The Colossian Forum's Mission and Vision
The church is shrinking in the west, its positive contribution to the wider culture is in decline, and young people are leaving in droves. Why? It is, at least in part, because in the face of today’s most complex cultural conflicts the church doesn’t reflect Jesus. Therefore our . . .
MISSION is to equip leaders to transform cultural conflicts into opportunities for spiritual growth and witness. And our . . .
VISION is a Christian community that acts Christian, especially in the face of conflict.
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Download 2020 Impact Report
Download 2019 Impact Report
Commitments
- Jesus: Since Jesus is Lord, we can be a people of sacrificial love and faith, not fear
- Church: The Body of Christ belongs together as a people of worship and hope
- Generations: Old and young build each other up by walking and talking together in faith
- Conflict: We accept divisive cultural issues as catalysts for faithfulness
- Obedience: Love of God and neighbor, especially when things get hard
- Formation: Christ is making us into the people he longs for us to be
- Evangelism: Share the good news of the gospel’s power today, especially in the midst of conflict
The Colossian Forum Mission in Action
Now in its seventh year, The Colossian Forum’s maturing mission is expressed through the following programs and resources developed to ignite a culture change within the church and its related communities.
- Forums, Community Events, and Workshops provide guided opportunities for worship-filled spaces of Christ-honoring conversations around culturally divisive “hot button” issues. Instead of explosive polarization, participants can glimpse a deeper vision for our unity in Christ as they observe how relationships are deepened in the midst of conflict. These events embody the truth and promise of Colossians 1:17, that “all things hold together in Christ”—including the church.
- The Colossian Way is small group program designed to help Christians engage difficult questions in ways that build up love of God and neighbor. Churches or Christian schools engage in a ten-session experience where cross-generational, diverse, and often deeply divided participants engage conflict within a thoughtful and richly theological process that includes prayer, worship, and lament. Our vision is that of a growing “community of practice”—people who together embody both truth and love in ways that reflect Christ in a polarized world.
- Books and Curricular Resources that model Christ-honoring engagement across difference in the ways these materials are developed, the practices they promote, and the content that’s conveyed. Books like the recently published, Evolution and the Fall (Eerdmans, 2017), and All Things Hold Together in Christ (Baker, 2018) beautifully demonstrate this intentionality to a topic of significance to faith, theology, and the study of science.
- TeachFASTly is a rich teaching resource developed in response to the questions: could there be a way of exploring the intersection of faith and science that is hopeful rather than fearful? What does it look like to teach science well in this context? The result is a robust compendium of teaching activities, essays, and book reviews that encourage the best teaching practices within the context of Christian faithfulness.
