Bonfire: A New Creation

“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

December 2009

Perhaps we have all looked at this passage and wondered about how it can become real in our personal lives. In these few words from Paul are seeds of change that both threaten us and enchant us. We tend to take this personally; we all know we need to change our ways to meet new challenges, but we’re often afraid of what being ‘new’ might mean. The value of Paul’s words can also be taken to a larger scale; the congregational level. What needs to become new about the way we “do church” to reach the new society of our time?

Over the past months leaders from our three congregations have been exploring how to think differently about being the church. It’s not a matter of finding fault with the ways we've done things before, but instead have focused on the ways we might help each other be more effective, more efficient, and more creative for the community around us. This involves a lot of inward study and even more outward dreaming. Together, the members of the ‘Bonfire’ conversation are daring to see what it might mean for us to become a new creation for a new time.

There are no answers, yet. There is no grand plan, for now. But I urge you to ask your Pastors and your council members about what we might become if we are able to see our future in a common vision? Early next year a three day conference will be held for representatives of all three congregations to study and discuss the ministry of ‘Transformation’ for congregations like ours. I think we’ll be delighted to discover that together we will see more of the “new creation” that God has in mind than we could ever see on our own.

Peace,
Pastor David