BETTER TOGETHER Pledge

Sunday night (9/17) at Faith Church we had an all church conference. We updated everyone on property issues, construction timelines, and building design. We answered questions concerning financing and logistics. The end result, we don’t have enough data in place to recommend a final decision…yet.

But really the business and property issue was not the centerpiece of what happened last night. The main event last night was the moving of God’s Spirit.

Faith Church has developed an identity over the last 10 years as being a positive and encouraging place. We have become a people that finds joy in building each other up, rather than tearing others down.

However, in the midst of our conversations and communicating opinions and jockeying for position on decisions…over the last few months it seems that an unhealthy spirit may have crept into our midst.

This all came to a head at our church board meeting Wednesday night (this past week). God’s presence fell on us in a powerful way and our hearts were broken. Our arrogance was crushed. Our love for one another was renewed. We confessed and apologized, offering forgiveness and a fresh started to one another. It was a beautiful and amazing experience. We declared war on the spiritual enemy who would seek to divide. And we committed together to turn a corner and create a new culture at Faith.

THE BETTER TOGETHER PLEDGE
We are committed to restoring a culture where:
- Matthew 18 principles of confrontation are mandatory
- We will confess and apologize for entering into destructive conversations
- We will address any tension that may seem to have arisen in personal relationships
- We will make a new phrase part of our common vocabulary. At times when one of us slips into destructive comments, we will gently remind one another: “We don’t talk about family like that.”

As a church, we took that pledge last night. We renewed our commitment to one another. We pledged to willingly trust, value and respect one another.

And we all walked away with our assignments to begin having those beautiful conversations where we apologize and try to build bridges of love…choosing to believe that we truly are “Better Together”.

I love the people of Faith Church. And today, with fresh eyes, we have a renewed:
- love for God
- love for each other
- love for the people of this world who don't yet know Jesus