For the last two years I have sensed a (proverbial) “calling.” Something or some part of me says “Articulate and promote an expression of Christianity that empowers people to grow towards wholeness.” The inner voice’s emphasis seemed to be on the word “grow.”
So, one of the first steps to answer the call was to name the “expression.” The name “Growth Christianity,” emerged and began to form a kind of conceptual basket to carry my inner Moses baby down the river of spiritual seeking and creating.
Externally, a book by Will Willimon, upped the motivation to answer the call. The book is The Gospel for the Person Who has Everything.
The book is a theological “cover song” of some earlier concepts by other theologians whose song wasn’t given much airtime by mainstream Christianity. It never became a hit. Perhaps the master could not yet appear because the students weren’t ready?
The master appeared to me as I read (and discussed in a Bible School class) Willimon’s book. A contrast between standard Sin/Salvation theology and a new emphasis on intentional efforts to grow spiritually deeper and wider was voiced throughout the book. The “singing” harmonized with the song in the heart of my head.
More recently, an INTERNAL event inspired me. I was experiencing some predictable but unexpected blues most likely resulting from life changes (a second retirement, probably feeling less useful?). The blues were unexpected because I thought my faith and/or general spirituality should have been up to the task of the not-terribly-major changes in my life.
But the general tendency for all humans is to underestimate the impacts of emotional events. We are all somewhat susceptible to Post Traumatic Stress. Self, as it turns out, included.
So I decided to put this mini dark night of the soul to good use. I prayerfully intended a download of a spiritual upgrade in my self “program.” One or two days after my ask, my bulky coat hit a highly sentimental coffee mug off a counter top and shattered it. I cried immediately because it had the pictures of my two angelic grandchildren on it, now vanished into thick floor. As it turned out, the immediate crying might have actually been a first fruit of my upgrade. Had I minimized the sense of loss, it would have clogged up my inner flow. I soon realized that on the other side of the coin was a special love that gave me the reason to grieve in the first place. Who needs a picture when you have the real blessing!
Healing happened, by not just as manna from the sky. I mindfully, intentionally, decided to work through the blue. God helped me help myself—the God that sometimes seems to be an Other, but at other times seems to be True Self (The God that is, at least, not not self.).
THIS is growth. THIS is a beautiful expression of Christianity. Enfleshed divine Love.
My calling is far from being completely answered. I plan to write a simple book on the topic/theme: Growth Christianity, a new way to say thank you Jesus. Subtitle optional (It just now came to me!).
Much discussion on this interfaith forum has occurred regarding the tendency for Christianity to wain in areas of prosperity and wax/gain in non prosperous regions. One of the main points of Willimon’s book is that we need not be dependent on personal or collective desperation to utilize the spiritual offerings of Christianity.
I would love to invite you to a discussion about the concept of growth Christianity, as well as discussion about the effectiveness of the new branding, including the coined phrase.
Love,
Darrell Moneyhon (otherbrother)
otherbrother 20/12/2023
Visit thread: https://www.interfaith.org/community/threads/20937/