I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Relying on love and Renewal from God…
We believe that staying connected to God teaches us to depend on His love. Jesus realised that taking time out from the demands of life to be quiet and still with God helped to refresh and renew Him (Mark 1:35). CE helps young people to find ways to remain connected to God, recognising that without Him we can do nothing.
…and the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39)
…Action toward Others
In Genesis 12 God blessed Abram so that through Him the world would be blessed. We expect that as we pray “your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) God will use us to be the answer to that prayer – blessing those around us. We hope to equip and empower young people to use their gifts to actively love their neighbours (Matthew 25:34-36).
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment… (Matthew 22:37-38)
…the Worship of God
Jesus summed up the 10 Commandments of the Old Testament in two commandments, the first being to love God with everything we are. Loving and worshipping God not only happens on a Sunday morning, worship is about offering something to God which captures our awe and recognition of who He is, and so we help young people to live each day as a living sacrifice to God. (Romans 12:1).
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)
…Christian Community
Jesus asks us to love each other as He has loved us. Paul’s loving community in Philippians (2:1-4) is humble and helpful. CE encourages young people to live and love in Christian community by being part of a local church so that their love for each other would point others toward Jesus (John 13:35).
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20a
…and the Mission of God
The Bible is God’s story of restoring relationship with the world. As Adam and Eve hid, God reached out to repair the broken relationship, asking “Where are you?” And later, God comes down in Jesus to repair the broken relationship between Himself and people – once and for all. Jesus goes on to send us, just as the Father sent him (John 20:21). We encourage young people to find who they can go and take God’s message of restoration to.