Rule of Life: 2016-2017
As those called to a life of discipleship and mission in the context of community, the A2J core team will be expressing that call in the following way.
Our Mission:To be a Christian Fellowship for renewal and reconciliation as we champion discipleship being restored as a way of life.
Our Shared Values
1. Living a life of discipleship that is integrated into everyday life and fosters a deepening friendship with Jesus and commitment to grow in his likeness for the sake of others.
2. Working and praying towards reconciliation and unity in the body of Christ, knowing this is at the core of Jesus’ heart and will release God’s blessing and healing not only to the Church but to the world
3. Loving our neighbors and communities, believing mission thrives when it is expressed relationally and naturally in the neighborhoods we live in. The world desperately needs small, humble, and faithful communities of love and hope that can become signs of reconciliation, unity and peace.
Our Shared Commitments
1. Share our lives & gifts with one another, helping each other be faithful to Jesus, one another & the Way of Life
2. Affirm and support the unique gifts of service each of us have to offer
3. Create quarterly gatherings for prayer, worship and study as an offering for others to receive with us. 4. Create resources together for the common good, obeying Jesus’ command ‘freely give as you freely received’
5. Gather once a year as a fellowship for a weekend Retreat together.
Our specific commitments and areas of focus in this year:
- To Love God – Knowing that he is the source of life and first loves us.
- Unhurried Prayer – Learning to rest in his presence individually and together.
- Friendship – Growing as a fellowship in sharing our hearts and lives with one another.
- Thankfulness – Becoming increasingly aware of and thanking God for his graces among us.
- Availability – To be present to God and one another.
- To Support Calling – In each other as we serve God in our vocations and individual assignments.
Our specific expressions in this next year:
- Prayer – Learning to be with God
- Daily – To individually pray daily utilizing the Pray As You Go (PAYG) app.
- Corporately – To pray together as we are able to offer it, both in person and through online gathering spaces.
- Study – Learning to love God with our mind
- Weekly – To read one chapter of Called to Community per week and join the online discussion as we are able.
- Shared Pursuits – To join the shared pursuits and offerings that team members make available throughout the year as we are able (ex. Divine Conspiracy Study, Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew, etc.).
- Mission – The offering of our unique gifts in love to God and one another
- Quarterly Gatherings – Inviting and blessing those from our city through our pursuit of Christ.
- Sharing – The resources that come out of our individual gifting.
- Serving – The ministries and expressions of A2J and its partners locally and internationally as we are able and have capacity.
- Antioch Network (Local & International)
- John 17 (Phoenix)
- CJMI (Philippines)
- Eifel Fellowship (Germany)
- The Hub in Rome (Italy)
- Christ the Reconciler (Elgin, TX)
- Wittenberg 2017 (Germany)
Calendar and Significant Dates
Quarterly Gatherings and Themes (Essential) / Fellowship Gatherings (Optional) / Planning Gatherings(Adults Only)*t
September 17
(Spiritual Formation) / October 2 / November 6
December 3
(Community) / January 1 / February 5
March 4
(Reconciliation) / April 2 / May 7
June 3
(Mission) / July 9 / August 6
*Childcare will be provided
t While not required, we ask that everyone who is able make these a priority.