GUIDING WAYS
There are countless ways we can choose to live our lives. Lifestyle experts and family members, political pundits and co-workers, global media enterprises and neighbours, everyone, is promoting, demonstrating, or revealing a particular way of life. Some ways we find repulsive. Some ways we find attractive and compelling. The truth is that in every moment of every day we are choosing a way of life that influences the direction, experiences, relationships and quality of our lives.
There is a lot at stake when it comes to choosing a way.
As a church, we believe that the best way, of all the possible ways in the world, is the way of Jesus. It’s a way that we are learning to practice together.
What does it mean to do this in real life? When we look at the life of Jesus and listen to his message, one thing that stands out in sharp relief is that the way of Jesus is the way of love. To love God, others, and self, in the power of the Holy Spirit is the essence of what Jesus invites us to do with him. For us, this means choosing the way of love over fear.
1 John 4:17-19 says:
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day — our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life — fear of death, fear of judgment — is one not yet fully formed in love. We, though, are going to love — love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
Over the last few years as we’ve prayed about what it means to practice this way of love over fear, something we call our ‘Guiding Ways’ has emerged as a tangible and practical expression of the choices we can make on the journey toward fullness of life.
As a staff team we’ve held these guiding ways before us for the last three years as we desire to be with Jesus in his way of healing. We are feeling the significance of this in our own lives and relationships.
So, we are inviting you to join with us in what is becoming a sacred and holy adventure that constantly calls us back to reliance on the Holy Spirit and an ever-deepening commitment to togetherness.
The way of Jesus isn’t just different from every other way. His way is better. We bless you in His name to discover the truth of this as you engage with the ‘Guiding Ways’ and experience the miracle of perfect love banishing fear in every aspect of your life and our community.