The Colossian Forum

THE COLOSSIAN FORUM EQUIPS CHRISTIANS TO TRANSFORM CULTURAL CONFLICT INTO OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND WITNESS.

THE COLOSSIAN FORUM (TCF) TAKES ITS NAME AND INSPIRATION FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL'S STUNNING PROCLAMATION IN COLOSSIANS 1:17 THAT "ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER IN CHRIST." TODAY, IN A TIME OF DEEP DIVISIONS BETWEEN CHRISTIANS, ST. PAUL'S SIX WORDS CHANGE EVERYTHING. THEY REVEAL THAT ALL REALITY IS ULTIMATELY UNITED IN JESUS-AND THEREFORE ALL DIVISIONS AND ANIMOSITIES ARE RECONCILED IN HIM. TCF IS DEDICATED TO RECLAIMING THIS LIBERATING TRUTH AND PROCLAIMING IT TO ALL CHRISTIANS WHO ARE DIVIDED. SINCE TCF'S FOUNDING IN 2011, WE HAVE PRIMARILY DONE THIS WORK BY INVITING PEOPLE INTO CONVERSATIONS ON CONTENTIOUS TOPICS THROUGH THE HOSTING OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FORUMS, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, AND OFFERING CHRISTIAN SCHOLARSHIP. IN 2015, TCF BEGAN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHURCH-BASED TRAINING MODEL THAT INVITES CONGREGATIONS TO INTENTIONALLY ENGAGE THE DIVISIVE ISSUES IN THEIR MIDST AS A WAY TO FURTHER THE DISCIPLESHIP WORK OF THE CHURCH. THIS IS AN INTERGENERATIONAL PROGRAM RECOGNIZING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ESPECIALLY NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CHURCH'S MOST CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS IN ORDER TO GROW UP A NEW GENERATION OF THOUGHTFUL AND FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF JESUS. THE COLOSSIAN FORUM MODEL FOR INVITING CHRISTIANS INTO DIVISIVE ISSUES IS ROOTED, FIRST AND LAST, IN WORSHIP AND PRAYER. BY WORSHIPPING AND PRAYING TOGETHER, WE FIND OUR HEARTS OPEN TO THE LORD AND THROUGH HIM TO ONE ANOTHER. THESE PRACTICES CULTIVATE NEW CAPACITIES-LISTENING THAT'S GENEROUS AND TALK THAT'S HONEST AND KIND. WE STUDY AND PURSUE TRUTH TOGETHER OPENLY. WE GET A TASTE OF NEW HABITS FOR LIVING. WE TRY OUT OUR UNITY IN JESUS. AND WE DISCOVER THE REALITY THAT ALL THINGS, INCLUDING US WITH ALL OUR DISAGREEMENTS, HOLD TOGETHER IN CHRIST. IN 2020, WE MADE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS FOR OFFERING OUR PROGRAM SERVICES BY SHIFTING MORE OF OUR TRAINING AND RESOURCES ONLINE (PLANNED BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, BUT EXPEDIATED DUE TO IT). WE SAW A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF OUR ONLINE CLASSROOM AND STORE, WHICH SAW CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL PARTNERS TAKING UP OUR TRAINING AND RESOURCES IN NEW WAYS. LATE IN 2020, WE ALSO BEGAN WORK ON AN EXTENSION OF OUR COLOSSIAN WAY SMALL GROUP PROGRAM THROUGH THE WAYFINDER PROJECT. THIS NEW PROJECT AIMS TO TAKE THE PRINCIPLES OF THE COLOSSIAN WAY AND APPLY THEM MORE BROADLY THROUGHOUT A CHRISTIAN INSTITUTION BY TRAINING AND EQUIPPING LEADERS AS PART OF AN EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE WHOLE-INSTITUTION CULTURE CHANGE WITH REGARD TO CONFLICT AND DISAGREEMENTS.