuals must own their personal responsibility this year, the buzz has been about a lot more than to develop a lifestyle of growing deeper with Jesus. It takes effort, and brainstorming sessions. This fall will mark the official there will always be an element of self-selection. However, as leaders we want to be good stewards of our influence by providing excellent launch of one of the ministries I’ve been most excited learning and experiential environments for those who “self-select” in.

This is our first year, so it will be a learning experience for all of us, but about since the first moment I heard it mentioned. we’re hopeful for what the future holds.

I sat down with our Organizational Development Pastor, Jeff Kern, to get some good intel about what Why did the leadership want to do it?

When I study the life and ministry of the apostle Paul, it is abundantly we can expect. clear that he was a very passionate leader. He was passionate to

What is Summit U? Let me share our vision statement: Summit U promotes spiritual formation by providing learning pathways that enable people to grow in their relationships with God, in community with the people of God, so that they may be equipped for the mission of God. That’s a mouthful. It basically means that we’re trying to offer more ways for people to connect with God and others—not just for the sake of being in community, but for the specific purpose of equipping them for whatever work God has put in front of them to do. This could mean leading a Summit Connect group, training to be a pastor, being a better neighborhood evangelist, or even being a better leader for one’s spouse and children. “Learning pathways” is a fancy way of saying that this won’t just be a Bible study or a class.

We want to give people the opportunity to experience God, not just learn about Him. This could include prayer gatherings, intensive sessions, outings, homework, and more.

glorify God with his life. He was passionate to bring the gospel to those far from God. And he was passionate to help Christians and entire churches grow to spiritual maturity in their faith. He laid his life on the line for the sake of the gospel. Summit U became a way to help promote that deeper spiritual growth and learning in the life of believers here at Summit.

We have been blessed here at Summit over the years with the quality and depth of teaching that we get in our weekend services. As wonderful as this aspect of Summit’s ministry is, we saw the opportunity to create even more opportunities to learn and to allow for even deeper exploration of some of the major themes and doctrines of the Bible. That is why we wanted to create Summit U: to help our congregation grow deeper in their knowledge of God and to grow in respect to their salvation.

And the time is right. Coming out of the season we’ve just experienced as a church family, so many people have been asking for more. They’re asking questions like, “How can I learn to better protect and cherish my marriage?” and “How can I have a more meaningful walk with Jesus when I feel like my life is so busy?” These are important questions, and it’s just good stewardship to capitalize on this positive momentum in the hearts of our partners by giving them resources and pointing them in the direction of Jesus. We will always strive to have excellent teaching at Summit services. But if we’re going to be a better church, that will come through our partners deepening their relationships with God and with one another. You can’t teach that into somebody. Each of us has to take ownership for our spiritual development—Summit U is just a resource to help facilitate that growth.

WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE GOD, NOT JUST LEARN ABOUT HIM.

So, it’s not a real university?

Ha! No. The idea we want to convey is that devoting ourselves to the pursuit of knowing God is central to our own spiritual growth. This pursuit always begins with God’s Word. When we think of a university, we think of an environment where people come to learn and to be diligent in their study and mastery of a particular discipline. So, while we will not be offering accredited classes like a university, our hope is to create an environment where people can be dedicated to going deeper in their knowledge of God, His Word, and what it means to follow Him.

When did this idea first originate?

Summit U has been a part of the conversation among our leadership since I joined staff in 2008. So the idea goes back at least that far.

While I wasn’t part of the earliest conversations, I am sure that the idea for Summit U stems from the desire God has for all of His children to grow up into mature followers of Jesus.

As leaders, we know that the study of and obedience to God’s Word is central to someone growing up in Christ. Summit U became the idea

One of the things I’ve learned as a staff member here at Summit is that we are very intentional to pursue ministry that aligns closely with our vision and values. Can you talk about where and how this strategy intersects with the larger vision of Summit Church?

Our vision is to form biblically functioning communities that reach lost people, connect in Christ-centered relationships, teach truth, serve others, and worship God. Summit U falls under the “teach truth” aspect of our vision, though it truly intersects at multiple junctions. summitconnect.org 23

On a ministry level, we see Summit U working in tandem with the Summit Connect and service/outreach ministries of the church. This is extremely important. We want to be sure that we are applying what we are learning and responding by faith to God in our lives. Participating in all three aspects, learning, community, and service, is vital to our spiritual growth. If we only learn, we can become pharisaical, and just consumers of our faith. If we’re only in community, we may compromise the standard to which God has called us because we’re not rooted in the Word. If we only serve, we risk becoming “little saviors” ourselves, or codependents, or worse. It is by the interaction of these three (learning, community, and service) that we can expect to achieve significant and lasting change in our lives.

GOD WANTS US TO TAKE STEPS TOWARD HIM SO THAT HE CAN TRANSFORM US. What kind of model will we be using for Summit U? Is it just classes?

As we have said, the objective is to grow in our understanding of God and His Word. The most central way to do that is by offering classes. This will be the first step as we begin fleshing out Summit U. In the months that lie ahead, we will also explore offering content for Connect groups and for individual study.

But again, to only say we are offering classes is somewhat deceptive.

We will work to incorporate the aspects of learning, community, and service into all of our Summit U pathways (those prayer gatherings, training sessions, outings, homework, etc. I mentioned before).

I know that, in the beginning, a portion of this environment will be individual study and some classroom-style learning. How will Summit U develop our congregants and emerging leaders in the context of relationships?

I came across a phrase in some of my seminary classes that the professors called “the hermeneutic of obedience.” Hermeneutics is the fancy word used in seminary circles to teach the principles of interpreting the Bible. The idea of the “hermeneutic of obedience” is this: We most fully understand the text when we respond to God in faith and obedience to what He is teaching us.

We were made for community. Before we were ever made, God existed in community with Himself—Father, Son, Spirit—and we were made for community with Him and with one another. We read Scripture; we learn from it (both in intellectual ways, and in those mysterious ways we cannot understand as Scripture pierces us with its double-edge), and what we absorb from God’s Word we can only retain by applying it (James 1:22–25). Since we were made for community, it stands to reason that we will be applying our learning in community also. Christianity has

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always been a personal faith, but it has never been a private one. The final charge of Jesus is to carry this gospel to all nations—we should not deceive ourselves by thinking we will really be growing in Christ if what we learn of Him affects only our thoughts and personal habits, but not how we love and interact with one another.

So, we’re going to learn, and we’re going to learn in community, and we’re going to practice what we’re learning in community.

Tell me about this fall. What can I expect from Summit U in this next season?

Our hope is to offer our first class this fall. While we are still in final discussion about the exact nature of this class, we are leaning heavily toward a class designed to help us relate the gospel to people far from God. In addition, we want to provide more training and coaching for the hundreds of people who are volunteering in the various ministries. We are making plans for a monthly training we will call EQUIP. The idea behind EQUIP is to help our volunteers be fully prepared for the work they are doing. This will involve a combination of teaching, group interaction with other volunteers, and practical support from a ministry coach to help them apply what they are learning to their ministry context.

IF WE’RE GOING TO BE A BETTER CHURCH, THAT WILL COME THROUGH OUR PARTNERS DEEPENING THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER. What do you think Summit U will look like in the future?

The goal is to introduce new and helpful classes and pathways each and every year, providing multiple opportunities for our people to grow deeper in their walks with God. We have a number of ideas about what that could look like, but we will continue to move forward with what we can offer now, prayerfully considering where God is calling us to take a next step. I can’t say exactly what that will look like, but I can clarify the “win.” The win for Summit U is that a year from now, a large portion of our partners have grown deeper in relationship with God and with one another, they are serving and inviting new people into the gospel, and they are hungry for more. That’s the kind of momentum that will help propel us into new stages of growth and resources. If we get there (and I believe we will), we will have to offer more. It’s just good stewardship.

WE’RE GOING TO LEARN, AND WE’RE GOING TO LEARN IN COMMUNITY, AND WE’RE GOING TO PRACTICE WHAT WE’RE LEARNING IN COMMUNITY. OK. I’m interested. How can I get involved in Summit U if I want to help?

For most, the next step will be signing up for the class that is coming out in the fall. For those who take the class, your feedback about the class and how it helps you engage with God will be super helpful.

As for helping specifically with Summit U, I envision multiple areas for people to help out. First, we’ll need help with administration and meeting logistics—setup, tear-down, First Impressions, materials distribution—that sort of thing. Our church runs on volunteers, so please consider participating in the spiritual development of others (and yourself) through this kind of contribution.

Additionally, I will be looking for a select group of people to help with course development and content editing. If you have interest in this sort of work, or if you have seminary experience you’d like to put into practice, please contact me.

How will the Summit U offerings be advertised (so I can keep an eye out)?

Be on the lookout this fall in our weekend services and on summitconnect.org for the next steps in signing up for our first Summit U class.

We’ve talked a lot about community and how the ways we act in community are an outpouring of our own personal pursuit of holiness. What can I expect from Summit U in terms of my own personal growth?

I have been thinking about a verse in Jude 21 where we are told to “keep yourselves in the love of God…” That’s an interesting phrase.

Obviously, we know that God’s love is boundless toward us. Yet this verse (as do many others) points to responsibility that we have in our relationship with Him: We are to keep ourselves in God’s love. God wants us to take steps toward Him so that He can transform us. My hope is that everyone who participates in Summit U will experience growth and inner transformation as they move toward God by going deeper into His Word and pursuit of His will.

LEARNING

CONNECTING

MISSION

SPIRITUAL GROWTH. The Bible explains the concept clearly in Mark 3:13-14: “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed 12 that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.” Jesus was calling His disciples to a radical commitment to recenter their entire lives around Him, His purpose for their lives, and the people of God. The disciples did this in three ways: 1) through learning about and knowing Christ; 2) through a commitment to His mission of reaching the lost; and 3) through full engagement in grace-filled community. As followers of Christ, we are called to do the same. Organizational Development Pastor Jeff Kern explains: “When people make these core commitments and come together in groups, it creates what I call the ‘greenhouse for spiritual growth.’ It is the lush environment for advanced spiritual development, and I believe this should be at the core of any spiritual formation approach. We, too, should call people to these ‘all-in’ commitments and then teach them how to live out their faith accordingly.”

SO, HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN AT SUMMIT? Learning // Pursuit of personal holiness and knowing God through self-study, weekend sermons, Summit U courses, and retreats.

Connecting // Engaging with loving the people of God and being equipped through sharing your story in community, communicating grace and truth, and connecting around the common purpose of making disciples, serving, and multiplying.

Mission // Embracing the goal and participating in multiplication by learning about and engaging in God’s mission for the world, sharing the gospel, multiplying small groups and ministries, and service. summitconnect.org 25

YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED by how many bags I end up packing for a weekend at the beach. Between food, clothes, stacks of books, my Bible, and things to entertain the dog, I sometimes end up lugging in two or three small bags of stuff.

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When I get a weekend to myself, the beach is the first place I go.

I am nourished by the sound of the waves and the fresh air. Mostly I enjoy the opportunity to let go of responsibility, to quiet my mind and let the previous week slowly fade into silence. It’s interesting how the plan for my weekend can include contemplation, quiet time with God, and prayer, but often ends up with making lists for the following week, reading chapters from multiple books, and playing fetch with the dog. I feel like my time could be more productive in a way that doesn’t involve needing to do more.

Over the last couple years, God has sat down with me over cups of coffee and the thoughts in my journal and talked with me about who He created me to be. Over the course of our deepening relationship, I’ve come to see that His version of me is far more expansive and exciting than anything I have designed for myself. And since, for many years, I had been living in contradiction to what He planned, I genuinely want to know what God has in mind.

It is important to know that God speaks to me uniquely, not in a generic way. He knows me; He calls me by my name. So if I approach deepening our relationship with a formula (prayer plus better behavior plus putting up a good façade), I can easily hide behind the process and miss the opportunity to make this deeply personal, which it is anyway.

I want to enjoy my time with Him rather than feel obligated. This is a relationship I want to savor.

From the moment God asked Adam, “Where are you?” to the first time He calls us by name, God communicates His commitment to humanity through relationship.

This provides the context for how to live my life, through both my relationship to the Father and to the people around me. So if you are new to your faith, or you find yourself in that period when your faith feels a little anemic, it is helpful to remember that you are the joy set before Jesus when He contemplated the cross.

To live in that reality, that His work is finished and I have been cleansed, I must experience the depth and the height of what has been done for me. I must get to know Him, as much as I would want to learn about any new friend. From there, I can learn to trust Him and find joy in that. This provides the foundation I need to challenge myself in waiting on His timing, to trust that His promises apply to my life, to release the desperate need to do more and be more, and to find hope in Him for my future.

One of the best ways for me to learn more about my Father is through reading the Bible. Lots of it. This doesn’t mean I focus on conjugating Greek verbs or memorizing scripture for the sake of reciting it to others.

A deep and lasting change in how I live requires a change in how I think.

Through contemplation and study, I see God’s overarching purpose in the story He tells through His people. As I consume more and more of the Bible, I notice patterns in the way He acts, accumulate moments of familiarity with His character, and begin to deposit the stories into my heart. Even if I do not completely understand everything that I read,

by flooding my heart with the scriptures, I get to see God’s promises lived out through lives that are surprisingly similar to mine.

As I pick up a book and my beach chair and head down to the sand, I hear the voice of my childhood minister praying, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.” I am reminded that time alone with God is intimate; it occurs in my heart, not my head or my hands. This is time set apart, spent intentionally with the Lord. I rest from my busy schedule and from my habit of taking on too much. I set aside needing to know more and give myself the opportunity to listen deeply, even if what I currently hear is silence.

I recognize how full my life is during the week, so this is a time to intentionally release the need to work harder. Between emails, dinners with friends, dirty dishes, the stack of books I want to read, and the dog with a ball in his mouth and pleading eyes, I can easily feel my life is cluttered before I even get out of bed. This is exhausting and does not create the necessary space for deepening an important relationship.

So I put the book down and take a walk on the beach instead, to settle my mind. Afterward, I make a cup of tea and take a posture of receptivity. The word posture can elicit the image of any number of external poses, but this posture is internal. It requires a reorientation of my attention toward reverence and away from requirement.

Quiet time with God is an important part of my normal routine. I devote time to listening for His voice without my own as an overlay. I practice releasing my expectations so I can hear His calling on my life. Outside of this precious time, I stay connected to people who help me walk toward personal holiness. Being devoted to my relationship with God is not about praying more often, participating in more Bible studies, or looking more spiritual. Because of the time I spend in getting to know Him, I am likely to have more regard for our human frailty, to be interruptible in the midst of set plans, and especially to take risks when He asks.

God is so relevant in our lives when we have been shifted out of our comfort zone. When I make the conscious decision to focus on being vulnerable with God and others and spend less time managing my sin, I find that I am more willing to make mistakes out loud, even when the perfectionist within me rebels wildly. He is shaping my character, and His script involves me reading my lines in community more often than I am comfortable with. And yet I have learned more about myself and about His love for me in those moments of healthy tension, and for that I am grateful.

He chooses me. He writes to me in the Bible with words of tenderness and familiarity. He calls me His friend! When I take a posture of thankfulness for His love and grace, I see deeper layers of meaning that include the freeing realization that there is a God, and He does not need me to be Him. Gratitude is not a single ingredient; it contains vulnerability, knee-bending humility, and worship, and it is from this posture that our relationship continues to grow.

I MUST GET TO KNOW HIM, AS MUCH AS I WOULD WANT TO LEARN ABOUT ANY NEW FRIEND. FROM THERE, I CAN LEARN TO TRUST HIM AND FIND JOY IN THAT.

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AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT of Summit’s vision is to create biblically functioning communities that connect people in Christcentered relationships. These are the relationships that build the foundation on which we can be the salt and light to the world. I had a chance to chat with Dan Allender, noted author and past president of the Seattle School, about Christian community. Dan taught A Marriage Seminar last year at Summit and returns in October to do the same. He is also someone who is intimately acquainted with both the joys and the sufferings that are experienced during Christian community-building.

Jack West: How do you define actual community, when it’s embedded in a culture where community has become a marketing buzzword, and what is the cost of being in community?

Dan Allender: The price of community is, minimally, inconvenience. I simply can’t live my life as I have planned if I am in community. One of the first questions to ask yourself is, “Do you believe disruption is actually God’s intrusion?”

If the answer is “no,” then your agenda on your cell phone trumps your schedule for the day. You have made your plans. You have your appointments. You have the time you’re going to go to the gym. You have the time you’re going to make this phone call. And if the answer is “no,” then this is God’s will for you.

If that is the case, then community is defined as when we are around people rather than engaged with people.

I know that is such a simple differentiation.

However, to be around people at church is not community. To be around people, even

in a Bible study, is not community. So, to be near is not community, but to be engaged is community. From my standpoint, I’m going to define community as those with whom you grieve and those with whom you laugh.

If you put it in brain terms, there is a limbic connection when we have linked story deeply enough to the point there is a fluidity of suffering and also of joy. Simply put, you don’t have to tell all for me to weep with you, nor do you have to tell all for me to laugh with you.

(The limbic connection is a relationship in the brain developed in the first few years of life, where our inherent emotional and behavioral responses to stimuli are “programmed” into our subconscious by our earliest experiences. The limbic portion of the brain, once established, defines our go-to response, and is very difficult to change once formed.)

COMMUNITY ...

THOSE WITH WHOM YOU GRIEVE AND THOSE WITH WHOM YOU LAUGH. JW: When you say, “I don’t have to tell all,” are you saying that there is a level of sacrifice to being engaged in community, but we don’t have to begin with “all or nothing”?

DA: Right, because what the notion of “telling all” seems to imply is a kind of Oprah “commercialized-confession” moment where one gets in front of a group of people and says, “I’ve done this or that.” We have this notion of a kind of a coming to truth: Now I’ve told the truth, hopefully now you’re better with me, now let’s drop it. It’s an event rather than a lifestyle.

The people who know us know we are going to struggle with certain failures in our lives, and therefore will suffer our failures but also dream of our further redemption. And they

will see in many ways movement, even if it is spotty, inconsistent, progressive, sometimes better, sometimes worse; yet there is a sense that we are bearing with each other.

JW: Can we think of marriage as a community? If so, how would you apply what you’ve just said within the context of marriage?

DA: If you’re married, you have one community that will determine how you live in all other communities—your marriage becomes the linchpin for how you evolve in all other relationships. What is fundamentally true and untrue in your marriage will become what is fundamentally true and untrue in the larger domain of relationships or community. The dishonesty that’s in your marriage will be the dishonesty that is in your way of relating to virtually everyone else.

Furthermore, if there is going to be a place of dishonesty, a place where you can’t engage the issues of who you really are with others, it will be in regard to sexuality. Whereas I would hope that couples would have better sex, enjoy sex, enjoy themselves, enjoy their marriage, enjoy intimacy far, far more, it’s the other side, the non-physical side, I’m most concerned about. Do I believe there is a possibility of growing in the promise of God’s goodness in community? Absolutely. But not at the price of escaping one’s failure.

JW: What I hear you saying is that community, whether in a small group or a marriage, comes with a certain amount of exposure, particularly of our sin. Can you speak to that reality?

DA: The entire gospel begins in the tension of the paradox that we are far more broken and yet far more loved than we know. Often we operate as if one of those realities is not true, therefore canceling out the other. However, if we live in both of those worlds, we are far more broken with regard to how we handle money, what we eat, and in regard to our sexuality than we have had the courage yet to name.

And that’s true for every single human being on the earth.

So our task in that sense is to live in a community that is not surprised by how broken we are or how loved we are—yet there’s always surprise with both. We have to live with the summitconnect.org 29

tension that nothing is better than community; nothing costs us more, and nothing gives us more.

I think it’s much harder to face our beauty than to face our sin. You are more loved than you can comprehend, and the love that you bring to community is sweet and deep and good and alters your engagement with others.

So, if the tension is there then we in one sense have to hold—as the gospel speaks its truth— the reality that sin is incidental, not primary. It’s incidental not on the basis of consequences, but on the framework of the cross. You’re not bound to anything or anyone but the love of God. So, to be bound to nothing but love and to then have the knowledge that your love is unlike anyone else’s, means that what you bring to community is an exponential factor of love for the sake of others, resulting in love experienced at a level greater than the sum of its parts.

JW: At Summit, we intentionally form Christ-centered relationships in order to build biblically functioning communities.

Fleshed out, this looks like people meeting together to learn, serve, and worship in small groups. Most often we start our engagement with one another in a mediated format, like a Bible study.

How can we move from a mediated form of doing community to this other level where we are caught up in the fluidity of grieving and laughing together?

DA: The Bible study is a tool, and a tool is ultimately a structure, like a skeleton. The structure allows time and space, and without time and space you are not going to be in a

YOU ARE MORE LOVED THAN YOU CAN COMPREHEND, AND THE LOVE THAT YOU BRING TO COMMUNITY IS SWEET AND DEEP AND GOOD AND ALTERS YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH OTHERS. relationship. So an event like a Bible study is of itself good, but it is not the point. A skeleton is a very important part of you— without it you’ve got only a mass of flesh with no form—but having a skeleton alone is not very adequate. A Bible study alone is nothing more than dry bones, but thank God for bones!

Now, where is the flesh? In this metaphor, it is that which you cannot plan, that which you cannot manufacture.

There’s always this indeterminate, unmanipulatable depth to the human soul that those in community with us don’t even know. It’s not that we know and we then give or don’t give that side of ourselves to our community. It’s that we know some, but in the process of our laughing and weeping, we actually come to know more of who we are, both in relationship with others and therefore, ultimately in relationship with God. Your knowing God is always contingent on how you love or how you hate others—this is

MEET DAN ALLENDER Over the last two years, we have had the privilege to hear Dan B. Allender, Ph.D., speak at our relationship conference, A Marriage Seminar. Whether married or single, we all have relational histories, desires, struggles, shame, and beauty that deeply impact how we relate to others and how we understand ourselves and God. Each year at A Marriage Seminar, Dan helps us take a closer look into marriage, encouraging all of us to cultivate healthier connections, reach deeper intimacy, and see how our stories impact our relationships.

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the inherent meaning to the 1 John passage that says if you hate your brother you cannot love God. There is another assumption that the nature of how you love others will be the same nature that gives context to how you understand and experience the love of God. I think that is equally true. How you love others will affect how you love God, and how you love God will affect how you love others. So if we change the word love to know, then how you know others will affect how you know God, and how you know God will affect how you know others. And knowing God is the only way to truly know ourselves.

Dan is author of several popular books, including To Be Told: Know Your Story/Shape Your Future, How Children Raise Parents, and The Healing Path, as well as The Wounded Heart, Bold Love, and Intimate Allies. He is a fly fisherman who also serves as professor of counseling at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, as well as a therapist and frequent speaker and seminar leader.

Dan received his Master of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Michigan State University. He and his wife, Rebecca, have three children.

If you’ve been at Summit for even a little while, you’ve probably heard about Summit Connect groups. You’ve also probably heard what a Connect group is: 8-12 people meeting for 12-18 months in homes across Orlando to learn, serve, and worship together. But what you might not know is the “why” behind each of these characteristics—or that there even is a “why” behind them! Well, there is!

At their core, all groups form around a common purpose, and that is to form Christcentered relationships. We also live out every portion of our vision in Summit Connect groups: We reach lost people, teach truth, serve others, and worship God. You will likely form friendships in your group, some of which will last a lifetime. And who knows? You might meet your future spouse. (It’s been known to happen!) Forming friendships is a natural outcome of being invested with others for an extended period of time—an added bonus. The most important purpose of Connect groups is to join together people who are intentional about living out the vision of the church.

Since Connect groups are so important to Summit’s vision, we are intentional about the way they are set up and structured and in what we ask them to do. Let’s break it down!

8-12 PEOPLE This is the ideal size for a Connect group because it is not too big and not too small.

A group this size allows for people to know each other and be known by each other. It is large enough so that there is a differing of opinions, and there are enough people to keep a discussion going. If it were bigger than this, it would be hard to have time to hear from everyone and allow people to form deeper relationships.

MEETING FOR 12-18 MONTHS If you’ve never been in a group, this might seem like a long time to commit to. But most people who have been in groups will tell you that it flies by. There are several reasons for the time frame. First, there needs to be adequate time

for relationships to form and for the group to grow together. Second, people need to know how long a commitment they are making before they make it. Finally, and maybe most importantly, is the expectation that groups will multiply to form new groups when the 12-18 months is up. In doing this we are providing the opportunity for people to join and lead groups as we grow.

FORMING FRIENDSHIPS IS A NATURAL OUTCOME OF BEING INVESTED WITH OTHERS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. IN HOMES ACROSS ORLANDO We intentionally encourage groups to meet in homes, because that is an environment where authentic relationships develop. You

get to know others quickly when you’re in a home setting. By meeting in homes, we are taking the church outside the actual building of the church to where people live. People who attend Summit live all over Orlando, and it makes the most sense to have groups meet close to where people live. It makes it easier to be part of each other’s lives.

TO LEARN, SERVE, AND WORSHIP TOGETHER While there are different types of groups (Everyone Welcome, Men’s, Women’s, College, Married Couples), they all form around a common purpose—to build Christ-centered relationships—and to do three things together: learn, serve, and worship. They learn by studying the Bible or a biblically based book.

They serve together at niceSERVE and regularly throughout the year. They worship together by praying for each other and supporting each other in whatever is going on in their lives.

Summit Connect groups are the main way adults are taking their next steps in getting involved at Summit and living out the vision, but they are not just for adults. Kids who attend Base Camp and students who attend Surge (middle school) and The Edge (high school) also meet in Connect groups weekly. Their structure is a little different, but the purpose is the same.

If you’re looking for a way to connect at Summit and wondering what your next step might be, start by joining a Connect group!

Visit www.summitconnect.org to get details for the next Group Day event at your campus, or to search open groups online!

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I AM OFTEN ASKED MY OPINION as to whether marriage, given all the pitfalls and difficulties that couples encounter, is really something that benefits the couple.

Given the fact that half of the marriages in the U.S. fail, this is a question that needs to be asked and answered honestly. Certainly more and more couples have chosen cohabitation as an alternative to marriage, and many prefer it, given the fact that so many marriages just don’t seem to work anymore.

Marriage Reflects God In Genesis 1:26-27, God introduces us to marriage right at the beginning of the biblical narrative. God established marriage to mirror His image here on earth. Verse 27 states: “So God made man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” The text is very clear when it refers to God in the plural: “Let us make man in our image...” (verse 26). In the very nature of God there is relationship: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Adam alone could not mirror God’s image; only Adam and Eve together in a covenant relationship could. Marriage is the human relationship that most clearly and deliberately demonstrates the oneness yet plurality of the Godhead. A married couple reflects God’s image well when they are totally committed in mind, body, and spirit, sharing the joys and sorrows, victories and defeats, and the everyday challenges of life.

I cannot describe to you the sadness that comes upon me when people I know and love come to a place where one or the other or both decide to end their marriage. I know that there are reasons and circumstances where this is inevitable (my mother was divorced before she met my father), but the sadness and devastation that comes is not just because a vow was broken, but because the image of God—who He is and what He’s like—is marred and disfigured. Divorce goes far beyond just a broken relationship. It’s a broken image.

I remember trips that I took alone when Renee had home responsibilities with our children and her personal ministry. I would arrive at my destination, walk into the room where I was staying, and then speak out loud to my wife, commenting on my location. She obviously wasn’t there, but I missed having her there. I missed the feeling of completeness that our marriage has afforded both of us.

Marriage Leaves a Godly Legacy The third purpose for marriage from God’s perspective is to multiply a Godly legacy. The command to Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and multiply. This command was more than just biological, it was relational and spiritual as well. The injunction was best spelled out in Deuteronomy 6:6: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” The home is the primary place where God’s character and commandments are taught.

Not so much academically, although this is important, but by the example of a loving father and mother. The spiritual heritage that is implanted by loving parents is one that is not easily forgotten and discarded.

This third purpose is arguably the most misunderstood and given to extremes.

Children many times are seen as a burden and not a blessing, and a logical result is couples who decide to not have children.

This is certainly the right of every married couple, but the legacy commandment draws couples out of themselves and teaches an unselfishness that is not learned in adult relationships. The other extreme would involve couples whose relationships have become centered primarily on the children.

In many marriages where there is waning love and affection, children are substituted as the ones responsible for receiving and giving out unconditional love. This only leads to disillusionment and dysfunction on the parts of both parent and child. In order for a healthy legacy to be established, the parents need to be in charge of their children, and their marriage must be the primary relationship in the home. As I tell parents seeking advice on raising their children: “Spousal love covers a multitude of parental sins.” The legacy aspect of marriage must not be overlooked as we consider God’s purposes for marriage.

In God’s eyes, the marriage relationship is extremely important. I need to remember that it is God who created marriage, and it is God who has given marriage its significance. Therefore, it is a commitment that must be taken seriously and prepared for with great attention and gravity. After 37 years of marriage, I can safely say that it is, barring my walk with Christ, the most satisfying, invigorating, and challenging relationship of my life. Marriage works when couples focus their relationship on a purpose higher than just their own personal satisfaction: mirroring God’s image, mutually completing one another, and multiplying a godly legacy. Set your focus where it needs to be, and enjoy the results!

GOD’S OVERARCHING PLAN IS THE FULFILLMENT THAT COMES THROUGH INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.

Marriage Completes Man (and Woman) The second reason God created the marriage relationship is so that the man and the woman together would mutually complete one another. Genesis 2:24 introduces us to this “one flesh” concept: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” It was obvious to Adam before Eve was created that all of creation was not quite complete. “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’” (Genesis 2:18). Adam, even in the perfection of all God’s pre-Fall creation, knew that he was somehow incomplete. He was alone. Marriage is the means by which God completed Adam and simultaneously completed Eve. God’s overarching plan is the fulfillment that comes through intimate relationships with others—the relationship between a husband and wife being the most obvious.

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34 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

A FEW YEARS AGO I heard the story of a woman who was a runner. Every morning she ran by a homeless shelter. There was always a group of homeless men standing outside who were accustomed to seeing “the running lady” come by every day.

One day she decided to invite the group of homeless men to run with her. Surprisingly, some of them took her up on it. In time, she got friends to donate running shoes and clothes for them. As each of them picked up this new habit, something started changing inside of them.

The alcoholic stopped drinking. The depressed entertained positive thoughts. One by one, her band of homeless runners started changing their lives—all as a result of one woman who noticed these men on the side of the road, had the courage to move toward them, and freely shared what she had: a passion for running.

One of them went on to run a marathon; another became a longdistance runner. Ultimately, many of their lives became dramatic contradictions of the sad reality they once lived. The woman, Anne Mahlum, went on to found a non-profit called Back on My Feet, which serves homeless people by engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength, and self-esteem.

She is a beautiful example of the fact that it often takes very little to make a significant difference in the lives of others. It frequently begins with giving in to good intentions, which can lead to good actions that eventually becomes good habits.

When I was younger, my desire to make a difference with my life led to a constant struggle in trying to determine a sense of God’s calling. I went back and forth between wanting to pursue distinctively religious roles and secular marketplace roles. I always felt like these were two separate roads from which I could choose only one.

This perspective could not be further from the truth. The truth is that the marketplace is where we find the greatest number of opportunities to touch people and make a difference in significant ways by the building of intentional and meaningful relationships.

When I was a new Christian, I was obsessed with evangelism and saving souls. If you were within 3 feet of me, you were going to hear the good news of God’s love... and the warning of His judgment. Yes, I know.

I was “that guy.” I didn’t know how to just build genuine friendships with non-believers at work. If the conversation wasn’t about me trying to fix you or save you, we did not have much to talk about besides work.

One day I met a young entrepreneur who taught me a great lesson.

He was a client of mine who claimed to not believe in God and was not interested in going to my church. Yet I was drawn to befriend him.

For the first time, I was moving toward a meaningful relationship in the marketplace, without any agenda except to be a friend.

Sure, when we were together, I freely shared about my faith. I would offer to pray over meals and share any biblical insights I thought would be helpful in his business, but I wasn’t aggressively trying to convince him of my beliefs. More than anything, we both just shared a common passion for business.

Over time, we became good friends. And over the course of four to five years, our friendship eventually led to me baptizing him and later watching him disciple other people and become a spiritual leader.

To this day, I can’t recall ever confronting him about his lack of belief in Jesus. At some point he just started going to church, gave his life to Christ, and began leading a small men’s group, which I attended.

The lesson for me was that none of this happened because of a spiritual transaction I conducted. I didn’t try to convince him that he was wrong and I was right, and that now he had to live life my way. It was just a friendship, a meaningful relationship that God was using to bear much fruit in both our lives.

Building meaningful relationships at work is not just about practicing good listening skills, remembering names, or being empathetic, even though these things are important. It’s about acknowledging God’s hidden treasure inside every person we meet.

Jesus developed meaningful relationships with people who were very different from Him by acknowledging their value and worth as individuals, moving toward them intentionally and sharing freely what He had to give. We see it with the Samaritan woman. He noticed her.

He moved toward her. And He shared with her what He had to give, “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

What if we all learned to do that?

What if, instead of running past people on our way to get things done, we began to notice people we normally ignore, like Anne Mahlum did? What if we moved toward them and shared freely whatever we have to give? Little things, even the simplest interactions, could eventually mark the beginning of meaningful, lifelong relationships.

You don’t have to start a non-profit or run a ministry to have an impact on others. You can start right now, right where you are. Start looking for the treasure that is waiting for you by building meaningful relationships at work.

In the book Practicing the Presence of People, author Mike Mason says, “Loving people is like eating peanuts. Loving one leads to another and another and another and another.”

I pray that would be the case for you.

YOU CAN START RIGHT NOW, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.

PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF PEOPLE HOW WE LEARN TO LOVE MIKE MASON In the deepest part of our hearts and souls is the desire to love well. Yet in our struggle to do so, we learn that, as Mike Mason puts it, “We are not born with love; it is something we must learn.” Now, in Practicing the Presence of People, he helps us launch that learning process. Mason points the way to fresh knowledge and fresh experience, showing how we can discover new things about those we love, understand them from the inside out, tenderly identify with their weaknesses, and celebrate that they too were lovingly made by the hand of God.

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36 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

IT WAS AUTUMN IN OHIO. The highlight of the kindergarten field trip was about to begin. “OK, boys and girls!” announced the teacher. “It’s time to go into the pumpkin patch and pick out whatever pumpkin you want! The only thing is, you have to be able to carry it all by yourself!”

My parents were there that day, and the three of us watched my daughter Kimberly venture into the pumpkin patch. She would go home with a pumpkin that day, and I would go home with a life lesson.

Kimberly headed out. She passed good-looking pumpkins. She glanced at a few but didn’t stop until she found “the one.” “The one” wasn’t even orange though. It had grown on its side, so if you tried to stand it up, it would lean or fall over altogether. I thought, “Of all the pumpkins out there, she wants to choose that one?”

I verbalized these observations to my parents before saying, “I’m going to go help her pick out a good one!” As I started to get up, my dad encouraged me with these wise words in his ever-patient way: “It might be best to just let Kimberly pick out whatever pumpkin she wants. We can celebrate her choice.

Because it’s not about the pumpkin... it’s about Kimberly.” And there it was, the phrase that I would continue to use throughout my life with my children (and others), just filling in different words for pumpkin and Kimberly.

It’s a mindset. It’s keeping in mind what’s important; more accurately, who is important. People matter!

Jesus lived His life being an example of this and died demonstrating it. This mindset has us view our child’s heart as valuable and in turn, respond accordingly.

As parents, we have daily opportunities to instill worth and confidence in our children. In doing so, we will deepen our relationship with them and build their trust in us.

The books of the New Testament have much to say about the value of people and how to treat them. Colossians is a letter written to the church in Colossae. Paul (the most likely author) reminds the members of the church to let the Good News of Christ form their thinking and actions. This is part of that letter:

is taking place.

For example: It’s not about how much gets seen and done at a theme park. It’s about your 4-year-old and seeing this magical place through her eyes (even if you don’t make it past the storefronts on Main Street U.S.A.).

It’s not about the clothing combination. It’s about your 2nd grader and the pride she feels when you view her style as acceptable for the day. (Is there really harm in a rainbow top, plaid pants, and rubber boots when you’re 7?)

It’s not about the football game outcome. It’s about your 10-year-old and empathizing with him, then strengthening him to respond with courage and character.

It’s not about the fender bender in the high school parking lot. It’s about your 11th grader, who needs her confidence restored as a new driver.

It’s not about the wedding planning to-do list. It’s about your daughter and instilling confidence that with God’s help, she will be a wonderful wife.

It’s not about the homemade dinner attempt; it’s about complimenting the chef.

It’s not about completing the puzzle; it’s about the time spent with her while doing it.

It’s not about the bad word spoken at school; it’s about the opportunity to restore a heart that feels guilty.

And let me be clear, I am not saying let your child do whatever they want and embrace it. I am saying think proactively. Respond to your child; don’t react. Embrace each interaction as a chance to build a stronger bond of respect, encouragement, belief-in, and love.

So train the behavior, address the problem, correct the attitude, protect from danger, as well as celebrate the moment, encourage the choice, and applaud the courage. Just keep in mind your child’s heart, above the event and before you respond. Then watch your relationship with your child blossom and deepen.

Days at the park will end, clothes will be outgrown, sports games will be won and lost, cars will be replaced, wedding days will pass, but the heart of your child is eternal.

It’s not about the pumpkin… it’s about Kimberly.

EMBRACE EACH INTERACTION AS A CHANCE TO BUILD A STRONGER BOND OF RESPECT, ENCOURAGEMENT, BELIEF-IN, AND LOVE.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).

These are some of the qualities we are to clothe or “put on” when interacting with others. Our children are included in this. We are to think about them more than the event that

THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE SALLY LLOYD-JONES The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to join in the greatest of all adventures, to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of God’s great story of salvation—and at the center of their story, too.

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CULTIVATING FRIENDSHIPS WITH PEOPLE who do not believe that Jesus is who He says He was is one of the most important things we can do as Christians. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In other words, “Go form relationships with unbelievers and tell them the good news about Me.” 38 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

The “ends of the earth” that Jesus is referring to includes our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, hair salons, gyms, the local Starbucks, and any place else where we live out our everyday lives and develop friendships with others. Sharing the gospel with our unbelieving friends and family can seem like a daunting task. Before we utter a single word about Jesus to an unbeliever, we need to take some time to talk to God about it first. Here are some tips for praying for unbelievers...

Remember that God alone has the power to change hearts.

The great thing about praying for unbelievers is it’s a prayer God is eager to answer. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.

Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God’s desire is that everyone come to know Him intimately. Jesus Himself says that He “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). As we pray for the people we care about to come to know God, we should remember that God cares about them even more than we do. Our words alone can never change someone’s heart toward Jesus. But God can take our efforts and work through them to change hearts.

PRAY: Dear Jesus, I care deeply about my friends.

I want their lives to change as a result of knowing and trusting in You. I know that You desire that even more than I do. As You give me opportunities to speak to them about You, please work through me to reach their hearts. Give me the words You want them to hear at the time You want them to hear it. Only You have the power to change an unbeliever’s heart. Amen.

Remember that no one is beyond redemption.

At some point we will encounter a person whose heart seems so hardened toward Jesus that it doesn’t even seem worth trying to share the gospel with him or her. This person is not simply apathetic; he is vehemently opposed to any and all things related to God. It may seem like a waste of time to even pray for this person. It’s not.

Acts 9 tells the story of Paul’s conversion.

Paul dedicated his life to persecuting and killing Christians. It is unlikely that many believers had Paul on their prayer list. In fact, when God

told Ananias to go to Paul and disciple him, Ananias had second thoughts. He told God, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name” (verses 13-14). In other words, “This guy hates Christians. He wants to kill us! He’ll never change his evil ways.

Not in a million years. And you want me to hang out with him?”

If there’s hope for Paul, there’s hope for all.

We must never leave a person off our prayer list simply because he or she seems beyond hope.

Seeing God change the heart of an unbeliever is an amazing thing to witness, and it happens more often than we might think. We need to remember that it happens on God’s time, not ours. Jesus welcomed a criminal into heaven moments before He died (Luke 23:39-43).

God never gives up on anyone, and neither should we. Pray for all the Pauls in your life by name, and pray for them daily. Then be ready, because like Ananias, God may ask you to do something challenging!

PRAY: Dear Jesus, I pray that [name] would come to know and have a relationship with You. She seems so far away from You, and I don’t know how to reach her, but You do. I pray that You would open her eyes to Your presence and she would come to trust You as her Lord and Savior.

Give me opportunities to be a tangible expression of Your love to her. I am willing to do whatever You ask of me.

It’s OK to feel afraid.

If you feel a certain amount of fear in sharing the gospel with unbelievers, you’re not alone. All the early Christians did as well!

Paul even asked for prayers as he attempted to share Jesus with others. “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19).

PRAY: Dear Jesus, I want to talk about You to my unbelieving friends and family, but I am afraid.

Please give me the courage and boldness to share the gospel when the time is right. As You open doors, I will walk through them.

Meet people where they are.

Our goal as Christians isn’t to impress people with our knowledge of the Bible or

win theological debates. We can do that all day long and never achieve our actual goal: to win people over to Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul says: Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Paul’s goal is not to be right. It’s to win people for Christ. Does “becoming all things to all people” mean compromising our values to engage in activities that would make us look cool in front of unbelievers? No. It means be willing to listen and understand before trying to be understood.

When Paul visited Athens, he took the time to study their culture to know how best to share the gospel with them (Acts 17:16-34).

Likewise, we should take the time to get to know the story of our unbelieving friends.

What do they believe? Why do they believe it? What has been their past experience with Christians and the Church? What struggles are they dealing with right now? When our friends realize that we will love and accept them unconditionally in the present moment (even if they never become a Christian), walls will be broken down, defenses will be lowered, and we will have a much easier time sharing the gospel with them.

PRAY: Dear Jesus, help me to meet my unbelieving friends where they are. I pray for opportunities to have honest conversations with them about the trials and struggles they are going through. Help me to love them well, and in the process share with them how You have changed my life and brought me hope.

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S t E c e fl O e R s G e i il m T a F I Four M M P U S CAM TO

ASHLEY ELLIS RACHEL VASQUEZ & MELISSA WATKINS

Do you find your family getting swept up in busy weeks of work and school?

Ringing cell phones? Incoming emails? Homework assignments that need completing? Diapers that need changing? Meals that need cooking? You know what your family might need?

40 SUMMIT//Fall 2013

A BREAK FROM THE SCHEDULE! A WEEKEND AWAY TOGETHER... unplugged! That’s exactly what 31 young families did in April 2013, at Summit Church’s first annual Family Camp. A total of 51 parents and 69 kids headed to Young Life’s Southwind Camp to retreat, relax, and reconnect with their family members, with their Summit peers, and with God. Geared toward families with kids between the ages of 4 and 14, Family Camp is a collaboration between Base Camp and Summit Students.

We asked several families to reflect on their Family Camp experience. These are their stories.

JASON, SHERYL, CHLOE, & ADALINE BOYD DAD, MOM, AND DAUGHTERS

In the Boyd family, even the parents had childlike fun during Family Camp.

“We both grew up (especially Jason) going camping but don’t do that anymore,” Sheryl says. “We usually opt for hotels. Being back in nature in the camping experience took us both back to our childhoods and reminded us of our stories and fun we had as kids, and we were able to share those stories with our children. It was so nice to reconnect and have our kids know a more personal side of us while making new memories for them that we hope they will share with their kids one day.”

She continues, “It reaffirmed to us that we should go camping on our own and share more of our childhood with the kids. They love hearing stories about our childhood adventures, and we left camp talking about plans for how we can do more camping together.”

The Boyds went to camp looking for better ways to connect as a family.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the dayto-day routine,” Sheryl says. “Our family is always up for new adventures to break that monotony. We were glad we did—it gave our family a new way of connecting with the outdoors and trying new things together.”

Chloe and Adaline agree: “We loved the pool and waterslide, games, songs and activities, the family skit on stage (What was it called? We loved it!), and living in a cabin!”

Worshiping together and getting to know other families in the church was

meaningful to the Boyd family as well.

“We got closer to several families and Summit staff families while there, and really enjoyed watching the kids have more time to connect with their friends from church,” Sheryl says. “It was really great getting to know each other as families and being able to connect with them on the level of being parents who have children at the church, and interacting with them as a team all while having fun together.

“Several years ago, our family went through a lot of change and loss, and it has caused us to change our paradigm completely as individuals and parents. We know firsthand how short life is and how valuable the time is that we have been given. We are to be good stewards of everything we have, and time being one of the most precious—because once it is spent, it can never come back. We only have what is ahead of us, and tomorrow is never a guarantee. Our plan is to instill a sense of appreciation for everything we have and deep gratitude to our heavenly Father for each gift, since nothing in life is certain. This mindset has caused us both to redefine our priorities. We like passing on to our kids a different sense of understanding of what really matters in life—time spent together and living the way God would have us live, not as our culture defines it.”

Sheryl continues, “Relationships take work, especially in today’s age, to keep them authentic and uncomplicated. Managing a family is challenging as well, and trying to stay connected with other families and their schedules can also be a challenge. If you can see the value in relationships, then you can make it a priority to work on.”

SWAY & JEREMY CIARAMELLO DAD AND SON

For Sway, the goal was simple: Get away with his son, middle-schooler Jeremy, indulge in a weekend of outdoor fun, reconnect with each other, and grow together as a Christ-centered family.

“Just having one-on-one down time with Jeremy and no agenda—it meant a lot to me,” Sway says.

“I have been separated from my wife for the past two years (co-parenting Jeremy half the time), and this getaway gave me some time to bond with him outside of our normal routine.”

Breaking routine was no problem for this fatherand-son duo during Family Camp. They jumped right in with water sports, team sports, and game room activities galore: canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, kickball, dizzy bat, foosball, and billiards!

“One of the funny things I remember,” Sway says, “was shooting basketballs under the lights at 10 p.m.—barefoot and just shooting around with another dad and his son. We were taking long shots. If we missed, and the basketball went over the wall, it would roll 100 yards down a hill. We all had a good laugh at who had to go get it.”

In addition to the laughs, other activities offered some meaningful moments.

The camp’s 30-foot-tall climbing pole— affectionately named the Flying Squirrel—sure does get the heart pumping. Jeremy connected to a harness for safety and hoisted himself up.

Although he was scared when looking down from the treetops, after a little coaching, he faced his fears and bravely took the leap.

“I was so proud of him for doing that,” Sway says proudly.

The learning and growing were not onesided either, as Jeremy helped his father have a meaningful change in perspective.

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“Jeremy has an aversion to loud music,” Sway explains, “so before each teaching, Jeremy and I sat outside waiting for the worship music to end.

Initially, I was somewhat frustrated that we were the only ones outside, but then I lightened up and just enjoyed the time. I simply sat in his world and relaxed. This was a lesson for me too, about stopping and just ‘being’ with my son. This was worship time in reflective silence with him. I loved just being still, watching my son, and feeling God’s love for me as I felt my love for Jeremy in that moment.”

While their connection with each other grew over the weekend, Jeremy and Sway were able to open up in their conversations and confide in one another.

“I think one of the challenges we have is feeling like we were not a full family anymore,” Sway says. “But Jeremy and I were able to talk through some of those feelings. We talked about how both his mom and I love him,

and that we’re proud of him. I think this talk helped get the elephant out of the room (so to speak) so we can work toward creating new family memories.”

Grateful not only for the chance to bond with his son, this father also appreciated the opportunity to connect with other Christian dads.

“We met two other dads and their sons who were bunking in our room,” he says. “It was cool to be around other God-loving men and for our boys to see their dads reading their Bibles at night.”

Even after Family Camp, the Ciaramello family continues to reap the rewards for their investment in each other.

“The retreat helped me get more of the joy back in my life,” Sway says. “One of the takeaways from the weekend was how Jeremy and I are balancing responsibility with fun.”

Sway continues, “Just last night Jeremy brought all of the Nerf guns he had, and we spent over an hour engaged in a Nerf war. First we did target practice to see how many Nerf bullets we could hit and stick on a mirror, then the real battle began—Jeremy in the galley

MICHELLE & BRYANT RICHEY MOM AND SON

Michelle brought her son, Bryant, age 9, to Family Camp with a clear purpose—to bond as a family, meet new friends from church, and spend time with God—all while escaping the hustle of life.

“My favorite part,” Michelle says, “was getting away from the busyness of life to focus on what is most important—my relationship with Bryant and with our Savior.”

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against me behind the sofa. We had a blast seeing how many times we ‘shot’ each other and how the different Nerf guns worked.

“Another takeaway from the weekend came from reflecting on our family’s past. Before the separation, we would build forts out of blankets and pillows in the living room. We hadn’t done that in almost two years, so at our Family Camp bunkroom, one of the first things Jeremy did was to start building a fort between the bunk beds.

“I was reminded of our past fort-building fun, and thought this could be something we would do when we got back to reality after leaving the camp. I suggested that to Jeremy, and his face lit up. So, the subsequent weekend when he was with me, we started out by getting our favorite takeout dinner (Jumbo’s in Winter Park). I had bought The Hobbit, and we went home and built our fort for the weekend in the living room of the condo. We had our pillows and blankets, ate Chinese food, watched the movie, and ended up sleeping that night in the fort. Wow! It was so much fun and created a great memory for us—all a result of our Family Camp weekend!”

Family Camp.

“We had such a great time just being together doing activities we don’t make time for at home—the ropes course, swimming, ping-pong…

We loved it all!” Michelle says. “Watching the family skits during large group made us laugh out loud! Bryant still talks about Elwood and his antics. It was perfect!”

Bryant agrees. “I liked paddle boarding, octoball, and having a good time with my mom.”

When asked to share about a moment or experience that meant a lot to them during Family Camp, this mother-and-son family responded exactly the same: “Large Group time and worshiping together! That is something we have never experienced so freely in a family environment like that.”

EFRIAN, KEILA, EILANE, & ELENNY RIVERA DAD, MOM, AND DAUGHTERS For the Rivera family, making the decision to go to Family Camp was not easy, but it was important.

“For us, family is first,” Keila explains, “and despite some major financial struggles, we wanted to show our girls that we can still have

Michelle says, “I loved watching Bryant praise the Lord through song, listen to the message, and get it. That was a defining moment for me. I loved experiencing that with him. I connected with God throughout the weekend, just experiencing the quiet outdoors and laughter of my son. It was such a difference from everyday life.”

For the Richeys, connecting with God was what the whole weekend was about.

“I feel a little guilty,” Michelle admits, “because I look back and see how over time, I have slowly slid back into the busyness of life. I strive toward the goal of spending better time with God. Bryant says that we already have good family time and devotion time. I don’t know how accurate that might be, but I’m thankful he recognizes God as a priority in our family.

“Something I think we have both learned,” Michelle continues, “is to love others more intentionally and show that love through our time spent with them. To sum it up, I chose to go with the intention of meeting others and enjoying the weekend. I left feeling rejuvenated, fulfilled, and in awe of the time I got to spend with my son. Nothing profound, just a reminder of the incredible little boy that he is and that if I love him this much and treasure spending my time with him, I can only imagine the love God has for us and how important it is to spend time with him.

“I cannot thank Summit Church enough for valuing family and relationships enough to take the time and resources to put on a weekend like this. Equipping us parents to refocus and reprioritize is such a gift. Thank you for caring enough about me and my family!”

fun—even in the hardest circumstances.”

In the midst of their hardship, Family Camp offered this family some joy-filled worship and playtime.

Keila shares, “My husband and I both loved watching our two girls dance, worship, and sing to the Lord with all their heart.

Eilane (age 13) had a great time playing on the swing, and Elenny (age 8) loved playing baseball with the family. Also, we have a new family favorite game—the octoball game was so fun, and a challenging game for all ages.”

Laughs were easy to come by for this family during their getaway.

“We videotaped the moment we played the game of spinning around the baseball bat,” Keila says. “It was hilarious! We can watch that video a million times and can’t stop laughing. Our friend Sam went first, and he is super competitive, so when he was done spinning, he fell so hard we really thought he was joking. Then, my husband went sideways instead of going north; he ran from west to east and then Bam! He fell, too! I can’t even stop giggling now!”

Keila says one experience that meant a lot to her family was going canoeing. “It was so meaningful to us because it was our first time doing it,” she says. “We had such a great time—it will never be forgotten!”

Connecting with other families was also a highlight for the Riveras.

“We really enjoyed the time we spent sitting at the table and eating with other families,” says Keila. “It was great to have the quality oneon-one time connecting with others in our church community. I even found that just watching the interactions between other families gave me an uplifting and hopeful feeling. In fact, I even had the opportunity to connect with one of the moms in my room. That new friendship had God written all over it. We were able to minister to each other just through sharing our testimonies with each other.”

Keila continues, “Seeing that other families have the same desires for building a God-loving family, with strong and healthy children, gives us hope to continue this journey. We learned that we are not alone...

We are a big familia!

“We have created memories that will last forever,” Keila says. “We give special thanks to Summit for planting a seed in our family at a time that seemed almost financially impossible. Our family will be forever grateful.”

SEE YOU AT CAMP! 2014

FAMILY C AMP

If your family needs to unplug, unwind, and reconnect with each other, you won’t want to miss Family Camp 2014!

We’re heading to Young Life’s Southwind Camp, Friday, March 28th – Sunday, March 30th 2014. It’s the perfect place to play, learn, and relax with your family! Family Camp is geared toward families with children ages 4-14, but all ages are welcome. It’s going to be a great weekend!

Visit summitconnect.org for details and registration.

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WHERE FAMILIES GROW TOGETHER ELIZABETH HUNTER

AUDIENCES EVERYWHERE AGREE! BASE CAMP LIVE!: “Has lots of characters, and it’s funny! You get popcorn!” (Sophia, 7) “Teaches us about God in a fun way!” (David, 10) “You get to learn things and go to other rooms!” (Alexis, 3) Who doesn’t enjoy learning, getting popcorn, and getting to go to other rooms (depending on the rooms)? For these reasons and many more, it’s no wonder Base Camp Live! (BCL) is a hit with both children and parents.

You may have wandered by the BCL Theatre and wondered, “What in the world goes on in there?” Well, beyond the aroma of popcorn is a 25-minute production that both kids and their parents are invited to attend. Running September through May, BCL productions take place weekly at the Herndon campus and monthly at the Waterford and Lake Mary campuses. They feature interactive music, activities, and performances that engage kids in “learning more about the Bible and the one true God,” according to Zach, age 7.

BCL extends beyond being a weekly production of high entertainment value. It is an investment in the lives of both children and parents as they walk through their everyday lives. A group of dynamic volunteers invest their time and talent in helping families build strong relationships with God and with each other through the various facets that make up BCL. The hope is to open up conversations that help families grow together spiritually.

The BCL curriculum is directed toward K-5th grade, the same grade levels that attend Foothills. The curriculum focuses on a “virtue of the month,” including, but not limited to, patience, honesty, grace, and humility. During BCL, kids see a character wrestle with a virtue through a real-life scenario, creating an opportunity for further dialogue between children and parents as similar situations come up during their week. As these real-world lessons are taught, the lively characters and hosts make them memorable. As 8-year-old McKenna will tell you, “BCL is funny! The characters make the story come alive.”

To further enhance the lesson being taught in BCL, corresponding Bible stories are taught in Foothills—reinforcing that month’s virtue through God’s Word. This is why before any mention of free popcorn,

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children are quick to get to the heart of BCL. “I like BCL because we get to learn more about Jesus!” explains Bennett, age 7.

As an added resource, BCL creates a Parent Insider video each month. The video is includes an application tool that helps parents implement that virtue into everyday life. The application tool could be either an activity that elicits practice of a virtue or an activity that helps resolve a struggle with a particular virtue. BCL even has a board game, BCL!, The Game. The board game is simply one more nudge in helping families grow in their relationships.

As BCL continues to “teach in a fun way about God and what He wants us to do” (David, age 10), it also continues to pour into families and help foster Christ-centered relationships. Through BCL lessons, Bible stories, and family activities, the message is woven throughout families’ day-to-day lives, knitting them tighter in their relationships with each other and with God.

IF YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO BASE CAMP LIVE!, COME CHECK IT OUT! JOIN US FROM SEPTEMBER TO MAY: @ Herndon: Every Sunday following the 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services in the Theatre @ Waterford: The first Sunday of every month following the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services in the Theatre @ Lake Mary: The first Sunday of every month following the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services in the Base Camp Large Group Space

Student reGROUP HELPING STUDENTS FIND THEIR IDENTITY IN CHRIST BETHANY MARINELLI

“PIG!” “DOG!” “OINK OINK!” “WOOF!” pounded in my ears as I walked down the hall. My eyes burned with unleashed tears as the boys pointed and jeered at me, snickering at their latest amusement. At 14 years old, I wasn’t sure how I would make it through another four years knowing these boys would remain loitering the halls. It couldn’t possibly get worse. But it did.

Our class trip took place at a minor league baseball game in lawn seats. Chatting with my friends, I felt a smack on my face and heard the squeaky laughter of adolescent boys. Over the next few minutes I endured a shower of garbage coming from the boys’ blanket.

My friends just looked at me, disgusted and uncomfortable. A snow cone crowning my head was the last straw, and I lost it.

On the bus ride home, I sat quietly in a flood of familiar thoughts, “You are trash. You are unworthy, unacceptable, unloved.” There was no safe place to unload these lies and embrace truth.

Years later, through counseling and reGROUP, I finally found freedom in my life, and I can’t keep it to myself. There are teens enduring bullying worse than my own. There is drug abuse, physical abuse, neglect, eating disorders, self-mutilation, families torn apart, depression, and the list goes on and on.

OJ Aldrich, Herndon Student Ministries Director, says, “Student Connect groups are still the primary environment for students to pursue Christ-centered relationships. However, reGROUP offers another opportunity for students to focus on developing character in the midst of intense struggles and life circumstances. reGROUP becomes a place that is safe, encourages going deep, and provides a great resource for leaders to refer to students when the issues are beyond the leader’s level of experience or comfort.”

Student reGROUP is a safe place for teenagers to confront life’s toughest challenges and move toward healing.

“Students are asked to play so many different roles in their families, schools, and social spheres,” says reGROUP Director Jack West.

“Within the context of those demands, it is so easy for the good work of identity formation to be confused or simply fused to harmful ways of understanding themselves and who God has called them to be. As a result, the natural tendency is to withhold or conform to the world around them in ways that take them farther away from God and others. I want Student reGROUP to be a place where that process is halted.”

STUDENT REGROUP AIMS TO HELP STUDENTS CLING TO WHAT IS TRUE.

MY FAMILY A student’s family is the staple relationship— one they live with on a daily basis. Student reGROUP helps students discern what roles are in their families and how to honor God in those roles. “I hope reGROUP catalyzes significant conversations between students and their families where dignity is exchanged, trust is built, and intimacy increases,” Jack says.

MY WORLD The world around a teenager is tumultuous.

This generation faces more influences than any other generation before. Relationships are pressing in on all sides with social media, cell phones, and school pressures. Student reGROUP helps students take their right next steps to live out their roles in society based on their true identities in Christ.

“I hope whole families will be impacted through reGROUP,” OJ says, “that parents attend adult reGROUP while their kids are involved with Student reGROUP, and that families grow closer to God and each other in the process.”

Through Student reGROUP’s 12-week curriculum, students explore three spheres of influence:

MY IDENTITY Being a teenager is largely about recognizing our true identity and living it out daily. Everyone has identities that are false and those that are true. True identities are given to us by God, while false identities are manifested from the lies of the world around us. Student reGROUP aims to help students separate the two and cling to what is true.

Student reGROUP, which is based on the reGROUP ministry for adults, meets on Monday nights at 7 p.m. at the Herndon campus. Have questions? Want to get involved? Contact OJ Aldrich at oaldrich@summitconnect.org or Jack West at jwest@summitconnect.org.

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NEXT RIGHT STEPS

IF YOU HAVE BEEN ATTENDING SUMMIT FOR YEARS or even just a little while, you have probably heard us use the phrase “next right step.” We know that everyone is at a different point in their walks with God, and we want to help you take your next right step that will deepen your relationship with Him! There are many opportunities at Summit meant to help you connect with God and with others—use this guide to discover exactly what your next right step is!

ATTEND THE NEXT NEWCOMER’S REVIEW If you are new to Summit, one of the best next steps to take is attending the monthly Newcomer’s Review. We spend 20 minutes going over all things Summit—ministries, lingo, and such— and highlight ways you can get plugged in at the church.

Get Baptized!

After you make the decision to follow Christ, baptism is the way you tell the world! At our next Beach Baptism celebration, you can do just that. If you’ve never made this outward expression of your inward commitment to Christ, baptism is a great next step.

ATTEND A BEACH BAPTISM Twice a year we take the evening service on the road to Bethune Beach for an adult baptism. Join us for a time of worship and celebration! In addition to cheering on other believers as they take this step of faith, Beach Baptism is an excellent opportunity to get to know people in the Summit community.

Partnership Class If you believe Summit is the place for you, becoming a partner may be your next right step. At Partnership Class, we share the vision, values, structure, and strategy of Summit. It’s the perfect time to find out if this is the place God would have you call your church home.

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COME TO niceSERVE

Twice a year we get together for three hours on a Saturday to participate in service projects throughout the community. We then come back to Summit for a barbecue lunch. This event is a great way to tangibly express Jesus’ love to others and form relationships in the process. Plus, it’s a great way to find out more about the nonprofit organizations in and around our neighborhoods. We hope that niceSERVE is just the beginning of a long-lasting friendship with these organizations!

ATTEND BCL WITH YOUR KIDS! SING OUT

God takes delight in hearing your praises. Not pitch perfect? Don’t worry about it! Go ahead and make a joyful noise anyway! Worship helps us get our hearts in the right place by remembering and recognizing who God is and all He’s done for us.

Base Camp Live! is not only for your K-5th grader—it’s designed with you in mind, too! Quirky characters and lively scripts bring the Bible to life and offer practical ways that you and your child can easily apply what you’ve learned to your daily life. BCL is chock full of great ideas and helpful tools that will have you talking about God on the way home and throughout the week.

It’s definitely not a production to miss!

Serve @ Summit

Weekly services wouldn’t happen without our dedicated volunteers, and serving alongside one another is a wonderful way to build relationships.

We’d love for you to be part of the team!

Whether it’s helping in Base Camp (Children’s Ministry), greeting people as they arrive, or helping out behind the scenes, opportunities are everywhere.

There’s something for everyone!

JOIN A CONNECT GROUP We were not meant to do life alone.

Joining a Connect group is the next right step for those who are looking to connect in Christ-centered relationships. Groups consist of 8-12 people who learn, serve, and worship together for 12-18 months in homes all across Orlando. You can grab a few friends and start your own group, or find an existing group by attending the next Group Day or searching for a group online at summitconnect.org.

BE PART OF jobSERVE

ATTEND reGROUP

We all have hurts, and we’re all in need of healing. reGROUP is a special Summit Connect community focused on helping people recover from their hurts, habits, hang-ups, and hopelessness.

As with other Summit Connect groups, reGROUP communities offer people the chance to learn, serve, and worship together in a small group environment of 8-12 people. reGROUP meets on Mondays at 7 p.m. at the Herndon campus and Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the Waterford campus.

jobSERVE is a 12-week program that helps individuals who are unemployed and underemployed receive the skills they need to not only get a job, but to keep a job—all within the context of Christ-centered curriculum. With Jobs Partnership of Florida’s help, we aim to affirm the dignity of those in financial distress by empowering them to see how capable they really are. In the spring and fall months, Summit attendees are welcome to participate in the program by being a classmate, serving as a volunteer or mentor, or being a business partner.

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READ THE BIBLE The Bible is God’s primary way of speaking to us. By reading, studying, and meditating upon it, we can learn to hear God’s voice and discern His will. Don’t let the size or subject matter intimidate you. If you need help, the Resource Center has plenty of tools and study guides available.

Pray

Prayer is talking to God—that’s all there is to it. If you’re not comfortable or don’t know where to begin, the ACTS prayer model is helpful to use as a guide: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. Prayer is a powerful thing. God will transform your heart and mind as you spend time in daily conversation with Him!

Go To Africa SINCE SUMMIT’S EARLY BEGINNINGS, we have wanted to be a community that is known for how we love and serve others. Over the last eight years we have sent hundreds of Summit attendees to Malawi, Sierra Leone, Kenya, South Africa, and now Uganda to team up with ministries that are doing God-honoring work there. Consider being part of next year’s spring or summer teams headed to Africa!

INVITE SOMEONE TO CHURCH Who do you know who needs to hear the truth about God’s love for them? Why not invite them into community at Summit, where that message is reinforced week after week? It could change their life... and yours.

Take A Sabbath Sabbath? What’s that? Many think of the Sabbath as a day of rest, and that’s true. But it’s not about taking a day to do nothing. Instead—on whatever day of the week you designate—be intentional about how you spend your time. You can use the opportunity to spend time alone, addressing things that have been on your

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mind and giving them up to God. Or you can spend the time in community, enjoying how good life together can be. However you feel called to spend this day, recognize the time as a special opportunity to reconnect with God. In doing so you’ll find healing and rest.

TITHE God uses temporary, finite resources to build an infinite, eternal kingdom. You’ll hear us say it every week during service because it’s true—nothing compares to the joy and freedom we receive when we trust and honor God with everything He has given us.

ARTIST FEATURE

LIGHT SOCIETY “I COULD SEARCH THE WHOLE WORLD WIDE and never find a love like yours,” vocalists Mary Hannah Butler and Joshua Pearson sing in the anthemic “Love Like Yours.” The love of God and endless striving for an intimate relationship with Him serve as the central theme not only of Light Society’s self-titled debut album, but also of its band members’ lives.

The journey to the album’s release began with a spiritual conversation in a coffee shop. Between sips of espresso, singer/guitarist and Summit Lake Mary Worship Coordinator, Joshua Pearson, and drummer Josh Butler discussed mutual desires to use their musical gifts to serve God. So along with drummer Josh’s wife, singer Mary Hannah, they decided to form a worship band. The goal? Leverage their musical talents to help people connect with Christ.

The trio quickly became regulars on the Summit stage, leading worship at the Lake Mary campus, playing both soulful originals and unique renditions of songs from the Summit hymnody. Light Society performances are meant to inspire heartfelt worship, where the music helps people focus on God without becoming the focus itself. “It’s a delicate balance of making it as beautiful as you can but also staying out of the way,” Joshua says.

For Light Society, recording an album is seen as a calling. The bulk of the LP’s tracks were penned by Joshua while singing to God with an acoustic guitar on his bedroom floor. Though writing the songs helped him personally connect with Jesus, he also felt a greater calling to share his music. “I knew they weren’t just for that purpose,” he says.

Not content to confine worship to Sundays, the band envisioned a CD that people could use to sing hymns to God throughout every day of the week. Recorded with the help of session work from various Summit musicians, the album features a thematic narrative that ebbs JEREMY LUKENS

WILLIAM ARTHUR PHOTOGRAPHY

and flows with the intertwining vocal harmonies. Songs of praise (“For You”) sink into laments of sin (“Death Will Not Reign”); the deathbed cries of the gospel-tinged “Come Close” stream into the hope of Jesus’ return in the album-closing “When You Come Back.” The resulting chronicle is thought-provoking and engaging, meant to incite discussion and prayer.

At their June 7th, 2013 CD release show, Light Society played to a Herndon sanctuary packed with family, friends, and Summit attendees.

Never wanting a good opportunity for outreach to go to waste, the band decided to use the event not just to unveil the new album, but to raise awareness for a local charity as well. Proceeds from ticket sales benefited Market Colors, a non-profit founded by Summit’s Lizzie Wirgau that provides sustainable employment for African craftsmen.

Over the course of performing and recording, the band has grown both artistically and spiritually. “We’ve become more comfortable with each other and with sharing our testimony,” Mary Hannah says. Light Society lives out the lyrics in their eighth track, “Love Like Yours,” explaining that a relationship with God is worth searching the whole world wide. Each band member earnestly seeks to aid and encourage others in that search and to live out the heartfelt lyrics of their album daily, powerfully expressing, “Jesus, Your name must be known!”

LIGHT SOCIETY// Light Society’s self-titled debut album is available at all Summit Resource Centers and on iTunes.

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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

ORLANDO, FL PERMIT NO. 676

735 Herndon Avenue// Orlando, FL 32803

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FALL 2013 //Summit Herndon

//Summit Waterford

THURSDAYS Worship Service// 7 p.m.

SUNDAYS Worship Service// 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m.

Base Camp (3 months-5th grade)// 7 p.m.

Base Camp (3 months-5th grade)// 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 6 p.m.

SUNDAYS Worship Service// 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., & 6 p.m.

Base Camp Live!// 10:25 a.m. & 12:25 p.m.

735 Herndon Avenue Orlando, FL 32803

Base Camp (3 months-5th grade)// 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., & 6 p.m.

Base Camp Live!// 10:18 a.m. & 11:58 a.m.

MONDAYS reGROUP// 7 p.m.

11602 Lake Underhill Road Orlando, FL 32825

(First Sunday of the month)

Summit Students: Middle School Surge// 4 p.m.

Summit Students: High School The Edge// 7:15 p.m.

College Bible Study// 7:30 p.m.

//Summit Lake Mary

Inside Lake Mary High School 655 Longwood Lake Mary Road Lake Mary, FL 32746 SUNDAYS Worship Service// 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.

Base Camp (3 months-5th grade)// 9 a.m. & 11 a.m.

Base Camp Live!

10:25 a.m. & 12:25 p.m.

For the Horizon Wing inmates at the Orange County Jail SUNDAYS Worship Service// 7 p.m.

TUESDAYS reGROUP// 7 p.m.

//All Campus Events PARTNERSHIP CLASS

(First Sunday of the month)

Tuesday, October 1st

TUESDAYS Summit Students: Middle School Surge// 6 p.m.

A MARRIAGE SEMINAR

(At the Lake Mary Offices, 100 Technology Parkway, Suite 110, Lake Mary, FL 32746)

TUESDAYS reGROUP// 7 p.m.

Friday, October 4thSaturday, October 5th

niceSERVE Saturday, October 19th

BEACH BAPTISM Sunday, October 27th Check summitconnect.org for event times and locations.

TUESDAYS Summit Students: Middle School Surge// 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS Summit Students: High School The Edge// 7 p.m.

//Summit @ 33rd St.

//Who We Are

SUMMIT CHURCH is a multi-site community. All campuses share the same vision, strategy, worship, and teaching. Join us for one of our services! Summit campuses at Waterford, Lake Mary, and 33rd Street participate in live worship with a video sermon by our Teaching Team.

< Scan on your smart phone or tablet and visit us online: summitconnect.org