What does your faith look like, and how is it different from other Christians in your life? Would you suggest that prayer is at the top of your list of faith practices? Or Scripture-reading? Perhaps the hands-on work of healing and justice in our world? Or maybe even a combination of all of these priorities? As a congregation with a diverse collection of theological backgrounds and faith journeys, each of us would probably have very different answers to these questions. Beginning with Pentecost, and continuing in the weeks following, we will be exploring in worship questions just like these. The hope is that each of us might find new ways to talk about our faith, as well as finding new perspectives from the Christian tradition. We live in a context that is more and more hostile toward those who are different from us, so now is the time to explore how we might learn to understand and trust others, even as we discern more clearly our own place.
Richard Foster has written about these ideas in his book Streams of Living Water. He explores six different “streams” of Christian perspective and theology, all the while recognizing value in each lens for viewing the world, Scripture, and God. His streams will be a guide for us in the coming weeks, as we seek to explore the multiple ways that Jesus works in the world!
May 19 (Pentecost): Water, Wind, and Fire! (Acts 2)
May 26: The Contemplative Stream (Exodus 3.1–15)
June 2: The Holiness Stream (Romans 12.1–8)
June 9: The Charismatic Stream (John 14.15–31 and Galatians 5.22–26)
June 16: The Social Justice Stream (Matthew 25.34–40)
June 23: The Evangelical Stream (Acts 8.26–40)
June 30: The Incarnational Stream (Matthew 17.1–8)