Crossings Knoxville

From prison, Paul explains how his resistance poem works itself out in real life and sends help along the way. Who has God sent you along the way?

Paul believed that a communal reframing around the mindset of Jesus was the ultimate expression of unity. What if becoming more like Jesus requires us to be more like poets who resist the status quo?

Paul calls the church in Philippi to be a lived expression of the Jesus story. How can we too accept the call of the imago Christi?

What if controversy serves to clarify our communal values and beliefs, rather than threaten them? Why should we embrace controversy, rather than run from it? What are we willing to "take a stand for" in our gatherings?

What "alternative world" are we trying to create when we gather together on Sundays and what etiquette stands in the way of creating that alternative world"

Hosting a gathering of any kind demands that we ask the question, "for who?" In our discussion of "The Art of Gathering," we wrestle with the question of "who are we inviting into our community" by entering into the Old Testament story of Mephibosheth.

1 Kings 19 - We gather because it is one important way we find our way back to God. Our expressions of faith and gathering are never static, but  always hold space for a variety of dynamic experiences where we realize we aren't alone.

Talking about vocation is less about the pressure of finding "your one true calling" and more about finding the creative being God made you to be.

Genesis 3 - Discovering the true self in relation to God entails finding our identity as being solely known and loved by God. 

Revelation 2:12-17 - Each of our individual lives are a constant rhythm of affirmation, reformation, and motivation. What if finding our true self is fundamentally linked to receiving who we are in Christ as a communal gift?

Isaiah 1 - How can we develop a rule of life that allows us to intentionally structure who and what is shaping our lives?

1 Thessalonians 2 - Rethinking a safe and accountable community centered on Jesus, not our ideals.

Acts 10 - We are invited to think again about what it means to follow God as we participate in the mission of God.

Luke 10 - Thinking Again about the Common Good means getting a much better definition of the word "politics" and learning to frame our identity and calling much differently.

Book of Ruth - Why do we stereotype and what would it take to rethink our animosity toward others?

2 Kings 5 - Rethinking how to change someone’s mind is more about dancing and listening than playing offense and defense.

Romans 12 - Rethinking spiritual formation means rethinking our ideas of success and mastery.

Genesis 1-3 - Living out Resurrection means rethinking everything through the value of the Image of God; be curious, not judgmental.

John 21 - Jesus meets Peter and the disciples on the shore of Tiberius, giving Peter a "better lasting memory."

John 20, Ephesians 1 - Mary Magdalene and Thomas have post-resurrection encounters with Jesus. What does this reveal to us about Jesus?

John 19 - The final moments of Jesus life: how are we to come to terms with death?

John 17 - Jesus prays for the unity of his disciples for generations to come. What does it mean for us to be "unified" today?

John 16 - Jesus promises his disciples the gift of the advocate.

John 15 - Jesus teaches his disciples that he is the vine and they are the branches. What does it look like for us to abide in Christ?

John 14 - What does Jesus really mean when he says "I am the way, the truth, and the life"?