First of all, let me say welcome to everyone who has joined us on this wild journey we call Christianity. It is truly an exciting time to be a part of God's Kingdom. Throughout the history of the Christian church, God's people have constantly been challenged to re-evaluate their role in the world. Yet, at the heart of Christian tradition lies a shared experience, such that we are always One Church in Christ. It is an experience of grace, of wonder, of a shared yearning to see God's Kingdom manifest in our lives and in the world around us. We find ourselves united in the common recognition that Christ is "emmanuel," God with the us - the fullness of God made manifest in human flesh. In the encounter with Christ, something in us intuitively recognizes the presence of God, and we realize: "Here at last is that Something - or that Someone - that I have been searching for all my life." Our numerous traditions, denominations, and theological approaches are simply reflections of that One experience.

And so we find ourselves ruminating on the questions that led us to Christ in the first place:

"What is God like?"

"How should we relate to God and to one another?

"What does it mean to be a community in Christ?"

It is questions like these that I would like for us to discuss in this blog. These questions are the outworking of our shared encounter with Jesus, and a reflection of our core identity as Christians. I believe it is important that this blog be an open environment conducive to the free exchange of spiritual ideas. We are not afraid to tackle the big questions or venture down paths as yet unexplored. The Christian experience only grows richer as new voices enter into dialogue with Christ and His community.

Too often, our churches have been reduced to lecture halls, in which one voice is heard to the exclusion of all others. Ultimately, God's people only lose when they adopt this approach to ministry, because we're not hearing what God is saying through all of His people. I find myself reflecting on the stories of Jesus entering the synagogues of Galilee and standing up to address the assembled crowds. If Jesus came to our churches today, would we let him stand up and speak? It's something to think about.

That's why Trailblazer exists, and that's why this blog exists. Because you are a Child of God, and you have an experience to share and a story to tell. Anyone who participates in the Trailblazer gatherings will be given full access to contribute to this blog. Think of it as an archive of our experience together as a community in Christ. This archive will continue to grow bigger and bigger as we chip in our thoughts, ideas, devotions, prayers, songs, poetry... heck, even recipes and art pieces are welcome. The point is, this blog will be a treasure of immeasureable worth one day, because it will contain the thoughts and experiences of God's people on earth.

And what could be better than that?