These six bearings give direction to TruNorth's flagship learning experience (City Labs). We weave these bearings into our gatherings with observations, discussions and exercises.
1. God’s Story
God’s story expressed as Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration presents an overview of all of Scripture. It is the whole story, the way God has given it to us beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. As we gain comfort with both the simplicity and the robustness of God’s story, we can see how humans fit in the story. And we can begin to seek our role in His story.
2. Image of God (Your Story & Identity)
What if you have the agency and power to go back and review your story and change the way that you see it? Saint Augustine prayed, “Grant Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee”. We can be both a masterpiece and a work in progress because human beings are made in the image of God – every one of us, whether we acknowledge God or not. Understanding your own story in light of this reality allows us to find our purpose inside God’s Story. As we adjust our view of ourselves and others in this light, we are much freer to embrace who we are and respect and enjoy others, even those with whom we may have substantial disagreements. This attitude also changes our witness as we see others as God sees them.
3. Integrated Life
The world is not split up into sacred and secular. Our souls are healthy and integrated when there is harmony between our head, heart and hands. God did not intend us to live a compartmentalized life, where we live as one kind of person in one environment and another kind in another environment. As we see ourselves as one person everywhere, all the time, we can begin to sense the presence of God everywhere, all the time. Awareness of where we are experiencing disintegration helps us be the salt and light God intended for all those He calls children of God.
4. Spiritual Formation
We do not drift into Christ-likeness. Rhythms and disciplines must be practiced and embodied in our day to day lives. We are invited to make a pilgrimage into the heart and life of God; where life in the kingdom is not something to be accepted now and enjoyed later, but something to be entered and experienced now. We partner with the work of the Holy Spirit who integrates our faith into our whole lives through the development of Godly character. God’s grace is opposed to earning, not to effort, so we must train ourselves to be in tune with mind, body and spirit for the transformation in character we seek.
5. Mentorship
In the midst of multiple distractions that blind the eye to spiritual reality, a mentor helps foster an awareness of God’s presence and activity in everything. The vision of mentoring is transformation. The intention of mentoring is empowerment. The means of mentoring is relationship. Mentorship is a key component in the process of personal development as someone assists you in the self-discovery process by listening well and asking powerful questions. Incorporating mentoring relationships into your world sets you on a course for lifelong flourishing.
6. Stewardship for the Common Good
In Genesis God calls all people to be stewards of all His creation. Part of the broad sense of stewardship is to know, understand, and apply one’s own vocational calling. In fact, the stewardship of all of life is expected. At the same time, each of us is designed differently. We each have responsibility to take advantage of our own gifts, experiences, and positions for the glory of God and the common good of our workplace, community and city. There is no place for comparing or envying another’s place in God’s kingdom. It really is about recognizing one’s own role; then you are free to appreciate and respect the roles of others. Developing a deeper understanding of vocational stewardship gives you a clearer sense of your role in God’s kingdom.
1. God’s Story
God’s story expressed as Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration presents an overview of all of Scripture. It is the whole story, the way God has given it to us beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation. As we gain comfort with both the simplicity and the robustness of God’s story, we can see how humans fit in the story. And we can begin to seek our role in His story.
2. Image of God (Your Story & Identity)
What if you have the agency and power to go back and review your story and change the way that you see it? Saint Augustine prayed, “Grant Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee”. We can be both a masterpiece and a work in progress because human beings are made in the image of God – every one of us, whether we acknowledge God or not. Understanding your own story in light of this reality allows us to find our purpose inside God’s Story. As we adjust our view of ourselves and others in this light, we are much freer to embrace who we are and respect and enjoy others, even those with whom we may have substantial disagreements. This attitude also changes our witness as we see others as God sees them.
3. Integrated Life
The world is not split up into sacred and secular. Our souls are healthy and integrated when there is harmony between our head, heart and hands. God did not intend us to live a compartmentalized life, where we live as one kind of person in one environment and another kind in another environment. As we see ourselves as one person everywhere, all the time, we can begin to sense the presence of God everywhere, all the time. Awareness of where we are experiencing disintegration helps us be the salt and light God intended for all those He calls children of God.
4. Spiritual Formation
We do not drift into Christ-likeness. Rhythms and disciplines must be practiced and embodied in our day to day lives. We are invited to make a pilgrimage into the heart and life of God; where life in the kingdom is not something to be accepted now and enjoyed later, but something to be entered and experienced now. We partner with the work of the Holy Spirit who integrates our faith into our whole lives through the development of Godly character. God’s grace is opposed to earning, not to effort, so we must train ourselves to be in tune with mind, body and spirit for the transformation in character we seek.
5. Mentorship
In the midst of multiple distractions that blind the eye to spiritual reality, a mentor helps foster an awareness of God’s presence and activity in everything. The vision of mentoring is transformation. The intention of mentoring is empowerment. The means of mentoring is relationship. Mentorship is a key component in the process of personal development as someone assists you in the self-discovery process by listening well and asking powerful questions. Incorporating mentoring relationships into your world sets you on a course for lifelong flourishing.
6. Stewardship for the Common Good
In Genesis God calls all people to be stewards of all His creation. Part of the broad sense of stewardship is to know, understand, and apply one’s own vocational calling. In fact, the stewardship of all of life is expected. At the same time, each of us is designed differently. We each have responsibility to take advantage of our own gifts, experiences, and positions for the glory of God and the common good of our workplace, community and city. There is no place for comparing or envying another’s place in God’s kingdom. It really is about recognizing one’s own role; then you are free to appreciate and respect the roles of others. Developing a deeper understanding of vocational stewardship gives you a clearer sense of your role in God’s kingdom.
