The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. – John 1:14
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. – John 10:10b
FULLY HUMAN
When the Word became flesh – when the Eternal Son of God took on humanity – he did not partially become a man. He fully became a human being. And it was in that humanity, that Jesus showed us – not how to be better Christians – but how to live in the fullness of our humanity.
God cares about every part of us. Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually, and Mentally. So, we see it as a primary function of the church to develop people holistically.
CHANGE
Here’s some irony – God never changes, yet He is all about changing us. Therefore, we not only embrace change, but we are people of change. Initiators. Leaders. Activists.
It’s a fact that if you want what you’ve never had, you’ve got to be willing to do what you’ve never done. This is true personally and also collectively – as a church community. Therefore, we will always remember that the only thing that is not subject to change is our core calling of loving God and loving people. Everything else…is subject to change. This means that we will remain flexible and fluid when it comes to almost everything we do. What’s right for our community today, may not be right tomorrow. What’s was right for us yesterday, may not be right for us today. The best thing we can do is to keep our ear to the ground, our hearts open, and courageously ready to say YES to what’s next.
SEEING
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! – Matthew 6:22-23
One of the best things we could ever be about is helping people see through better lenses. Everything else flows out of how we are seeing ourselves, God, and others. How we see impacts how we think, and how we think impacts how we live.
CONTEMPLATION
Contemplation is not an event – it is a posture. And it’s what allows us to begin seeing things differently. It’s what empowers us to take a fresh look at ourselves, others, God, and even the world around us.
It what moves us beyond those black and white, linear lenses that seem to fit so comfortably. And instead of walking around judging, dividing, splitting, or categorizing, the lenses of contemplation enable us to become people who see and bring wholeness everywhere we go.
