Biblical Community: God’s Design for God’s People

Dwight researched and wrote this Integrative Project as his capstone project for his Masters program. In many ways the project is more important to him today than when it was first written.  It’s importance is not because it is very good or helpful (its neither) – in many ways Dwight has evolved beyond it – yet through its pages he gets to discover afresh who he was and where he comes from.

This is the nature of growth and learning.  What was truly liberating and life-giving at a given point along one’s journey is not likely hold us for all time…

“Did I really think that way?” “Yes!”  “Yes I did!”

For Dwight, this is evidence that people can change.  He has grown and so have you. Growth can happen, and does happen.

Yet, there is no denying that at the time of writing this project it was revolutionary for Dwight.  So many seeds of who he would become were planted, watered, or tended to during this era. 

While most people don’t relish the notion of cringing at what they once wrote, thought, or taught; at least for Dwight, there is an even deeper part of him that hopes that he will continue to grow and discover more of life, love, community, and God.

Dwight blesses the young man who wrote this Integrative Project, and blesses his journey.  As Dory (the wise blue-tang fish who suffered short-term memory loss) from Finding Nemo famously says, “just keep swimming.”  One of Dwight’s prayers is that he might never fall in love with his own words, but continually open up to the real.

This paper was submitted to the faculty of Trinity International University and successfully defended in 1995.

Dwight leads workshops, retreats, and speaks about Christian community and ongoing formation.


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