Perspective Shifts...

In 2001 (I think it was), I began a journey; a scary and adventurous spiritual journey. Questioned everything I had ever been taught and everything I thought I had figured out. I was 23 years old and completely confused, felt pressured and manipulated (at times) to go in certain directions in ministry, at every turn afraid that I was going to make the wrong decision and my life and ministry would be ruined. So one day, at work and at my wits end, I opened up the Word and saw this scripture...

John 6 (NIV)
²⁸Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
²⁹Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

At that moment, things cleared up... the weight was lifted from my shoulders... I didn't have to please people any longer. I finally realized that trying to please imperfect people over a perfect God would only lead to hurt and failure. So, that's where it started, I was ready for a perspective shift. Ready indeed!!

Not to long after that I had the opportunity to leave the church (and denomination) I was serving in and move into service at a church in the Birmingham area. I had zero doubt that it was time to move on, but you would have thought I committed some grievous sin. A few folks looked at me with such a look of pity, as if the wondrous work of salvation that had taken place in my life was somehow diminished now... it was like I had been knocked out of some sort of spiritual hierarchy. Even 6 or 7 years later I still get this look of pity... I won't even start on the look when they see the tattoos, hehe!!

So now let me get to the "perspectives" part .....

When I stepped out of the mind-set and thought processes that I had always held onto so tightly that my knuckles were white, ready to fight anyone who brought something a little different to the table. Stepping outside of that I began to see Almighty God in such a more life giving way. It was truly astounding how spending time with other believers from different perspectives began to shape me and strengthen me. Now I look for opportunities to have conversations and build relationships with people from completely different viewpoints on God and spirituality; even those I might completely disagree with on certain subjects.... who knows I might actually learn something in the process.

People are scared, me thinks, of different perspectives. If not, just watch a pentecostal boy (whatever that means)as myself tell people that he helped plant a non-pentecostal church that held services in a bar in downtown Birmingham, and see how the begin to squirm in their shoes and trip all over themselves trying to say something encouraging. People are indeed fearful of different perspectives, I was the c.e.o. of this group for many years of my life. They, just as I was, are afraid because when we look at things from different perspectives, there is a very clear and present danger that we might see fault in our own lives... in our own perspectve. We might see flaws in the very core of our belief system, cracks in the foundation. Cracks that must be mended and fixed, and nobody has to fix anything if they never find a the crack .... much easier that way.... right?

Just my thoughts....