tHE sERIES
In a recent conversation amongst local youth pastors, a common theme that was showing up in every church is that our young people are anxious. They are anxious about current events in the world, their interpersonal relationships, school and their future. They are desperately looking for answers in some of the most pertinent areas of life. The hope of this theme is that we begin to shift our focus from the uncertainties of life to the bedrock and cornerstone of all life--Jesus (John 10:10).
With celebrating God as our Creator and LIGHT, we look to Jesus as the finisher and author of our faith. We seek to partner with God in establishing healthier relationships and stronger communities and invest in our TRIBES. We hope that through the power of the Spirit, students will leave empowered to create a better world and be citizens willing to share their STORY of the gospel experience.
The "WE ARE" series focuses on 3 components that are essential to discovering who God is and our identity in Jesus, building our community and building meaningful relationships, and our responsibilities to ourselves and each other as Christians and citizens of the Kingdom. We know that students are constantly trying to navigate, shape, and understand their identities. Whether they know it or not, they are asking, "Where is my place in the world? Who am I in the context of my Creator, my community, and all of culture?" This year, we will discovering our answers through our series: WE ARE: LightSeekers, StoryTellers, and TribeDwellers.
CREATOR: LightSeeker – We will seek God, our light.
God our creator is Light. God guides our paths with Light. God shines in every dark situation. And God made a promise He has always kept: “If you search for me, with all your heart, you will find me.” We are called to the pursuit—to the faith-building, time-testing, and sometimes really hard adventure, of seeking God and THE Kingdom in God's light, we are loved, guided, protected, rooted, and free. Whether God's light is clear as day shining on us, or a tiny beam in the distance that we have to fight to get to, we will seek God, our Light.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all! 1 John 1: 5 NIV
COMMUNITY: TribeDweller – We will be a tribe that cares deeply for one another.
A tribe gives you a sense of belonging. A tribe considers it to be a great honor to know you and love you as you are. No matter what your biggest insecurity or darkest secret, greatest skill or biggest triumph, a Tribe is a place where you are accepted for you. And dwelling is more than a quick meet up. It’s showing up time after time. As God makes God's home in us and we remain in God, we get the perfect picture of what it means to carve out a place where you intend to stay and grow roots. To dwell is to be committed to the staying. To be a TribeDweller is to come as you are, and to make yourself at home in the safety of the relationships there.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1: 7 ESV
CULTURE: StoryTeller – We will live lives that tell our story to the world.
The world is constantly telling its story. Culture blares its messages from every screen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some messages good, some messages bad, and some messages just plain confusing. As storytellers, we refuse to become passive bystanders, being lulled to apathy. Instead, we will do the work it takes to learn our stories of redemption (because sometimes it’s hard to even know how to start your story). Then we will push back against the pervading narrative of selfish gain and empty living, and we will change the climate of the world by interjecting our stories of hope, redemption, and passionate living for the things that matter. Our story is the most powerful tool we have. It’s how we’ll invite others into our tribe.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV
It is my prayer that we will experience Jesus in a new and irresistible way. The team and I are excited to dive in!
-Pastor JO Cordero
With celebrating God as our Creator and LIGHT, we look to Jesus as the finisher and author of our faith. We seek to partner with God in establishing healthier relationships and stronger communities and invest in our TRIBES. We hope that through the power of the Spirit, students will leave empowered to create a better world and be citizens willing to share their STORY of the gospel experience.
The "WE ARE" series focuses on 3 components that are essential to discovering who God is and our identity in Jesus, building our community and building meaningful relationships, and our responsibilities to ourselves and each other as Christians and citizens of the Kingdom. We know that students are constantly trying to navigate, shape, and understand their identities. Whether they know it or not, they are asking, "Where is my place in the world? Who am I in the context of my Creator, my community, and all of culture?" This year, we will discovering our answers through our series: WE ARE: LightSeekers, StoryTellers, and TribeDwellers.
CREATOR: LightSeeker – We will seek God, our light.
God our creator is Light. God guides our paths with Light. God shines in every dark situation. And God made a promise He has always kept: “If you search for me, with all your heart, you will find me.” We are called to the pursuit—to the faith-building, time-testing, and sometimes really hard adventure, of seeking God and THE Kingdom in God's light, we are loved, guided, protected, rooted, and free. Whether God's light is clear as day shining on us, or a tiny beam in the distance that we have to fight to get to, we will seek God, our Light.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all! 1 John 1: 5 NIV
COMMUNITY: TribeDweller – We will be a tribe that cares deeply for one another.
A tribe gives you a sense of belonging. A tribe considers it to be a great honor to know you and love you as you are. No matter what your biggest insecurity or darkest secret, greatest skill or biggest triumph, a Tribe is a place where you are accepted for you. And dwelling is more than a quick meet up. It’s showing up time after time. As God makes God's home in us and we remain in God, we get the perfect picture of what it means to carve out a place where you intend to stay and grow roots. To dwell is to be committed to the staying. To be a TribeDweller is to come as you are, and to make yourself at home in the safety of the relationships there.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1: 7 ESV
CULTURE: StoryTeller – We will live lives that tell our story to the world.
The world is constantly telling its story. Culture blares its messages from every screen 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some messages good, some messages bad, and some messages just plain confusing. As storytellers, we refuse to become passive bystanders, being lulled to apathy. Instead, we will do the work it takes to learn our stories of redemption (because sometimes it’s hard to even know how to start your story). Then we will push back against the pervading narrative of selfish gain and empty living, and we will change the climate of the world by interjecting our stories of hope, redemption, and passionate living for the things that matter. Our story is the most powerful tool we have. It’s how we’ll invite others into our tribe.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV
It is my prayer that we will experience Jesus in a new and irresistible way. The team and I are excited to dive in!
-Pastor JO Cordero