The Coworkers of Christ: An Affirmation of Vocation
By Abbot Bishop Brian Ernest Brown, CWC
“We are God’s coworkers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” — 1 Corinthians 3:9
I. Who We Are
We, the Coworkers of Christ, gathered in the freedom of the Spirit and the unity of love, affirm our calling to share in the redeeming and reconciling work of Jesus Christ in the world. We stand within the living stream of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, as it continues through the many branches of the Christian family and finds new expression in the Independent Sacramental Movement (ISM). We are bound not by law but by love, not by jurisdiction but by communion, not by coercion but by conscience enlightened by the Spirit. Our vocation is to serve, to sanctify, and to reconcile — to be signs of God’s unbounded grace in a divided world.
II. Our Focus
The mission of the Coworkers of Christ is to manifest the living presence of Jesus Christ through sacrament, mercy, and mutual service. We exist:
• To celebrate the sacred mysteries of faith as signs of God’s ongoing incarnation.
• To embody mercy through compassionate service to the poor, the sick, the exiled, and the forgotten.
• To bear witness to the freedom of God’s grace, which transcends all human boundaries of creed, institution, or status.
• To foster communion among all who love Christ, regardless of denomination or lineage. We are coworkers with Christ, cooperating in God’s continual act of creation and redemption — to make the Word flesh again in every generation.
III. Our Common Rule of Life
Our Common Rule is a pattern for holy living, not an instrument of control. It calls us to simplicity, service, and sacramental awareness.
1. Prayer — To seek daily communion with God through personal and communal prayer.
2. Sacrament — To live and celebrate the mysteries of faith as the heart of our vocation.
3. Service — To act in mercy toward all who suffer, seeing in them the face of Christ.
4. Mutual Accountability — To walk together in honesty, counsel, and forgiveness.
5. Simplicity — To live free from domination by wealth, power, or privilege.
This rule is not imposed, but embraced — freely, joyfully, and in conscience — as a way of following Christ’s own self-emptying love.
IV. Our Theology
Our theology is Christocentric, sacramental, inclusive, and free.
1. Christocentric — Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God, the Sacrament of divine love made flesh.
2. Sacramental — All creation bears the imprint of God’s presence; the seven sacraments, and indeed all acts of love and mercy, reveal this presence in tangible form.
3. Inclusive — Every person, regardless of condition or state, is made in God’s image and invited to the table of grace.
4. Catholic yet Free — We are rooted in apostolic tradition, yet not bound by juridical structures that deny conscience or charity.
5. Ecumenical — We honor the presence of Christ in all churches, faiths, and seekers of mercy, hope, and love.
6. Servant-Oriented — Ministry is an act of service, not superiority. Orders exist for the edification of the community, not for personal exaltation.
V. Our Sacramental Life
We uphold the seven traditional sacraments of the Church — Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing, Matrimony, and Holy Orders — as channels of divine grace. Yet we affirm also that the whole of life is sacramental, and that God’s grace is not confined to ritual but permeates every loving act and every moment of transformation. The Eucharist is the heart of our life together: the meal of mercy, the table of inclusion, the sign of our unity in Christ’s self-giving love.
VI. Relationship to the Independent Sacramental Movement
We recognize ourselves as part of the Independent Sacramental Movement, a living expression of the catholic faith that honors diverse apostolic lineages and the primacy of conscience. Within this movement we affirm:
• The validity of all sacraments celebrated with proper form, matter, and intention.
• The freedom of vocation under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• The interdependence of all ministries, lay and ordained alike.
• The mystical unity of all Christians who share in the body of Christ. We do not exist in opposition to any church, but in solidarity with all who love and serve Christ, regardless of canonical status.
VII. Spiritual Vision
We seek to live the mystery of kenosis — the self-emptying love of Christ (Philippians 2:5–11). In this spirit, we pour ourselves out for the healing of the world, trusting that resurrection follows every act of self-giving love. Our vision is of a sacramental cosmos, in which every person and every act of compassion reveals the presence of God. We believe: That God is with us. That every person is a living icon of Christ. That the Kingdom of God is already among us, awaiting our recognition and participation.
VIII. Our Affirmation
Therefore, we dedicate ourselves anew to the service of Christ in all people, to the celebration of the holy mysteries, and to the building up of a world reconciled in love. “To be a Coworker of Christ is to be His hands and heart in the world — to speak His mercy, to bear His cross, and to reveal His resurrection.”