A Life of Kingdom-Peace for All People
I know you’re already on board with the Gospel of the Kingdom—transforming Christians’ hearts to reflect Jesus’ love of justice. Would you take the next step?
Thank you for joining me at The Gospel of the Kingdom! I have enjoyed our time together this year, and I hope you have too.
For many years, I have meditated on a statement written by a team I was on with Dallas Willard:
Spiritual formation is, by its very nature, missional.
As we are formed into the likeness of Christ,
we increasingly share God’s infinitely tender love for others.
We deepen in our compassion for the poor, the broken and the lost.
We ache and pray and labor for others in a new way, a selfless way, a joy-filled way.
Our hearts are enlarged toward all people and all of creation.
The result of this statement is my passionate desire to marry formation with justice. I founded The Center for Formation, Justice and Peace in 2021 with a mission to develop the Christlike character necessary to seek justice, leading to a life of kingdom-peace for all people. Our interdenominational community brings the issues and practices of justice-seeking into conversation with the goals and habits of spiritual transformation. Some deep aspects of formation cannot be accessed apart from taking risks on behalf of others, and no one can consistently seek the good of others apart from the care of our soul and its growth in Christlikeness.
As you know, all the proceeds from this Substack newsletter go to The Center. I thought you might be curious what paid subscribers are helping us cultivate:
The Peace Talks Podcast:
Brave Conversations About Formation, Justice and Peace
Our hosts are Bishop Todd Hunter and Vanessa Sadler. Previous guests include Sheila Wise Rowe, Russell Moore, Rich Villodas, Kristin Du Mez, Justin Giboney, Kat Armas, and Soong-Chan Rah.
NOURISH Online 30-Day Retreat
A daily email that includes resources for spiritual practices, audio and visual meditations, videos, and prayers all designed for renewal and rest offered multiple times a year. Sign up now for our January retreat!
NOURISH Retreat
Our first yearly, restorative weekend retreat took place last September. We invited tireless leaders working on behalf of the “least of these.” Participants included non-profit executive directors, chefs, hospital chaplains, social workers, teachers, doctors, and civil engineers. They reported in a survey that they found healing in the spiritual practices, felt welcomed and safe, made lifetime friendships, and experienced God’s word in a profound way. A Fall 2023 Nourish Retreat is in the works!
Center Book Study
Multiple book studies (led by our Scholar in Residence Gregory Thompson) and Lament Services (this year’s service was hosted by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson) held yearly.
As we wrap up 2022, would you consider partnering with us in these efforts by becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter? I know you’re already on board with the Gospel of the Kingdom—transforming Christians’ hearts to reflect Jesus’ love of justice. Would you take the next step and invest?
I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about The Center’s vision and work.
Thank you for considering investing in the work of The Center!