Question Series: To Flow or not to Flow ... that is only one of the questions

What do you think of this? Copied from an email from the lady from the GodPillow site. (Lady I met in Philly couple years ago at the body, mind, spirit expo.)


July 23, 2009
Working with a Larger Energy
Going with the Flow
Daily Om
The expression going with the flow is a metaphor that applies to navigating a river. When we go with the flow, we follow the current of the river rather than push against it. People who go with the flow may be interpreted as lazy or passive, but to truly go with the flow requires awareness, presence, and the ability to blend one’s own energy with the prevailing energy. Going with the flow doesn’t mean we toss our oars into the water and kick back in the boat, hoping for the best. Going with the flow means we let go of our individual agenda and notice the play of energy all around us. We tap into that energy and flow with it, which gets us going where we need to go a whole lot faster than resistance will.

Going with the flow doesn’t mean that we don’t know where we’re going; it means that we are open to multiple ways of getting there. We are also open to changing our destination, clinging more to the essence of our goal than to the particulars. We acknowledge that letting go and modifying our plans is part of the process. Going with the flow means that we are aware of an energy that is larger than our small selves and we are open to working with it, not against it.

Many of us are afraid of going with the flow because we don’t trust that we will get where we want to go if we do. This causes us to cling to plans that aren’t working, stick to routes that are obstructed, and obsess over relationships that aren’t fulfilling. When you find yourself stuck in these kinds of patterns, do yourself a favor and open to the flow of what is rather than resisting it. Trust that the big river of your life has a plan for you and let it carry you onward. Throw overboard those things that are weighing you down. Be open to revising your maps. Take a deep breath and move into the current.

What do you think??

First of all, let me tell you that I checked out the site, and she makes very nice kneelers. From a man who grew up with alters that had only a thin piece of carpeting between you and the raw building materials, I wouldn't have known what to do with something this cushy.

Now some of the basics of my theology.

• While I believe that we need to get away from what Leonard Cohen called "Boogie Street," I do not believe in the path of least or non-existent resistance. I believe that God calls us to a live of adventure and meaning ... and I find this to often be laden with more resistance than any of us could handle on our own.
  
• I do not believe in a "greater energy". I believe in God -- not gods, or energies, or spirits. I know this is an increasingly unpopular stance in a relativistic, post-modern society, but I believe it to be true regardless of cultural mores.
• I believe that we should NOT aspire to go where, "we want to go." I don't believe this, because I think we sell ourselves short, usually pick the path of least resistance, and rarely choose to do what God has called us to because we are inherently selfish, self-serving, and evil. I know this is also an unpopular view, but I told you these answers wouldn't be a lesson in good PR

Let me expound on some these points.

I think my objections are a lesson in semantics. What does she mean by "greater energy?" I assume she means a power greater than our individual lives, which is a popular, fuzzy, non-offensive way to talk about god without saying god ... or gods, depending on what the reader believes. I think that is a dangerous and ultimately a lie from darker spirits.
The problem here, is that if she were to say, "requires awareness, presence, and the ability to blend one’s own WILL with the WILL OF GOD," I would be fully on board. However, that is far from what she is saying. What she is saying, is that we need to give up our will to the will of the multitude of spirits around us.
Okay, I don't want to lose anyone here. Scripture is very clear that there are two sides in the spiritual realm -- God's side, and the side occupied by Satan (ultimate darkness) and those angels who chose to fight for the wrong, rebellious side (demons, principalities, and powers). It is also clear that until Christ returns, this world is Satan's dominion. He walks the earth deceiving and destroying as much as he can by any means he can. We who belong to the tribe of Christ-followers are in fact an insurgence -- an underground revolution resisting the work of lies and destruction with a message of truth springing from faith, hope, and love.
For that reason, I believe this new-age, post-modern philosophy that says, " ... all roads lead to the same place." is a lie straight from the ruling party. It is demonic propagandist new-speak. God is God. He is the, "I am" -- ever present. Anything that speaks short of this is un-truth. All I have ever cared about in my searching and seeking has been truth. I hate un-truths.
"But wait," you say. "We are all just doing the best that we can. What is right for you is not necessarily right for everyone. That's just what works for you."
Ridiculous.
Something is either true or not true. Now, some things are more obviously not true than others, but they are, no matter, not true. I believe this is one of those things that are getting closer, but still, nonetheless, not the truth that leads to freedom.
It is good to escape from the materialistic, consumerist rat race, but not by swinging to the other extreme of the pendulum. God has called us to greatness. He has called us to be an active underground revolution. He has called us to stand against the lies that enslave those we love around us by any means necessary. He has called us to live a courageous life of love, of peace-seeking, of creation instead of destruction. This will never and can never look like floating at the whims of all the "energies" around us. The most I could concede is that it DOES look like giving up your will to the will and patterned thumping of the heat of God meant to lead you to fulfillment and significance.
Okay, so if you haven't stopped reading yet, I am going to guess you at least want to hear me out.
The sad part, and the place where the energy argument seems to ring true with so many people is that christians (small c) do so little to show there is a better way. To use the underground insurgence/revolution analogy, we have far too many people living as double agents. They say the belong to the revolution, but there actions show that they are still very much a part of the great lie and are in fact the greatest weapon the prevailing powers have -- the idea that there are no more freedoms, differences, love, action or answers in Christ than there are with any other culture, life styles, or religions. However, real Christians know the difference. It takes a commitment to "un-self" or "anti-self". I don't strive daily to "know myself better," I stive to "lose myself" and fill myself with the Spirit of the creator of energy -- the one who has promised to give that energy to His true followers who live by faith and reckless spiritual abandonment. That is the God of energy that I serve. He is my King. I am his warrior.
All of that being said, I do agree with her assessment that we should continually strive to cast off the things that hold us back, that are unhealthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically. God has called us to freedom, not self-inflicted bondage.
I try really hard not to write in "church talk", but it just so happens that this subject called me to talk about things that made it unavoidable. Still, I hope it was understandable. If not, I hope we can continue the discussion from your comments.
There are lots of people out there that say that they are "spiritual", but sadly I don't know if many of these people ever reach out to the one thing they are looking and searching for, because they feel it it trite and common. Jesus Christ. My only recommendation is to not confuse the creator with His creation. Sadly, we do a poor job of representing Him far too often. To that, I confess and apologize. But I did search, and in the end I came back to the God of my youth ... only, he didn't look anything like I thought he would from what I had been told and taught. He is bigger, stronger, more loving, more powerful, and more comforting than I could have ever imagined.
I'm sure this isn't what the person that asked me this, who is a dear friend, thought I would say ... or wanted me to say, but it is what I believe with deep conviction, and I know that it is truth.
God is reaching out to us all, but the propagandist lies from darker world occupation is polished and can look very much like truth ... unfortunately, anything that isn't truth is a lie. Whatever is not light is darkness. But it is a process. It is a journey. We are all on one, and they all look different, because we have different starting points. The danger in that is beginning to believe that relevance means universal acceptance of all beliefs as equally right and leading to the same place or god. That is simply not true. All spirits and religions that are not centered on Christ lead back to the self (that's why they are so popular ... they simply disguise and dress differently things we are naturally positioned to believe and do). Christ calls us to serve ... not in order to gain anything, but because we have had a foundational heart shift, and it is no longer our life to live, but Christ living through us. But that mystical conversation is for another blog. Let's just say it is an energy that makes all the other energies look like lightning bugs in a jar in relation to the sun.
Thank you all for taking the time to read what I have to say. I am not looking to proselytize for the sake of whatever it is people do that for. I am interested in pastoring and helping people find what it is I know they have been looking for, because I too was one of those people. I took a very wide course in my seeking. My calling is to help streamline it for those want the help and are willing to make the commitment.
Love you cats and kittens.
Gamecat out.

Question Series: The Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How's of H.11

What is H.11? Why did you start down this path and start H.11? Where and when do you meet? How do you intend to bring your's and the Lord's plan to fruition? When did you first hear the calling? Yep! I think that covers it! I wasn't being a smart Alec - I truly am completely curious!

Wow. While this question isn't altogether difficult, it is certainly involved, isn't it? I guess will break them down into sub-questions -- that should make it easier to digest.

(What is H.11?)
H.11 is a church. It is a community. It is a tribe of people who are either seeking to live out their faith in very real and courageous ways or else people who have really messy questions to really messy problems that happen in very messy lives, and they are seeking out answers that seem to evade them in a materialistic, self-serving world.
H.11 is itself untidy. We don't claim to have all of the answers to all of the questions, but we are interested in coming together to help shoulder the journey. And though we may not, pragmatically, know a cookie-cutter response to all of life's unique challenges, we believe earnestly that at the root of all problems is the need to reconcile ourselves to a creator that has called us to a life in direct opposition to many of the ideals and standards set up and proudly preached in a cacophony of Homer's sirens throughout our daily lives.
H.11 is a group that will no longer be silent and still.
We strive to live a faith out loud -- a faith that screams louder than bumper stickers and t-shirts with cheesy sayings; a faith that offers hope, grace, and unconditional love; a faith that gives a sense of belonging and fulfillment through the giving up of ones own drumbeat for the thumping heart of a God-King.
H.11 is striving to be David as a shepherd fighting against the Goliaths of a very scared and posturing world.

(Why did you start down this path and start H.11?)
I have always led. It's all I have ever known. I was never afraid to speak my mind, afraid to stand up for what I believed in, afraid to do what needed to be done, afraid to work for something worthwhile ... in different chapters of my life, that gift has been used for both good and evil ventures.
When I came back to my faith following some very ... um ... unfruitful and dark years in my late teens and early twenties, I felt called to Christian leadership very early on, earlier than I was ready (I say that as if I feel prepared now). God began giving me a vision -- a vision for a church and community that was less fluff and more focus; a church that was focused out rather than in; a church that cared less about being clean and sterile than it did about getting dirty and spiritually bloody with battle; a church where anyone would feel welcomed, challenged, and was free to ask hard questions that mattered to them.
Admittedly, this vision was a process, and it still is, but I know more surely now than ever that the vision God has planted in me and us as a community is needed and real. Though we haven't seen the growth, I believe that God is beginning to pull together a group of seekers that have the gifts to raise a great tribe of spiritual warriors that will do whatever, whenever, wherever with the courage to not ask why.
Honestly, I am still seeking God as to what this will look like. Some days I like that we are small, but most times, I feel that God has bigger plans for H.11 than I could ever imagine -- I am just waiting to get my marching orders. For now, I am training those around my campfire to go from being civilians to trained, savage spiritual fighters -- ready to use their gifts, talents and passion to work toward freeing and redeeming those cultures in which they live daily. If we are faithful in the small things, God will give us greater things to manage.
H.11 is an act of obedience. Sometimes I feel ill-worthy of being called a pastor. I myself, after all, have my own journey toward Christ-likeness, but what I am finding, is that as we obey, God gives grace and progresses us on our journeys, both individually and communally.
We feel there are more that God is calling to join this tribe in its humble beginnings -- those who aren't satisfied living the lie of part time faith and ministry. We are just waiting for them to show up and give allegiance to fight along side of us, to learn, to be discipled, and to be faithful to their own calling lived out in community with us.
Whew, this is time consuming and emotionally exhausting.

(Where and when do you meet? )
Wow, this is much easier when stacked against the rest of them.
Right now, we are meeting on Sunday afternoons (usually) at my home in Weirton, WV. However, because we are small, we sometimes make allowances for work schedules and move around the time and location a bit. If anyone is interested, all they have to do is contact me via e-mail (h11.nathanblake@gmail.com), contact me through facebook (nathan blake), or call me (304.906.5485).
In September, there is a chance we may begin holding our meetings in Steubenville in the basement of Westminster Presbyterian with whom we are beginning an informal partnership based on mutual mission and complimentary resources. This is a big transitional semester though in my life, so I am diligently seeking God as to whether now is the time to move or not. In either decision, I want it to be about the desire of my King and not my own ambition.
On top of our teaching meetings, parts or all of H.11 can be found on my porch at various times throughout the day ... I have a pretty "open door" policy at this point in the ministry. I like these times to talk and council in an open and honest forum.
As I stated above, I welcome the chance to talk to anyone interested in what we are doing and would like to be a part of it in any way. God is calling people to this ministry, I know that. I just don't know who it is.

(How do you intend to bring your's and the Lord's plan to fruition?)
That's an excellent question.
I don't really know. How's that for honesty.
Here's the thing. H.11 just kind of happened last semester. I accepted the pastoral mantle around the Easter Holiday. That is what I consider to be our inception. I was really hoping to be done with my second bachelors before we started ... once again, God has His own ideas.
I plan on being faithful. So far, God has brought us some divine appointments and opportunities, and we have been faithful to carry those out. We have less than limited monetary resources though we are faithfully tithing and giving.
To some degree, I think church plants get too caught up in marketing strategies, business plans, etc., but I do think there has to be a plan. So here is what I have so far that is certain:
We will move and go whenever and wherever, doing whatever God calls us to do. We will be launching a more formal service as soon as God sends us the remaining resources we need (a strong, musical worship leader, some people wanting to be a part of the ministry in very real ways, etc.) -- at the latest, the beginning of 2010 ... hopefully in the early fall. The services will be pretty informal. I am working on some ideas to make them interactive (questions at the end of the service being able to be twittered, texted, or facebooked), as well as community oriented (food, after-parties, etc.) with a big focus being put on accountability groups and discipling. Our childrens' and youth ministries will actively teach and inact the culture set up through the mission and vision of H.11 from the onset of instruction, and the church will be set up governally based on the Apostle Paul's instructions in his epistles.
I guess, in short, I know a lot about what it will look like and less how God is going to get us there. This is all an act of faith.

(When did you first hear the calling?)
I kind of answered this earlier, but I think I first heard the call in the fifth grade. I remember, at that time, wanting to be a pastor. However, I strayed from that calling not long after that, because it didn't seem very sexy and fun. More recently, I guess it was shortly after I came back to my faith at twenty-four. At times, I wondered if I really had the calling, because of the round about way God brings about His plans, but in the end He was faithful, and here I am -- sometimes, reluctantly, but always available and true to my God. Don't get me wrong, my reluctance isn't because I don't want to do it. I have never been so fulfilled or felt so "right". It is just that sometimes I feel very inept and unworthy to be called to such responsibility, favor, and grace.

Thanks so much for this initial question. It was long, but it was fun -- not very controversial, but informative I hope.
I invite anyone reading this to message me some more. I have one I am working on now that will be a bit more theological, but that is good. Don't shy away from asking things that matter to you -- that you wonder about, whether that be in your life, what the scriptures say on a certain topic, or simply what I believe. It is all anonymous. You can contact me via the e-mail or facebook above. Thanks all who take the time to read these.
God bless and bring you peace.

What is H.11?

Missional Statement

In all we think; say; do; and create, with every breath we take in and exhale -- to continually strive, as individuals and a church, toward walking more in step with the heartbeat of our King, Jesus Christ, and less to our own rhythms leading to self-inflicted slavery. We of H.11 will strive always to walk out our calling with spiritual savagery, being always faithful and courageous, never faltering in fear and doubt of God’s vision and promises

For the Heart of our King (FTHOOK)

The heart was chosen to represent H.11, because as the Missional statement says, we are constantly striving to learn to walk in step with the will and heartbeat of Jesus Christ and his examples of love, submission, generosity, and completely sacrificial service to God’s creation.

The idea was taken from a story related in Erwin McManus’s The Barbarian Way of Robert the Bruce who died in battle, but before he died, directed his second to cut out his heart and hold it in the air in front of his men when they rode into battle. In the same way, we at H.11 aspire to constantly hold the will, passion, and courage of our King as our highest example as we seek to live and dedicate our lives to the work that Christ started some 2,000 years ago.

What does H.11 mean?

H.11 stands for Hebrews 11, a book and its corresponding chapter from the Christian Bible. While this chapter is often referred to rightly as the faith chapter as it chronicles just a small cross-section of our spiritual forefathers who displayed amazing acts of faith and belief, we contend that it more importantly chronicles only a few examples of those who did exactly what we strive to do – live a spiritual life that says, “whenever, whatever, wherever without asking why.”

H.11 is committed to ministry not only in the most spiritually sexy, radical ways but also learning to live out a faith that is alert and active in our everyday lives, aspiring to actively pursue a faith that is 24/7/365, recognizing that as we reach out to help others find wholeness, we are, as the apostle Paul said, living letters of the transformational power of God and a Sunday C&E faith is neither relevant nor authentic in a society that has infinite choices and finite time.

This is my first installment ... your homework, read Hebrews 11. We'll move on from there.

Changes Made

So, though they are backward, all of the postings from the old blog are now here. I know, a big relief for you.

We move forward.

The Faithfulness of our King

I suppose it shouldn't surprise me anymore, but it always does amidst the seeming chaos of life. When you choose to give up the selfish ambitions of the false self, instead choosing the bold; unapologetic; selfless; gentle; peace-seeking; savage will of the self you were imagined and prepared by the creator to be, the ability of God to move and be faithful to the visions, promises, and directives He has given are exponentially increased.

H.11 had an amazing day of faithful community. We had a couple of new visitors, my sister's family came down to hang out, the Spirit moved in the teaching, and we began preparing for four major events -- the first is the eight of us who are taking our community responsibilities to another level by combining our two households to transform the wifey and my home into a communal arrangement called Sietch House which will be not only a new monastic type setting but also a house of prayer, a safe place in the community to go in times of trouble, and an experiment in living out the principles of the early church.

The second event is the combined three baptisims in the coming month. These will be my first baptisims as a spiritual leader, and I am humbled, honored, and excited for the day. We are travelling down to the Sago, WV area to the family farm of one our members for the baptisims, our usual serivices, and a day amid nature's lessons and beauty. I pray that God moves on that day in an amazing way on what will be a milestone in our short history.

The last two events are weddings -- one between two members of what is shaping up to be a strong, reliable, gifted, selfless, savage core of spiritual warriors, and the other is the wedding of a young woman who is a niece of mine via our history and my relationship with her family. I am equally excited for both, and even more excited that the young woman and her aspiring family want to start coming to our Sunday gatherings and become an active part in communing with us regularly.

I feel so small as I begin to see all of the ways God is using this very small group of believers that have decided to say to hell with the politics, the red tape, the religious posturing, and business model church construct that only serve to domesticate its members in exchange for a savage, messy, out-loud faith that constantly strives to live out the will of God and His scriptures in the most obedient, authentic, and faithful way we can. I often wonder if God is able to do these things amongst such a band of rabble-rousers as us what He could and would do if larger, more resourcefully abundent communities would stop running their communities on a capitalistic business model and begin operating on a faith model that says you go forward as fast and efficiently as you can -- never questioning why or how but only answering,"Yes," to the wild, lively, counter-culture and undomesticated commands of our King. Maybe there is a reason God said it was easier for a camel to enter through the eye of the needle than a rich man through the gates of heaven -- and maybe that means rich churches too. I think bottom-line church constructs limit the ability of God to work -- though I have seen a growing number of resource heavy churches moving toward a more "outward" focused model which is encouraging. We at H.11 wouldn't know what to do with any sort of income. It is all we can do to stay supplied with coffee.

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin' ..

Blessings to you all, and may God's peace pass all of your understanding.

NDB

Edits for a Bear Named Gare

I have updated the color scheme of the blog for a couple of readers ... mainly my brother-in-law ... who said the contrast was making the readability a little taxing. Never say I am a tyrant. I listen to the masses -- sure, "let them eat cake," but "give them a little icing too." ;-))

Seriously though, I would like to thank all those who have commented on facebook and through e-mail that they have read the blog and enjoyed it as well as offering some suggestions. I appreciate it. I don't do this for self-gratifing reasons, so I want to make what small amount of time throughout your day you allow for reading my thoughts, confessions, ideas, and musings as enjoyable, refreshing, and thoutful as possible.

Kirk out.

Yesterday, I read a post linked to Jay Bakker's Twitter account (http://tinyurl.com/n4xqnm). Jay is the pastor of Revolution, a church that reaches out to those few church's do and has a special grace on his ministry. I don't agree with everything he says or stands for, but his ministry bears good fruit, and since the Christ said that is how we will know His people, I stand with him and what he is doing.

For those who don't have the time to read it, the blog is a small explanation of an atheist that attends Revolution on why she attends, but it is also a honest look at her acceptance of Jesus as perhaps history's greatest teacher ... but not its savior. There is more in the blog, and it is worth a look -- she addresses the need of people to read things they know they won't agree with, the fact that there are few truly open-minded people, and the fact that there should be a revolution of discussion and authentic conversation between Christians and Atheists -- all really good stuff that I agree wholeheartedly with.

But the crux of what got me thinking was, to paraphrase, that she followed Christ's teachings wholeheartedly but did not accept Him as personal savior -- in other words, she recognized that His ethical and moral teachings were superior to a relativistic society, even when she believed there was no God, yet didn't believe that there was a creator that needed to be reconciled to and a given way to do it.

So, what does this mean?

What are the implications of looking at the teachings of Christ as a philosophy of ethical living rather than a love story between creator and creation?

I've had less than twenty-four hours to think about it, but let me tell you what is flowing on the old thought ribbon up to this point.

Firstly, it is not as if this is a new concept. Most of what we consider out "Christian founding fathers" in the United States were in fact Deists -- meaning they believed that there was a creator, but that he basically gave life to life and then stepped back to watch the show. Thomas Jefferson went as far as to reconstruct his Bible, tearing out any references to miracles and any talk of the afterlife. Essentially, he was left with a morality play. With that point, it is obvious, since even we non-fundie (non-right wing fundamentalists) get tired of hearing about how America is a "Christian Nation" which is impossible since governments must rule over their people and Christ calls His people to come under their neighbors (this is for another blog -- if you can't wait, order The Myth of a Christian Nation). Whatever your stance though, there is no doubt that by setting up the government's original moral code on Biblical standards produced a stable, mostly free, prosperous nation with a penchant for check's and balances and eventually correcting our moral mistakes.

Along those lines, it would be hard to argue that following the teachings of scripture would not produce a morally and ethically astute person. Who would argue that someone who believes that lying, murdering, doing good to those who harm you, being faithful to your spouse, being a peace-maker, and all the other things that Christ directed his people to do would produce someone you wouldn't want over for a dinner party or to sit down and have a drink with. That would be absurd. There are obviously good people who are pre-reconciled. And that is "the rub", so to speak, of where I am in my spirit and thoughts.

Interestingly, this non-believer is essentially making the same argument that the church has made for years ... that it is what you do that makes for a fulfilled life and a righteous individual. Perhaps it is her background in Catholicism and their tradition of grace and works leading to salvation that has brought her to this conclusion that what you do is the key (I would like to put a disclaimer here that some of my favorite theologians are from the Catholic tradition ... I just happen to disagree with this precept. I did not mean to offend or seem anti-Catholic).

At H.11, we have been talking about, "what it means to be a savage spiritual warrior." Through this study of primarily the Sermon on the Mount via the Gospel of Matthew, we have discovered it isn't so much what you do, but why you do it -- it is the heart of the warrior that is the key to being a faithful servant of God.

So where does that heart change come from. There must be a fundamental shift in our heart condition -- from self-seeking, self-lifting, and self-aspiring to God-seeking, God-lifting, and God-aspiring, and while Buddhists would argue with me, I don't agree that this shift can come from within ourselves, because for most, the idea that there is nothing higher than this world leads to the belief that there are an infinite number of moral value systems (usually with the preface that it doesn't harm anyone else) which eliminates the need to fix anything in ourself -- because we are the end product, and if you want to better yourself; that's cool, but if you don't; that's your prerogative as well. Essentially, you can choose where on the good boy/girl - bad boy/girl scale you want to fall.

That, as they would have said in the early nineties, "is whack, yo."

You see, our being a good person or bad person isn't what it is all about. Sure, living in the flesh or of the Spirit of God will bear certain fruits (Letter to the Galatian church 5.16-26), but that is not why our souls cry out to our creator, and we shouldn't fall into the trap of living a good life, or saying some template prayer so that we can avoid the horrors of an eternity absent of God's presence in our life either -- no matter how many people try to scare you with what is sure to be an absolutely awful way to spend the time after this life.

No, I am convinced that it all has to do with a relationship.

Follow me.

Why were we created? So God would have someone to talk to.

What happened? Instead of being God's friend, we wanted to be God.

What did God do? He has spent the rest of what was supposed to be an eternal Eden of hanging out with the pride of His creative juices working on a way to reconcile that creation back to Himself. And it was no easy task. Tough decisions had to be made.

That story we know, at least in part, Christ came; lived; died; conquered death; rose to heaven. That is what we believe ... and that is what I know to be true.

Wait, you say. How can you know something metaphysical like that to be true? Because of me. Because of people I have seen it happen to. Because of people who have trusted me to be their spiritual leader (in other words, crazy people).

You see, talk to people that knew me ten years ago. Go ahead, do it. Now, tell them, assuming they don't know already, what I am doing now and what I believe. You will get some interesting reactions. I always laugh when people who make H.11 their spiritual home come back with stories of doing this very thing and the things people say. Well, I laugh and cringe most of the time. But something happened when I experienced that reconciliation moment. It was metaphysical, it was mystic, it was a moment that I knew that if I ever turned away, it wouldn't be because I doubted there was a REAL God. It was overpowering, awe-inspiring, and humbling. That moment when I came face to face in my heart of hearts that, "Oh, my God," -- and wasn't flippantly cursing, but was addressing someone real and much bigger than me and my flimsy aspirations.

You see, sure, you could see Christ as the greatest teacher this world has ever known. You should see Him that way. He was and is just that. But he is more, so much more, and if you stop there, you are missing it all.

God wants to talk with us again. He wants to laugh, he wants to cry, he wants to comfort, and yes, he wants to correct. Those teachings are there to help us live lives that keep those lines of communication open as large and flowing as possible -- to eliminate as many Spirit clogging man-aspiring gunk as possible, but if you don't accept His grace and what He did, you are trying to do all of work for yourself, because you must believe there is a way to get to where you know, in your heart of hearts you want to get, by yourself.

The scripture says that, "All creation cries out to its Creator." I believe that, and I think that is why most people really seek to be the best people that we can be, or if not that, then to try to be as happy and fulfilled as we can be. That is why we buy hummers, that is why we build houses that are bigger than what we will ever need, that is why binge drink and snort and huff and shoot, that is why we want faster cars, brighter lights, and phones so small and powerful that twenty years ago, you could have ran a government from them. We want them because we are trying to make up for what we lost so long ago. We are trying to compensate with things from this world to heal a hurt that is not of this world.

So, in a way, I think it is a credit to people who recognize that Christ's teachings are sound and wise. But I think the Buddha and Confucius were pretty wise in a lot of areas to. But that isn't the answer to our problems -- to your problems. The answer is, in fact, an accepting the grace of God to fundamentally shift our heart condition. The answer is to be able to talk to our creator again ... the rest, if your heart is centered, will take care of itself -- I promise.

... and now you know the rest of the story.

Boy do we Like Labels

I've been reading a lot lately -- I guess I read a lot in general, and I have been noticing with increasing regularity the need for humanity to label things and then to relabel them ... only to relabel them before labeling them something completely different. I am not fully sure why we do this. I have some ideas based on what I know of linguistics and sociology, but that isn't what I am getting at here or what I want to focus on.

The problem, I see, is that Christianity seems to be really adept at this labeling thing. When I was younger, there were a lot of labels, but there were fewer than today. Here are some examples:

Twenty Years Ago -- Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Non-Denominational, Pentecostal, etc.

Those are just a few, and that is just the labels the denominations put on themselves ... not the connotative ones like Holy Roller or Traditionalist or the like. Now look what we have in addition to all of the ones we had then:

Now -- Reforming, Emergent, Post-Denominational, Post-Modern, Progressive, Fundamentalist, and the list goes on and on.

And it's not as if we label just for clarification. We label to separate ourselves. We label to divide ourselves. We label so as not to be associated with what each other are doing. Sad.

Two weeks ago, in H.11 I taught on the "fruits" of what our spirit -- be that our "false, man-aspiring" spirit or the Spirit of God shining through us when our heart is broken and reconciled to its creator. Take a look at some of the fruits of the flesh: sensuality, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, and the things of the like -- if that doesn't sound like the church at large than you haven't been paying attention, which means we are working out of our fleshly desires and motivations most of the time ... and then wonder why God isn't moving amongst us, and why we are becoming irrelevant in an increasingly community-minded society.

In contrast, here are the fruits of the Spirit [of God]: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; we are told there are no laws against any of these. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound much like the way we act at all.

What happened to us?

Where did we go wrong?

When did we start believing that being right was more important than right being?

I propose one final label to end all labels.

I propose a label that denounces labels and brings us together.

I want a label that doesn't pigeon-hole our growth and force us to adhere to a tradition of laws rather than moving in the Spirit of God.

I claim this label for H.11 Church and what we are trying to accomplish through the vision God has given us:

We are Anti-Denominational

What does that mean?

To me (and since I coined it, I get to define it), anti- denominational means we move away from this separatist attitude that infiltrated our world-wide community so long ago. It means we work from our common ground rather than our differences. It means we recognize that there is room for discussion and disagreement on the secondary theological issues (issues that are not rooted in things directly mentioned by Christ ... i.e. eternal salvation, clapping or no clapping, sprinkle or immerse, drinking or no drinking, etc.) while still working together for the heart of our King. It means we get back to judging ministry by the fruit is produces and stop trying to destroy the works of others that don't do things they way God has told us to do them -- we begin to recognize that God gives different graces to different communities, and we being to evaluate the way God evaluates -- on the condition of the heart.

This isn't to say that we accept everything, but any conversations, dialogs, and decisions should be done in love and to reconcile our differences, but always the goal being to enter back into fellowship -- even if that means putting aside our egos and ideas of being right in order to do so.

The days of modernist, industrial assembly-line, individualistic faith and religion are over. The days of one-size-fits-all methods of approaching people are dead. What we have is an opportunity to bring peace, love, community, and reconciliation back to the world.

Put down your guns. Take off your pretty suit. You may want to store your beautiful jewelry. There will be time enough for all of that in eternity.

For now, we have work to do -- and to do it right, you are going to have to get dirty, humble yourself, and do some things you could never imagine yourself doing.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but whose way ends in death." -- don't die. We need all the hearts we can get.

Anyone else want to jump on the, "anti-denominational" revolution?

Comments, disagreements, "Atta-boys" welcome.

The Curse of Culture

I seem to find an endless line of Christians who are all too happy to tell me how awful the world is today -- to the point that they don't want to have kids, they don't want to send them to school, they don't want to associate with anything that doesn't have Christian expressly used to describe the event, organization, product, media, etc.

I don't understand this reasoning. Whatever happened to being a light and not hiding it under a bushel (Matt. 5-ish)? What ever happened to whatever is illuminated by light becoming light itself (Eph. 5). It seems to me that we are scared. It seems to me that this power and truth we claim to have via the Holy Spirit and Christ's work on the cross isn't something we really believe in.

To be sure, we are to "favor the company of brothers and sisters" in the faith for the purpose of "iron sharpening iron," and to offer support and encouragement. But no where ... and I put this out as a challenge, are we to separate ourselves from what Christian culture calls "the world" -- I know the Bible uses that term, but we use it in order to separate us from them, and that is not the message of Christ.

I recently read an article where the Song of Solomon was deemed not "family friendly". I talked about this shortly on a facebook and Twitter posting, and I was asked to expound a bit on my thoughts.

Be careful what you ask for, I guess.

I guess the short of it is that I am afraid for American Christianity, and I am afraid to a degree that I couldn't outline all the reasons in this single blog posting. I think, though, as is the case with so much in our Christian journey, that the real problem lies in our heart. Though the majority of Americans claim to be Christians (though that number drops every year) we have a very Puritanical idea of our faith -- a very "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" view. And that has its place. But as a pastor friend of mine, Jason Elliot, whom we (H.11) partners with says, "There has to be room for 'Children in the Arms of a Loving Father'."

What this focus on do's and do not's leads to is an idea that one culture is better than another -- and certainly some cultures more closely align themselves with Christ's teachings than others. However, culture isn't enough. People seem to have this idea that the 50's were pretty awesome for Christianity, but where was the zeal? Can't an argument be made that the complacancy and emphasis on this sterile, cookie-cutter lifestyle in post-war America really led to the tumult and turmoil of the 60's.

That is my argument, I guess in a nutshell. If we retreat into our cultural nutshells and refuse to be light to darkness, what will the next decades be like. Seems to me to be a self-fulfilling prophesy. We think "the world" is getting more evil (which is rediculous if you have any scope of world history) so we remove more light from the darkness which makes it more dark, so we retreat more, which makes it even darker ... and so on and so forth.

So how do we stop the trend?

I think it starts by acknowledging the problem.

The Bible is the inspired words of our Creator ... God.

How can the author of life and family create something that isn't "family friendly".

The argument against this particular study of "Song of Solomon" was that it was too sexual. And surely, you don't want to talk about intercoure, oral sex, masturbation and other sexual things with your five year old. But the pastor (Mark Driscoll ... YouTube "The Peasant Princess" to hear the sermon and decide for yourself) says that he had parents say that they didn't think their 12 year old was ready for this type of talk and teaching ... he said, and I think rightly, that if you haven't talked to your child by 10 years old, you may be too late citing various studies that children see their first pornographic picture by the age of 11 and hear talk of sexual things before that. And make no mistake, no matter how much you try to shield your kids ... you can't. Culture is everywhere.

So why not teach our kids that the Christian faith is the most exciting, enticing, adventurous life there is to live. Why hold back. Why not train our children from the beginning to not be "hiders" but to be "fighters" ... teaching them to engage and reconcile their culture to their God instead of teaching them that the best thing to do is to hide their light, because it might not be strong enough.

WE TEACH FEAR.

Did you get that.

WE TEACH FEAR.

"Well, Nathan, it is good to have a healthy fear of some things."

Snakes, yes.

The Snake, no.

"God has not given us a spirit of fear," "Fear not, for I am with you," "Love casts out fear," "I will fear no evil, for thou art with me," and so, and so forth.

I want my kids to live a faith full of action, of going out, of being light. Maybe I won't do a good job, but I think there is a stronger precedence in the Bible for living a faith like I am proposing than the faith of 21st century America.

Our faith isn't a faith of safety, sterility, puffed up retirement plans, big cars, and bigger houses.

It is a faith that says whenever, wherever, whatever. I am yours, God. I act to the thumping of your heart -- not mine.

I want to create a culture centered on that heart. I'm not interested in anything secular or sacred unless it is His will ... recognizing that nothing is sacred unless it is in the will of God. And whatever God touches, and chooses to use is sacred.

We need to focus on the light ... not the darkness. Light always trumps darkness.

Thanks for joining us on "The Price is Right" ... please remember to spay and neuter your animals.

Warriors do Battle

It's time to do battle.

My dad has a ministry called Shepherd's Gate Ministries to Southeast Asia. Over the past few years, he has worked primarily in Thailand in Bangkok and the surrounding mountain people. Through that work, he has also gained access to the Burmese refugee camps along Thailand's border with Burma (Myanmar). There are thousands of refugees who have crossed the border into Thailand to escape the sadistic totalitarian regime of the new Burma. Here is a background article: http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-11-29/48674.html. Those who watch the news will recall what they did to the monks and people when they protested a few years ago.

Back to the problem at hand. Many of these refugees have become Christian, thanks to Christian aid agencies working in the camps, but regardless of their faith, they are facing some of the worst news I have ever heard.

A pastor, who has taken the Christian name Paul, contacted my dad and told him to pray. The refugees have received word that there is a very good chance they are going to be sent back into Burma. If this happens, the men will immediately be shot, the women raped and essentially become slaves to the passions of the controlling powers and the children will be used to find land-mines by essentially sending them in as human sweepers -- yeah, imagine that is your kids.


They need our prayer. NOW. I am not one to put out prayer requests for every little thing that comes across my desk, but we are talking about thousands of people who are essentially being told they are going to die ... and worse. A large percentage of these refugees, as I stated before, our are brothers and sisters and Christ and we have an obligation to intercede for them.

Our God is an amazing God. And though this is getting no political traction in a world of war and nuclear threats, each of these represents a human life. A person who feels hunger, who laughs, who cries, and I am sure is very scared right now. I can't imagine how the fathers must feel knowing they will be shot and realizing there will be no one to stand up and fight for their wives and children as they are exploited, raped, and their innocent lives sent into fields and jungles to be blown apart in an effort to save their own skins. COWARDS!!!

I want to pray. I am calling out to every spiritual warrior within shouting distance. Now is the time to stand. Now is the time to fight. Now is the time to use every spiritual weapon we have at our disposal. Who will stand with me, with H.11, with my father, with the pastors and people of Thailand, with the aid worker, with every refugee who feels hopeless and powerless at the bureaucratic hands of politicians and governments ... who feel like human pawns, parents fearing for the lives of the children, husbands and fathers who feel helpless to protect and provide for their families.

I know you have jobs. I know you have things to do. I know it is going to be late. I know you value your sleep.

But I keep thinking that we are called to do, " ... for the least of these," and as we do we are told we do for our God and King.

I keep thinking about the disciples who fell asleep as Christ agonized in the garden, and Christ painfully asking, " ... couldn't you stay awake for one night to be with me?"

Where is our sacrifice, brothers and sisters?

We have talked long enough. Come, do battle with me against every principality and power that wished to destroy a human life and soul, against forces that wish to enslave and corrupt. Come, bring your gifts and pray with me. Wage war against darkness with me.

Let ours be a generation that knows our place as sons and daughters of victory through Christ.

I will be holding a night of prayer at my house. There will be coffee. Bring your spiritual gifts, come armed and focused. We have been called to action. I get home at approximately 10pm. Come for as long as you can. I don't want to hear anything about sleep, or work, or any other excuse, because if it were your wife, your kids, your family you would drop what you were doing and do anything you could to intercede on their behalf. So, come tonight and intercede for those who can't.

If you need details, call me. 304.906.5485 or through facebook or twitter (nathan_blake).

If you aren't from around here, organize one of these yourself or simply promise to pray tonight with us. Let's send a wave of prayers sure to the attention of both heaven and hell. We will not sit. We will not be quiet. We will no longer be weak. We will no longer be complaisant. We will claim the inheritance that is ours. We will fight for our King.

FORWARD!!! Let me hear your warrior cry!