Restoration Collective is a network of leaders from the Churches of Christ seeking to imagine and influence a hopeful future for our local congregations.
Our Primary Purposes
When our charter members gathered over two years ago, we wanted to create a safe space for God’s Spirit to unfold our shared imaginations. And we all have a deep love for the local church and long to see it flourish, regardless of its size. The following purposes guide us:
Pursue formation as disciples of Jesus who are being formed by the Spirit of God.
Foster relational partnerships between leaders and local congregations to embrace a faithful future.
Facilitate conversations and the sharing of resources that lead to increased participation with God’s mission in the world.
Honor distinct challenges and opportunities that emerge from the context of Churches of Christ while reclaiming the best parts of our movement.
Our Theological Commitments
We recognize the rich history and heritage of our tribe. We also have a respectful posture toward the autonomy of the local congregation. Yet, we find it helpful to name the following theological commitments as anchors for this collective:
A high view of the living, written, and spoken word of God.
We aim to live faithfully in the world envisioned in the Bible. We believe the story of Jesus Christ is the most compelling story we will ever invite people into. We believe this story continues through the active work of the Holy Spirit in God’s world today.
The flourishing of local congregations.
We aim to bolster the efforts of local congregations who gather for the sake of joining God’s mission through an encounter with the triune God.
The priesthood of all believers.
We aim to help all followers of Jesus embrace their giftedness for the encouragement of the gathered church and its local neighborhood.
A posture of humility and curiosity.
We aim to be open to varied perspectives emerging from our congregational contexts, always listening for the Spirit’s leading. We do not exist to decisively answer questions for congregations but to promote learning between congregations.
Vibrant community for Christian leaders.
We aim to actively confront the isolation and loneliness that are commonly experienced by church leaders with genuine community and generative partnerships.
Measuring success by our willingness to be formed as disciples.
We aim to cultivate healthy ways of measuring success. More important than the questions like, “How big is your church?” are questions like: “Are we increasingly open to the leading of the Holy Spirit?” “Are we becoming more like Jesus?” “Are we participating in God’s work in the world” “Are there people participating in the kingdom of God who would not be otherwise?”