A few years ago, I was sitting in a beach-side cabin on the far side of the continent (Costa Rica). I was journaling, and at one point, I felt a nudge to write about my core convictions.
So here I am, a few years later, doing just that, but first, let me try to describe what my convictions grow out of and where they're rooted. That's probably important if you're going to take them seriously (which I hope you do).
I'm 47, have pastored for 28 years, married 26 years, with four adult children and three grandchildren, currently in a Boondock Church called Evangel, where I've worked for the past (almost) 17 years. I'm both a mentoree and a mentor, in a long-time relationship with a Jedi-master (one of the most stable, committed, fruitful, balanced, influential pastors I know of) and regularly mentor other pastors and leaders each weekly. I've travelled globally and remained very rooted and committed to rural Canada, and in the process, have witnessed Jesus at work in almost every context under heaven. I have experienced both abundance and lack, both wisdom and folly, sure-footedness and absolute failure. I have grown, and I have shrunk. I have criticized, and I have prayed desperately that my heart would be open. I have been the religious fundamentalist, judgmental of all things related to the Holy Spirit and "strange fire". I have been the charismatic in utter ecstasy, critical of all things pertaining to rule-keeping and Bible-memorizing. I have quit, and I have endured. I have gone it alone, and I have said, "Unless you go with me, I won't go." I am the product of five generations of pastors (back to circuit riders), from the methodist to the methodless. I have voraciously devoured the works of Calvinists like John Piper, of charismatics like Brian Houston, of apologists like Ravi Zacharias, of conservative personalities like Dennis Prager, and everything in between. My personality is middle-of-the-road, neither extremely extroverted nor the intellectual freak nor the bounding golden retriever nor the party animal. Some think that makes for dull. I don't find myself boring ;).
I'm…
A funky hat in a parade, but without the parade sometimes.
Predictably full of life at the most unpredictable moments.
The colour blue, but leaning strongly toward purple.
The circle shape, no hard edges, and easy to move.
A coniferous tree in the arctic - able to stay green even in the coldest months of the year.
A piece of hardwood, nice to look at (🧐), hard to shape.
A watermelon, big and tasty, full of water, can sustain and nourish (somehow).
The tide at it's lowest point, kinda unsightly and unpolished, but revealing a plethora of exciting things, many that are life-sustaining.
A holiday in Rome, with a hidden romantic in me, like some quiet street in the back city.
A cold IPA on a hot day.
Quirky enough to be interesting but stable enough to be productive.
All that to say, my convictions are rooted (that's important - some people spout deep convictions but have lived relatively shallow lives). Rooted in what, you ask? All the above. And yes, you be the judge of whether that qualifies for good soil or not.
I was going to start by saying that there are some core convictions that go without saying, but maybe not. How 'bout I just start from the top.
FIRST, Jesus is Lord. Yeah, obvious, right? But maybe not either. I base this conviction primarily on one "fact", with lots of secondary reasons. The one fact is the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (which I believe is almost irrefutable), with secondary reasons including my personal experience and interaction with the living Jesus, following that with signs and wonders, the OT prophecies of Jesus, and much more.
SECOND, the Bible can be trusted. It's so real and gritty, with profound layers of truth, utterly beyond belief. Jordan Petersen talks a fair bit about this, though he's never claimed to be a Christian per sae. To me, it's too big of a chance to think it's not true, and I'd sooner risk having faith in what it says. And I've come to the FIRM conviction that living according to the "Way" is the best life to live…by far. The Way means I'm living in the land of grace (as opposed to works) revelling in Christ's completed work on my behalf, knowing that I get to engage life and purpose from the side of mercy with no fear about my future (or the afterlife - to die is gain…heaven awaits.) experiencing a vibrant and meaningful relationship with the God of the Universe.
THIRDLY, that you can't put God in a box. He will always remain a mystery to me, and if I ever say I have him cornered and figured out, I've got a god, and not THE God of all Creation, the Master of the Universe. For this reason, I will always walk humbly when it comes to talking about who he is (something a lot of Christians know nothing about). For this reason, I'm very much okay with the tension of ironies. I believe this in itself is proof that I have found the "other", the "beyond". I want to live in technicolour, and the Christians and Atheists who try to paint the world in blacks and whites only reaffirm my conviction that God is beyond what eye has seen, ear heard, or mind comprehended.
FOURTHLY, that the Sabbath principle is probably one of the most important in all of life. It is foremost in my life, both a picture of how humans were meant to live (that is, LIVE, life to the full) and how the Gospel works (no effort of your own). Sabbath is both a principal of one in seven days, of eight in 24 hours, of one in seven years, and so forth. Retirement is an attempt at the sabbath that completely misses the point. You don't rest when you're worn out. You rest regularly and often, throughout your life.
FIFTH, that life is an adventure to be lived, not an investment to be kept safe. I'd rather live and die than die while living, still walking around breathing and talking and eating and bleck. That's why I skydive in my forties and hope I'm a pro by age 65.
SIXTH, that your health is mostly your responsibility, and you should expect a long life. And long flourishing life. This is a push against instant gratification. I'd rather be happy and healthy at 70 than enjoy a bag of chips and endless Netflix series at agers 50, thank you very much.
SEVENTH, I believe marriage is like fine-wine and should get better with age (even though some say the new is better). This is also my view of sexuality. Our culture celebrates grape juice. I celebrate an aged-vintage, the oldest tradition of sexuality, between one man and one woman, exclusively, for life.
EIGHT, my inner life leads my whole life. As a man thinks in his heart, so he is. What is going on inside my head and heart, though it's background and much of the time I (and obviously others) am oblivious to it, leads me like the pied piper. The saving grace is that Jesus can invade and control my inner life so that it always leads me to good places. The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6).
NINTH, if I have to choose between love and truth, I choose love. I believe they can kiss, and this is beautiful and our aim. But I'd still say love is the greatest and highest aim. Love over rationale, love over fear, love over caution, love over safety, love of understanding, love over sense, love over knowledge, love even over faith, love over sacrifice. 1 Corinthians 13. Yes.
TENTH, my life preaches much more than my words. Role model. Be fruitful. Jesus did this. If I would not do it, I do not preach it. In most cases, if I am not DOING it, I will not preach it (but not always). I believe this is probably one of the best things Sara did when raising our children.
ELEVENTH, go with your gut. Instinct. Risk. The gut is the spirit, and the spirit is where God resides. This is predicated by the idea that one can pick up on what the Spirit (capital "S") is saying, and be led by him in meaningful conversation. So I lean heavily on what seems intuitive or instinctual for this very reason. And I've cultivated a safety net through prayer, study, and accountability that safeguards me against doing stupid things with this.
TWELFTH, always hope. Be relentless positive. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13). Kris Vallaton said it this way: the person in the room with the most hope wins. I believe it.
THIRTEENTH, you must have fun. That's been a guiding principle with how we do church. If it's not enjoyable, change it so it is.
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