What do we mean by “Conviction & Imagination”?
Our belief is that as local church leaders and congregations walk the ancient paths—as they move in step with God’s Spirit and experience the life Jesus offers—they’ll be changed and exemplify the following characteristics…
A working definition
We root ourselves in the historic faith and also imagine fresh expressions of the kingdom for our particular cultural moment. Our leaders believe that theological clarity gives us the conviction and courage for imagination.
A humble example
A humble example of this in one of our churches, a multiethnic congregation in Louisville, Kentucky, can be seen as they combine John Calvin’s liturgical order of worship with sounds of Black Gospel, hip hop, and jazz.
Some simple behaviors
Harbor Network leaders and churches are anchored in historic, orthodox conviction; rooted and grounded in the gospel, but also to local places and people, which breeds ownership, influence, and contentment.
Harbor Network leaders and churches are fueled by an imaginative curiosity, leading to a deeper love of God and neighbor. True curiosity is the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty—the exploration of God’s creation and will for the world. Staying curious allows us to pursue creative paths for ministry that are specific to our contexts. This kind of contextualized vision only comes as we take time to listen, learn, and love a particular place. As we do, we give tribute to the past even as we create unique vision for the future.
Harbor Network leaders believe that theological clarity gives us the conviction and courage for imagination.
Harbor Network leaders honor the truth by earnestly seeking it and being convicted by it, and we recognize we can’t do that without being curious in our imaginations.
If Harbor Network leaders have the conviction and curiosity like that of Christ, we will have everything to offer the world and a way to offer it in humility.
Harbor Network leaders are flexible and adaptable — continually looking for opportunities to grow, change, reshape and reimagine methods of expanding kingdom reach into our communities.
Scriptures to reference
Genesis 1:26-28
Psalm 1:3
Jeremiah 29:1-3
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
Colossians 1:15
1 John 3:18
Jude
Resources to explore
Fabric of Theology by Richard Lints
The Curious Christian by Barnabas Piper
Confessions by Augustine
Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper
Start with Why by Simon Sinek
Disappearing Church by Mark Sayers
The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
Center Church by Tim Keller
The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
The Christian Imagination by Leland Ryken
Imagination by Cheryl Forbes
Casey Smith is a native Midwesterner who works as Harbor Network’s Communications Director. He also works as the worship pastor of Trinity Community Church, a Harbor Network church in Columbia, Missouri. Prior to joining Harbor Network, he managed banking centers for Bank of America and worked with Acts 29 in the US and Western Europe.
