What does it mean to be more like Jesus? Ultimately, that is the goal of following him, so what does it look like? In his book “The Politics of Jesus”, John Howard Yoder used the term “cruciformity” to describe a life of following Jesus. Cruciformity means a cross-shaped life; that the things we do, the words we say, the decisions we make are informed by, and conformed to, the cross of Christ. We are to live a cross shaped life.
Doing Right When Wrong is Easier
What do you think is the most important thing about going to church on Sunday? There are many great things from the music, the time of connecting with people you know, the sermon, praying together, all the programs, maybe even the coffee! Church services are meant to be a time for people to gather with each other and worship God. Presenting an opportunity to listen and care for each other. It can be a time to be challenged and encouraged to see what it means to be more like Jesus.
Truth Tellers
A good church is one that grows to be more and more like Christ. Paul explains in Ephesians 4:15 that a demonstration of this is that we can speak the truth in love. What does it mean for the church to be a place of truth telling? How can we tell the truth in love and not be jerks?
People Before Progress
Have you ever felt overlooked? Almost like you were in the way of someone getting something done? Or maybe you’ve seen the disappointment in someone else’s eyes as they felt sidelined in the pursuit of a program or goal. This feeling is not uncommon, and it reveals a crucial tension we often face: balancing the drive for progress with the need for personal connection.
Grace-Shaped Community
Whether it’s the pressure to conform, fear of failure, or a sense of inadequacy, fear has a way of showing up in our lives. The same fears we may experience at work or school to fit in, the anxiety that can cripple us because we fear failure, or our struggle feeling like an imposter can sometimes be amplified in a church community because our expectations of that community are the exact opposite.
A Community of Compassion
What does it mean to be God’s chosen people? Well, it means a few things. First, that God desires for us to be known by Him and to know Him. Secondly, it means that as His people, like the people of any city or country, we live in the context of a culture with expectations and standards. So what is, or should be, the culture of God’s people?
What Makes a Church Good?
Today we are kicking off our new series called "Find a Good Church" and are exploring what it is that makes a church good. We are looking at history to see how the church has not always been good, but that scripture has a picture of what a good church could be.