Becoming full persons in Christ's community

I'm going to read the Bible. If you can turn to Colossians chapter 3.

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

We're going to start at the beginning and go on to verse 17.

If then you've been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is,

seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above,

not on things that are on earth, for you've died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you.

Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry.

On account of these, the wrath of God is coming.

In these, you too once walked when you were living in them, but now you must put them all away.

Anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Do not lie to one another, seeing you've put off the old self with its practices,

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Here, there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, side-in, slave, free,

but Christ is all and in all.

Put on, then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

bearing with one another.

And if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other,

as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

And above all of these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.

And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,

singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your heart to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Over six weeks now, we've been bouncing our series in Colossians against the cultural air we breathe.

And we've sort of summed up the cultural air we breathe in the term,

therapeutic expressive individualism.

It's a worthwhile term to remember because it's so pervasive in our society.

And what it is really is it's the determination that people express today to be authentic people,

to be true to who they really are.

And that is driven by a desire for happiness,

which requires freedom to take the desires and feelings that are within me

and bring them to the surface and build my identity, my meaning and purpose from those feelings

with nobody daring to challenge how I want to express that good life.

One of the, perhaps the unintended consequences of that is that it has left people

with a very, very deep, profound sense of entitlement.

And I don't know whether you observe that, but that's one of the things I feel myself bumping up against every day

in society is this profound sense of entitlement that people are expressing.

An entitlement to do whatever they believe will deliver personal happiness and fulfillment,

no matter the cost to those around them.

To be free from any demands, free from any demands and expectations of others.

Don't you question me in the way I live.

And free to develop their own lifestyle.

The way I live is good, whatever that is.

The sense of entitlement to resist all external authority.

I think people mostly use their hands these days not to eat,

but to give the bird to anybody who tries to exert authority over them.

Anything that challenges my self-approving, my self-governing right to this good and full life.

And I think it's particularly ugly.

Even though people think that that's freedom.

Now against that, we've seen in Paul's letter to the Colossians,

that true authentic living, being true to yourself as a person,

and being a true person, true well-being, ultimate happiness,

true fulfillment, says Paul, lies in Jesus.

And there we have quite a sharp divide between the cultural air we breathe

and what we read and understand, and I believe, are committed to in the scriptures.

But here's a bit of a problem that arises out of that,

because we can never be apart from our culture.

And we'd be foolish in the extreme if we don't allow for the fact that we're constantly being tutored by our culture

as we observe how people around us live their lives and what's important to them.

And so almost inevitably, well actually inevitably, we will actually be part of our culture.

We will take some of that therapeutic, expressive individualism into our own way of living.

That's the power of culture.

The question then is, how much are we shaped by our culture, and how much are we shaped by the gospel?

How much do we still look for fullness in this therapeutic, expressive individualism,

this sense of entitlement?

And how much do we see and find fullness and rest in that in Christ?

Now, we need to be really careful not to reach for an easy answer here.

And if you've got my sermon script and a number you get each week, there's an important not in there.

We must not reach for a simple answer.

We must not think for a moment that we're immune to therapeutic, expressive individualism.

We must not think for a moment that we automatically find our fullness in Christ.

As I say, there'll be some degree of our cultural air shaping how we think and act,

both as individual Christians and, I would argue, as a community here together, a church family.

And the big question then is not if that's happening, but to recognize when it happens and how it happens,

so we might have a chance to resist it as we push back into the gospel and fullness in Christ.

For example, and see what you would do with these examples.

Are the examples of therapeutic, expressive individualism in our church family or in our own personal thinking?

So here we go, three or four examples.

Do you think that your life in Christ is a private, individual matter?

And that you should be left alone in that space?

Do you think that your personal expression of faith is what matters,

while engaging in a church family community like this is perhaps an optional extra?

Is church something you do, providing it delivers what you want?

So if it makes you feel happy, then I'm happy to be in it.

If I'm not too tired, I'm happy to be in it.

If it doesn't demand anything significant of me, then I'll be in it.

Or is church something you are by virtue of being a Christian?

And when you come to church, do you engage in worship because it makes you feel good?

Because you think that perhaps through doing that, then you'll get good things from God?

Or do you worship God for his own beauty and worth?

Do you think that that trumps other concerns in a community such as forgiving, loving, forbearing with others, maintaining unity?

So our question this morning then is, how will individual fullness in Christ be evident in community?

In this community, in our church family?

Well, into Colossians 3 then, verses 1 to 4 of Colossians 3 is a bridge.

So a bridge summarizes what's already been explained about fullness of life in Christ,

which then becomes also the launch pad for application into specific areas and circumstances of life.

And this morning we're looking particularly in the application of the community.

Look at verses 1.

And you'll see how the summary thing, the ESV has if then, but just as well or even better to call it since then.

Since then, because of what's all been said at the minute, since then you've been raised with Christ.

Look at verse 3.

Since then you have died with Christ.

Since then your life is hidden with Christ.

Verse 4.

Since Christ, who is your life?

Very, very strong summary statements.

Christ is your life.

Not just a part of your life as a Christian.

Christ is your life.

He's the entirety.

He's the fullness or the completeness of life.

Put it in other words.

As we've seen over recent weeks, we are inseparably connected forever to God through Jesus.

And the word there in chapter 3, the picture there is hidden.

Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Now that's the word that means that we're so sort of enfolded into Jesus.

We're so embedded into Jesus that the distinction blurs.

And we can say that we're so deeply held, so closely held by Jesus that my life is his life.

His life is my life.

Christ is our life.

Christ is our life.

And when Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

So, Jesus is our life individually.

Because we must be saved individually.

Renewed individually.

So, it is right that each believer may say, I am in Christ.

I say that to you this morning.

I am in Christ.

With the guarantee that I experience the sufficiency of Jesus' work for me as a Savior.

I may also say as a believer that Christ is in me.

With the guarantee that I receive and enjoy all the benefits and blessings of being united with him as Lord.

We've seen that over the last few weeks.

Using the picture from last Sunday.

Listen up, boys.

Using the picture from last Sunday.

Our bucket individually is absolutely full.

With the fullness of life that only Jesus can deliver.

So, as it says in Colossians 3, 1-4.

As it commands us.

It's appropriate then that we set our bearings.

Set your mind on.

Set your bearings by.

Set your bearings daily according to this heavenly reality.

Of our fullness of life in Christ.

Shaping our lives as a daily practice.

Based on the source of life.

The source of our life in heaven.

The Lord Jesus.

But there's more.

We must also go on to say that Jesus is our life in community.

Salvation in Jesus is always more than personal or individual.

Now, that's a point I don't think we've got as Christians.

Or we deliberately ignore maybe that.

Is actually of itself expressive individualism.

Salvation is always more than personal.

It is right and proper for me to say that I am saved into an individual relationship of faith.

And into a personal walk with Jesus.

That is right.

It is wrong, however, if I go from there to think about salvation individualistically.

Jesus knows nothing of solitary believers.

Individualistic believers.

God's salvation plan.

God's salvation plan.

You see it right through the scriptures.

God's salvation plan was always to save his people into new community.

Resurrection community.

The church.

God's salvation plan.

This is Paul's emphasis too.

He, so for all you English Nazis out there, you just have to, your ears will jar.

But that's why the word use that's common speak these days is such a good word.

Or if you want to be Southern American, y'all.

It picks up a deficiency in English grammar.

Because all the words that Paul uses throughout Colossians and most of his letters are plural.

You plural.

You plural.

Use.

When Paul addresses the church, writes the church at Colossae, he wants the community as a whole

to understand that Christ is their collective life as he is their individual life.

He expects them to express fullness in Christ in community.

Shaping their community life or church culture according to the gospel.

And that's what we are.

As we live out what we believe the gospel is, then we create a culture.

We adopt a culture and we develop a culture.

We have a culture here in our church.

And we'll ask the question later on.

What is that culture in essence?

Paul wants them to express and live out a culture, display a culture that's in line with the heavenly reality

of being God's resurrection community.

Set your mind on things above.

Where you will be home with Christ in heaven as the church, praising and glorifying and living proper, full lives under the Lord Jesus.

Well, make that reality the very thing that drives and shapes life now in community.

As a microcosm of heaven on earth.

Paul also uses body language to describe their life in community.

If you turn back to chapter 1 verse 17 and verse 18, we're told there in that section about the preeminence of Jesus.

Jesus is the one who holds or binds everything together in God's world.

And then immediately it launches on to give an example.

The primary example of Jesus binding and making everything together.

His body, the church.

That's the first cab of the rank.

When we talk about what Jesus binds and brings together in himself.

And if you look at chapter 2 verse 19.

We looked at this week, last week.

Jesus is the head.

And the head, organically connected to the body, is what gives the body life.

And we said last week that Jesus was the ligament that actually holds the bones and the parts of the body together

and gives it structural integrity.

It's a community.

It's a community.

It's a corporate picture.

We are the body.

Connected to the head.

Individual, yes.

But not individualistic.

We can't be individualistic in a body.

This doesn't make any sense to try and do it.

And we're told there in chapter 2 verse 19.

That growth from God, therefore, happens in community.

Now I don't think that's something we think about very often.

That our growth and maturing in Christ happens in community.

In this community.

And it's the same idea then.

We've already seen it in chapter 3 verses 1 to 4.

True spiritual maturity is achieved through vibrant and close connection with their head,

our head, the Lord Jesus,

and living in the light of that reality in this salvation community.

Paul also speaks of servants and fellow servants to describe the reality of salvation community.

Now this is one you could probably argue with.

I've raised a few times a staff meeting and each time it hasn't got very much of a guarantee.

But I'm going to try it anyway this morning.

Feel free to reject it if you want to.

I think it's really interesting that in chapter 1 verse 1,

Paul introduces himself as apostolos.

He's an apostle.

That's his formal title.

That's his formal commission from the Lord Jesus.

But within the body of the letter,

whenever he is interacting with other Christians here in Colossae,

he always uses the term servant.

which brings him down to the level of others.

And we'll see,

I'll want to try and demonstrate that connection to you.

In 1 chapter 23,

sorry,

chapter 1 verse 23,

Paul says that,

which has been claimed,

they're talking about the gospel,

which has been claimed in all creation under heaven,

and of which I,

Paul became a minister.

That's the word servant.

And then he goes on in verse 25

to make a connection,

a seamless connection,

a servant of Christ.

Paul's a servant of Christ,

which means,

verse 25,

he becomes a servant of the Colossian church.

And if you go back to chapter 1,

he talks about being a fellow servant with Epaphras,

who brought the gospel

and was responsible for these guys being converted.

And,

so putting that together,

Paul says,

to be,

for him to be a Christian

is to be a servant of Christ,

is to be a servant of his body,

the church,

is to be a fellow servant

with everybody else in the church.

And if you follow through in chapter 4,

you'll see that servant,

fellow servant language used heaps.

Friends,

putting it all together,

here's the point.

Church is not something we do,

especially not as we feel like it.

Church is something we are

by virtue of being united with Christ.

Christ.

And here's a thing

I want you to take away with you today.

Gospel doctrine,

experienced personally,

ought always

to produce

gospel culture

in community.

Friends,

to go back to the bucket illustration,

your bucket of fullness

is not

simply contained

to you

in some individualistic way.

Your bucket of fullness

actually overflows

through you

into

fullness

in this community.

A community

of saved people.

Why?

So that together

we might

enjoy

fullness

in Christ.

And we will do that

together,

I would argue,

in a way that we cannot

actually do it

individually.

Because that's the way

Jesus has set it up.

And all of that

is a launch pad

for verses

5 to 17.

And so

you'll see how this

sort of flows on

from there.

As a family unit,

as a community

of saved people,

yous

or y'all

should be struggling

together

to express

fullness

in Christ.

That's essentially

Paul's point

as he moves forward.

Now,

verses 5 to 11,

Paul says

that means

getting rid of

everything

on anything

which is at odds

with your new

identity,

your fullness

in Christ.

Your new

orientation

to Christ.

get rid of it.

Again,

the bucket

illustration.

If the bucket

is full

with all the

fullness of

deity,

if the bucket

is full

of the

character

of God

through Jesus

and grace

and mercy,

when it

overflows

into the

local church

community,

what would

you expect?

You wouldn't

expect a

pile of stuff

like you just

dipped into

a sullage pit.

No,

it will overflow

with the

character of

Christ,

with grace

and mercy.

the fullness

of deity.

So we've

got to get

rid of

anything

that's

inconsistent

with that,

that's

incongruous

with that.

And so

we could

spend hours

working through

each of

these words.

There's such

dense words,

such intense

stuff in here,

but I'm just

going to

slide across

the top

and try

and lift

it up

and summarize

it.

verses

5 and

6.

I'll

read them

and then

I'll just

make a

summary

comment.

Here we

go.

Put to

death,

therefore,

what is

earthly in

you.

And then

there's a

list of

sexual

vices,

sexual

immorality,

impurity,

passion,

evil

desire,

covetousness,

which is

idolatry.

on account

of these,

the wrath

of God

is coming.

As a

community,

we've got

to say

no to

selfish

expressions

of sexuality.

Our world

says,

I am a

sexual being.

I can

only be

authentic

and true

to myself

and complete

in myself

when I'm

free to

express my

sexual

desires,

whatever

they may

manifest as,

when I'm

free to

express my

sexual

desires and

use others

around me

for my

satisfaction,

no matter

the cost

to them.

That's

essentially

what our

world

says.

God

says,

that's

got no

place among

my people.

Verses

7 and

8.

In

these you

too once

worked,

when you

were living

in them,

but now

you must

put them

all away.

Anger,

wrath,

malice,

slander,

seen talk

from your

mouth.

Those are

all

statements

of

manipulation

and

exploitation.

And Paul

says,

we've got

to say

no to

manipulation

and

exploitation.

Again,

our world

says,

I can

only be

happy and

fulfilled

when my

desires,

my cravings

are met

to my

satisfaction.

And this

gives me the

right to

manipulate,

to exploit,

to consume,

to control

people around

me in the

pursuit of

my own

happiness and

fulfillment.

Paul says,

that's got

no place

in a

resurrection

community.

Verses

9 and

10.

Do not

lie to

one another,

saying that

you have put

off the old

self with

its practices

and put on

the new

self which

has been

renewed in

the knowledge

after the

image of

its creator.

Say

no

to any

thought that

the end

justifies the

means.

See,

again,

our world

says to us,

happiness and

validation is

so important

that I'm

prepared to,

I'm entitled

to manipulate

truth to my

own advantage.

Even if it

means telling

bold-faced

lies when

necessary.

Truth's

relative.

truth will

trump your

truth in

the pursuit

of my

happiness.

That's what

our world

says to us.

Paul says

no.

In

community,

the resurrection

community has

got to deal

with truth.

Got to be

known for

truth.

Get rid of

such thinking.

In verse

11, I

pondered this

one a fair

while but I

think this

might be

okay.

Paul says,

here there's

not Greek

and Jews

circumcised

and uncircumcised,

barbarian,

Scythian,

slave,

free,

but Christ

is all

and in

all.

Say no

to evaluating

people according

to the world's

categories.

See, our

world says,

I need to be

on top of

the pile.

Whatever pile

that is I'm

operating in,

I need to

be the

top of

it.

It might

be a

racial pile,

it might

be a

political

pile,

it might

be an

economic

pile,

it might

be an

intellectual

pile,

it might

even be a

spiritual

pile.

Well, I

need to be

on top of

it and the

way to be

on top of

it is to

knock other

people down.

I build

myself up by

knocking other

people down.

And so we

pull out the

racial card,

we pull out

the economic

card,

we pull out

the whatever

card it is,

the super

spiritual

card.

Paul says,

no,

there's no

place for

that in the

resurrection

community.

And then he

goes on to

verse 12 to

17 to talk

about putting

on,

to put on

or to be

shaped by

things that we

already have.

So the word

there is like

clothing, so

it's putting

on a jacket.

You already

have the

jacket that's

there.

All you need

to do is put

it on, is

Paul's point.

We already

have all

these graces

in Christ.

That's what it

is to be

renewed in

Christ.

We just

need to

embrace them.

We just

need to put

them on.

We need

to be

shaped by

them.

And the

more we

get rid

of these

things that

have no

place in

Christ's

community,

the more

we'll be

seen to be

dressed.

in the

things that

should

adorn us

as Christ's

community.

Verses

12 to

17.

We don't

need to

create them.

We simply

need to

embrace them.

And here

again, that

connection is

lovely.

That gospel

doctrine

ought always

and easily

overflow

into gospel

culture.

Our bucket

is full of

the fullness

of deity

in Christ.

the

other

flood

will be

gospel

culture.

Rich

gospel

culture,

a culture

of grace.

The

gospel

doctrine

of grace,

gospel

culture

of grace

in all

its richness

in our

community,

our church.

What will

this gospel

culture look

like?

Well,

again,

we could

spend weeks

on these

individual

characteristics

here.

But I

think I

can just

summarize it

by saying,

what will

gospel culture

look like?

It will

look like

Jesus.

It will

smell with

a savor

of Jesus.

Jesus.

It will

speak like

Jesus.

It will

absorb hurts

and grievances

and offense

like Jesus.

It will

forbear with

others'

failures

like Jesus.

Gospel

categories,

gospel

culture.

Let's

jump

through

these

fairly

quickly.

Verses

12,

13,

and 14.

Put on

then as

God's

chosen

ones,

holy and

beloved.

There you

go.

There's the

orientation

thing again.

That's what

you are.

You're now

God's

chosen

ones,

holy and

beloved.

Beloved.

compassion,

kindness,

humility,

meekness,

patience,

bearing with

one another.

And if

one has a

complaint against

another,

forgiving each

other as

the Lord

has forgiven

you,

so you

must also

forgive.

see,

all these

gospel

categories

have been

modeled

strongly to

us by

Jesus.

And that's

what we

need to

make these

commands work.

Commands will

never be

enough.

Forgiveness

and forbearing

and kindness

and patience,

all these

things are

hard.

Simply be

commanded to

do them will

never work

for us.

But when

we have

gospel

categories

modeled to

us by

Jesus,

when we

realize that

we're holy

and beloved,

chosen

children,

then we're

in a

zone.

The heavenly

reality will

enable us to

do the hard

work here

of being

Christ's

community.

and it

will be

expressed in

offering

radical

forgiveness,

gospel

reconciliation.

Now,

what does

gospel

reconciliation

and peace

do in the

body?

Well,

gospel forgiveness

and reconciliation

resets the

relationship.

relationship.

And it

does so at

great cost

to self.

That's the

model of

Jesus.

It also

commits never

to use that

offense against

the person in

future relationship.

And my friends,

that's how each of us

individually has been

forgiven.

That's what it is to

understand and live

in grace.

And add to

that being

other person

centered.

Being servant

hearted.

Bearing with one

another's failures

as I've already

said.

Loving strongly

while speaking

truth.

Being committed

to the best

interests of

those around

us.

Regardless

of personal

cost in

that.

That's the

model of

Jesus.

And when we

talk about

forgiveness,

gospel forgiveness,

it will be so

different from

cultural forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a

big thing in our

society these days.

But it's always

self-interested

forgiveness.

It's always a

given, I will

forgive because it

makes me feel

better about

myself.

It doesn't

actually matter

if I resume

relationship, full

relationship with

a person.

No, it's just

something I do.

It makes me feel

better about

myself.

Or it allows me

to take control

back of the

situation.

It stops them

from hurting me

more.

I cut myself

off from

negative people,

negative vibes.

It's not

the gospel

forgiveness

that Jesus

models and we've

experienced.

Forgiveness at

great cost

himself.

Verse 16.

Let the word

of Christ dwell

in you richly,

teaching and

admonishing one

another in all

wisdom, singing

psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs

with thankfulness

in your hearts to

God.

And whatever you

do, in word or

deed, do

everything in the

name of the

Lord Jesus.

Giving thanks to

God the Father

through him.

Well, so many

words in there,

but again, we're

just to be steeped

in God's word.

So steeped, so

familiar with

God's word that

actually shapes our

concerns for one

another.

It shapes our

interactions with

one another.

Rather than being

driven by our

personal hurts,

our personal

desires, our

personal grievances,

righteousness.

And all of that

is in the context

of thanks,

thankfulness.

Verse 17.

Very similar thing

when it all boils

down.

Being as Christ

to one another

in all these ways,

being as Christ

to one another

is the greatest

expression of

thankfulness that

we as individual

Christians can show.

Because it shows

an understanding

of what I

personally have

experienced in

Christ.

Being as Christ

to one another

is the greatest

expression of

worship.

Being as Christ

to one another

is the greatest

expression of

authentic Christian

living, authentic

living of any

sort.

Friends, this is

what gospel

culture looks

like.

And then we

move to a very

simple question,

but perhaps a

challenging question.

Is this what

our church

culture looks

like?

And are you

on a weekly,

daily basis

so engaged

in the community

that you are

helping build

a gospel culture

in our church

as opposed

to building

something else

that's just

not fitting?

Allah,

verses 5 to

11.

Amen.

Are these

the attitudes

and actions

which overflow

in you

because of

fullness in

Christ?

If they're not,

then again,

we're breaking

something that

should be together.

We've got gospel

doctrine,

we're talking

the talk,

but not walking

the walk of

gospel culture.

I just want

to conclude

with the

question we've

asked each

week in this

series,

and that is

what will

keep us

from experiencing

and modelling

fullness in

community,

our resurrection

community,

in our church

family unit?

Well,

at risk of

there's always

a thing about

landing sermons,

but I'm just

going to stop.

So I may

seem to be

abrupt,

probably seem

to be a bit

eorish,

a bit negative,

but I just

want to end

by listing

four things

I've already

mentioned in

the body of

my talk here

this morning,

and I want

to list them

just for

emphasis,

because there

are four

things that

will rob us

of fullness

as a

community of

Christ's

people.

One,

continuing to

be therapeutic,

expressive

individualists,

rather than

Christ-filled,

expressive

individuals and

community.

if you hear

the way I'm

trying to

play the

two terms

off against

each other.

See,

each of us

needs to

work hard,

each of us

individually

and together

we need to

work hard

to understand

how our

world continues

to influence

us and our

thinking and

our actions,

and where

those influences

are coming.

Only then

will we have

any chance

of resisting.

But until

we do the

hard work

of analysis,

we won't

see anything

to resist.

Number two,

continuing to

think that

church is

something we

do,

an optional

extra when

it suits me

or makes me

feel happy,

rather than

understanding

that church

is what I

am in

Christ.

A fundamental

expression of

being united

with Christ.

Number three,

seeing two

when we

ought only

to see one.

Gospel

doctrine,

gospel

culture.

See,

churches

are very,

very skewed,

I think,

to protecting

gospel doctrine,

especially the

churches that

we are part

of and

associate

with.

They're very

skewed to

protecting

gospel doctrine,

and that's

important.

But ultimately,

protecting gospel

doctrine, if it

doesn't flow

through into

gospel culture,

is just

intellectualism.

And vice

versa.

Some churches

are skewed to

promoting gospel

culture and the

vibe and the

relationship.

relationship.

But if that's

promoted at the

expense of

gospel truth,

then all you

have is

sentimentalism.

These are not

options,

gospel doctrine,

gospel culture.

These are two

sides of one

coin.

number four.

Trying to be

the church

without

Christ-full

gospel categories

to shape our

interactions with

one another.

In other

words, if we

try and be the

church without a

deep commitment

to truthing,

loving,

forbearing,

forgiving,

reconciling,

encouraging one

another,

then, as I

understand this

passage, if we

try and do that,

then we will not

have a distinctive.

We might be

passionate, we

might be serious

minded, but we

won't be

distinctive.

And if we're

not distinctive,

then we'll

bring shame

to our

Lord, not

honor.

Join me in

prayer.

Lord, these

words, as we

always find when

we dig into

your word,

these words are

very challenging.

Lord, help us

to do the

hard work,

and in lots

of ways, the

scary work of

analyzing what

culture we do

exude individually

and as a

church family.

Help us to

see the

difference, Lord,

between sprouting

gospel doctrine

and not

actually

expressing that

in gospel

culture.

Lord, help us

to hear your

word.

Help us to

have that

passionate desire

to grow together

in community.

Help us to be a

distinctive community

so that, Lord,

when people come

among us, they

might really see

something authentic

and compelling

and satisfying.

In Jesus' name I

pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.