We Stretch.
We are in a constant state of becoming. We can’t help it. Our skin is regenerated every month or so. Different cells in our bodies regenerate at different rates. Our brain creates 1400 or so new neurons every day. Learning new ways of being is a normal, natural part of life. Transformation happens over our lifetimes whether or not we ask for it. Yet we sometimes struggle to allow our theology to breathe because sometime, somewhere, someone convinced a lot of us that changing our way of thinking about God is supposed to be static. The goal is to learn the right answers and have faith that it’s correct. And watch out for crafty preachers who mess with timeless doctrine! Sigh...
The Bible and the life of many of its characters tells a different story – one of lifelong learning and growing, trading in new insights and ideas about God as the Spirit of God invites us to stretch our thinking. Jesus, the one Christians claim to follow, lived this in his own life, and his teaching often challenged people to think new, different ideas about God and the way we see the world. He was holding on to some pretty harsh views about non-Jewish people when a non-Jewish woman called him on it. His response? He changed his mind and his worldview, realizing God’s grace was bigger than we can imagine.
In John’s Gospel, chapter 3, Jesus helps a very educated Jewish leader named Nicodemus begin the lifelong mind-blowing walk with God in ways he had not yet considered.
Stretching our minds, faith, and vision is critical for cultivating shalom in our lives. To the extent we choose to stretch, we grow! To the extent we choose not to stretch, we become stagnant, limiting what God has to offer us. God is big!
There should be times when your paradigm undergoes radical transformation, which can be very difficult, painful, and terrifying – it may feel like the wheels are coming off the bus. Yet if God can be contained in our limited paradigms, does that represent a big God? Stay open. Stay humble. Stay curious. That’s what Jesus and so many other models of faith did.
Stretching Tips...
Paradigm Stretching Resources...
Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is — what is good and pleasing and mature. – Paul, Letter to the Romans 12:2 (CEB)
The main thing is to have God; to live in God; to have God live in us; to think God’s thoughts; to love what God loves and hate what God hates; to realize God’s presence; to feel God’s holiness and to be holy because God is holy; to feel God’s goodness in every blessing of your life and even in its tribulations; to be happy and trustful; to join in the great purposes of God and to be lifted to greatness of vision and faith and hope with God – that is the blessed life.
– Walter Rauschenbusch, The Culture of the Spiritual Life, 1897
If you’re bored with your faith, or theology, or the Bible,
you’re doing it wrong. - Some Wise Person
May your curiosity lead you to discover more:
Who or what is God?
Where is God?
What are God’s primary characteristics?
What are God’s limitations?
What is the Bible and what is it’s role?
Who was Jesus and what is his role?
What is the goal of faith?
How do we live faithfully?
What does faith call us to do?
How does faith inform justice issues?
How does faith shape our spending?
We are in a constant state of becoming. We can’t help it. Our skin is regenerated every month or so. Different cells in our bodies regenerate at different rates. Our brain creates 1400 or so new neurons every day. Learning new ways of being is a normal, natural part of life. Transformation happens over our lifetimes whether or not we ask for it. Yet we sometimes struggle to allow our theology to breathe because sometime, somewhere, someone convinced a lot of us that changing our way of thinking about God is supposed to be static. The goal is to learn the right answers and have faith that it’s correct. And watch out for crafty preachers who mess with timeless doctrine! Sigh...
The Bible and the life of many of its characters tells a different story – one of lifelong learning and growing, trading in new insights and ideas about God as the Spirit of God invites us to stretch our thinking. Jesus, the one Christians claim to follow, lived this in his own life, and his teaching often challenged people to think new, different ideas about God and the way we see the world. He was holding on to some pretty harsh views about non-Jewish people when a non-Jewish woman called him on it. His response? He changed his mind and his worldview, realizing God’s grace was bigger than we can imagine.
In John’s Gospel, chapter 3, Jesus helps a very educated Jewish leader named Nicodemus begin the lifelong mind-blowing walk with God in ways he had not yet considered.
Stretching our minds, faith, and vision is critical for cultivating shalom in our lives. To the extent we choose to stretch, we grow! To the extent we choose not to stretch, we become stagnant, limiting what God has to offer us. God is big!
There should be times when your paradigm undergoes radical transformation, which can be very difficult, painful, and terrifying – it may feel like the wheels are coming off the bus. Yet if God can be contained in our limited paradigms, does that represent a big God? Stay open. Stay humble. Stay curious. That’s what Jesus and so many other models of faith did.
Stretching Tips...
- Start the day wondering where you might learn and grow.
- Expose yourself to stretching opportunities.
- Catch the weekly teaching at CrossWalk (and other spaces, too!).
- Read books to grow your understanding.
- Study the Bible with some academic support.
- Listen to podcasts, read blogs, etc. – how is God nudging you to grow?
Paradigm Stretching Resources...
- The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg
- How the Bible Actually Works by Pete Enns
- Open and Relational Theology by Thomas Jay Oord
- The Quest for Thin Places by Dana Kicks
- How I Found God in Everyone and Everywhere by Davis and Clayton (editors)
Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is — what is good and pleasing and mature. – Paul, Letter to the Romans 12:2 (CEB)
The main thing is to have God; to live in God; to have God live in us; to think God’s thoughts; to love what God loves and hate what God hates; to realize God’s presence; to feel God’s holiness and to be holy because God is holy; to feel God’s goodness in every blessing of your life and even in its tribulations; to be happy and trustful; to join in the great purposes of God and to be lifted to greatness of vision and faith and hope with God – that is the blessed life.
– Walter Rauschenbusch, The Culture of the Spiritual Life, 1897
If you’re bored with your faith, or theology, or the Bible,
you’re doing it wrong. - Some Wise Person
May your curiosity lead you to discover more:
Who or what is God?
Where is God?
What are God’s primary characteristics?
What are God’s limitations?
What is the Bible and what is it’s role?
Who was Jesus and what is his role?
What is the goal of faith?
How do we live faithfully?
What does faith call us to do?
How does faith inform justice issues?
How does faith shape our spending?