An uncommon departure
Filed under Religion
I spent my weekend in a surprisingly different way yesterday. Interestingly I signed myself up for the Friends in Conversation event at CLGC, my decision to attend being one of those on-the-spur things I always do ever so often.
I suppose reading Peter Rollin's book on 'How Not to Speak of God' has sparked a curious light in me, and I've been scouring the Net reading up on the Emergent movement for weeks and months already. So imagine my excitement when I found out that Brian McLaren would be coming to town, but this of course I've much to thank Sivin for.
Perhaps it is rather timely to mention in passing here that I live in what you may call a family of mixed-religions. I grew up being aware of my dad's conversion to Charismatic Christianity, and church had been an on-going affair until some point in my time when my parent's marriage fell apart. Eventually my mother went back to her old Taoist-Buddhist-Ancestral worship ways, and I tagged along. It took me several years of experimenting with almost every other religion (except the monotheistic religions) and months of nit-picking on the Christian religion that I finally realized that God just won't leave me alone. And Amen to that, I have to say.
A part of me wants to admit outloud that I have my peeves with the church where I grew up in. There are times when I feel like saying 'you guys are mad' to my fellow brethren, people who I used to think were obsessed with the spirit filled life. Oh and I haven't been a very adventurous person either, so my entire life I spent going to church, I went only to ONE CHURCH, unless of course I went overseas, where any church would do and I'd gladly call myself a visitor and be grateful to be welcome there.
So the Friends in Conversation event, you have to understand, was a difficult and risky step for me. One it meant me making a choice for myself to step aside from 'family' decisions, and two, it meant me coming out in the open and admit it, so yes, I've had some issues with 'church', and for far too long I've been sweeping it under the carpet.
So rather than vacuuming out the dust, or throwing it away, I spoke to my aunt this morning about the possibility of exploring churches, and shared with her the totally refreshing views I've gained from the event. I'm just glad, because as I've grown to be radically different in my thinking so has the church matured, and when I mentioned that I would like to explore this strange emotional calling (I can't say it's from God yet), the reaction that I presumed would have thrown me aback did not come at all.
'Just as long as the church you go to is a bible-focused church, it is okay to seek God there,' she said.
This is when I pause and thank God for the little wonders He's made possible, and especially how great He is in timing everything so perfectly.
Pardon me, but I do believe that this is the first time I've been so explicit in this blog about my personal faith journey. Surely it must be a good thing!
I'm happy.
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Mar05
March 5, 2007 at 4:08 pm
It is a good thing. And ur aunt’s right. Most importantly, a Bible based church.
March 5, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Are there non-Bible based churches?
March 5, 2007 at 4:39 pm
To ur aunt’s reply reg exploring churches. Amen.
Hope u’ll come visit us at BLC one day.
March 5, 2007 at 11:07 pm
I’m so glad your aunt has freed you to visit other churches. You’ve done it all so properly.
Good luck in your exploration – hey, maybe we can go exploring together?
March 5, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Brian McLaren in Malaysia III…
Some thoughts from people who have attended Friends in Conversation: Quiet Revolution of Hope.
Some thoughts from Scorkes:
When you talk about the Emergent Church, what do you understand about it? Do you even understand it at all? I don’t. There …
March 6, 2007 at 12:29 am
Hope you will find what God wants you to look for……all the best!
March 6, 2007 at 9:55 am
> A good thing indeed. I’m encouraged. This phrase may sound cliché, “there is NO perfect churchâ€â€¦adding to that, “but there is a perfect GODâ€. Bless you. ~Alvin
March 6, 2007 at 10:12 am
A big Amen to that! I’m very happy for you too. having been following ur blog for a span of over 2 years now, I see God’s work in your life, slowly but surely.
March on and keep ur eyes on Him!
March 6, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Btw, CLGC is my friend’s church. I’ll ask her to keep a lookout for you.
March 7, 2007 at 6:31 pm
of course, there’s always the ‘micro’ or ‘quantum’ church ;>)
(hey that Preview thing below is so cool!)…glad you could make it for the conference; i hope it’s inspired you and others to try to plot as much goodness (in/via church, or otherwise).
yours, Alwyn