Live a better story.
God is calling us to join him in awakening people to live a better story in the ways of Jesus. What does that mean? Let's break it down.
Awakening
Both the scriptures and life experience reveal that people are not living into the design God had in mind for us. We can’t change by simply learning some life hacks and trying harder to win at life. We need a fundamental heart change. The Good News is that Jesus came to bring us new life (life to the full, he called it!) in him and is working through his people all over the world to invite others to experience that life. We committed to helping people come alive in Jesus!
A Better Story
Everyone has a vision in mind, whether it’s intentional or not, of what constitutes “the good life." It could be a life full of wealth, security, popularity, experiences, power, success, or a myriad of things. While some of those dreams may not be bad, none of them are big enough to deliver the life God wants for us -they are all lesser stories than what he had in mind. We want to see people live better stories. There’s a lot more we could say, but here’s the short version. Your better story should include knowing:
Who Am I? There are so many ways that people try to define who they are. A better story starts with knowing that your identity is ultimately found in Jesus alone.
Why am I here? This is a question every person asks at some point. While each life is unique, living your story for the purpose of God’s glory is why you are here.
Who are my people? We all need people - family, friends, co-workers, etc. But what we really need are deep relationships that challenge and encourage us to follow Jesus.
What will I leave behind? You can’t take anything in this life to the grave. But, you can invest your time, talent, and treasure in others to create a legacy that endures beyond this life.
In the Ways of Jesus:
There is no better story without Jesus. What he did in his life, death, and resurrection, and is now doing in Heaven, is what makes true life possible. So the invitation for us to come to Jesus and trust him with our lives and learn a better way of living. The Bible calls this process of learning the ways of Jesus, discipleship. And truly, this is what Anthology is: a collection of disciples learning the ways of Jesus.
It helps us to think about it like this: a disciple is someone who is learning from Jesus, how to be with, think like Jesus, Love like Jesus, and do what Jesus did.
Being with Jesus is spending quality time with Jesus to grow in awareness of his love for me and cultivate a deeper love for him
Thinking Like Jesus is being proactive in pursuing God’s thoughts about H,imself, myself, and the world
Loving like Jesus is cultivating the character of Jesus reflected in loving thoughts and actions toward myself and others, as I keep in step with the Spirit
Doing what Jesus did is intentionally sharing and showing the Good News and investing in others to live a better story in my everyday life
All that we do around our church is meant to help you grow in these four areas.
How Start Living a Better Story with Anthology
Worship
Our gatherings are full of worship, the Word, and encounters with God. We express our devotion through singing songs, partaking in communion, praying for one another, reading and learning Scripture, giving, and sharing stories of God's work in our lives. During our communion, it's a simple act of taking a cracker and dipping it into the cup. In the spirit of worship, some individuals are moved to lift their hands, move around, dance, or kneel – all inspired by expressions of love and devotion to God, as exemplified in the Bible. We wholeheartedly encourage you to engage in whatever way you feel led, with the understanding that it doesn't cause a distraction to others.
Train
Take advantage of our training opportunities like Story Lab and Purpose Lab to help give you concrete tools to live a better story.
Pray
We believe prayer is central to all we do, so whether it’s praying on your own or joining us for prayer night, PRAY!
Reach Out
If you’d like to connect with a Pastor, Elder or other leader from our church please let us know! Email us at info@anthology.com