The Oates Journal (ISSN: 1098-1446) is a publication of the Wayne E. Oates Institute addressing issues related to spirituality, ethics, and healing from the perspective of pastoral care and counseling.

Spiritual Fulfillment

So where does the safari take us? What are we pursuing? What does the Promise Land look like? Jesus put it this way to his first followers, "Come and follow me, and I will make you . . ." The Latin term for this is sanctus ficare, to be made holy. Thus, a church's worship space is called a sanctuary, meaning that a place exists through worship where we can expect the Holy to shape our lives. A place within God's presence where our purpose, people, place, passion and plans are intentionally reshaped by the Holy.

Reflecting upon this, I wrote a blessing which is frequently offered at the close of our worship services:

God created you with purpose, and daily the Holy Spirit comforts and counsels you for the promise to be fulfilled
--"Christ in you the hope of glory.” Through this we become brothers and sisters. Through this we become a church on mission as faith partners in God's world.

The blessing sends us out with the commission to go and do what we have experienced of God in worship.

Integrating the worship experience into daily life strengthens our love of God through our mind, heart, body, and soul, and helps us to love our neighbor even as we love ourselves. The quest will also show there are other sanctuaries where we can be shaped by the Holy, e.g., a walk in the woods, a get-away place at work/school/home; a special location beyond our normal route where we occasionally travel; a spiritually focused Web site; and of course, within the sacredness of our own conscience. The duration, intensity, frequency and direction of our spiritual exercise determine the pace of our growth; just as when those characteristics are applied to determine the pace of our physical strength.

The essential role of the pastor is to lead. Lead where? In following Christ. Lead who? The members of a faith community in fulfilling their particular purpose. Lead how? By listening to the Holy Spirit, knowing the Scriptures, studying society, releasing the spiritual gifts of believers, and engaging people's soulful stories. To lead, the pastor must be trustworthy, and trust is built by loving God and the people, having an effective work ethic, and being a model for growth.

The following is a simple schemata to illustrate that our current growth is situated between a place where we have been (A) and the future growth which beckons us (C). We are in a middle place trying to figure out what to do next (B). Between the stages are gaps which stimulate us, fatigue us, and make us anxious. Some of these growth gaps are:

Maturing Events / Decisions

Moving from B to C may make a person look extraordinary, but extraordinary people are actually ordinary people who put forth extra ordinary efforts to personally grow and to help others with their growth. People of faith, in general, and Christians, in particular, have a God-given capacity to grow holistically.

The pace of change in this 21st century world is too fast for a static mind, body, or spirit. The size of the challenge can be met if we will trust God and ourselves to release the latent potential inside of us. This is similar to what Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) described as Christ stirring the potential as an anxiety inside of us so we would take "a leap of faith." Justin Martyr, the paradigm pioneer in the second century explained this as, "He became what we are in order that we might become what He is." As we remember His life, death, and resurrection, we have the opportunity to renew our commitment to let Him become within us. William Carey (1761-1834) challenged his pre-global missionary society in England with, "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." The nineteenth century evangelist D. L. Moody commissioned, "The world has yet to see what God can do with one life totally yielded to Him." These words caught my attention as I read them during my boyhood days along the Texas banks of the Cibolo Creek.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your heavenly father is perfect" (Matthews 5:48, Amplified Version)--that is, grow into complete godliness of your mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity. Karl Barth, being encountered by this Christ, and needing to confront Hitler, wrote, "the seriousness of the gospel is that it demands a decision." To confront the pressing circumstances of his day, Barth knew that bold decisions could only be made by people of courage and faith.

Arnold J. Toynbee, the 20th century historian, stated that the outcome during paradigm shifts is determined by the response given to the challenge. Pastoral leadership must help Christians mine their potential as we face the challenge of future shock. Once activated, the new growth enables one to meet the challenges of a postmodern technological world. If we travel back to the future through biblical stories, we see how past paradigm pioneers inspire us to become present paradigm pioneers. Through them God reveals our way forward, while on this safari.

Noah, for instance, was disrespected by his home country. His greatness was revealed during a moral issue of global proportions. When God showed him what needed to be done, he did it. How? Though courageous faith.

So it was when Joshua stepped away from the shadow of Moses and led a bunch of former slaves into freedom. Rahab stepped away from cheapening herself as a prostitute and helped the Israelites enter the Promise Land. David stepped away from being the youngest of eight sons and became Israel's greatest king. Amos stepped away from being a shepherd and became a prophet of godly justice. Matthew stepped away from the tax collectors's table and wrote a Gospel. Peter stepped away from his hatred for non-Jews and boldly led the church to accept Gentile Christians. Mary Magdelene stepped away from her lost place in society and followed Jesus to the cross. Timothy stepped away from his youth and aided the Apostle Paul in establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire. Aquilla and Priscilla stepped away from cultural norms and showed how husband and wife could be equal partners in life.

These and thousands of other stories illustrate what God can do with followers whose hearts, heads, and hands are empowered by courageous faith. And this kind of faith is a non-negotiable requirement for the 100th generation of Christians. We must not be so foolish as to think that because our current culture has changed dramatically from previous culture, the essential character of faith has also changed. No, what must change is our capacity and willingness to utilize our faith in this 21st century that consists of cyberspace, virtual reality, bionic body parts, and a World Wide Web.

For such a challenge we were born. Along this safari we will discover more of what God makes possible in His creation. If we now use e-mail, fax machines, cellular phones, and digital productions as naturally as we use the radio, television, wired telephones, and cassette tapes--what awaits us in the future? In an era where we are thinking of multi-universes instead of a single universe and when satellites circling the earth control operations on the earth, what awaits us? And do we have within us the capacity to expand morally as well as intellectually, to be wise as well as smart, to be as ecologically minded as we are consumer oriented?

We benefit by remembering that we are the stewards of God's creation, not owners. Adam and Eve robbed from the Tree of Knowledge because they deceived themselves into thinking that they owned the Garden of Eden. Instead of living as stewards, they became usurpers. The resource of faith, however, keeps us in harmony with creation by aligning us in a right relationship with the Creator.

As we go into the future, I am struck by the trust God has in us as co-creators with Him. It reminds me of a simple phrase I have used through the years to commission our children. "Have fun and use good judgment," is what I have said to Rachel, Ryan, and Steven since they were old enough to go outside by themselves. Whether to play next door at a friend's house or to send them off to college--these words have been my reminder: I trust you. Enjoy. Be responsible.

Thanks be to God for the privileges and challenges of living responsibly in an era of exponential technological development. We turn afresh to Christ as the timeless one; we turn afresh to Christ as: the Alpha and the Omega; the One who always was, is, and will be; the author and finisher of our faith. We find our way forward by following the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Our needed moral and spiritual development can then grow exponentially.

We can know the heightened consciousness that the Apostle Paul shared at the Parthenon in Athens, "In Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:28). Traveling into eternity with this basic faith awareness means we can be trustworthy by daily renewing ourselves to make a gospel difference.

This gospel difference happens as our personal faith becomes public and as our individuality becomes interdependent with the 11,000 people groups who inhabit this earth. Last Spring when being inducted into the Board of Preachers and Scholars of the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta, I heard the following words:

The great task of magnanimous men and women is to establish with truth, justice, charity and liberty, new methods of relationships in human society--the task of bringing about their peace in the order established by God. We publicly praise such persons and earnestly invite them to persevere in their work with ever greater zeal. It is an imperative of duty; it is a requirement of love.

These words were penned by Pope John XXIII in what has become a 20th century classic, Peace on Earth (Pacem in Terris). The size of this challenge fits the new commandment given by Jesus to his disciples, "Love one another as I have loved you and by this shall all people know that you are my disciples." This is the "order established by God." These commissioning words from Jesus form the basis for how we enter this safari one day at a time.

Watch for Part 3 of Leadership Safari coming soon.