Brandon Hudson, Pastor
Over the next several months, we will examine our church covenant, a document that simply sets out what we believe and what we are trying to accomplish as a community of followers of the way of Jesus. By working through this guiding document, we are preparing to more closely examine our 2020 Visioning Statement and are seeking intentionality as we move forward in God’s will.
The church covenant is broken up into eight paragraphs. Each month, one writer will offer a reflection on two of these paragraphs. This month, we’ll explore the opening paragraphs of our covenant:
We have been called here because we belong to one another and God. We remain committed to being open to any person who receives Jesus Christ as Lord, regardless of the race, national origin, social, educational, or economic standing of that person.
We come together because we know that the God of love is worthy of our praise. We remain committed to being a worshiping fellowship which seeks an encounter with Christ in all services, activities, and endeavors.
These first two paragraphs are a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. The first conveys that we are in the “flock” of the Good Shepherd, and that we belong not only to the one who calls us by name, but also to one another. This idea that we belong to one another and God is what drives us when we care for one another, when we put the welfare of one another above ourselves. We understand that who we are is intricately related to how we relate to one another. I cannot be my full self without you. We abide in God and with one another and there is no separation between us, only a kinship that transcends genetics.
At Crosscreek, we also understand that this belonging is inclusive. The call to be a part of a community journey is radically open to all and contingent only on a desire to follow Jesus. There are no social constructs or societal categorizations that can keep someone from becoming a part of us. In great humility, we recognize that if we are welcome at the foot of the cross, then all are welcome at the foot of the cross and we gladly open our doors and our membership to any who wish to join us as we follow the way of Jesus.
We recognize that in this system of radical inclusion one thing consistently binds us together—our desire to experience God in worship and discipleship and be changed by the encounter.
We recognize that in this system of radical inclusion one thing consistently binds us together—our desire to experience God in worship and discipleship and be changed by the encounter. This is the thrust of the second paragraph. We are not a diverse group of individuals called together because we are perfect as we are. No, we are a changing and diverse group called together to worship the God who makes unity out of diversity without forcing uniformity.
These two opening tenets are a beautiful beginning to the Crosscreek identity. We are beloved and belong to one another. Because of that belonging and radical inclusion, we cannot help but worship the God who is worthy of all praise. May we never grow tired of being shaped, molded, and called. May we never cease to wonder at the God who brings new people into our midst, people who broaden our understanding of how God is working. May we never grow weary of following the God who never stops delivering God’s people.