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The Good News

January 2019

Is it “Christian” to set goals? Don’t we just let God do stuff in our lives without us having

specific goals? How does God work in our lives? These are some of the questions we will be

looking at this month.

In Philippians 3:7-8 Paul says “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Did Paul have goals? He sure did. Paul had one primary motivating goal: to know God, the father, through Jesus Christ. Throughout the Bible we find God giving direction to his people, setting goals, and helping them to achieve them. There should be some test somewhere to see if we’re setting the right kind of goals for our lives. So often a Christian responds to goal setting as a matter of just mental gymnastics. That’s not true at all. The Holy Spirit indwells the heart of the believer, one of his responsibilities is to give us direction in our lives. Cannot the Holy Spirit (who is in nature all knowing) guide us in setting goals for the future (which we cannot see) as well as guide us moment by moment today? Because He knows the future, He can give us wisdom in setting those goals and making those plans that are in keeping with God’s plan and purpose in our lives. It’s important to note that if you use the right principles for the wrong goals, you may be able to achieve some of those wrong goals. But there is one thing you need to be reminded of: you will suffer the consequences of getting what you really and truly don’t want. You see, this is what is happening to people who read a lot of books that deal with the mind. Surely they can concentrate, set goals, and make plans that will leave God totally out of their life. And they will be able to achieve some of them. But what those books do not tell you is this: if you set the wrong goals in your life, and you achieve them, you will not find contentment, happiness, peace, joy, and you will not even enjoy the achievements for which you have worked. That’s why it is important for us to set goals for our lives under God’s direction because the mind misdirected is a very dangerous thing. We’ll be looking at the following each week.

Godly Goals by Pastor Thomas Brashears

Sermon Series

December 30

Does God Care About My

Success?

January 6

The Key to Success

January 13

21 Days of Prayer —

Your Secret Weapon

January 20

How to Go After God’s

Goals?

January 27

Adjusting to God’s Plan

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My name is June Kim, and I am a fairly new member at Good Shepherd. I volunteer at the sound booth every Sunday, which has been an incredible blessing for me. If anyone asks me to introduce myself in one sentence, I would tell them that I am a sinner who is a great example of God’s grace transformation.

I was born and raised in South Korea. In my mid-20’s, I came to America to learn English. It was a short 6-month planned trip to New York, and that is when God turned my world upside down. With His grace, He transformed a Jesus mocker into a Jesus follower, and I am still here in America after 20 years. Ever since He stepped into my life, my journey with Christ has been all about “Grace transformation: Following Him without knowing”.

When I first became Christian, He told me to follow Him to an MBA program at Union Graduate College, New York. Then, after the program, He told me to follow Him to a pharmacy program at Albany College of Pharmacy, New York. Then, He told me to follow Him to Texas where I was hired by CVS Pharmacy. Then, last year, He told me to follow Him to Irvine, California. Then, He told me to follow Him to South Korea where my dad was fighting Leukemia. I spent most of this year with my dad in South Korea, and about a couple of months ago, He brought me back to Irvine.

There was a lot of “following Him without knowing” in my life, but it wasn’t my own work or effort that made me do it. It was all His grace that was leading me to His abundant blessings without finding faults with me. For the first few years after I became Christian, I used to be haunted by my past sins of mocking and going against Jesus. Whenever this happened, our Jesus rushed to me to shield me with His grace, so that I didn’t fall for condemnation but for His blessings only. After all the wrongs I have done to Him, He still tells me that He loves me.

Today, I am so glad that I followed Him to Irvine without knowing. I am deeply grateful that I was led to Good Shepherd where I was gifted with an awesome Christian network. It amazes me a great deal when I think about how a goofy individual like our Pastor Tom can deliver such a to-the-core superb message every Sunday (it’s probably because he married high). I also appreciate the sincere friendships from our church families who genuinely care for me. The bible studies and small group gatherings have been absolutely nurturing for my walk with Jesus.

In Irvine, I am looking forward to a new level of His grace transformation for me, and in return, as always, He will have my everlasting praise and gratitude!

Getting Personal with June Kim

Congregational Meeting Sunday, January 27

12:15 pm in the Sanctuary

We encourage you to make time and attend our Congregational Meeting where we will discuss the status

of the church and preschool. Hope to see you there!

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Children

Nursery Sunday Mornings During all Worship Services Our time with little ones, 4 and younger, is spent singing songs, engaging in play, and teaching simple lessons about God.

FLOCK Sunday School Sundays, 9:30 am to 10:30 am Education Building We offer an engaging, child-friendly space for your children to grow in the wonder of who God is. Inviting your children to gather and worship together, hear God’s word, and spend time with others their age. Designed for Pre-K through 5th grade.

Youth

Junior High Ministry Sundays, 9:30 am to 10:30 am Discovery Room Wednesdays, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Youth Room Join us Sunday mornings for our Confir-mation program where we focus on vari-ous aspects of the Christian faith. Wednesday evenings are a time for bond-ing, playing games, worship, and learning more about Christ. Designed for students 6th to 8th grade.

High School Youth Group Sundays, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Youth Room Designed for students 9th through 12th grade. Be a part of an encouraging community and grow closer to Christ. We are here to love, support, and guide students in their faith as well as in their lives.

Adult Bible Study Sundays, 9:30 am to 10:30 am Tuesdays, 8:30 am to 9:30 am Youth Room Join us as we study the gospel of Luke and John , learn together, and ask God to show us how we can apply its truth in our lives.

Events ESL Winter Session January 9 to February 27 Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm Youth Room If English is your second language, join us for a Bible Study and conversation time with a native English speaker. You will learn valuable skills while engaging with others in learning about Jesus. To register, contact Monica Wilt at monica@gslcirvine.org

Mere Christianity January 16 to February 20 Wednesdays, 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary In this six-session video group study, you will discover why Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis is one of the most read and beloved Christian books of all time. Yet seventy years later, what relevance does it have to our world today? Come to this class to find out.

Men’s Breakfast Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 am Discovery Room Join your fellow Men of Good Shepherd for a delicious breakfast and discussion of the book, The Man in the Mirror. Cost is $10 per person and all men are welcome.

Winter LifeGroup Session Begins Sunday, January 20 Join a LifeGroup to engage in Biblical conversation in a small group setting. LifeGroup members desire to build authentic community, have fun, and deepen their faith. Contact Pastor Mike at mike@gslcirvine.org to join.

Women’s Workshop: Treat Yourself Saturday, January 26 8:30 am in the Youth Room Start the new year by investing in you. Join the ladies of Good Shepherd for a morning of yummy breakfast, handmade essential oil crafts, and holy yoga. Contact Cary Spohr at cary@gslcirvine.org for additional information.

Events (continued) Congregational Meeting Sunday, January 27 12:15 pm in the Sanctuary We encourage you to make time and attend our Congregational Meeting where we will discuss the status of the church and preschool. Hope to see you there!

Summer Missions Interest Meeting Sunday, February 10 12:15 pm in the Youth Room Leading children in a backyard Bible School in Alaska or distributing water filters in the jungles of Ecuador is a great way to help people in need. Attend the Missions Interest Meeting to learn how you can join a team from Good Shepherd this summer.

Kids Night Out Friday, February 15 5:30 to 8:30 pm in the Preschool Parents—drop your kids off and go enjoy a romantic night out for the Valentine’s Day weekend! Your kids will enjoy pizza, movies, games, and more. Children ages Pre-K through 5th grade are invited to join us.

Men’s Bike Ride Saturday, February 16 7:30 am, location TBD If you’ve either always wanted to go mountain biking or you are a seasoned biking veteran, you are welcome to join us for this ride. If you don’t have a bike, we will find one for you. Contact Pastor Mike at mike@gslcirvine.org if you are interested.

Prayer Partner Dessert Friday, February 22 7:00 pm in Discovery Room For over 30 years women young and old have experienced the joy of being prayed for and praying for someone else. On this evening, we will gather, hear a short inspi-rational talk, and enjoy dessert. If you plan to be there, contact Cary Spohr at cary@gslcirvine.org.

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8:00 am

Traditional Worship

9:30 & 11:00 am

Contemporary Worship

Childcare at all Sunday Services

For children 4 and younger

Sunday Education Hour

9:30 – 10:30 am

Children: 5 years – 5th grade

Youth: 6th – 8th grade

Bible Study: 9th grade & older

4800 Irvine Center Drive

Irvine, CA 92604

For more information on our upcoming events or programs, visit our website at

goodshepherdirvine.com or call the church office at (949) 552-1918.