Telos Community begins this week

 

Telos Community 

over 30 intentional discipleship community

Telos: Telos is the ancient Greek term for an end, fulfillment, completion, goal or aim (Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

Theme Verse: Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome (telos) of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1.8-9

The Telos Community will get at that primary gnawing question: to what end (telos) am I living? We will ask this question together. We came from community (mom and dad), and are meant to end in community (Trinitarian Kingdom), and we are meant to get there in community (Trinitarian Community of the Kingdom--the Church!). Let's go where we are going--together.

The Telos Community is: An intentional community of over-30's committed:

• to a September weekly exploration of the “Rule-of-life” exploring daily and seasonal rhythms that sustain the Jesus life in us, patterns or habits for our year (or life) that foster hospitality, outreach, multiplication, and equipping. This will take place on Sunday nights after the Table Service (5 PM), from 6-7 PM in the Family Room (MPR) until the new Library opens up.
• to October 2022-May 2023 Sunday night rotation that includes community nights, common meals, common worship, teaching, integration groups, games, laughter, ministry (runs September-June). Themes for Track One for the year include: identity, idolatry, vocation (discernment, gifts, personality), rest/work, guilt/shame/grace, prayer, gender/sexuality, how to study the bible. 
• to weekly worship in the congregation.

How is Telos similar and/or different from the Theta Community? The Theta Community was Trinity’s first intentional discipleship community founded in 2019. It is for HS Seniors through 29-year-olds. We have learned a few important things about discipleship through our Theta experience, and we hope to cultivate these same insights into our Telos Community.

1. Discipleship is not primarily a data-dump. We don’t just need another class or course. Discipleship is a prayerful and regular way of life together. Think crock pot, not microwave. Jesus rarely interacted one-on-one with his disciples. Teaching happened in the midst of walking together, talking together, eating together, arguing together, laughing together, serving together.
2. Growth in grace is essential, a trellis is helpful. We are not the first discipleship communities to share the language of “rule of life” and “rhythm of prayer.” These helps have given some common language and ways and commitments to a growing life. Imagine a bougainvillea vine without a wall or fence or trellis. The trellis doesn’t inhibit or limit, it trains. Most of us have found the “Rule of Life” and “Rhythm of Prayer” to train—to discipline—us in the way of Jesus. We will use the same Rule of Life in Telos as we do in Theta. It will be introduced in the first month of both communities.
3. An intentional discipleship community is meant to be something, but not everything. We had to figure out how often to meet and for how long. If we met too much, we would not have time to be a part of the other important groups of which each of us might belong. We need time to play, time for family, time for other friends. The goal is not to replace our whole social structure with Theta/Telos. But, we also need time to foster the relationships where the prayerful life of the disciple is prioritized. Once-a-week connected to a time when we are already together (5 PM service) seems to be a fair (kind of costly, kind of convenient :) commitment. If you have kids, we hope they can be involved in TSP Kids (littles through 3rd grade), or Catechism (4-6th grades), or Youth handout time (7-12th grades). 
4. We will share a rhythm of prayer with the Theta Community. We commit to a short morning practice (20-25 minutes) and a short evening practice (15-20 minutes) both of which give a profoundly biblical and prayerful shape to our daily life as disciples. 
5. Telos will have some differences too. Over 30s are in a different season than people in their 20’s. Over 30’s are looking forward—and looking back. Over 30’s know there are limits, that we boundaried people. Evaluating how we use our resources, our energy, our time is more realistic. If Telos ‘works’ you will operate out of more grace and less guilt/shame. You will no longer wonder if you are ‘doing’ prayer or the Bible right. You will live more confidently as a character in the story that God is authoring, instead of the script by which you have felt constrained. Telos is not going to be fast and jam-packed. It is going to be slow and spacious. I think the Message paraphrase of Matthew 11.28-29 might describe my hopes for our time: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

I’m not sure if Telos is for me. What do you suggest? Try it for the first month! All it will cost is your time. If it is not for you—no problem! I would suggest that you try to commit to more than hit-or-miss participation in the first month. Come as many times as you can at the beginning. That will create a great foundation for our community, and will cultivate connections that will benefit everyone throughout the year. 

What should I bring? Curiosity. Yourself. Seriously. I will have some resources for you over the course of the first weeks. Some of you might want to bring your Bible. Definitely a pen or pencil. 

Is there a schedule or calendar that helps me understand the plan? You bet. www.trinitysanpedro.org/telos. But, it might change. :)