xxxx,
I deeply appreciate your kind words about the name of the church. After reading your email, it's very apparent that you continue on a spiritual journey that's been long for you. Our hope is that the name of the church would be the genesis of dialogue just like this one. Our music rocks and our kids have fun when they come. As our website says, we hold the Bible very highly and it is the basis for what we believe.
As I read your words, it is clear that you have read many different people in your search for truth. Your thoughts on the nature and character of God are interesting. It seems as if your perception of God has been guided primarily by Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Don Miguel Ruiz, Gary Zukav, etc. Based on what you've written about your belief in God, it seems as if you haven't read the Bible as much as other books. In my view that's unfortunate because it has been proven to be the most accurate historical record of Jesus. Both biblical and the extrabiblical records of Jesus' time period reflect Jesus in a completely different light than what you believe (except for your statement that Jesus wasn't afraid). I would encourage you to read the Bible and see that what it says about Jesus, God and His love. I would encourage you to read the book of John in the Bible. Since you're an avid reader, I encourage and challenge you to read The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. It is a fair and itellectual discussion of the validity and dependablity of the Bible. If you ever attend The Journey, I would be more than happy to give you both as a gift.
As a spiritual architect and coach (and pastor), I see a common thread in what you've written. You deeply desire to determine your own truth, and from a spiritual and logical perspective I find that troubling. My reasoning is this: You nor I have the ability to determine what truth is. Truth, by definition, is an irreducible fact that cannot be changed. Truth is supra-human. Truth is consistent. It is the same in ___________ as it is in Perth or Khartoum. For instance, the truths that exist in the laws of physics (like the Law of Gravity and the Laws of Thermodynamics) are not negotiable. We may choose to deny that they exist or we may even express our dislike for them, but it doesn't change the fact that they do exist. I can either adjust my way of living to those laws or I engage their consequences. It sets the agenda for us no matter how much we fight or deny it. We, as human beings, don't own truth. With that in mind, it seems quite illogical to me that every human being can own and generate their own truth. That being the case, truth must have a single, perfect, and unchanging source. It seems to me that many spiritual seekers I talk to want to define their own truth and therefore define God by their terms. If God is the source of all truth (which I believe He is), I don't get to choose what truth about Him is...He decides what truth is...perfect and unchanging. Truth is also evident. You don't have to look very hard to find it. Think of all the "If this, then that" things that you dealt with yesterday. They are all around us...irreducible facts that will always be true. Truth is absolute.
It seems to me that if God is Truth, He would make Himself easy to find and know. If God is Truth, why would He try to confuse me by making me look all over for Him in countless writings? Why wouldn't He, as Truth, clearly and specifically reveal Himself?
At The Journey Church, we encourage you to come and investigate what we believe to be the specific revelation of who God is through the Bible. Since we don't own Truth, we don't judge people and their beliefs. We don't get to fit what we believe into Truth. Truth determines what love, justice, hope and peace is all about. Come and investigate the claims of Jesus at your own pace. We use the Bible, we just try to let it speak on its own. We believe Truth doesn't change so we must change or our lives will be full of unpleasant consequences. We at The Journey have encountered the Truth and it has wonderfully and radically transformed our lives.
You didn't write me by chance. God is drawing you to Himself. He wants to make Himself clear to you through His word to us, the Bible. If you just can't buy that right now I understand, but an intense, deep relationship with God isn't as hard as you're making it.
My wife and I will be praying for you and your son. You are welcome to visit us at The Journey anytime. We start at 10am every Sunday.
Peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ,
Ken
Her response:
Thank you for your time and heart felt response. It was kind of you to respondAlmost everyone that I've had this initial conversation with end up visiting once. Most don't stick around because they value "their truth". There's hope as long as they're alive.
in such detail and it is appreciated.
Love, Light, & Peace, thank you
Onto the next step of the journey...
