This is God’s story and it is His narrative we find ourselves in. Our passion is to help you find your place and true identity in this incredible story.
Brian Kunkler
Chapter 1 – The Garden
In the beginning, God made a glorious place. A place where people could live in deep joy with Him. A place where people would live naked and unafraid. No guilt. No shame. No fear. A place where His Image Bearers could enter into the joy of discovering others in relationship. A place where we could deploy our special gifts to create, invent, manage and care-take the garden as overseeing managers. It was beautiful.
Chapter 2 – The Breaking
In Genesis 3, we see all of God’s heart break and unravel in a series of moments as His special people mess up everything. We believed the lie that God was keeping good from us. We didn’t trust that He had (and has) our best in mind. We sought a glimpse into a future free from Him. And horror was the result. Everything broke. Now, God’s special people started hiding from Him instead of running to Him. Now, God’s people started separating instead of coming together. Now, ruling creation becomes a curse instead of a joy. It all broke.
Chapter 3 – The Restoration Initiation
In Genesis 12, God chooses a family. God told them they would become a great nation, and that nation would be the vehicle through which He would bless and rescue the broken world. God did not choose them instead of the rest of the world, He chose them for the sake of the rest of the world. Ultimately, this nation of people (Israel) would not be able to walk in this magnificent calling because like the rest of the world, they too were broken and sin riddled. No worries. God knew they could never get the job done. Hence, chapter 4.
Chapter 4 – Jesus
Christmas. Light of the world. Hallelujah chorus. The King is born. Jesus came to do what Israel was never able to do. In fact, no person was able. That was why God had to become human. He needed to do it Himself. He needed to be the agent of blessing. Only He could be the vehicle through which His full blessing could reach a desperate world. Then, Jesus died. As a covering for our sin, the thing that kept us distant and hiding from God. The final sacrifice to which all others only hinted. Then He rose again. Defeating not only sin but death itself. Then He rose to sit at the right hand of the Father. Sitting in the place of authority. Repeat Hallelujah chorus. Repeat again. And again.
Chapter 5 – Church (this is the chapter we find ourselves in!)
After the resurrection, Jesus told His disciples He was leaving. Of course, this sounded like bad news to them at the time. But Jesus reassured them that this was indeed the incredible plan of God. He told them when He left, the Father would send the Holy Spirit to fill His people. Then, they would receive power. Power to love. Power to live. Power to be His representatives and make disciples everywhere they went.
Chapter 6 – New Creation
The conclusion of the story is a beautiful one. It is where God unites Heaven and Earth in the way His heart always intended. The picture we get is of the City of God coming down from Heaven to Earth. God’s glory fully and finally covers the Earth. Sin and brokenness are no more. We who have bent the knee to King Jesus and have received His gift will be with Him. We will receive new bodies that never grow old or stale. We will have the joy of living out God’s beautiful design for the ages to come. Knowing and discovering Him more. Developing deeper and more beautiful relationships with each other. Ruling over creation with increasing wisdom, skill, and creativity. Walking in the shalom of God for ever and ever.