Many Jesus-followers feel a disconnect between their Sunday faith and their Monday-Saturday life; they find it difficult to see how their work, school or daily activities are relevant to what God is doing in the world or how they might make a difference in this life and eternity. This is where Spheres comes in.
Culture and society consists of 6 arenas or spheres of civilizational life:
1 – the GOOD - the realm of social mores & ethics (incl. families, parenting, early childhood dev., moral formation, charitable giving, volunteering, religious org's., charities, schools, community centres, sports, social svcs, farmer's markets, etc.)
2 - the TRUE - the realm of human knowledge & learning (research, innovation, teaching, cultural & historical preservation, universities, libraries, public schools, public squares, media, job training centres, community gardens, etc..)
3 - the BEAUTIFUL - the realm of creativity, aesthetics, & design (incl. design, architecture, city planning, the arts, festivals, cultural entertainment, community planning, restaurants, public spaces, innovation, etc.)
4 – the JUST & WELL-ORDERED - the realm of political & civic life (incl. politics, civic engagement, law & order, community organizations., city planning, zoning, local govt, community centres, civic groups, public transpo & housing, etc.)
5 – the PROSPEROUS - the realm of economic life (incl. work, investment, capital exchange, land development, philanthropy, production, technology, innovation, industries, business, real estate, job training centres, vendors/markets, etc.)
6 – the SUSTAINABLE - the realm of the natural environment (incl. energy/land mgmt., public/human health, environ. regulations & advocacy, environmental org's, waste, sanitation, parks/forests, green infrastructure, foodbank, hospitals/clinics, etc.)
(*These categories are based on Thriving Cities Group’s “Human Ecology Framework https://thrivingcitiesgroup.com/ )
Spheres is about bringing together believers who work in, spend a lot of time in, or are passionate about a particular arena or sphere. Through Jesus-centred affinity groups, believers build friendship, inspire, collaborate and strengthen one another to positively shape society in ways that reveal God’s redemptive purpose, His love for people, and reflect His new creation reality into that sector for its flourishing. This is what salvation is about; Jesus didn’t just save us from something; He saved us for something.
We connect in a deeper way with people who share like-circumstances or like-passions—who know what the ‘wins’ feel like; who understand the challenges and sympathize with the frustrations; who can provide wisdom and insight from a mutual perspective.
Anyone eager to explore how God has wired, called, and positioned you to be part of His work in your sphere of influence.
Spheres provide:
Fellowship that nourishes the life of Christ in followers—strong, refreshing, refuelling gatherings where believers are powerfully connected to the life of God.
Support-- through prayer, encouragement, perspective and wisdom for those facing challenges or difficulty as they endeavor to live and operate counter-culturally or even oppose forms of cultural idolatry in their industry.
Leadership that empowers— through formal and informal settings, equipping believers for their unique expression of ministry and living out Christian obedience in their sphere.
1 - MEET MONTHLY - to grow, be encouraged, be strengthened; because we are refreshed & energized in face-to-face community
2 - CONNECT WEEKLY - virtually thru group chats, online group space, texts, etc, to encourage, be reminded we are not alone; share resources/ideas/great reports/prayer requests
3 - PRAY DAILY - for each other; for the lost working in the industry; for the industry they are in; that God’s life and kingdom reality would be reflected in and thru the industry