As followers of Jesus, we are after something much more than following a set of rules or attending religious events: we are after a real relationship with God himself. Jesus came into our world so that we could spend eternity with Him; and while He isn’t physically on the earth today, we can still connect with Him through the Holy Spirit. Learning to be in the presence of God is one of the core elements of the Christian life.

The Bible is full of past stories and present promises of redemption and transformation. We can work at managing our image and behaviors, but real, lasting change only comes as the character of Jesus is formed in our hearts and minds. This formation comes as we learn to be with Him and as we relate to other people.

What we do flows out of who we are; the choices we make and the way we act is the result of our beliefs and values. This is why following Jesus isn’t simply a belief system or worldview—it’s a complete transformation of how we live our lives. As we become more like Jesus in character, we will also become more like Him in practice. Engaging with people and serving our communities like He did, anchors us in His presence and demonstrates His nature to our world.