GrX's vision for moving North and spreading the message of Gospel Transformation is becoming a reality.
And we are excited to share our passion for GrX, which has made a powerful impact in how we exercise
our faith and live out the gospel in our lives!
The seed was first planted in April 2004 with the launch of the SF small group, Life-on-Life.
The name was chosen for the community group as a reminder that the gospel needs to lived out in our
everyday existence, not just on Sundays and occasional small group gatherings. Life-on-Life's core
mission was to foster the growth of an authentic community that would seek Him together in studying
the Word, finding meaning that could be applied to their lives and living it out with others in the
small group by meeting throughout the week.
In discussion groups, people became vulnerable, they were raw. They shared things about themselves and
their lives that they had not shared with others before. They began to recognize the Gospel as Truth and
eagerly sought to develop a real relationship with Him. It was the start of their transformation. From
broken to whole in Him, from orphaned to being a child of God. The Life-on-Life Core were stunned, just
blown away by the vulnerability people showed in small group. They were convinced it was not due to their
efforts or preparation, but His hand on the small group.
People became involved in each others' lives as they shared their brokenness and weaknesses. They did not
feel judged or looked down upon for being human. It was a place where they could be exactly who they were,
nothing more and nothing less. And they formed strong friendships, they found community where they were
accepted and cared for. That formed the foundation for the LOL group - people who realized they needed
God in their lives and found community in others who sought the same.
God was moving powerfully in peoples' lives and brought them into the folds of a community of seekers and
believers for meaningful fellowship. People were touched, lives were changed, characters were refined and
monumental life decisions were made. Those who were once reluctant to be a part of a church community
stepped up as leaders in the small group. People who were hurt and emotionally shut off opened up and were
able to receive love from Him and the community, and to pour out that love to others. Many who had strayed
away from church due to poor past experiences came back to Him, His lost sheep were brought back to the flock.
A spark was ignited in peoples' souls and they began to give of themselves selflessly, because of the gift of
grace and salvation they were given freely from our Savior.
There was a realization that there was a dire need for this type of community in SF. To reach out to the
disenfranchised, those with poor past church experiences, those who did not feel they fit into the conventional
church model, the unchurched. Those who were seeking to fill that God-sized void in their lives.
In July 2004, the Core members went on a Leadership Retreat in Watsonville's Pajaro Dunes, the main focus
being Vision and Grace. Vision: God has a bigger plan for me and you than we can possibly fathom. Grace:
It is through His grace that we are equipped and called to serve. Vision and Grace at the personal level,
Vision and Grace at the Core leader level, Vision and Grace at the small group level. We took a spiritual
gifts assessment test and mapped everyone's top 3 gifts on a few whiteboards and were stunned. Every gifting
(except for giving) had a strong cluster. That in itself was a confirmation we had the leadership potential
for a satellite and encouraged Ed to share the vision for the SF satellite.
Ed closed by presenting Vision and Grace for San Francisco, starting a satellite service in the heart of SF.
There were doubts - how do we, as such a young and unexperienced group, start a satellite service? And the answer
came. It is not about our own effort, it is not about our own skill or what we can bring to the table. It is a
God-sized vision, not an us-sized vision, and He will equip us to carry out His plan.
When Ed asked who felt that starting a satellite in SF was God's call, hands were raised unanimously. And when he
asked who felt called to serve in the satellite, almost everyone raised their hand. That night, the decision was
cemented with a moving prayer that swept through the room and was firmly ingrained in our hearts. That prayer continues to echo.
Things continue to move at a rapid pace. We started with one SF small group in April 2004 and exploded to 6 small
groups in January 2005. We’re redefining roles for ministry leads, starting new ministries in San Francisco such as
Justice, Advocacy & Compassion and the Eleventh Hour Recovery group, and raising up new leaders. We want to start
a volunteer revolution in SF, an ever-growing band of believers who are passionate about showing their love for God
through service!
Transformation. That word continues to define us today, as individuals and as a church. Each day is an opportunity
for the gospel to change the way we view the world, the way we choose to react to situations and how we choose to live
out our lives. It’s a daily struggle, but anything worth having is worth fighting for.
The beginnings of this humble satellite is an act of obedience, an exercise of faith taken in response to His call
and we hope you will share in this vision with us. Of being a ray of light in San Francisco.
We are excited to be a part of this movement in SF.