I’ve used this video recently in a church classroom from You Tube titled Shift Happens to create conversation about globalization and explore the truths about our ever increasing globally connected society. Of the many mind boggling statements in the video, one of the most notable in the video was, “Did you know…we’re living in exponential times.” This was followed by example after example of where our current state of consciousness globally is to make more, create more, dream more, have more, produce more, see more, more, more, more. Well, you get the point. Which leads me to the conclusion, that since we live in Exponential Times we must be headed for an Exponential Faith. But what does that really mean?
Sunday night I sat in on a “Bible Study” that was all about Jesus. The topic of discussion was “Learning to slow your busy life down as Jesus did and make time to connect with God and/or be in God’s presence.” Not a bad topic at all. Scripture gives us examples of Jesus “getting away” to pray and such in Luke 4:42, Luke 5:15-16, Matthew 14:22-23, Luke 6:12…and I’m sure you could find more if you studied the Bible or just Googled it. Given all that good stuff, the reflection about Christ finding time to “chill” was a good one, until half way into the study I heard the magic word, the global word, the exponentially suggestive word…more. Once that word more is introduced in a faith study it’s like the shifting of the tectonic plates for some reason. The conversation shifted from an acknowledgement and identification of Jesus’ human need to take some time to step back from “busy life” to a formula of how we could have an exponential faith. And this is where I start to get uncomfortable.
Perhaps it’s the type of Christian I am, or lack of being a real Christian for that matter depending on how you receive the rest of this post, but I cringe at the idea of more of anything when it comes to looking at one’s spiritual life and thinking it’s not good enough where it is. I’ll admit I am an advocate for growth, absolutely without a doubt, though I advocate for a transformational learning approach towards growth, versus a transactional learning approach towards growth. The difference is this (defined in oversimplified terms):
Transactional Learning approach: a process becoming changed primarily by gaining factual knowledge.
Transformational Learning approach: a process of getting beyond gaining factual knowledge alone to instead become changed by what one learns in some meaningful way.
In my experience, when you engage Scripture to extract from it formulas to have more faith, more love, more trust, more healing, more strength, more Jesus, more God, more, more, more…in the least of these it produces more guilt. I would venture to say, that not simply for the least, but for most of us it produces more guilt somewhere down the road. More than likely it’s when we come to the realization that most of us can’t take these formulas and create more of anything. Consequently we’re left with ourselves and our ordinary faith. Then we feel like shit because we couldn’t be like Jesus.
I must confess I do believe we are living in exponential times, and therefore more of some things are needed. I would argue that we need more opportunities to engage in spiritual formation, which come forcefully through transformational learning. Primarily through engaging the kinds of people Jesus did, the least and the last, whatever that looks like in your context. I would challenge us all to go for it, but have no expectations of yourself, of others, or of Jesus. Just enter into community with others and be…then be yourself. Remember, you are loved wherever you are, and then remember you are invited to go a little further. Accepting that invitation will lead you to take one step forward, two steps back, and that’s just fine. Just start walking and remember, transformational learning is a two way street, which is best experienced when it means something to you, not some formula someone gave you.
Sam also blogs at www.geographyofgrace.com.
November 19th, 2007 at 8:15 am
thanks sam. i just watched the video. i had seen it recently & it did really cause me to think “wow, this world is a-changing”. i think the “more” thing is a reflection of this–we are egocentric as a country. we think we have the market corned. the stats in this video make it clear how naive we are. and i know i am egocentric as a person, and i am always trying to “get more” out of this short life i am living. egocentricity always means it’s about “me”. i want to learn the fine art of just being satisfied. not as in stagnant. as in “in the moment” instead of always striving for more. as in grateful for the next breath i take, the next lovely person i am across the table from, the pain because it reminds me i’m alive. the exponential thing can make me feel frantic–i have to do something, adjust, figure it out, read a book, do something! i can feel myself get caught up in it. it is so engrained in me, this idea of “mastering” things. i am trying to accept that my spiritual life can’t be mastered. but everything i was taught for a long, long time said that it could. damn, i wish i hadn’t listened to it, it is so under my skin now and i guess the next leg of my spiritual journey is to get it out, little by little, that voice that says “just do this and everything will be okay.”
November 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Thanks for your thoughts, Sam. I’ve been in several different streams of church or styles of church in the past year. Pentecostal black, charismatic with mixed races, house church, indy emerging, etc. They each have a way of doing faith and wanting “more.” I think it’s good to want more of God (as opposed to wanting less!), but I agree with you about the formulas and hype and feelings of inadequacy if we have to perform in some way. If we are walking with Jesus it seems like it would be wise/healthy to keep pace with him. This may be a lot slower and take more listening than we are comfortable with! Or I might feel rushed when I sense him holding out his hand to me to step into something out of my comfort zone. Sometimes this unfamiliar pace doesn’t feel “right” Even though we each have our own path, I am thankful for a few people who continue to walk beside me and talk through this process of transformation. I am encouraged by you and what you have to say–encouraged to take a risk and trust that God is in it.That he is transforming me and even letting me be a part of that process in others’ lives. Maybe it could even be by just sitting and being with people and knowing that it is God who is doing “more.”
November 22nd, 2007 at 9:05 am
That is a lot to think about all at once, Sam.
I think that the transactional approach comes out of the “age of reason” and Calvin’s (and Zwingli’s) rejection of mysticism. It is good to study the word and pull out the theological magnifying glass sometimes, but it has become the only way which some traditions approach the spiritual life. Egg-shaped spiritual formation, if you like.
Without rejecting my rationalist heritage, I’m looking at other ways to engage in spiritual formation which are more wholistic, both personal and within community.
Regarding exponential life, I feel that the calling is to be willing to step into God’s life the way a pearl is tossed into the ocean. It drifts ever deeper, being influenced by the currents, but always deeper. The exponential part is that the presence (pressure) of the ocean increases exponentially in descent.
Finally, I hope that when the adaptive intelligence (AI) singularity is reached in computing, we can sit down and talk about how we can teach our machines the message and good news of Jesus.
Sage H.