Author: JR. Forasteros

The Limits of Personal Experience

Our personal experience of God is essential to our relationship with God, but everyone’s experiences are different. How can we know whether our experience of God is authentic and valid, or whether we’re just talking to ourselves? Paul insists we need to draw close to each other in community. A personal experience of God requires a communal experience of God.

Rooted in Serving

We know Christians are called to serve. Through our serving, those we serve come to know God’s love. But the inverse is true, too. When we serve, we come to know God better. How is serving a pathway to know God? How can we be sure we’re getting to know God better when we’re serving?

A Deeply Rooted Faith

One of the hallmarks of a faith that is deep, vibrant and flourishing is consistent, healthy spiritual practices. Not because we earn God’s favor, but because spiritual practices are a pathway to a relationship with God. How can we cultivate these practices that lead us to knowing God more fully?

4 Sources of Faith

How do we come to know God? Not just know about God, but experience a deep, personal relationship with our creator? There are four major sources of faith. Which are you employing? Which might God be using to call you to a deeper faith?

Rooted

How do we know God? Not just know about God, but have a deep, personal relationship with the creator of the universe – how do we KNOW God? In this series, we’ll explore our four sources of knowing God: what we experience in our life, the cloud of witnesses we call the church both local and universal, our ability to reason and the Scriptures. How does each of these four sources help us better know God?

Feasting Together

Relationships are a lot of work – but the goal isn’t work, it’s the relationship itself. Pentecost is a feast day – a reminder that God created us for a full, joy-filled life together. It’s important to stop working and celebrate milestones. Healthy relationships feast together!

Reciprocity

Healthy relationships take work – and they really only thrive when BOTH people are putting in the effort. So how can you learn to spot unhealthy people? Is there a way to be generous and kind without constantly being taken advantage of?

Solving Problems

We buy into the myth that healthy relationships don’t have conflict, but that’s not true. Healthy relationships are really good at navigating conflict. What are the keys to healthy conflict resolution? How can we implement them in the conflicts we face on a daily basis?

Unconditional Positive Regard

Since we live in our own heads, we tend to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt. But we judge others harshly in part because we can’t see what burdens they carry. Healthy relationships are characterized by Unconditional Positive Regard, or giving others the benefit of the doubt. This is a grace we can only give when we first receive it from God. So how do we do that?

Healthy Boundaries

Truly healthy relationships require boundaries. The story of Abram and Lot shows us what it looks like to draw clear, loving and grace-filled boundaries while being confident in God’s love and provision.