Who is a part of your community? Who can/do you call when things get rough or when you have questions about life? Who are your people?

A Spotlight is a way of looking at a particular concept through different lenses; worship, learning, and serving. The hope is that, as you and the folks you do the Spotlight with engage in this process, you'll find yourselves growing together, supported by God, and finding some real ways to show love to the world around you.

Hi, I'm Kent, and I have a question:

A Spotlight is an interactive lesson designed to foster vulnerable, genuine friendships by worshipping, learning, and serving with others. Each Spotlight focuses on a single topic. In light of that topic, the shared content guides you toward rest in worship, wisdom in education, and purpose in serving.

Each Spotlight has five parts: welcome, worship, learn, serve, and farewell. In the welcome section, we break the ice and find out what the Spotlight is focused on. In the worship section, we're reminded that God is in control, and because he is, we can rest, trusting that he's got us. The learn section is a time to discuss the big questions surrounding the Spotlight's focus. In the serve section, we apply what we've learned to things happening on the ground level in the world, right now. To conclude, the farewell section provides time to pray, reflect, and say goodbye-for-now.

Why this model? I know there might be an idea of how "church" works that you've developed because most churches have done the same basic thing for a thousand years. And I acknowledge, this is a little different. But when Christianity is working, it should create trusting, caring community. This small group oriented thing -- a Spotlight - is a medium that aims to meet people where they are right now. The content is available to everyone and can be done anywhere at anytime! The small-group setting contributes to deep, meaningful relationships, providing a spiritual community in which people are cared for and had all their needs met. This is the kind of church Spotlights are designed to make real.

Feel free to take a look at the following "Future of the Church" Presentation, which addresses the question, "What does a church serving people in the 21st century and beyond look like?"

"Questions from the Future: A framework for building Churches that remain beneficial."

As you continue to sample Spotlight, let's pray this prayer:

Lord,
Thank you for people who are interested
in learning more about Spotlights.
May they find what they learn useful and good. 
Amen.

There is a lot that makes us restless. It comes from within and without, but everything that steals your rest is a symptom of the same problem: We try to control what we can't or shouldn't control. Human beings do not like to give up control, but the results of trying to maintain it can be devastating. Here's an example of such results as delivered in a message from the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 6:16-21 (NIV): 16 This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.' 17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said, 'We will not listen.' 18 Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them. 19 Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law.

20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me." 21 Therefore this is what the Lord says: "I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish."

See how bad it gets? God tried to provide rest to the people. They decided they didn't want what he promised and could do better. Their decision led to disaster. To be clear, that disaster wasn't just arbitrary punishment from God, as if God is someone who bashes in a windshield after we break up with him. The disaster is "the fruit of their schemes."

We can try to make things better by controlling everything, but what you'll ultimately find is that you can't control everything. You weren't designed to do so. That's why, in the worship portion of every Spotlight, the hope is to relieve you from needing to control whatever thing the Spotlight is focused on that week.

Jesus assures us that he will give us rest.

Matthew 11:25-30 reads: 25 I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, al you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Before watching the video below, consider these ancient words of praise from St. Augustine's Confessions.  "Lord, you are great and worthy of praise! Your strength and your wisdom are beyond measure. We long to praise you, though we are burdened by our mortality. Though we are conscious of sin, we long to praise you. You stir in us the desire to praise you. Our delight is to praise you. For you have made us that we long for you, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."
 

Wisdom, growth, and working out all share a common thread: They involve the pursuit of improvement and the development of one's potential. Wisdom is the ability to make sound decisions and judgments based on experience, knowledge, and understanding. It's not just about accumulating facts, but about using those facts to navigate life with insight and compassion. Growth is the ongoing process of evolving--whether intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually. It involves learning from experiences, overcoming challenges, and expanding one's capabilities. It's a continuous journey of self-improvement, where each step forward builds upon the last.

Working out, on the other hand, is a physical form of growth, where the body is challenged to get stronger, healthier, and more resilient. Just as wisdom requires reflection and learning, and growth demands adaptation and change, working out requires discipline, consistency, and pushing past limits to see tangible progress. (Though physical exercise is not a part of the Spotlight, it is a good example of what the learn section is designed to do, which is exercise our spiritual muscles.

Read out loud the following verses:

Philippians 1:3-11:
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may about more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ---to the glory and praise of God."
--
1. Paul is writing to the church in Philippi, expressing his love, thanksgiving, and prayers fo them. It's clear that Paul cared deeply for these people. Building deep, meaningful relationships were (and still are) essential to ministry.  

Can you provide an example in which the phrase "the people made the place" was true for you?

2. Notice how Paul uses the word "partnership." Though he was a leader in the early church, he does not flaunt it nor put himself on a pedestal. He acknowledged that, in the kingdom, no person is greater than another. Ranks are disruptive to furthering the gospel.

In what ways have you seen people abuse their ranks, particularly in places where you felt the standards should have been held higher?

3. Looking at verse 6: He (the Holy Spirit) who began a good work (faith) in you will see it to completion until Jesus Christ returns. Faith isn't a straight line. There will be trials and triumphs, moments of doubt and others of confidence. You and your faith are constantly being refined.

What do you find to be helpful when you experience moments of doubt?

4. All that's listed above makes the following clear: it is undoubtedly necessary that spiritual growth occur within a supportive, spiritual community that intently listens, humbly serves, and deeply loves. [This is how Spotlight Communities work.]

Give examples of ways you can be more intentional about being present for those in your life.

The learn section is highly discussion-based where we build our spiritual muscles. We dig deeper into a scriptural concept as it relates to big life questions. It strays from the "sage on the stage" format that preaching in traditional church settings so often create. Here, you're meant to be a part of the conversation. You're meant to wrestle with big questions--spiritual and life-related. You do so alongside your peers with the goal of deepening your understanding, promoting exposure to different perspectives, and (most importantly) building relationships with those in your Spotlight group. By engaging in discussions, we hope to help you move beyond memorization to true comprehension and application of the themes presented within the Spotlight.

Illume is a 501(c)3 religious nonprofit and can rightly be considered a church. There's a lot more to it than that!

As a pioneering spiritual community, we aim to create meaningful connections in our community groups and through the use of our building. Located on the corner of 33rd and 50th in the Ravenna neighborhood, Illume's building serves as a coffeehouse, community event venue, and a co-working and incubation space. We offer wedding and event rentals, cubicle and private office rentals, ministerial counseling, and nonprofit consultations.

We want to be self-sustainable. "Numbers" (i.e., the amount of people supporting the church via tithes and offerings) are insignificant compared to the relationships that we want to develop with those we serve.

We are intentional about practicing good stewardship. We want to use the resources we've been blessed with in ways that will best serve our community.

We understand that every person needs a third place--a place outside of the home and workplace that allows them to gather to connect and build community. We want to be that third place for you!

Jesus himself was humble enough to wash his disciples feet! (See John 13:12-17). How much more are we called to do the same! We are called to love one another. To not serve goes in direct opposition to what we're commanded to do. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

There are plenty of ways to get involved at Illume. From helping with event set-up and take-down to preparing meals for mission groups that travel to serve the congregation, we are always open to, and appreciative of, the extra helping hands!

To get involved with community event and outreach, connect with us through our contact page.

Close with this reflective song.