Leaders, as Jesus says, are servants of those they lead. This means in order to set the tone for the church, to create the atmosphere of safety, the Board Members, Pastors, Directors must lead through their vulnerability and transparency. They must lead through their healing and sharing of their testimony. We do not expect perfection. We expect growth and growth is not possible when we live in cycles of denial.

"You gotta begin the journey before others can join you on it."

God is waiting to answer the authentic and raw questions we need to ask Him. Journaling and Made Well groups (professional counseling, when appropriate) are the key to introspection to find those questions and to discover what is driving us. The heart of We Are The Refuge is introspection and mediation on the WHY behind our behaviors that lead us away from instead of closer to God. The hurts and traumas of life are a given, but what we turn to is not. We have a choice. We ARE The Refuge creates a safe place to find that better place to turn to when we are in need.

"Your demons do not care what you turn to as long as they are not the problem and God is not the solution"

We Are The Refuge would not exist without vision, a vision that came from God. But the vision can't be realized until it is clear, and its not clear until we write it down. Write down your moon shot and expected greater things from God to see it come to life if it's His will.

Habakkuk 2:2 (ESV)

And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may RUN who reads it."

It is the ultimate goal of We Are The Refuge for you to find God as your refuge. To see how much He loves you. How much you can trust Him with your life. That you'll trust Him to do what others fear to do - break anonymity. Perhaps when you visit WATR you remove the mask you where while at work, home, or even school, but put it back on when you leave. Our desire is that one day when you leave, you will leave your mask to and walk into your world in the fullness of who you are in Christ.

1 John 4:18 (ESV)

18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

The monkey bars aren't so scary when your loving Father is the one holding you up...

So what is our solution? Its simple, but not easy. Create an atmosphere where denial, "stuffing", negative coping, and insobriety can't thrive so we can see that God is a better solution to our hurts, needs, and fears. In Him all things are made well.

Our leading Pastors have started this church because of their story of a broken marriage, addictions, recovery, and even a miracle from God. The members of We Are The Refuge do not put our stories under baskets. We shout them from the roof tops. We believe one story shared with vulnerability and honesty can cut through the most well protected walled heart. Its just takes on crack in that wall to change a hear's life forever. One moment. One message. Your story is meant to change the world and it is our vision to see to it.

The present world system and the author of it will be overthrown through the telling of lives healed by the blood of the Jesus; whose lives have been changed forever through His resurrection.

"Own it. Voice it. Heal it. Conquer it"

Revelation 12:11 (ESV)

And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

Satan. You can not have our children's hearts. We as parents can lead our little ones, preteens, and teens through the snares of life by teaching them healthy coping mechanisms. Everyone copes. Every age copes. But all coping is not good coping. Kids without any guidance will find a way to cope with their stress and false beliefs in their lives. They need our help to identify how they cope and what their false beliefs are reinforcing the hurts. Its our job as parents to fight for our kid's hearts by showing them the path leading them to the God who will fight their battles with them. We fight, so they fight to get to the one who will fight for them.

"As parents heal they can shepherd their children's hearts to do the same" This will enable them to cope with the hurts in life in a healthy and God driven way.

We've been there. You are not old enough. You are not "in" enough. You are not "male" enough. David's tent doesn't exclude, it includes. God has given via the Spirit of God gifts we might use to build His church. All gifts are needed, so all people are needed too. We are prone to plug you in and see how God uses you to build His church. Whether you are an extrovert, introvert, female, male, black, or Hispanic, you already had a seat at the table.

"Not, we'll make space, but your seat was ALREADY waiting for you to fill it"

“Even the gates of Hell can’t stop us!”