So why is it so important to get this “relational Christianity” thingy right? (Do you think the phrase “Relational Christianity” is redundant? Is there an “non-relational” version! Sorry, couldn’t resist!). So why is it so important to live first and most in intimacy with God, then in healthy community with one another which both lead to effective mission? My thoughts are below (note these are only my thoughts–not necessarily Neil’s, Frank’s or Paul’s!).

Regarding intimacy with God. This is from my journal not too long ago.

I am now fully convinced that it was Jesus’ awareness of His Father’s love that enabled Him to live the trusting, completely dependent life that He did. And a life of trusting dependence is absolutely essential to becoming like Jesus. No one becomes like Jesus by trying to apply His teachings or follow His example.
Rather we become like Jesus by allowing Jesus to live His life in and through us. Our part is not to try harder, but to trust more and more deeply, and to surrender more completely to His loving guidance and power. Paul sums up both how to live loved and how to have Jesus live His life in us in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Notice how Paul personalizes Jesus’ love and sacrifice for him: “who loved me…” His deep personal experience of God’s love for him is what enabled him to live “the crucified life” – a life by which Jesus lived out His life in Paul.

Regarding healthy community. Consider that Jesus stated that the one thing that marks us as His people and above all other things validates the message of the Kingdom is healthy relationships! See John 13:34-35 and John 17:20-23.

Regarding mission that flows from intimacy and healthy community: Wow, I could write a lot here (indeed I have written a 6 page paper about this one!). In a nutshell, Jesus was the most “missional” person ever to live, but He stated over and over that He did nothing on His own initiative. Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” John5:19 (NASV). And Jesus ministered from the place of community (as did the Apostle Paul). Do we think we can improve on how Jesus did things? And do we really think our mission will have authenticity and power if we embark on it on our own initiative? Yet how many believers do you know who can honestly say, “I do nothing on my own initiative”?

Good place to stop, methinks! See you in Dallas.

May you be inundated, saturated and overwhelmed by Papa’s love!

Tom

But Andrew Murray’s wife, Emma, was in her own right a remarkable follower of Jesus, and for this post I wanted to give you a quote from her that really summarizes how the surrendered, intimate life with Jesus works. Let us know what you think of her thoughts.

Emma Murray (from Andrew and Emma Murray, by Leona Choy, pp. 214-215)
“There is a step higher than just looking forward to Heaven. We may have our life so in Christ that even here below we may enjoy peace and happiness in Him which no earthly events can shake or destroy. And it is not by despising or trampling upon earthly things, but living above them, willing and loving to live for His glory and the good of others, and counting it all joy even in tribulation for His sake.
“God means us to know and experience that perfect peace and quiet of mind under all circumstances is possible. Nothing interferes more with work or renders it more difficult than fretting or worrying. In such a state of mind we can do nothing well. We must in a childlike way acknowledge God’s will in everything with His peace in our hearts and a truly humble walk with God, bowing to his will….
“All this is attainable through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, through receiving Christ as our Sanctification as well as our Justification. It is through an entire, unconditional surrender of ourselves to Him and an entire cessation from our own efforts and works, while waiting for the suggestions and influences of the Holy Spirit. And through believing in His indwelling and expecting His guidance even in the minutest concerns of our daily life.”

More later.

Tom, on behalf of Neil, Paul and Frank

One of the many authors who has mentored me in my journey into intimacy with God and into healthy community and mission is a man named Thomas Kelly. His little book, A Testament of Devotion, published after his death has influenced many over the years since it was published in 1941.

Thomas Kelly was a Quaker scholar who met God powerfully when he was in his early to mid-forties (he died at age 47). To say that his world was turned upside down would be an understatement, and the legacy of his God encounters live on in this little book. I like him so much because he seems to integrate intimacy with God with community and with mission better than most. I share a few of the many thoughts from him that I have highlighted over the years just to give you a sample of his keen insights and passionate heart.

For the heart of the religious life is in commitment and worship not in reflection and theory. How, then, shall we lay hold of that Life and Power, and live the life of prayer without ceasing? By quiet, persistent practice in turning of all our being, day and night, in prayer and inward worship and surrender, toward Him who calls in the deeps of our souls. (p. thirty-eight)

There is a way of life so hidden with Christ in God that in the midst of the day’s business one is inwardly lifting brief prayers, short expressions of praise, subdued whispers of adoration and a tender love to the Beyond that is within. No one need know about it. I only speak to you because it is a sacred trust, not mine but to be given to others. One can live in a well-nigh continuous state of unworded prayer, directed toward God, directed toward people and enterprises we have on our heart. There is no hurry about it all; it is a life unspeakable and full of glory, and the inner world of splendor within which we, unworthy, may live. Some of you know it and live in it; others of you may wistfully long for it; it can be yours. (p. 122)

Now out from such a holy center come the commissions of life. Our fellowship with God issues in world-concern. We cannot keep the love of God to ourselves. It spills over. It quickens us. It makes us see the world’s needs anew. We love people and we grieve to see them blind when they might be seeing, asleep with all the world’s comforts when they ought to be awake and living sacrificially, accepting the world’s goods as their right when they really hold them only in temporary trust. It is because from this holy Center we re-love people, re-love our neighbors as ourselves, that we are bestirred to be means of their awakening. The deepest need of men is not food and clothing and shelter, important as they are. It is God. We have mistaken the nature of poverty, and thought it was economic poverty. No, it is poverty of soul, deprivation of God’s re-creating, loving peace. (pp. 122-123)

That’s enough for this time. Note that I don’t endorse everything Thomas Kelly writes (see my blog for more on him), but he definitely “gets it” — that apart from the Vine we can do nothing. Thomas Kelly went from being a very driven, scholarly man to one of great simplicity and peace. Learning to live loved as he did will bring us to the same place.

Tom, the least of Abba’s children, on behalf of Neil, Frank and Paul!

For our first post, I thought it would be good to give an overview of what you will experience as part of the “Relational Christianity” set of workshops at the H2H Conference in Dallas this year. So… here’s what we hear Papa saying so far.

First, as to format, we will have lots of interaction and hopefully lots of ministry, too. We are privileged to have Frank Viola briefly presenting some teaching on each day, and after that we will be spending time interacting and sharing in small groups. We may also have some of the rest of us share briefly on certain topics, but we will wait to see what the Spirit is leading us to do.

Second, the focus of the three workshops will be as follows.

First day: Intimacy with God as the foundation of everything. Intimacy with Him is the Good News as well as the foundation of everything else (John 15 comes to mind). We may also talk about how wholeness fits into and flows out of intimacy with God. Neil says: “The position you see yourself in affects how and what you hear from Papa and how you respond to what He says!”

Second day: Intimacy with one another–how healthy community flows from and supports intimacy with God. We will touch on healthy relationships being the “key distinguishing mark” of God’s people (John 13:34-35) and other similar topics. Neil says, “Forgiveness and selflessness are the keys to intimacy/relationship in community and that is one of the keys to long-term group effectiveness in “missional” outreach.”

Third day: Intimacy and mission–how intimacy with God provides both the proper motivation for and the means of our mission (the love of Christ compels us and intimacy with God enables us to hear His voice, move in His power, etc.). Neil adds: “Intimacy with Father brings His presence, and His presence and hearing the voice of the Spirit lead to the miraculous and that is one of the keys to mission effectiveness and seeing a move of God in new areas.”

There you have it. We will also be posting brief thoughts centered around these three areas in the weeks leading up to the conference. We welcome your comments, questions and insights.

May you and yours stay lost in God’s love,

Tom Wymore (on behalf of Neil Gamble, Frank Viola and W. Paul Young)