Lovewell: A Theology Introduction

Lovewell. It is a word, a theology, a mission and vision statement, and looks good on a t-shirt. But for those of us in the Crosswalk universe of churches, it means so much more. It is a way of looking at the world, looking at God, seeing what we are supposed to be doing and finding a way to live in this world that we often find so lacking in love. It is the way we wake up in the morning, the way we go to bed at night, and the hope that we have for not only how we will be treated, but how we will treat others as well.

Crosswalk has 5 End statements that guide who we are and how we interact with each other and the world. They are statements that we have spoken of before, and they are what we want anyone who is looking into becoming or starting a Crosswalk church to understand and take to heart. However, we have not always done the deep theological work that needs to be done in order to really understand how these statements are actually theological in nature and speak of a God who has these same values.

It is important to note that we would never presume to say that we have either figured out God or that God agrees with us entirely; that is the foundation of fundamentalism, and that is a deeply dangerous theology. What we hope is that through the deep study of scripture we will uncover the value system of Jesus and incorporate that into our understanding of our End Statements.

When we have had a Lovewell series previously, we have focused on the practical aspects of loving well. This time, we are going to think more theologically than practically. However, our orthodoxy (our right thinking) should always inform our orthopraxy (our right doing). So knowing the theological underpinnings of the Lovewell End Statements helps us to enact and activate them in our lives.

As you take this theological journey with us, we are hopeful that you will not only incorporate this thinking into your life, but into your heart.

This word “Orthopraxy” literally means right action. When our understanding of God is focused on understanding God’s love for us, we can move that knowledge into right action in a myriad of different ways.

What I love about the Crosswalk network of churches and Lovewell Groups is that in each situation, each group and church will figure out how they will make this happen in their own context. The contextualization of loving well is what makes it so exciting, dynamic and applicable in each context.

So as we study these texts, and get to know the love of God in more intimate ways, it is our prayer that God will awaken a new love for others, as you understand even more profoundly the love that God has for you. This feedback loop of love is what drives us, what innervates us, and what compels us to live beyond ourselves.

As a quick reference, here are our end statements:
1. Crosswalk will be a community of Belonging.
2. Crosswalk will be a community where people learn and grow in an authentic relationship with God.
3. Crosswalk will be relevant in living out the ways of Jesus in our place and time.
4. Crosswalk will be a community that lives beyond herself by caring and advocating for the powerless, oppressed and abandoned
5. Crosswalk will be a community that exemplifies servant leadership.

Thank you for taking this journey with us.
Pastor Tim and the Crosswalk Series Guide Team