What are you already doing that God is inviting you to re-approach with a posture of sacrificial service? Where might God be calling you into new ways of serving his kingdom, people, and city? Pastor Kevin Weiner concludes our Essentials series with a sermon from James 2:14-17.

Here are some questions to help you reflect on this essential:

• What are the needs you see around you in the church? What are the needs of your neighbors? Prayerfully consider how God might use your participation to meet those needs in a holistic way.

• What are the temptations, fears, or idols that keep you from sacrificial living and serving? What are truths of God you are forgetting, and how is God lovingly calling you towards himself in this area?

• Who has been an example of biblical service in your life? How did they reflect God?

Sarah was born and raised in NorCal by the East Bay (RIP Oakland A’s). She attained undergraduate and graduate degrees in biblical counseling from The Master’s University, and currently works there in the enrollment division.

By the grace of God, Sarah was raised in a Christian home, and truly embraced her salvation in junior high. As an adult, she has deepened her faith and trust in the Lord by witnessing how he has carried her through seasons of suffering and heartache. Sarah loves connecting with God by experiencing nature, listening to music, meditating on his word (especially the Psalms), and serving at Reality.

In 2016, Sarah was living and working in Santa Clarita and visited Reality’s 5PM service while searching for a new church. She was moved by both the solid biblical teaching and the rich worship. After deciding to relocate to be closer to Reality, God provided a studio apartment via a Reality connection. Sarah has served on the welcome team since 2016, and has been involved in different ministries over the years including Gospel Care, Divorce Care, and community groups.

Sarah lives in Central Los Angeles and loves being so close to Griffith Park. She also appreciates that something is always blooming in LA and the city’s diversity of food, cafes, and beautiful people and cultures.

Originally from Southeast Michigan, Randy moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment after achieving a degree in film and video production. He works as a post-production supervisor for a variety of scripted television series.

Raised Catholic, Randy understood the basics of Christianity, but it wasn’t central to his life. In his early 20s, Randy recognized that Jesus was pursuing him and that he needed to take ownership of his faith. Randy also realized that faith was more than being good at following rules, but rather having a personal relationship with Jesus. He is grateful to God for revealing his pride and continuing to humble him. Randy connects with God by praying and listening, exploring nature, and serving others.

After moving to LA, Randy felt the Lord calling him to rejoin church and discovered Reality. He was immediately drawn in by its authentic Christian community. Since joining Reality, Randy has served in a variety of ministries; he started on the media team, but has since moved into Gospel Care Basics, prayer team, and facilitating community groups.

Randy lives in Los Feliz and loves discovering the diverse fun experiences available in LA.

Jacob is a Los Angeles native—he grew up in Glendale, and is a graduate of UCLA, where he met his wife Faith while they were working together in CRU. His favorite parts of his hometown are the Dodgers, the fact that his family (both biological and spiritual) are here, and the city’s ethnic and food diversity.

Having been raised in a Christian home, Jacob first trusted Jesus thanks to the influence of his parents, grandparents, and everyone at his church. While his belief initially dictated his behavior, during his freshman year of college Jacob realized that Jesus being his savior needed to be the core thesis and main outpouring of his life. He recognizes that he owes every blessing to the Lord, and strives to imitate him and follow him (however imperfectly) on a daily basis. He connects with God through Bible-reading and prayer, physical activity such as running and bike riding, serving others, and having genuine conversations about faith.

He has attended Reality since October, 2016, when his CRU Bible study leader offerred him a ride one Sunday. Since then he has volunteered with numerous ministries, including serving as a Royal Family KIDS Camp counselor and volunteering on the parking team.

Jacob and his wife (and baby, due in June 2026!) live in Northeast LA. He is an avid chess player, and hopes to one day complete an IRONMAN.

Dorcas is proud of her diverse international upbringing—she was raised in both São Paulo, Brazil and London, England. Her professional background is in law and international relations, and she works in the STEM field.

Although she was raised in a Christian home, Dorcas’ relationship with Jesus grew over time from being distant to central to her life; it now permeates her whole existence. She connects with God in every aspect of her day-to–day, but specifically through worship and prayer.

Dorcas came to Reality through the church’s founding pastor and his wife, Tim and Lindsey Chaddick. She lives in Hollywood, and loves the warmth and sunshine of her adopted home city.

Faith was born and raised in San Diego, and she first moved to LA while attending UCLA for nursing school. She loves LA for its endless opportunities, and for being the place where she met her husband (and fellow deacon, Jacob) while serving together in CRU. She works at Children’s Hospital LA as a pediatric oncology nurse in an outpatient role.

While she grew up in a Christian environment, Faith didn’t take ownership of her faith until later in life; during her freshman year of college she experienced Jesus’ powerful redemption and true freedom during a CRU women’s retreat while surrounded by a strong Christian community. She connects with the Lord by exploring the outdoors, sharing stories of God’s faithfulness with others, and listening to and singing worship music.

She first got plugged into Reality thanks to CRU friends who gave her a ride on a Sunday—during her first visit she immediately fell in love with Reality’s gospel-centered focus.

She and Jacob (and baby, due in June 2026)! live in Northeast LA. Faith loves to play pickleball, is trying to be more analog, and seeks to create a home that is an open space for community and for God to be glorified!

Originally from Baltimore, MD, Brittany loves her adopted city’s diversity of food and the wonderful weather. She works as a registered nurse in a postpartum unit where she takes care of newborns and their mothers.

Brittany was raised with Christian influences, and she grew up hearing about Jesus and going to church occasionally. However, she didn’t know Jesus personally until a college mission trip. During one of the worship sessions, she heard the song, “Hosanna,” and experienced the lyrics as Christ speaking his love to her in a direct and personal way. She went home knowing she was forgiven and redeemed, and became determined to live righteously and share his good news with others. She connects with God by listening to worship music and sermons, singing, journaling, being in nature, and studying Scripture.

She was connected to Reality while moving from San Diego to LA for a job thanks to a recommendation by her pastor. She volunteered as a greeter during her first Easter Sunday and loved the experience of meeting new people so much that she’s been a member of the welcome team ever since.

Brittany lives in Inglewood. She enjoys traveling (she’s lived in four different cities thanks to travel nursing) and baking (she specializes in NY-style cheesecake), and hopes to one day have a family, publish a book, and attend seminary.

Alyssa is proud of her generational roots in Los Angeles; her family has lived in the city for over 100 years, having originally immigrated from Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. Alyssa has remained local for the majority of her life—she was born in Pasadena, grew up in the San Fernando Valley, and is a graduate of Westmont College and LMU Loyola Law School. She works as an attorney, with a career focus on advocacy for the poor and marginalized.

Although she was raised in a home with some Christian influences, Alyssa didn’t become a Christian until her senior year of high school when the Holy Spirit revealed the Lord’s character and Christ’s immense love for her. She connects with God through daily prayer and constant conversations, as well as working with him and his church to faithfully bring forth biblical justice on earth.

Alyssa has been a member of the Reality family of churches for more than a decade. She attended Reality Carpinteria throughout college and Reality San Francisco while living in NorCal after college, and joined Reality LA after moving back home. She loves Reality and is committed to its mission of meaningfully loving and serving LA.

Alyssa lives in Burbank close to her family, and is grateful for the opportunities their sacrifices have provided her.

Alex is a freelance media composer and piano teacher with a background as a classical pianist. He views his life as a symphony composed by himself and orchestrated, conducted, and performed by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This perspective reminds him that while he may hold the pen, God is the one who infuses life’s melodies with new and unexpected meaning and purpose and is ultimately the music director.

Though Alex was raised in a Christian home, his parents’ faith didn’t become his own until a pivotal summer in college. Following a difficult breakup, he attended a six-week classical music program and spent his free time reading his Bible and praying. He experienced more spiritual growth in those weeks than the previous 18 years.

Alex eventually found his way to Reality through a friend from his home state of New Jersey and has served as a community group leader for several years. Now a resident of Midcity, he connects with God through Scripture study and daily prayer walks.

When he’s not at his home studio or teaching, Alex is usually on the tennis courts, hitting the trails, or traveling with his high school friends.

Only a community centered on Jesus can actually last because it’s built on forgiveness before effort, grace before growth, and identity before obedience. Pastor Jeremy Treat continues our Essentials series with a sermon from Colossians 3:12-17 on the practices and postures of real community.

Here are some questions to help you reflect on this essential:

• How does the community you had growing up differ from the community you have now?

• What practices, rhythms, or aspects of community help you say “I belong”?

• What are the ways community shapes our journey with Jesus?

• What makes intentional Christian community challenging?

• What makes intentional Christian community worthwhile?

For the church across the world and throughout time, the church calendar offers annual rhythms of spiritual counter-formation: providing ways to engage God’s story and our place in it. This steady exposure to the true story God is telling changes us over time.

To be a disciple means to be a learner or a student. Our discipleship pathway is important for us as a church because it gives us a common understanding of discipleship, a shared experience around following Jesus, and a common language to understand what it means to follow Jesus. Pastor Jonathan Fitzgerald continues our Essentials series with a sermon from John 10:22-30.

Here are some questions to help you reflect on this essential:

• Who has shaped the way you think about discipleship? How have they impacted your life with Jesus?

• What are some of the ways God has grown you as a follower of Jesus? What do you want your life with Jesus to look like in the future?

• What do you think God wants for you in 2026? How do you sense him wanting you to grow?