"A million and one ways to experience God"

Call me a forward-thinker or a post-modern or whatever you would like but I strongly agree with a statement one of my professors made today, "There are a million and one ways to experience God". I was very lucky to have my Spiritual Formation class on the same day that I had coffee with one of my very good friends, Pastor Dave Wainscott. Times with Dave and times in my Spiritual Formation course really make me think.

I hate to say that many churches today focus on two things: 1) Numbers and 2) Legalism. I have to stop and ask did Jesus minister to those who he came in contact with or did he set a goal and say we need "x" number of people to come today. Of those "x" number we need "y" amount of decisions to become followers and we need "z" committed believers to give such-in-such dollars today to further the ministry. I often have to ask if numbers really measure results. Shouldn't we be more concerned with how people are doing, what is going on in their lives, and how we can grow in experiencing God? Instead we need to know attendance, decisions, and dollars so we can launch the newest programs and strike up a building campaign to get the latest and greatest facility.

If it isn't a focus on numbers, it's a focus of the law and what is right and wrong. I believe that there is a difference in wrong and right and that in fact we should do things that are right. However, who judges what is wrong and right? I mean ultimately God, yes, however the church has really come down to be rule enforcers...you have your Do's and your Don'ts. No offense but I believe that there are some things that might not be right for you but they may be right for me. One area that was touched on in my Spiritual Formation class today was the freedom to experience God in different ways. As Christian's we are often guilted and shamed if we are not the Super-Christian. As if there is a wrong and a right way to experience God.

The Super-Christian reads the bible for an hour every day and spends time in prayer at least three times a day and attends church at least twice a week and has to always be in a bible study and meeting with their accountability group once a week and you better at least be serving in two ministries and lets not forget the Jesus fish on you car, can't go without that. Okay, I realize I am being extreme and not painting the best picture but I mean who says in order to be a follower of Jesus you have to do all these "things". How often do we do "things" and end up having a surface relationship with Jesus because really we are only doing them out of obligation because we are told if we want to be a "Good Christian" we should be doing these "things". None of the things I listed are bad, but Christianity today often focuses on doing more, more, and more. Last time I checked, Jesus wants us to be real with him.

I personally experienced a lot of guilt when it was highly recommended to me to do a bible ready plan and to make sure I had my time in the scriptures, both Old and New Testament every day. When I missed a day or two I began to feel like a bad Christian. I began to avoid the person who was pressuring me to do this plan because I felt like I was letting them down. My professor said today, why do something out of duty and obligation when you get no joy out of it. God wants us to experience joy and if we don't find that in one way of experiencing Him, then we should find it in ways that actually do bring us joy. Maybe its only for a season in your life that you need to do something different. We are all wired differently and we all connect to God differently. For some that may be waking up early and doing devotions every morning, for others it might be taking a walk in the park and witnessing God's creation. We really must stop evaluating people based upon their quiet times or what latest devotion they are reading and really look at the heart of connecting with and experiencing Christ. God made us unique for a reason.

This blog may not have flowed extremely well because I was just getting out random thoughts that I experienced today. Some may not agree with me and that is completely fine, I was just sharing my feelings. On a side note...I was encouraged to look up an article that was in the paper a few weeks ago regarding the top pastors in town to watch...I am not so sure how I feel about it. No offense but there is a common theme throughout the churches named...numbers, money, facilities, etc. It could be deadly if we aren't examining if the genuine well being of people aren't at the center. Feel free to read it. http://www.fresnobee.com/221/story/300801.html