Since humanity's expulsion from the Garden of Eden we've been haunted by exile. We are not where we belong and we feel it. The surrounding death, darkness, dysfunction, sickness, violence, inhumanity, brokenness, and alienation from God reminds us daily that we are not home.

The restoration of humanity to the presence of God is a theme throughout the story of Scripture. We will pick up this theme in a sermon series on Jeremiah 29 called Letter to the Exiles.

This scripture has had a formative influence on our theological vision and values at NewCity. We want to see our city flourish by filling it with people who can say, "Follow me as I follow Jesus in all of life."

This language of flourishing comes from Jeremiah 29: "Seek the flourishing of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its flourishing you will find your flourishing" (Jer. 29:7).

The Apostle Peter addressed his readers as "elect exiles" (1 Peter 1:1). The church is a people chosen by God for mission where God has sent us, all the while sensitive that we are not yet home. As followers of Jesus, we are on a path of exilic discipleship. Jesus calls us to multiply. Jesus calls us to seek the flourishing of Orlando. Jesus calls us to pray to our Father on its behalf — for Orlando's flourishing is our flourishing.