A discipleship programme for young Christian adults to learn to think, live and speak distinctively for Jesus in working life.
Cross-Current
What is special about Cross-Current?
Intergenerational role models
Wherever possible we learn wisdom from one generation to another, hearing practical advice on distinctive living for Jesus at work from those who have already tried, and occasionally succeeded!
Biblical worldview as a foundation for character
We dig deep into the Bible. We link what we learn from biblical worldview about the nature of God and his plans for his Creation (including us) with the formation of Christlike character as a foundation for a life of witness at work.
Learning communities
Cross-Current groups are learning communities of 12-16 people who travel together through a learning experience that is typically spread over 2-3 years. This community and timespan gives us time to form trusting relationships, and time to try to change who we are at work with the support of others.
Cross-Current Curriculum
“Discipleship is not concerned with acquiring skills but with growing in Christlike character. Therefore it takes time and it focusses above all on the person of Jesus.”
Our Core curriculum is built around six modules, each of which explores a different aspect of Christlike character and challenges us to ask how well that character trait is manifest in who people perceive us to be at work.
Module 1 - Serving Christ at work.
This module looks at theology of work and opens up the biblical worldview in Eden, before asking how work looks in a world plagued by sin. What does the creation mandate mean for us, how can we learn to exercise our gifts and responsibilities at work.
Module 2 - Loving your neighbour at work.
We look at what it means to be made in the Image of God as relational persons, and how this relationally is the core of human being. Then we ask how our workplaces might be different if the values of Christian love were evident.
Module 3 - Biblical integrity at work
Understanding sin and its destructive impact on relationships, we ask how our worship of God must be reflected in lives of honesty, trustworthiness and righteousness - especially in working life. Biblical righteousness becomes our mandate for ethical living in and out of work.
Module 4 - Making money and using it well.
We unpick Old Testament teaching about wealth. The Lord’s ownership of everything, his provision for his people, and his people’s provision for the marginalised. We explore the deceitfulness of wealth and the value of generosity as an expression of trust.
Module 5 - Running fast in the right direction - ambition and humility.
Real humility comes not from self-reflection but from reflection on the magnitude of God’s glory. Here we study Philippians to see Paul’s passion for what Christ has given him coupled with his awe at the cost of that gift. In this context we learn to assess our own motivation.
Module 6 - Living with purpose.
“Once you were darkness now you are light, therefore live as children of the light (the fruit of light is truth, kindness and righteousness).”
Spending a weekend in Ephesians is never a bad thing to do!
Any particular order?
Whilst you will learn loads from any of these modules taken on its own, each module clearly builds on the theology of previous modules. So, for example if you dive in with Module 3, you might want to take a refresher on Module 1 or 2 and what we learned about Worldview before sin.
Different Groups
City Groups
A group of friends, colleagues, church members or IFES graduates, from all different professions.
Using the Cross-Current curriculum. City groups are running from Chile to the Philippines - the long way round!
Professional Groups
A group of people from your city, country or region drawn together by a shared profession to learn wisdom from a Christian who is an expert in that field.
Subject areas covered so far: Economics, Politics, Law, Education, Science Research, Environmental Science, Business, Cultural Apologetics, Media & Journalism, Medical Thought Leaders and IT.
Cascades
Forming global cohorts of leaders for national Professional Groups
Our new initiative to train new leaders and Inspirers. They will meet online with experienced Inspirers from their field, to learn how to set up and run their own Professional Groups in their local context.
Cross-Current Magazine
Our dedicated Cross-Current website is stacked with resources for helping us engage our Christian minds with all aspects of contemporary work and culture.
Three ways to run a Cross-Current Group
1 module per residential weekend
This is the optimum if your group can manage. Start on Friday evening after work, and end Sunday after lunch. This provides time for deep Bible study and personal reflection, as well as for relaxation and community building over meals and in the evening.
With 6 modules in the curriculum, we recommend you spread the 6 weekends over 2-3 years.
Our residential Cross-Current groups have retained 90% of members over a 3 year span.
1 module over 2 Saturdays
Great if you want to run a group at church or with people who live close by.
This also gives a good amount of time to study Bible texts and apply them to your own real-life circumstances.
We recommend you run 2-3 modules per year — maybe one in the autumn and one in the spring — with the two Saturdays set 2-3 weeks apart, so that there is time for participants to put into practice what they’ve learned.
1 module over 7 evenings
Weekends can be tough, and evenings may work better for you. The curriculum can be taught in person over 7 evenings spaced out over a few months. You may want to use one module for a Bible study group.
During COVID times we’ve had groups start in Portugal and Canada, meeting online for 90 minutes once a week. While it’s always best to meet in person, sometimes circumstances don’t allow for that.