Wallless Journey

What if it's "what we're doing right" and not "what we're doing wrong"?

2014-07-29T12:28:00.000-06:00

A friend posted a link on Facebook to this article and tagged his children.

The article: 3 Common Traits of Youth Who Don’t Leave the Church
http://www.faithit.com/3-common-traits-of-youth-who-dont-leave-the-church/

This statement was interesting:

...Each had a story to tell about a “good Christian” child, raised in their home and in our church, who had walked away from the faith during the college years.

In this statement the author equates a college student no longer attending church with walking away from his or her faith. I get it. I'll side step the simplistic measure of a person's faith as a person going to church to get to the more juicy fun.

But this one was the one that really caught my attention:

The daunting statistics about church-going youth keep rolling in. Panic ensues. What are we doing wrong in our churches? In our youth ministries?

But, what if the reason these students are "leaving the church" is not the result of failure, but the result of success? Okay, before I open myself up for too much "what about kid X" or "what about kid Y", I'm not in any way saying every kid that steps out of church during their young adult years does so from a desire on their part to walk closer with their Father.

I'm certain there were parents wringing their hands over their children stepping away from traditional Judaism to follow this new Way that this radical teacher had introduced and which challenged their sound and long-standing system of faith given them by the one true god.

What if the result of some of the teaching in some places is actually helping students discover the relationship for which they were sought out in their growing-up years? And what if the result of firmly grounded students is actually a lifting of the veil which shrouds the vision of so many to see the self-serving monolith that many churches have become. What if the students actually see the disconnect between the stories they read and were taught in their early years and the "practice of their faith" that is before them as adults?

What if the real church is emerging from centuries of stifling tradition and individual kingdom building? What if these students have come face to face with a Way that was obscured centuries ago and are now a part of the next unique and genuine work of Father to redeem His people to himself?

Noah vs. Gladiator

2014-03-29T09:09:00.002-06:00

I've been intrigued watching all the uproar from the church community over the new movie Noah and thought I'd share some of my thoughts.

First though, let me point you back to an earlier post about the visible brushstrokes of our Master Artist at work in all things.

And second, let me back up and talk a little about the release of Gladiator, one of my favorite movies, and, it so happens, the same actor playing both leading roles.

When I came home from watching Gladiator, at my earliest convenience I was really curious to look up how much of the story was true to the historical record. A quick search identified there was a Emperor named Marcus Aurelius who died at Vindobonna and was succeeded by his son Commodus.

He did expand the Roman Empire conquering other realms including a final campaign with the Germanic tribes.

There are smatterings of truth related to Commodus' reign including brutal gladiator games, but in reality very little of the historical record held up to making a great movie it seems. In fact Commodus was assassinated, but it was by strangulation in his bath at the hands of a wrestler after an attempt to poison him failed due to his vomiting up the poison.

There is no record of a beloved Spanish general who miraculously survived an assassination attempt by the new emperor and became a gladiator, vindicated the murder of his own family, and defeated the evil emperor in an epic staged gladiatorial display. Rome was not returned to the Senate and the people but was subjected to another emperor -- the first of five very short tenured emperors has been dubbed the Year of the Five Emperors.

Like I said, smatterings. But, the interesting thing about this movie was how the story prompted me to not only dive in and do some research into the storyline and characters, it also planted in me an interest in the Roman historical period which had not existed prior to seeing the movie. In fact, I've since enjoyed watching a number of other similar period TV series and movies which I might have ignored had Gladiator not sparked an interest in the history of that time period.

You see where I'm going with this, don't you?

The writers and directors of Gladiator took a lot of liberties with the historical record of the death of Marcus Aurelius and the reign and demise of his son Commodus to make one of the most epic and compelling movies to date (in my opinion) about the time period.

I'll admit, I was a little disappointed there was not a beloved general from Spain named Maximus Decimus Meridius, but that didn't prevent me from researching the story and learning a lot more about the history around that story and expanding to an interest in all things from that time period.

Where is the record of Noah recorded? We all know it's not in historical books, right? So if a viewer of this new Noah movie is moved to discover how much of the story is based on a written record, they will no doubt pick up a copy of the the Bible and read a very compelling story in its own right. And if the reading of that story prompts interest in the other engaging and rich stories which precede and follow the story of Noah, wouldn't that be a really good thing?

I say let the brilliant story tellers of the big screen make more Noah-like movies... I'd estimate they do less damage to the image of the Creator than the attitudes and behavior of many of those trying to defend the biblical story of Noah.

Pain is weakness leaving the body - Part 2

2013-03-28T17:12:00.000-06:00

In January 2010 I wrote about this topic. Well, sorta.

Today, two years later, I find myself saying this phrase pretty often. This is because of the realization that has occurred surrounding this key concept in walking with Father.

If you look back over your life, and the lives of anyone to whom you consider yourself in a close relationship it doesn't take long to realize that when it comes to "life lessons" (more than this is how you open a pull tab on a can type stuff) we seldom, if ever, learn those without pain being involved.

I was watching a story on one of the local news stations the other day about a boy who had recently died of cancer. The story was showing some previous interviews with him and some interviews with others who's lives he had touched. I immediately noticed something about him. In fact I noticed it about him and a friend of his about the same age going through similar life and death battles. In fact, several of the other newscasters who had met both the young men noticed and commented about it as well. They had an incredible maturity about them.

Reflecting back, I believe this is something I've seen in every person walking difficult paths who I've encountered in person or through reading, hearing, or seeing their stories. They have an unusual strength about them.

Even in families who walk difficult paths with loved ones, this strength seems evident.

Perhaps this is what James had in mind when he began his letter with:

Consider it pure joy brothers when you face difficulties of all kinds.

James probably had seen it and understood. The pain we endure is not without purpose (or I should say purposes as Father is always at work not only in us, but all around us as well -- that's a future post I'm going to call "Intersections" I believe). As I reflect back over the years of my life, I can't say I've experienced the pain that others like these boys have experienced, but I can say that through every cycle of pain to strength, the only true casualty has been weakness (usually in the form of unbelief or lack of trust) in my own life.

One Year, Lots of Drafts

2013-02-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a little over a year since I published a post and lots of water has gone under the bridge. And if you've been "here" before you'll notice a new name and new home for what used to be MyWalkBlog.com - We're now Wallless Journey, but you can still get here with the mywalkblog.com url (for now). I've registered walllessjourney.com so perhaps we'll transition to that.

After many hours chasing hackers I gave up hosting my own blog and decided to go with the solution hosted by Blogger/Google. So hopefully now we'll be moving forward with no hacks and more posts.

Reset your reader links to the new RSS. It's time to work on and release some drafts I've been sitting on for some time now.

New Year's Resolutions, Goals, Planning, etc.

2012-01-03T17:12:00.001-07:00

As I read through the New Testament, attempting to remove the filters of time and previous (prejudiced) teaching I continue to be amazed by the little things that pop out of no where.

In a conversation with my wife tonight we were talking about how today's devout church goers are beginning to say things that sound a lot like the new age thinkers around them. For instance, those whose comments I've been reading about being focused on setting goals for the year to come sound an awful lot like the new agers around me who speak of visualizing the good things they want to manifest in the future in order to make them happen.

The conversation with my wife turned to how little has changed from the times of Genesis through Revelation to today. Man still molds his religious practices into the image of the popularized culture surrounding himself or herself. Why? Who cares.

While Jesus was someone folks seemed to want to be around just because of His presence, He was not someone who "fit" in by any means. In fact, He fit in more with the ir-religious than He did with those who were considered religious in His day.

I find I am becoming less bound by religious thought and practice passed down for generations and more drawn to simply being of one mind with Father. While I'm not seeking to be different just for the sake of being different, I do more and more each day find myself separated from those who practice under any of the religious systems of this world.

Numbers

2011-12-27T00:29:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if people "speaking for Jesus" really think about what they say before they open their mouths. Take this quote I came across recently:

The number of followers a church leader has is directly related to the how passionately the leader follows Christ.

Here are just a few quick things that strike me about this statement...

It's about numbers, not about Father.

It's about "us" not about Him.

It's based on a formula for success as man sees success.

It's oriented to drive church goers by playing on guilt.

It indicates there's a competition between church leaders.

It removes Father from the picture indicating it's the man who draws and leads the people not Father Himself.

It's based on our own effort, not on Father's provision.

Why would anyone follow, or want to follow, a church leader rather than following Christ/Father and doing it alongside others who follow alike? The themes of the Old and New Testaments continue to ring through... man wants worshiping the One True God to be about us (that's religion). We want a "king"... in a form or fashion which fits the culture of the day, but we want an earthly king to lead us because we want to be like the godless who place themselves at the center of their universe and create a god they can control and explain perfectly.

I am a reflector

2011-06-28T14:33:00.001-06:00

This realization came to be more focused in the last few months and last week really zeroed in on a finer point which hopefully will transform... well, me.

Though I didn't have clear definition, I began realizing my nature as a reflector in college. I had played racquetball for years and had been beat by some outstanding players (being beat by someone really good always raises the level of your own game) for a number of years. While in college I would regularly go play with class mates. It was obvious when we got started warming up I had played much more than most of the guys I played with. It usually went this way, I would smear them in game 1, then in the subsequent games it was a closer match but they seldom won. This continues even today when I play racquetball (though I'm not nearly as good or as young as I used to be).

As a kid growing up our Air Force family moved all over the country (world in fact) and because of that I've always been a sort of chameleon. Accents come and go over time depending on where I live and for how long. I'm currently shifting back to no accent after coming back to Colorado with a Nashville influenced southern twang.

In one of my church staff positions there was a church member who had a handicap which caused him to stutter and slur his words and to make interesting hand motions and body gestures. Whenever I conversed with him I found myself, I had to be very careful to keep myself from mimicking his behavior. Not because I was making fun of him, but I was reflecting him in our conversations. And as I noticed it with this person, I began to see it with others in other ways. It had never been something noticeable until now because mimicking people who appear "normal" was no big deal. But mimicking someone who had difficulty talking or carrying on a conversation was considered rude and it made me notice what I typically did. Most everyone I interacted with I began to realize I would mimic the personality of the interaction back to the person.

In my final years in Nashville I began to see this in light of my responses to people I interacted with. Whatever attitude co-workers would bring to meetings with me I would reflect right back at them. So those who were civil and interested in getting things done created a great deal of productivity. Those who wanted to be troublesome and wrangle... well, it typically wasn't a calm and settled meeting and reaching consensus and moving forward was difficult.

At first I didn't see it. I found myself wondering what caused this transformation in me from Mr calm who rolled up his sleeves and worked with others to get amazing things done to Mr I Can Dig My Heels In Too. Was I Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Was there some crazy chemical transformation that took place when things got tense?

Then I put two and two together (with some other stuff too) - the same personality trait which caused my racquetball game to raise or lower to match the competition, allowed me to transform my style of communication geographically, and caused me to mimic people in my interactions with them was what was driving what I thought were crazy personality shifts at work (and in other relationships).

It was this last year I really began to put this all together and begin to be able to verbalize that I am a reflector. A great gift from Father which I had never recognized or taken the time to really contemplate. A few weeks ago as I began to think about this trait Father quietly began to help me see that in interactions I was to reflect someone other than the person I was interacting with. WOW! Being a reflector now had a whole new meaning and established a whole new set of goals. I set out to try to reflect Jesus in all my interactions. It was a new lease in life. In those instances where I naturally bounce back the personality of the person I'm interacting with, I began focusing on reflecting back Jesus instead.

Then, this last week it all came home to rest. Jesus reflected Father. The goal and purpose of His life was Father. So should be the goal and purpose of my life. And as such, I should be striving to reflect the character and personality of Father. (This is an additional blog article I'll try to add in the next few weeks... the over-emphasis some put on Jesus. That should stir some debate.) So, my new goals are to spend more and more time contemplating the character and Way of Father and in so doing hopefully begin more and more to reflect Him to everyone I interact with.

I am a reflector!

Sometimes, the things people say...

2011-04-14T17:35:00.001-06:00

I've been watching this guy tweet for some time, but this one demanded a post. It's actually the second time (that I know of) that he's tweeted the same phrase.

I'm trying to figure out if he just doesn't see it, or if he actually thinks pushing people to join his online church is "sowing the Gospel".

A couple of times, in response to other nonsensicalness he posted, I tweeted back in reply to, in essence, point out the error in his thinking. I think he's learned, as do most "church" folks, that I'm no "prospect" for his congregation so he just ignores me now.

What do you think? Is Dr. Kenny Russell's statement above rather absurd? Do you think he really MEANS what this says or do you think he means something else and it just came out wrong?

Are we really blinded so much by ambition to build something or be joined by others in something that we will say anything to make it happen?

The United State of More

2011-03-23T01:28:00.001-06:00

Several years ago I began a journey (although I truly recognize this journey has been going on my whole life). While I have not arrived at the end of the journey, I continue to find myself further and further from what I once called home and more and more a foreigner where I live.

One evening, a young lady in a mall kiosk who was not from the United States was very reluctant to allow me to leave her kiosk without purchasing the item which peaked my interest. It was an item for my wife and the cost was significant I wanted to check with my wife before making the purchase.

"You're afraid I won't come back, aren't you?" A question to which she reluctantly responded "Yes". I knew something was up because she kept "sweetening" the deal. Then after she'd sweetened it all she could, she made it where I had to buy right then and the offer was not good if I walked away and came back. I told her I was not buying without consulting my wife. I asked her why she was so insistent that I buy right at that moment. She then sheepishly explained to me that in the mall were hundreds of people with money in their pockets to spend. She explained that Americans walked into the door of the mall with an amount in mind they would spend and that she "knew" if I left I would likely spend the money in my pocket before getting back to her. I assured her I would return after I found and consulted my wife. She skeptically nodded as I walked away.

My wife was less than a hundred yards down the mall walking toward me. We set out to return to the kiosk as I told her of both the product and the young lady selling it. When we arrived back at the kiosk the look on the young ladies face was one of true astonishment. I'm sure my face must have had some puzzle written on it as well as I was already contemplating the the sad state of our culture that we were both so predictable and so "spend" oriented. We talked briefly about the fact that I actually returned. She indicated I was the first in her months of working at the kiosk. During that conversation I learned she was a student from a foreign country who came to America during the Christmas season because there was so much money to make. That night I bought the one item I originally stopped to explore, but none of the extras she was so tenacious to expand the offer with. That night was a monumental lesson on my journey.

Since that night, the veil has been lifted and I began to truly see the greed and lust for more which consumes not only America but mankind in general. Father used a simple conversation with this young lady to help me see the sad state of more "we" humans were living in. Now that the veil has been lifted I see it more and more and more (perhaps the opposite state of more?) in advertisements on TV, in pitches I hear in stores, from the mouths of "Christians" who are obsessed with how much more they can give to their church if they excel in their economic efforts. More, more, more. One car is not enough for a family of two because you cannot both have significant careers to climb up that financial ladder to get and acquire more. Two bedrooms is not enough, you have to have a bigger and more expensive house (even sometimes so you can do more for God with it). More savings. More insurance to protect what you have. It's a vicious cycle and one that has drug those of us living in America into the United State of More.

I've left that country. Oh, I still have to struggle with it. But it becomes easier and easier each step I take away from where I used to live. I have less money and fewer things but I have found I need and want less. With less focus on getting and "protecting" stuff I found it has made room for me to think more about Father. My gaze has turned from more of stuff to more of Father and him having more of me. I have left the United State of More.

I might consider the notion of "church" if...

2011-01-23T04:30:00.001-07:00

So it's been a while since I wrote anything. One been busy... two just didn't have much to say... well, actually saying it one on one with several who needed it that way. Either way, today I was delighted to see this posted by a friend on his Facebook page. His name is Paul Vieira and you can find him at http://paulvieira.info as well as on Facebook. Here's what he had to say...

I might consider the notion of "church" if those involved:

1. view the word "church" as meaning something more like its original context - "community", not a building, institution or organization

2. don't have personal agendas on what community should look like

3. feel no guilt about not going to church

4. are comfortable with there being no pastor - not expecting to be "spiritually fed" by another person

5. view worship as daily decisions to acknowledge God and do what is right by God - not about singing songs

6. (if music is involved) see music as a familiar way of creating atmosphere and expressing ideas and emotion

7. are on a journey with eyes looking to Jesus as the Authority on every matter in this life and the next

8. are comfortable with others being at different places on that journey - no judging

9. see community as something fluid - we don't have to meet all the time and it can look different each time

10. are comfortable with not knowing all the answers, others having different opinions, and appreciating the mystery of God

Does this describe anyone out there?

I simply responded, "ME!".

Umm... guess not.

2010-07-04T02:46:00.001-06:00

So last week I wrote about our "It's FREE you know" experience. This morning, as is typical on Sunday mornings, I was sitting on the front porch, but this week anxious to see what the follow up would be from last week's nodder.

I have to admit I was hopeful that he'd make some kind of futher overture to draw us into what he obviously believes is his spiritual "family". Not because I really wanted to be a part, but because I really have a desire to see those who claim to follow Christ act like it.

Sadly, he pulled up at the same time he has for almost a year and parked in the same spot he has every week. Got out of his car, looked over my way... and said nothing. In fact, he glanced away as soon as he noticed I was looking his way.

Guess he feels he has fulfilled the mandate taught by his religious system to "Go ye therefore" by simply "inviting" me to come into his building.

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (emphasis mine)

John 13:35

"It's FREE you know"

2010-06-27T04:31:00.001-06:00

About a year ago we moved into a small house in a quiet neighborhood in old town Longmont. To our East was a brand new rebuilt house that was empty and for sale... it was the only thing between us and "The Church at Longmont" that sits on the corner. For over 11 months on Sundays (and Wednesdays) people would come and go and often we would see them (and they would see us). Until today, no one spoke to us from there. In fact, no one even really looked our way long enough for us to catch their gaze and speak.

Today was different. He pulled up in a pickup I've seen parked in the same parking spot almost every week for the whole year. He stepped out of his truck, straightened his jeans and shirt and confidently looked over at us to say "Good morning".

What came next I almost couldn't believe. With an air of arrogance and condescension his head motioned toward the building and said "It's FREE you know".

The old me wanted to say something that showed this arrogant religionist how blind he really is. But asking Father what to say He was silent and confirmed in me there was nothing to say.

So many thoughts passed through my mind as the man walked into the building.

HIM: "It's FREE you know"

ME: "Do you know that YOU are NOT?"

HIM: "It's FREE you know"

ME: "You have no idea how much it has cost you... you have no joy."

HIM: "It's FREE you know"

ME: "Then why are they always pushing you for money?"

HIM: "It's FREE you know"

ME: "No, but Jesus meant what it represents to truly set you free and you don't even see it."

So sad. I weep for his blindness, yet he is not my assignment.

Contentment vs Ambition?

2010-06-24T19:17:00.001-06:00

It's become very interesting to me over the last three years how much more in tune with Father's character some who "don't know Father" are than those who do or claim to follow His Son. It seems they have an advantage over us in that they see His character exemplified in the brush strokes He left about Himself sprinkled through His creation. We often miss thees brush strokes because we discount the thoughts presented in movies, songs, books, science, even astrology as in opposition to the Bible. (That should get some folks riled up!) But before you get too riled, let me throw out a disclaimer. I would never put forth that Father intends or intended for us to worship nature, be self-worshiping, or look to the sky to know whether or not we should buy a lottery ticket. However, I'm beginning to see that some of the folks who practice or promote these crafts are more in touch with the pattern of their creator than are those who read their Bibles daily, attend church several times weekly, and give above their expected 10% (the "expected by whom" is another post entirely... but I won't be writing that one).

If I walked you into an art gallery with rooms of painting collections from several artists, chances are you could identify which paintings belonged to which painters just by the similar style and expression of themselves that are evident in the masterpieces they create. Likewise I'm learning that the world we live in, as well as all the people around us are masterpieces of the Master. So many people around us who don't know the Father have taken the time (we have not if you are reading between the lines here) to study some aspect of His magnificent creation and have found patterns or representations of cycles which I'm beginning to realize are the brush strokes of the Master. Like Paul I'm beginning to find myself surrounded by those who have some form of an altar to an "unknown god".

A recent post on the SearchingForMore.com blog written by a distant, and yet unmet brother living in TN I was reminded of the importance living a life in line with the understanding of this truth. In his post The Danger of Contentment Jason points out that contentment can be an arrow in the quiver of The Enemy. He expresses that he is not content with many of the "spiritual" things in his life and desires a more dedicated and life-altering walk. My disclaimer before I go on is that this is similar to the passion which grew inside of me and led me to walk away from the religious life I had lived for 25 years.

Jason's discontent is consistent with those who venture down the path to living the truth of what Jesus showed and taught us. I believe Jason would pretty quickly agree with everything I am about to say in response to his post.

Many of the non-religious around us emphasize the importance of living a life of balance. From yoga to Jedi Master Yoga (well, the author of the Star Wars saga I should say) balance in life is emphasized as key. Likewise, the life of a Christ Follower is a life of balance. This important principle permeates the communities focused on art, science, business, and on and on that exist all around us. Yet those who follow or claim to follow Christ tend to live lives swinging from one extreme to another. The amazing creator of everything left some definitive brush strokes about balance on our planet, across other planets, and across the known universe. While being content can lead to complacency in one's journey, there is a lot to be said to finding the balance between contentment and ambition.

Paul emphasized that he had learned to be content whatever his circumstances. Yet I would not describe Paul as being complacent with or towards anything in his life.

Enter into the post the influence of Phil Card. Phil was a church member in one of the churches I served, but that was far from his public legacy. Phil served for a great many years in what would be called denomination service trying to establish a lifestyle of discipleship in groups and individuals. After he retired (which I'm not sure he ever REALLY did) while serving on staff in his church Phil served as my mentor for a field service class that was required for my seminary degree (kind of funny because I had always been in "full time ministry" while getting my degree... but I digress). A regular part of our weekly meetings during the class, as well as at any opportunity he would have outside of those meetings, Phil would quietly say to me "Ambition is the problem. Do you know what I mean?" I always thought I knew what he was saying and typically thought it meant something about some aspect of whatever the conundrum of the week was at the church.

Not until five years ago did I truly begin to understand what I think Phil was trying to say... or if Phil was not trying to say this specific piece of to me, Father used him as a mouthpiece to echo it to my life years later. As part of my journey I began to realize my own ambition had driven me to believe I was a better "Christian" if I worked with multitudes. The bigger the numbers I was influencing the better for the Kingdom. My ambition to "do great things for God and His Kingdom" had be all messed up.

At the close of John, Jesus quietly says "the Father is the goal and purpose of my life". Now there is ambition. The only person in the history of the world who ever had limitless power and capability and who could have had the biggest "ministry" in history was ambitious for one thing... whatever Father had for Him.

Somewhere between contentment and ambition is a place Jesus walked day in and day out and it's where I want to be as well. There are times when ambition to do great things for the Kingdom flirts across the canvas of my mind. There are times when contentment with my circumstances could become complacency. The thing that keeps them both in check is a walk with Father. The more I learn about how the goal and purpose of my life can be like that of Jesus, the less I even have to think about balance between ambition and contentment.

So, I applaud my yet unmet brother Jason and his passion to not become complacent (which is what I think he is saying in his post). No doubt the pressure of ambition is not far behind. I pray he will find his place nestled right down into the middle of being where Father wants him to be, when Father wants him to be there, and be attentive enough to do/say exactly what Father has for him to do while there.

Expectations (wrong ones at that)

2010-04-18T23:43:00.001-06:00

I'm not really sure where it crept in, but this concept that "Christians" should always be "Johnny on the spot" for every other "Christian" or "non-Christain" is all messed up.

Somewhere along the way what Jesus did (demonstrated in his daily life) and commanded has been warped to the point of insanity.

Jesus had all the power to do literally anything he wanted to as he walked the earth. Anything. There was nothing outside the realm of his abilities. He was equipped to accomplish anything. Anything! (Have I made that point clear enough yet?) He spent everyday walking among person after person, threw crowds of crowds of people who had needs. And not just the obvious needs we tend to be able to see and know.

The other day, in passing, a friend seemed to emphasize that a stranger had offered to go out of his way to help someone with whom I am acquainted. The inference seemed to be, "look how this person I barely know indicated a willingness to go completely out of their way to help me" while you who are my friend didn't make the same offer knowing my situation.

This is so messed up. It probably also fuels much of the discontent on the part of "Christians" with Father not "helping them in their times of need". Jesus who was capable of helping everyone with their immediate perceived needs did not always do so. In fact, if you create an equation of his ability to help vs his actual "assistance in a persons time of need" the result would be in negative numbers so big we could not imagine.

Jesus had a goal and purpose while he walked among us. A purpose he spoke to and demonstrated. A purpose which, if he truly is the example each of us who follow him is to emulate, should dictate our own way of life.

"You've heard me tell you, 'I'm going away, and I'm coming back.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life."John 14:28

His goal was not to do good things for the Kingdom or for the Father. He was not here to make our lives easier or to provide relief for those in difficulty. His goal and purpose WAS Father. Along the way, Father would show Jesus people in whom Father was already doing something and Jesus would know that Father would have him partake in Father's own work at some level. It was in those individual's lives where Jesus unleashed the power bottled up inside him. It was not Jesus operating from a "look at all the potential to help I have... now where can I do good things for Father?" It was where would Father have me when and what would He have me do while I am there. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"The Father is the goal and purpose of my life" dictates a great deal about the way we live our lives. It indicates a clear determination to only be doing that which we sense Father calling us to be involved in. It indicates a complete surrender to our creator to only be involved in doing what He indicates we are to be doing. It destroys the mentality that "Christians" are to always be doing everything in their power to solve other people's problems.

So, no, I won't go out of my way to help you like that other guy. Maybe his path has been guided by Father to be that person for you, but mine has not at this point in both our lives. Hence, choosing to be where Father wants me when He wants me to be there, and doing what He wants of me while there will not at this point prompt me to offer to be your wholesale savior of temporal things.

Pain is weakness leaving the body

2010-01-29T07:55:00.001-07:00

So it's been a few days (okay months) since my last post. I know... I know... successful bloggers post regularly. Guess that just means I'm not a successful blogger.

A few years back I attempted to get back into the gym for some weightlifting. I learned several things.

If you are active in a weightlifting program now, don't quit. Getting started back is a pain... literally, on many levels.

I'm not as young as I used to be.

As I've gotten older bigger numbers aren't as important as they used to be (age, weights, lbs., etc.)

Probably more if I took the time to contemplate it. But that's not why I started this post. One of the interesting quotes I learned from the guy I lifted with was:

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

One of the things I've been learning on my journey is the concept that any growth in my walk is usually associated with pain. This is a huge conundrum for those who don't know Father. Most folks seem to hold a view that if there is a "god" he, she, or it would always have everything rosy in the lives of that which he, she, or it created. A god who allows, even initiates pain in the lives of those who are dedicated to follow is not only foreign but to them a major stumbling block to any belief.

What makes this even more interesting was a recent Facebook post by a friend who is trying to find her way on a path of spiritual enlightenment and is grappling with God vs all other "systems". Here's two posts that appeared almost back to back:

I was talking to my friends about the various thoughts regarding GOD and my Friend said if God was really real, why would all those people in Haiti be suffering so much... I was speechless and Like DA I dont know??

And then...

If you look at the Mystic law of the universe suffering is a necessity in order to awaken compassion and enlightenment ~?~ but why with out no food and water??

Of course this line of questioning was all brought on by the tragic earthquake in Haiti but it did make me realize something very important. I'm not 100% sure where the last quote comes from but I'm guessing it's some alternative-to-God system of spirituality that's out there. As I contemplated what I was reading I realized often people hold the "one true God" of their perception to a different standard than any other religious teaching they explore. It's not okay for the God of the Bible to allow or cause bad things to happen to good people... in fact, in their thinking that's why "He" doesn't really exist, yet, it's noble and natural in other spiritual systems they often consider viable for suffering to bring about maturity. Have you encountered this before?

He chose wisely when given a choice of cups...

2009-08-27T03:02:00.001-06:00

One of the privileges I have along my journey is walking alongside others at various stages in their own journeys. It allows me to reflect on this curious path Father seems to have me on and gives me the opportunity to conduct "fruit inspections" along the way. (checkups to verify if I am growing or stagnant in the journey)

Today, I read an interesting part of Galatians in my current singular focus reading of The Message:

The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: "The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that's the real life." 12 Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: "The one who does these things [rule-keeping]continues to live by them." —Galatians 3:11b-12

Over the years I've seen so many people "living for God" in their weekly routines of going to church and striving to find other things they can do that will be blessed by God. Career, parenting, even giving... living for God means understanding some principles taught to them by some ecclesiastically endorsed person and then seeing how they can align their lives to apply those principles in order to find blessing or be blessed by God in their endeavors.

Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you.

This is important along the journey! If we take a step back from the popular teaching of the day and re-read the stories of Jesus' time here walking among us, it's pretty clear to see that this was how He lived 24/7 for almost 1,000 days. In the history of the world no one has had the "gifted-ness" and understanding of principles to live by like Jesus. And yet, He chose to enter into what God was doing around Him rather than doing His own thing based on the resources and teaching at His disposal. We even see Him tempted in the Wilderness to live the way we tend to try to live the "Christian life"... getting what is destined to be ours, quicker, by submitting to serve another master. It's right... we know we are supposed to "have" all this so we should pursue it, right?! Jesus resisted the temptation to have it all right now even though that which He was offered was in line with what He knew He was ultimately destined to enter into along the path Father had for Him... and more immediately than Father's way for Him. Given the choice between two cups... the cup of endulgence (which was mostly truth mixed with a little -or huge- error) or the cup of surrender, entering into what Father was doing in and around Him.

What will you chose?

Obsessions

2009-08-23T02:04:00.001-06:00

While traveling the other day I heard all sorts of people talking about all kinds of stuff that occupies their conscious thoughts. I don't remember the precise topic of the conversation that pulled it all together for me, but I do remember I was sitting on a plane overhearing the person behind me explaining how brilliant his business prowess was to the captive audience in his row. I pulled out my phone and wrote a reminder to myself of this simple thought:

Obsessed with controlling things you can't control.

It was a theme I overheard often in conversations on this trip - both conversations I had and had not participated in. In that one moment overhearing the conversation (which could hardly be called a conversation as it was very one sided, but nonetheless...) behind me on the plane Father spoke a quiet phrase that caused all the little subtle things He had been highlighting to me throughout the trip to come to rest on this one simple statement.

It's something we all struggle with at some level and in various ways. Father's been teaching me the lessons of manna from heaven and the feeding of the five thousand over the last year and I had not really put one plus one together to get this one yet (I know, one plus one equals two, but I'm learning this new math that doesn't always add up like all the math I grew up learning).

How amazing is it that we can become so obsessed, even as those who profess to follow Christ, with controlling things over which we truly have no control. Well, maybe some of you reading this may feel more comfortable if I tag on "no control except that which Father permits", but then is that really in our control at all?

Jesus walked the earth for three years totally out of control. (that should stir some head scratching) He was very careful to emphasize that:

John 5:19 (MSG)
19 So Jesus explained himself at length. "I'm telling you this straight. The Son can't independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does.

John 5:30 (MSG)
30 "I can't do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I'm not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders.

John 5:36 (MSG)
36 But the witness that really confirms me far exceeds John's witness. It's the work the Father gave me to complete. These very tasks, as I go about completing them, confirm that the Father, in fact, sent me.

John 5:44 (MSG)
44 How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?

And perhaps the most interesting snippet nestled in this explanation by Jesus is:

38 There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously.

39 "You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me!

A large majority of well meaning ministries across the world are geared to teaching "principles" from the Bible, that if you follow them precisely you will be in control of things in your life. I believe Jesus would say "poppycock!"

Out of the Game

2009-08-07T05:30:00.001-06:00

I had an interesting experience this week along the journey. Actually, the intersection of several points along the journey this week which Father used as another point of helping me understand just how busy He is all around me (and on occasion my part in it).
I've been teaching at a community college for a couple of semesters. In my summer class I had a very interesting collection of people and since teaching there is part of my "as you are going" journey I am conscious to try to look at the students for what Father may be doing individually in each of their lives. One I've been particularly interested to watch has been in the life of a young lady I'll call Holly.
Rewind a little over a year. On Facebook I came across an old high school friend with whom I had lunch and we immediately realized he and I were on the same journey years and miles apart for the last 30 years. We've since been hanging out almost every week to talk about what Father is doing in our lives and spur each other on along the way. I'll call him Kevin.
Kevin has the unique opportunity of assisting a handful of young adults with their journeys in a nearby community. I've met the group and hung out with them several times. A great group of folks with varied backgrounds and stories. One of the young ladies in the group, like most of us, had lots of hurt and difficulty in her past with which, as most of us do, she had found ways to cope. In her case one of her ways to cope with the hurt involved being in deeper than friendship relationships with other women. I'll call her Mary here.
The other day at lunch with Kevin he began telling me a story about Mary and the young lady with whom she had broken off a relationship when she began to discover the grace of Jesus along her journey. I don't remember all the details, but suffice it to say that Mary's former girlfriend was angered by Mary's new direction and very resentful of Kevin, the group Mary had become a part of, and all that Father was doing in Mary's life. Kevin told me at lunch that day that in recent weeks Mary had seen a change in her former girlfriend's attitude about Mary's new direction. Even making the comment that Mary was happy all the time and asking what was it that made such a big change. Kevin, Mary, and their group have been praying for Mary's former girlfriend to see Jesus and experience the healing that Mary has found. I'm not 100% sure how the punchline in the story wound down, but it was something like "Father has been answering our prayers by allowing her to see Jesus every week for a couple of hours and none of us knew it. You see Craig, her name is Holly."
WHOA! It took it a couple of moments for it to sink in. Mary's Holly was the Holly from my class. The same Holly in whom I had seen an attitude change throughout the course. Holly and I had never really talked about religion, but I had just been myself with her and not been concerned with what Father was doing in areas of her life outside my reach. Always watching and often asking if it was my place to say something Father just said no... be yourself with Holly."
So, I was blown away with that. But equally cool was the realization that what had occurred in this set of relationships served two other purposes in my own life. One, it reinforces the teaching about things and people with which I consistently (whether back to back in time or over years of separation) come into contact not being by accident, but that as I am where I'm supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there it only makes sense that I'd encounter these people and things again as we are each a part of what Father is doing in each other's lives. Second, for a couple of weeks, maybe even months I had been feeling a little like I was out of the game if you will. It was as if, because I had not been actively "doing" as I had been indoctrinated by religion I was not doing anything. Like I was on the bench if you will. Father showed me in that one brief moment and the intersection of several, up to that point, unconnected lives that when you are being where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there, and doing/saying what you are supposed to be doing/saying when you are there that you are never out of the game. The game is not about me.

Checklist Christianity

2009-06-13T02:37:00.001-06:00

The churchETHOS blog has a really good article about checklist christianity vs following Jesus.

“Checklist Christianity” is that form of religion that teaches, either directly or indirectly, that our spiritual growth, or even our worth as a Christian, is tied up in what we do. Specifically, the more bible studies you attend, the more extra-curricular “Christian” activities you are involved in, the more you read your bible and pray on your own, the more you are growing spiritually.

I'd add "Goes to church" to his list of items. Many folks won't even count the items he has listed until they know you are going to a certain church... and ultimately if you don't attend a church at all nothing you do on the checklist matters.

It's sad, and unfortunately probably has its roots sometime in the stuff we have recorded in Acts-Revelation, but somewhere along the lines walking with Jesus turned into going to a church rather than being part of the body of Christ. At some point by, no doubt, some well meaning religious individuals, the body of Christ was conceptually split up into "local" and "global" yet if you read all the gospel accounts very carefully you'll discover this never seemed to be on the mind of Christ. He always spoke of His body in the global sense.

What if following Jesus takes you away from attending church as we have always known it and introduces you to something very different... something I'm beginning to see may be more like what I believe Jesus had in mind as He walked among us. Something where He, not an organization, provides the relationships with other believers who will build you up and whom you in turn can build up in return.

Why must there be "Christian" this and "Christian" that?

2009-05-11T01:01:00.001-06:00

I was just on Meetup.com responding to some messages and checking the schedule for the week to make sure the groups I was part of are on my schedule for the week, and looking to see what new groups might have bloomed over the last week. I've found Meetup.com is a great place to discover opportunities to get plugged as an "as you are going" Christ Follower.

This morning I see a Northern Colorado Christian Business Something Or Other... Can anyone tell me why business people need to have a "Christian" business organization? You have "church" to gather with others you consider likeminded. Why this cultic practice of subdividing yourselves from every opportunity for relationships where you could be useful to Father?

This is directly counter to how you see Jesus walking among us. Other than his group of the twelve he was consistently out among the people at their events and their gatherings. He neither practiced nor advocated a "Christian subculture" removed from the step and pace of everyday life.

Perhaps it's because we have confused being separate in how we live our lives among the rest of the world as Jesus did, in how we determine our priorities with just being separate completely. While those who follow Christ were dubbed "the called out ones" by Jesus, I don't believe we were called out to be closed away, closed minded, closed off, closed down -- a closed subculture.

Your church staff will be very frustrated with me on this one, but let me challenge you to go to Meetup.com, find a group that shares your hobby or work interests and plug int to see how Father can use you in a group outside the walls of the subculture you've been hiding in without realizing it.

They call it a home show...

2009-03-01T16:16:00.001-07:00

... and we were there last night.

[caption id="attachment_115" align="aligncenter" width="571" caption="A friend of a friends living room in Boulder"][/caption]

Ben and Robin Pasley grew up in a denominational church setting like me. They did the music circuit for a while, then the church scene, and feeling a draw to deeper family and discipleship began what is now Enter the Worship Circle to mentor young musicians and disciple them.

A friend of mine in Boulder fellowships with a group of college age folks and invited them to come hang out Saturday night and play and sing some songs. It was very organic except for the chairs, which my friend said he set up to help us former denominational types feel more at home.

I'm not sure if it's truly longing for that experience I once knew as worship or the deep seeded messaging all my life that I should be in church every week and memories of the times it was enjoyable to be in that type community.

Through the experience I found myself talking with Father about what worship is out here where He has us now. Part of the answer He gave me right away... I worship as I walk each day with Him. I found myself wrestling with Him about the music, and the friends, and the... He said something simple like "I'm not enough? The people I bring your way each day are not enough?" I said okay and asked Him to help me be happiest in Him alone.

We are beginning our third year walking in faith apart from organized religion. It has been a complete time of life transition for us as all of our adult lives were intertwined as family and occupation in organized church stuff. No doubt it will take time before almost 25 years of addiction and 45 years of indoctrination is purged from our system. Last night was another step in that process. One simple step at a time.

Living as the church (or in the church?)

2009-02-14T16:25:00.001-07:00

[caption id="attachment_112" align="aligncenter" width="560" caption="Could this be our new home?"][/caption]

So this is just kind of funny. For months we've known we would probably be moving up more to the Boulder/Longmont area and for most of those months I've pseudo-jested about finding an old empty church to rent to live in. The thinking on our part centered on how wonderful it would be (and ironic in this case) to find somewhere that has enough space that we could offer for other former church staff members whose journey following Father is leading them out of a church vocation, to come and stay with us at no cost until they got back on their feet working some other job/career.

So, we'll likely be moving in the next month or so and have ramped up the looking process. Today while Julie and her best friend Amy were out and about looking at areas and availability of rentals in those areas they found this! Unbelievable. Could that pseudo-jesting have been based on the prompting of Father instead of me thinking I was being funny.

It would be something to be able to respond when asked where we go to church, "GO? What do you mean, we live at the church!" and really mean it!

Leaving vs Pursuing

2008-12-09T04:01:00.001-07:00

Reading the reminder article posted by Jeff McQ at Losing My Religion: Re-Thinking Church today prompted me to understand something more clearly. Many folks want to know (whether it's the few how actually ask or the apparent many who ask others) what led the Kendall's to leave the church or more commonly "what happened"?

There IS a lot of discussion and exploration about alternative forms of gathering as the body of Christ these days. I'm afraid to say that in many instances some of what's driving folks to explore alternatives is the same thing that has fueled church hopping for decades. Someone get's their feelings hurt and shazaam, it's time to look for another church. It's often couched in all kinds of other surface reasons... we're just not being fed, or folks just never really reached out to us, or something similar. So there appears to be one group who are exploring alternative "church" types due to dissatisfaction with the "church" they were part of before.

Our experience has been very different. We love the friends and "stuff" that was going on at our "church". It was a great place with tons of amazing people and lots of cool events and programs. For us, following Jesus required us to leave the walls of what we had always known as "church" because we could no longer follow Him and stay there. Stuff He showed us about walking with Him and His Way made what we saw going on there in His name a stench to our nose. No one mistreated us. No one was ugly to us. No one chose the wrong color of carpet. We just could no longer stomach what was being done there as really about the Kingdom as much as about a kingdom. Not as much about persons as people. Reversals of parables and stories were showing up all over. The one was left for the 99. The mite was no longer mightier than the millions. The treasure was left covered up in the field so the previous pursuits of so much potential could be pursued. We could no longer stay where we were and pursue Christ because following Him was taking us outside the traditions and established ways of doing "church". Some would say we became disgruntled on some level, but having been in church work for decades this was no disgruntled church member leaving because his or her feelings were hurt. This was, "I'm not so sure 'church' is supposed to be what we've made it" and in order to follow Christ into exploring what He meant we had to remove ourselves from the addicting influence of the show.

The interesting thing is He has not allowed us to pursue another way of doing "church" but instead only Him. Because we are in Colorado, there is every a-typical opportunity for church around us. While we treasure every opportunity we have to gather with other Christ Followers, He has not taken us to a house church, a missional gathering, or any other form of a programmed event where people get together to be a "church". Don't get me wrong. We do purposefully seek out opportunities to be together with other Christ Followers. Dinners at the house seem to be the most common type, but any occasion to hang out with other Christ Followers is at the top of our list of stuff to do.

So, how about you? What led you to that new "church"... Christ or frustration?

Several have asked...

2008-12-06T05:51:00.001-07:00

Several have asked and others want to know but don't ask. I'll answer anyway. The question is something like, "Why don't you go to church anymore?" While I won't spend time rehashing the journey that brought me to where I am (read the rest of the MyWalkBlog entries if you are interested in that), I'll instead answer the question for those who will to some degree admit they at least partially agree that "church" as we have always known it does not accomplish the mission that Christ left with His followers, but who would challenge that I should be "inside" applying what God has shown me as a fix for the "church". Today I was catching up on some blog reading and came across the following section of a post titled Is Deconstruction Enough? Wayne, being challenged whether he really wanted to be known as one of the guys who convinced people not to go to church on Sunday morning says as part of his response:

The reason church life grows stale is because we’re looking for institutional solutions, not relational ones. If we equip people to live loved of God and live as lovers of people, the church will spring up all around us. It probably won’t be contained in a specific meeting or building but will grow wild and free and bear fruit in the interconnection, collaboration, cooperation and submission of brothers and sisters who are being changed by Jesus. That can look like a hundred different things. But once I begin to describe some of those things, I know our tendency as humans to prefer replicating a model to following the Head! We love to construct things, not build up people. The New Testament points us to building up people in Christ and seeing what expression that takes. I don’t think it works the other way around. (emphasis mine)

And there you have in a nutshell my answer. I remember several years ago, when following God on my journey brought about some interesting developments in our own group. The church we were attending immediately wanted to find a way to replicate what was going on in our group through months of praying and following by putting together a handbook, having a training session, and watching the Spirit of God take that group exactly where we were headed because we were following God.

One of the key questions I remember the church leader asking after I told him our off-shoot groups followed no curriculum was "but how do we control what goes on in the groups." My response? "If you think you control the groups that meet on campus because they all meet at the same time each week and because you put approved curriculum in the leaders hands your nuts." Do you see it... "But once I begin to describe some of those things, our tendency as humans is to prefer replicating a model to following the Head!"

Other than the simple fact that Jesus, the Head, has not led me back to an institutionalized gathering, I'm confident that any attempt to change the institution, as others have suggested, from the inside out though it would be the result of a small group learning how to walk in intimacy with God, would be subjected to tendencies and efforts to replicate the model and not the following of the Head that truly brought about the change. Besides, ultimately, those who have "gotten it" begin to struggle with being inside the institution themselves and we all know how that "movement" would sit with those who lead the institutions.

Pursuing Christ Outside the Walls!

Counter Assumption

2008-10-31T03:53:00.001-06:00

In his article, The Cult of Mac: Neuroscience shows Apple's impact on the brain is the same as religion, the author Skye Jethani cites research and opinion based on that research toward addressing what he sees as consumerism affecting the church.

"Apple is (as we've proven using neuroscience)...a religion. Not only that--it is a religion based on its communities. Without its core communities, Apple would die--it is already facing strong pressure as the brand simply is becoming too broad (losing) its magic. What's holding it all together is the hundreds if not thousands of communities across the world spreading the passion and creating the myths."

I was glad to see he came back and explored the opposite side of things... as he puts it "If brands have become religions, is the opposite also true? Have religions been reduced to brands?" Skye affirms that he does believe this to be true. I have to admit I was already thinking in this direction as I began his article (but then, that doesn't surprise those of you who know me, right?).

Could it be the same thing that makes humans in general vulnerable to consumerism in the first place is the same thing that contributed to the rise of a religion out of the relationship focus Jesus lived and taught while He walked the earth?

What's really intriguing about this study, and about Apple being dubbed "a religion", is more what it says about religion than it is an indictment on Apple or any other strong brand, right? Does the study show that people are generally pre-disposed to a system of belief about something? And, if so, could it suggest that when Jesus left the disciples without a religion per se, that in the absence of one, the people who by nature are predisposed to systemization rather than relationship, unknowingly began to layer the system, or religion, back onto that which Jesus spent three years striping away?