Vision 2024: Deeper In, Further Out
The problem is, in the West, we have created a cultural milieu where you can be a Christian but not an apprentice of Jesus. — John Mark Comer
Dallas Willard once opined that one of the greatest challenges facing the world is whether or not Christians will become apprentices of Jesus. In this series, we will explore the vision that our church is architected on: what does it mean to Practice the Way of Jesus Together for the Life of the World? Formation. Community. Mission.
Our hope in this series is to clarify the process and journey of becoming people of Christlike love, and to invite everyone to discern God’s invitation to deeper maturity, intimacy, and practice in their life with Jesus.
Community Guides
We’ve adapted some guided reflections from The Practicing the Way Course for everyone to use throughout this series.
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1. What stands out to you from the teaching passage? What is confusing, or what questions does it raise?
2. What do you notice about God the Father, the Son, and/or the Holy Spirit in this passage?
3. How does this passage interact with your current understanding of the gospel (the "good news" about Jesus)?
4. What new invitation is God giving you to know or be with Jesus? Or to consent to his transformation to make you more like Jesus?
5. What is one step you can take in the week ahead to respond to that invitation?
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The gospel is the announcement that, in Jesus, the Creator has come to fulfill his promise to make all things new.
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Looking at Jesus’ invitation to be with him, become like him, and do what he did.
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Exploring our “working theory of change,” looking first at how we are deformed through what Paul calls “the patterns of this world.”
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Exploring our “working theory of change, looking next at how we are transformed through apprenticeship to Jesus in the power of the Spirit.
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Discovering how God uses spiritual practices as the means for opening us to the transforming power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
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Exploring the nature of sin and how God heals our whole person from the disease of sin.
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Discover the roots of a rule of life historically and biblically and walk through our new community rule of life.
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Taking an honest look at suffering and how it can be an opportunity for depth and maturity.
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Laying out our vision and practice of community and its significance for our spiritual formation.
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Setting the goal of our formation in Jesus not on therapeutic self-help, but on bringing the love of God practically to others.
A Tool for Practice
The suggested rhythm we’ll follow throughout this series.