In this enlightening discussion, Jeremy Duncan from Commons Church and Jeremy Jernigan from Abundant Life Church tackle the complexities of LGBTQ+ inclusion within faith communities. They share their contrasting approaches while emphasizing the centrality of Jesus. The conversation touches on personal narratives, the need for empathy, and navigating diverse theological views. Listeners hear about the transformative power of relationships and the importance of creating welcoming spaces for open dialogue, making it clear that love and community should lead the way.
The podcast emphasizes the importance of centering Jesus in conversations about LGBTQ+ inclusion within diverse church communities.
Jeremy Duncan and Jeremy Jernigan represent contrasting approaches to welcoming LGBTQ+ individuals while maintaining a focus on Jesus-centered ministry.
Jesus Collective encourages open dialogue and communal discernment to navigate challenging issues, fostering unity amidst theological differences.
The network's mission involves creating meaningful connections and equipping leaders to adapt to a post-Christian societal context, rooted in inclusivity.
Deep dives
Introduction to Jesus Collective
Jesus Collective is a relational network aimed at uniting, amplifying, and equipping leaders and churches that are centered around Jesus. The network seeks to create meaningful connections and equip church leaders to address the challenges of a post-Christian societal context. By offering various formats for honest conversations, it aims to articulate what it means to be Jesus-centered in a modern landscape. The network encourages relationship-building across denominations and backgrounds, fostering a community of like-minded individuals committed to Jesus-centric practices.
Vision and Values of Jesus Collective
The core vision of Jesus Collective is to unite people through a focus on Jesus, equipping them with the necessary tools for ministry, while fostering a collaborative atmosphere among diverse church leaders. They emphasize the importance of putting Jesus at the center of their theology and practices in order to create communal cohesion. By prioritizing relationships over theological distinctives, the network builds an inclusive environment that encourages diverse conversations, ultimately leading to collaborative ministry efforts. This centered approach helps facilitate growth and increased outreach for individuals and congregations connected to the collective.
Pilot Phase Achievements
Over the past ten months, Jesus Collective has been in its pilot phase, enabling it to establish connections across regional gatherings in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. They have engaged in these gatherings to foster relationships, share feedback, and refine their vision as a network. Additionally, the collective has initiated online leadership formation through learning communities, helping leaders navigate contemporary challenges while adhering to a Jesus-centric paradigm. This groundwork sets the stage for future events and broader engagement as they prepare to transition out of the pilot phase.
The Centered Set Paradigm
Jesus Collective functions through a centered set paradigm, focusing on the orientation towards Jesus rather than fixed beliefs that define who is in or out of the community. This approach allows for diversity of thought and encourages participants to engage in discussions about faith without fear of exclusion. The emphasis is on moving towards Jesus as the common goal, which fosters an open environment for honest dialogue about differing interpretations of theology. This model promotes unity amid diversity, enabling churches and leaders to work together despite their varied beliefs.
Engaging Difficult Conversations
Jesus Collective acknowledges the difficulty surrounding conversations about contentious issues, such as the church's relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. By fostering a safe space for dialogue, the network encourages leaders and congregants to confront hard questions without an agenda, ultimately aiming for unity through love and understanding. The focus remains on modeling acceptance, even amidst disagreement, demonstrating how a Jesus-centered approach can transform challenges into opportunities for growth and deeper connection. This commitment to open dialogue reflects the core mission of creating an inclusive community that values all individuals.
Preparing for Future Growth
As Jesus Collective progresses beyond the pilot phase, they aim to strengthen their network by inviting more individuals into partnerships and relationships, enhancing leadership formation opportunities. They are developing a robust platform to facilitate community-building and resource-sharing among churches. Planned events, like the Unite 2020 gathering, are set to solidify their growing network by providing relational and equipping opportunities for members. This focus on collective wisdom and collaboration, rooted in Jesus-centric values, propels the network forward in its mission.
Encouragement to Connect and Explore
The intent of Jesus Collective is not just to disseminate content but to cultivate relationships and foster community engagement. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their own journeys and engage with others who might share differing perspectives. Each member's experience is valued, and the collective aims to amplify those stories while navigating complexities associated with faith in a contemporary world. Through this relational approach, Jesus Collective strives to create a welcoming environment that extends beyond the podcast into deeper community discussions.
New to Jesus Collective? Listen to the first 10 minutes to learn more about who we are. Keep listening to hear the interactive conversation featuring two churches that are taking different approaches to welcoming and including the LGBTQ+ community in the life of the church. We’ll learn together through conversation with Jeremy Duncan of Commons Church in Calgary, AB, and Jeremy Jernigan of Abundant Life Church in Portland, OR. These two churches are both seeking to keep Jesus central to everything they do, yet land in two different places in how they love and disciple LGBTQ+ persons. Do you wrestle with how to navigate this important and delicate reality in this cultural moment? With the guidance of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, communal discernment, and the centrality of Jesus, we can find our way forward together.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
