In today's gathering, we explored the concept of being a counter-cultural community as followers of Jesus. We live in a world that constantly shapes us, much like a whirlpool, and if we are to counter this cultural current, we must do so together as a community. This idea of a "creative minority," as described by Pastor John Tyson, is a community bound by loyal relationships, committed to practicing the way of Jesus for the renewal of the world. We are called to be a light in the world, a beacon of hope, much like a flashlight in the darkness, guiding others towards the love and truth of Jesus.

From the beginning of creation, God emphasized the importance of community. It was not good for man to be alone, and thus, God created partnerships and communities throughout scripture. Jesus himself gathered disciples, not to remove them from the world, but to send them into it, sanctified and set apart for a purpose. This purpose is to represent Jesus' mission and truth to the world, living lives that reflect His counter-cultural love.

We are reminded that being the light of the world is not about superficial acts or image management but about embodying the teachings of Jesus, as outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. This means showing mercy instead of seeking revenge, serving humbly instead of desiring power, and loving one another, even those with whom we disagree. The early church in Acts exemplified this, standing out through their love, generosity, and support for one another.

However, as time passed, the church began to lose its distinctiveness, blending into the cultural norms. John's letter to the early church warns against this, urging believers to not love the world or its desires, but to remain set apart, living lives that reflect God's will. This call to be counter-cultural is as relevant today as it was then.

To be a church that stands out, we must commit to being part of the church community, which serves as a training ground for living a life with Jesus. We must also ask ourselves where God has placed us in this season and how we can be a light in those spaces. By doing so, we can reverse the cultural whirlpool and bring hope to those around us.

**Key Takeaways:**

- **Community as Counter-Formation:** We are called to be a creative minority, a community committed to practicing the way of Jesus together. This involves living in a web of loyal relationships that counter the cultural currents of our day. By doing so, we can renew the world through the love of Jesus. [28:16]

- **Sanctified for a Purpose:** Just as decorative pillows are set apart for a specific purpose, we are sanctified to represent Jesus' mission and truth to the world. This means living lives that reflect His teachings and being a light in the darkness, guiding others towards hope. [32:55]

- **Living the Sermon on the Mount:** Being the light of the world involves embodying the teachings of Jesus, such as showing mercy, serving humbly, and loving one another. This counter-cultural love stands out and draws others towards the church, much like the early church in Acts. [37:59]

- **Avoiding Cultural Conformity:** John's warning to the early church about losing their distinctiveness is a reminder for us today. We must not let the desires of the world overshadow our identity in Christ. Instead, we should live lives that reflect God's will and purpose. [40:47]

- **Commitment to the Church:** The church is a training ground for living a life with Jesus. By committing to being part of the church community, we can grow together and be equipped to be a light in the world. This involves actively participating and connecting with others in the church. [43:27]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to The Formation Machine
- [02:30] - The Cultural Whirlpool
- [05:15] - The Concept of Creative Minority
- [08:00] - Biblical Foundation for Community
- [11:45] - Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples
- [15:30] - The Role of Sanctification
- [18:20] - Being the Light of the World
- [22:10] - The Early Church as a Model
- [26:00] - John's Warning to the Church
- [30:45] - The Dangers of Cultural Conformity
- [34:30] - Commitment to the Church Community
- [38:15] - Being a Light in Our Contexts
- [42:00] - The Vision for a Multi-Site Church
- [46:00] - Closing Prayer

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
1. Genesis 2:18 - "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'"
2. John 17:15-19 - "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."
3. Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."

**Observation Questions:**
1. What does Genesis 2:18 reveal about God's intention for human relationships and community?
2. In John 17:15-19, what does Jesus pray for regarding His disciples' relationship with the world? [28:16]
3. According to Matthew 5:14-16, how are followers of Jesus described, and what is their purpose in the world?
4. How does the sermon describe the concept of a "creative minority," and what role does it play in countering cultural currents? [28:16]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. How does the idea of being a "creative minority" challenge the way Christians typically engage with culture? [28:16]
2. What does it mean to be "sanctified" according to Jesus' prayer in John 17, and how does this apply to believers today? [32:55]
3. How can the metaphor of being the "light of the world" in Matthew 5:14-16 be practically lived out in a believer's daily life?
4. In what ways might the church today be at risk of losing its distinctiveness, as warned in 1 John 2:15-17? [40:47]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on your current community involvement. How can you contribute to forming a "creative minority" that practices the way of Jesus together? [28:16]
2. Consider the spaces where God has placed you in this season of life. How can you be a light in those specific contexts? [46:43]
3. Identify one area in your life where you feel the cultural whirlpool pulling you away from your faith. What steps can you take to counter this influence? [49:07]
4. How can you ensure that your actions as a "light of the world" go beyond superficial acts and truly reflect the teachings of Jesus? [32:55]
5. Think about a time when you felt your faith was challenged by cultural norms. How did you respond, and what might you do differently now?
6. How can you actively participate in your church community to help it remain a place of counter-formation against cultural conformity? [43:27]
7. Reflect on the relationships in your life. How can you cultivate loyal and supportive connections that reflect the love of Jesus? [28:16]

Day 1: Community as a Creative Minority
We are called to be a creative minority, a community committed to practicing the way of Jesus together. This involves living in a web of loyal relationships that counter the cultural currents of our day. By doing so, we can renew the world through the love of Jesus. In a world that often pulls individuals towards self-centeredness and isolation, the concept of a creative minority emphasizes the power of community. This community is not just a gathering of people but a collective committed to living out the teachings of Jesus in a way that challenges societal norms. It is about forming deep, loyal relationships that stand in contrast to the transient and often superficial connections prevalent in today's culture. By embodying this counter-cultural community, we become agents of renewal, bringing the transformative love of Jesus to the world around us. [28:16]

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to today to encourage and build up in their faith journey?


Day 2: Sanctified for a Purpose
Just as decorative pillows are set apart for a specific purpose, we are sanctified to represent Jesus' mission and truth to the world. This means living lives that reflect His teachings and being a light in the darkness, guiding others towards hope. Being sanctified is not about being removed from the world but being set apart within it for a divine purpose. Our lives should reflect the mission and truth of Jesus, serving as beacons of hope and guidance for those around us. This involves embodying the teachings of Jesus in our daily actions and interactions, showing others the path to love and truth. [32:55]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively reflect Jesus' teachings in your daily life to guide others towards hope?


Day 3: Living the Sermon on the Mount
Being the light of the world involves embodying the teachings of Jesus, such as showing mercy, serving humbly, and loving one another. This counter-cultural love stands out and draws others towards the church, much like the early church in Acts. The Sermon on the Mount provides a blueprint for living a life that stands in stark contrast to the values of the world. It calls for mercy over revenge, humility over power, and love over division. By living out these teachings, we not only reflect the light of Jesus but also draw others towards the transformative power of His love. [37:59]

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you can practice mercy or humility today. How can this action reflect the teachings of Jesus to those around you?


Day 4: Avoiding Cultural Conformity
John's warning to the early church about losing their distinctiveness is a reminder for us today. We must not let the desires of the world overshadow our identity in Christ. Instead, we should live lives that reflect God's will and purpose. In a world that often pressures individuals to conform to its values and desires, maintaining our distinctiveness as followers of Christ is crucial. This involves resisting the temptation to blend in with cultural norms that contradict our faith and instead living lives that are aligned with God's will. By doing so, we preserve our identity in Christ and serve as a testament to His transformative power. [40:47]

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one cultural norm or desire that you find challenging to resist? How can you seek God's strength to maintain your distinctiveness in this area?


Day 5: Commitment to the Church
The church is a training ground for living a life with Jesus. By committing to being part of the church community, we can grow together and be equipped to be a light in the world. This involves actively participating and connecting with others in the church. The church serves as a vital space for spiritual growth and community. It is where we learn, practice, and embody the teachings of Jesus alongside fellow believers. By committing to the church, we not only strengthen our faith but also equip ourselves to be effective witnesses of Jesus' love and truth in the world. [43:27]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you deepen your commitment to your church community this week? What steps can you take to actively participate and connect with others?

"Well, growing up, one of the things I love to do anytime I went to the pool with my friends was to go into the shallow end and make a giant whirlpool. Maybe some of you know what that was like. You would get everybody together, you would make a big circle and then you would all start walking in the same direction over and over and over and over again until you got to the point where you could actually lift up your legs and continue to go in the same motion." [00:21:08] (29 seconds) Edit Clip


"We are currently living in a cultural whirlpool of sorts which we have talked about the past couple of weeks and if we have any hope of countering the cultural current of our day it is by being a community that is radically committed to following Jesus together pastor john tyson he calls this type of community a creative minority he says a creative minority is a christian community knotted together in a syria or in a web of stubbornly loyal relationships living together." [00:21:37] (39 seconds) Edit Clip


"From the opening pages of the Bible and the creation narrative in Genesis, we read that God is creating the world and after each day we hear the phrase, it was good. It was good. It was good. And then all of a sudden in Genesis chapter 2, we hear the phrase, it was not good. And what was not good? He says, it was not good that man should be alone. And so what does God do?" [00:25:25] (22 seconds) Edit Clip


"God creates Eve, a partner for Adam, so that they could partner together to fulfill God's command to care for his creation and populate the earth. And as you continue to move forward throughout scripture, you see over and over again, God bringing people together for a deeper purpose. And then we get to the life of Jesus. And Jesus, one of the first things he does is he calls together a group of people, his disciples for a purpose." [00:25:51] (30 seconds) Edit Clip


"When Jesus says, you, y 'all are the light of the world, Jesus is saying that in the same way that the flashlight that night at camp provided a beacon of light to draw us together, followers of Jesus, the church, we are to be a beacon of hope for a world that is wandering around in the dark. You see, somewhere along the lines, I think we've began, we started to get a little confused, or maybe we do get a little confused about what does it actually mean for us to be the light." [00:30:26] (35 seconds) Edit Clip


"When Jesus talks about being the light here in this passage, it is within the context of the larger Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 through 7. And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is talking about what a world that is shaped by his countercultural love looks like. It's a world that stands out. It's a world where instead of seeking revenge, we're a community that shows mercy." [00:31:45] (26 seconds) Edit Clip


"John, who many scholars believe is the same John who wrote the account of Jesus's life, he writes a letter to the church in 1 John chapter 2. And I can't help but wonder if while he was writing this, if he had in mind the prayer that he heard Jesus pray that we talked about just a little bit earlier. He says this, do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in them." [00:34:55] (31 seconds) Edit Clip


"As you continue to read John's letter, you find out that sort of what was happening is that many in the church had started to question or go back on the belief that Jesus truly was God in human flesh and that Jesus had come to give us all a new life that is shaped by the self -giving love of Jesus. And if Jesus wasn't actually who he said he was, if that life that Jesus came to bring didn't actually exist, why should my life today change at all?" [00:37:04] (27 seconds) Edit Clip


"Pastor Rich Valotis, he says this, the greatest danger in Christians in every generation is being indistinguishable from the world. Will our values mirror the conventional wisdom of society, or will they confound it? Will we feign agreement on everything, or will we demonstrate love to those who see the world differently than we do? Will we define success based on net worth or on faithfulness to Jesus, no matter what the numbers may say?" [00:40:00] (38 seconds) Edit Clip


"As we've talked about this morning, the world is constantly being formed by culture, but the church is the vehicle of counter -formation to pull us back towards Jesus. You could think of the church as being sort of the practice field or the training ground for living a life with Jesus every single day. Because when we gather as a church, the culture might be telling us that life is all about making a name for yourself, or it's all about your glory." [00:41:56] (32 seconds) Edit Clip


"And now for the larger church, for all of us, the first step to become a counter -cultural church and to reflect Jesus's light to the Bay Area is to simply commit to being part of the church. And if you've been at the church for a while and you still kind of just come and you sit back and then you go off into the rest of your life, I encourage you, take a step this week to lean in, to take one step to connect just a little bit deeper, because we need each other. We need you." [00:46:43] (34 seconds) Edit Clip

Well, good morning, Menlo Church.

If we haven't met, my name is Brett, and I am one of the pastors here. I have the privilege of working with our incredible kids and student teams across all of our campuses. It is so great to be here with you today as we continue our series called The Formation Machine.

The past couple of weeks, we've been talking about the reality that the world in which we live is constantly forming us in one way or another. We've been looking at the different habits or practices that we can apply to our lives to begin to take control of our own formation and our own life with Jesus. If you missed either of the previous two weeks, I encourage you to go back, check them out on YouTube, or listen to them on our podcast.

Well, today we are hoping to bring this series to a close by looking at the role that we as the church have in being a counter-cultural community. In the process, we will begin to hear a little bit about why it is so important to us as a church to be a multi-site church and why that is part of our vision of bringing hope to everyone by living out our identity in Christ every single day.

So whether you're joining us in San Mateo, Mountain View, Saratoga, here in this room in Menlo Park, or you're watching online, I'm so glad that you're here with us today. If you're new, I'm glad you're here as well, and I hope that by the time you leave today, you hear two things: one is who we hope to be as a church, and then two, the type of community that you get to be a part of hopefully here at Menlo.

Now, before we get started, let me take some time to pray for our time together.

Let's pray.

God, we love you. We thank you so much for who you are and that everything we do, everything that we have is all yours. I ask that this morning you open up our hearts and our minds to hear what it is you have to say to us through your word. In your name, amen.

Well, growing up, one of the things I loved to do anytime I went to the pool with my friends was to go into the shallow end and make a giant whirlpool. Maybe some of you know what that was like. You would get everybody together, make a big circle, and then you would all start walking in the same direction over and over and over again until you got to the point where you could actually lift up your legs and continue to go in the same motion.

But if your group ever wanted to take it to the next level, you would have somebody in your crew yell out the word "reverse," and you'd see if you could actually reverse the flow of that whirlpool. So they'd say "reverse," you'd all put your feet down, brace yourself against the current, and just try to fight against it with all that you have. If you were lucky, that whirlpool would begin to change.

Now, if you were the only person in your friend group who actually heard that command, you know that there was zero chance you were going to reverse that flow. But if every single person did it together, you would slowly start to see that flow begin to change.

We are currently living in a cultural whirlpool of sorts, which we have talked about the past couple of weeks. If we have any hope of countering the cultural current of our day, it is by being a community that is radically committed to following Jesus together.

Pastor John Tyson calls this type of community a "creative minority." He says a creative minority is a Christian community knotted together in a web of stubbornly loyal relationships, living together—a living network of persons who are committed to practicing the way of Jesus together for the renewal of the world.

It is a Christian community committed to living and walking together and being shaped by a counter-cultural love of Jesus. It's not just a bunch of individuals who come together occasionally, do their own thing, and then go out and do their own thing. It is a community living and working and walking together.

Because you see, we were actually created for community. From the opening pages of the Bible and the creation narrative in Genesis, we read that God is creating the world, and after each day, we hear the phrase, "It was good. It was good. It was good." And then all of a sudden, in Genesis chapter 2, we hear the phrase, "It was not good."

And what was not good? He says, "It was not good that man should be alone." So what does God do? God creates Eve, a partner for Adam, so that they could partner together to fulfill God's command to care for his creation and populate the earth.

As you continue to move forward throughout scripture, you see over and over again God bringing people together for a deeper purpose. Then we get to the life of Jesus. One of the first things Jesus does is call together a group of people, his disciples, for a purpose.

Close to Jesus's death, his crucifixion, Jesus has his group of disciples together. We read this time where Jesus prays for his disciples in the Gospel of John. He says this: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them, I sanctify myself that they too may be sanctified."

Two words we see over and over again in here are "world" and "sanctify." This word "sanctify" is used in other places throughout scripture to signify people who have been set apart for a specific purpose.

Now, one of the many things that I have learned since being married is that there exist these things called decorative pillows. Maybe you've heard of them. You know, they're the pillows that if you just happen to fall asleep on them, you'll wake up with lines on your face—not because you had a great nap, but because they're made by like woven sheet metal, giving it a modern feel.

While I thought pillows were supposed to be these things that helped you feel more comfortable, decorative pillows purely exist for making your couch or your bed look better. One could argue they make them more difficult to sit or sleep on. Decorative pillows have been sanctified or set apart for a very specific purpose.

In scripture, oftentimes priests in the Hebrew scriptures were talked about as being sanctified. They were set apart to represent God to the community. In the same way, Jesus is saying to his followers, "Sanctify them." They are set apart for a specific purpose to represent the mission and truth of Jesus to the world.

Jesus specifically says, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world. I have sent them into the world." Why? Because we cannot accomplish Jesus's mission for the world without actually being in the world.

Early on in Jesus's ministry, Matthew records another conversation with his followers. He says this: "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."

Now this "you" right here, in the original language, is plural, second person plural. So where I'm from in Tennessee, we would call this a "y'all." Everybody say "y'all." Well done. So Jesus is saying, "Y'all are the light of the world." We, Menlo Church, we are the light of the world.

One weekend in grad school, I got to go to this camp that was about an hour outside of San Diego on this beautiful property, kind of in the middle of nowhere. The first night, we were playing games on a sport court when all of a sudden, all of the power in the entire camp went out.

It was as though, if you're a Harry Potter fan, somebody took out a deluminator and just sucked all the light out of the sky, out of everywhere. It was so dark you couldn't see anything in front of you. So we all froze, not knowing where to go, what to do. It was kind of a new place, and this was well before people had flashlights on their phones. Who would have known how helpful that is?

Then all of a sudden, somebody remembers, "I actually do have a flashlight." So they grabbed that flashlight, turned it on, and held it straight up in the sky. Finally, we could see this light, and we were able to go slowly, carefully, make our way back to the light.

When Jesus says, "You, y'all are the light of the world," he is saying that in the same way that the flashlight that night at camp provided a beacon of light to draw us together, followers of Jesus, the church, we are to be a beacon of hope for a world that is wandering around in the dark.

You see, somewhere along the lines, I think we began to get a little confused, or maybe we do get a little confused about what it actually means for us to be the light. Oftentimes, I know for myself, I think what it means for me to be the light is that I'm nice to the people in my life. I put on a good smile when I see them, say a little, give a little wave. I maybe put a Christian sticker on my water bottle, and my light is shining bright.

Now let me be clear, none of those things are bad things. Those are actually very good things to be true. But the challenge or the problem comes where that's where we stop. Being a light actually becomes a mode of image management for people to see the right things, all the while the rest of our lives are still going along in the whirlpool with the rest of the world.

When Jesus talks about being the light here in this passage, it is within the context of the larger Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 through 7. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is talking about what a world that is shaped by his countercultural love looks like. It's a world that stands out.

It's a world where instead of seeking revenge, we're a community that shows mercy. Instead of a desire for power, we're a community that serves humbly. Instead of chasing wealth or status, we trust God with our time, our treasure, and our talents. Instead of creating division between people, we are a community that loves one another, even our neighbors or those with whom we disagree.

You see, Jesus' call for the church to be the light meant that the church would be the type of community that puts its feet down and walks against the current and the flow of the world to show a new life—a new world that is shaped by the countercultural love of Jesus.

When you think about the church as a whole, how do you think we're doing with that? Maybe good, maybe bad, somewhere in between. It kind of depends on who you ask or where you go.

This past summer, a Gallup poll found that 32% of U.S. adults say that they have trust in the church. That's 68% of U.S. adults who say they have no trust in the church.

Now, when I hear results like that, my first thought is always just to look outward and think about why that is. It's like, well, they're just paying too much attention to the news, or they're just thinking about those Christians. We're different.

But the problem is that when we first start thinking about what the reasons are out there, instead of looking inward at ourselves, we risk failing to see where we might actually need to make some changes as a church.

Last month, we looked at the book of Acts together, at the life of the very first church that started immediately following Jesus' resurrection. This church that we saw in the book of Acts stood out. This church truly was a light to the world. People saw what was going on in this church, and they couldn't help but be drawn to it.

The way that they loved one another stood out. The way that they supported one another stood out. The way that they were generous with one another stood out. The way that they looked after the people who were overlooked by society stood out.

But over time, as life went on, they too began to ask the question, "What does it mean for us to continue to be the light of the world as our world continues to change?" What does it mean for us as a church to faithfully follow Jesus' commission to the church?

In the process, what was out there in culture began to make its way back into the walls and life of the church. John, who many scholars believe is the same John who wrote the account of Jesus's life, writes a letter to the church in 1 John chapter 2.

I can't help but wonder if while he was writing this, he had in mind the prayer that he heard Jesus pray that we talked about just a little bit earlier. He says this: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life—comes not from the Father, but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

A common theme in John's writings is sort of this black-and-white way of looking at the world. John, there was no messy middle. It was either this or that. What he's seeing in the church is that he is writing to a church that had begun to lose some of its distinctness as being followers of Jesus.

You could say that their light had begun to dim as the world in which they lived began to pull them back into the common curriculum of the culture. As you continue to read John's letter, you find out that what was happening is that many in the church had started to question or go back on the belief that Jesus truly was God in human flesh and that Jesus had come to give us all a new life that is shaped by the self-giving love of Jesus.

If Jesus wasn't actually who he said he was, if that life that Jesus came to bring didn't actually exist, why should my life today change at all? It is so much easier for me to stay in the current of the culture than to fight against it if Jesus really wasn't who he said he was.

John is talking to this community and comparing the reality that when you are of the Father, your life should look different than the life that is of the world.

But what does the life of the world look like? He says this: "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father, but from the world."

When John says the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, I imagine our minds in some ways go straight to like he's talking about sexual desires. Yes, John is talking about that, but that's not all that John is talking about. When John talks about flesh in his letters or in the Gospel of John, he's talking about something that is of human nature versus something that is divine.

So when he talks about lust of the flesh, he's talking about placing our desire to find satisfaction or wholeness in something that is of human nature versus finding it in God.

New Testament scholar Marian My Thompson says that had John given some examples relevant to today, he surely would have included culture's pervasive materialism, workaholic ethic, sexual laxity, and driving desires for success and prosperity—any attitude or action that makes the individual, and not God, the center and measure of the universe.

When he talks about the lust of the eyes, the eyes are our source of desire. It's that feeling you get when you see the latest gadget or fashion trend, and suddenly you have to have it, even if you don't really need it.

Now at this point, I'm just feeling grateful John's not talking about anything I struggle with, right? Maybe not.

Then he wraps it up by saying the pride of life. When he talks about life, he's referring to the basic stuff we need for living or the things that we have that support our lives. John has in mind a life that is all about projecting an image or boasting in your wealth, your status, your achievements—essentially living your life in a way that shows no need for or dependence on God.

When we bring the three of these things together, being of the world is living in a way where God really is of no significance in the grand scheme of our lives. God might be a check on the weekly or daily to-do list, but ultimately, it's my time, my security, my abilities, my wealth, my future that is driving the car.

This attitude had begun to find its way back into the church. Pastor Rich Valotis says this: "The greatest danger in Christians in every generation is being indistinguishable from the world. Will our values mirror the conventional wisdom of society, or will they confound it? Will we feign agreement on everything, or will we demonstrate love to those who see the world differently than we do? Will we define success based on net worth or on faithfulness to Jesus, no matter what the numbers may say?"

You see, John is saying to the church, "Do not trade a desire for the world to know who you are in exchange for remembering whose you are. You are not of the world. You are of the Father. You were set apart for a purpose. Whoever is of the world, those worldly desires, they pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

You were set apart for a purpose. Let your light shine.

While John wrote this letter to a church 2,000 years ago, his words and his warnings continue to be true for us and for our lives and for the church today. Will we be a church that is indistinguishable from the world around us, or will we actually be one that stands out? One that offers the world a new way to live—a life shaped by the counter-cultural life and love of Jesus.

But how do we be that church?

To close our time together, I want to share two ideas with you. The first idea, this might seem really simple, but it is this: Commit to being part of the church.

As we've talked about this morning, the world is constantly being formed by culture, but the church is the vehicle of counter-formation to pull us back towards Jesus. You could think of the church as being sort of the practice field or the training ground for living a life with Jesus every single day.

When we gather as a church, the culture might be telling us that life is all about making a name for yourself or it's all about your glory. But when we gather together to worship, we're reminded that everything we do is all about God—because of who God is and what God has done for us.

Because of that, our lives can actually be an act of praising and giving thanks to God. When culture tells us that we need to pursue self-sufficiency or comfort, when we get together and we serve or we give, we're reminded that God has blessed every single one of us with gifts for the sake of each other. We can actually use our gifts and our talents to bring hope to others.

Or when culture emphasizes the values of individualism, or if you want to receive true acceptance, you need to make sure you have it all together. When we take the time to gather together intentionally and authentically connect with one another, whether it's in a life group or simply in connecting with one another in the church, we're reminded that we're actually better together.

The church is a place where we can bring our full selves to experience the love and the grace of Jesus. You see, the church isn't intended to be simply a place for us to show up on Sundays. It is a community through which counter-formation happens.

Now, if the church is the place where we can grow together so that we can then go and be a light to the world. But here's the thing. If you've been waiting for kind of your cheesy one-liner to take with you for the rest of the day, here it is: In the same way that there is no "I" in team, there is no church without you.

In order for the church to be the church, we need you. We need each other.

A little piece of my story: Growing up, I was very involved in athletics and academics, and I went to college on a swimming scholarship. To get to that point, it required a very demanding schedule, a practice and competing that oftentimes got in the way of either church on Sunday mornings or connecting with youth group.

I know many parents and students in this room know that world well because it has only gotten worse. But one thing that I am so grateful for looking back is that I had parents who never let our relationship with Jesus take a back seat.

If I had a meet that got in the way of church on Sunday, we would listen to a sermon together—at that point, it was on a CD or a cassette—or else we would do family devotions together. If I couldn't attend youth group, they'd make sure I was connecting with another ministry, connecting with another community.

You see, my parents made it a priority in our household to make Jesus and connecting with church the priority, to make it an essential part of our life. Because of that, when I found myself being pulled back into the cultural whirlpool—such as thinking that my worth was found in what I accomplished or what I did—it was the church that pulled me back out of that, reminding me of who I am in Christ and walking with me through all of my struggles.

While I'm so grateful for everything that I was able to experience or do because of athletics, the experience that I had through the church continues to shape my life today, whereas my achievements are simply memories and a scrapbook on a shelf.

If you are a parent, we know that life isn't easy raising your kids in this culture, and that is why we are putting together the parent seminar that we mentioned earlier on March 7th. We want to be a community that walks through this together as we think about what it looks like to create spiritually vibrant households in the Bay Area.

We're hosting it at every campus so that you can actually get to know other parents who are trying to do the same thing in your community. So I encourage you, make time to join us at this event because we want to walk through this together.

Now for the larger church, for all of us, the first step to become a counter-cultural church and to reflect Jesus's light to the Bay Area is to simply commit to being part of the church.

If you've been at the church for a while and you still kind of just come and sit back and then go off into the rest of your life, I encourage you, take a step this week to lean in, to take one step to connect just a little bit deeper because we need each other. We need you.

The second thing that we can do is to ask the question, "Where has God placed me in this season of life? And how can I go and be a light there?"

You see, if the church is the practice field or the training ground, everyday life would be the game. Jesus's prayer that we looked at earlier was not that we be taken out of the world, but that we actually go into the world to bring the hope of Jesus to it.

Where has God placed you in this season of life? Maybe for you, it's your job. Maybe it's your class at school. Maybe it's your kid's baseball team, your retirement community, your neighbors, your school board, your fitness center. Maybe in this season, it's your family.

My friend Tom is a swim coach, and he told me that every day he shows up to practice, he views his team as his ministry. He makes an effort to ensure every single person there is cared for beyond their performance. He's being a light every single day.

Where has God placed you in this season of life? And how can you let Jesus's light shine there?

At the beginning of our time together, I shared that what we're talking about today plays an important role in our strategy of being a multi-site church. That's because we believe that God has placed us here in the Bay Area for a very specific purpose.

It's not that we can be one church in one town where people are driving from all over the Bay in order to attend, but instead, every single one of our campuses would be a little town on a hill in each of their cities.

When we gather together, we then go into the coffee shops, we go into our offices, we go into our schools, we go into our neighborhoods, and bring the light of Jesus with us there to see the Bay come alive to the hope of Jesus.

Could you remember that 68% of people that I mentioned earlier who say they don't trust the church? That 68% of people, they are our neighbors. They are our coworkers. They are our classmates. I can't help but wonder what their previous experience with the church has been.

But then also, what if we could actually reverse that trend? Not by continuing to catch a ride in the cultural whirlpool, but instead by being a church that puts our feet down together and begins to live as a church fully committed to the countercultural way and love of Jesus.

What would we begin to see here in the Bay Area? Could we see this formation machine begin to change, to reverse the flow as people begin to discover hope in Jesus?

Let's be that church from this day forward.

Can I pray for us?

God, we love you. We thank you for who you are. We thank you that you are a God who set us apart—to be your children, to bring your hope and your life and your love to the community around us. God, I thank you more than anything that you never left us alone, that as you call us to go, you also say you are going with us.

As we look into our world, we are not alone in that. God, I pray for anybody here who hasn't actually gotten to know you personally and may be wondering, are you a God that is worth following? God, I pray that you help them know how much they are loved and how much better a life with you is than anything else that our world has to offer.

God, we thank you for the church. Thank you for each person in this room. Help us be a community that shows your light and your love wherever we go. God, we give all these things to you in your name, amen.