Like many people, the Covid-19 pandemic became a sort of apocalyptic reckoning for me. When the world shut down I was forced to examine the way I held my work - although if I’m honest I already knew on a deep level I was teetering on burnout even before everything stopped. As all our norms and rhythms of “doing church” were put on hold, I realized I needed consistent guidance from a caring presence, which led me to Justin McRoberts. It has been a relationship that has greatly benefited me three years on.
One of the first pieces of wisdom I received from my time with Justin was understanding and blessing my limitations. Historically I had wandered into a common trap for spiritual leaders - I made myself available 24/7 in case there was a crisis any given day or hour, and I subconsciously put myself at the center of every possible solution to the problems we had in our community. I was afraid of disappointing my people, not doing a good job with the responsibility I had been given. Creating boundaries and saying “no” seemed anathema to the grandeur and challenge of the vocation, especially when sized up with scriptures that said we must “always be ready” or we must “be all things to all people”. From an authentic desire to be the best pastor I could be, I was stretching myself thin while also teaching my people a lesson I never intended - we must deny our boundaries in Jesus’ name. Justin helped me to see, not only was naming and embracing my limitations as a human being a blessing for me, it was also one of the greatest lessons I could pass along to my community.
--------
1:07:19
Scott Evans
It is no accident that you were born into this moment in history. There is something here, now, for you to offer a broken world. Not only has God gifted you with talents and passions, he has called you to a specific time and place that, if you allow them, will also speak to your life’s calling. The challenge before all of us is to choose to root ourselves in a particular place, over a significant period of time, so that we might see deep investment yield fruit.
My friend Scott Evans knows the value of developing a “theology of place” when it comes to ministry. He is currently a chaplain at University College Dublin and a minister in the Church of Ireland. In our discussion today we touch upon the blessings of rejecting many of the cultural messages that surround us which falsely promise bigger and better things elsewhere, to instead see the beautiful invitation laid before us in the very place we find ourselves now.
--------
1:11:28
Brittney & Trevor Reinholt
Sometimes there are stories we tell ourselves that are actually deceptive - they prevent us from embracing reality so that we might be open to God’s healing touch. We insist that life should follow whatever playbook we were handed along the way, but when tragedy comes we are left disillusioned and defeated. But what if this disillusionment is actually a gift, a chance to reassess what we thought life was about, in order that we might conspire with God in honesty to see what might be possible? This is the holy space in which we find real healing.
Brittney and Trevor Reinholt know this path well. As achievement-oriented personality types, they have both experienced radical encounters with God in times of disillusionment and an invitation to see their stories in the light of Christ. They have come to realize that our shortcomings do not discount us from the work of the Kingdom, but are invitations to do the holy work of growth as we in turn help others see the hand of God reaching out to save us. As we are healed, so we can offer healing.
--------
1:30:36
Brian Ban
The conversation around spiritual gifts can be a contentious one, both for people who have grown up in charismatic circles where they were sensationalized, or perhaps even weaponized; or for others who may not have grown up with any awareness of them at all. In many regards, it seems a facet of the Christian experience best left in a drawer, a relic from the first century church we can admire from afar, yet never really consider as part of our calling today.
From my vantage point however, I see incredible possibilities for the modern church, as we see the inner work of the Spirit through contemplative traditions meeting with the outer work of the Spirit through the Pentecostal ones. After all, formation and gifts are work of the same Spirit that has guided us for millennia.
Today’s conversation is with my dear friend, Brian Ban, who shepherds the Anchor Fellowship community in Nashville, Tennessee. I have watched Brian, first under his tutelage as part of that community and then as a peer, seek after the Kingdom with everything he has in a way that blesses the gifts to be an offering of God’s love to the world.
--------
1:24:12
Christina Ruiz
We live in an era of remarkable privilege. There are so many avenues available to us in terms of what we choose to do with our lives, which in one respect can be quite exciting; yet, at the same time, it can also feel rather daunting. Where previous generations may have struggled with a lack of options, many of us contend with a sort of “buyer’s remorse” when it comes to our careers - how do we know what we’re supposed to do, and what if we make the wrong choice? What if we get stuck in something that doesn’t bring us to life? re we meant to wander from thing to thing until something clicks? This is where the work of naming and blessing our values and the passions that arise from our unique personalities can help us.
Some of values are imparted to us by our families of origin, some are qualities we discover as we set out on our own, while others seem to be ingrained in our DNA from birth. The more we can articulate to ourselves what we value at the core of us, the better we can discern our purpose.
My friend Christina Ruiz is passionate about helping people slow down so they can name their values in a way that brings down the silos between our faith and work. Through her organization the Purpose Project, Christina creates space for us to consider our personalities, our values, and our best contributions to making a better world so that we aren’t arrested by infinite choice. We don’t have to wander aimlessly.
Welcome to A Pilgrimage of Unfolding Grace, a podcast intended to extend the conversation on themes from my book of the same name. In this journey, I want to help you explore your Story with God, your personality in the light of Christ, and the gifts you have been given by the Holy Spirit. I believe your calling is found at the intersection of these related themes if you learn to listen carefully enough.
New Zealand