We must be in community. In small cells of belonging, we are challenged to know and be known intimately. We are not able to hide out any longer, pretending to be other than who we are. As we learn to receive and give God’s love in practical, life changing ways, we begin to embody that love on behalf of the world.

This community must have extreme diversity. Being together with the poor and the privileged, men and women of all races and life experiences, we learn to respect and honor the whole family of Christ, The authentic church seeks particularly to be with those whom Jesus was with, who were outside the religious and social systems. We will work to build a diverse membership where differences become gifts.

We must be about reconciliation. The primary work of Jesus Christ is to heal us of our sin —our separation from God and each other— and this will be the primary work of the authentic church as well. We continually will seek meaningful ways to bring together whatever has been broken apart and to learn how to love and be loved, even before we are lovable.

We must seek justice. The authentic church finds creative, proactive ways to “love one another as we have been loved.” We identify those cultural systems that obstruct the flow of love and strive to create new structures that enhance it. We practice charity as well as justice, reaching out to those who are down and lending the strength of our voices to those who cry out for change.