Our Way Of Life
Discover our shared vision that holds us together as prayerful people on the Jesus Way.
Our Way of Life
The Center Community is shaped by a group of people who are following Jesus together by living an intentional Way of Life framed by four simple words: up, in, out, and of. We’re doing our best to orient our lives up toward God, in toward one another and out to the world around us as part of the global Church. We trust the authority of the Holy Scriptures and in the tenants of historic Christian orthodoxy contained in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. We value the statements of faith included in the Lausanne Covenant and an enduring connection with the national networks facilitated through the Ecclesia Network and the Baptist General Association of Virginia/Ascent. Some in our community have their roots in various streams of the Christian tradition--Anglican, Baptist, Catholic, Methodist/Wesleyan, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Presbyterian/Reformed, and non-denominational evangelical. Others had little to no faith background before their experience within The Center Community.
Historically, covenant communities around the world have coalesced around three basic principles rooted in the Rule of St. Benedict (c 500). Our Way of Life ascribes to these basic guidelines: simplicity, purity, and obedience.1
Simplicity means we are willing to be rich or poor for God according to God's direction. We resist the temptation to be greedy or possessive, and we will not manipulate people or creation for our own ends. We aim to be bold in using all we have for God without fear of possible poverty, which, if God demanded it of us, would actually become a blessing. We commit to giving at least 10 percent of our money away as individuals, families and as a community. “For God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Purity means faithfulness in relationships. It means accepting and giving God our whole being, including our sexuality. We love all people as Christ commands and recognize that in the journey toward union with God, some receive the gift and grace of celibacy while others receive the gift and grace of a lifelong commitment as husband and wife. We believe that the specific emotions and intimacy of sexual relations are expressed only in married life. We respect every person as belonging to God, and we aim to be available to all with compassion and openness.
Obedience is the joyful abandonment of ourselves to God through attentive listening to the Holy Spirit in prayer, and a following of His leading with the guidance of the Bible lived out in a community of mutual accountability. As a community we encourage a process of discernment which enables us to recognize our different roles and calling as the one body and many parts (1 Corinthians 12). In this way, we usher one another to wholeness, healing and toward the fulfillment of our deepest God-sized dreams.
Key values of our community demonstrate our commitments to a way of life that is ‘up’, ‘in’, ‘out’, and ‘of’.
These four components are embodied in each of the following values:
LISTENING
We’re learning to listen to God, to one another and to the community around us. (Matthew 4:4, Matthew 18:15)
FRIENDSHIP
Jesus calls his servants his friends, he says those friends will be known by the way they love each other. (John 13:34-35, 15:15)
HEALING
We want to be agents of Jesus’ ministry of healing, physically, emotionally and spiritually. (Matthew 4:23-24)
PERSEVERANCE
The journey of faith is long. It is filled with ups and downs. Yet, we persevere surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
As a community we make the following commitments to one another:
✠ Because the center of our community is Jesus, we commit to gathering around his crucified and risen presence submitting to him as Lord over our whole life and identity including our money, our sexuality and our power along with any other affiliations, habits or practices that vie for Lordship over our life.
✠ Because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, we promise to listen for his leading and direction for our community life by engaging in prayer and discernment and by reading (and living) the Scriptures in the power of the Holy Spirit.
✠ Because Jesus desires friendship with us, we seek friendship with one another and with everyone we meet. We agree to practice pure and holy friendships that are mutual, hospitable and intentional.
✠ Because the good news of Jesus offers healing for the world, we commit to living as agents of his healing presence and self-giving love.
✠ Because Jesus is the head of the church we will announce his good news, persevering with him and all the saints until he comes again in glory making everything new.
* We credit our friends at All Souls, Charlottesville for helping inspire these commitments.
Our Identity Statement
Friendships rooted in Jesus change the world
While Jesus is our savior and King, this 7th century Coptic icon eloquently presents Jesus as our friend.
As we go through our daily rhythms of life, we look to Jesus as an example for how to be in relationship not only with God, but also with others. We commit to imitating the pattern of Jesus who had a healthy rhythm of being alone and with others. Throughout scripture, we see Jesus spending time alone in solitude, going off to a mountainside to be with his Father, and spending time with people - crowds, strangers, family, and friends.
Jesus’ friends walked with him throughout his journey and we often learn the way of Jesus with our feet. While it’s easy to become disillusioned, there’s an opportunity out ahead of us to walk the harder road, seek what our friendships were created to become, and to challenge ourselves to go further together than we could on our own. As we follow Jesus, the role of spiritual friendship supports, encourages, and calls us higher to what we are not yet.
Our common identity presses us toward unity with the triune God and with others who profess belief in Jesus by living because the world has been changed by Jesus.
Sample Way of Life for Households
In many ways, home is the first church. Some in the community choose to imagine a deeper way of life for their family and household. Here is an example that you are free to adapt!
Seek the Kingdom first. If we focus on the first things, the second things will take care of themselves. (Matthew 6:33) Here’s how we focus on the first things:
Practice the presence of God. As we go about our waking and working and sleeping, we give everything on our minds and in our life to God. We may choose to write about our thoughts or we may simply wish to turn these matters over to the Lord Jesus in moments of silent prayer. As we practice giving up and giving over—we make more room in our lives to receive the love of God. (Ephesians 6:18)
Be countercultural. Make your bed and set a weekly chore rhythm for your household. Taking care of the little things allows a better focus on the big things. (Luke 16:10)
Cooking, cleaning, and grocery shopping are part of the everyday rhythms of life. Figure out how to do this together and bear with one another while doing it! Find a daily or weekly meal time that works for the entire household. Invite others into it as time and schedules permit. (Colossians 3:12-14,17)
Pray as you’re going out on errands and go two-by-two if you can. There’s power in going together. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Keep short accounts. Practice forgiveness. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. We dare you. (Matthew 5:23-24, Ephesians 4:26-27