Theosis Project exists to cultivate a community of becoming. Through rhythms of formation, presence, and participation, we walk the path of union with God, embodying Christ’s love in the world and bearing witness to the restoration of all creation.
Senior Leaders
Galen Gingerich
Danette Gingerich
Galen and Danette Gingerich bring over 40 years of pastoral leadership experience to Theosis Project, shaped by a lifelong journey of faith, transformation, and spiritual discovery.
Galen was raised in the Mennonite tradition, with its emphasis on simplicity, peace, and following Jesus. Danette was formed in the quiet beauty of Catholic liturgy and sacrament. Together, their early faith has shaped a deep reverence for God but also stirred a hunger to explore the fullness of the spiritual life.
For more than four decades, Galen and Danette have served as lead pastors of a local church, guiding a vibrant community through seasons of growth, worship, healing, and prophetic renewal. Their ministry has always been rooted in intimacy with God, the centrality of Scripture, and the ongoing work of the Spirit.
In recent years, their hearts have been captured by the wisdom of the early Eastern Church — especially the vision of theosis, the transformation of the human person through union with God. Their faith is now anchored in a deeper hope: that through Christ, all things are being restored, and that divine love holds every person and every story.
Today, they lead Theosis Project not as a return to tradition, but as a spacious, Spirit-led movement — a community shaped by contemplation, communion, and the ever-deepening mystery of God’s love. Their journey continues, and they invite others to walk with them in this unfolding story of becoming fully human, fully alive.
Leaders
Jordan Weston
Daniel Gingerich
Steve Pixler
Rhythms
We live by rhythms rather than rigid beliefs—ways of being that flow from the divine mystery revealed in Jesus. These rhythms keep us anchored in God’s eternal story of love, transformation, and restoration.
Abiding in the Divine Source
God is the Alpha and Omega—the origin and goal of all things. We live with awareness that all of life flows from God’s presence, is sustained by God’s love, and will return to full union with the Divine.
Trusting in Restorative Judgment
God’s justice is not retributive but restorative. We trust that divine judgment is always aimed at healing, renewal, and reconciliation—even when it disrupts or refines. Through judgment, God removes what wounds and restores what is good.
Being Formed by Love
At the heart of all reality is love. This love is not in tension with justice—it is justice. It heals, restores, and draws all creation into wholeness. We allow this love to form our thoughts, actions,
Living in Christ’s Cosmic Victory
Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God is reconciling all things—seen and unseen. We walk in the hope and confidence that redemption is unfolding across the cosmos, and that no part of creation is outside Christ’s reach.
Becoming Our True Selves
Each person bears the image of God and is on a journey of becoming. In Christ, our hidden self is revealed. Even through suffering, we are being shaped into our truest, most human selves.
Responding in Freedom and Hope
Love invites response. Empowered by the Spirit, we freely participate in God’s work of renewal through acts of compassion, courage, and justice. Our lives become signs of the coming wholeness that God has promised.
What is Theosis?
The Greek word "theosis" (θέωσις) means deification or divinization. In Eastern Christian theology, it refers to the process of becoming like God, or attaining likeness to or union with God.
Theosis is the ancient Christian invitation to become one with God — not in theory, but in experience. It is the lifelong transformation of the human person through love, grace, and participation in the divine life.
Theosis is the divinely intended destiny of human beings: to be united with God through the incarnation of Christ. This is not an artificial elevation but the natural fulfillment of humanity’s purpose. Grace and nature are not opposed but integrated. In Christ, the union of God and man is both accomplished and offered to all.
Theosis is the full realization of what it means to be human: to become by grace what God is by nature.
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God created the world specifically so that Christ could enter it, uniting divine and human natures, and enabling humanity to share in divine life.
“God became human so that humans should become God.” —St Athanasius of Alexandria
This statement, echoing the Church Fathers, expresses the central conviction of theosis: that God’s purpose in creating is to bring creatures into union with himself.
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Theosis is not a supernatural add-on to human existence, but the fulfillment of what humanity was always meant to be. The Fall introduced alienation and corruption, but it did not erase the underlying orientation of human nature toward God.
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Theosis is not a strange or optional idea—it is what human beings are for. Humanity is not complete apart from union with God. Christ, as both divine and human, is the archetype of this union. He does not merely offer moral improvement or legal justification but shares his divine life with us.
The incarnation reveals this: God does not remain distant but enters creation to bring creation into himself. Our participation in divine life is possible because Jesus is the God who is always already united to humanity.
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In theosis, we do not become God in essence, but we become partakers in the divine energies—that is, in God’s life and love. This distinction, often emphasized in Eastern theology (especially by the likes of St. Gregory Palamas), preserves the Creator-creature distinction while still affirming the real and transformative union with God.
“All that God is, except for an identity in being, one becomes when one is deified by grace.” —St Maximus the Confessor
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The human being is, by nature, drawn toward God as its telos (end). This is not simply an abstract intellectual longing, but a deep hunger for union with Love itself. Theosis is the journey of that hunger being fulfilled through divine initiative and human participation.
“Our hunger for transcendent wholeness propels us toward the triune Creator who will be all in all.”
This movement is dynamic, relational, and rooted in the Trinitarian life. We are made for communion, and God persistently draws us into that communion.
Ways of Becoming
Formation in the Way of Love
We are being formed into the likeness of Christ through relational, embodied practices. Spiritual formation isn’t a one-time decision—it’s a lifelong rhythm of awakening, learning, and becoming.
Relational Mentoring: We cultivate multi-generational mentorship through shared life, small circles, and community gatherings that engage sacred story and foster spiritual friendship.
Theological Exploration: Through weekly gatherings, retreats, workshops, and digital learning, we immerse ourselves in the mystery of God—Father, Son, and Spirit—and the inclusion of all things in divine life.
Transformative Encounters: We create space for holy encounter through music, stillness, contemplation, and prophetic imagination—trusting that God meets us in the silence and the song.
Influence Rooted in Presence
Christ’s love is not confined to sacred spaces—it spills into every relationship and vocation. Our rhythm of cultural presence equips people to live authentically, creatively, and courageously.
Embodied Faithfulness: We encourage each person to integrate faith into everyday life—at home, at work, and in community—with grace and integrity.
Calling and Contribution: We help individuals name and nurture their unique gifts, empowering them to serve the world with joy and purpose.
Wise Leadership: We walk alongside leaders in seasons of change and discernment, offering perspective, encouragement, and tools for sustainable growth.
Participation in God’s Restoration
The rhythm of theosis draws us beyond ourselves into the renewal of all things. We participate in God’s healing work through acts of justice, compassion, and collaboration.
Essential Care: Through trusted partners, we help provide clean water, food, healthcare, and disaster relief—meeting urgent needs with dignity and love.
Strategic Compassion: We invest in long-term initiatives—medical clinics, literacy programs, vocational training, and more—that restore communities and create sustainable transformation.