Do you see religion as a list of “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots”? All too often we look at rules and regulations as restrictions of our freedom. We believe they diminish our power and ability to express ourselves. But what if God’s laws were not meant to be restrictive, but liberating? What if they were designed to inspire a  better way of living?  This summer at TNL we will examine the Ten Commandments seeking to uncover their meaning for our freedoms.

“Jesus came to bring us not only to God through forgiveness, but also to transform us into God’s image, returning us to the blueprint of God’s original design, returning us to fully human.”* This Lent we will look at the life of Jesus who was complete and whole. Together we will learn from his teachings that he came to transform humanity – relationally, emotionally, physically, culturally, and spiritually. Jesus came to earth, suffered, died, and defeated death that we may become truly human and truly whole. *from Wholly Jesus, by Mark Foreman

Our society offers alternative solutions for just about everything. It’s no surprise we have a buffet of religious options as well. Our instinct may be to pick a little of this and a little of that from the array of faiths and philosophies we are offered. With the endless options and opinions, it can bedifficult to hold to a belief in one God who chooses to reveal himself in the one person of Jesus Christ. For the next five weeks, TNL will walk through the letter of 1 John which is written to reassure followers of Christ that their faith is a reality, not a religious illusion.