Growth Christianity

[otherbrother]

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]

I forgot to mention that my mug was replaced synchronistically (that’s my story…!) when my 6 year old grandson (on the very day of his birthday) gave me a mug as an early Christmas gift that he bought from his School’s store.

We are pretty sure that he never even heard about the other mug’s demise. He just knew that “Papa” likes to drink coffee in ceramic mugs. The mug had no replacement images of my grandkids on it. In fact, it had Nothing on it. It is just plain white, given from my grandson’s pure heart. The perfect icon for my spiritual upgrade. Holy K.I.S.S.! I yearn to learn, which tends to collect a lot of unnecessary and cluttered thought. But now pain to be plain. But letting go of some of my precious thoughts is a good pain, growth pain. Increase heart, decrease head. Change the ratio a bit, without losing the gifts of either.

 

[RJM]

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.

Ok. But then WHY?

an expression of Christianity that empowers people to grow towards wholeness

What about the Gospel Christ?

 

[otherbrother]

Ok. But then WHY?

I think some fear-based belief crept into Christianity as Paul was organizing the movement. Similar to the observer effect postulated in quantum physics, in which normal human consciousness tends to cause wave function collapse and make a quanta act more like a particle than a wave, as Christianity tried to adapt to the world around it in order to fit in well enough to “take,” it accidentally became like a business, bottom line, ego defense, mentality. Inevitable consequence of being “in the world.” And despite Paul’s concepts such as the wonderful discernments about Love (Corenthians 14?), that attempted to keep Christianity’s followers “not OF the world,”
“In” can so easily gradually slip into “of.”
When a being, system. or movement, focuses on defending itself and/ or fitting in so as not to bring on problems, it is leaning towards fear-based motivation.
The good news of the gospel turns into something less inspiring, even as it hides behind the good news.

Growth Christianity is an attempt to focus on lovingly nurturing the highest, whole-ist, potential of the loved objects called human beings. When “God”’so loved the world “, it wasn’t for its chariots and automobiles and skyscrapers—it was the PEOPLE that make up the “world.” And even if God as a separate being is but a meaningful myth, it creates a positive self-fulfilling prophecy of loving and nurturing human potential.
Sin theology goes beyond the acknowledgment that we are all broken and not fully integrated, and lapses into an identity that becomes a negative self fulfilling prophecy and sets up an addictive-like dependency and disempowerment, like keeping a woman barefoot and pregnant so the man of the house can lord over her.
Growth Christianity seeks to liberate Christians from that fear-based trap/cage.

 

[RJM]

Christ reaches every level and touches every human heart just where they are, imo

(But perhaps it's necessary to learn that?)

 

[Faithfulservant]

I personally become wary of new terminology because it usually suggests a new thinking or a new application. I have found if I stick to scripture and seeking God that He will reveal to me something I may have missed.

When Paul says "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" in Philippians 2:12, he is urging Believers to intentionally and actively pursue their salvation through obedience to God.

In the past couple months I have radically been convicted of my offense and how Christians are so offended by everyone and everything. I read a book called The Bait of Satan by John Bevere that spells out offense as an abomination to God. How can we show the agape of God if we become offended. The results of offense are anger bitterness jealousy resentment strife and more. My whole life of reading Matthew 24 where it says many will be offended and the love of many will grow cold.. I never realized that was directed towards believers but the word love in Greek is agape and that is the love that God gives believers. Unconditional without expectations. I can look through my life where I have seen my offense and the walls I've built up towards people these strongholds have kept me safe from hurt but have crippled the gifts and blessings God has for me.

It's been a real eye opener. So many apologies to so many people. I am grateful to my Lord for this revelation and conviction.

Edit to add.. hardened hearts are lukewarm and I think that is the laodecian and when Jesus tells those at the gate to begone for He never knew them those are believers that were worshipping SELF and not Him. All their works were in vain and their faith was dead. If that doesn't cause one to reflect in their obedience to God with respect and awe or fear and trembling I don't know what is.

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Who is He speaking to? Believers.

 

[otherbrother]

Christ reaches every level and touches every human heart just where they are, imo

(But perhaps it's necessary to learn that?)

May We Move



May we move from compliance

to compassion and care,

from beliefs that are ours

to love we share,

from Christians knowing

to Christians growing.

May we move from here

to there.

May we nurture a miracle

and move

from a rut to a new religious groove.

May we move, may we move

from here to there.



We will tickle the strings of the universe,

a creation that’s never done.

And we’ll sing across the ages

for the heroes that went unsung.

And we’ll hum songs of mercy

for the closed of heart

who seem to forfeit the pearly gates,

transforming the groans of those muted souls

into music that liberates.



We will trust that this whole creation

is lovingly placed in our hands

and at our feet stepping slowly towards justice,

a harmony the heart understands.

And we’ll dance to a rapturous cadence

(no more marching in neat little lines),

We’ll weave clothes out of interdependence

that a deep-breathing Spirit designs.



May we move from compliance

to compassion and care,

from beliefs that are ours

to love we share,

from Christians knowing

to Christians growing.

May we move from here

to there.

May we nurture a miracle

and move

from a rut to a new religious groove.

May we move, may we move

from here to there.

 

[otherbrother]

the word love in Greek is agape and that is the love that God gives believers. Unconditional without expectations. I can look through my life where I have seen my offense and the walls I've built up towards people these strongholds have kept me safe from hurt but have crippled the gifts and blessings God has for me.

Yes, spiritual growth means getting THAT right. Unconditional love. Beware though of the conditional love of Traditional forms of “chosen people” masked tribalism.
Having said that, I am happy you experience the liberation of unconditional love.
Is it perhaps unconditional because it is proactive, so busy creating wholeness and actualization of positive potentials, that it is oblivious to conditions aside from that big VERB?

 

[RabbiO]

Yes, spiritual growth means getting THAT right. Unconditional love. Beware though of the conditional love of Traditional forms of “chosen people” masked tribalism.

Okay, I won’t expect to see you in synagogue on Saturday.

 

[otherbrother]

Another, albeit lesser, consideration is the evangelical potential of Traditional Christianity, its future as a brand. If God is using prevenient grace to help Creation evolve/grow, then clinging to Christianity’s old forms may be ignoring Christ’s directive to “let the dead bury the dead.”
I think Christianity is a viable vehicle for individual and collective spiritual growth. To fail to “sell” necessary (and God-nudged) upgrades of it is to allow its slow march to the grave. That would be an unfortunate “sin,” a real shame.

 

[Faithfulservant]

I'm sorry LOL. You sound like a salesman.

 

[otherbrother]

Historically, even before Jesus, major prophets such as Isaiah were advocating a move away from the conditional love accompanying tribalism (“I love you IF you are one of us”), toward inclusive love. Regardless of whether was a metaphysically pre-select spiritual agent (literal ”Son of God”) or a successor of the major inclusion-oriented prophets (Isaiah’s allegories of widow, suffering servant and lamb, and his various predictions of a leader of a new world order seemed to be referring to his own son (one can hope, can’t they?!), as opposed to Jesus, but Jesus took up where the evolutionary vision ended.

Historically speaking, he took on the role in order to manifest the vision, or, to use Stephen Covy’s words, to go from first (envisioned) creation to second (manifest) creation. And if one were to apply the pattern forward, then Christ’s vision of a new world order (governed by love and deep spirituality) was what the first coming means, and the second coming is when the vision becomes manifest, actualized (Covey’s “second creation”).

My point is: the move from tribalism’s conditional love to a more unconditional kind of love began before the New Testament. And even after the grace theology of the New Testament was conceptualized and promoted, there was a tendency towards exclusionary company loyalty and team identity when it came down to developing and maintaining Christianity as a kind of institution that has to somehow survive in the world (even as it aspired to not be OF the world). Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Outer order that eventually gets in the way of the inside out means of creating a new world order and a new self structure for each of its participants.
Conditional love happens.
Hopefully history rhymes though, more than it merely repeats itself. Hopefully we inch towards the agape love that the previous respondent on this thread values and aspires to. As do I. At least we have our eyes on the same cosmic “ball.”

 

[otherbrother]

I'm sorry LOL. You sound like a salesman.

Certainly a promoter.

 

[otherbrother]

Okay, I won’t expect to see you in synagogue on Saturday.

I would have no problem reinterpreting/translating the messages there, the same way I do in the church I attend most Sundays. The synagogue channels many spiritual truths, despite the old wineskins that obscure the deeper meanings. Exceptualism, religious or nationalistic, seems to be the problem. If each religion humbly bows to deep spirituality, no problem. No real stunting of spiritual growth.

 

[otherbrother]

Faithfulsevant, I like your username. I get marketplace weary of sales over service. Refreshing to witness a restaurant waiter/waitress actually serving and not selling.
Ironic that I turn around and sell something too!
But hopefully with a greater emphasis on the product, the spiritual growth map and means.
Growth and service. High up on the value list.

Today while shopping at Costco, I imagined asking each and every person I saw “how can I help you?”. Even merely imagining it made me feel better. I was practicing good will towards humans. Motivates me to do that mind experiment and exercise more often,
Thanks for reminding me with your username!

 

[Thomas]

Like @Faithfulservant, I'm a tad cautious when someone suggests something 'new' when in fact it might well already be there, perhaps just not in the way we want it to be. And to be sure, one needs as much insight into human nature as one does into doctrine to see where the interface is, and the issues lie ...

To me, agape as it was understood in the Christian hermeneutic is there for all the right reasons – whereas, 'gentle Jesus meek and mild' I regard as a rather sentimental mush. I don't think He was always 'gentle', 'meek', or 'mild'. I think for the Twelve and others, He was anything but.

But to me, Christianity was the practice of 'tough love' way before the 60s coined the term, and in that sense authentic 'Christian growth' is a hard road and a difficult, challenging one at every step.

The theological virtues are classically 'Faith, Hope and Charity', however 'caritas' is better translated as Love, and the pre-eminence of Love was strongly pressed upon his congregation by St Paul.

I'm in no mind to correct St Paul, but I do rather lean towards Meister Eckhart's assertion that detachment is the prince of virtues (and indeed Eckhart reasons his argument for proclaiming detachment over love).

But it depends on one's orientation ...

+++

Have you checked out
The Centre for Action and Contemplation
David Steindl-Rast

Not a huge fan of either with regard to doctrine, but very much 'on song' with the contemporary humanist spirituality.

 

[otherbrother]

My whole life of reading Matthew 24 where it says many will be offended and the love of many will grow cold.. I never realized that was directed towards believers but the word love in Greek is agape and that is the love that God gives believers. Unconditional without expectations. I can look through my life where I have seen my offense and the walls I've built up towards people these strongholds have kept me safe from hurt but have crippled the gifts and blessings God has for me.

I didn’t get it upon first read, but now I do. Yes, defensiveness, even about/for a beloved faith tradition, can be a slippery slope to a hardened heart.
Perhaps tolerating descent and attack is aided by seeing common ground. If the attacker is at least trying to understand and grow spiritually, that is no small thing. And it is something one has with one’s offense, no matter how misguided they may seem to be.

 

[otherbrother]

has “in common with”, that is

 

[Faithfulservant]

Faithfulsevant, I like your username. I get marketplace weary of sales over service. Refreshing to witness a restaurant waiter/waitress actually serving and not selling.
Ironic that I turn around and sell something too!
But hopefully with a greater emphasis on the product, the spiritual growth map and means.
Growth and service. High up on the value list.

Today while shopping at Costco, I imagined asking each and every person I saw “how can I help you?”. Even merely imagining it made me feel better. I was practicing good will towards humans. Motivates me to do that mind experiment and exercise more often,
Thanks for reminding me with your username!

I'm trying to come to terms with the product you are promoting here and who you are promoting it to as it's under Belief and Spirituality and not the Christianity sub forum. The Holy Spirit reveals to each individual what He wants them to learn.. we can hear amazing messages and maybe take them into ourselves but for a short time but unless it's a rhema word by God spoken in our lives by the dunamis power of God it doesn't have the power to change a believer.

The Church are the believers and the equipping of the saints is for believers. We are called to go out into the world to share the gospel but the world is not going to understand what you are saying here about Christian growth. That is why I question what you are promoting and to who you are promoting it to

 

[otherbrother]

I'm trying to come to terms with the product you are promoting here and who you are promoting it to as it's under Belief and Spirituality and not the Christianity sub forum. The Holy Spirit reveals to each individual what He wants them to learn.. we can hear amazing messages and maybe take them into ourselves but for a short time but unless it's a rhema word by God spoken in our lives by the dunamis power of God it doesn't have the power to change a believer.

The Church are the believers and the equipping of the saints is for believers. We are called to go out into the world to share the gospel but the world is not going to understand what you are saying here about Christian growth. That is why I question what you are promoting and to who you are promoting it to

Wonderful message. I don’t know where I am, or even what I am, but it has something to do with “belief” and “love” and “bigger” and “growth” and “new space”, and “spiritual,” and occurring in a person who has had meaningful spiritual experiences while identifying as a “Christian.”

Tonight while starting off as a prayer of thanks to God, I did (what I call) a mind experiment. I intentionally detached from words (as best as I was able) and focused only on the experienced phenomena of the state of prayerfulness. Being so bound by words, I did allow for any words that might come AFTER the wordless state occurring as I prayed, but I explored for a time in a space without word-attached concepts, I was exploring. No “God”. No “thanks.” I willed myself to have amnesia.

Focusing only on the state or raw experience, I felt “big”. Even in my method-acting role as an amnesiac, I was able to notice a shift from regular mental state to a state that felt, for want of a better word, “bigger”.

I began to remember an earlier round of this same deconstructionist mind experiment while relating to God (but intentionally beyond or beside the attached words and concepts of “God”) . As I remembered this earlier mind experiment and its results, take-aways, I realized that my willed amnesia was starting to fade/recede. I remembered finding the word “radiance” as the closest fit to the phenomenology of praying to God.
So now I have two words that a mentally naked person in a wilderness found:
radiance, bigger.

Can I learn to get bigger and/or radiant while walking down a familiar street and doing everyday activities? Can I allow the “Advocate” to assist me? Can I see beyond the word Advocate, and allow whatever that state is to be something I enter into?

Now I have flashed forward into a future. And it is a future “me” that seems worth having. It seems to be a more spiritually grown being.

No problem with seeing into the future.
I have had several premonitory dreams in my 68 years. In fact, I had one the night before this one. I saw my grandson’s face in frozen distress but realizing in the dream that it was not fatal. The next day (yesterday), he fluke-ishly got stung by a wasp and I was face to face with his pained look and painful experience. I was blessed to be able to respond with compassion/love as I helped him navigate his day-mare. I had been given the “heads up” (the night before) on this blessed opportunity: “Pay attention and learn, grow.”

So now, fresh from my spirit (subtle energy?) expanded state (anointed, advocated by), I walk out of a wilderness into a semi-familiar future where I may be reconstructed. Sort of like “born again,” but more gradual and ongoing. A theme-gene splice that takes weeks, months, maybe years to change my shape (Imagine a future in which we get a nose job via gene splicing. Your nose would gradually grow into its newly programmed shape.).

What does this out of the blue sharing have to do with the “product” I am promoting/selling? Not exactly sure, but it feels like my actions speak louder than my words. Is this one (rather weird but wonder-full) way that a Christian experiences growth? No longer having to be rescued, but now mentored by the Advocate (or Whatever)? Comforted by something bigger and radiant when life bitterly stings?
Love,
Darrell