About the Theme

Surrendered to God
Transformed in Christ
Empowered by the Spirit

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a
single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who
hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me.
John 12:24-26a

Surrendered to God, transformed by Christ, empowered by the Spirit,
names our trinitarian faith in God. It acknowledges God’s redemptive gift
of forgiveness through Jesus Christ and the gift of discipleship in
following Jesus Christ, both vital components of the biblical faith of the
Brethren. The theme celebrates our past journey, embraces confessional
faith and practice in the present, and seeks renewed faithfulness in
moving toward the future God has for us.

Our Scripture Focus in John 12:24-26a catches up the different aspects
of the 300th Anniversary theme. As the grain of wheat falls into earth, so
we surrender to God, in order to be made fully alive as we are
transformed in Christ. As we are empowered by the Spirit, God can bear
fruit in our lives and in the church. The Brethren began as people who
were willing to surrender their lives to God in order to receive the life that
God gives. They became servants of Christ Jesus by following him and
bearing fruit through the Spirit’s power. The 300th Anniversary is a time
to celebrate what God has done in our midst in the past, and to seek
prayerfully new surrender to God, new transformation through Christ
and new empowerment by the Holy Spirit in faithful witness to God for
the future.

Surrendered to God
Surrendered to God points to the attitude of the early Brethren as they
decided to form a body of believers in the bond of faith and baptism.
Surrender to God is also the starting point for any one entering the
Christian faith. Surrender to God is not passive, but a total yielding of self
for God’s will to become active in our lives individually and as a church.
This phrase catches some of the Pietist emphasis on letting go of self in
order to enter fully into faith and active discipleship. Our celebration of
the 300th anniversary of the beginning of the Brethren holds up the total
surrender of the early Brethren to God, and our hope that Brethren can
move faithfully into the future with full surrender of our lives to God.

Transformed in Christ
The surrender to God acknowledges that we need to be transformed in
Christ, forgiven of sin by God’s gracious redemption through the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Transformation forgives and begins to
form believers for Christ-like living, trusting in God’s grace in order to
live as disciples. The early Brethren saw themselves being transformed in
Christ as believers and as a body, seeking to live in obedience born of
faith in and love for Christ. This catches some of the Anabaptist emphasis
on transformation for discipleship, taking up the cross, risking everything
for faithfulness, and sharing faith joyfully with others. As Brethren
celebrate the 300th anniversary by seeking the fullness of transformation
in Christ, the church can experience anew God’s gift of forgiveness and
fresh vitality in our desire to be formed into the likeness of Christ.

Empowered by the Spirit
Disciples who are surrendered to God and transformed by
Christ engage in ministry empowered by the Spirit. The Holy
Spirit gives power for believers to live and minister faithfully
together in the variety of spiritual gifts and fruit born by the
Spirit. Brethren have had a long history of active ministry
sharing material aid, comfort and the good news of Jesus
Christ near and far. We celebrate this extension of ministry
outward through the power of the Holy Spirit during the last
three hundred years. We look forward to new ministries
empowered by the Holy Spirit as we follow the Spirit’s leading
into the future.