Setting Journey Culture #2
Setting Journey Culture - #2
Where do we get our identity?
"There is no more characteristic theme of modern western culture than that of ‘identity.’ Talk is incessant about gender identity, racial identity, national identity, self-esteem and personal identity. The Bible, however, speaks about Christians getting a new ‘name’ in Christ, the more ancient way of talking about a change in identity." - Tim Keller
If a group's culture is defined by their "Norms of Behavior undergirded by their Shared Values" ... one of the goals at Journey is to make intentional decisions about those values.
A few weeks ago I wrote and said that we wanted to create an #invitationculture
Meaning that we wanted to foster a culture of Gospel Mission - intentionally outward facing and moving. We value the spreading of the gospel into all corners, starting in our own hearts, homes, neighborhoods, cities, states, nations and to the "uttermost parts of the earth".
Today I want to spend just a few paragraphs encouraging us to have a Gospel Identity. Counter to the abundance of voices around us telling us to find our identity in our sexuality, race, political party, and gender (that is just a few of the big ones), Jesus calls us to find ourselves in Him.
Here are just a few of the implications of being "In Christ":
I pray that you might spend a few moments to remind yourselves and one another about your new identity found in Jesus.
Pastor Jerry
If a group's culture is defined by their "Norms of Behavior undergirded by their Shared Values" ... one of the goals at Journey is to make intentional decisions about those values.
A few weeks ago I wrote and said that we wanted to create an #invitationculture
Meaning that we wanted to foster a culture of Gospel Mission - intentionally outward facing and moving. We value the spreading of the gospel into all corners, starting in our own hearts, homes, neighborhoods, cities, states, nations and to the "uttermost parts of the earth".
Today I want to spend just a few paragraphs encouraging us to have a Gospel Identity. Counter to the abundance of voices around us telling us to find our identity in our sexuality, race, political party, and gender (that is just a few of the big ones), Jesus calls us to find ourselves in Him.
Here are just a few of the implications of being "In Christ":
- In Christ - you were given Grace - 2 Tim 1:9 - "...because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began"
- In Christ - you were Chosen - Eph 1:4 - "... even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world ..."
- In Christ - you are Loved - Rom 8:38-39 - "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
- In Christ - you are Forgiven - Eph 1:7 - "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses ..."
- In Christ - you are Justified - 2 Cor 5:21 - "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
- In Christ - you are made a New Creation - 2 Cor 5:17 - "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
I pray that you might spend a few moments to remind yourselves and one another about your new identity found in Jesus.
Pastor Jerry