Santz On the Journey

It's time to say Good bye!!

One of the most memorable endings to any tv show I think would have to be the Mickey Mouse Club, as those words came out of your mouth you're already humming the song. Well It's time to say good bye to One G Experience. It seems like a sad day but I have something up my sleeve. Don't worry I wont leave you hanging check out my new platform Santz On the Journey hope to see YOU very soon.

Under Construction

Some BIG changes coming soon!! Change never feels like a good thing, right? but in fact it always ends up being a lot better. So I'm about to change things up, in my life and on this blog. I'm being challenged in many ways and I know I need to change. Change hurts, change stretches, but all in all change advances. So everyone be ready for the change, stay tuned in.

Simon Says aint got nothing on this!

We've all played the game of Simon Says but have you ever played, "Tag Ya Man" well here is a quick lesson on the new version of Simon Says, go ahead play along. Trust me after a while this song will pop right back to your head and somewhere in your day, with your smooth voice you too will start singing, "Tag Ya Man."

"Tag Ya Man" from santos samayoa on Vimeo.

Good Advice

"I like to tell young preachers, you don’t fail when you invite people to repent and follow Christ and no one responds. You fail when you don’t invite people to repent and follow Christ." -Craig Groeschel

Sunday Night REwind

• There was a great excitement this whole week for Sunday, and it finally is here, and I'm still excited!!
• Big THANKS to all those who made it happen, both the leadership and the volunteers from CWCM, this could not have happened with out yall.
• I love seeing a group of people come together with one purpose, it's awesome.
• We honestly might have not had a clue what we were doing, just an idea, but now we know. Hmm...I wonder if a FREE monthly breakfast is on CWCM's schedule? just a thought.
• The FREE breakfast that we've been promoting, EVERYWHERE, was a SUCCESS!! several people showed up, food was almost all gone, and people just came together both to serve and just to have fun.
• I forgot his name but I think they call him uncle Joe, we talked and he gave me a nickname "Kadosh" means Holy in Greek which means Santo in Spanish which means me, Santos!
  
• Two words to paint a picture of how the church looked, FULL HOUSE.
  
• The whole production team, one word...WOW!!
  
• Everyone did a good job from the smallest to the leading role (oh by the way who was playing the Barabbas role, now he was good, haha j/k)
• Seeing people accept Jesus gets me pumped, reminds me of when I crossed the line, hmm I wonder of what we can start for new believers, like a first step class?
• P. Ant always puts me on the spot, but it's good though I either sink or swim, and I'll try my hardest to swim it may not look pretty but I'll get there.
• Can't believe I get to be a part of this, WOW, Thank you Lord.
• Pics and videos coming up SOON.
• That's it for tonight forgot tomorrow is Monday, and it's back to work. Gnite.
  

We Can do this!

Special THANKS to all those who have stepped up to help and/or are going to help make this happen, it's not Sunday yet, but I know it's going to be good!
We still need a couple more dozen eggs, and bacon so if you would like to help out with any kind of donation, it's never to late contact us at info@cwcmilpitas.com
Thank you all for making this city wide event possible!!

FREE BREAKFAST!!

This Sunday April 5th we are hosting a Friends & Family Breakfast and the best part is that it's all FREE!! now that I have your attention I need your help in making this happen:

• If you know anyone in the Milpitas area (San Jose/Fremont) tell them to come check it out, foods on us!
• Post this poster image and message on your facebook, myspace, or twitter.
• TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!
• TRY your hardest to make it out as well
• If you would like to help out with any donations (email me or leave me a comment) and I'll let you know what we need.
  
  Well all this cannot be done without YOU! so let's make this happen here is the lowdown on the FREE breakfast
  

WHEN&WHERE:

Time- 9:30-11am
Location: Milpitas Campus 241 S. Main St.
More Info: cwcmilpitas.com

Do everything with Love challenge

1 Corinthians 16:14 is a simple verse that says "Let all that you do be done with LOVE." Now I want to call out a challenge to all those who read this blog it's called the "Do everything with LOVE challenge" When you love someone you will do all that you can, you will give sacrificially, you will try your hardest, you will do your best. This challenge is to go out and do something, but do it with love. It's going to cost you something maybe time, money, or it might even take you out of your comfort by doing something that really isn't you like talking with a total stranger.
In the comment box below write what you did, not what you're thinking about doing. You can do more than one thing, but we only have one day for this challenge.
So today live out this scripture by doing everything with LOVE.

Stop and Listen

Today I'm staying in, I feel sick as a dog...But I'm glad I can catch up on some reading.
The Washington Post did an experiment with Joshua Bell, the world’s best violin player. They put him in a Washington DC Metro stop to work his musical magic. Would people stop and listen to the world’s best violin player who’s playing one of the world’s best violins (his violin was made in 1730 and cost $3.5 million)? check this clip out


Why wouldn't people stop and listen to one of the greatest musicians of our time? I think there are two reasons why:

1. People are to distracted- several people who walked by this man had a chance to listen to a FREE concert of a great musician but because of the busyness of life: emails, newspaper, lattes, text messages, phone calls they all could not appreciate the sounds of a masterpiece.
2. People just didn't know who this guy was- I have to say if I didn't read about who Joshua Bell is, if this article didn't explain the truths about who he is and what he has done, I would have never known who he was, so I think I wouldn't have recognized him.

Do you think these two reasons hold truth about "Jesus?" I mean several people have NO time for Jesus. We live in a busy world that demands more time at work than more time with the Lord.
also several people don't know the truths about who Jesus is other than what they see on TV, there is a need for people to be like this article to explain to others who Jesus is, our Christ our savior.

Today take time to listen to the music, take time to listen to what Jesus is saying to YOU.

Sunday Night REwind

• We Kicked off our NEW Sunday Service at 11:17am at CWCM and it was Great, glad to see some familiar faces but also glad to see the many new faces.
  
• Can't lie it felt like a weird transition but I was glad to see the support from the Spanish ministry and our team come in and work together.
• Next Sunday, April 5th, we are hosting a FREE breakfast for the community of Milpitas!! click here for more info or click here for directions, hope to see you there.
• We have a great church that is eager to HELP out in any way for our BIG FREE breakfast. Remember to invite more people out!
  
• Thinking about new ways to invite people to church, any ideas? what's working at your church?
• Had some fun at Jaydens' B-day party, never knew how fun flying a kite was! check out this picture of Zai flying a kite. oh yeah the food was off the HOOK!!
  
• It's weird b/c the days I don't want to preach, God decides to take over. Just re-affirms me that I can't do this on my own it's only by his strength, grace, and faithfulness that I do what I do.
  
• My style of preaching has changed totally, I think I'm finding my swing but still trying things out.
• It's so amazing to see a church sing w/o no instruments just voices. Made the whole church (MCEC) sing A Capella.
• God is good, and all the time God is good!
  

Killing Cockroaches pt.4

10 things I'll remember after visiting Disney:

I like Disney Land but not as much as Amanda LOVES Disney, I get tired too fast and my legs start hurting, what can I say I'm getting old! Anyways Tony Morgan points out 10 things that he remembers after visiting Disney (p.53):

1. The experience begins in the parking lot.
2. We will invest a lot of money to make dreams come true.
3. It helps to have someone with you who's been there before.
4. The value of excellence transcends socioeconomic and cultural barriers.
5. It's hard to communicate with people who wear masks.
6. The journey is more fun when you're on it with friends.
7. The world is small.
8. Lots of people fulfilling the same mission can achieve great results.
9. It's possible to leave behind a lasting legacy for future generations.
10. We remember the fireworks at the end.

Do people want to go to church like people want to go to Disney? Can church really be a place where dreams come true?

Killing Cockroaches pt.3

Compel them to come in
"Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." -Luke 14:23

Near my house there is this little center that holds a IHOP, a laundry mat, a video store, and a Chinese buffet. Now I have gone to both restaurants and both are good but one seems to be better than the other because they have a more selections on their menu. See there have been several times that I've gone to this same location on a Saturday morning to eat breakfast and I see this long line of people awaiting to eat at IHOP but to the right is this untouched chinese buffet. Now I have a choice to make at this point, wait 20 minutes for moons over my hammy or I can get quick access to sweet and sour pork and noodles, what will I do? well not sure about you, but for me I will stick to the obvious, IHOP. Why, you may ask? well there is a reason people will stand outside to wait to be seated, it maybe their service you know what you see on the menu is what you will get, their selection varies from breakfast to dinner they give me an option, or just the experience someone always knows me there. Those are just some reasons why I will choose IHOP over the Chinese buffet all the time.

"Is your church service compelling? after all, our church services are competing with every other opportunity people have to invest their time. They could be reading the Sunday paper, sipping Starbucks coffee, golfing, sleeping in. We can shout the claims of Christ all we want, but if we don't compel people to come in and listen, our message is fruitless." -Tony Morgan (p.26)

Why aren't people compelled to come to church? I mean if we are serving the best thing possible, JESUS, why isn't their crowds of people in service on Sunday mornings. If you read throughout the gospels Jesus always attracted large crowds, what kind of crowd is your church attracting?
How can we make church more compelling for others to come?

Killing Cockroaches pt.2

What are Cockroaches?

Have you ever had an encounter with a cockroach before? what is your first reaction? Do you take care of it (by taking care of it you know what I'm talking about) or do you just look at the cockroach skedaddle along? ok ok I've hit you with many questions, but do keep them in the back of your mind as you read along.

I've had my shares of Cockroach encounters and to be honest with you , AHHHHHH, I hate cockroaches! You know what I mean, they are these ugly, crawling, small/big (I've heard Hawaii has a couple juicy ones out there) pretty fast, CRUNCHY (It only takes one crunch) insects that live in the cracks of dark warm places. Nobody, and I mean Nobody likes Cockroaches (and if you do I'll give you should repent) 

I can remember just recently going to this taqueria with some friends and all of a sudden, yes you guessed it a cockroach on the wall!! I literally was paralyzed and thought to myself, "If I stop looking at it, then probably it will disappear and I will be able to enjoy my super burrito." Well as much as I tried  not looking at it, I could feel it looking at me with those long antennas and eyes (not sure if they even have eyes) I couldn't take it anymore so I did the impossible. I got a napkin knocked it down. Then to the hard part. I don't like killing cockroaches b/c of the crunch. Now I could have let the cockroach go but then I would always know, "he's somewhere around here?" so I did it...I introduced him to my size 11 vans and sent him to cockroach heaven, or hell.

Cockroaches in ministry or in leadership are those little things that many of us don't want to take initiative of squashing. Thinking that the more I don't look at the problem the quicker it will disappear, the opposite is true for this method. 

I just looked up "Cockroaches" in wikipedia just to find out that cockroaches adapt readily to warm conditions found within buildings. Got me thinking if something (Church or team) remains the same (a constant warm temperature) Cockroaches will adapt and start manifesting and growing, because you don't have to be an Orkin man to know that where there is one cockroach there are several!!

What Cockroaches are crawling around your church, ministry, or team? are you willing to squash'em?

Twitter Freak!!

Killing Cockroaches pt.1

Recently I just finished a book, "Killing Cockroaches" by Tony Morgan, that has totally challenge the way I think about "How to do Church." Now a quick background, I have been raised in church spent most of my time sleeping under a pew when I was younger, tried so hard to rebel but I just couldn't because the fear of God (you know the one your parents tell you about like when He will ZAPP you as soon as you enter a movie theatre), and now I help out at my church with whatever I can do. Church for me can just become something that is routine. You know you come to through those doors and you expect some older individual to give you a handshake and a bulletin and tell you God bless you, then you enter the sanctuary only to hear the same songs playing and the same people on stage, if the songs didn't get you well the preaching will because instead of giving something attainable, applicable and astounding the preacha man just goes through a long history about who Jesus was...Ok if you read through all that you might be laughing (b/c thats your church) or you might be sick in your stomach because you church still hasn't changed.

So throughout this week I am going to bring up some main ideas, that I wrestled with, which Tony wrote about and I'm just going to share with you, the reader.

(If you are a church leader get your hands on this book it really challenges the status quo on how to do church?)

Ok with that said I just want to leave you off with this one question that I asked myself as I read through this book...

"Can CULTURE and CHRIST crossbreed?"

It works!

Recently I posted a blog about making appointments and marking them on a calendar, and so far I have been doing so. Although it may not be as busy or marked up like yours I have had a great time marking things out. Now I enjoy being busy because it makes me feel like I am accomplishing something, but now I'm prioritizing my busyness and it doesn't overwhelm me as much!
When I first started this I was marking down everything so it can seem like I have something to do people to meet, you know what I mean. I started marking down my devotional times, my blogging time, meeting up with Amanda time, even time to take out the trash. I really thought I was never going to meet with anyone else other than Amanda then all of a sudden I started making calls and emails, and wouldn't you know it I had two meetings, way cool.
I guess you'll never know what you are capable of until you set your mind to it and do it, and even though you may think what you are doing is minimal consider it practice for the the latter.

Sunday Night REwind

• Another Great service here at the "M"
• Troy and I have been speaking back to back weeks! wow, I don't know how Pastors across the globe do this every weekend?
• I enjoyed speaking today's word, "Lord make us come together"
• The videos we made were hilarious!!
• After service we had a great white board session. Honestly I love coming together with the team and thinking, creating, dreaming! they are all talented and bring new perspectives to the table.
  

I truly believe we are picking up NEW momentum and it's time to start building!
-Pastor Ant has some CRAZY (in a good way) Vision right now, but it's crazy enough to work.
-We will be starting our new series this upcoming week ''Defining Moments''
-I have a major headache right now, and want to stop writing, I never get headaches.
-preached the same message @ M.C.E.C, great response as well.
-I truly love expanding the Kingdom of God.

Coming Together

As we ended our series "One Prayer" Troy Lepisi and I decided to make a (funny) video showing how much we can accomplish together! there is one more video to come later this week, enjoy:
Coming Together from santos samayoa on Vimeo.

What a way to open up your service

I was amazed when I saw this, and to be an opener for Sunday service WOW it's flipping tight!! Makes me want to ditch sprint and buy an iphone. I wonder if we can ever open up our service like this one day?