ReImagine

Why do you talk so funny?--using so many strange phrases like "the greater wholeness," "integration" and "the way."

We think language is really important and shapes the way we see God, the world and ourselves. We are challenged to talk about faith in terms that are understood in the culture where we live and relate faith to the questions people are asking. This is not an easy task since we also try to stay connected to people and communities of faith in places that are more conventional than the progressive edges of the Bay Area. We like to use language in a poetic way that sparks imagination and opens futher conversations. Sometimes this means that we are misunderstood-- but we think its worth the risk.

Are you Christians?

It depends on what you mean by Christian. The word "Christian" can mean so many things in our world: a national identity, political or institutional allegiance, belief in certain doctrines, etc. In the first century A.D. the word "Christian" was used to described someone who lived by the power and example of Jesus. In that sense of the word we are definately seeking to be Christians.

Is reimagine a church?

Well, yes and no. We are a community of people deeply committed to being formed by the message and power of Jesus. We meet together regularly to eat, pray and take common action. We like to think of our gatherings as a laboratory where we experiment with how to seek the kingdom of God and the way of Jesus in our daily lives. We don't have a conventional "worship service" but we do invite people to meals and conversations. With everything we do we try to be participatory and collaborative.

Why in San Francisco?

San Francisco functions as the psychis center of the Bay Area and an epicenter for creativity and innovation brithing new ideas and new ways of living.  The intensity of this context forces us to embrace an aggressive path toward the future -- living the way of Jesus in a increasingly diverse, plurastic and globally connected environment. 

Who was Jesus?

People have been asking this question for a very long time. Even among his disciples there was a lot of confusion and curiosity about his identity. Once John recorded Jesus as saying, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own." (John 7:17) We come to know who Jesus is by having an honest encounter with his message and by wrestling with what it might mean to follow his way. Jesus inhabited an empowered way of life characterized by love, surrenduring himself to crucifixion as the ultimate demonstration of that love. Ever since that time people have tapped into the power of transformation he unleashed through his resurrection.

Can I come visit your community?

If you live in the Bay Area the best way to connect with SEVEN is by coming to a hospitality night (the last Thursday of each month) or by participating in one of our ReIMAGINE workshop offerings. If you are visiting from out of town, you can contact peeps AT reimagine DOT org to set up a time to connect with us.

How can I get involved?

(see the CONNECT section of our website)

How are you funded?

We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization supported by the generosity of friends and faith communities. We occasionally supplement these donations with workshop and retreat fees and seek grants for some of our initiatives. Our staff workers are primarily bi-vocational and often volunteer their time and expertise to ReIMAGINE.

Do you want people to become Christian?

We think that Jesus invited us to follow him because he was showing the way to fulfill the creator's deepest dreams for our lives. We want to experience "the kingdom of God" that Jesus proclaimed--greater wholeness for ourselves and our world. We believe that conversion is a life-long process of learning to trust and discover how to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.(Micah 6:8) In our experience people believe in Jesus when they encounter the reality of the message relationally and experientially. Anyone who wants to explore and inhabit the message of Jesus is welcome to participate in our community and projects.

How is ReIMAGINE connected to Emergent Village and the Emerging Church Movement?

Through Emergent Village and our own local conversations we encounter many spiritual seekers who are desperate to find a way of faith that makes sense within the complexity of contemporary society. We believe it is important to have conversations about how to integrate our understanding of the gospel, church, culture and our humanity. In the midst of current cultural shifts many people are drawn to conversations around questions like, "What is the gospel of Jesus?", "What does it mean to be the church?" and "How do we best seek the kingdom of God in our time?" Emergent village is a relational network where people from many different faith traditions have found a safe place to process these questions. The non-parochial nature of the network makes it a neutral place for skeptics and seekers to explore faith. ReIMAGINE has been an active contributor and host for Emergent Village conversations over the years. The "Emerging Church Movement" is a catchall phrase used by commentators to describe a wide and divergent variety of new faith expressions. We believe that ReIMAGINE's unique context and perspective provides a hopeful and distinctive voice within the emerging church movement. We support the development of catalytic leaders and vibrant communities who show signs of the kingdom of God.

Does ReIMAGINE have a statement of faith?

We see ourselves as part of the continuing story of the Judeo-Christian scriptures, the ancient creeds and the historic legacy of the church of Jesus Christ. As a community we emphasize and pursue orthopraxis, a congruency of right belief and right living-- resonating with the Apostle who said, "Watch your life and doctrine closely, perservere in them." (I Timothy 4:16). We recognize that how we live is equally important as what we say we believe and aspire to have our lives be our statement of faith.

What exactly do you do?

We like to think of ourselves as an incubator or laboratory for new expressions of Christian faith and practice. We invite people to explore the message of Jesus through new information, experiential learning, and transformational relationships. We host workshops and conversations and encounter groups. We initiate community-based projects. We offer internships, mentoring and leadership development. We help catalyze new leaders and generative communities of faith. And we have alot of fun doing it all together.

If you feel like there is a question that we've overlooked that you would like addressed and would be pertinent to a wide audience please let us know.

Blessings.