Metanoia Community

I would like to announce that we have officially named our community! As we sat around our living room, Ryan (my husband) shared about a book he has been reading called The Theology of Dallas Willard: Discovering Protoevangelical Faith. Now, let me back-track a little bit.

My husband is a huge fan of Dallas Willard, I mean HUGE! Ryan's life has been eternally altered because of the ways Dr. Willard explains what it means to live in God's Kingdom today. I am so thankful. I know Ryan is thankful as well. 

Anyways, Ryan bought this book talking about Willardian Theology (how awesome to have a theology named after you?!?) and as he read it, a word came up that we have seen and heard before, but this time it was different. As Ryan read an excerpt out of The Theology of Dallas Willard: Discovering Protoevangelical Faith to us, we believed that the word metanioa defined exactly who we are:

"Willard's most popular work, The Divine Conspiracy, focuses on describing the existential condition and process of living in this convertive state. Willard also spends the majority of Renovation of the Heart discussing the reasons and hurdles that prevent persons from entering into the "easy yoke" of transformation with Jesus as a guide. Renovation pursues the roles anthropology, psychology, sociology, and epistemology play in the theological understandings of individuals and groups attempting to convert/transform their previous worldviews and enter into a relational interaction with the kingdom of God. This process is what Willard describes as the biblical understanding of metanioa or repentance, an important theme carried throughout his description of the apostle Paul's encouragement to become "transformed by the renewal of the mind." Willard defines repentance as "rethinking one's thinking" or "reconsidering one's considerations."

We are a group of people who have decided that the best way to live is to live in the Kingdom of God. This is what we believe we were created for: to live in community with God and each other; encouraging one another; lifting one another up; singing songs of praise and worship to our Maker; knowing that none of us is perfect, but striving to honor God in everything we do.

Now you know the story of how we became Metanoia Community. May you enjoy the blog-posts as they come, however often they are written, deleted or published. May you be blessed as we attempt to capture our journey in Kingdom and communal living, child-raising, animal care-taking, and gardening.