A Rule of Life arises from a need to structure communal life so that the most important elements of a community’s life are not lost. One might say a Rule of Life serves to guide the congregation around important life-shaping practices. A good and familiar example of a community Rule is the Rule of St. Benedict.
Although not as extensive and exhaustive as the Rule of St. Benedict, the Bethel congregation has developed a short Rule to govern and guide their life.
Bethel’s Rule of Life encourages and guides us to:
- Reflect daily on the life and teachings of Jesus.
- Cultivate a daily life of prayer for the world, this community, and one another.
- Attend to the corporate rhythm of worship.
- Strive to find a healthy balance between spiritual, emotional, and physical health.
- Engage in some form of ministry of justice, peace, reconciliation, mercy, and hospitality that reflects our heritage.
- Live in such a way that our individual lives and our shared life together reflect the life of Christ in the world.