My job is to create culture. To create environments for people to take steps of spiritual formation. To craft content and communicate vision that serves our community of believers well with authentic culture codes. The way we do what we do and why we do it. I work rather tirelessly to create and sustain space for people to connect to Christ and connect to each other one step at a time.

Paul’s words in Colossians 1:28-29 resonate with me when he shares his desire to present everyone mature in their relationship with Christ and that he is going to bust hump doing what it takes as Christ’s mighty power works within him. I share that same desire to see people fall in love with Jesus in such a way that He changes the trajectory of their entire life. I long to see people own their faith, wrestle with their faith and even lose their faith if it means exchanging it for a stronger one. And I lean heavily…completely on Christ’s mighty power to sustain me through the conversations that lead to conversations that lead to spiritual breakthroughs.

Maturity is a progression not necessarily an arrival point and that makes it movement.

I believe spiritual formation to be movement in the distinct direction of Christ. He draws near to us as we draw near to Him.

I believe everyone has a next step because steps are movement. My heart is to help each person I encounter take the best next step and not settle for anything less.

I believe that every step we take is spiritually formative, even steps backwards.

My job, my joy, my burden, my task, my opportunity, my calling, my ministry is to create the space for people to begin and continue moving in the distinct direction of Christ. And I’m humbled to have the privilege of a front row seat for so many of those journeys to faith.

But my first ministry must come first. I tell our college students often, “I’m useless to you as a pastor if I’m not the father I’m called to be. And I can’t be the father I’m called to be if I’m not the husband I’m called to be. And if Christ is not leading me, I’m not leading my marriage.”

The culture I create in my marriage, in my family, is my first ministry. It is my priority. It is the culture I’m called to create, first.

My wife should always get my best so that we together can give our children our best…so that God can use our family for His glory to point people in His distinct direction. My first job is to create a Christ-centered culture at home.

So maybe this seems absurd to some, but we have been trying to develop what we call our Team Woods Culture Codes. It’s a short list of phrases that are helping us point our marriage and our children in the distinct direction of Christ. It’s giving us filters for navigating conflict and turning teachable moments into spiritual movements.  It has gone through many drafts and will continue to, I’m sure. It will include the serious and the silly (“when we poop, we flush”), the complicated and the commonsense (“when we poop, we flush”).

Whatever age of life or stage of life you are in, hopefully it sparks a desire in you to create or revisit your culture codes (because after watching the VMAs the other night, God knows we need them).

Here is what we have so far…

Love Jesus first.

Lead with grace. Look to serve.

Always stick together. Always trust each other.

Share what we have. Give what is needed.

Work hard. Love big.

What culture are you creating in your marriage?

What culture are you creating in your family?

What culture are you creating in your work place?

What’s on your list?