What is Graceworks?
It is a consultancy committed to the promotion of spiritual friendship in church and society through publishing and training.
What is spiritual friendship?
It is friendship that is rooted in Christ, for the purpose of growing in Christ.
The basis of spiritual friendship is a shared relationship with Jesus Christ.
The purpose of spiritual friendship is a common commitment to help one another grow in Christlikeness.
“Every friendship is formed around shared goods that identify the friendship and help the friends understand the life and purpose of the friendship. In spiritual friendship the principal good is a mutual love for Christ and a desire to grow together in Christ. This is what distinguishes spiritual friendship from other relationships. In spiritual friendships the friends are centred in Christ, they seek Christ, and they strive to live according to Christ. Through their friendship they want to help one another live a godly and holy life. They want each other to be resplendent in goodness.” (Paul J. Wadell)
What is the vision of Graceworks?
We want to see communities that are relationally healthy, communities where people experience genuine spiritual friendship. We want to see that first in the church of Jesus Christ but we also desire that relational health to enrich communities in the marketplace as well.
In other words, we desire to see the growth of life-giving Christian communities whose members experience genuine relationships which help them to find healing and growth.
Such communities may be existing ones which grow in their commitment to authentic spiritual friendship, or new communities which are set up with the understanding that spiritual friendship will be a critical component of the culture of the group.
What is the mission of Graceworks?
Graceworks exists to promote spiritual friendship in church and society through publishing and training.
What are the primary activities of Graceworks?
1. Publishing
We will seek to publish on a regular basis books, monographs and pamphlets that deal with various aspects of spiritual friendship. We will also seek to publish materials that apply biblical wisdom to the questions of daily life because we believe that spiritual friends need input from Scripture to help them grow in Christlikeness.
Our first book is Friends in A Broken World. We’d like to encourage you to get a copy because it clearly explains the convictions that underline what we are trying to do, and the critical need for friends in the broken world we live in.
2. Training
On our own and in partnership with churches and organizations that share our vision, we will run talks, seminars and workshops that help enable participants grow in their capacity to live out relationally healthy lives in the church and in the world.
Two of our key seminars are: Spiritual Mentoring: Changing Lives Through Intentional Relationships, and Formation Triads: Following Christ in Threes.
We are also available to run training events for non-faith groups, e.g. organizations, schools, etc., where we will seek to share some of the same principles, in language with minimal Christian jargon so that biblical principles can enrich a wider audience.
What else does Graceworks do?
1. Partnering
Graceworks will work with other like-minded groups in the pursuit of common goals. We have a special relationship with MAI-Asia who work at helping believers in developing countries publish locally created and produced Christian literature. Graceworks will both work with MAI-Asia to develop Christian writing in the developing countries of Asia and work to see some of these materials translated into English so that they can bless a wider audience.
2. Mentoring
We not only seek to develop spiritual friendship, we practice it as part of our ongoing ministry. We do a lot of ad hoc spiritual mentoring. We also run a number of ongoing spiritual mentoring groups. The Friends in Transition groups seek to help young adults make the transition between school life and working life. The Next Up groups help emerging leaders clarify their vocation in the context of community.
3. Consultancy
We can help churches and organizations do a relational audit of their communities and suggest ways that they can grow in their community life. We can help strengthen existing church groups and provide guidance for the formation of new groups and fellowships, both in church and in the marketplace.
4. Internet ministry
While we have a bias towards face-to-face relationships, we also recognize the power of the internet to help people communicate and learn. Our website will actively promote and enhance the overall work of Graceworks through special interest discussion groups, regular commentaries, and links to other relevant sites.
What are the primary values of Graceworks?
1. Biblical authority. We believe that the Bible, properly interpreted, is our final authority in what we believe and what we do.
2. Integration. We believe that Jesus is Lord of all and therefore we seek to integrate the Christian faith with all of life.
How can you partner with Graceworks?
1. Allow us to bless you. We will be especially glad if what we do, our books, our seminars, our website, etc., can bless you and your community in some way.
2. Help put the word out. If you have been blessed by Graceworks in some way, help us by letting folks in your network know about Graceworks so that they too can be blessed.
3. Pray for us. Spiritual friendship may not look very impressive at first glance but we believe it can be used by God to change the world.
4. Support us financially. Your donations help us accomplish the work of Graceworks.
5. Community. We believe that human life is meant to be relational and therefore we seek to build authentic friendships, both within our organization, and with all whom we deal with.
Where is Graceworks located?
We are based in Singapore with a special concern for ministering in Asia. In a globalized and interconnected world, however, we understand that our ministry will ultimately be worldwide.
