Disciple Formation Guide: Adult

Explore ENDURING PRINCIPLES with Adults
How does Unity in Diversity guide my discipleship?

KEY CONCEPTS

The Community of Christ is a diverse, international family of disciples, seekers, and congregations.
Local and worldwide ministries are interdependent and important to the church’s mission.
The church embraces diversity and unity through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We seek agreement or common consent in important matters. If we cannot achieve agreement, we commit to ongoing dialogue and lovingly uphold our common faith in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church.
We confess that our lack of agreement on certain matters is hurtful to some of God’s beloved children and creation.

SCRIPTURES

Our understanding of Unity in Diversity will grow through the study of these scriptures.

Ephesians 4:1–6
Paul calls disciples to lead lives worthy of Christ’s calling, with humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Matthew 28:18–20
Jesus calls his followers to “make disciples of all nations.”

John 17:20–23
Jesus prays about his disciples: “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one...so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

1 Corinthians 12:4–12
There are many gifts but the same spirit.

Matthew 18:15–20
How to settle disagreements. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Doctrine and Covenants 151:9
God calls the church to be in the forefront of organizations and movements that recognize the worth of persons.

Doctrine and Covenants 164:5
“…when you are truly baptized into Christ you become part of a new creation. By taking on the life and mind of Christ, you increasingly view yourselves and others from a changed perspective. Former ways of defining people by economic status, social class, sex, gender, or ethnicity no longer are primary. Through the gospel of Christ a new community of tolerance, reconciliation, unity in diversity, and love is being born as a visible sign of the coming reign of God.”

IV Nephi 1:17–20
The people of Nephi experience a long period of blessed community without contention, envying, and strife.

Unless otherwise noted, Bible passages are quoted or adapted from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Scripture and Theological Study
Responsibly interpret and faithfully apply scripture for insight into discipleship. Study Community of Christ theology.

Unity in Diversity
Don Compier, dean of Community of Christ Seminary, wrote: “We humans genetically are one of the least-diverse species. The differences between our races are minuscule. We have the capacity, however, to develop splendid variations from one culture to the next. We have every reason to believe God delights in cultural pluralism as well. I am convinced that cross-cultural sharing is God’s dream for all humans. God yearns to bless us as we bless each other in and through our diversity.” Congregational diversity is a passion of the author. Read his article “Unity in Diversity,” from the Enduring Principles series. Use the discussion questions and discernment practice for further reflection.
Affirmation of Scripture
According to Affirmation Three of Scripture in Community of Christ, “Scripture is a library of books that speaks in many voices. These books were written in diverse times and places, and reflect the languages, cultures, and conditions under which they were written.” (Sharing in Community of Christ, 2nd Edition, p. 25.)
- Discuss with a group of friends the diverse “voices” heard in scripture (for example, authors, themes, languages, cultures, conditions, places, and times).
- Choose one theme that unites people such as love, justice, peace, or hope and do a scripture search for that “voice” to learn more about it.
Influences that Divide
Read the following scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 163:3c.
“There are subtle, yet powerful, influences in the world, some even claiming to represent Christ, that seek to divide people and nations to accomplish their destructive aims. That which seeks to harden one human heart against another by constructing walls of fear and prejudice is not of God. Be especially alert to these influences, lest they divide you or divert you from the mission to which you are called.”

Search the Internet to learn more about prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination by taking part in interactive exercises. Use what you learn to help remove any “walls of fear and prejudice” between you and others.
Developing Unity and Diversity
Unity is the quality of being one, undivided or unbroken. Diversity recognizes distinctions or differences between groups or individuals based on different factors. Developing unity amid our diversity is an essential part of creating healthy communities.

Consider the people who attend your congregation. Make a list of the differences between individuals based on factors such as age, beliefs, socio-economic background, or ethnicity. Are you part of a diverse group? If so, what do you have in common that unites you as the body of Christ? If your group is not diverse, make a list of what you can you do to help prepare your congregation to welcome others.
Around the World
Community of Christ was founded in 1830 and is now engaged in mission in more than 50 nations around the world. It is becoming a worldwide church dedicated to the pursuit of peace, reconciliation, and healing of the spirit. Review the list of nations where Community of Christ is established or has a presence. Print this list. Each week, learn more about one nation and pray for the people of that nation to experience unity amid their diversity.

Missional Encounters
Apply a Christ-like response to the needs of humans and creation.

Statement on Immigration
The First Presidency, in consultation with the Human Rights Committee and the World Church Leadership Council, released a “Statement on Immigration Issues in the United States.” Discuss as a faith community, or with persons both within and outside the church, what challenges or support this has had for your community. In countries other than the United States, perhaps a similar statement could be developed.
Tell Them What You Feel
Let your government representatives know how you feel about important issues such as immigration reform. But also remember to write, thanking legislators when they take a position you agree with. To increase awareness of the immigration issue, invite immigrants to share their story with your congregation.

Personal Spiritual Practices
Closely connect with the Divine through spiritual disciplines.

The “Golden Rule”
The Golden Rule (“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.” Matthew 7:1) is present in almost every world religion. Consider and reflect on how the Golden Rule is important in your life, how you’ve carried it out. Do you treat others as you wish to be treated? Ponder how Christ encourages us to go beyond the Golden Rule in our response to others. Find scriptures that support this.
Prayer of Examen
For centuries, Christians have prayed that God would help them know themselves because deep self-knowledge leads to deep God-knowledge. The Prayer of Examen is a daily spiritual exercise developed by Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556). This practice seeks to grow followers of Jesus in their ability to discern God’s will, find God in all things, and heighten their understanding of God’s good creation.

Find an example of the Prayer of Examen. Then read Ephesians 2:14 “For Jesus is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” Reflect on this scripture as you pray and examine your actions toward God’s creation.
Meditation on Unity in Diversity
Prayerfully read Doctrine and Covenants 163:8c that calls “the entire church to become a sanctuary of Christ’s peace, where people from all nations, ethnicities, and life circumstances can be gathered into a spiritual home without dividing walls...” Create a large circle with your arms. See and feel the diverse people God invites inside the sanctuary of Christ’s peace represented by this circle. Who is easiest to welcome? Who do you struggle to include? Confess dividing walls between you and people you think are too different or “dangerous” to invite into your spiritual home. Ask God to forgive and heal barriers that keep you and others from being one in Christ’s peace.
Reconciliation Prayer for Diverse Perspectives
Take a pen and paper, find a quiet place and consider the following words of Gandhi. “It is a bad habit to say that another’s thoughts are bad and ours only are good and that those holding different views from ours are the enemies.” Think of someone who views issues differently from you. Bring into your mind the face of that person. Ask God to open your heart to him or her. Sit silently and sense God connecting your heart with the heart of this person. Write a statement of gratitude for the person you are connecting with and offer a silent or verbal prayer of blessing. Ask for a peaceful space in your heart and mind that welcomes the person and listens with respect to his or her views. If you feel led, share the statement of gratitude you have written with the person when you next meet.

Weeding the Garden

Note: This practice can be done as you weed your physical garden or as a meditative object lesson of weeding the imaginary garden of your heart and prayerfully removing fears and judgments that separate you from others.

A helpful exercise to equip you to practice acceptance is to weed your garden. As you pull the weeds, make each gesture a prayer: Tug (God, remove from my heart all prejudice and fear). Tug again (God, keep me from judging unjustly). As you remove the weed, continue the prayer. (Plant in my heart the seeds of your love.) You can word your own prayer as you engage in this activity. Weeding can be a tiring task, but being mindful of God’s healing love in your life can improve an otherwise boring activity.
(Adapted from Carolyn Brock and Barbara Howard, eds., The Practice of Prayer: Prayers of our Hands, Independence, Missouri: Herald House 1999).

Community Spiritual Practices
Closely connect with the Divine and one another through spiritual disciplines.

Church Presence Around the World
Post a world map and give each participant the name of a country on a piece of paper where the church has a presence in the world (see list). Invite people to pin or tape their paper to its map location (perhaps have “helpers” standing by). Then, ask the congregation to define the uniqueness of members of the church, such as “farmers, families who cannot afford school, urban, suburban, highly educated.” Reflect on the diversity of our church membership and its blessings in the family of God.
Nativity Sets from Around the World
During Advent, display nativity sets from around the world. Compare and contrast. Involve the children in this discussion of visual differences as well as the shared meaning of the nativity sets.
Interfaith Sharing
For interfaith sharing, invite the minister of another faith tradition to preach in your congregation. This may also involve a pulpit “exchange” so a Community of Christ minister preaches in their congregation on the same day.
Songs from Another Language
To get the feeling of being in a global, worldwide church, learn a song or hymn in another language. If no one in your congregation speaks another language, invite someone from the community or one of the language teachers from the school district to help you. Use recordings from other countries where possible to hear the culturally specific performance of songs.
Sanctuary of Christ’s Peace
Have someone in the group read aloud Doctrine and Covenants 163:8c that calls “the entire church to become a sanctuary of Christ’s peace, where people from all nations, ethnicities, and life circumstances can be gathered into a spiritual home without dividing walls.” Create a large circle with your group. Hold hands. See and feel the diverse people God invites inside the sanctuary of Christ’s peace represented by the circle. Who is easiest to welcome? Who do you struggle to include? Confess dividing walls between you and people too different or “dangerous” to invite into your spiritual home. Let go of hands and take a few steps back, to make “welcoming entrances” for new people. Ask God to forgive and heal barriers that keep you and others from being one in Christ’s peace.
Earth Ball
Prepare ahead a STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam ball (about 8 inches/20 cm in diameter). Cut or tear 1 inch/2.5 cm strips of remnant fabric, as different as possible, approximately one yard long. Tie some of the strips together and wrap them around the ball—enough to cover it (or omit the ball and roll the strips tightly to form the center). Set the “Earth ball” in the worship setting with one end loose.

As each person enters the service, give them a piece of fabric. At the chime, sit quietly and ponder your strip of fabric. How is it different from the fabric of those around you? How is it the same? Do the fabrics have different purposes? Are some stronger, some finer? Colorful or plain? Imagine the story behind the fabrics. How were they used? Who used them? Think about your story. Think about your uniqueness. How do you fit into the world? How can diverse people fit together to create unity in the world. Pray a blessing on your cloth that will be a representation of your connection to another person and the world. At the second chime, tie your strip to the end of the people on either side of you. Have the person at the end of the row take the long strip up and tie it to the Earth ball. When all strips are attached, have someone hold the Earth up and say a prayer of blessing for the Earth and its diversity.

Personal Relationships
Develop one-on-one relationships for sharing and accountability as disciples.

Object Lesson Awareness
Direct an object lesson that groups and regroups participants to create awareness of differences and likenesses. The members of the group will constantly change as they are redefined by eye color, occupation, interests, hobbies, and other categories. Discuss how likenesses often help us deal with the differences among us.
Practicing Acceptance
In conversation with people who are different from you, look into their eyes. Set aside your own ideas and perspectives. Listen carefully to what they are saying. You do not have to agree with them. Try to hear the feelings behind the words. If their view is foreign to your own, if you disagree with them, wait before speaking. Look at them as a precious child of God. If their ideas or attitudes are harmful to others, you may find it important to speak up. When you respond, keep the image of the child of God in your mind, speak clearly, but respectfully, as you claim your view. This dialogue can enrich your life and the life of the person with whom you speak. If the person acts negatively toward you, let the time of disagreement also be a time of intense prayer. Intercessory prayer to understand another can bring about a spirit of acceptance. (Adapted from Carolyn Brock and Barbara Howard, eds., The Practice of Prayer: Prayers of our Hands, Independence, Missouri: Herald House 1999).
Diversity of Opinion
Trying to make decisions often brings out a diversity of opinions. The way in which we make decisions in our congregations and families can create tension, challenge our unity, or even end up in division. Talk together about the various ways we make decisions in the congregation and in the World Church. Which procedures have preserved unity amid diversity and which have not? What about those procedures that resulted in unity or division? Consider what other ways we could make decisions that would embrace the diversity of perspectives and preserve relationships.
International Family of Disciples
Community of Christ is a diverse, international family of disciples, seekers, and congregations. Explore who makes up Community of Christ. Where is the church located geographically? (See locations.) What cultures does it comprise? List some congregations that are urban, rural, and suburban. What is unique to each? How does the diversity of cultures, people and congregations enrich our church? Where has your life taken you to experience the diverse cultures of the church? Share your story with another.

Shared Experiences in Community
Experience fellowship and build relationships in Christian community.

Together in Christ: A Journey of Faith
Community of Christ in the United States has been invited to prepare for the USA National Conference by engaging in prayerful reflection, respectful conversation, and receptive spiritual practices. This invitation centers on our ongoing call as a prophetic people who listen for the divine mind, will, and purpose in all significant decisions and mission endeavors. We are called to travel together as we gather, learn, listen, and worship in the spirit of Christ. As a congregation or in small discussion groups, use this resource to deepen your understanding of discernment and a particular Community of Christ pattern or model for seeking God’s will.
Cultural Awareness Outing
Organize a cultural awareness outing—map out ethnic grocers, festivals, community centers. Attend events, shop and dine at minority-owned businesses, go to a school concert.

Witnessing and Storytelling
Hear, tell, and live the sacred story. Share personal and communal stories of God’s grace. Invite others to share the peace of Jesus Christ.

Blessed by Diversity
Share a testimony or personal story about being blessed by the diversity of a group, community, neighborhood, or friendship. What parts of the diversity were challenges to you or others? What gave unity to the group?
Get to Know Them
Are there people you meet repeatedly in your community, people you greet but do not know well? Invite them to a church event. Get to know them better and show them what God means in your life.
Immerse Yourself
Learn more about people, cultures, and religions that are diverse from you. Travel or take a virtual trip to another country. Immerse yourself in the culture, learn a new language; engage in conversation and offer encouragement. Learn about the spiritual practices of that particular country, town, or region. How can your presence provide witness and hope?

Lifelong Learning
Deepen discipleship through specific instruction and training.

Statement on Sexual Ethics
“Sexual ethics vary throughout the worldwide church. As a church, we wish to speak with more clarity and consistency about human sexuality. The need for sexual ethics also comes from the confusion, dysfunction, and suffering people experience in matters related to sexuality.” Study the Community of Christ Statement of Sexual Ethics draft, and then join the church in this conversation.
Accessible to All
Find ways to ensure worship and other activities of your congregation are accessible to all. Test all doors and emergency exits to make sure they work properly. Are aisles, hallways, and restrooms free of obstacles? Is the floor smooth and in good repair? Are the parking lot, entrances and outdoor walkways accessible to all?
We Are One, We Are Many
“We are Community of Christ and we are walking the path together. We sing ‘joy’ in thousands of congregations. We say ‘hope’ in scores of languages. We proclaim peace in almost sixty nations. We are one and we are many. We are diverse, yet we are community, for we belong to Christ.” Read the remainder of the statement “We Are One, We Are Many.” Answer the reflection questions. Share your thoughts and reflections with another lifelong learner.