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Click on the image below to watch an introductory video on The Work+Shop
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 Jesus said, "Follow me."
You hear it again and again in the comfortable, familiar surroundings of your church, and it makes perfect sense. Simple, clear and direct. But virtually the instant you set foot outside your church and step into the "real" world, the clarity begins to fade. And by the end of Monday, what once seemed a fairly straightforward directive now appears to have little, if any, application to everyday life. This is the challenge we seek to address: How do we take what we hear in church out into world and actually follow Jesus, acting in ways that respond to his call? How do we step into and experience the Kingdom of God in the midst of earning a living, nurturing a family, participating in the community and being a friend?
Our answer was to create The WorkShop. A setting where Christian men and women can meet to learn, discuss, inspire each other and "do the work" involved in moving their Sunday faith and worship out into the world. Our logo, a Celtic cross with the dove in the center, represents the Spirit, surrounded by the different aspects of our world: church, workplace, household and city, signifying our mission to integrate every facet of our lives into a continuous expression of Christ-centered spirituality. |
Jesus did not leave a rulebook so that we could follow him. But Paul's epistles reveal how the first Christians worked together to understand what Jesus' life and lessons meant as they practiced their own discipleship. Our meetings at The WorkShop work in much the same way. We keep our groups small, ranging from as few as six to as many as twenty. The usual Bible study program begins with the reading of a passage and ends with the question "How does this apply in your life today?" But our practice reverses the process. Our discussion begins with an experience in the daily life of one of the participants. Then members of the group begin to suggest passages and story from scripture that might serve to illuminate the experience. Questions arise, such as "Where is Christ encountered or embodied in this experience?" "What power is at work in the situation described?" "Beyond this one person's experience, are there systemic issues that should be heeded?" As time goes by, these encounters with the gospel, juxtaposed with everyday life situations, change our member's faith from intellectual assent to active practice. Their spiritual lives are deepened, as they more effectively integrate their theological convictions with their daily practice of Christ-centered discipleship. And finally they may begin to say, along with the apostle Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." |
We envision all people participating in abundant life as they experience the transforming power of God in connection with faithful living. And we have designed our processes at The WorkShop to facilitate and complete that transformation. We believe that what you discover with us will challenge your intellect, spark your imagination and, more importantly, stir your soul. If you would like to join our journey, please contact us.
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