Abiding in Christ: A Spiritual Integration Model

A key anchoring principle for our work at Impact Foundation, and central to how we live life, involves the metaphor of Pitcher Cup Saucer Plate. It is a reminder of how the Christian life works best—the overflow of our individual daily abiding in Christ nourishes our communities and enables Him to work through us to accomplish His plans in the world.

The Pitcher is the Spirit of God;
The Cup is you;
The Saucer is your immediate community;
The Plate is your mission to the world.

The Pitcher, God, freely pours out His Holy Spirit into each of us, an open, available Cup as we keep ourselves in the posture of humble obedience. The overflow of the Cup floods the Saucer, which represents a community of believers with their own personal relationship with God (church, small group, immediate family, or even work associates). This Saucer of community overflows onto the Plate, the part of His work in the world to which we in our communities are called. 

Jesus intends our lives to work in this beautiful, overflowing way. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace...not the fruit of our own effort. We must start with a deep, abiding relationship with God, in which each day, throughout the day, we make small decisions to keep in step with His Spirit or to repent when we’ve wandered away.

An overflowing Saucer community naturally ministers to the hurting and broken world around us. From this place of abiding, rooted in community, we can love our neighbors and serve the Lord in His world, the Plate.

However, if you try any of these steps of the outpouring of the Spirit out of order, the system starts to break down. Think about it, an empty cup cannot serve effectively, nor can a dysfunctional community radiate His light. It must begin with the connection of the Triune God and the Cup, each of His children.

Pitcher Cup Saucer Plate is a beautiful model, and it’s His desire that we’re filled with His gracious spirit to honor and serve Him always.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work with us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

– Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Pitcher Cup Saucer Plate Metaphor: Dr. Chuck Miller

Sculpture: Cindy Burden, BurdenStudio