Uncategorized

I got an email last night from someone looking for a doctrinal statement on the Lifestream website. She asked:

I’ve looked at your website for a considerable amount of time…is having a doctrinal position statement too close to being “religious”? How is someone able to be certain you are lining up your ministry with the Word of God? Maybe I missed something?

As I wrote her back, I thought others might have had a similar question, though this has never come up before. So, here’s how I responded to her.

I’m sorry you’ve spent so long looking for what is not there. To answer your first question, no, I wouldn’t consider a doctrinal statement too religious.
I have not included a doctrinal statement on my website for a number of reasons.

• Through my books, blog entries, articles and audio recordings my doctrinal views are pretty well out there, as is my history as a long-time Contributing editor at Leadership Journal and my work with lots of different evangelical/charismatic groups. I guess I resist titles and definitions as divisive by nature, but I have no reservations about the fact that I embrace the historic faith in God as Father, Son and Spirit that has been passed down through the ages and I embrace their current activity in the world and my life today. I see the Bible as God’s revelation of himself and agree that all of Scripture is inspired by him for our instruction and correction in seeking to live out his life. I believe that all things will be summed up in the Son at some future date.

• Doctrinal statements are an irrelevant test whether anyone is lining up their life with the Scripture. The test is in the living. I know many people who sign on to doctrinal statements but do not live the reality of them. Assent to a creed doesn’t mean anything if someone isn’t going to live in and embrace the reality of it. What really matters is not their theology but their relationship to the Father through the Son. And their words don’t really matter here. Many people claim to know him who do not. What matters is their life in him.

• The test of whether my words or teachings are true has anything to do with a doctrinal statement. Each of us who know the Living God have an anointing from the Holy One to discern truth and error. If you’re following him and I am following him, you will find his presence and heart in the things you read and listen to here. That’s not to say everything I post is purely him. It’s as pure as I know it to be, but I am still growing in this life as well and God continues to change my mind about things as I grow to know him better. And if my words do not bear witness with your spirit or your understanding of Scripture then you are free to take your leave.

• A doctrinal statement could be misunderstood as a test of fellowship. I want people in various stages of their spiritual search to feel comfortable at Lifestream. I wouldn’t want them to misunderstand a doctrinal statement as a demand for conformity, or an exclusion of their journey. I want them to find open doors to God’s heart here even if at the moment they might have some views of God that are not worthy of him.

• I’ve never been asked before. This is a first.

So, I hope that makes sense to you. I’m not trying to be evasive, I just don’t think I see doctrinal statements in the same way you do.

And I could be nuts!

I love this. It was sent to me by a good friend A good friend of mine from Virginia, wrote the other day to share something she learned from her little dog..

Yesterday God used my faithful furry friend to remind me of something very important. Fiona and I were in the car running an errand. She loves car rides! We were at a stop light, she was on my lap, and I saw a young fellow walking by on the side of the road. Looking at him, I said to myself this is one guy I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. A little rough around the edges, he was.

Just then I noticed that Fiona’s tail was wagging like crazy and she was looking at the same person I was. How opposite our reactions were to the same man! Here I was passing judgment and there was Fiona, thinking, “Wow, a person! I love people! I’d love to say hello to that person!”

It reminded me of The Shack, the part where “God” was “especially fond” of Willie. There is no one he is not especially fond of. I think I need to do much less judging and much more tail wagging.”

Isn’t that a great story? Now, I know tht God can often give us discernment that someone is unsafe, and I don’t think my correspondant here is advocating senseless tail wagging into dangerous situations. But I think she’s right that we’re more prone to reject people God might want us to love on the basis of some ridiculous external and irrelevant facet of their appearance rather than seeing people as God does.

“They are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.” (Romans 10:2)

The most dangerous people you will meet on this journey are those who are zealous for God, but have no knowledge of the ways in which God works. They are the proverbial bulls in the china shop, demanding that people see things the way they do and bashing those who don’t in hopes that the added pressure will make them conform. So certain are they that their way is the only right way, the bully their way into people’s lives demanding that they conform to their interpretation of any number of proof texts. Paul understood them well. He was one. I do too; so was I.

And now I run into them frequently. One ‘elder’ told me he was going to forbid his mother-in-law to read my blog since I was espousing such great error on the body of Christ. I wonder how well that worked. When you decide it is your job to force others into truth, you prove by doing so that you think too highly of yourself and too lowly of the truth. I have found that the truth will win out in the end. It is stronger than every sin, doubt and lie. You don’t have to scream it in their ear or threaten them with punishment if they ignore you. You only need to whisper it gently and watch it grow in hearts that are receptive.

I was listening to a recording of one of the most profound New Testament scholars of our day, whose insight into the Scriptures is second to none. For an academic, I’m always surprised at the wisdom he brings to the Scriptures. At the end of this presentation, however, he offered this disclaimer: “At least two-thirds of what I’ve said today today isn’t true. The only problem is, I don’t know what two-thirds it is, or I wouldn’t have said it. And the two-thirds figure may even be generous to me.” Now there’s a man who is still growing on a journey and knows it. His humility invites others on the path to discovery, realizing our confidence can only rest in the Spirit who guides us, not the wisdom of any one human being.

The next time someone tries to bully you into their version of truth, just remember Paul’s words. There are many out there who have great zeal for what they perceive to be the truth of God. But it seems those most zealous, most miss the mark. In fact their passion seems to compensate for their insecurity that they can’t bear to admit. How do you recognize them? They are always trying to accomplish in God’s stead what they don’t consider he can do for himself. That’s what Paul went on to say, “Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” (Romans 10:3)

People who are ignorantly zealous do an awful lot of damage, and never see it because they never question their own motives or tactics. They leave a wake of abused people behind them thinking they are doing God a favor. The next time you are tempted to do something for God, just remember the damage that misplaced zeal can do to one of the kids God loves. Remember, in this kingdom we’re not asked to do anything for God. We’re invited to go along with him.

Follow alongside him and you’ll never need to bully or berate anyone else to embrace what you think is true. And when you find someone trying to do it to you, smile gently, pray for him or her, and just keep on following Jesus down the road. You don’t need their permission or their agreement. Rather than arguing with them in hopes they’ll see the error of their ways, continuing to live free is the best response you can give.

One of the things i like to read on the ‘Net is The Adventures of Clothman! I met Glen a number of years ago and appreciate his passion for Jesus and his humor as he writes about it. One of his best columns appeared this week and I hope you take the time to read it. It is titled “Clothgirl’s First Date” and makes a profound point in a most poignant way. He is allowing his children to live the reality of a relationship rather than to give into the false substitute of rule-making. Read this and you’ll get a picture of God’s heart for you!

And before any one writes me about the fact that Glenn now embraces some version of ultimate reconciliation, rest assured I already know. We disagree on that (and I lament that the focus on such theological conjectures often only serves to take the focus off of Christ) that doesn’t make me want to distance myself from him as a dearly loved brother, nor does it keep me from enjoying the incredible insights he has in is growing relationship with God. I hope it doesn’t keep you from it either—with him or anyone else you know who doesn’t see exactly the way you do about everything. I’m convinced he loves the same Father I do and we can keep loving each other while he keeps shaping both of us.

I promised you a picture from my home-away-from home near Palmer, Alaska last weekend. What an amazing time with folks in various seasons of their journeys from religious obligation into the freedom of the life of Jesus! It made for some interesting large-group large-group discussions and even more wonderful bits of personal time with various people couples, and families. These were wonderful days and the weather was even perfect for them! It was sunny every day, but being from Southern Cal, I would have prefered more clouds and rain! But they were happy as could be!

But the flight home was my worst trip ever. I caught the flu somehow and came down with it as my flight left Anchorage. Alternating between sweating fevers and freezing chills with nausea and aches I made my way home to Denver then to California. I got home as sick as I’ve ever been in the last 15 years or so, and have been wiped out ever since.

I’m recovering now, but weak and woefully behind on just about everything lining up for my attention these days. So if you’re waiting for me to respond to you, please be patient. Also a dear friend and his wife from Australia arrived a day earlier than we’d anticipated, but we’re so blessed they are here and looking forward to a weekend of fellowship with them. It’s a holiday for us in the States, so I am looking forward to relaxing and sharing life with our friends and others who’ll come by to join us.

I just had an awesome weekend near Palmer, Alaska with some wonderfully fun believers on a marvelous journey. I wish I had time to tell you about the North American Funsucker and those brothers and sisters going through their Pharisectomies. I wish I could show you the view out my window from the home I stayed in on the shore of a lake with mountains in the background. (I’ll try to put a picture up when I get home and have my cable to download the photos.)

Many of these have connected with me through the podcasts. I’ve had a ball. Now I’m in Anchorage for the day and fly out on a red-eye tonight. So, think of me when you put your head on a pillow tonight… I’ll be coveting a more horizontal sleep configuration.

Yesterday I got this email and know it is a question many others have as well. It fit in so well with so many things we’ve all been talking about this weekend:

I’ve been enjoying listening to the Transitions teachings and over the last couple of days have been pondering the parable of the prodigal son. The things you said strike a chord in my heart and it’s what I really believe about God, but I was reading John 15 and came to verse 10 (“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love…) and was wondering what your thoughts on it were. Sounds a bit conditional, doesn’t it? Some versions actually say, “If you keep my commandments. I will keep loving you.” Could this just be one of those translation leanings, do you think? I did read the Amplified Bible which said something about “remaining in the intimacy of my love” which I thought perhaps made a bit of a difference. Is that the sense of “abide”? Not that God doesn’t continue to love even if someone isn’t keeping his commandments, but that those who do enjoy a greater intimacy with him?

Yes, on first read it does sound conditional. But in the context of the entire upper room discourse (John 13-16) and John 15 itself, we know that’s not what he’s saying. He’s not saying we earn his love by keeping commandments. That goes against everything else he’s been saying in this passage.

So, what could it mean? I think the context gives us the answer. He’s inviting us to remain in the love he’s already given us. He made the disciples clean by his word and asks them to simply remain in him. So they didn’t earn their place there and neither do we. But what Jesus is saying about obeying his commands, is that we live in the reality and fruitfulness of his love by following his ways. So it doesn’t mean he loves us more, it just means we live in the fruit of that love by following him. So if I’m in a situation and Jesus gives me wisdom as to how to deal with it, but I refuse that wisdom and do what I think is best, I’m going to end up in a bigger mess. He will still love me the same, still offer me the same relationship, but I will not live in the fruit of that love because I’ve gone my own way.

It’s just the prodigal story. The son goes his own way and by doing so doesn’t live in the Father’s love, even though the Father still loves him completely and the same offer of relationship is always there. He’s just not living in its reality because he has chosen his way over the Father’s way. But his rebellion works its own way in him until he comes to see the love the Father always had for him.

So keeping his commandments doesn’t earn us more relationship, it just allows us to live in the fruit of his love. And that command remember, is not following a list of rules, but living loved—experiencing his love for us and then loving others around us the same way. It really isn’t rocket science. It’s so much easier and more freeing than that.

Two more meetings today, then I’m off to the airport…

Every day this week I started with the intention of writing a post for this blog about Communion and how it can be the focus of our life as a community of Jesus people, but the days have been so filled with the tyranny of the urgent that I haven’t gotten to it yet. Bummer!

All of this was refreshed in me as my friend Bob Stamps came out for a few days to get my help on a book he’s writing about the Lord’s Supper and how the early believers celebrated it—so very different from what it has become today. I have never thought that our preferences about music styles or teachers we like to hear would never be enough to bring the family together. In fact music styles wouldn’t even bring my own family together. I doubt my family could choose any kind of concert that we’d all want to go to hear.

The only thing we can gather around is him, and one of the key places he promised his presence is when he sits down at table with us and there we encounter the Risen Christ as our forgiver, reconciler, Lord, healer, friend and older brother and by engaging him together we come away transformed. But at this meal we can all come and be enriched by him and our celebration of the larger family to which he’s joined us. Wow, we’ve missed something here…

I have more to share here, but I’m off to Alaska in an hour or so to spend the weekend with some newfound friends. If you haven’t heard our interviews with Bob Stamps at The God Journey, they focus a bit on refreshing our heart in the Lord’s Supper and how we can share it together with grace and reality. Blessings all!

I’ve got some things I’ve been trying to write for this blog space, but have been too busy yet to get them done. I am thrilled, however, that The Shack is out and people are having so much fun with it.

And I like how compelling it is for people who just see the cover or hear about it from someone else. Someone I was with in Kansas City recently just sent this to me:

I am almost done with The Shack, I will finish it tonight. Two things I am learning about reading The Shack in public places.

1) People will always ask you what you are reading and what it is about. So don’t expect to get a lot of reading done. Do, expect many interruptions and some fantastic conversations.

2) People do not understand why you are crying your eyes out while you are reading the book.

This book should come with a warning:

Warning: This book will change your heart. Read at your own risk!

I also found out that a well-known TV actress received a copy the other day. A friend of mine was with her and she was lamenting the lack of quality, thought-provoking writing from serious Christians today. My friend asked her to wait a moment, went to his car and pulled out a copy of THE SHACK to give her. I hope she reads it!

Oh, and one more…

I finished The Shack late Monday. It has really been working on me, kind of like your books! I already can see reading it again sometime if I can pry it out of someone else’s hands… And I find myself going back to various scenes with the God-characters in my mind. Very unlike many movies or TV shows that I promptly forget, and could even watch again and not know what was going to happen. This book definitely got under my skin, in a very good way. All the experiences with God really has given me heightened attentiveness to how God comes to me, in my life. Thank you for turning us on to this book!

You can order your copies here.

The thanks just keep rolling in… We were finally able to get The Shack into people’s hands in the last few weeks and have been blessed by the comments we’re hearing from people who are reading it. Some are reading it in less than a day, as I did in my first read, but also realize there is so much more to go back and mine in subsequent readings.

If you want to order your copy, you might get it done this week. Postage rates (both domestic and international) rise significantly next week and our shipping costs will have to increase accordingly. That goes for all other other books and CDs as well. Gosh, I hate how postage keeps rising while their service diminishes. (And for all you postal workers out there, please don’t take that personally!)

Here are some of the comments I’ve been getting from people about The Shack:

From a 18 year old in California: “I loved it. It kept catching me off guard. I never expected anything to turn out as it did.”

From Kent in Missouri: “The main story was so compelling the first time through I just couldn’t put it down. The second time through, what I would call the hiddeness of the book just grabbed me. The third time something new and different. When you get it into your hands, I encourage you to read it many times. This is not a one-time read and it will be forever a part of who I am.”

From Jim in Washington: “I just breezed through the best Christian fiction book I have ever read over this weekend. It is called The Shack, by William P. Young. The book is heavy-laden with meaning, with the power of forgiveness, and with focus on the real meaning of life.

From Rick in Tennesse: All I can say is WOW! It is a bit unbelievable that y’all were able to put all this into one book (and I’m just now getting to chapter 13). I can’t begin right now to tell you my story, but suffice it to say, this book has poured gasoline on the fire that burns inside me for just a loving relationship with Father. I have listened to you and Brad now for a couple of years, but Father has been lovin’ me into freedom for a long time, I’m just now beginning to see what He has been doing (I am a stubborn old, or rather young, sheep). Thank you for all that you have done with the podcasts, the transitions series, the Jake book. Father has truly used them to show me that I really never knew Him. But now I see Jesus…

Awesome! I love what this little book has done to engage people with God and help share him with others. We’ve heard from people who have found it very easy to talk about this book with others and to give them a copy, even if they aren’t believers. It is THAT kind of book.

On a related note, Brad and I will be interviewing the author for our 5/18 podcast. If you have any thing you’d like me to ask him, please send email me today.

Some of my dearest friends, Kevin and Val Smith of Lancefield, Victoria, Australia are on a round-the world trip to encourage brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. That’s them at right. They have been close friends to Sara and me over the past 12 years and we count it a joy to touch base with them wherever Father arranges it in the world. They have a marvelous grasp on what it means to live in the Father’s care and how the body of Christ can live as his family in the earth. Kevin has co-authored a few BodyLife articles with me and we have been greatly enriched and encouraged on this journey by the two of them.

On this trip they will be staying with and fellowshipping among some of our dear friends as well. If you live anywhere near this itinerary, I know some days and times are being planned for people to get together and celebrate the life of Jesus. If you’d like to join in at a location near you, please get in touch with them for further details about when and where people will be getting together. You can also contact the designated people below for certain locales. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

May 25-28 Moorpark, CA (Contact Me)
May 31-June 4 Sacramento CA (Contact David)
June 6- 8 Washington DC
June 11-16 Auburn, MA
June 23-July 1 Dublin, Ireland
July 11-13 Southampton, England
July 19- 24 Usk, Wales
Aug 1-6 Perth, Scotland
Aug 8-12 Frankfurt Germany
Aug 15-20 Chennai India