imago dei community
The Core Values of Imago Dei
Imago Dei is Latin for 'the image of God.' Of all that God created, it was only man and woman that were created in His image. It is in this image that we find the need to belong, the ability to create, the power to choose truth, and the mystical reality of partnering with the living God as He seeks to love a broken world. Though this image was broken many years ago when mankind chose to live life independently from God, The Holy Father in his mercy created a pathway through his Son to have the image restored. That pathway was a cross upon which He died that we might know the wonder of forgiveness and power of the Fathers love.
Although the world now exists as a broken image, God is inviting all to have the image restored. The love of the Father, through the sacrifice of the Son, and the new birth of the Holy Spirit is the pathway to truly understand and walk in the imago dei. The image of God is hereby restored in the souls of all who believe. It is in this image that we now live life with God and with each other, in community, beauty, truth and the journey.
Biblical Values for the Church
In the book of Acts we see the result of Jesus' life and ministry in the actions of His followers and the new community called the church. It is in this new community that Christ sent His Spirit to form a body that would represent His kingship and His kingdom. It is here that we see the values that Jesus instilled in the lives of His followers come to fruition. Because they knew Him (theology) they lived a different life governed by Kingdom Values.
Acts 2:42-47
Those who accepted His message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching (Biblical Truth) and to the fellowship (Community) to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Worship). Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts (Community). They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (Worship). And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Missional Life).
Though much of Acts is descriptive, telling the story of the early church, the values that the new community held are timeless. They look different and are contextualized differently into new cultures and times throughout history, but they continue to define what the church is to be about and look like. Each value that we see speaks into every culture, for in them God fulfills the deepest needs that humanity has. Created in His image we are designed to hunger for the very things that God made us to need. The church is to be an experience of life in the kingdom where life is restored to a perfect love relationship with God in Christ. Because of sin and the fall our deepest longings stem from our desire to meet these needs in our own life. God meets the needs through Christ and his church. This is why the biblical values that we hold and see in the New Testament church are redemptive windows for the Gospel. (further discussed in Philosophy of Ministry Section)
At Imago Dei our values stem from this deep understanding of the New Testament church and the values that it held. Birthed out of their understanding of God in Christ, they lived out a different life than the one that their contemporary culture had offered them.
Imago Dei Core Values:
Authentic Community, Worship & Beauty, Truth & Meaning, A Missional Journey.
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