My grandpa accepted Christ on his deathbed. After a life-long battle with alcohol and years of heartache, he decided to put his trust in Christ. My dad became a believer in his 20s after his Christian girlfriend broke up with him. I felt a call to ministry as a teen at the same time I was taking steps away from Christ.
Most of us can share stories of those we’ve known who have been saved from lives of addiction, hurt, or destructive choices, and most of us can recall times when God pursued us despite our rebellion.
These stories of redemption embody one of our core values at ALIVE – Relational Intimacy. We believe no matter what we’ve done, we can have an intimate relationship with God by grace and through faith in Jesus.
Our deep belief in Relational Intimacy shapes who we are as a body. It impacts how we do ministry and to whom we minister. Here are just a few implications of what it means for ALIVE to live by this value:
- We believe that no one is beyond redemption.
This means we value all people facing all kinds of challenges, and we’re optimistically hopeful about the future God has for them. As a church and as believers, we will chase after and love those who are far from God.
- We are pointing people to Jesus.
Wherever we’re at, whatever we’re going through we believe an intimate relationship with Jesus is possible and is essential for our spiritual well-being and transformation. That means when we want to see life change in ourselves or in someone else, we are always turning to Jesus and pointing others back to Him.
- We are dependent on God’s grace.
We acknowledge that every single one of us is in need of grace. If someone is struggling, as believers we are the first to say, “me too.” We admit our own dependence on God and help others embrace a lifestyle of grace.
Our value of Relational Intimacy will come out in how we speak from the platform, the way we talk to one another in the lobby, the way we plan our outreach, and will bleed into everything we do as members of this body.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Aren’t you glad? I know I’m here because people and God chased after me, and I love knowing I’m at a place where the people who don’t know Jesus that I care about are valued, invited in, and offered grace.
Who is someone you know that needs to experience a community that values Relational Intimacy?
See you on Sunday!
Justine Tegen
Discipleship Pastor
