Frequently Asked Questions
I am not sure where I stand politically; is
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Big Life Community Church is neither... or both.
"As an essential ethos, PneuProject, Big Life C.C. and the foundational principles of the 200 year history Christian Church upholds the right and necessity of each individual to freely grapple with faith and life issues." We exist to share Jesus. His life & teachings are paradigm-shifting, life-changing, and challenging. But very intelligent, committed, and compassionate people don't always agree on where faith in Jesus leads politically! It isn't that they lack conviction in what Jesus lives and teaches - not at all. Some strongly feel that faith in Jesus leads them to believe and vote in alignment with Republican positions, while others feel led to vote Democrat, or Independent, or Libertarian. Here is where we are hardliners: Jesus. 1. Jesus welcomed everybody. He got very angry with religious insiders who felt they could determine who was in, and who was out with God. Yet he welcomed even those leaders when they would choose to come to learn from him. So everybody is welcome at Big Life Community Church; sinners, hypocrites, the judged and the judgmental. 2. Jesus commanded us to love each other. He didn't command us to like everything everybody did, nor did he command us to only love people we already like and think we agree with. He commanded us to love one another regardless of our diversity, as He has loved us, through relationship, service, and sacrifice. We exist to share Jesus' message of love. 3. Jesus asked for everybody to choose Him. He revealed God to men & women, 'sinners' and religious leaders alike... and so should we. He asked us to love God with our whole mind, heart, and spirit, and so we strive to give God better. So if you are looking for a church that offers simple answers of liberal or conservative political purity, we would love to help you find that church - but we are simply not it. |
How can different perspectives/ beliefs be included in a single church? |
Big Life C.C. is part of a 200 year old tradition that was formed on the American frontier by people fed up with denominations and factions separating Christians based on habits, dogma, and preferences. They wisely decided that faith in Jesus should be central and first - that any other belief would fall far secondary to their focus on Jesus. They understood that people would, by nature, be forming their own beliefs and should have permission and freedom to do so as their faith in Jesus informed. However, unity and focus on Jesus must never be given second fiddle to any personal interpretation. A motto of the early movement, "In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things love."
As a church works to live it out, it means that in every gathering, whether of 2 or 2000 people, there will be independent individuals of many different personal convictions. As an essential ethos, big life uphold the right and necessity of each individual to freely grapple with faith and life issues (one of our mottos: "It's faith with the freedom you deserve.") Faith is always an individual decision & relationship between you and God. The church is a place of community, worship, and servanthood that brings individuals together to focus on Jesus. So practically applied, even when individual pastors, teachers, worship leaders and believers may vocalize their personal ideas, they speak for themselves. Individual convictions, even when articulated from individuals holding positions of organizational prominence, should not be confused to override the unified focus on Jesus first, and the essential independent ethos of the church that places all personal conviction secondary. |
Who leads at Big Life Community Church? |
Servant Leaders Lead
At Big Life C.C., those who God calls and equips to lead others through servanthood, lead the church. You will see women and men, young and old, those with advanced degrees and those who have learned through living, serving and leading other servants with the gifts God has given them. In a world where gender, credentials, and tenure typically define the hierarchy of leadership, we strive to follow the Jesus model of leadership. Leadership = service as God created you and I to serve. |
Why is "Big Life Community Church" named the way it is, and why is it logo all small letters?
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Jesus made a big promise in the book of John. He said, "I came to give you an abundant life." (From John 10:10)
In other words, Jesus came to give those who choose to follow Him a "big life", overflowing in goodness. But Jesus was also the master of the humble. He led through servanthood. He was called "the least". When we were working on the brand identity in the logo, "Big Life" or "BIG LIFE" did not capture the essence of this teaching. Humility is at the core of what we try to share: serving, loving, sacrifice, encouragement, as Jesus did. So we made the letters all small case. But the concept is REALLY big, Jesus' message is the biggest, most abundant, richest words ever articulated in humanity, and that is our hope for the life of every person involved. Following Jesus is an abundant, vibrant, dynamic, humble life. It's a big life. |
Does Big Life C.C. believe the Bible? |
Yes, Big Life C.C. loves the Bible.
We believe the Bible serves as a unique compiled record of God's interaction with people. It is the eye-witness account to Jesus' divinity, good life, and world-changing teaching. We also believe that it gives testimony to the sort of interaction believers can expect to have with God's Holy Spirit into present day. Big Life C.C. approaches the Bible through scholarship, research, and study into ancient languages and culture in order to better understand the original meaning and intent of the scripture and how it applies to modern life. However, we do the heavy lifting, so you can experience faith without the barriers of misunderstanding and confusion. Worship at big life presents the Gospel in easy to understand language using modern examples and stories, so you can apply the goodness of the Bible for real life faith. Our hope is that as each believer gains confidence in what they hear at Big Life C.C., they will approach the scriptures themselves, through Bible reading, smartphone and tablet apps, devotionals, etc., and begin to grow their faith understanding through their own experience of the Bible. |
What is Communion? |
Communion is a symbolic meal everyone is invited to share to remember Jesus' life, teaching, and ultimate sacrifice:
Jesus told his followers this as they finished what would be their final meal together, "My time has come. I am going to my death. My body is going to be broken - yes. But I am doing it for you, willingly, freely, because I love you so much. You are worth it. I am like this bread, torn apart, broken, but I am broken for the best reasons - for you. And my blood is going to be poured out just like this wine, but I let it flow openly as a new promise for you. I am promising that nothing can separate us anymore, not any part of life, no matter how bad, and not death either. When you gather together, do this and remember me and what I have taught you, know how much you are worth to me, and remember how far I am willingly going to prove it. I love you." So each week we share in a simple bread and cup to remember the greatest Love. |
Why does the church talk about money? |
Jesus talked about money a lot. In fact, according to Jesus, where our money goes, our hearts follow. (Matthew 6:21)
It would be spiritual malpractice if we did not share God's good teachings about how we can use our resources to build the Kingdom right here and right now. Our hope for each person is that we follow Christ and grow in love and courage, and set aside fear... even when it comes to finances. |
