In 2006 I began to dream about a new faith community in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood of Portland, OR. At the time I knew very little about this quaint little corner of the world, but the more time I spent there, the more I came to love the people who lived, worked, and played in Sellwood.
Sellwood lies on a bluff on the eastern side of the Willamette River, just 10 minutes south of downtown Portland. The neighborhood is known for its antique shops, upscale bistros, independent coffee houses, and Oaks Amusement Park. The people who live here tend to have a stronger sense of being Sellwoodians than Portlanders, and pride themselves on a deep-rooted sense of community. Sellwood is a family neighborhood dominated by young marrieds, recent college graduates, and small children. Reed College is located near its northeastern boundary.
Three years and a Master’s degree later, my wife and I have returned to Sellwood to begin work on our dream. We believe that the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth has the power to transform communities and change lives. But we also believe that the faith called Christianity has become over-complicated by programs. The good news that Jesus was God who came to establish shalom (peace) between the world and himself and has made that shalom available to all people is far simpler than many people make it out to be. It’s the simplicity of that good news that we want to emphasize; a simplicity found within the pages of the Bible.
We are Followers of Jesus who want to see others discover the insurmountable joy of following Jesus. We see following Jesus as more like a journey than a location; in other words, to be a Follower of Jesus is not just adhering to a certain belief system, but living every day – acting in every way – just as Jesus himself taught his followers to. Said another way: Following Jesus is not a religion, it’s a lifestyle. It’s not about obeying a certain set rules and laws, but living in a way that benefits the people around you and discovering how you fit into the grand story of life. But it’s also about knowing why we do what we do; finding joy in things we do.
Our desire is that these three things would define us:
In our quest for simplicity, we seek to discover how we can do those things better. And in the process of discovery, we all learn what our roles in this world are. Our desire is not to create a community where people circle around a particular program or personality (i.e. feeding the hungry, art, etc.). God has equipped all of us to love God and others in our own unique ways. Instead we want to be a community that takes this journey together, helping one another to become faithful and committed followers of the teachings of Jesus, God’s only Son, who then go out into the world and transform the communities where God has already placed us.
If you, like us, are a spiritual sojourner who is interested in being a part of something bigger than yourself, or you just have questions about the ancient Christian faith or what we’re doing, feel free to leave a comment or email me. I’d love to meet you over a cup of coffee.
Jason
jason.devries@att.net
