As followers of Jesus, we straddle two realities that often seem in tension with each other. We dare to dream of heaven on earth, a reality Jesus called the kingdom of God, where peace, love, and justice reign. We also live in a world that often seems far from that, where darkness and despair can overwhelm us. But Jesus said the kingdom is “at hand” and calls us to reach out to embrace and embody it. Following Jesus means living in this tension, remaining faithful, struggling without losing hope, and working to be the very change we want to see in the world.

In this four-week series we will wrestle with some of the everyday challenges we face as we seek to live in this tension. We experience many of these challenges somewhat privately in our personal lives and as part of our own unique journey. Others we experience as we engage with both the pain and injustice of our broken world as well as the conflict between differing social, political, and religious views about solutions. Together, we’ll explore our own doubts, fears, and uncertainties and how we might enter the tension and conflict in a courageous and healthy way that offers hope. We’ll encourage and support one another on this journey, recognizing that none of us can walk it alone.