Personal Life Platform – Oct 2009
What follows are the central beliefs and core values upon which my faith has been built. As a Christ-follower, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit I will endeavor to firmly establish this beliefs and values as the platform I stand on as I sojourn through life.
Foundational Beliefs
The foundations of my beliefs are built on three meta-narratives found in the Bible. These are the stories that I use to anchor my faith in God. They are used to establish and guild my operational beliefs and core values and to shape my worldview.
The first foundational belief is the Creation Narrative found in Genesis 1-3. We see God and humanity living in a rich intimate relationship …when man disobeyed the relationship was broken, separation from God occurred.
The second foundational belief is the Jesus Narrative that begins in Genesis and goes through the Book of Revelation. This is the story of redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. Foretold in the Old Testament, lived out in the Gospels, put into practice in the New Testament.
The third foundational belief is the Eternal Narrative found in Revelation 21. We have the image of the new heaven and earth coming down and God and humanity once again living in a rich intimate relationship.
Operational Beliefs and Core Values
My operational beliefs and core values are the specific beliefs and value that I believe God has called me to live out in my life. These could be life long beliefs and values lived out in all aspects of my life daily or they may be apart of who I am for only a season of my life.
· It is God in whom I will trust (Proverbs 3:5-6)
o Belief: Ultimately God is in control
o Value: Obedience
§ When I trust God fully He will guide my path. It is God’s wisdom that I need to use to guide my life.
§ I am living out this belief/value by taking on additional education without know what the end holds.
· I need to lean into my fears and push forward (Joshua 1)
o Belief: God is my source for strength and courage
o Value: Courage
§ When I step our and embrace my barbarian way, I need to “be strong and courageous.” I do this when I worry about doing what God has called me to do and who He has called me to be.
§ I am living out this belief/value by doing things that are outside my comfort zone (jail ministry).
· The heart is to be guarded (Proverbs 4:23)
o Belief: My body is the temple for the Holy Spirit
o Value: Purity
§ I need to have in place protections to keep my heart pure.
§ I am living out this belief/value by meeting with an accountability partner.
· Serving Him by Serving You (John 13:12-17)
o Belief: Being a Christ-follower is not about getting but giving
o Value: Servanthood
§ Jesus humbled Himself to serve others and then commanded us to do likewise.
§ I live out this belief/value by donating platelets once a month
· I must give a voice to the voiceless (James 1:27)
o Belief: All people are create in God’s image
o Value: Compassion
§ This is one part of the duality we live as Christ-followers. We are to “DO”, that is live out our faith.
§ I lived out this belief/value by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. I am currently living out this belief/value by working with a group of men in IFI
· Loving God and loving my neighbors is what I am called to do (Matthew 22:37-41)
o Value: Holiness
§ As I learn to love God and others more, I become more like Jesus and grow closer to God. This is the second part of our duality as Christ-followers. It is the “BE.”
§ I live out this belief/value by setting aside time with God regularly, blogging, reading, and tending to my spiritual formation on retreats.
Motives
Why do I do what I do? I am motivated by love, love of God and love of my neighbor. Loving God is about the internal transformation that takes place in me as I go through the spiritual formation process. Loving my neighbor is about serving their needs or giving a voice to the voiceless. It is about being and doing.
