Foundational Concepts

As a starting point, there are some very foundational concepts that need to be addressed if we’re going to understand the worldview from which Jesus’ message and teaching comes. The books of the New Testament have been well transmitted to us over the millennia, but in the translation from East to West, we don’t know what some of the most important words mean—words that function as the foundation for the teachings that follow. Here are a few articles to help us get on the same page with the first followers of Jesus and those who wrote about what they understood of his message.

Furious Love

Furious Love

At the turn of the last century, G.K. Chesterton described God’s love as the “furious love of God.” Brennan Manning picked up on that description in his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel. Why furious love? Seems oxymoronic to say the least. But it’s a good start toward...

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Furious Love

talmidim

So how do we internalize and begin to really live this concept of God’s unconditional, perfect love? Again, Jesus and the tradition of his time holds the key. When we read “disciple” or “follower” in our New Testament versions, the Aramaic word behind the English...

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Furious Love

kingdom

If someone asked you to sum up the teachings of Jesus, could you do it? If you were asked to name one key concept that encapsulated all of Jesus’ message, could you do that? The most important things in a person’s life are the things on which they spend the most time....

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Furious Love

Law

The Law. Did you know that the Hebrew word torah, which was translated into the Greek as nomos (custom, law, convention) and then into English as law, really means instruction, guidance, or teaching? It is really the teaching or guidance of Moses, and not the law,...

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Furious Love

scripture

If you’ve read the other articles in this section, you may be wondering how it is that we can legitimately move in some of the directions we’ve taken in terms of defining words such as Kingdom and Law and interpreting the basic concepts and message of Jesus. You may...

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Everyone is recovering from something… Admitting this is the first step in spiritual life, because any unfinished business in our lives–trauma, unforgiveness, fear-based perceptions–fosters compulsive behavior and keeps us from connecting spiritually and emotionally.

Since we’re all recovering, we accept everyone right as they are—no expiration dates or deadlines. We don’t tell anyone what to believe or do. We present points of view that we hope will engage seekers in their own journey; help them unlearn limiting perceptions, beliefs, and compulsions; give opportunities to get involved in community, building the trust we all need to find real identity, meaning, and purpose. In other words, to engage the transforming Way of living life that Jesus called Kingdom…non-religiously understood from a first century Hebrew point of view.

 

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Embedded in the fun and laughter of each of our gatherings and events is the connection and accountability as well as the structure, discipline, and opportunity for service that authentic community is all about. We help create programs for physical support, emotional recovery, and spiritual formation that can meet any person’s needs. Such programs work at two levels: first to address a person’s physical and emotional stability—clinical, financial, relational,professional—anything that distracts from working on the second level: true spiritual formation centered around the contemplative way of life defined by an original Hebrew understanding of the message of Jesus.

Rather than telling people what to believe or think, we model and encourage engagement in a personal and communal spiritual journey that allows people to experience their own worthiness of connection and acceptance, to find the freedom from underlying fears that brings real meaning and purpose into focus.

 

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Seeing ourselves as a learning and recovery community that worships together, the focus isn’t on Sunday morning alone, but on every day of the week as we gather for worship, healing and support workshops, studies, 12 step meetings, counseling and mentoring sessions, referral services, and social events. We maintain a food pantry for those needing more support, a recovery worship gathering, and child care for those with little ones.

Our Sunday gathering starts at 10AM and our Recovery gathering on Tuesdays at 6:30PM. Both gatherings include worship with one of the best worship bands in the area. See our monthly calendar and our Facebook page to stay in touch with what is happening each week. You can also sign up on our elist for email enews updates.

 

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