“Where two or more are gathered, there I am in the midst of them.” Jesus liked to be at gatherings. Likewise, we think it’s important to be in an actual (not virtual) room together sometimes.
What’s a big gathering like?
We’ll have speakers… people that have tried to follow Jesus for a while and have some good, challenging, perhaps even controversial things to say about him. We’ll have time to rub shoulders, share ideas, and maybe make some important connections with one another based on our shared fascination, or at least curiosity, about Jesus.
Who should come?
Well, anyone really who wants to talk about Jesus and be with a group of people who want to do the same. But, if you need a little more than that, here’s why some of you might want to come:
- Those who think Jesus is interesting, but are not sure about all the religious stuff that often seems to come with him. “I like Jesus, but I’m not sure about those Christians.” Have you ever thought, or even said, this? Then a SJ Gathering may be right for you. Our hope is that as we come together around the person of Jesus, some Christians, some not, walls that divide will come down. We might find that we can learn from one another, and that Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, sometimes within and sometimes separate from the religious institutions of the day, still applies. We anticipate you will hear some pretty deep stuff about Jesus, make some neat connections with others like you, and generally be inspired toward faith, hope, and love as you gather with others around Jesus of Nazareth.
- Those who have tried to follow Jesus for a while (maybe you go to, or lead, a church). Let’s face it, sometimes life, even church life, can wear us down. The initial zeal with which we began to follow Jesus can wane, or he begins to seem small and controllable within the boxes in which we try to place him. Our hope at our gatherings is that we are reminded that Jesus doesn’t fit into our boxes. Our speakers and our conversations will inspire, perhaps remind, and most definitely challenge us to “come back” to the centrality of our faith, which is Jesus. And, hopefully, we’ll leave refreshed and a little more equipped to invite others into this transformational, wonderful journey of following Jesus.