Bob's Blog

Thus far, the ‘windows’ of GA have revealed an abundance of hope and love, and a focus on polity and science. If I had to summarize my Wednesday experiences with one word, that word would be “community”; for as we leave committees and come together as an assembly, that is what we are about. Community!

Community is at the heart of the Church; and the polity of the Presbyterian Church is rooted in the idea that when two or three are gathered together, God is present, and God’s Spirit is at work. So when an assembly such as this convenes to discuss, wrestle, explore, dream, plan, process, and yes . . . vote, we believe that God is moving in us . . . not just in me, but in US! And the implications of such a belief are profound.

What is so important about our church’s polity, and I would contend our theology as well, is that when it comes to discerning the will of God, ‘us’ is always better than ‘me.’ Each of us is indeed created in the image of God, and we all bear the holy mark of the Divine. However we are NOT, the Divine. We are broken, sinful, and all too often, a people falling short of all that we’ve been created to be.

‘Us,’ helps us see this. ‘Us’ help us accept this reality. And ‘us’ helps us to correct the brokenness that abounds in ‘me.’ We are better, together. For when we are together, we are more able to discern what God is doing in the world, as well as what God would have us do in the world. Because . . . “it is not good for us to be alone”, God has gifted us with one another – with a ‘beloved community,’ so that our faithfulness might be deepened, and our obedience might be strengthened!

All this is to say that the mere act of voting at GA deeply moves me. It’s not all that different from the voting in any of the other governing bodies of the church, except that the General Assembly is much larger, and far more diverse. Here, the only thing many of us have in common is that we love Jesus, and are passionate about the portion of his Church known as the PC(USA). But that is enough. We are still, ‘us.’ And so when we act, our actions, while they remain flawed, are better! Because we are making the decisions together, they are closer to what God desires for God’s Church, and they allow our community to function in a manner that moves us, our church, and our world, closer to the ‘kin-dom’ of God.

So . . . as a community seeking to be faithful to God this day, several actions occurred. The revised Directory for Worship was approved, as well as the other overtures recommended by the Committee on Theological Issues and Institutions referenced in yesterday’s blog. We spent time praying for the persecuted portion of the church around the world, as well as the persecuted of every faith. And then finally, in what can be described as nothing short of historic, we amended our Book of Confessions by adding the Confession of Belhar!

Dr. Allen Boesak, Moderator of the Uniting Reformed Church of South Africa in 1986 when the confession was first adopted, spoke about the journey, and gave thanks for “the things we did not know, but are now blessed to see.” Thirty years ago he never would have imagined that he would see churches literally, around the world, embrace a confession grounded in a theology that rejects racism in any form or function.

Tonight, this reality has become part of the DNA of our church. We are affirming what science began telling us years ago: that is that there is only one race in this world – the human race. And anything that seeks to divide people, that threatens our oneness or prevents us from actually living into our unity, or that in any way fosters alienation, hatred, or enmity, is not acceptable in the Body of Christ. Privilege for some means injustice for all, and the Church must fight this reality wherever it exists.

And friends, as a community, we can do this! We can do this, because of Jesus. In the words of Boesak, we SHALL overcome. Whatever we face, whatever the race, whatever befalls us, and whatever confronts us . . . we CAN overcome. We SHALL overcome.

Thanks be to God!

Tuesday’s window into the 222nd meeting of the General Assembly shifted from polity, to science: the science of creation, the science of death and dying, and the science of sexuality. The Theological Issues and Institutions Committee dealt with two of these important subjects, first, by wrestling with two overtures acknowledging that “the truths of the Bible and the discoveries of science with regard to creation, may comfortably coexist.” And considering the fact that one of the primary reasons so many people see the church as irrelevant and out of touch today is because of our anti-intellectual approach to life, both motions were enthusiastically approved.

A third overture involved approving a new pastoral guidebook titled “Abiding Presence: Living Faithfully in End-of-Life Decision.” The piece is declared to be a “theologically and ethically grounded resource for pastoral care in light new medical and legal choices involving the prolongation or cessation of life” – something essential for the church, as countless families continues to struggle with ethical decisions surrounding the end of life. Death is just as much a part of living as birth is, and too often, being an advocate for ‘death with dignity’ has been regarded as being anti-life. This document clearly proclaims that “while sharing in the historical Christian opposition to suicide, we do not find it condemned in Scripture nor see ourselves called to judge others, particularly those facing irreversible deterioration of awareness and bodily function.” Medical science is not the only determining factor in the when, where, and how death comes; and the Church must continue to address the ethics involved with both living, and dying.

Science was also on display in another committee, and the only reason I raise it here is because I was confronted with it on Monday morning as I entered the Convention Center. Flyers were being distributed touting what has become known as a ‘reparative therapy’ for gays and lesbians, and I was both saddened and angered! Men who were clearly uninformed with regard to the science of sexuality were seeking to perpetuate what can be described as nothing less than nonsense.

Fortunately, this afternoon, the GA committee on Social Justice Issues approved a motion that “expressed disapproval of sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts . . . (and that encourages) congregations to equip themselves to provide accurate information about sexual orientation and gender identity.”

Yes, the Presbyterian Tent is large. We work hard to be inclusive and are always willing to make room for those with whom we may disagree. We can, and will, debate everything from the theology of the incarnation and the meaning of resurrection, to Biblical interpretation and how to balance the unity and purity of the Church. And we will no doubt deliberate and discuss the implications of the Christian faith upon American politics, and our understanding of justice.

But the world is longing for an intellectually credible faith – one that does not deny the theory of evolution, reject climate change, or claim that the earth is no more than 6000 years old. So if you bring such ideas into the tent, know you’ll be welcomed, but you’ll also be challenged. You’ll be cared for, but you will also be held to a higher standard. You’ll be embraced, but you’ll also be encouraged to experience the transformation that comes with the renewing of your mind. For science is not the enemy of God.

Tonight, committee meetings have ended.  Tomorrow, plenary meetings begin.

For the next five days, business at GA will begin as it should – with Bible Study. The material created for our time here in Portland is titled “Messy Tables, Messy Mission,” and will focus on the duplicity of our walks with God.  Like David, a despicably broken man, who at the same time was a person after God’s own heart, so too do we seek to balance our identity as both sinner and saint.

Following Bible Study, committee meetings begin! And for those not familiar with the work of the assembly, Monday and Tuesday are always about the work of the various GA committees. Each is considering a variety of recommendations to be discussed in plenary meetings that will begin again on Wednesday. Committees will make their recommendations at that time, and commissioners will then vote.

Since I was assigned to Theological Issues and Institutions, this is where my focus will be; and after two days of nothing but ‘hope’ and ‘love,’ today was all about polity – more specifically, our Directory for Worship.

For the past several years a group in the church has been working on re-writing the guidelines for how we worship as Presbyterians. The goal was to shorten the Directory, while at the same time making it easier to understand and giving church leaders a greater degree of flexibility in planning and leading. The result is a beautiful document that reduces the number of “shalls” (things we MUST do!) from over 100, to less than 25.

One of the most important changes we’ve been asked to consider involves access to the Lord’s Supper.  Recognizing that Jesus broke bread with sinners and saints alike, the recommendation is that the church formally open the table to anyone seeking the opportunity to commune with Christ and with one another. Continuing to affirm that “eating and drinking with Christ is not a right bestowed upon the worthy, but a privilege given to the undeserving who come in faith, repentance, and love,” our committee has been asked to affirm that “all who come to the table are offered the bread and cup, regardless of their age or understanding.” No longer is the invitation to ‘taste and see’ given only to those who have been baptized in the Christian faith; but rather, in the spirit of the inclusiveness of Jesus, the invitation is to all! Jesus invites everyone to commune, and “if some of those who come have not yet been baptized, an invitation to baptismal preparation and Baptism should be graciously extended.” But there will be no . . . fencing of the table!

Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of the long and tedious discussions that were had today is the role of the Young Adult Advisory Delegates, and the number of Elders from 1001 Worshipping Communities. These millennials, and Church leaders intentionally seeking to minister to younger generations, bring a perspective to the work of our committee that is invaluable. On several occasions we were cautioned about being tied to old ways of thinking and ‘doing’ church, as well as our allowing our commitment to our traditions to blind us to the need for relevance as we seek to reach the growing number of NONES in America today.

Polity is NOT a dirty word! And this is particularly true when it comes to the worship life of the PC(USA). Like the old directory, the one currently being proposed makes it clear that the goal of polity in worship is not about creating a rigidly fixed way of gathering for corporate worship, but rather to suggest possibilities, invite development, and encourage ongoing reform. The proposed revision of the Directory for Worship will serve the church well in the coming years, and once again, I remain excited about the conversations that are taking place.

The Sunday of GA is like the calm before a storm! Orientation and elections have all occurred, and now things are settling down for the work- week that lies ahead.

This morning, commissioners scattered throughout the Portland area for Sunday worship in local congregations, where the hospitality of our denomination was on grand display, and visitors were fed both spiritually, and often physically!

My new friend J.C. Cadwallander preached at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church and powerfully and eloquently encouraged us to find strength in our common humanity, and to then take the message of God’s love to a world that is in desperate need of it. Her message was followed by Tara Wilkins proclaiming that “Sunday morning is incidental” – her way of reminding worshippers that faithful living is about so much more than what we do between 11 and 12 on Sunday! Both women were bold to say that we are not alone in this world, and that nothing can discourage us from action. Prayer is not enough. Sympathy is not enough. Compassion is not enough. None of those things are going to change the broken structures of society or stop the violence that plagues our world. Only love in action will do that; and that is the call of the church today!

The challenges were particularly meaningful because they came from two clergy who 60 years ago would have not been permitted to be in a position of leadership in the Presbyterian Church because they were women. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the ordination of women, and their gifts to the church can no longer be minimized or underestimated.

This weekend is also significant because of two more sobering anniversaries. One week has passed since the massacre of 49 of our Brown and Black LGBTQ sisters and brothers in Orlando. And one year has passed since the attack on a Black Bible Study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. Both events serve are reminders that while the ‘Kin-dom’ of God is indeed at hand, much work remains to be done.

The afternoon plenary saw the names of J. Herbert Nelson – former Director of the Washington Office of Public Witness and a member of National Capital Presbytery – and David Baker – Stated Clerk for the Presbytery of Tampa Bay, placed in nomination to be the next Stated Clerk of our church. Voting will occur on Friday.

Following a variety of dinner options, Assembly Committees had their first meeting. I will be serving on the “Theological Issues and Institutions” Committee, and we will be dealing with several important recommendations over the next two days. Revising our Directory for Worship by adding language regarding who can access the Lord’s Supper, and approving a “Pastoral Guidebook” that deals with end of life issues, are just two of the more difficult items on our agenda, and I look forward to working with the 70 plus members of my committee.

Where ‘hope’ was the word of the day on Saturday, my word for Sunday is ‘love.’ Again and again I heard “Love is love is love is love!” And love was everywhere today. I saw it in worship at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church. I heard it in the messages from leaders of Portland’s Muslim and Jewish communities who brought greetings to our assembly. And I felt it from the commissioners of National Capital Presbytery, and the other commissioners I am working with from presbyteries around this great country. If God really is love, then God was all over Portland today. And I remain honored to be here, and excited about the work that lies ahead.

The 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) began it’s week- long gathering this morning doing what it does best – preaching and proclaiming! Processing to “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty”, worship leaders rose in body and/or spirit to give praise to “the Hope in our calling.” That is, in fact, the theme of this assembly, and hope-filled messages where found lurking around every corner, all day!

Outgoing Moderator Heath Rada’s opening sermon from Genesis 45 was a reminder that reconciliation and forgiveness are at the heart of Joseph’s story, and that the waters of our baptism are continually cleansing and renewing the people of God. His charge was to ‘travel wet’ – constantly mindful of a love that never ends, and a hope that never disappoints.

After an afternoon of procedural business, the evening plenary session had a singular goal – the election of co-moderators! And as a member of National Capital Presbytery, I was proud to cast my vote for Denise Anderson and Jan Edmiston. Both women displayed great charisma, leadership, and vision, and all without a hint of pride or pretense. Boldly proclaiming that Jesus alone is the way, the truth, and the life, these first co-moderators of our denomination have already begun breathing new life into the assembly and our church, and have filled many of us with great hope for the next two years.

Again and again, today’s messages challenged us all to see the movement of the Spirit in a denomination that too many have been led to believe is on the decline. While some members and congregations may have sensed a call to move on, we who remain are confident of the prophetic Word that we have been called to preach and live out in the world; and the sense of hope among the faithful remnant was palpable all day!  We are not interested in straying from God’s call to be spokespersons for justice,  nor to cease challenging the privileged and powerful, all the while avoiding the temptation to weaponize (Heath Rada’s term!) the Church’s doctrine or polity.

Sunday morning we will gather in churches around the Portland for Sabbath celebrations, and then prepare for two days of assembly committee meetings.

Today’s morning’s worship gathering ended with the assembly rocking out to Hillsong’s “Oceans” and the Newsboys’ “He reigns”! This beautiful gathering of Presbyterians, where the average age is well over my 55 years, belted out “Spirit lead me where my trust is without boundaries!” Hear that — “Trust, without boundaries!” That, friends, can only be the plea of a people, full of hope!

It’s been four years since I last attended a General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and I am both honored and humbled to be a commissioner from National Capital Presbytery.  I am also excited to be in one of the most beautiful cities on the west coast.

My wife and I arrived five days ago (she will be leaving before all the excitement begins tomorrow – imagine that!?) and we’ve spent the week exploring.  Monday it was Powell’s Bookstore and the Rose garden, Wednesday it was Mt. Hood and Multnomah Falls, and yesterday it was Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.  Tuesday night we had dinner with friends from my first church who we hadn’t seen in almost 25 years.  They were Senior High Youth Group Leaders, and we sat for over five hours enjoying Rosemary shrimp and a nice Rose, talking about how our faith had grown and matured over the years.

Believe it or not, much of my spiritual growth has been nurtured by my attendance at our denomination’s national meetings.  I’ve been to over a dozen assemblies, most as an ‘observer’, and to me they are so much more than business meetings.  GA is a place where faithful women and men, from every corner and spectrum of our church come together to worship, to wrestle with important theological issues, to engage in one on one conversations about personal thoughts and ideas, and to make significant decisions about the future and direction of the denomination that we all love so much.

While all of our meetings are important, with critical issues being debated in committees and ultimately coming before the assembly, this year’s meeting strikes me as particularly significant because of all that is going on in the world.  We are gathering in Portland six days after a crazed gunman killed 49 people in a gay nightclub in Orlando.  Once again the national conversation has shifted to talk about a ban on assault weapons, the on-going hatred and persecution of the LGBTQ community, the merits of Islam as a major world religion, and the larger war on terror being battled by the entire world.  This, while so many Americans continue to try and make sense of the possibility of Donald Trump presidency and what that might mean for our nation, and all the nations of the world.

So the question before us is “What will be our focus?”  What will become the overarching theme for this assembly, as our beloved denomination attempts to speak with a relevant and prophetic to the Presbyterian portion of the Church around the world?

On Tuesday my wife and I also visited Portland’s Lan Su Chinese Gardens, and upon entering we were given a booklet with a window cut into the cover.  On the inside, just under the square hole, were printed these words.  “In Chinese gardens, windows are designed to draw your focus toward something special.”  As we walked through the garden, we were instructed to hold up the little window in order to focus on certain sections of the garden that were particularly important or significant.

For the next week, my hope is that this blog can serve as a window into the Presbyterian Church (USA) . . . focusing on all that is special, and all that is particularly important and significant.  We will no doubt have disagreements on issues related to everything from who is invited to the Lord’s Table for communion, to divestment in the Fossil Fuel industry, to the Doctrine of Discovery, to the role of Synods in the coming years.  People will argue, and debate, and in the end some will no doubt feel defeated.  But as a result of all of it, our Church will win!  We will be stronger, more mindful of all that God is doing in the world, and more aware of how special our part of Christ’s body really is!

So keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next week, and watch for all that comes out of this national meeting in the “Rose City.”  I anticipate great things to bloom all over, for the Spirit of God is always doing a new thing, in us, through us, to us, and in spite of us.

For months now, as I’ve watched the GOP engage in what can be regarded as nothing less than a civil war, I’ve been relatively silent on social media about the angry and vitriolic political landscape of our nation. In what will certainly go down in history as the most unusual, unpredictable, and unpresidential nomination process our republic has ever known, the ‘grand ‘ol party’ has gone from more than a dozen GOP presidential candidates – to that place where this morning there is only one left standing.

I have watched in disbelief as one man has been allowed to usurp so much control of the conversation that members of media have become unable to turn off their cameras, and great statesmen have been reduced to vulgar innuendo on a public stage in a national debate. Petty arguing and naming calling, which if observed taking place between children on a playground would have resulted in ‘time out’ or perhaps even a spanking, has become the norm. And an angry portion of the American populace now functions as a pawn in the chess game of those driven by wealth, power, and fame, manipulated and misled to think that America’s best day’s lie in the past.

Suddenly, peoples’ malcontent with the status quo has made it acceptable to mindlessly believe that platitudes are appropriate replacements for policy, and that promises can be adequately substituted for positions on some of the most important issues facing our nation, and our world. Contrary to what some might believe to be occurring, political correctness is NOT being rejected; rather, it is merely being redefined in a manner that allows the ‘excluder’ and the ‘marginalizer’ to regard themselves as the ones being discriminated against, simply because they are being held accountable for behavior rooted in beliefs that are not reflective, nor worthy, of the great American story!

However, as frightening as the power of a shrewd and politically savvy businessman may be, what is more frightening is the behavior of those who feel led to follow him! And while few of these people may ever read these words, you are the ones to whom I write.

You see while you and I may be very different people, I get your perspective. I understand your anger. Your disgust with the corrupt nature of the American political process, and your frustration and sense of impotence when dealing with the ‘establishment’, is felt by many who will never be found at the rallies in which you participate. Like you, I too know that something is wrong today; for there are people on all sides, of each and every aisle that exists in the country, who agree that America today lacks many of values that were so essential to the founding of our nation more than 200 years ago.

Those values were of great concern to George Washington as well. Which is why, 233 years ago next month, he penned a prayer that needs to our prayer today. He said, “I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would . . . incline the heart of (U.S.) citizens to . . . entertain a brotherly (and sisterly) affection and love for one another, for their fellow citizens of the United States at large, and . . . that He would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all ~ to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific tempter of mind . . .”

I share this prayer with you because I’m wondering if together, we might acknowledge how our nation has strayed from Washington’s values, and whether or not together, we might attempt to return them in the coming six months.

You see, it seems to me that for some reason, too many of us today seem to think that this nation needs to be less about affection and love for one another, and more about power over and control of the other. Justice for ALL is less important that justice for ME. Fear is leading many of us to substitute the quest for kindness, grace, and mercy, with a quest for punishment, revenge, and retribution. And as far as that ‘pacific temper of mind,’ which is simply about the maintenance of a character and disposition that is peaceful, nonviolent, and without belligerence . . . well, we seem to think that such a naïve and unrealistic desire is responsible for getting us here in the first place.

Perhaps the prayer of our nation’s first president should be our prayer today – and by ‘prayer’, I mean more than asking God to somehow miraculously change the circumstances in our nation. Rather, by prayer, I mean the intentional search, on our part, for the transformation of our hearts and minds that is at the heart of this important spiritual discipline. Without getting all Ghandi on you, perhaps you and I need to be the change that we want to see in the world; because nothing is going to get better if we just keep calling one another names, bully those who disagree with us, and demonizing those who think different that we do.

Rather than fighting corruption with angry rhetoric, we need to offer rational and reasonable alternatives. Rather than replacing the establishment’s political power with another establishment’s perceived economic or financial power, we need to simply learn how to share power, with everyone!

Washington challenged America’s citizens to display affection and love for one another. He challenged us to create a more just, grace-filled, charitable, humble, and peace-filled nation. So let’s try to make that our reality over the next 6 months.

And as far as the election goes, and who we select to lead us for the next four years – we should be demanding nothing less from them. Further, while we may not agree on who best fits this description, if we’re honest – I mean really honest with ourselves – surely we can agree on who does not!

When I say that my reading of the Bible has changed over the years, I in no way mean that I read Scripture with any less intensity or integrity! In fact, reading Scripture has never brought me closer to God than it does today! And that is because few things continue to speak truth into the life of the Church and the world like Christianity’s holy writ. In spite of its historical inaccuracies, flawed theological arguments, and blatant racist, sexist, and homophobic passages, the Bible still has much to say to the world today. Like so many pieces of literature, it can be misread and misunderstood so as to justify all kinds of evil and injustice; but at its core it offers the Christian community a beautiful history of how many people of faith have understood God over the past 3000 years. Further, I would contend it even offers many outside of the Christian faith a great deal of wisdom, that when applied to one’s life, can greatly enhance one’s health, relationships, and appreciation of the world in which we live.

The Bible’s call to be good stewards of creation and to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves, has the power to positively inform the trajectory of human growth and development; and Jesus’ call to feed the hungry and clothe the naked has the capacity to transform creation to better reflect the best and brightest side of the human spirit. Scripture’s challenge to love . . . unconditionally; to rejoice . . . in all situations; and to forgive . . . again and again and again, is good council for anyone seeking to live a healthy life; and the command to love our enemies, as well as to speak truth to power, both have the capacity to bring balance to our lives and peace to our world.

But here’s the thing: God didn’t just speak 2000 years ago. God speaks today as well. God didn’t just inspire 2000 years ago. God inspires today! And the practical and theological implications of such beliefs are extremely transformative. The Pentecost event is not a historical event from the first century. It is a story communicating an important reality, that being the unifying presence God and power of God’s people; for the movement of the Holy Spirit is both a historical, AND a contemporary experience, that always has and always will have a profound impact on the Body of Christ.

This means that while we value and treasure the ancient texts of Scripture, for few works have survived the test of time as they have, we also acknowledge and seek new revelations of the holy, remembering that God is still inspiring people to write, preach, produce, and create in a variety of ways that edifie and build up the human family. The words and works of people like Martin Luther King, Jr., Oscar Romero, Mother Theresa, and Maya Angelou are important vessels in which one finds ‘the Word of God’ and we must continually watch for all that God is seeking to do in the world today.

And this work is being carried out through people . . . inspired people! And they are inspired NOT because something or someone spoke into their ears; but because they are so in touch with the beauty that exists in the universe, and with the beauty that can be found in the human heart, that it explodes all over the pages of their lives! Somehow, in ways we will never fully understand, they are able to capture and translate certain aspects of that beauty with paint and brush, note and harmony, pen and word. And the result is a piece of art, music, or poetry that is nothing short of holy – a human product indeed, but profoundly and wholly, sacred! We might even dare to call it God’s living word!

Further, this means that we hold past inspirations, whatever they might be, very gingerly and gently. We can never be rigid in our understanding and interpretation of such holy inspirations, particularly inspired texts. For just as Bible passages were copied and recopied, time and time again, so that they might be passed down from generation to generation and shared with others throughout the ages, the meaning of all inspiration will at times be misunderstood, agenda’s will invariably change, and context will shift and adjust with time. You see, God less about supernaturally preserving stories from yesterday, and more about writing a new reality for tomorrow. God is less interested in protecting fables that have been passed down from our parents, and grandparents; and rather, more interested in growing fresh ways of living to be shared with our children, and our children’s children.

God is speaking all the time, and in all kinds of ways. Holy words come to us through the Bible, as well as through the holy writ of a variety of religious traditions; and divine inspiration did not cease with the writing of Christian Scripture, but continues to be poured out upon humanity. To say God’s Word is living and active, implies and certain degree of movement to it and in it. Statis is not an option; at least not an option for the living. Because – to borrow the language of Spanish philosopher and writer Miguel de Unamuno – God is more interested in being the parent of the future, than the offspring of the past. And the living Word of God is more about shaping a new vision for tomorrow, than recapturing an idolized vision of yesterday.

In the spring of 1983 I was baptized in the Holy Spirit – whatever that means! I don’t want to minimize peoples’ personal experiences of the holy, but sometimes emotional experiences need to be named and regarded for what they are . . . emotional experiences! Not all “God” experiences are emotional; and what I learned in 1983 was that not all emotional experiences are “God” experiences.

After Dallas Holm called me to ‘come unto Jesus’ when I was in high school, many people began telling me that there was a second important step in my journey toward God. Not only did I need to invite Jesus into my heart, but there was also a ‘second blessing’ that needed to occur – the Baptism of the Holy Spirit! And so began my second search! I longed to be ‘slain in the spirit’ and ‘baptized from above’, so that I might speak in other tongues and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I truly was part of the family of God.

Fortunately, in college, I had a dear friend who was on a similar journey, and while we both were striving to seek after God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, this baptism never came. At least we weren’t aware that it had! The outward sign of speaking in an unknown language was not an experience that had come our way. All we could manage was the little bit of French and Spanish we had learned in high school, and we knew that didn’t count! But we weren’t about to give up; and the end to our searching came in a way that we had not planned!

In an attempt to convert all the Jews at The American University, my friend and I decided that we need to bring Sid Roth to campus. Sid is a ‘completed Jew’ who continues to live in the DC area, and to this day is still preaching and evangelizing, primarily through a Christian talk show titled “It’s supernatural.” (Please know that many of the ‘terms’ I am using, like ‘completed Jew,’ are not my own; but rather ones passed on to me by others. I continue to use them here so that readers might be able to identify the parts of my journey that are similar to their own. And . . .ok . . . I’ll admit it . . . I also continue to use them to be a little sarcastic!)

Anyway, Sid Roth came, and spoke to a gathering of not more than 2 dozen students, most of whom had already been ‘saved.’ There were no Jewish people present to accept Jesus as their Messiah, and Sid knew this. As a result, he was ‘led’ to modify his talk; and because my friend and I were struggling with the Baptism of the Spirit (we had told him this ahead of time!), that was the direction in which he believed God was leading him to move. So rather than a call to conversion, Sid’s call was to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Once again, as far as I can remember, no one went forward . . . except for my friend and me! When invited to come and to receive God’s second blessing, we were on our feet in a minute . . . waiting . . . wanting . . . wishing . . . for God’s touch, one that would finally confirm that we had done everything we needed to do to be on the good side of eternity.

Trying not to laugh – this had always been a problem for me, but should in no way lead anyone to believe that I didn’t take what I was doing seriously! – my friend and I stood before Sid, listening to his words of ‘wisdom.’

“Just open your mouth, move your tongue around, and let the sounds come out!”

So . . . that’s what I did!

And that’s what I did for several years after that event!

And friends, that is all it was – opening my mouth, moving my tongue around, and letting the sounds come out!

I know these words will be offensive to some, but sometimes ‘religious experiences’ need to simply be named for what they are . . . nonsense! People may be extremely sincerely, and the event may be extremely emotional. But spiritual? Not so much!

When a mother tells the world that God told her to drive her mini-van into a lake and take the lives of her children, we are quick to say that such a mother is NOT hearing the voice of God, but rather the voice of something inside of her that is simply not right. Many would even say that she is mentally ill.

And when a man tells us that the God he worships and serves has called him to fly a plane into a building in order to murder the infidels inside that building, the world is quick to say that any god that would demand such action is simply not a god worthy of anyone’s worship! The man is devout, and passionate, but also tragically and horrifically misled.

Extreme examples? Not fair comparisons to something as personal, and private, and personally edifying as the gift of tongues? Perhaps. But the differences can only be found in terms of their consequences. Having spent most of my high school, college, and seminary years in Charismatic and Pentecost circles, I know first-hand how theologically and intellectually flawed their teachings really are, and have come to believe that sometimes, some religions just need to be called out and labeled for what they are – emotional crutches; run by misled, albeit sometimes well-intentioned, charlatans; that may at times accomplish much good, but that never the less are rooted and grounded in teachings that are factually wrong, and spiritually misguided!

HOWEVER, having said that, in spite of my criticism of, and negativity toward, so many of the teachings of Pentecostal and Charismatic communities, the one thing I willingly and enthusiastically embrace is the whole idea that the Spirit of God is indeed living and active in the hearts and minds of people today. I don’t think that movement is evidenced by speaking in unknown tongues, nor is it made manifest in prophetic predictions of future events, nor is it witnessed in the miraculous finding of a parking space in a crowded Walmart parking lot. But if God is indeed God, and if the Church of Jesus Christ really is the resurrected ‘body of Christ’ in the world today, then the Holy Spirit must be working and moving in the world around us – today, just as powerfully, and in the past!

All of this is to say that for hundreds of years, the Church has been under the mistaken notion that the Spirit of God ceased speaking after the words of Scripture were written. But I can no longer logically advocate for such a teaching! The Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches rightly speak of the Spirit’s movement in the world today; and while they may be misguided in their understanding of how that Spirit works, THAT the Spirit works, must be realized! For the work of informing, and revealing, and disclosing, and instructing . . . these are the ongoing works of the Spirit; and to think such activities ended once the Bible was complied, grossly thwarts the development of a mature understanding of God and God’s actions, in the world today.

As I reflect on my spiritual journey, my understanding of prayer and original sin are only two of the concepts that have been . . . born again, again . . . over the years. Because much of what I believe and how I attempt to live my life are rooted and grounded in the Bible, and because the Hebrew and Christian Testaments remain foundational to my faith, I am unable to speak about the changes in my walk with God without also speaking about the changes in the way I read and interpret the Bible.

Several years ago my wife and visited the National Gallery in Washington, DC for a Rembrandt exhibit; and his piece, “The Evangelist Matthew Inspired by an Angel,” painted in 1661, had a powerful impact on me. The evangelist is seated in thoughtful repose, while apparently listening to the voice of a curly blonde haired woman who looks as if she is seductively speaking into this right ear.

Really? I remember thinking! Is this how it happened? Because somehow, the visual image of what I had been taught for years, seemed grossly simplistic and naïve.

Rembrandt’s work prompted me to consider how many artists, musicians, and writers I believe to have been “inspired” by God – meaning that they were able to capture accurately, although incompletely, some facet of the character and nature of the Divine in their work. Somehow, their paintings, music, or poetry offered us a glimpse into the beauty of holiness – that which is at that same time both transcendent and immanent. They were able to give witness through their work, to that which is beyond us, and inspired to transport us to a place where we might have an experience of God. And that is what Scripture does – it points us to the Divine. It is a human account of how the faith community has understood God to be working in the world, and thus has the capacity to move us to consider God’s ways in the world in every day and age. The words and phrases are not in and of themselves sacred, or holy, but rather they point us toward that which IS sacred, and holy.

And this is where the “Doctrine of Inspiration” is so often misunderstood. It’s where the phrase ‘inspired word of God’ becomes somewhat problematic. You see the Doctrine of Inspiration is meant to affirm that the authors and editors of the Bible were inspired by God, NOT the actual words that they wrote and edited! And the difference is important; for God, however understood, does not inspire things. God inspires people! God did not inspire the work that is found on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; God inspired Michelangelo to create such a masterpiece. God did not inspire “Ode to Joy”; God inspired Beethoven to write his classic 9th symphony. And God did not inspire “Hamlet”; rather, God inspired Shakespeare to pen the story of the fictional Prince of Denmark.

Now when the Church realizes that God inspires people and not things, it becomes easier to grasp the idea that Scripture is a product of the culture it which it was written. Evidence abounds that the Bible was written and assembled NOT by individuals (Moses, Matthew, or Paul) but by groups of people, with agendas, and cultural biases, and limited scientific medical and knowledge. This is why the book of Genesis speaks of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son — NOT because God would ever play that kind of game with a father, but because that is was the people practicing Canaanite religions understood faithfulness. The writers were products of their culture, and so the point of that passage is NOT that we need to be willing to sacrifice our children to God, but that that is NOT what faithfulness to God is all about. The point of the passage is that sometimes, peoples’ religion may call us to things that are in fact far from God, and so we need to be discerning as to what we embrace as faithfulness and obedience.

And when the book of Joshua speaks about the sun standing still, and the moon stopping in the heavens, it is revealing itself to be a book bound to a culture with an incomplete understanding of science. Similarly, when speaking about dietary regulations, demon possession, or homosexuality, it should be clear to any honest and informed interpreter that the Bible that such passages were penned in an age when knowledge of issues related to health, mental illness, and sexuality were extremely limited.

Further, the discrepancies that are found in Scripture are also evidence that the Word was never meant to be read literally! Bart Ehrman, in his book “Misquoting Jesus” writes, “Mark says Jesus was crucified the day after the Passover meal was eaten (Mark 14:12; 15:25) and John says he died the day before it was eaten (John 19:14) . . . Luke indicates in his account of Jesus’ birth that Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth just over a month after they had come to Bethlehem, whereas Matthew indicates they instead fled to Egypt (Matt. 2:19-22) . . . Or when Paul says that after he converted on the way to Damascus he did not go to Jerusalem to see those who were aposted before him (Gal. 1:16-17), whereas the book of Acts says that that was the first thing he did after leaving Damascus (Acts 9:26).”

To Biblical Literalists these issues, and countess others, are extremely problematic, posing questions for which they have no answers. But when we read the Bible through a slightly different lens, such contradictions are simply unimportant. We all have different ways of telling stories, and more often than not the meaning is not found in the minute details.

All of this is to say that for me, my ‘born again, again’ experience has been one that has helped me find Scripture’s deeper meaning; for that is what can occur when we learn to let go of reading God’s word as a scientific textbook , a manual for daily living, or an ‘inerrant’ historical account of things that happened thousands of years ago. Genres do exist: history, poetry, letters . . . but like any good pieces of literature, we hold to the factual nature of the words loosely and gently.

God did not give us the Bible. People did! And it needs to be read accordingly.