Curriculum overview
EXCEL’s intent is to renew people and send them back out in the world as effective workers for Christian renewal within themselves, their congregations and communities. To make a friend, be a friend and bring that friend to Christ.
An Excel retreat is not a bible study, but is scripturally based and founded upon the Bible for all lessons. The Excel name actually comes from the teachings of Paul. Paul writes in 1Corithians of how we are all given gifts from the Spirit and when we use these gifts, together, we form the Body of Christ and in doing so as written in 1Corithians 12:31 “… and now I will show you a more Excellent way”
Through out the weekend, all topics are presented in a non intrusive and team building process. Participants are allowed to acknowledge we are all God’s Children, perfect wonderful beings.
The main topics, referred as, talks, build upon one another and enable each person to explore, divulge and reveal the Christ within and invite Christ in. Since an Excel weekend is not aimed exclusively at currently strong Christians and the weekend welcomes non Christians to attend the weekend. Excel does not force Christianity upon anyone, however, the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways and many conversions and life changing events have come from attending a weekend for both non and believers alike.
The curriculum is not ridged and precise. Yes, there is a time schedule and format, but the schedule allows the Holy Spirit to join, take over, re-arrange and produce stronger Christians Living in Union with Christ and with that said, no weekend is ever the same. Many participants are repeating participants and each say that every weekend is different, refreshing and introduce new ideas and is heart opening each time.
The main topics of the weekend are listed below, but some of the most powerful lessons participants learn during the weekend occur during times before or after the talks.
Ideal: This pivotal talk sets the pace for all that follows. Participants may bring with them, minds that are ready to criticize, judge or blindly accept all that is presented. The purpose of the Ideal talk is to challenge these minds to be open to the experiences of the weekend. The exercise is designed to introduce the participants to a new ideal. This talk presents the need and importance of an ideal, yet does not mention the Christian Ideal and presented in a mostly 'non religious' format.
The talk conveys the need for an ideal in our lives, which is the focal point and the motivating force for our lives.
Grace: Grace introduces the participants to God’s free gift of Grace. Many participants come to the weekend doubting or alienated from God. They may be searching for some meaning in their lives. They might be suspicious of God or what they might encounter. Grace is where we introduce participants to God. Excel hopes of convey that God has never been far from us; participant, friend or team member. Each of us is a member of the Family of God and saved through Grace.
Commitment: Many people come to the exercise with prejudiced ideas about how “Christianity” is portrayed in the lives of other people. Sometimes Christianity bears little resemblance to the reality of a Christian walk with God.
One of the purposes of the commitment talk is to dispel these prejudices and false ideas, and to develop the concept of commitment as a relationship with God to be shared with others. For some, commitment will be a review, a call to recommitment. For others, they will face the call to commitment for the first time. This talk may have great impact and be a turning point for many lives.
Prayer: Participants bring with them a wide array of preconceptions and experiences dealing with prayer. Those with strong, active and perhaps regimented prayer life will find themselves with individuals who feel they have no prayerful relationship with God. There may even be those who bring with them the less traditional viewpoints of prayer. The Prayer talk is presented with a non “know-it-all” or spiritual self-pride attitude. The talk reflects the basics of prayer, the wide range of methods in which prayer can be expressed and why an active prayer life is important for living in union with God. Listening is a very important part of prayer as prayer is a two way communication with God.
Excel’s introduced A.C.T.S. as a model for prayer:
Study: The objective of this talk is to help the participants realize that ‘study’ is a process that promotes growth in one’s understanding and relationship with God (as opposed to a boring, in-depth theological investigation of God’s word). Study takes many forms, reading, listening to music, and participation in a group discussion. To be open and stretch oneself in learning about God.
During this talk, participants are introduced to start learning about “What is Christianity?” Christianity is not external practices or outward acts. It means more than attending Sunday worship, more than wearing a cross and more than doing good deeds.
Christianity if LIFE! The Christian Faith is part of the being of a person. It affects all aspects of a person’s life and explains and gives reason for living. To understand and learn about Christianity is to understand what life is all about, not just part of life, but is the foundation to all of life.
Action: The call of Christ to His followers is to go into every town and place, and be laborers in the harvest. (Luke 10:1-9)
This talk is primarily about being an apostle--someone who shares their living union in God with others. It does not speak about specific duties of a Christian, but is more concerned with the attitude and the being of the individual in Christ. It is about sharing our faith with others.
The Action talk is vital for rounding out the participants understanding that supports and renews Christian commitment. Prayer and study go nowhere if the person doing the praying and studying does not act out their relationship to God in the real world where they live and work.
Ministries: This talk does not try to explain the complete doctrine of the Church as the Body of Christ. It does, however, communicate the idea that the Church is people--people of God. This talk integrates living in union with God and living in today’s world. The common ground is the Church. The Church is the community of those who live in union with God through Christ.
All people in the church are commissioned as ministers, not just the pastor as the church is not the building; it’s the people – Christian Community
The Body of Christ is a Worshipping Body, Witnessing Body and Working Body Time, Tithes and Talents
Every Christian has spiritual gifts given by God and should use the gifts and give back to Christ.
Security: The goal of the talk is to bring about a continuation of the exercise experience for the participants. The weekend exercise in Christian Community Living is only a beginning. EXCEL is a process because it stimulates a lifelong growth. The security talk announces the way to begin a new life, which will make it possible to live in union with God.
The exercise shows a method by which people can live the fundamental Christina life together. The weekend points out the basic elements of living a Christian life with others, so we can grow together in a Christian community after the exercise. The security talk will hopefully show the participants the importance of having fellowship with a small group of intimate friends (home groups) and by sharing their commitments and lives together, Christian friends can stimulate spiritual living in each other.
You: This is the last talk of the weekend and the purpose is to motivate the participants to set goals and formulate a plan of action to apply the principles they have learned over the weekend. The talk summarizes the weekend itself; drawing on the topics presents, miracles presented by the Holy Spirit during the weekend, worship services and prayer healings which may have occurred.
The You talk is a time for decisions and a call to action. A Commitment Card is introduced at this time to assist with making goals and to seek out spiritual counselors.
Steps to Commitment include: