“When I pray, ‘Lord, bring me into your oneness and align my will to yours,’ I find that this moves me toward others, even those that I disagree with, and it leads me to draw closer into relationship with Jesus.”

As Christians, what should our posture be towards those that we disagree with? Scott Brill is our guest blogger this week, providing some insights into navigating the tension between agreement and friendship that doesn’t end in stalemate. Scott is the director of The Initiative, where individuals “covenant together to live in an intentional initiative, practicing deep and growing friendship with God and others, that the love of Jesus might exceed all divisions.” Read below and watch the video to hear his insights on how the practice of cultivating friendship through disagreement embodies the way of the Trinity.

P.S. The Initiative is hosting a local retreat in Worcester on September 15 & 16. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can live out this unity as Christians, join us!

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Get excited, friends! UniteBoston is planning another outdoor worship concert this September to rejoice in the goodness and faithfulness of our God amidst today’s many challenges: “Again we say rejoice!” (Phil 4:4) This year’s concert will feature performances by top local Christian artists, God’s Chosen community choir, and a united worship band. Join us to rejoice in the Lord together in the heart of the city! 

We have an incredible team of people who are producing this year’s concert – Meet the directors below and see what the theme of “together again” means to them! 

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Name: Craig Ramsey Jr.

Home Church: Mission Church COOLJC 

Role: Community Choir Director

Why Craig is Excited About the Concert: “I’m involved with Unite Boston Fall concert because I enjoy watching people get opportunities to experience Jesus Christ in different ways. I’m excited to be a witness for His glory.”

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Name: Alexis Monroe

Home Church: Bethel AME

Role: Production Coordinator

Why Alexis is Excited About the Concert: “The root word for ‘rejoice’ means to experience joy and that’s why I am excited to be a part of the Again I Say Rejoice concert! Joy cannot be stolen from us, so it’s time that we experience it communally and without limits.” 

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Name: Kevin Michel

Home Church: Restoration City Church

Role: Band Music Director

Why Kevin is Excited About the Concert: “I’m really excited and honored to be involved and serving as the Music Director along with the worship band. The reason why I’m involved because I love bringing worship to the community!”

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Name: Kelly Fassett

Home Church: Neighborhood Church of Dorchester

Role: UniteBoston Support

Why Kelly is Excited About the Concert: “As our team was praying about the concert this year, we sensed the need for boldness to proclaim the goodness of God and hope found in Jesus Christ despite the many challenges that so many are facing today. I am looking forward to seeing many friends and rejoicing in the Lord together with a diverse body of believers.”

As women, we know the importance of self-discipline for achieving our goals in life, be it career, fitness or relationships. But what about our spiritual life? Spiritual disciplines exist for the sole purpose of building character conducive to Christ’s teachings, but we must be willing to make the journey.

-Rev. Moreen Hughes

Today, we want to share about a new book that was just released by local Pastor Rev. Moreen Hughes, entitled “A Woman’s Journey with God: Engaging in the Spiritual Disciplines.” As an associate pastor and women’s minister at Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton, Pastor Moreen is passionate about helping women become the best that God has created them to be. In her new book, she presents a set of spiritual disciplines to help women develop Christlike character and become the best version of themselves.

Click below to read an excerpt from her book. You can purchase her book here!

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“Practices such as reading Scripture and praying are important – not because they prove how spiritual we are – but because God can use them to lead us into life.”

John Ortberg, The life you’ve always wanted: Spiritual disciplines for Ordinary People

In today’s culture, we are seeing a renewed interest in the spiritual disciplines. People are looking for the connectedness into those things that are meaningful and can bring them into greater relationship with God. 

Having developed a personal interest in topics of ‘Christian spirituality’ and ‘Christian spiritual formation,’ I have researched and studied the impact of the spiritual disciplines in the lives of women specifically. These results, done in correlation with my doctoral academic studies, strongly suggest that those who regularly engage in practice of the disciplines have more of a spiritual consciousness and connectedness to Christ, than those who do not, including the formation of their character, spiritually and morally. The practicing of the spiritual disciplines has the potential to aid in the practice of God’s redemptive interactions within each of us.

It is my belief that for the inner self to be spiritually shaped and formed, and the mind to be renewed and transformed, it takes more than a casual knowledge of the Word of God, or an occasional engagement with the disciplines. These practices must become common place in the everyday lives of each of us. There must be a commitment to intentionally setting aside time and developing a lifestyle, which includes interaction with the Word, earnest daily prayer, engaging in the disciplines and an external demonstration of faith that will make one worthy of being called a ‘Christian’ – a disciple of Christ. 

If change and spiritual formation is to be experienced on this Christian journey – It is not about saying so, but knowing so, and doing so. 

Paul said in Philippians 3:10, that knowing Christ is the most important thing he could have ever done in all his life regardless of social standings or interactions, educational attainment, economical resources, or familial ties. We too have access to the principles for knowing Christ, but we must daily set aside the necessary time daily from our over-crowded schedules in order to do so. Refraining from always saying ‘yes’ to others and saying ‘no’ at times, allows us the time to say ‘yes’ to engage in the disciplines and gain a greater understanding of who God is. 

Embarking on a spiritual journey is no easy task. It is an intentional pursuit that requires the individual to purposefully engage in those things that allows for the attainment of such. There is the preparatory stage. Preparing the heart, mind, and soul for the journey.  Being on this Christian spiritual journey requires intentionally learning how to seek after the things of Christ.  

Walking with Christ and engaging in the practice of the spiritual disciplines helps believers in all seasons and stages of life, including times of uncertainty and times of confidence. They revolve around our love for God and help produce Hope, Strength, Trust, Humility, Joy, and Compassion. They produce the ability to see and interact with others in ways God intends in loving our neighbor as self. 

The practice of the disciplines produces desirable qualities necessary to emulate positive interactions with others, self and God. My belief is that when we are obedient and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we become more like Christ. When we are more like him, we become closer to God feeling whole and connected. 

Having a daily quiet time, praying regularly, fasting, and studying God’s Word are not things that people do naturally, they are not an automatic part of us, but they automatically come as a result of our spiritual maturity and when done with consistency. 

In an era where instant gratification is the way that people often approach life, the very idea of discipline does not seem appealing to many. Yet, God invites us on a journey with him that involves discipline. This spiritual journey helps us to find out who we are in life and in Christ. The purpose is not to become mystical or find profound and theological answers, rather, it helps in an individual’s transformational process, moving them toward spiritual development, while journeying on a quest to consciously deepen their spiritual insights. 

We are living in stressful times and there is concern that many persons including followers of Christ, are feeling the effects that are being manifested in the form of depression, anxiety, stress, and discouragement. These debilitating defects can be devastating and have the potential to lead a Christian out of the work ministry and away from the church. However, there is a school of thought that the spiritual disciplines can be beneficial and serve as an aid in helping to manage one’s emotions as well as serve as a deterrent in to helping persons to deal with the uncertainty of times. 

When the focus is shifted away from self, maintaining that connection with God, family and the church can be achieved. I believe that when practiced correctly, spiritual disciplines can be useful as we strive to maintain focus and balance in our lives. 

May our wills be lost in the will of God, as we seek to draw closer to him.

In ways that bring us into his presence – engaging in – the spiritual disciplines.

Devlin Scott is a relational leader dedicated to Christianity, committed to diversity and inclusion and passionate about people. As a cultural driver, he seeks to be active in the significant cultural conversations of our day. As a justice seeker, he speaks to the injustices in our society through charitable dialogue and courageous action. As a Gospel bearer, he seeks to exegete the social climate to find the relevant point to apply the message of hope. He lives out these values through serving with UniteBoston and also as Lead Pastor of NewCity Church in Newton.

Pastor Devlin describes that, “Working with UniteBoston has unleashed in me a passion for the city of Boston and how the church is already at work in incredible ways. I am excited to come alongside that work and contribute the best ways I can for the flourishing of the city.”

Rev. Scott’s role as Managing Director is to oversee program development and strategic partnerships. UniteBoston is blessed to have his skills and experience, and this new title reflects his contribution. Rev. Scott will continue to report to Rev. Kelly Fassett, whose title will change from Team Leader to Executive Director of UniteBoston to align to a new leadership model that represents the growth and future of this organization.

Kelly shares, “It’s been incredible to see the way that UniteBoston has grown the last few years, and I believe this is largely due to the talented leadership of Devlin. His voice, skillsets, and strategic input has enabled our organization to better embody and carry out our mission.”

Since UniteBoston was founded in 2010, we have strived to bring diverse Christians together across historic divides for the flourishing of our communities. In order to do so more intentionally and with greater impact, we now posture ourselves to:

• Nurture relationships across those historic divides, 
• Create restorative spaces for those leading on the frontlines of racial justice, 
• Deepen our relationship with and strengthen local Boston-area pastors while supporting their calling and ministries, 
• Do our part to dismantle racism and break down its systemic impact, 
• Cultivate the “new thing” God is doing in and through His church, and 
• Support the holistic flourishing of the city. 

This new leadership model will advance UniteBoston towards a bright future that supports these and more initiatives with diverse perspectives and critical thought for the betterment of the organization and greater flourishing in the city. 

We are excited that UniteBoston is growing, thus we are opening the role of Communications Administrator to assist with planning, developing, and distributing communications (email, blog, social media) that nurture greater connectedness and unity across Christians in Greater Boston. This part-time position is now open, and we invite you to share with those who might be interested in joining our team. 

We are all UniteBoston. With our new leadership model, our growing team and your support, we will continue to nurture unity among diverse Christians through relationships for the flourishing of the city.