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Abstract
This study is an appreciative inquiry into what gives life and meaning to a local congregation. Depression, loneliness, and meaninglessness are endemic negative experiences for citizens in the United States of America. A media ecology that commodifies people and treats relationships as commercial transactions exacerbates these negative experiences. Rather than remediating these undesirable conditions, positive psychology provides elements of subjective well-being that promote human flourishing. Situating personal experiences within God’s story may enhance the element of meaningful purpose in life and afford opportunities to experience the elements of positive emotions and significant relationships. Positive experiences and a shared core doctrine of the image of God (imago Dei) will guide this approach to create a congregational vision for the future that will facilitate flourishing in the present.
