RPMs – Spiritual Wellbeing
Sycamore Creek Church
February 19, 2012
Tom Arthur
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 & 9
Peace Friends!
Most of us whether we know much about cars or not, know what RPMs stands for: Revolutions Per Minute. On your dashboard is a tachometer that tells you just how fast your engine is running. If it runs too fast, you’re redlining it. If it runs too slow you’re deadlining it. And right in the sweet spot in the middle is called the baseline.
During this series called RPMs, we’re looking at relational, physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. We’re not quite going in that order, so today we’re looking at spiritual wellbeing. What does it mean to redline, deadline, and baseline when it comes to our spiritual lives?
Let’s go back to the car to help us answer this question. I’m sure most of you have popped the hood on your car and looked at the engine. It’s a little scary, isn’t it? There are so many things in there! While the idea of revolutions per minute seems pretty simple and only takes one gauge to measure, there are a lot of different parts of the engine that help keep the RPMs in the sweet spot. There’s the spark plugs, the alternator, the battery, the transmission, the radiator, and more and more and more. It takes a lot of different parts to make an engine run smoothly.
The same is true about our spiritual lives. The idea of spiritual wellbeing sounds kind of simple. Well, in some ways it is: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. But when you “pop the hood” on the spiritual life of someone who is loving God and their neighbor in this way, you’re likely to see a lot of different “parts” that keep their spirituality running smoothly. Focus too much on one of those parts and your spiritual life redlines. You end up emphasizing one aspect of healthy spirituality while neglecting other essential parts. Neglect all of them and you’re deadlining. Keep all of them running smoothly, and you’re baselining. So let’s look under the hood of spirituality and see what is there.
Paul, the first great missionary for Christianity, wrote two letters to the church at Corinth. Here’s a selection of his second letter to the Corinthians:
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 & 9 NLT
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. I hope you recognize that we have passed the test and are approved by God…We are glad to be weak, if you are really strong. What we pray for is your restoration to maturity [spiritual growth].
Paul is encouraging the Corinthians and us to pop the hood and examine our spiritual health. Is our faith really genuine? Or are there parts that are falling apart or even nonexistent? You know this by recognizing whether Jesus Christ is among you. How do you know this? One way to know is by looking at how Jesus has been among other Christians in the past. Today I’d like to suggest that there are six key ways, or traditions, that Jesus has been among those who follow him. Each of these traditions pops up from time to time and gets emphasized by this group or that, but healthy spirituality, mature spirituality, spirituality running at optimum RPMs is supported by an engine that has all six parts. These six traditions are:
The Evangelical Tradition (or Word-Centered Life)
The Charismatic Tradition (or Spirit-Empowered Life)
The Social Justice Tradition (or Compassionate Life)
The Contemplative Tradition (or Prayer-Filled Life)
The Holiness Tradition (or Virtuous Life)
The Incarnational Tradition (or Sacramental Life).
[I am indebted to Richard Foster and Renovare for this understanding of these six traditions.]
Focus on one and neglect the others, and you’re redlining. Ignore them all and you’re deadlining. Keep all of them well oiled and your baselining. Let’s examine each one and our lives and see if Jesus is truly among us.
Evangelical (Word-Centered Life)
A key verse for the Evangelical tradition is Romans 12:2: Be transformed by the renewing of your minds (NRSV). Your mind is renewed and transformed when you put your trust in Jesus Christ. This happens both at a specific point in time and is a process that takes time. Martin Luther, the great Protestant reformer, is a key figure in the Evangelical tradition. In the sixteenth century Martin Luther and others proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ after discovering its message anew in the Bible. When he read that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), he came to understand that there was no ritual that would make him merit God’s love. God’s love was given unconditionally. All we could do was receive it and begin to join the work that God’s love was doing in our world. Thus, he nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg, and the Protestant Reformation began. This message of salvation, this good news was expressed by clergy and laity in sermons, mission efforts, and personal witnessing. The Evangelical tradition, then, values highly God’s Word and the power it has to speak the Good News of Jesus into our lives and sharing that Good News with everyone around us. My grandmother was influenced significantly by the Evangelical Tradition. Sometimes when telemarketers would call her, she would listen to them patiently and then say, “Now that I have listened to you, would you listen to me so that I can tell you about Jesus?” They usually would!
I didn’t put any of the rest of the traditions in a particular order, but this one I put first for a reason. I put it first, not because it stands alone, but because it is the foundation upon which all the rest of the traditions stand. It is the block of the engine, which all the other parts of the engine are attached to. It is where many if not most people begin their spiritual life: receiving Jesus’ grace of salvation by faith in who he is and what he has done. So who exactly is Jesus and what exactly has he done? What is this good news? Here’s a great video that puts the whole thing in a nutshell:
Have you received by faith that gift of Jesus’ grace that transforms your life? It’s simple to do. Just talk to God. Tell him you’re sorry that you have not lived life as God wanted it to be lived. Ask him for the knowledge, wisdom and strength to live differently, to join in God’s mission here on Earth to restore all of creation to God’s kingdom. Then spend time seeking God’s will by reading scripture daily.
Want to go deeper into this tradition? Check out these resources:
www.jameschoung.net – The website of James Choung who developed the four circles idea of telling God’s story.
www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/ – A great place to get hooked up with a daily Bible reading program.
www.youversion.com – A website and phone app that is another great place to get a daily Bible reading program.
Charismatic (Spirit-Empowered Life)
When Jesus ascended into heaven, some of his last words were: And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven (Luke 24:49 NLT). The Charismatic Tradition is focused on living in the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
While all kinds of unusual things come to mind when some of us hear the word “Charismatic” (like speaking in tongues, being slain in the Spirit, faith healing, all of which came out of the modern Azuza Street Revivals in the early 1900s in Los Angeles), the Charismatic tradition is less about these outward displays of the Holy Spirit and more about the inward leading of the Holy Spirit. I grew up in a charismatic church and can testify that often times these outward displays can cover up inward emptiness. I would look like I was deep in worship with my hands raised singing to God all the while thinking about and plotting for how to talk to the hot girl sitting in front me!
In the seventeenth century the Church witnessed a new outbreak of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men and women who were called ‘Quakers’ (sometimes called “Friends” or “The Society of Friends”), led by the ministry of George Fox. “Quaker” comes from the experience of quaking before the presence of God. The active presence of the Spirit in the lives of believers became the empowering principle behind scores of conversions. Sometimes today you will hear about the Friends holding a silent worship service. They sit and wait for the leading of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes someone may be led to give a message, read scripture, or pray. Other times they will simply sit in silence waiting. The active role of the Spirit was at the center of their worship, and it propelled them into evangelism, missions, and social concern. This is an example of a charismatic movement. How are you doing listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit?
Want to go deeper into the Charismatic Tradition? Read Fresh Wind Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala.
Social Justice (Compassionate Life)
Micah 6:8 reads, He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God (NRSV)? The Social Justice Tradition focuses on righting injustices, freeing the oppressed, and meeting the basic needs of all people everywhere.
I remember the day that I first really felt the power of the Social Justice tradition. In a class during college, we watched a Dateline hidden camera exposé of the effects of racism in modern day Chicago. Two guys, one white and one black, with identical education and who were trained to behave in similar ways were followed by hidden cameras as they shopped in a store, talked to a car salesman, and tried to rent an apartment. In each instance, the black guy was treated in some pretty horrendous ways and the white guy was treated like royalty. I came away from watching that video determined to fight against racism in all its forms in our society, and I ended up volunteering with a boys club in the Dearborn projects on the south side of Chicago where I saw the effects of racism up close and personal.
In the late twelfth century Francis of Assisi and a group of followers abandoned their former lives and went about the Italian countryside, caring for the sick, the poor, and the lame. Francis had been the son of a wealthy businessman. His calling by God drew him further and further away from his father’s wishes that Francis would follow also as a businessman. One day he and his father had a showdown in the town square that ended when Francis stripped all his clothes off standing naked in front of everyone and forever parting with his father’s wealth and prestige. The local bishop is said to have clothed Francis in his robe. Countless men and women followed Francis’ lead, forming the Franciscan and the Poor Clare orders. Their impact on disease and poverty was remarkable, and they became an example of a social justice movement. How are you doing reaching out to those on the fringes of our society?
Want to go deeper into the Social Justice Tradition? Read The Life of St. Francis by Bonaventure, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Tony Campolo, or The Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Actually Shane Claiborne, a young sort of Protestant modern monk is coming to MSU on March 31st. You can sign up online http://msuwesley.org/claiborne or by calling (517-332-0861).
Contemplative (Prayer-Filled Life)
Paul tells the Thessalonians to Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NRSV). Wow! Can we really come to a place in life where we are so filled with prayer that we pray all the time? The Contemplative Tradition is about training for just that.
In the fourth century men and women fled city life to found cloisters and monasteries where they emphasized the importance of solitude, meditation, and prayer. These communities were often founded in the desert. Antony of Egypt was an early leader of these “Desert Mothers and Fathers.” The church was strengthened by their emphasis upon intimacy with God, and a contemplative movement was born. Today if you are looking for a place to go pray, you will more likely than not end up at a monastery like the St. Francis Center in DeWitt or the Dominican Nuns in Adrian.
I first encountered the Contemplative Tradition while taking a class in college called Dynamics of Spiritual Growth. I hated that class. I didn’t get much out of the reading and ended up getting my lowest grade of my college career. But it is the only class I took where I have gone back and reread every single book several times!
The Contemplative Tradition is about learning to live a life of prayer. How are you doing with your prayer life?
Want to go deeper in the Contemplative Tradition? Check out www.upperroom.org or read Time Away: A Guide for Personal Retreat by Ben Campbell Johnson or Wilderness Time: A Guide for Spiritual Retreat by Emilie Griffin. Another online resource I have recently come across is www.pray-as-you-go.org. Here you will find a daily MP3 which includes music, questions for reflection, and scripture. The basic format is music, questions, music, scripture, music, scripture, music. The music gives you time to contemplate and pray. This website is hosted by the Jesuits, another monastic community. I love it because it’s taking a very old idea and putting it in 21st century forms. Download a week’s worth of prayers and listen to them in your car or as you walk or exercise.
Holiness (Virtuous Life)
Peter was one of Jesus’ original twelve followers, and in his first letter in the New Testament we read, But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God — who chose you to be his children — is holy (1 Peter 1:15 NLT). Be holy. That is the focus of Holiness Tradition.
Sycamore Creek Church traces its history directly back to the Holiness Tradition. While we don’t make a big deal about it, SCC is a United Methodist Church, and the founder of the Methodist movement was John Wesley. In the early eighteenth century John Wesley and his friends formed a group nicknamed the ‘Holy Club’ and began focusing on moral laxity and the need for Christians to overcome sinful habits. They met daily for self and group-reflection and developed a ‘method’ for growing in holiness. The Church began again to take sin seriously. The purifying effects of the Methodist effort in the lives of individuals and society were dramatic, and it became a holiness movement.
When I was in youth group growing up, I went on a spiritual retreat weekend called The Discipleship Walk. It was a version of the Emmaus Walk, which some of you have may have participated in. I remember very clearly the last talk of that weekend. It was about being in an accountability group with other Christians to meet regularly and examine one another’s lives for faithful living. I have more or less been in a group like that ever since. How are you doing living a holy life?
Want to explore the Holiness Tradition more fully? Try reading Three Simple Rules by Ruben P. Job or take a look at John Wesley’s Sermons, which can be found at
www.gbgm-umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons.
Incarnational (Sacramental Life)
“Incarnational” means “in the flesh” (“in” = in; “carn” = flesh). In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul writes, Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31 NLT). Do everything you do to God’s glory. Go to work for God’s glory. Be a parent for God’s glory. Cook for God’s glory. Eat for God’s glory. Clean the dishes for God’s glory!
In the eighteenth century the wealthy Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf allowed remnants of the persecuted Moravian Church (from Moravia which is part of modern day Czech Republic) to build the village of Herrnhut on his estate. Initially divided, the group became unified when they experienced a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit after Zinzendorf led them in daily Bible studies and in formulating the ‘brotherly agreement’, an agreement of how they would all live together communally. The Moravians joyfully served God—praying, evangelizing, and helping others—in the midst of baking, teaching, weaving, and raising families. This is an example of an incarnational movement.
While I was in seminary I had the opportunity to live what is sometimes called “New Monastic” community, called the Isaiah House. It was kind of like living with your small group in the local homeless shelter. We had a set of agreed upon chores that we all did together alongside certain spiritual disciplines. We worked together and we prayed together. We tried to incarnate this Christian faith in our day to day lives. How are you doing giving glory to God in everything you do? Work? Play? Home? Church?
If you want to go deeper into the Incarnational Tradition, read The Busy Family’s Guide to Spirituality: Practical Lessons for Modern Living From the Monastic Tradition by David Robinson or Christians in the Marketplace by Bill Hybels. Another intriguing website I have found recently is www.storychicago.com. This is a yearly gathering of Christian artists in Chicago who are seeking to be both faithful Christians and faithful artists.
Examine Yourself
Some of these traditions you will have more experience with than others based on your history and background. As for me, I have some experience in all of them. I grew up in a Charismatic church (the Assemblies of God), went to an Evangelical college where I encountered Jesus in the kids who lived in the project on the South Side and the social justice issues surrounding their lives, ended up working at a Methodist church and reading John Wesley’s sermons on holiness, felt a deep pull toward spending regular time alone with God in contemplation so that I had energy/strength/power for ministry, went to seminary where I lived in a New Monastic Community where we attempted to incarnate faith into all of our lives by living simply, praying together, and offering hospitality to women and children in transition. Now I am the pastor of a community where I am tasked to help lead you along similar paths of spiritual growth.
So how is your spiritual life? When you open the hood on your spiritual engine, are all the parts running along smoothly or are some parts being paid too much attention to while others are ignored? You can think of these six traditions as six spokes on a wheel. If one of them is too short, then you’re going to have a flat tire and bump every time that part of life comes along. If you’d like to explore this idea of the six traditions more fully, check out www.renovare.us (“Renovare” is Latin for renew). You will find a series of pamphlets on this website called the Explorations Series. There is one for each of the six traditions. There are several other resources that will be of help to you in fine tuning your spiritual engine so that your RPMs are running within the optimal range. Living a healthy and mature spiritual life means paying attention to all of the ways that Jesus dwells among us: in the good news of the Evangelical Tradition, in the Spirit of the Charismatic Tradition, in the poor of the Social Justice Tradition, in the prayer of the Contemplative Tradition, in the purity of the Holiness Tradition, and in the day to day of the Incarnational Tradition. How’s your spiritual engine?
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