New Group Spiritual Growth Community
starts week of September 25, 2022
From facilitator Christine Mendoza:
As an evangelical Christian, I grew up with the theory that the Bible was my “How-To” manual and everything in it was literal. After years of this way of life, I grew frustrated at my continual lack of growth and failure to really hit the mark. Thankfully, I came across Alexander John Shaia and his book Heart & Mind: The Four-Gospel Journey for Radical Transformation. In this book, Shaia reveals how Matthew, Mark, John and Luke teach us how to navigate life’s changes, struggles, successes and service to others through his book, the Bible, and Heart and Mind Communities. It is a four-path journey of growth that explores these questions: How do we face change? How do we move through suffering? How do we receive joy? How do we mature in service?
“The intent of a Heart and Mind Community is to provide both individual and small community growth and transformation, based on a ‘here and now’ experience of Jesus the Christ, in a free, safe, contemplative, and prayerful environment. This process requires un-learning, re-learning, and depth formation in living the four paths. As a result, while this experience has an element of education and scripture study, these are not its primary focus.” –From Quadratos’ website.
Here are some of the things I have learned being in a Heart & Mind Community:
- The Bible is not a how-to manual but a tool for spiritual transformation.
- The Bible is NOT the only tool for transformation.
- God really likes us and is not looking to punish us.
- Both dark and light are needed for a perfect (whole) life.
- Meditation and contemplative prayer are essential.
- Spiritual authority comes from within.
And now it is time to start a new community.
Pastor Alycia has graciously allowed me to invite anyone at PPMCC to participate in this initial eight-week journey. Each week we will meet for 1.5 hours. We would begin the week of September 25 on a night agreed upon by the group and be done by Thanksgiving. This group will begin with a face-to-face meeting but will then be primarily Zoom meetings. As a group we may decide to add more face-to-face meetings just to keep things interesting!
To participate, please sign up online here. You will be asked to purchase the book, Heart & Mind, The Four-Gospel Journey for Radical Transformation and have read the first section by the first class. (If your financial situation prevents you from being able to purchase the book, please reach out to Pastor Alycia.) You can read more about this movement of Heart and Mind communities here.
I look forward to the journey together –
Christine Mendoza, facilitator
Christine Mendoza has been Heart & Mind Community Convener for 5 years. Prior to this, she was an International Church of the Foursquare Gospel ordained pastor whose ministry served youth, children and adults for over 20 years.