Stages of Faith; descriptions
Stages of faith and the church!
(This is a chapter in our book, The Critical Journey. It may be more information than you need but here it is:-) Thanks for your consideration).
If you would like to skip down to the description of the stages themselves, scroll down to the title
THe Church, the Ministry and Stages of Faith and Power
I’ve been asked frequently what the church and the ministry would look like at each stage of faith and power so I have outlined this, along with several other interesting descriptions (like which Biblical characters relate to which stages) in this chapter. As I stated in the preface, I am indebted to several people who helped me with these new applications. And, as with all my work, I consider this a work in progress, so I am open to ideas, suggestions and insights.
One thing to ponder, as you read how these stages of faith relate to the church and ministry, is that all six stages of faith and the Wall are important in our spiritual journey. Each one has a profound impact and role in our lives. So in reading this chapter, bear in mind that each stage is active in us, and even though our “home” stage is at one of the stages, we need the other stages for the gifts they bring us personally and the gifts each stage brings to the church.
I have found some interesting trends in the research that I have done, informally and formally, about the stages of power and faith. One is that the stage that is most prominent in the power model is Stage Three while the most prominent stage in the faith model is Stage Two, followed by Stage Three. What that suggests is that people of faith are drawn to community, to clear beliefs and to leaders who teach them what they need to learn. The fact that people have progressed farther in power than they have in faith leads me to wonder if “confirmation faith,” (the faith we learn and practice in our teen years in many denominations) which would be largely Stage Two faith, is still the predominant faith for many people.
The church is generally best at working with people in Stages One through Three so the fact that the highest number of people is in Stage Two fits with how the church sees itself. It does raise some issues though, as to what and how the church relates to people beyond Stage Three. So many people leave the church when they experience Stage Four or the Wall, since there are few resources or programs available for them, and they feel estranged when the faith they held dear does not work for them any more. Their seeming collapse of faith may also be uncomfortable for those in ministry who are focused on more faith strengthening programs, like Bible Study and discipling.
God’s grace and the stages of faith
As an example of the different way in which we experience God and God’s involvement in our lives, depending on our home stage of faith, I’ve taken just one of the categories I address in this chapter and pulled all the stage examples together here. The category is God’s grace or unconditional love, which is the same, no matter what, but which seems so different depending on what we are experiencing in our lives. I list one word first and then the description that is in each stage.
Stage One: Awe, Relief
God’s love and acceptance comes through mostly in the miraculous experiences at this stage. We may experience relief from pain, release of guilt, a sense of being heard for the first time. We are awed by God’s love, and overwhelmed by the miracles of beauty, the mystery of new life, and gifts of time and goodness.
Stage Two: Forgiveness
Our experience of God’s love at this stage is being forgiven. We are freed from our initial load of guilt and depravity. We can now grow in our path, our program. It is just beginning for us, but we feel as if we’ve reached a summit already. We are grateful
Stage Three: Empowerment
God’s love allows us to feel good about the gifts God has given us, allowing us to use those gifts for the good of others. This empowers our work. We extend that empowerment to others.
Stage Four: Faithfulness
God’s unconditional love for us slowly emerges as a dimension of this stage that we were not expecting. So often when we feel we are losing our faith or struggling, we think that those in authority will be displeased. If, at these times, we can take in God’s love, we find God’s grace and love are abundant. What a discovery. God’s grace also allows us to discover new elements in our relationship with God that we never knew were there.
The Wall: Transformation
Grace appears in unusual ways and when we least expect it. We may lose a job, for instance, and find out that this was the only way in which we could take the risk to change careers or to get into work that is more suited to us. God brings us through the depths to a place that is better, even if we don’t earn as much money or have as much power as we did before. Our hope at the Wall is that we will move forward one day at a time and receive enough of God’s love to carry on.
Stage Five: Acceptance
Acceptance of self and others
Stage Six: Life as Grace
As Frederich Buechner says, “All moments are key moments and life itself is grace.”
The Church, the Ministry and Stages of Faith and Power
Stage One: Powerlessness (Power Stage); The Recognition of God (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Recognizing God
Characteristics
A sense of awe
A sense of need
A natural awareness of God
Greater meaning in life
A sense of innocence
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage One
At this stage we experience God almost entirely as Big, and we would relate to the theological word, transcendent. We feel more awe for God at this stage than almost any other stage since we are just getting in contact with God’s power. In contrast, we feel small and insignificant, amazed that God would even be aware of us, much less take our lives seriously. Our natural instinct is to be in awe and to obey this power that seems so far beyond us.
Since we feel we have no power ourselves, either from our insignificance and awe, or from the weightiness of our sin or our wounds, we feel there is nothing we can do so we wait, childlike, for others to instruct us, teach us, heal us, love us. We look to others and through them to God for answers to life’s questions.
The Goal
Our goal, whether stated or not, is to find someone who will help us in our helplessness or give us the answers to our burning questions. Hopefully these answers will solve the issues of pain, guilt, and confusion and even explain our awe and wonder. Who is this God and how do we approach this Holy Presence? At this stage we are like sponges, absorbing as much as we can. We want relief from our guilt, anger and fear.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
Our church, our community of faith, offers us a sense that we are not alone. There are others there who are hurting too, or who share our awe of God. Or our community may be a 12 Step Group, a group of people recovering from addictions or codependence. We feel encompassed by fellow journeyers. One caution here; we may connect so strongly through our pain that we lose our sense of the wider realities of life.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The leader’s main function for us at this stage is to bring people to God, to find the lost, and to help the helpless. The leader may, in fact, be suffering mightily too, sharing our sense of powerlessness. Nevertheless the leader comforts us, admonishes us, grieves with us, and waits with us for new life.
The Role of Creeds
At Stage One we have a strong need for clarity and direction. We “know” very little on our own. We need time-tested traditions to get us started, to inform us, to guide us. God is defined for us in clear terms. What is expected of us is equally clear. Non church-based groups also follow strong creeds, even if they are called something else.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
God’s love and acceptance comes through mostly in the miraculous experiences at this stage. We may experience relief from pain, release of guilt, a sense of being heard for the first time. We are awed by God’s love, and overwhelmed by the miracles of beauty, the mystery of new life and gifts of time and goodness.
Type of Personal Involvement
At this stage we are so wrapped up in our own story and so receptive to others’ help that we do not give much back to the community. It’s not that we don’t want to, we just don’t have much capacity at this point in our journey.
Stuckness at this Stage: Inadequacy
We have an enduring sense of failure, inadequacy and spiritual bankruptcy; we feel we do not measure up. It is possible to over identify with a negative sense of self and derive energy from it. We can become martyrs, viewing suffering as our role in faith or suffering as punishment for sin. Or we can feel intense shame about our lack of faith.
Ways to Move Forward
The ways others have described moving to Stage Two are these:
Become more a part of a strong group in order to get a sense of belonging. Allow your life to take on more significance by taking in the words and teachings you are learning. Find a leader you trust and resonate with, who will help you find the way to God that corresponds with your needs and the beliefs of your community.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Matthew 19:13-14 “Suffer the Little Children”
Mark 1:40-45 The story of the leper
Mark 5:25-34 The woman with a hemorrhage
Prisoners, foreigners, widows, orphans
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
If you think of these people as typically the most vulnerable and hurting people in the Biblical stories (although sometimes the rich and powerful were the most hurting too!), we would name children, all of us at our weakest moments, lepers, outsiders, many women in scripture and desperately ill people. Jesus revered them, honored their faith and courage, held them up as examples, healed them and loved them. He consistently gave credit for his miraculous works to God, not taking credit himself.
Hymns for this Stage
Since hymns are such a central part of the worship experience for most of us, it is interesting to think of which hymns would appeal to people at each stage. Some hymns could be used at several stages. Here are a few that could fit for this stage: This World is Not My Home, I’m Just a Passin’ Through, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, Amazing Grace. The song, Amazing Grace, can be used at all the stages, depending on which lines you focus on. You might like to print out three or four verses of it and circle the words that most respond to each stage. The phrase that corresponds to Stage One is “ saved a wretch like me.”
Stage Two: Power by Association (Power Stage); the Life of Discipleship (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Learning about God
Characteristics
Gaining meaning from belonging
Answers found in a leader, a cause or a belief system
A sense of rightness
Security in our faith
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Two
We know now that there is a path to right living; the one we’re part of. We depend on our leaders, a structure or the traditions of our path and we learn how to live them out, whether this means a path of social justice, a form of Bible study, a style of reform, a style of worship, a recovery model or a form of witness. We work to become what our path requires and we believe we will be rewarded if we do so. The program of Confirmation for teenagers in some denominations, is a prime example of this stage, as are the discipleship programs that denominations and parachurch ministries have developed.
The Goal
Our goal in Stage Two is to trust: God; the people who have come before us; the belief system; our leaders. And we strive to obey all we are taught.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The role of the church is motivation. The church does all it can to provide us with the tools we need in order to live in accordance with the path we share. This could include modeling behavior for us, teaching or descipling us, pointing out the rules, admonishing or correcting us, or telling us Biblical stories. The caution here is that in the zealousness that comes from sharing our excitement and assurance that this path is the way, we may alienate those who question the path or who are on another equally satisfying path. Another caution is the over emphasis on authority figures.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the leaders is to be in charge, to lovingly point out our path, to bring us back from diversions. They supply answers, they direct and oversee programs, and they minister to our needs. We give our allegiance to them; they mold us.
The Role of Creeds
The creeds (rules, traditions, guidebooks) are our identities. They tell us who we are and they identify our path. Examples are the Bible, the catechism, the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. All of our answers can be found there-with interpretation from our leaders and mentors. And these creeds serve another significant purpose, to distinguish us from other groups who are not like us. The emphasis is on aligning with our “faith family”
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
Our experience of God’s love at this stage is being forgiven. We are freed from our initial load of guilt and depravity. We can now grow in our path, our program. It is just beginning for us, but we feel as if we’ve reached a summit already. We are grateful.
Type of Personal Involvement
We are there, we are involved, we are faithful to the path. We want to absorb the tenets and to learn all that we can about our path then instill these precepts into our lives. We are earnest.
Stuckness at this Stage: Rigid in Righteousness
Stuckness at this stage resides in fear and insecurity, so we cling to our path rigidly, to reassure us. Others are wrong or bad, so we may protect ourselves by not associating with people who do not believe as we do, or by taking a stand against them.. This can result in a closed society. We define ourselves by what we are not: we are not like those other people. Moral infighting and demeaning behavior towards the less powerful in our midst or in the world is frequently present in this stuck place.
Ways to Move Forward
It is crucial to recognize ourselves as unique creatures of God and to discover what our gifts are. We need to accept opportunities to give back, to help out, to contribute. Our scope broadens beyond our own community and we experience a larger vision or world view. We are available to be leaders in a variety of ways; from being a 12 Step sponsor to chairing a church committee to leading a cause.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Acts 16:25-34 “What must I do to be saved?”
Mark 10:17-22 The rich young ruler
Ruth; the story of Ruth’s relationship with Naomi
John 4:20 The Samaritan woman
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus treated people as individuals and at this stage different people need different things. Jesus affirmed some people at this stage (the Samaritan woman) while others he instructed and challenged (the rich young ruler). In his relationship with the disciples he nurtured them and also chided them.
Hymns for this Stage
Trust and Obey
Yield not to Temptation
The Church’s One Foundation
Amazing Grace, “was blind but now I see”
Stage Three: Power by Achievement (Power Stage); The Productive Life (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Working for God
Characteristics
Uniqueness in the community
Responsibility
Values placed on symbols
A spiritual goal reached
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Three
At this stage we are productive. We use our gifts to further God’s cause or work in the world. We are successful or working to be successful. We invite others to join us. We are energetic and alive. Our programs are structured to meet people’s needs and we are eager to enlarge our spheres of service. We train our members to serve others as well. God blesses our faithful efforts.
The Goal
We strive for success and effectiveness in our ministry, to do our best for God, both within our community and beyond.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
We equip people to do. We are here to help others find and use their gifts, to build our organization, to reach out, to be visible, to produce, to be successful in serving God. We develop people by fulfilling their needs. Then we ask them to give back. The caution here is that we may ask too much of people and burn them out because their zeal is nearly inexhaustible but their resources are finite.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The leader shares his/her own gifts, models behavior for others, motivates and persuades, and engages the members. The leader could be likened to a coach, nurturing, equipping and teaching people to serve and minister to others. Parishioners who feel good about their gifts and talents and excercise them graciously to others are wholesome for the organization.
Churches with several ministers in specialty areas fit this stage well. This is the stage that many churches strive for, to offer multiple services programs/opportunities/resources to members, to have large public facilities, several ministers, and large outreach programs. It is how many ministers ultimately measure their worth. Many people want to be associated with productive and successful churches.
The Role of Creeds
The creeds, tenets, beliefs of our faith are the basis for our power and our strength. They motivate us to serve each other, the church, the community and the world. They bolster us and give us confidence in our vision.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
God’s love allows us to feel good about the gifts God has given us, allowing us to use those gifts for the good of others. This empowers our work. We extend that empowerment to others.
Type of Personal Involvement
People at this home stage are active and involved in their ministry or in the church or in their spiritual community. Often they have a leadership position or are one of the core behind-the-scenes “backbone of the ministry” people.
Stuckness at this Stage: Overachievement
It is easy to burn out at this stage and become weary in well doing. When we feel indispensable, it is not a good sign. But there may also be guilt associated with saying no or dropping a ministry. We have come to think that we “should” work for the church, no matter what is asked, and that it would be good for us. It is very seductive at this stage, to play God in our own lives, to inadvertently assume we know more about what is good for us than God does. We can also become overly zealous in our approach with those not involved with our ministry. As the saying goes, “There’s nothing worse than a reformed …” It is easy to criticize and unfairly judge others who are not following our path.
Ways to Move Forward
This transition, from Stage Three to Four is one of the most difficult ones to make since it represents the most far reaching change of any stage moves, except for the move from the Wall to Stages Five and Six. We move from feeling secure and confident to a place of deep questioning. This does not happen over night but it gradually erodes our confident-looking faith. Either a personal or faith crisis shakes our strongly held beliefs or assumptions and we feel adrift on a restless sea, fending for ourselves. Our sense of God is shaken and we can find no new direction, only more questions.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Mark 9:13 “Who is the greatest”
Matthew 6:32 “Seek you first the kingdom of God”
Luke 10:38-42 Martha, the doer
Exodus 3:1-4:17 The call of Moses to lead the Israelites
Galatians 5:22-23 The Fruit of the Spirit
I Corinthians 12:8-10 Gifts to use in the community
Zaccheus, Scribes, Pharisees, church leaders
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus called religious leaders back to the first great commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He usually did not argue with them but spoke to them in stories or parables. At times he used the authority of Scripture with them. Occasionally he confronted them directly or admonished them. Ultimately his lack of adherence to the prevailing religious laws and beliefs plus his intense compassion on those who were outcast cost him his life.
Hymns for this Stage
Onward Christian Soldiers
We Would be Building
Amazing Grace “Now I’m found” or
"We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise then when we first begun.”
Stage Four: Power by Reflection (Power Stage); The Journey Inward (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Re-discovering God
Characteristics
Life or faith crisis
Loss of Certainties in life and faith
A search for direction, not answers
Pursuit of personal integrity in relation to God
God released from the box
Apparent loss of faith
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Four
We used to be sure, now we are not sure, not as confident as before. We thought we had a lot of our life and faith questions figured out or resolved only to find more penetrating and unanswerable questions arising. These questions are frequently stimulated by an incident, a significant birthday or anniversary of an event, a death or divorce, or a significant disappointment in another person, perhaps a leader or a family member. We gradually learn to seek out opportunities for reflection, for these are the primary way in which we can approach our questions. We become aware, perhaps for the first time, of an inner spiritual and personal path, one that is not necessarily predicated on what our community espouses.
The Goal
We strive to find some comfort in this difficult, new, challenging place in which our plans, gifts and success do not matter very much. We strive for patience and for the clarity to see what our next steps are when they appear.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The church or organization that can understand this stage and does not think of those in it as personal failures or backsliders, or as evidence of ministry that has failed, can be of great service to people at this stage. Many times, though, people who leave Stage Three and find themselves at Stage Four do not feel like they fit within the organized church structure and belief system, so they drop out, often forever, or for long periods of time. Some people find that another stream of Christian spirituality is a better fit for them at this time. For example, a person who went through Stages 2-3 in a liberal or justice oriented stream may find that their Stage 4 realities are best addressed within a spiritual community immersed within an inner focused stream. Or vice verse.
Churches are at their best in the programming they do for people whose home stages are Stages One through Three. The church serves their needs, teaches and develops them, trains them for leadership, and encourages them to serve the larger community. People at Stage Four do not long for these things and are usually not interested in leadership, since it is often an integrity crisis they experience. In their hearts they say, “If I don’t believe or I have doubts, how can I represent what my church believes to others?”
“Professional Christians” such as pastors, missionaries, and parachurch leaders who enter Stage 4 often experience what feels like an insurmountable double bind. On the one hand, they yearn to be honest about their spiritual journey – both the profoundly scary questions they are wrestling with as well as their paradoxically deepening insights. On the other hand, they know in their gut that if they begin preaching and teaching these things they may be branded as heretics, losing their credibility and the jobs their families depend upon for income.
If a church or organization is at this home stage, they are usually in a reassessment time/perhaps after a crisis like a fire, a minister leaving under duress, or a split in the congregation. It is an opportunity to look at who and what we are and let the ministry grow out of the people. In many cases at least a portion of the congregation who are ready to do so, can form a whole new ministry of reflection, reconciliation or spiritual deepening as a result of a crisis. Most often we just want to get back to “normal” though, because this place is so uncomfortable, so we greatly reduce the organizational assessment process and get to task-oriented thinking. A great opportunity is frequently lost in that moment.
A caution for churches at this home stage is that people who are not ready for personal reflection or deeper involvement in the inner life may feel really left out, left behind, threatened or unappreciated
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the clergy or spiritual leader is formally reduced at this stage. They are more the co-learners or facilitators. This change can stimulate much personal reflection. At Stage Four parishioners are more vertically oriented—relating directly to God, and have less need to be shown THE way. Our faith is forming between God and us and the creeds, beliefs, and practices are not as crucial to that process as is an inner openness to God.
Leaders cannot tell us exactly what this process consists of, they can just help point the way, or go with us on the path. And if they have not been on this path themselves, it may be hard or even threatening to them to be with us in our doubts and questions. If they can be open and vulnerable themselves before God, their role with people at this stage can be vitally enriched.
The Role of Creeds
Since questioning and doubts are common at this stage, the creeds, laws, rules and belief systems pose more issues for us than they help us. But the creeds do force us to rethink our assumptions. The key for many will be in the discovery of the intimately relational God who the creeds, laws, rules, and belief systems describe and point to.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
God’s unconditional love for us slowly emerges as a dimension of this stage that we were not expecting. So often when we feel we are losing our faith or struggling, we think that those in authority will be displeased. If, at these times, we can take in God’s love, we find God’s grace and love are abundant. What a discovery! God’s grace also allows us to discover new elements in our relationship with God that we never knew were there.
Type of Personal Involvement
Since people at this stage are focused inward and upward, and are struggling mightily with the questions, they are generally less involved in the programming of the church or the organization; unless the programming is directed towards reflection and questioning. People at this stage within the church are frequently lonely. They have changed, but their family, spouse, or friends may not have changed. They no longer enjoy the same worship, reading, socializing or conversations. They, at times, would rather be alone. They are struggling to make sense of the “counter cultural” way they think and feel. They need help coping with feeling different.
Stuckness at this Stage: Vicious Circle
People who are stuck here cannot reach inward to risk looking at themselves and cannot reach outside because they feel no sense of community. Some may go on a life-long search for the right answer and make the search an obsession--ever learning, never coming to Truth. This is generally true of those who make faith an intellectual search and are afraid to open their hearts. Some revert back to an earlier stage that is more comfortable or is a relief from the tension. And others simply drop off of the journey all together, giving up on a pursuit of faith. Some move to a non-faith community that meets a need, usually an intellectual or social one.
Ways to Move Forward
In the move into the Wall and Stage Five we will rediscover God and who God is in our lives. If we are willing to take God more personally we can move into those next places. Usually we need to consider a professional guide (counselor, spiritual director, therapist, soul friend) since we will be called on to give up our ideas, control, and ego. If we can ask God to help us stay with this process and commit to it, no matter what, we will not recognize ourselves on the other side of the Wall.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
John 11: 20-33 Mary questioning Jesus about Lazarus’ death
John 3:1-2 Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night with questions
I Kings 18-19 Elijah disgruntled after his success
Mary, Jesus’ mother, pondering all of her life events
The woman at the empty tomb, the Psalmists, in Psalms of lament and questioning, Job
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus revered people’s questions, their doubts. He continued to counsel them, comfort them, and show them his humanness, even his agony at times, as with Mary and Martha upon arriving and finding out that Lazarus had died. He was also very vulnerable with the disciples, with Mary Magdalene, and with his mother. He seemed to reveal himself more fully to those who stayed with him when all seemed useless. On a few occasions he also seemed to be disappointed with those near him whose fears overcame them, like Peter.
Hymns for this Stage
Great is Thy Faithfulness
More Love to Thee
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Amazing Grace “Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.”
The Wall: The stopping place between Stages Four and Five
The Wall is the stopping place between Stages Four and Five. It is the place in which our wills meet God’s will face to face and we are asked to relinquish our egos, our wounds, and all else that stands between us and God. It is the place in which we heal spiritually and emotionally. It is a difficult place to visit, much less live in for any period of time And, even if it doesn’t feel this way, God is intimately involved in the invitation, facilitation, enabling, honoring, and rewarding of all of our activities in the Wall.
The Wall, in my experience, is the place on the faith journey that is least recognized and most avoided by most of us, including the church. It is usually rife with old personal baggage, from overwhelming shame to punitive theologies. Our work in the Wall involves new territory that is not comfortable for the traditions from which we come. In many of the more conservative traditions there is suspicion of psychology and of any journeys that are not dictated by scripture and controlled by the church. In the more liberal traditions there is less interest with the life of the heart or spirit and a distrust of miraculous healing. And what normal person would want to go into the Wall without a compelling reason?
Do we avoid the Wall because we don’t believe God will be there for us? That is an issue that raises an interesting question of faith. What image of God would we be basing our faith on if we were afraid of what God would do to us in the Wall? Do we avoid the Wall because we have no one to lead us? That would raise questions about the spiritual maturity of our leadership. Do we avoid the wall because we think it might cost us too much? This raises issues of internal security and our depth of faith.
Yet the stories of most of those we revere, the founders of our faith, the saints, the missionaries—and most of the great Biblical figures--all indicate a major crisis point at which everything, for them, was on the line. And only by moving into and through these experiences were these matriarchs and patriarchs able to fulfill their mission—God’s mission in their lives. Do we not hear or take seriously their stories—of Abraham being asked to slay his own son, of Esther risking her life to save her people, of Elijah being pursued by the murderous Queen Jezebel, of Hannah giving up her precious son to God, of Jacob wrestling with the angel, of Naomi losing all she loved and leaving everything she knew to start over, of David being confronted by Nathan about his murderous act, about Tamar being forced to act as a prostitute to get what she legally deserved from her father-in-law. And this is just a sampling from the Hebrew Scripture. It doesn’t even include Paul, Peter, Barabas, the Marys, Jesus and the rest.
In my judgment, there will not be a significant spiritual recovery in our land or in the world unless or until we can more gracefully and adequately sojourn with people through the Wall. And I believe the major reason we are stuck in front of the Wall goes back to a core belief most of us still hold. Our core belief is that we are not truly loved by God—unconditionally loved and accepted—or that God’s grace is sufficient. Either we are too bad to be loved or we think we need to earn God’s love and therefore we will never measure up, or we think we really don’t need to address the question because we are sufficient unto ourselves. But as I’ve said previously, if we take God’s love seriously and do the work of the Wall, we will not recognize ourselves on the other side.
This is my challenge to all of you who read this. Even if you are afraid, let yourself be led by loving guides and by God into and through the Wall; ask God to show you how to let the love in; and then be a companion to others whose lives will be transformed by the healing Wall experience. Supporting one person through the Wall could make your whole life worth living.
Now let’s explore the Wall and the ministry… The Wall: The Place of Inner Choices
Faith is…our will facing God’s will and choosing whether or not to surrender
Characteristics
Knowing its time to face the truth beneath the surface of our lives
Letting God’s will be our will
Uncovering our deepest secrets, wounds, fears and insecurities
Considering unconditional love
Feeling like we’re in the muck
The “dark night of the soul”
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at the Wall
In the Wall we have no idea what our lives will look like on the other side and there are strong fears about not being enough or not being willing to relinquish what we cling to. But one thing becomes clear to us; we can’t go on with the inner life that we have now. We know it is time to face our fears about God and it is time to heal. The Wall may become our Wailing Wall, giving voice to the myriad of nameless, yet powerful emotions.
We may only take a few stones out of the Wall to get started. Then we go back to a more secure place to regroup. We take out a few more stones and do more healing. That’s how it works for most people. The Wall experience can last for years before the process is completed (perhaps it’s never totally completed) and the core healing is done.
But in the experience of the Wall, we adjust to a new way of looking at ourselves—as people in the process of healing—rather than feeling either too bad to be healed or too good to be healed or too afraid of healing. One thing that has become clear is what to pray for and what not to pray for. We don’t need success and quick answers. We are more likely to need clarity and courage. We can pray for the clarity to know what God is asking of us—and the courage to do it.
The Goal
To survive the excruciatingly wonderful experience of the Wall so we can live out our deepest heart’s desire
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The church that has acknowledged the Wall and has worked on finding resources and referrals for people at the Wall is a healing place. Churches that actually have staff who are trained as spiritual directors and companions are even more compassionate with people at the Wall. An ideal situation would be a team approach within a church or a community; spiritual formation resources, a spiritual director, strong prayer resources, pastoral counseling, Stephen’s ministers and therapists.
It is very healing to have an authentic place within the church programming for people at the Wall to meet, a place where doubts and fears can be aired. This could be a book discussion group, a support group or a spiritual formation group. Then when people within the congregation hit the Wall, there is a place for them and they don’t feel they have to leave. The caution for this stage is to resist rescuing, shaming or guilting people for being in the Wall, or NOT yet being at the Wall “after all these years” but rather encourage them to face to Wall.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the leader is not to be a leader! It is the same as the church’s role because now we are all in this together. There is no need to be in a role or to hide behind the role or the robe or the desk. We are wounded healers, facing the Wall ourselves or with others. As a result of this work we will be more likely to live out our true calling in serving God. Our important work is to love and pray for one another.
The Role of Creeds
Our faith is usually tenuous or fragile when we’re in the Wall. Others often carry our faith for us so we can tend to other things. Sometimes hearing a creedal statement and knowing others find it helpful can be soothing—or it can be distressing. At other times just hearing one word or phrase, like the word “rock” or “faithful” or “eagle’s wing” is enough to cling to.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
Grace appears in unusual ways and when we least expect it. We may lose a job, for instance, and find out that this was the only way in which we could take the risk to change careers or to get into work that is more suited to us. God brings us through the depths to a place that is better, even if we don’t earn as much money or have as much power as we did before. Our hope at the Wall is that we will move forward one day at a time and receive enough of God’s love to carry on.
Type of Personal Involvement
The involvement now is in one’s own inner work. There is little time or energy for more. But a lot of groundwork is being laid for our calling or life purpose work on the other side of the Wall, work that will help transform individuals, organizations, and communities within the church and world.
Stuckness at this Stage: Avoidance of the Wall
The way in which we get stuck here is to avoid the Wall using our favorite method; scale it, dig under it, dance around it, jump over it, or drill holes through it. We also may go back to earlier stages as a relief from the intensity of the Wall. Or we may find our faith cannot survive the Wall so we abandon our faith and the Wall all together. This usually results in a constant search in other places to replace our faith, or bitterness and calcification.
Ways to Move Forward
Pray for clarity to see what needs to be done and the courage to do it. Let ourselves experience what we are so afraid of and embrace God’s forgiveness, acceptance and love. As we move forward, our intimacy with God will increase manifold and we will begin to experience deeper solitude in God’s grace.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Jonah 2:1-10 Jonah in the belly of the fish
Job 29-30 Job in his desperate illness
I Kings 19:4-14 Elijah in the cave
Genesis 16:12 Sarah, barren and offering her maid to Abraham
Luke 8:12 Mary Magdalene before her healing
Luke 23:55-24:5 The women at the empty tomb
Luke 24 The disciples on the road to Emmaus
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus treated all people at the Wall with compassion and with love—sometimes, tough love. His statement to Peter, “before the cock crows you will deny me three times“ is an example of his honesty and compassion for Peter’s cock-sure attitude.
Hymns for this Stage
There are not many hymns written that express what we feel at the wall but the poetic hymn-like lament Psalms works well. Examples are Psalm 13, 22, 61, 62, 64, and 88. The Psalm with the most relentless agony and with no obvious relief at the end is Psalm 88.
Amazing Grace, using some soothing instrumentation can be soothing at the Wall
Stage Five: Power by Purpose (Power Stage); The Journey Outward (Faith Stage)
Faith is…surrendering to God
Characteristics
Renewed sense of God’s acceptance
A new sense of the horizontal life
A sense of calling, vocation or ministry
Concern and focus on others’ best interests
A deep calm or stillness
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Five
When our home is in Stage Five, the Journey Outward, we have been through so much and have learned to trust God so completely that we are willing to let go to God. We know that God will take us to the places we need to be and we are willing to do what God calls us to do, because we know that is what is in our best interest. We can pray the prayer, “Bring me closer to you no matter what the consequences,” without flinching inside.
Prayers, especially prayers of gratitude become a way of life. Our lives become laced with God and even the small things we do seem more and more to be of God. We have learned, from praying for clarity and courage, that it works, so now we can ask for more courage to live out our calling in the world.
The Goal
Our goals are intimacy with God and deep healing for all. We begin to show outward signs of our intimacy with God while we are in the Wall, and now these signs are evident to more people: calm; sense of humor; willingness to confront issues without anger; joy; ability to see our shadows (and laugh); willingness to embrace and heal addictions; compassion; love; and boundaries.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
There are two ways the church can serve at this stage. One is to support people moving into this stage. The other is to nurture subgroups of the congregation to be free to emerge and develop this stage within themselves, without the whole congregation having to go there—which would not be possible or desirable. The gift of the church is to nurture people on their journey, and understand when the clergy are needed and when parishioners are able to allow God to personally lead them.
The church helps to heal the hearts of the people—so people will be free to hear their true calling and will be more able to follow God’s leading in their lives. The church provides resources, opportunities for deepening and listening for God’s call. We all learn from one another, share our humanness, live out the call to forgiveness, and practice tolerance for differences. Ministry may consist of building affordable housing, practicing the presence of God at work each day, healing others, leading a business with a call to create loving communities, praying unceasingly etc.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The clergy role is not significantly different from lay leaders or gifted parishioners. We are all ministers living out the “priesthood of all believers.” Clergy are colleagues, sharing the mission with many people. The clergy live out of the deep healing of their own hearts. And they are not afraid of sharing power; in fact, they welcome it. We are called to love, to heal, to , to be ourselves as God designed, redeemed, healed, and transformed us to be.
The Role of Creeds
Usually people at this stage have been given a personal creed from God that guides their lives. It is not a denial of historic Christian creeds, but more a daily empowerment at a practical spiritual level. These personal creeds are simple, intimate, and can extend to all people. Examples include: All will be well; God is enough; Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind; Be still and know that I am God; All is gift.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
Acceptance of self and others
Type of Personal Involvement
While perhaps not being as active in traditional church leadership positions, people at this stage are living out their life purpose or calling at work, in the family, at church, in recovery groups and everywhere. If they can be involved in helping others also find their calling, they are happy to do so. Most churches miss a great opportunity by not inviting the gifts of people at Stage Five to be used. Sadly envy or fear of their seeming “holiness” or intimacy with God may preclude an invitation to further involvement. This is most unfortunate because they generally wait for a direct invitation from God or other people.
Stuckness at this Stage: Seemingly out of Touch
At this stage, stuckness is an appearance different from reality. When our home stage is Stage Five we appear to be impractical, to do things that do not make sense from a productive stance. We can seem at loose ends, dwelling on small things rather than the most productive things. Or we can seem to care more about things that are not “important” to the church. For instance; we may not be program builders but more interested in the healing of one person.
Ways to Move Forward
It is helpful at this stage to just let God move. There is no need to strive, to work, just let your life keep evolving, growing deeper. Ask for wisdom and more intimacy with God. And reflect on what it means to be Christ-like; to allow God to have as much say in your life as Jesus allowed God to have in his life.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
1 Samuel 1:1-28 Hannah receiving God’s gift of Samuel and giving him over to God; particularly her loving gesture of making a new garment for him each year.
Jonah 3;1-5 Jonah changing direction, from Tarshish to Nineveh where he dreaded going.
Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 Mary, when she finds out how and who she will conceive, or her life after the crucifixion and resurrection.
Genesis 45:1-15 Joseph forgiving and helping his brothers after they had sold him into slavery in Egypt and he became a ruler of Egypt
Jeremiah 2:5-9 Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah and Jeremiah allowing God to change their lives by making them prophets
John 15:15-16 Jesus is calling us friends since he has made known to us all that God made known to him. Now he appoints us to go and bear fruit that will abide, asking him for what we need.
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus loved them, received love from them, and revealed his true self to them. He also empowered them after he left them.
Hymns for this Stage
Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me
Be Still my Soul
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Breathe on Me, Breath of God
Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart
Choose parts of Amazing Grace that you identify with this stage
Stage Six: Power by Wisdom (Power Stages); The Life of Love (Faith Stages)
Stage Six is really an extension of Stage Five in that we are letting ourselves merge more clearly and deeply with the heart of God.
Faith is…reflecting God
Characteristics
Christ-like living in total obedience to God
Wisdom gained from life’s struggles
Compassionate living for others
Detachment from things and stress
Life underneath or on top
Life abandoned
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Six
Our work and our ministry at this stage is love; our ministry of love heals people; and healed people heal others. We live out wisdom, which is seeing with the eyes of God, hearing with the ears of God and feeling with the heart of God. We have healed and embraced our inner wounds and continue to walk in a healing path. We experience intimacy with God and interior freedom. As a result we are able to identify with the inner wounds of others, experience chaos with a Christ-like manner, and allow ourselves to be guided by intuition and illumination from God’s Holy Spirit
The Goal
Our goal is to allow God to have the same power in our lives that Jesus allowed God to have in his life—to live as Jesus lived.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The church is simply a community of love. The structure, both inside and outside is unimportant. Groups support each other’s ministries. Prayer, healing and encouraging each individual’s ministry is important; whether it is in one’s own family, within the church, in your work, in the community or in the world. The focus is on how the church empowers parishioners to be God’s people in the world.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the minister or leader is no different from anyone else
The Role of Creeds
We are living out the implications of our faith affirmed in the historic Creeds. Our life is an affirmation of these creeds. God is all to us.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
As Frederich Buechner says, All moments are key moments and life itself is grace
Type of Personal Involvement
People at this stage invest their lives to live out their calling. They are so close to God and so expectant of God’s love in their lives, they are unafraid of death, even though, if you asked them, they may not talk freely about it.
Stuckness at this Stage: Seemingly separated from the world
As at Stage Five, people at this stage just appear to others to be stuck. This is understandable since they are living so counter to the culture. If you recall from the introduction to this book, it is very difficult to understand people whose home stage is two or more stages ahead of ours. Therefore people at Stages Four and below would not truly comprehend the behavior of people whose home stage is Six.
We all have a glimpse of that behavior within ourselves but to live it out fully seems too sacrificial. Stage Six people appear to be willing to give up what the rest of us cling to; family, success, material possessions, work, relationships, recognition, security, justice, care taking, uniqueness, knowledge, tradition, leadership, anger, or self deception. They appear to some to be wasting their lives or neglecting themselves for God.
Ways to Move Forward
Anticipate death which is a reunion with God and all those who have gone before you.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Phillipians 1:21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain
Luke 23:46 Jesus says, “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit”
Acts of the Apostles The life of Stephen
Read the life of Christ in one of the Gospels and see who in scripture or in life comes close to that model for you.
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus spent long silent times alone with God. We seem to skip over many of the sentences in the gospels in which it says, “Jesus went up into the hills to pray.” Jesus lived his life to the fullest and lives within those who choose to surrender their lives to God.
Hymns for this Stage
Many of the Psalms of Praise fit here, for examples, Psalms 121, 138,139
Our lives are our hymns, inspired by the music in our soul.
(This is a chapter in our book, The Critical Journey. It may be more information than you need but here it is:-) Thanks for your consideration).
If you would like to skip down to the description of the stages themselves, scroll down to the title
THe Church, the Ministry and Stages of Faith and Power
I’ve been asked frequently what the church and the ministry would look like at each stage of faith and power so I have outlined this, along with several other interesting descriptions (like which Biblical characters relate to which stages) in this chapter. As I stated in the preface, I am indebted to several people who helped me with these new applications. And, as with all my work, I consider this a work in progress, so I am open to ideas, suggestions and insights.
One thing to ponder, as you read how these stages of faith relate to the church and ministry, is that all six stages of faith and the Wall are important in our spiritual journey. Each one has a profound impact and role in our lives. So in reading this chapter, bear in mind that each stage is active in us, and even though our “home” stage is at one of the stages, we need the other stages for the gifts they bring us personally and the gifts each stage brings to the church.
I have found some interesting trends in the research that I have done, informally and formally, about the stages of power and faith. One is that the stage that is most prominent in the power model is Stage Three while the most prominent stage in the faith model is Stage Two, followed by Stage Three. What that suggests is that people of faith are drawn to community, to clear beliefs and to leaders who teach them what they need to learn. The fact that people have progressed farther in power than they have in faith leads me to wonder if “confirmation faith,” (the faith we learn and practice in our teen years in many denominations) which would be largely Stage Two faith, is still the predominant faith for many people.
The church is generally best at working with people in Stages One through Three so the fact that the highest number of people is in Stage Two fits with how the church sees itself. It does raise some issues though, as to what and how the church relates to people beyond Stage Three. So many people leave the church when they experience Stage Four or the Wall, since there are few resources or programs available for them, and they feel estranged when the faith they held dear does not work for them any more. Their seeming collapse of faith may also be uncomfortable for those in ministry who are focused on more faith strengthening programs, like Bible Study and discipling.
God’s grace and the stages of faith
As an example of the different way in which we experience God and God’s involvement in our lives, depending on our home stage of faith, I’ve taken just one of the categories I address in this chapter and pulled all the stage examples together here. The category is God’s grace or unconditional love, which is the same, no matter what, but which seems so different depending on what we are experiencing in our lives. I list one word first and then the description that is in each stage.
Stage One: Awe, Relief
God’s love and acceptance comes through mostly in the miraculous experiences at this stage. We may experience relief from pain, release of guilt, a sense of being heard for the first time. We are awed by God’s love, and overwhelmed by the miracles of beauty, the mystery of new life, and gifts of time and goodness.
Stage Two: Forgiveness
Our experience of God’s love at this stage is being forgiven. We are freed from our initial load of guilt and depravity. We can now grow in our path, our program. It is just beginning for us, but we feel as if we’ve reached a summit already. We are grateful
Stage Three: Empowerment
God’s love allows us to feel good about the gifts God has given us, allowing us to use those gifts for the good of others. This empowers our work. We extend that empowerment to others.
Stage Four: Faithfulness
God’s unconditional love for us slowly emerges as a dimension of this stage that we were not expecting. So often when we feel we are losing our faith or struggling, we think that those in authority will be displeased. If, at these times, we can take in God’s love, we find God’s grace and love are abundant. What a discovery. God’s grace also allows us to discover new elements in our relationship with God that we never knew were there.
The Wall: Transformation
Grace appears in unusual ways and when we least expect it. We may lose a job, for instance, and find out that this was the only way in which we could take the risk to change careers or to get into work that is more suited to us. God brings us through the depths to a place that is better, even if we don’t earn as much money or have as much power as we did before. Our hope at the Wall is that we will move forward one day at a time and receive enough of God’s love to carry on.
Stage Five: Acceptance
Acceptance of self and others
Stage Six: Life as Grace
As Frederich Buechner says, “All moments are key moments and life itself is grace.”
The Church, the Ministry and Stages of Faith and Power
Stage One: Powerlessness (Power Stage); The Recognition of God (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Recognizing God
Characteristics
A sense of awe
A sense of need
A natural awareness of God
Greater meaning in life
A sense of innocence
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage One
At this stage we experience God almost entirely as Big, and we would relate to the theological word, transcendent. We feel more awe for God at this stage than almost any other stage since we are just getting in contact with God’s power. In contrast, we feel small and insignificant, amazed that God would even be aware of us, much less take our lives seriously. Our natural instinct is to be in awe and to obey this power that seems so far beyond us.
Since we feel we have no power ourselves, either from our insignificance and awe, or from the weightiness of our sin or our wounds, we feel there is nothing we can do so we wait, childlike, for others to instruct us, teach us, heal us, love us. We look to others and through them to God for answers to life’s questions.
The Goal
Our goal, whether stated or not, is to find someone who will help us in our helplessness or give us the answers to our burning questions. Hopefully these answers will solve the issues of pain, guilt, and confusion and even explain our awe and wonder. Who is this God and how do we approach this Holy Presence? At this stage we are like sponges, absorbing as much as we can. We want relief from our guilt, anger and fear.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
Our church, our community of faith, offers us a sense that we are not alone. There are others there who are hurting too, or who share our awe of God. Or our community may be a 12 Step Group, a group of people recovering from addictions or codependence. We feel encompassed by fellow journeyers. One caution here; we may connect so strongly through our pain that we lose our sense of the wider realities of life.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The leader’s main function for us at this stage is to bring people to God, to find the lost, and to help the helpless. The leader may, in fact, be suffering mightily too, sharing our sense of powerlessness. Nevertheless the leader comforts us, admonishes us, grieves with us, and waits with us for new life.
The Role of Creeds
At Stage One we have a strong need for clarity and direction. We “know” very little on our own. We need time-tested traditions to get us started, to inform us, to guide us. God is defined for us in clear terms. What is expected of us is equally clear. Non church-based groups also follow strong creeds, even if they are called something else.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
God’s love and acceptance comes through mostly in the miraculous experiences at this stage. We may experience relief from pain, release of guilt, a sense of being heard for the first time. We are awed by God’s love, and overwhelmed by the miracles of beauty, the mystery of new life and gifts of time and goodness.
Type of Personal Involvement
At this stage we are so wrapped up in our own story and so receptive to others’ help that we do not give much back to the community. It’s not that we don’t want to, we just don’t have much capacity at this point in our journey.
Stuckness at this Stage: Inadequacy
We have an enduring sense of failure, inadequacy and spiritual bankruptcy; we feel we do not measure up. It is possible to over identify with a negative sense of self and derive energy from it. We can become martyrs, viewing suffering as our role in faith or suffering as punishment for sin. Or we can feel intense shame about our lack of faith.
Ways to Move Forward
The ways others have described moving to Stage Two are these:
Become more a part of a strong group in order to get a sense of belonging. Allow your life to take on more significance by taking in the words and teachings you are learning. Find a leader you trust and resonate with, who will help you find the way to God that corresponds with your needs and the beliefs of your community.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Matthew 19:13-14 “Suffer the Little Children”
Mark 1:40-45 The story of the leper
Mark 5:25-34 The woman with a hemorrhage
Prisoners, foreigners, widows, orphans
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
If you think of these people as typically the most vulnerable and hurting people in the Biblical stories (although sometimes the rich and powerful were the most hurting too!), we would name children, all of us at our weakest moments, lepers, outsiders, many women in scripture and desperately ill people. Jesus revered them, honored their faith and courage, held them up as examples, healed them and loved them. He consistently gave credit for his miraculous works to God, not taking credit himself.
Hymns for this Stage
Since hymns are such a central part of the worship experience for most of us, it is interesting to think of which hymns would appeal to people at each stage. Some hymns could be used at several stages. Here are a few that could fit for this stage: This World is Not My Home, I’m Just a Passin’ Through, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, When the Roll is Called Up Yonder, Amazing Grace. The song, Amazing Grace, can be used at all the stages, depending on which lines you focus on. You might like to print out three or four verses of it and circle the words that most respond to each stage. The phrase that corresponds to Stage One is “ saved a wretch like me.”
Stage Two: Power by Association (Power Stage); the Life of Discipleship (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Learning about God
Characteristics
Gaining meaning from belonging
Answers found in a leader, a cause or a belief system
A sense of rightness
Security in our faith
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Two
We know now that there is a path to right living; the one we’re part of. We depend on our leaders, a structure or the traditions of our path and we learn how to live them out, whether this means a path of social justice, a form of Bible study, a style of reform, a style of worship, a recovery model or a form of witness. We work to become what our path requires and we believe we will be rewarded if we do so. The program of Confirmation for teenagers in some denominations, is a prime example of this stage, as are the discipleship programs that denominations and parachurch ministries have developed.
The Goal
Our goal in Stage Two is to trust: God; the people who have come before us; the belief system; our leaders. And we strive to obey all we are taught.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The role of the church is motivation. The church does all it can to provide us with the tools we need in order to live in accordance with the path we share. This could include modeling behavior for us, teaching or descipling us, pointing out the rules, admonishing or correcting us, or telling us Biblical stories. The caution here is that in the zealousness that comes from sharing our excitement and assurance that this path is the way, we may alienate those who question the path or who are on another equally satisfying path. Another caution is the over emphasis on authority figures.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the leaders is to be in charge, to lovingly point out our path, to bring us back from diversions. They supply answers, they direct and oversee programs, and they minister to our needs. We give our allegiance to them; they mold us.
The Role of Creeds
The creeds (rules, traditions, guidebooks) are our identities. They tell us who we are and they identify our path. Examples are the Bible, the catechism, the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. All of our answers can be found there-with interpretation from our leaders and mentors. And these creeds serve another significant purpose, to distinguish us from other groups who are not like us. The emphasis is on aligning with our “faith family”
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
Our experience of God’s love at this stage is being forgiven. We are freed from our initial load of guilt and depravity. We can now grow in our path, our program. It is just beginning for us, but we feel as if we’ve reached a summit already. We are grateful.
Type of Personal Involvement
We are there, we are involved, we are faithful to the path. We want to absorb the tenets and to learn all that we can about our path then instill these precepts into our lives. We are earnest.
Stuckness at this Stage: Rigid in Righteousness
Stuckness at this stage resides in fear and insecurity, so we cling to our path rigidly, to reassure us. Others are wrong or bad, so we may protect ourselves by not associating with people who do not believe as we do, or by taking a stand against them.. This can result in a closed society. We define ourselves by what we are not: we are not like those other people. Moral infighting and demeaning behavior towards the less powerful in our midst or in the world is frequently present in this stuck place.
Ways to Move Forward
It is crucial to recognize ourselves as unique creatures of God and to discover what our gifts are. We need to accept opportunities to give back, to help out, to contribute. Our scope broadens beyond our own community and we experience a larger vision or world view. We are available to be leaders in a variety of ways; from being a 12 Step sponsor to chairing a church committee to leading a cause.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Acts 16:25-34 “What must I do to be saved?”
Mark 10:17-22 The rich young ruler
Ruth; the story of Ruth’s relationship with Naomi
John 4:20 The Samaritan woman
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus treated people as individuals and at this stage different people need different things. Jesus affirmed some people at this stage (the Samaritan woman) while others he instructed and challenged (the rich young ruler). In his relationship with the disciples he nurtured them and also chided them.
Hymns for this Stage
Trust and Obey
Yield not to Temptation
The Church’s One Foundation
Amazing Grace, “was blind but now I see”
Stage Three: Power by Achievement (Power Stage); The Productive Life (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Working for God
Characteristics
Uniqueness in the community
Responsibility
Values placed on symbols
A spiritual goal reached
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Three
At this stage we are productive. We use our gifts to further God’s cause or work in the world. We are successful or working to be successful. We invite others to join us. We are energetic and alive. Our programs are structured to meet people’s needs and we are eager to enlarge our spheres of service. We train our members to serve others as well. God blesses our faithful efforts.
The Goal
We strive for success and effectiveness in our ministry, to do our best for God, both within our community and beyond.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
We equip people to do. We are here to help others find and use their gifts, to build our organization, to reach out, to be visible, to produce, to be successful in serving God. We develop people by fulfilling their needs. Then we ask them to give back. The caution here is that we may ask too much of people and burn them out because their zeal is nearly inexhaustible but their resources are finite.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The leader shares his/her own gifts, models behavior for others, motivates and persuades, and engages the members. The leader could be likened to a coach, nurturing, equipping and teaching people to serve and minister to others. Parishioners who feel good about their gifts and talents and excercise them graciously to others are wholesome for the organization.
Churches with several ministers in specialty areas fit this stage well. This is the stage that many churches strive for, to offer multiple services programs/opportunities/resources to members, to have large public facilities, several ministers, and large outreach programs. It is how many ministers ultimately measure their worth. Many people want to be associated with productive and successful churches.
The Role of Creeds
The creeds, tenets, beliefs of our faith are the basis for our power and our strength. They motivate us to serve each other, the church, the community and the world. They bolster us and give us confidence in our vision.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
God’s love allows us to feel good about the gifts God has given us, allowing us to use those gifts for the good of others. This empowers our work. We extend that empowerment to others.
Type of Personal Involvement
People at this home stage are active and involved in their ministry or in the church or in their spiritual community. Often they have a leadership position or are one of the core behind-the-scenes “backbone of the ministry” people.
Stuckness at this Stage: Overachievement
It is easy to burn out at this stage and become weary in well doing. When we feel indispensable, it is not a good sign. But there may also be guilt associated with saying no or dropping a ministry. We have come to think that we “should” work for the church, no matter what is asked, and that it would be good for us. It is very seductive at this stage, to play God in our own lives, to inadvertently assume we know more about what is good for us than God does. We can also become overly zealous in our approach with those not involved with our ministry. As the saying goes, “There’s nothing worse than a reformed …” It is easy to criticize and unfairly judge others who are not following our path.
Ways to Move Forward
This transition, from Stage Three to Four is one of the most difficult ones to make since it represents the most far reaching change of any stage moves, except for the move from the Wall to Stages Five and Six. We move from feeling secure and confident to a place of deep questioning. This does not happen over night but it gradually erodes our confident-looking faith. Either a personal or faith crisis shakes our strongly held beliefs or assumptions and we feel adrift on a restless sea, fending for ourselves. Our sense of God is shaken and we can find no new direction, only more questions.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Mark 9:13 “Who is the greatest”
Matthew 6:32 “Seek you first the kingdom of God”
Luke 10:38-42 Martha, the doer
Exodus 3:1-4:17 The call of Moses to lead the Israelites
Galatians 5:22-23 The Fruit of the Spirit
I Corinthians 12:8-10 Gifts to use in the community
Zaccheus, Scribes, Pharisees, church leaders
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus called religious leaders back to the first great commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He usually did not argue with them but spoke to them in stories or parables. At times he used the authority of Scripture with them. Occasionally he confronted them directly or admonished them. Ultimately his lack of adherence to the prevailing religious laws and beliefs plus his intense compassion on those who were outcast cost him his life.
Hymns for this Stage
Onward Christian Soldiers
We Would be Building
Amazing Grace “Now I’m found” or
"We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise then when we first begun.”
Stage Four: Power by Reflection (Power Stage); The Journey Inward (Faith Stage)
Faith is…Re-discovering God
Characteristics
Life or faith crisis
Loss of Certainties in life and faith
A search for direction, not answers
Pursuit of personal integrity in relation to God
God released from the box
Apparent loss of faith
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Four
We used to be sure, now we are not sure, not as confident as before. We thought we had a lot of our life and faith questions figured out or resolved only to find more penetrating and unanswerable questions arising. These questions are frequently stimulated by an incident, a significant birthday or anniversary of an event, a death or divorce, or a significant disappointment in another person, perhaps a leader or a family member. We gradually learn to seek out opportunities for reflection, for these are the primary way in which we can approach our questions. We become aware, perhaps for the first time, of an inner spiritual and personal path, one that is not necessarily predicated on what our community espouses.
The Goal
We strive to find some comfort in this difficult, new, challenging place in which our plans, gifts and success do not matter very much. We strive for patience and for the clarity to see what our next steps are when they appear.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The church or organization that can understand this stage and does not think of those in it as personal failures or backsliders, or as evidence of ministry that has failed, can be of great service to people at this stage. Many times, though, people who leave Stage Three and find themselves at Stage Four do not feel like they fit within the organized church structure and belief system, so they drop out, often forever, or for long periods of time. Some people find that another stream of Christian spirituality is a better fit for them at this time. For example, a person who went through Stages 2-3 in a liberal or justice oriented stream may find that their Stage 4 realities are best addressed within a spiritual community immersed within an inner focused stream. Or vice verse.
Churches are at their best in the programming they do for people whose home stages are Stages One through Three. The church serves their needs, teaches and develops them, trains them for leadership, and encourages them to serve the larger community. People at Stage Four do not long for these things and are usually not interested in leadership, since it is often an integrity crisis they experience. In their hearts they say, “If I don’t believe or I have doubts, how can I represent what my church believes to others?”
“Professional Christians” such as pastors, missionaries, and parachurch leaders who enter Stage 4 often experience what feels like an insurmountable double bind. On the one hand, they yearn to be honest about their spiritual journey – both the profoundly scary questions they are wrestling with as well as their paradoxically deepening insights. On the other hand, they know in their gut that if they begin preaching and teaching these things they may be branded as heretics, losing their credibility and the jobs their families depend upon for income.
If a church or organization is at this home stage, they are usually in a reassessment time/perhaps after a crisis like a fire, a minister leaving under duress, or a split in the congregation. It is an opportunity to look at who and what we are and let the ministry grow out of the people. In many cases at least a portion of the congregation who are ready to do so, can form a whole new ministry of reflection, reconciliation or spiritual deepening as a result of a crisis. Most often we just want to get back to “normal” though, because this place is so uncomfortable, so we greatly reduce the organizational assessment process and get to task-oriented thinking. A great opportunity is frequently lost in that moment.
A caution for churches at this home stage is that people who are not ready for personal reflection or deeper involvement in the inner life may feel really left out, left behind, threatened or unappreciated
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the clergy or spiritual leader is formally reduced at this stage. They are more the co-learners or facilitators. This change can stimulate much personal reflection. At Stage Four parishioners are more vertically oriented—relating directly to God, and have less need to be shown THE way. Our faith is forming between God and us and the creeds, beliefs, and practices are not as crucial to that process as is an inner openness to God.
Leaders cannot tell us exactly what this process consists of, they can just help point the way, or go with us on the path. And if they have not been on this path themselves, it may be hard or even threatening to them to be with us in our doubts and questions. If they can be open and vulnerable themselves before God, their role with people at this stage can be vitally enriched.
The Role of Creeds
Since questioning and doubts are common at this stage, the creeds, laws, rules and belief systems pose more issues for us than they help us. But the creeds do force us to rethink our assumptions. The key for many will be in the discovery of the intimately relational God who the creeds, laws, rules, and belief systems describe and point to.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
God’s unconditional love for us slowly emerges as a dimension of this stage that we were not expecting. So often when we feel we are losing our faith or struggling, we think that those in authority will be displeased. If, at these times, we can take in God’s love, we find God’s grace and love are abundant. What a discovery! God’s grace also allows us to discover new elements in our relationship with God that we never knew were there.
Type of Personal Involvement
Since people at this stage are focused inward and upward, and are struggling mightily with the questions, they are generally less involved in the programming of the church or the organization; unless the programming is directed towards reflection and questioning. People at this stage within the church are frequently lonely. They have changed, but their family, spouse, or friends may not have changed. They no longer enjoy the same worship, reading, socializing or conversations. They, at times, would rather be alone. They are struggling to make sense of the “counter cultural” way they think and feel. They need help coping with feeling different.
Stuckness at this Stage: Vicious Circle
People who are stuck here cannot reach inward to risk looking at themselves and cannot reach outside because they feel no sense of community. Some may go on a life-long search for the right answer and make the search an obsession--ever learning, never coming to Truth. This is generally true of those who make faith an intellectual search and are afraid to open their hearts. Some revert back to an earlier stage that is more comfortable or is a relief from the tension. And others simply drop off of the journey all together, giving up on a pursuit of faith. Some move to a non-faith community that meets a need, usually an intellectual or social one.
Ways to Move Forward
In the move into the Wall and Stage Five we will rediscover God and who God is in our lives. If we are willing to take God more personally we can move into those next places. Usually we need to consider a professional guide (counselor, spiritual director, therapist, soul friend) since we will be called on to give up our ideas, control, and ego. If we can ask God to help us stay with this process and commit to it, no matter what, we will not recognize ourselves on the other side of the Wall.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
John 11: 20-33 Mary questioning Jesus about Lazarus’ death
John 3:1-2 Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night with questions
I Kings 18-19 Elijah disgruntled after his success
Mary, Jesus’ mother, pondering all of her life events
The woman at the empty tomb, the Psalmists, in Psalms of lament and questioning, Job
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus revered people’s questions, their doubts. He continued to counsel them, comfort them, and show them his humanness, even his agony at times, as with Mary and Martha upon arriving and finding out that Lazarus had died. He was also very vulnerable with the disciples, with Mary Magdalene, and with his mother. He seemed to reveal himself more fully to those who stayed with him when all seemed useless. On a few occasions he also seemed to be disappointed with those near him whose fears overcame them, like Peter.
Hymns for this Stage
Great is Thy Faithfulness
More Love to Thee
Sweet Hour of Prayer
Amazing Grace “Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.”
The Wall: The stopping place between Stages Four and Five
The Wall is the stopping place between Stages Four and Five. It is the place in which our wills meet God’s will face to face and we are asked to relinquish our egos, our wounds, and all else that stands between us and God. It is the place in which we heal spiritually and emotionally. It is a difficult place to visit, much less live in for any period of time And, even if it doesn’t feel this way, God is intimately involved in the invitation, facilitation, enabling, honoring, and rewarding of all of our activities in the Wall.
The Wall, in my experience, is the place on the faith journey that is least recognized and most avoided by most of us, including the church. It is usually rife with old personal baggage, from overwhelming shame to punitive theologies. Our work in the Wall involves new territory that is not comfortable for the traditions from which we come. In many of the more conservative traditions there is suspicion of psychology and of any journeys that are not dictated by scripture and controlled by the church. In the more liberal traditions there is less interest with the life of the heart or spirit and a distrust of miraculous healing. And what normal person would want to go into the Wall without a compelling reason?
Do we avoid the Wall because we don’t believe God will be there for us? That is an issue that raises an interesting question of faith. What image of God would we be basing our faith on if we were afraid of what God would do to us in the Wall? Do we avoid the Wall because we have no one to lead us? That would raise questions about the spiritual maturity of our leadership. Do we avoid the wall because we think it might cost us too much? This raises issues of internal security and our depth of faith.
Yet the stories of most of those we revere, the founders of our faith, the saints, the missionaries—and most of the great Biblical figures--all indicate a major crisis point at which everything, for them, was on the line. And only by moving into and through these experiences were these matriarchs and patriarchs able to fulfill their mission—God’s mission in their lives. Do we not hear or take seriously their stories—of Abraham being asked to slay his own son, of Esther risking her life to save her people, of Elijah being pursued by the murderous Queen Jezebel, of Hannah giving up her precious son to God, of Jacob wrestling with the angel, of Naomi losing all she loved and leaving everything she knew to start over, of David being confronted by Nathan about his murderous act, about Tamar being forced to act as a prostitute to get what she legally deserved from her father-in-law. And this is just a sampling from the Hebrew Scripture. It doesn’t even include Paul, Peter, Barabas, the Marys, Jesus and the rest.
In my judgment, there will not be a significant spiritual recovery in our land or in the world unless or until we can more gracefully and adequately sojourn with people through the Wall. And I believe the major reason we are stuck in front of the Wall goes back to a core belief most of us still hold. Our core belief is that we are not truly loved by God—unconditionally loved and accepted—or that God’s grace is sufficient. Either we are too bad to be loved or we think we need to earn God’s love and therefore we will never measure up, or we think we really don’t need to address the question because we are sufficient unto ourselves. But as I’ve said previously, if we take God’s love seriously and do the work of the Wall, we will not recognize ourselves on the other side.
This is my challenge to all of you who read this. Even if you are afraid, let yourself be led by loving guides and by God into and through the Wall; ask God to show you how to let the love in; and then be a companion to others whose lives will be transformed by the healing Wall experience. Supporting one person through the Wall could make your whole life worth living.
Now let’s explore the Wall and the ministry… The Wall: The Place of Inner Choices
Faith is…our will facing God’s will and choosing whether or not to surrender
Characteristics
Knowing its time to face the truth beneath the surface of our lives
Letting God’s will be our will
Uncovering our deepest secrets, wounds, fears and insecurities
Considering unconditional love
Feeling like we’re in the muck
The “dark night of the soul”
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at the Wall
In the Wall we have no idea what our lives will look like on the other side and there are strong fears about not being enough or not being willing to relinquish what we cling to. But one thing becomes clear to us; we can’t go on with the inner life that we have now. We know it is time to face our fears about God and it is time to heal. The Wall may become our Wailing Wall, giving voice to the myriad of nameless, yet powerful emotions.
We may only take a few stones out of the Wall to get started. Then we go back to a more secure place to regroup. We take out a few more stones and do more healing. That’s how it works for most people. The Wall experience can last for years before the process is completed (perhaps it’s never totally completed) and the core healing is done.
But in the experience of the Wall, we adjust to a new way of looking at ourselves—as people in the process of healing—rather than feeling either too bad to be healed or too good to be healed or too afraid of healing. One thing that has become clear is what to pray for and what not to pray for. We don’t need success and quick answers. We are more likely to need clarity and courage. We can pray for the clarity to know what God is asking of us—and the courage to do it.
The Goal
To survive the excruciatingly wonderful experience of the Wall so we can live out our deepest heart’s desire
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The church that has acknowledged the Wall and has worked on finding resources and referrals for people at the Wall is a healing place. Churches that actually have staff who are trained as spiritual directors and companions are even more compassionate with people at the Wall. An ideal situation would be a team approach within a church or a community; spiritual formation resources, a spiritual director, strong prayer resources, pastoral counseling, Stephen’s ministers and therapists.
It is very healing to have an authentic place within the church programming for people at the Wall to meet, a place where doubts and fears can be aired. This could be a book discussion group, a support group or a spiritual formation group. Then when people within the congregation hit the Wall, there is a place for them and they don’t feel they have to leave. The caution for this stage is to resist rescuing, shaming or guilting people for being in the Wall, or NOT yet being at the Wall “after all these years” but rather encourage them to face to Wall.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the leader is not to be a leader! It is the same as the church’s role because now we are all in this together. There is no need to be in a role or to hide behind the role or the robe or the desk. We are wounded healers, facing the Wall ourselves or with others. As a result of this work we will be more likely to live out our true calling in serving God. Our important work is to love and pray for one another.
The Role of Creeds
Our faith is usually tenuous or fragile when we’re in the Wall. Others often carry our faith for us so we can tend to other things. Sometimes hearing a creedal statement and knowing others find it helpful can be soothing—or it can be distressing. At other times just hearing one word or phrase, like the word “rock” or “faithful” or “eagle’s wing” is enough to cling to.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
Grace appears in unusual ways and when we least expect it. We may lose a job, for instance, and find out that this was the only way in which we could take the risk to change careers or to get into work that is more suited to us. God brings us through the depths to a place that is better, even if we don’t earn as much money or have as much power as we did before. Our hope at the Wall is that we will move forward one day at a time and receive enough of God’s love to carry on.
Type of Personal Involvement
The involvement now is in one’s own inner work. There is little time or energy for more. But a lot of groundwork is being laid for our calling or life purpose work on the other side of the Wall, work that will help transform individuals, organizations, and communities within the church and world.
Stuckness at this Stage: Avoidance of the Wall
The way in which we get stuck here is to avoid the Wall using our favorite method; scale it, dig under it, dance around it, jump over it, or drill holes through it. We also may go back to earlier stages as a relief from the intensity of the Wall. Or we may find our faith cannot survive the Wall so we abandon our faith and the Wall all together. This usually results in a constant search in other places to replace our faith, or bitterness and calcification.
Ways to Move Forward
Pray for clarity to see what needs to be done and the courage to do it. Let ourselves experience what we are so afraid of and embrace God’s forgiveness, acceptance and love. As we move forward, our intimacy with God will increase manifold and we will begin to experience deeper solitude in God’s grace.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Jonah 2:1-10 Jonah in the belly of the fish
Job 29-30 Job in his desperate illness
I Kings 19:4-14 Elijah in the cave
Genesis 16:12 Sarah, barren and offering her maid to Abraham
Luke 8:12 Mary Magdalene before her healing
Luke 23:55-24:5 The women at the empty tomb
Luke 24 The disciples on the road to Emmaus
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus treated all people at the Wall with compassion and with love—sometimes, tough love. His statement to Peter, “before the cock crows you will deny me three times“ is an example of his honesty and compassion for Peter’s cock-sure attitude.
Hymns for this Stage
There are not many hymns written that express what we feel at the wall but the poetic hymn-like lament Psalms works well. Examples are Psalm 13, 22, 61, 62, 64, and 88. The Psalm with the most relentless agony and with no obvious relief at the end is Psalm 88.
Amazing Grace, using some soothing instrumentation can be soothing at the Wall
Stage Five: Power by Purpose (Power Stage); The Journey Outward (Faith Stage)
Faith is…surrendering to God
Characteristics
Renewed sense of God’s acceptance
A new sense of the horizontal life
A sense of calling, vocation or ministry
Concern and focus on others’ best interests
A deep calm or stillness
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Five
When our home is in Stage Five, the Journey Outward, we have been through so much and have learned to trust God so completely that we are willing to let go to God. We know that God will take us to the places we need to be and we are willing to do what God calls us to do, because we know that is what is in our best interest. We can pray the prayer, “Bring me closer to you no matter what the consequences,” without flinching inside.
Prayers, especially prayers of gratitude become a way of life. Our lives become laced with God and even the small things we do seem more and more to be of God. We have learned, from praying for clarity and courage, that it works, so now we can ask for more courage to live out our calling in the world.
The Goal
Our goals are intimacy with God and deep healing for all. We begin to show outward signs of our intimacy with God while we are in the Wall, and now these signs are evident to more people: calm; sense of humor; willingness to confront issues without anger; joy; ability to see our shadows (and laugh); willingness to embrace and heal addictions; compassion; love; and boundaries.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
There are two ways the church can serve at this stage. One is to support people moving into this stage. The other is to nurture subgroups of the congregation to be free to emerge and develop this stage within themselves, without the whole congregation having to go there—which would not be possible or desirable. The gift of the church is to nurture people on their journey, and understand when the clergy are needed and when parishioners are able to allow God to personally lead them.
The church helps to heal the hearts of the people—so people will be free to hear their true calling and will be more able to follow God’s leading in their lives. The church provides resources, opportunities for deepening and listening for God’s call. We all learn from one another, share our humanness, live out the call to forgiveness, and practice tolerance for differences. Ministry may consist of building affordable housing, practicing the presence of God at work each day, healing others, leading a business with a call to create loving communities, praying unceasingly etc.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The clergy role is not significantly different from lay leaders or gifted parishioners. We are all ministers living out the “priesthood of all believers.” Clergy are colleagues, sharing the mission with many people. The clergy live out of the deep healing of their own hearts. And they are not afraid of sharing power; in fact, they welcome it. We are called to love, to heal, to , to be ourselves as God designed, redeemed, healed, and transformed us to be.
The Role of Creeds
Usually people at this stage have been given a personal creed from God that guides their lives. It is not a denial of historic Christian creeds, but more a daily empowerment at a practical spiritual level. These personal creeds are simple, intimate, and can extend to all people. Examples include: All will be well; God is enough; Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind; Be still and know that I am God; All is gift.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
Acceptance of self and others
Type of Personal Involvement
While perhaps not being as active in traditional church leadership positions, people at this stage are living out their life purpose or calling at work, in the family, at church, in recovery groups and everywhere. If they can be involved in helping others also find their calling, they are happy to do so. Most churches miss a great opportunity by not inviting the gifts of people at Stage Five to be used. Sadly envy or fear of their seeming “holiness” or intimacy with God may preclude an invitation to further involvement. This is most unfortunate because they generally wait for a direct invitation from God or other people.
Stuckness at this Stage: Seemingly out of Touch
At this stage, stuckness is an appearance different from reality. When our home stage is Stage Five we appear to be impractical, to do things that do not make sense from a productive stance. We can seem at loose ends, dwelling on small things rather than the most productive things. Or we can seem to care more about things that are not “important” to the church. For instance; we may not be program builders but more interested in the healing of one person.
Ways to Move Forward
It is helpful at this stage to just let God move. There is no need to strive, to work, just let your life keep evolving, growing deeper. Ask for wisdom and more intimacy with God. And reflect on what it means to be Christ-like; to allow God to have as much say in your life as Jesus allowed God to have in his life.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
1 Samuel 1:1-28 Hannah receiving God’s gift of Samuel and giving him over to God; particularly her loving gesture of making a new garment for him each year.
Jonah 3;1-5 Jonah changing direction, from Tarshish to Nineveh where he dreaded going.
Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 Mary, when she finds out how and who she will conceive, or her life after the crucifixion and resurrection.
Genesis 45:1-15 Joseph forgiving and helping his brothers after they had sold him into slavery in Egypt and he became a ruler of Egypt
Jeremiah 2:5-9 Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah and Jeremiah allowing God to change their lives by making them prophets
John 15:15-16 Jesus is calling us friends since he has made known to us all that God made known to him. Now he appoints us to go and bear fruit that will abide, asking him for what we need.
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus loved them, received love from them, and revealed his true self to them. He also empowered them after he left them.
Hymns for this Stage
Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me
Be Still my Soul
Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Breathe on Me, Breath of God
Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart
Choose parts of Amazing Grace that you identify with this stage
Stage Six: Power by Wisdom (Power Stages); The Life of Love (Faith Stages)
Stage Six is really an extension of Stage Five in that we are letting ourselves merge more clearly and deeply with the heart of God.
Faith is…reflecting God
Characteristics
Christ-like living in total obedience to God
Wisdom gained from life’s struggles
Compassionate living for others
Detachment from things and stress
Life underneath or on top
Life abandoned
The Beliefs and Behavior of People at Stage Six
Our work and our ministry at this stage is love; our ministry of love heals people; and healed people heal others. We live out wisdom, which is seeing with the eyes of God, hearing with the ears of God and feeling with the heart of God. We have healed and embraced our inner wounds and continue to walk in a healing path. We experience intimacy with God and interior freedom. As a result we are able to identify with the inner wounds of others, experience chaos with a Christ-like manner, and allow ourselves to be guided by intuition and illumination from God’s Holy Spirit
The Goal
Our goal is to allow God to have the same power in our lives that Jesus allowed God to have in his life—to live as Jesus lived.
The Role of the Church, the Community of Faith
The church is simply a community of love. The structure, both inside and outside is unimportant. Groups support each other’s ministries. Prayer, healing and encouraging each individual’s ministry is important; whether it is in one’s own family, within the church, in your work, in the community or in the world. The focus is on how the church empowers parishioners to be God’s people in the world.
The Role of the Minister, Priest, or Spiritual Leader
The role of the minister or leader is no different from anyone else
The Role of Creeds
We are living out the implications of our faith affirmed in the historic Creeds. Our life is an affirmation of these creeds. God is all to us.
The Sense of Grace, of God’s Unconditional Love
As Frederich Buechner says, All moments are key moments and life itself is grace
Type of Personal Involvement
People at this stage invest their lives to live out their calling. They are so close to God and so expectant of God’s love in their lives, they are unafraid of death, even though, if you asked them, they may not talk freely about it.
Stuckness at this Stage: Seemingly separated from the world
As at Stage Five, people at this stage just appear to others to be stuck. This is understandable since they are living so counter to the culture. If you recall from the introduction to this book, it is very difficult to understand people whose home stage is two or more stages ahead of ours. Therefore people at Stages Four and below would not truly comprehend the behavior of people whose home stage is Six.
We all have a glimpse of that behavior within ourselves but to live it out fully seems too sacrificial. Stage Six people appear to be willing to give up what the rest of us cling to; family, success, material possessions, work, relationships, recognition, security, justice, care taking, uniqueness, knowledge, tradition, leadership, anger, or self deception. They appear to some to be wasting their lives or neglecting themselves for God.
Ways to Move Forward
Anticipate death which is a reunion with God and all those who have gone before you.
Biblical Examples/References for this Stage
Phillipians 1:21 For me to live is Christ and to die is gain
Luke 23:46 Jesus says, “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit”
Acts of the Apostles The life of Stephen
Read the life of Christ in one of the Gospels and see who in scripture or in life comes close to that model for you.
How Jesus Treated People Who Were at this Stage
Jesus spent long silent times alone with God. We seem to skip over many of the sentences in the gospels in which it says, “Jesus went up into the hills to pray.” Jesus lived his life to the fullest and lives within those who choose to surrender their lives to God.
Hymns for this Stage
Many of the Psalms of Praise fit here, for examples, Psalms 121, 138,139
Our lives are our hymns, inspired by the music in our soul.