Here are some useful definitions you may want to refer to during Reimagine.  

Whole-life disciple
Pretty often, discipleship is treated as a programme, or a day of the week when we go to church services, or just about Christian activities. But every disciple should align with Jesus in the whole of life. So, a whole-life disciple is someone learning to follow the way of Jesus in their particular time and place. And in these places, we’re called to be salt and light, making a difference where we already are. 

Wise peacemaker
This phrase – ‘wise doves’ – was used by the early church to capture who Christ would have us be for him today. It draws from Matthew 5:9 and 10:16, that we are blessed when we are peacemakers – as this is what our Heavenly Father does – but we need to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves, as a lot of people reject Jesus’ way in this complex cultural moment. Peace, shalom, is about being in right relationship with God, our neighbours, nature, and ourselves. So, putting it together, a wise peacemaker is a whole-life disciple in head, heart, and hands: they know what is wise in any given situation (head); they have Christlike character to desire flourishing in every area of life (heart); and they have the skill to work for peace starting right where they already stand (hands). But becoming a wise peacemaker takes lots of practise and the ability to ‘triple listen’, which is why we need Reimagine! 

Triple listening
This is the key framework in Reimagine, and a core skill to become a wise peacemaker. To know how Jesus is calling us to live in our particular time and place, we need to understand the context we’re in. This starts by listening to the world around us – culture’s stories. But, we also need to see how God’s way relates to this, by listening to his word – God’s story. And, we need to do this in community, by listening to one another – the stories of the people around you. So, triple listening to the word, world, and one another. 

Frontline
This is any place you regularly spend time, often with people who don’t know Jesus – like where you live or learn, work or play, shop or serve. Being intentional in these locations means you can join God’s mission 24/7 in your neighbourhood, office, factory, or gym, at the school gate, even sipping a latte in Costa. 

Culture
With a little ‘c’, ‘culture’ can refer to the way things are done on our frontlines in our particular time and place. ‘Culture’ with a big ‘C’ refers to what’s going on at a national or even global level, which in turn shapes our everyday contexts. Culture is what we make of the world, both in meaning (why are things the way they are) and artefact (objects like your iPhone and patterns like queueing to catch a bus). It emerges from a bigger story we tell ourselves about the meaning of life, and reflects what we love, hate, and hope for. The cultural forces listed below shape our complex cultural moment, and are the water we’re swimming in. So we need wisdom to know how to respond in our particular time and place. 

Consumerism
The story of ‘never enough’. We expect anything we want, when we want it, with maximum speed and minimum inconvenience. We’re being shaped into consumers, and happiness is just one purchase or one brand away. 

Secularism
The story of ‘right here, right now’. We’re told to live in the moment, without much thought to the long-term future or deeper questions. All that matters is the material world in front of me, not the above (transcendent) and beyond (life after death). 

Pluralism
The story of choice. We’re overwhelmed with the sheer number of ideas, truths, lifestyles, and diversions to choose from. But there’s no clear standard on what’s right, and little guidance on what to pick. You do you. 

Postmodernism
The story of suspicion. Where modernism was about trusting in reason and authoritative experts, post-modernism is sick of experts and tired of traditional institutions, because they’ve all proved themselves untrustworthy. The only person I can trust is myself, or my tight-knit tribe. 

Expressive individualism
The story is all about me. All these narratives tell me that I’m the centre of the universe, that I just need to be best version of myself, and live that out authentically. But this story offers no real wisdom for who I am and who I should become, or the path between here and there.

Water, weed, and weave
The simplest way to faithfully and fruitfully follow Christ in your context, and change the culture for the better, is to water what’s already good in that context, adding energy to whatever brings life; weed out what’s destroying life and pulling people away from God; and weave something new, creatively finding fresh ways to connect people to God, their neighbour, nature, and be at peace with themselves.