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“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

I’m back from the heartland. Awesome time with tons of people! I’m so blessed and exhausted. I also got to go to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library in Springfield, Illinois as I pass through. That place is incredible. If you live or go anywhere near there, you might want to plan a trip to that locale. There are some awesome technical displays to help tell that story.

I also returned to a very caustic letter from an angry pastor who thinks I’m the anti-Christ for writing Why I Don’t Go to Church Anymore. He accused me of some pretty ugly stuff, in belittling terms. I’ll spare you the details. Actually, my heart really goes out to the brother. I remember feeling like he does now. He has a great passion for God, but can’t see beyond the little knothole he’s known all his life.

As I read it, it reminded me how I used to feel about truth. Somehow when you’re caught up in religion, truth seems the least desirable thing on the planet and you have to attack everything and everyone one that disagrees with you. But when you discover that the life of Jesus is the pearl of great price, you don’t have to attack anything else. Just let people know how real Jesus wants to be in them.

But I also got a letter today from a brother in Alberta, Canada. I love what he wrote:

We are discovering quite by accident that as we keep Jesus centre, He raises up folks to function in specific leadership functions when they are needed. If we need hospitality, folks with that gifting take leadership. When we need pastors, folks with those gifts take leadership. It seems Holy Spirit raises up the right gift at the right time to provide leadership for whatever He wants to accomplish. Everyone gets to play!

This drives my professional pastor friends crazy!!! “What about order? What about accountability?” “You can’t build a church like that!”. That’s my point exactly! We don’t build the Church—Jesus does. When you don’t have something to build, control or to protect, it really frees folks to be who God created them to be and the freedom to step out and use gifts they have been given as He leads them to.

I love that part of not having something to build, control or protect. Then we really do get to be what God made us to be, and not what any institution needs us to be! So cool!

I am having a blessed time moving through the heartland this week. I was in Kansas City over the weekend with a broad smattering of different believers talking about this journey. I met some incredible people and hope I was helpful in encouraging others on this journey of living more deeply in the life of God every day. He has provided us an incredible life in him and we often trade that way for simply keeping religious rituals and trying meet the expectations of others who think that being a good Christian means that we keep certain rules instead of knowing God intimately.

Catching up on some email today, I got a great question from someone in Japan that I get asked a lot:

I don’t *think* God wants us to live under the favor line, but where does “obedience” fall into a favor-line-free relationship? In the Bible, God is shown as one who punishes disobedience among His people, Ananias and Sapphira is a New Testament image, and in Deuteronomy He certainly seems to warn His people that He’ll destroy them if they don’t obey Him in certain areas like shunning idolatry. Although He loves us, He still *seems* to be a Father who punishes disobedience. Can you shed some light here? I’d appreciate it.

I think my response to him might also be helpful for many others who struggle with this same issue. Here’s what I wrote: As to your question, I don’t know that I can do it justice in an email. Unfortunately this is a poor medium for sorting out such theological intricacies. Suffice it to say that Romans 8:15 makes clear that the God who in the Old Testament demanded our obedience under threat of punishment, has now in Christ sought to win our obedience through engaging us by his love and affection. God has not changed, but his ability to deal with our sin at the cross changes the way he relates to us. Now he is not our terrifying judge, but our loving Abba… And when I learn to live in that love I will find myself following him freely—the righteousness that trust produces—far more than fear would ever take me.

Read Hebrews 3 and 4 carefully and you will see that the problem in the Old Testament was never disobedience, it was the unbelief that caused the disobedience. Disobedience was only the symptom; unbelief was the disease. As Father wins us to himself through is love, our trust in him as our Father will grow. As our trust in Father grows, our sin gets displaced and we find ourselves truly living in the righteousness that comes from faith. People who live this way risk far greater obediences than those who are just afraid of being punished.

Does God punish us today? Not in the way most people think of it. Hebrews says he disciplines us, which means to train us to follow his ways. This training can be hard at times and even painful, but its purpose is not to punish us for doing wrong, but to help us learn how to live in the world as Jesus did, free from the tyranny self so that we could do what Father wants instead of being seduced by our own indulgences.

I guess the best way to say it is that the New Testament doesn’t change the goal of bringing us into God’s holiness, but it certainly changes the process. He always knew that his love being made real in us through the work of the cross, would change us far more deeply and far more completely than the law and its punishments ever could.

I know that may sound impossible for someone who has never tasted of this incredible process. The rules look far safer, but they are not. God has superseded them with a much better way to actually lead us into his life and our transformation from the bondage of sin…