GN Glossary of Terms

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Attachment:

A deep and enduring emotional bond between two people in which each seeks closeness and feels more secure when in the presence of the attachment figure. 

Attunement:

How reactive a person is to another's emotional needs and moods. A well-attuned person will respond with appropriate language and behaviors based on another person's emotional state. They are good at recognizing moods and emotions in another person and adapting their response.

Brain Science:

The branch of neuroscience studies how the human brain works — how humans think, remember and learn.

Character:

Dallas Willard defined character as "Doing the right thing without thinking about it."

Discipleship:

A relational method of spiritual formation aims to develop an apprentice to live and respond to others and the world as Jesus would. The goal of discipleship is to embody the truth of the Bible in the way of Jesus. 

Elder:

The Core Team of leadership at the Gathering Network made up of staff and volunteer elders. This team will exist to shepherd, lead, and protect the Gathering Network. They will shape the vision and values of our community. They will model a "Jesus-shaped life" for the community, teaching and training the church how to live this way. 

Enemy-mode:

A state of mind in which one person experiences another person as a problem to be solved rather than a person to be related to. 

Gospel:

Literally - "Good News". The message concerning Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.

Gospeling:

The act of sharing the gospel with words or deeds. 

Hesed:

Hesed is a biblical word—an ancient Hebrew word that translators have struggled to capture in English, and yet it’s vital for understanding the way God relates to his people. It occurs some 250 times in the Old Testament. There’s no single English word that quite gets it, which is why some translators have used more than one word: “steadfast love,” “loyal love,” or “loving-kindness.” It’s a word that describes the dynamic depth and complexity of the covenant God makes with us, his people. Another way of describing the meaning of hesed is “sticky love”.

Holding space:

To be empathetically present to another person while letting go of the impulse to fix or judge them. 

Iceberg:

A teaching metaphor emphasizing much of what impacts a person’s relational style and behavior, both positively and negatively, which can be discovered by exploring themes and narratives hidden in the soul - a person’s subterranean thoughts and feelings formed over a lifetime. The teaching suggests that much of our behavior (positive and negative) is informed by implicit memory. 

Immanuel:

A name given to Jesus Christ that means "God with us."

Immanuel Journaling:

A prayerful writing exercise and practice that helps one explore life events, especially the interior life, including thoughts, feelings, and body sensations, with God, whose name is Immanuel (God with us). It is a simple process to help one become aware of God's compassionate presence in life's painful and mundane moments.

Leader:

A person with influence in relation to others.  

Missional Church:

A community of God's people that defines itself, and organizes its life around, its real purpose of being an agent of God's mission to the world (Alan Hirsch) 

Neuroscience:

Neuroscience, also known as Neural Science, studies how the nervous system develops, its structure, and what it does. Neuroscientists focus on the brain and its impact on behavior and cognitive functions.

Neuro-theology: 

The multidisciplinary field of scholarship seeks to understand the relationship between the human brain and religion.

RC's (Relational Connectors):

Built into the human brain are neurons that can effectively be ON or OFF - depending on a person's relational state. When a person's "RCs" are ON, they can see God and/or others as a presence/person to love and be loved, to know and be known, to empower and be empowered. However, when a person’s RCs are OFF, they see God and/or others as a tool to use, a problem to solve, or a project to manage.  

Relational:

Living in relation to others with recognition of a shared interconnectedness. 

Resilient:

A person’s ability to withstand and recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Rule of Life:

A rule of life is a commitment to live life in a particular way. 

Rupture:

A break in the connection between two people is often caused by hurt and anger. Ruptures are a normal part of all relationships. 

Transformational discipleship:

Apprenticeship to Jesus that focuses on the spiritual, relational, and emotional maturity of the whole person through the embodiment of theological truth.