Rule of Life
We believe that our mission as a church can be summed up in one phrase: following Jesus together in Guelph. Following Jesus as his apprentices—often called discipleship—requires us to be intentional. We need a plan!
Followers of Jesus have been developing their own discipleship plans, or Rule of Life, for centuries. We believe a fruitful rule of life will exist at the intersection of three elements:
Desire
Instead of starting with “should” or “ought to” and grabbing ahold of practices we think we are supposed to do (which usually don’t stick), we first attend to our hearts. What are the deep longings there?
The two most crucial questions are:
- Who do I want to be?
- How do I want to live?
Disicipline
After we have attended to our desires, we respond to these longings by building a set of rhythms or spiritual practices into our lives. These plans can take many forms and incorporate many different practices. Regardless, we remember these simple guidelines: start simply, prune regularly, know yourself, stay flexible, and include community. See below for some tools that will help you build a rule of life for yourself.
Divine Help
If God does not meet us in our efforts, then a Rule of Life is simply spiritual busyness. Thankfully, the Scriptures promise us that God will meet us in our efforts. As Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
James 4:8