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RED LETTER CHALLENGE

The Red Letter Challenge is for anybody and everybody. Young and old. Men and women. Churched and unchurched. New Christian, life-long Christian, non-Christian. It’s for anybody who’s looking for something more in life. There's nothing more powerful than an entire church, including kids, youth, and adults, all working on the same goal; to become a greater follower of Jesus Christ. The Red Letter Challenge is unique because it takes Christ’s literal words (the 'red words in the Bible) and gives you practical daily challenges based on those words. The words of Jesus have been themed into five subjects - Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving and Going. Each weekday, for the next five weeks, starting on Monday 12 October, we will post a Red Letter Challenge on this Facebook event, and on our website, for us all to complete as individuals, but together on the same day, for all members of both Rockhampton and Yeppoon 360 Church locations. Do you have what it takes to really follow Jesus and do what He said? We believe you do and we can't wait to do the Red Letter Challenge with you!

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WEEK 5 - "GOING"
Day 1: Matthew 28:19
Jesus says in the great commission, “Go therefore and make disciples,” so that is what we are going to do, we are going to help make a ‘Jesus disciple’. Think of someone you personally know who has stepped away from the faith, and start to pray for them, asking God that their lives would turn to Him. Consider a way in which you can help step them forward into being a disciple of Jesus; that could be as simple as sending them a word of encouragement, letting them know that you are praying for them, or giving them a phone call to see how they are. It’s amazing how many doors can open when you show how much you care.   
 
Day 2: Matthew 9:37-38 
Jesus said to pray for labourers to be sent into the harvest field, so let’s do this. Pray that the Holy Spirit will stir people to be sent out into the world to share their faith with unbelievers. Let’s all ask that God would open a door of opportunity this week for people within our church to share their faith. 
 
Day 3: Mark 16:15
This Red Letter Challenge will go over three days, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 
 
Jesus said to go into the world and preach the Gospel, which basically is about sharing what Jesus has done in your life. Today our Red Letter Challenge is thinking about how you’re going to do this, and who you’re going to do this to. If you’re uncertain on how to share your faith, you may want to write some thoughts down so you know what to say. 
 
Today is about being intentional in your thinking regarding, who and how, you’re going to share your faith with a non-Jesus follower. 
 
Day 4: Mark 16:15
Day 4 and 5 is combined because this is now about doing the Great Commission. Wednesday was about thinking about, who and how, we’re going to share our faith with, and Thursday or Friday (your pick) is about doing it. Our Red Letter Challenge over Thursday and Friday is to speak with an unbeliever about your faith in God. In your conversation with them you may want to pray for them or invite them along to church, you decide the next steps you will encourage them to do. 
 
Some of you will find this Red Letter Challenge easy to do, and some will find it challenging. Be encouraged though, our Holy Spirit is with you to give you strength to do what He has asked you to do. 

WEEK 4 - "GIVING"
Day 1: Luke 21:1-4 

Today’s Red Letter Challenge ties into Sunday’s sermon about measuring our financial generosity. If you missed the preach from the weekend, it would be beneficial for you to hear it on podcast at www.360church.com.au - go to the resources link at the top right hand side of the page. I talk about how generosity is different for all people, such as, what is generous for me may not be generous for you. However, the Bible gives us a bench-mark to giving which is, give away 10% and live off 90%. Today’s exercise is to work out, particularly if it is under 10% of your wage, what percentage you are giving away and what percentage you are keeping for yourself. Here’s a formula to work out your percentages:
Percentage You Are Giving Away = (Amount You Give/ Income
Today’s Red-Letter Change is to work out how you can arrange your budget so that you can give a percent or two more away in financial offerings to God. Remember, generosity is always sacrificial. 
 
Day 2: Luke 6:38 
You kind of get the vibe when reading the Scripture that Jesus wants us to give in a way that is crazy. He wants us to give with a good measured amount rather than a stingy one. So considering this, our Red Letter Challenge is to find someone that we can bless with good measure. That could be a word of encouragement, a helping hand, a prayer for someone, a meal, whatever it is, it’s just got to be given with good measure. If you’re going to encourage someone then make it meaningful, if you’re going to cook a meal for someone then make it extra special. The Christian life is a generous life, and generous people devise generous things. So go about your day and devise a way to be crazy generous to someone.      
 
Day 3: Matthew 5:41 
In 43 years of living no-one has ever asked me to go one mile with them, which may be because we don’t use miles that often in Australia or that it is quite an unusual request. With that being said, I don’t think Jesus was speaking specifically about going a mile with someone, but rather metaphorically, whereby we do things that go beyond the normal request to make them feel extra special. Today’s Red Letter Challenge is about doing that little bit extra for someone in your day. You will have many opportunities today to complete tasks that you’ve been asked or required to fulfil, like talking to customers, answering phone calls, parenting etcetera, so whatever it is go the extra mile with them and be their blessing.  
 
Day 4: Matthew 19:21 
Jesus said, ‘Sell what you have and give to the poor’. Okay let’s do it. 
I’m not talking about selling up your house and all your possessions, but let’s do what Jesus said and that is, sell something that we’ve got so that we can give to the poor. Many of us have sold things on Facebook Marketplace, Gum Tree or to someone that we know, so this Red Letter Challenge is over two days, today and tomorrow, wherein today find something that you own and sell it. You may not be able to get a sale today but today’s challenge is to put the object up for sale – and when you eventually make the sale, don’t spend the money.  
 
Day 5:
Today’s Red Letter Challenge is a continuation of Thursday’s Red Letter Challenge, which is once you make the sale, take 100% of the proceeds and give it to the poor. That could be an organisation that you personally know or other organisations such as Compassion International or Samaritan’s Purse, etc. Jesus said to sell what you have and give to the poor, so that’s exactly what we’re going to do, we’re going to sell something that we have and give the proceeds to the poor. I personally am looking forward to this challenge. 

​WEEK 3 - "SERVING"
Day 1: Matthew 6:2
Jesus says, “When you do a charitable deed,” not if we do charitable deeds. In other words Jesus is implying that we do charitable deeds. Therefore, it’s Charitable Deed Day! Today’s Red-Letter Challenge is to find someone and bless them in a way that could either cost you something financially or it could cost you something practically. Charitable deeds are blessings we give to other people that are out of the norm for us, meaning if we normally cook dinner for the family, then cooking dinner on Monday nights isn’t a charitable deed, however cooking a meal for someone else we know, is. I think you get the drift. 
 
Day 2: Mark 10:42-45
A small definition of servanthood is about focusing on the needs of others before considering our own. Jesus exemplified this at the cross, whereby He put the cause of His Fathers’ will above His own suffering. Accordingly, Jesus wants us to take on the personhood of a servant. Therefore, how can you go about today being a servant in your workplace and in your relationships? What do you think that practically looks like for you today? If you’re married how can you serve your spouse or if you are a parent, how can you serve your children? If you are single, how can you serve a friend? Servanthood takes some intentionality, so think about what you can do today to be a servant to someone and do it.
 
Day 3: Matthew: 20:27-28
Jesus’ notion of “I did not come to be served but to serve,” was a challenging thought in His day as no one wanted to be a servant, everyone wanted to be a high-roller. Today is no different, in that it is still challenging given the fact that our culture is all about ME and what I can get out of it. Our Red Letter Challenge today is about considering this question: Are there any practices or habits that you have which you put above the interests and well-being of others? If there are some areas in your life, it’s time to do what Jesus did and that is to give it away for the sake of others.  
 
Day 4: Matthew 25:42-43 
Today’s Red-Letter Challenge is broken over two days, that being today and tomorrow. The reason for this is that this challenge may take some time for you to fulfil given the research that is required. 
 
Our Red-Letter Challenge is to find someone who is in REAL need and help them. These people may be difficult to find if you’re not normally in this space, but they are around and you just need to find them. They are the homeless people in your area, the orphans at ‘Compassion International’ and other organisations. These are the people at ‘The Water Project’ who make fresh water accessible to people who don’t have this precious resource. Jesus said to help these people, so our Red Letter Challenge for today is to find someone who you can help.
 
Day 5: Matthew 25:42-43 
Our Red Letter Challenge today is a continuation of yesterday’s challenge, however, today is about actioning what you researched. Yesterday, it was about finding someone who was in REAL need, so today since you’ve already found the person/organisation that you can help, today’s Red Letter Challenge is to do it and help them. 

This is so exciting and I can’t wait to hear the testimonies. 

WEEK 2 - "FORGIVING"
Day 1: Matthew 7:3-5
Jesus asks us to consider the plank in our own eye, which means to consider our own short sightedness before we point it out in others. Today’s exercise is to examine a current or retrospective event wherein there is/was some disagreement between yourself and someone else. When you think about that disagreement, what problems do you have that are contributing to the situation? 
*The goal of this exercise is to understand that in every disagreement we are part of, we contribute part of the problem. 
 
Day 2: Mark 11:25-26 
Our Red-Letter Challenge is taken from Mark 11:25, ‘If you have anything against anyone, forgive’.
Boom! That’s what we’re going to do today. If you have anything against anyone for what they did to you, or even if you have something that you haven’t forgiven yourself over, we are going to forgive them or yourself. Take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit as well as personally reflecting to see if you have any unforgiveness in your heart toward someone. If there is someone that comes to mind or an event, say out loud 20 times “Jesus I forgive ____________”. 
 
Day 3: Matthew 5:44 
I’ve been looking forward to today’s Red-Letter Challenge because we’re going to do something really practical. After yesterday’s Red-Letter Challenge the Holy Spirit may have revealed someone or something that we have unforgiveness in our hearts toward, so to help release this burden we’re going to take Jesus’ words of Matthew 5:44 and apply them. The challenge today is to write a letter directed to the person who hurt you, that could be to yourself, someone else or even to God, and tell them how you were hurt but you forgive them. ***It’s very important that you do not send them the letter as this may become troublesome for you.
 
Day 4: Matthew 5:44 
Moving forward from yesterday’s Red-Letter Challenge, Jesus said to pray for those who spitefully use you. So today, take out the letter you wrote yesterday and write a prayer of blessing for them.
 
Now this is going to sound a little weird, take the letter and put it an envelope, address it to Jesus in Heaven and put it in a post box. The reason we want to do this is to help us release the unforgiveness and hurt which we are holding onto so tightly. Sometimes we need to physically do things to break the cycle. You see, when a memory pops up again from the past, as you will remember this exercise you will be able to say to yourself, “I’ve forgiven them and gave that to Jesus”.
 
If you have no unforgiveness in your heart, then simply pray for those in our 360 Church family who are going through this difficult process of letting go. 
 
Day 5: Matthew 6:14
Now that we have gone through the process this week of examining our hearts of any grudges, and letting go of unforgiveness in our lives, our Father in Heaven forgives us. That’s freeing for us all. What does that mean to you that your Father in Heaven forgives you? Speak out loud 20 times, “My Father in Heaven forgives me today”. 
When you say this out loud, some of you will feel like a heavy burden has been
released from your heart. 

WEEK 1 - "BEING"
Day 1: Matthew 6:6 – PRAYING IN SECRET

Read Matthew 6:6
Jesus tells us that when we pray we should go into our room, shut the door and pray to our Father who is in the secret place. The directive of going into our room and closing the door, is an analogy for praying in a place where we won’t get distracted. Therefore, our Red Letter Challenge for today is to pray in a non-distracting environment so that it’s only you and Him for at least ten minutes today. 
 
Day 2: Matthew 6:9-13 – PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER
Read Matthew 6:9-13 
Jesus says in verse 9, ‘In this manner, therefore, pray.’ So that is exactly what we are going to do. The Red Letter Challenge for today is to pray out loud the Lord ’s Prayer found in verses 9-13. Prior to praying out loud the Lord ’s Prayer, read the Scripture and think about each verse and consider what it means to you, and then pray. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
Day 3: John 4:23-24 – WORSHIP
Read John 4:23-24
Sometimes the term worship is referred to ‘slow songs in the church service,’ however scripturally this is not the case. True worship is defined by the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. Today’s Red Letter Challenge is to examine your life and consider whether there are any areas that are of higher priority than your love for God. If there are, bring them to God and ask for His forgiveness and in doing so, you are worshipping Him in spirit and in truth.    
 
Day 4: Luke 22:19-20 – COMMUNION
Read Luke 22:19-20
Jesus says in verse 19, ‘Do this in remembrance of me,’ so that is exactly what we are going to do…we are going to do this is remembrance of Him. Our Red Letter Challenge is to partake of communion, either together as a family or by yourself. Grab for yourself a small bit of bread (a 5 cent coin diameter is sufficient), and also a small drink (water is sufficient). Take a moment to reflect on the Lord’s death, His crucifixion (Matthew 27:15-56), and what it means to you, then eat the bread which represents His body which was broken for you, and drink, in remembrance of the blood of Jesus which was poured out for you.  
 
*Read Day 5 now, so that you are prepared for the Red Letter Challenge tomorrow 
 
Day 5: Matthew 6:16-18 – FASTING
Read Matthew 6:16-18
Fasting is about going without food and only drinking water so that Jesus becomes our source of strength and a greater devotion than the hunger pains of our stomachs or our coffee cravings throughout the day. Rather than eating morning tea or lunch, spend the time praying and/or reading your Bible. If you have medical concerns wherein fasting food may not be recommended, then you should fast something else. 
Jesus says, ‘When you fast,’ so that’s what we’re doing for our Red Letter Challenge today, we are fasting together as a church across both locations – you’re not alone


 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Matthew. 7: 24-27 (NKJV)

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 Sunday Church Service Times and Locations:
​8:45am, 2/13 Normanby Street, YEPPOON Qld 4703    ​10:45am, 97 Glenmore Road, ROCKHAMPTON Qld 4701.
P  +61 7 4933 6360   |   M  0400 355 773  |   A  PO Box 979, Yeppoon QLD 4703 Australia  |   E  mail@360church.com.au 

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