Special Speaker: Marci Baker

The work in Costa Rica begins with gratitude, because the church’s prayers and giving have been part of what God has been doing in a real place with real people. Alcance Centro de Formacion Ministerial exists because young Costa Ricans who feel called to ministry often face a long road before getting trained and sent out. The three year program brings together theology classes, hands on ministry formation, and a work program so that students can study God’s Word, serve in real ministry, and help sustain the school.

The daily rhythm at Alcance paints a picture of formation that is very practical. Morning devotions, meals, digging holes, caring for pigs and chickens, cleaning cabins, classes, chapel, kids ministry, youth ministry, small groups, and spiritual emphasis weeks all become places where God works. Community is not treated like something that just happens because people are near each other or because a school is Christian. Christ centered community takes intention, and it has a purpose: to make Christ known to the people inside it and to make Christ known through them to others.

Romans 12 gives the shape of that kind of community. The passage calls God’s people to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, not to copy the world, and to let God transform the way they think. That transformation is not something people can manufacture. God does the changing, and many times he uses other people as the iron that sharpens iron.

The body image in Romans 12 also says that each person has a specific and necessary part. Preaching and worship leading matter, but so do kindness, encouragement, cooking, serving, and even giving a line of children fist bumps on a missions trip. The “pinky toe” still matters because God made it and gave it balance and purpose.

Romans 12 also changes how people interact with one another. “Don’t just pretend to love others, really love them” means love has to move past “ugh, not them” and into a heart that chooses honor, forgiveness, patience, and humility. Thankful Thursday, shared tears over grief, asking forgiveness in front of others, and learning from other cultures all become signs that God is changing attitudes and perspectives.

Christ centered community is not meant to stay hidden. God’s work begins inside a person, moves into the community, and then goes farther out into high schools, kids clubs, families, workplaces, and future ministry assignments. The students at Alcance will be planted in different parts of Costa Rica and beyond, and God will keep using transformed leaders to create more Christ centered communities.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Christ centered community takes intention Christ centered community does not just happen because believers share a room, a school, or a church calendar. The community Romans 12 describes requires chosen attention, repeated humility, and a willingness to keep showing up when feelings are tired or frustrated. Christ must stay at the center, because a community centered on self will only start to look like self. [38:31]
• 2. God transforms the inner attitude Romans 12 does not ask for surface behavior first, but for a mind changed by God. The “ministry of dirty dishes” shows how the same irritation can become a place of worship when God changes perspective. Transformation often begins in the small hidden places where the heart decides whether to complain or surrender. [47:52]
• 3. Every body part is necessary The body of Christ is not built around only visible gifts. Kindness, service, encouragement, cooking, cleaning, and a simple fist bump can carry the love of Jesus as truly as preaching. The pinky toe may look small, but God created it with balance, place, and purpose. [51:24]
• 4. Real love moves toward people Romans 12 refuses pretend love, which means love cannot stop at politeness or warm feelings. Real love asks God for a heart that does not say, “ugh, not them,” even when the same person frustrates again and again. Honor, forgiveness, shared tears, and patient presence become places where Christ is seen. [55:13]
• 5. Community must move outward Christ centered community is never meant to stay inside the first circle. God transforms a person, then changes how that person relates to others, and then pushes that love farther into schools, families, workplaces, and neighborhoods. A hidden community may feel safe, but an honorable life lets others see Christ.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [24:27] - Returning From Costa Rica
• [25:20] - Alcance And Ministry Formation
• [27:31] - The Student Work Program
• [30:06] - Meet The Alcance Students
• [30:54] - A Day In Student Life
• [36:05] - Small Groups And Spiritual Emphasis
• [37:25] - Christ Centered Community
• [40:16] - Romans 12 Read Aloud
• [43:02] - God Transforms The Community
• [48:25] - Every Person Has A Part
• [53:27] - Really Loving Others
• [60:42] - Community Goes Beyond Itself
• [64:30] - Called To Create Community
• [67:03] - Prayer For The Church

1. Romans 12:4-5 compares the church to a body with many parts. What specific examples from the sermon illustrated this truth in the Alcance community? ([50:59])
2. The sermon mentioned three key components of the Alcance program (theology classes, ministry formation, and work program). How do these reflect the call to be "living sacrifices" in Romans 12:1?
3. What practical examples were given in the sermon to show how "iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17) in daily community life? ([44:45])

1. Why does Romans 12 emphasize transformed thinking as the foundation for Christ-centered community instead of just outward behavior changes? How did the "ministry of dirty dishes" example demonstrate this? ([47:52])
2. The sermon stressed that intentionality is required for Christ-centered community. Why might shared spaces or activities (like a Christian school) alone fail to create true biblical community?
3. How does the "pinky toe" analogy challenge common assumptions about which roles or gifts are most valuable in the church?

1. Romans 12:10 says, "Outdo one another in showing honor." What is one practical way you could intentionally honor someone in your life this week—especially someone you find difficult to love?
2. The "ministry of dirty dishes" showed how mundane tasks can become worship. What repetitive or frustrating responsibility in your life could you reframe as an act of surrender to God?
3. Think of your closest community (family, small group, workplace). What is one step you could take to help it become more outward-focused, like the Alcance students serving in high schools and indigenous areas? ([01:02:35])
4. The sermon mentioned "Thankful Thursday" as a way to cultivate gratitude. How could you create a simple, regular practice to help your community celebrate God’s faithfulness together?
5. Romans 12:15 calls believers to "weep with those who weep." When have you avoided entering someone’s pain because it felt uncomfortable? What would it look like to lean into that opportunity this month?
6. Identify one "pinky toe" role (seemingly small but vital) you or someone in your church fulfills. How can you affirm or support that person’s contribution this week?