I am in the middle of working on a draft of a rule of life for our membership and annual meeting on June 1st. Over the past year we have developed a “Rule” for our elders and pastoral staff which is quite extensive. However, I have been pondering what a devotional yet focused Rule might look like for New Life, one that would drive people to seek Christ above all else and articulate our unique calling as a local family.
It should be interesting! Right now I have about 15 points that I believe get at the unique charism of who we are and am about to begin getting feedback from others. Here is a small portion for your perusal.
Remember the nature of a Rule:
- The purpose of this rule is to keep us faithful to our unique “charism” and unite around it. It affirms who we are.This rule serves as an anchor for us, functioning as a kind of banister or railing to help us move forward in our journey with and for God. A rule works best when it challenges us. A rule can’t be so easy that we are not stretched. At the same time, it cannot be so demanding that we are overwhelmed and discouraged. Our rule seeks to provide healthy boundaries while leaving plenty of room for flexibility and individuality. It is meant to be a framework for freedom that expresses the longings of your heart for God, not a set of rules that restrict or deny life.
- To be a lover of God, seeking the love of Christ above all else.
- To recognize the sacred in all I do, be it large or small.
- To befriend silence.
- To integrate ancient practices (e.g. the Daily Office and Sabbath) to follow Christ.
- To listen more than I speak…..
What do you think the church of Jesus Christ needs in terms of a railing, banister and railing to keep us anchored in Christ in the kind of radical way we need in the 21st century culture?
