Through the power of the Spirit, the Gospel creates a pathway for true human flourishing (Titus 2v11). The Christian Gospel invites us to accept God’s love.
Gardens are central to the Biblical narrative. Jesus fell to the floor in the Garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested. The Eden-style language of ‘rivers’ and ‘fruit’ are recorded in the very last chapters of the Book of Revelation. Adam was made from the substance of every garden: soil. As God breathed his Spirit into this soil, the first human was formed. Today, the Garden of Eden of Genesis seems like a distant dream to us but restoration will occur with arrival of the New Heavens and New Earth. 1 John 3v2 describes how we will be transformed to be like Jesus when we finally come into his presence. Eden believes in the supernatural power of God to transform.
Eden was a safe place with a boundary. Eden Church believes in the importance of physical and emotional safety in all their activities. People are able to thrive in a safe environment. The Garden of Eden was probably more like a national park than the garden of a country mansion. As we serve God, we can move and live in a bigger space, where faith determines our parameters. The Bible makes sense of life and it is the foundation for all of Eden’s beliefs and practices.
The Hebrew phrase ‘shalom’ describes far more than lack of noise. It refers to tranquillity of the soul, security of life’s foundations and deep joy. The Garden of Eden was a physical representation of ‘shalom’. Even in Kertváros, there can be moments of shalom from sitting, watching and listening to the birds in the trees. God’s creation has a therapeutic effect on our soul. Our world desperately needs shalom. As we keep in step with God’s Spirit we can know shalom, even in the hardest times. The Community Garden will be a place where people will be welcome to stop and sit, work and play.
Eden exists to lift Jesus’ name high over Kertváros by sharing the Gospel.
Eden worship services and activities are designed to be inclusive of everyone.
The Garden of Eden was also a place for relationships – relationship between Adam and Eve, and relationship with God. God desires close relationship with him. Sin takes many forms, and all forms block or blur our connection with God. Our Christian hope and experience is for God’s Spirit to live within us and for us to hear his voice each day. This deep spiritual connection is possible for everyone.
Eden was a real garden. Adam and Eve had work to prune, water and care for the garden – ‘to cultivate and keep it’ (Genesis 2 verse 15). Humans are made to work and to be creative (after all we are made in the image of the great Creator). Vegetables contain essential nutrients for our health and fresh herbs can intensify the flavour of a meal. Gardens are really useful places! We have been created to be useful – and generous. Eden Church is committed to helping the poorer residents in Kertváros.
Gardens are beautiful places. God artistry is perfectly balanced in the diversity of garden flowers. Our world is bursting with the diversity of God’s creative touch, and this creative touch can flow through us as we allow God’s Spirit to hone us. Diversity and interdependence are characteristics of a healthy Christian life. ‘Respecting each other’ is one of the core principles of Eden Church.
Each of us has a creational imprint from God that, through following Jesus, we can fulfil. The Bible word for this form of effectiveness is a garden word: ‘fruitfulness’. Eden Church believes in the giving responsibility to people. We plan for local residents to have many opportunities to serve in the Eden Community Garden.
A river flowed outwards from Eden (Genesis 2v10). Eden Church exists to look beyond and to welcome those who are not currently part of the congregation. This outward vision must always be present – looking beyond Kertváros, Pécs and Hungary. In the future, it is hoped that Eden Church will have an international expression.
It is in God’s eternal heart to have his message of love for humanity shared in Kertváros. The Gospel is this message. We believe that God is working through Eden Church, and other churches, to bring hope today but also to bring hope in the future. In fact, future generations will praise him (Psalm 22v30&31). Gardens often mature with age, and we hope that children not yet born will enjoy the Community Garden.
