This three word phrase says a lot - “Belong, Believe, Become”. Belong - Belonging is vital for living , but is becoming harder to find in our fractured and isolated society. Living in community centered on the Risen Jesus changes us. Belonging to Christ gives us identity and security. Belonging to Christ leads us to belong to one another and find purpose in the body of Christ. Belonging is ‘with-ward’ growth as students learn to live grace-fully with one another. Believe - Believing, as found in the Gospel, is not merely mental assent given to a list of doctrines. Rather it is a vibrant life that is expressed through trust and action. Believing is ‘down-ward’ growth as students are rooted and established in the truth of God’s word. Become - Becoming who as were created to be is abundant life. Its discovering and living out our new life in Christ. Becoming is ‘out-ward’ growth as students reach their God-given potential. The sequence is crucial. In the Gospels, we see Jesus inviting the disciples to follow Him. Often this meant entering into a new way of life before they completely understood who Jesus was and what His call entailed. Later they would put their trust in Him as they learned to believe in a relational context. As belonging and believing took root in their lives, the disciples were transformed. We hope for the same process for all CLBI students, that they would: Belong to Christ and His body, where they can learn to Believe His Word, and Become the people He created them to be. These are exciting times, as God continues to call, restore, equip, and send students into the world with His mission. May the Living God lead us all in His movements of Belonging, Believing, and Becoming!
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