A word (or 500) about this blog
By Amy Rager
A core value of New Circle Church is unity in diversity. We embrace diversity in ethnicity, age, socio-economic status, education level, sexual attraction, life experience, personality type…. and the list goes on and on.
What a gift it is to gather as a group of individuals who hail from many cultures and bring different points-of-view into our body as we collectively worship Christ! We believe God is glorified through our unity in diversity and that He is graciously producing a unique type of fruit through this aspect of our church.
In our complex, multifaceted congregation, NCC has been given a deep well of perspective and wisdom. We cherish these gifts of God and want to steward them rightly. May it never be said that we dug a hole and hid our talents (Matthew 25:14-30) but that we gave every opportunity for mutual edification through their use.
This blog is a tool, an outlet, a gallery for the display of our unity in diversity and the gifts it is producing: varied perspective, humility, wisdom, eagerness to learn, and veritable love.
When God is doing something rare it can often be misconstrued and highly criticized. Often it is necessary to lay groundwork for what lies ahead, clarify intentions and engage in constant dialogue. This is hard work but it is worth it.
When the only people we interact with are those who hold the same exact perspectives as our own we create an insular, rigid society that is antithetical to the heart and mission of God.
It is our hope that New Circle Church will be addressed by dozens of different voices through this blog. These voices will all strike different chords. Some posts will be theological in nature, some will be testimonies, some will be instructional in nature, others purely for edification. Some posts may be followed by a subsequent post, offering a different perspective on the same issue.
Unless explicitly stated, the posts on this blog will not represent official views of NCC. Builders of New Circle Church are free to disagree with any content represented here and still be accepted as full, valued members of our body.
What Builders of New Circle Church hold as their beliefs can be found here: http://www.newcirclechurch.com/our-beliefs-1
Each piece will be written in humility and we ask that each be received in the same spirit. Feel free to continue the conversations started in each post, in person and in love. We are free to disagree, free to agree and free to dialogue.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
(Ephesians 4:1-7 ESV)
