First things first, what does Imago Dei mean?
Don't worry, we get asked this question a lot! Imago Dei [ih-MAH-go DAY-ee] is a Latin biblical phrase that means "Image of God." The phrase is rooted in the first book of the Bible, Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 which says "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." The words are seen again a few times in the Bible, including in Colossians chapter 3 verse 10 which reads "...put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator."
The definition seems simple enough really, but the implications of this tiny phrase are beautiful and full of hope. There are two main takeaways:
The definition seems simple enough really, but the implications of this tiny phrase are beautiful and full of hope. There are two main takeaways:
- Humans (that's you and me) were created in the likeness or image of God.
- God wanted us to reflect Himself. When He looks at us, He wanted to see His fingerprints, His traits, His characteristics. He wanted to be able to look at us and see that we are His. And He wanted other people to look at us and see the same. Which leads me to the next takeaway:
- Because of sin, God's image in us became distorted, but through Jesus, we are renewed and made to look like Him again. This means we are God's image-bearers to the world.
- We are not renewed in the image of God in that we are perfect like He is perfect. We are renewed in the image of God because Jesus' sinless sacrifice on the cross credited us as perfect. This changes everything. You and I have the privilege of sharing the characteristics of the amazing God we serve with those around us. Which is why...
Imago Dei Church is a group of redeemed people
living out the image of God in Milwaukee for the good of all.
Where we've been...
Formed in 2014, Imago Dei was a church born out of the desire to share the good news of the Gospel with the people of the amazing city of Milwaukee (and beyond).
The birth and growth of a new local church is a beautiful and challenging journey. From meeting as a small group of families pursuing God together in a living room, to setting up and tearing down at different locations, to purchasing our own building, from growing to love then saying farewell to wonderful leaders to searching diligently for new ones, the core values of Imago Dei remain the same:
Gospel Delight. Community. Mission.
The birth and growth of a new local church is a beautiful and challenging journey. From meeting as a small group of families pursuing God together in a living room, to setting up and tearing down at different locations, to purchasing our own building, from growing to love then saying farewell to wonderful leaders to searching diligently for new ones, the core values of Imago Dei remain the same:
Gospel Delight. Community. Mission.
Where we are headed...
So what does that mean for our future? It means that with every new day, we commit ourselves afresh to diving deeper into God's Word so that our hearts can delight in it. It means that we encourage, support and build each other up, forming strong bonds and relationships. It means that we press forward, pursuing God and the good works He prepared ahead of time for us to walk in.
Ultimately, we are still that little house church, born out of a desire to reach our city (and the world) with the saving message of Jesus. We'd love for you to join us!
Ultimately, we are still that little house church, born out of a desire to reach our city (and the world) with the saving message of Jesus. We'd love for you to join us!
Be part of our story...
Join us every Sunday as we gather to worship together at 10:00am