The Pre-eminence of Jesus

[Anna]

Respond in paragraph format to the following prompt(s):

How can we ensure that the name of Jesus never becomes just a formula or an incantation?

We can ensure that the name of Jesus does not become a formula or an incantation by completely surrendering to Him. When we put aside our own agendas and plans in order to be obedient, when we worship Him and lay our lives at His feet – becoming His servants – then we are not just following a formula, we are following a person, the PERSON of Jesus.

Jesus is the ultimate source of life, salvation, grace, love, power, and authority and if He weren’t at the centre of ACOP, I think I would wonder about the leaders are really following the bible. Having Jesus at the centre of the ACOP means that nothing is done without Him, and that we are allowing Him to work in, through, amongst us. Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father and no one can come to the Father except through HIM. Therefore He has to be at the centre of everything we believe, everything we think, and everything we do.

[Zach]

We can ensure that the name of Jesus never becomes just a formal nor incantation by engaging deeply in the pursuit of the experiential relationship with Him. I really liked how it was said that the pre-eminence of Jesus is experience, not just a mechanical nor systemic approach to ministry or a theological invocation, but rather something lived out personally and communally. I think if there is the passion of the pursuit to know Him, and the stirring of one another to the same, the preeminence of Jesus will be worked out relationally and He will be allowed to express Himself as the Pre-eminent one in our lives and churches. This is what it means for me for Jesus to be the centre of ACOP churches; that the preeminence if Jesus is relationally expressed, and at functional church level, he is allowed freedom to express Himself as Lord His Church in ways that genuinely affect what is done and not done.

[Jaylen]

Things become a formula or practice when we forget why we are doing the things we are doing. When we get caught in just “doing” the right thing over an over again we forget why we are doing that very thing. Sometimes this is innocent, sometimes its intentional neglect of Christ. Jesus must be the reason we do what we do, and we must do it with conscious acknowledgment of just that.
I believe ACOP is doing that by making sure their statements are aligned with Christ at the center. They are also doing it in practice by constantly acknowledging and exhalting Jesus above anything else

[Deleted User]

• We can ensure that the name of Jesus doesn’t become just a formula or an incantation by checking our hearts and our attitudes when we do things in the name of Jesus. Are we just saying his name just to say it? Or are we living in a way that honours him and obediently submits to him in everything that we do? I think by thinking deeper about the actions we are doing and the prayers we are praying we can use the name of Jesus in an important and valuable way without it just becoming a formula.
• What it means for Jesus to be at the center of ACOP is that he guides every decision that we make. I loved how it was mentioned in the video that before every leadership meeting, they always pray “Jesus have your way”. By submitting to his guidance and being obedient to the things he says, ACOP can follow the things he says to do. Jesus is what sets us apart from other religions.