Dale Cresap's blog

Do you know me? Do you have me figured out? Some churches act as if their doctrinal positions are a complete explanation of ineffable divine mystery. Yet it is possible to know me, and I want you to do so, and I open the door by revealing myself. Do you understand that some things can be known relationally that do not lend themselves to propositions? Do you insist on an answer for everything? It is better to leave some questions on the table than to grasp at answers that are incomplete or just wrong.

Have you heard of special undeveloped areas set aside as refuges or sanctuaries for birds or other wildlife? These terms imply a safe place free from harm. Do you think there are such places for people too? A place of worship is also known as a sanctuary, and I declared cities of refuge for my people. You live in a dangerous world. Do you feel safer in the woods or in the city? I promised to be with you always. That means that my sustaining presence is with you wherever you go.

Have you ever heard of church being held outdoors? Some churches will have an Easter sunrise service but these are infrequent. Most church services are held indoors, in buildings constructed for that purpose. But that is the world that you made, and the world outdoors is the world that I made. Do you think of your church as the house of God. Consider my rhetorical question, where is the house that you would build for me? For the heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. I understand that there are valid reasons to have a structure dedicated as a meeting place for worship.

Do you consider yourself to be privileged? Do you live with a sense of gratitude for it? Do you have an education? Do you understand that not everyone had this privilege, especially if you consider the span of history? This was what separated the upper and lower classes, and slaves from free men. Your education makes you more knowledgeable. Does it also make you more aware of the advantages it confers on you? You had to work for it, but you were not able to obtain it on your own. A sense of gratitude is beneficial for you in every aspect of life.

Does it ever seem to you that there are as many versions of ultimate reality as there are people? You would expect everyone in the same church to be on the same page, but even there you find variation. Do you ever get the sense that some people are making it up? Everyone takes their own journey of faith and you can’t force someone to go faster than they are able, but there is a difference between the discovery experience of seeking and finding, and making up a story. Even if people don’t agree on transcendent reality it is not fiction.

Do you like to hang out? Do you consider it a spiritual activity? I did. I was accused of being a friend of sinners (I was, still am), and a glutton and a drunk (I was not). This was because I spent time with those outside the religious establishment. What do you think took place during those times? Do you think I was conducting a Bible study in the same way you understand them today? Do you think I did all the talking? You can have spiritual encounters in everyday life, in the give and take of conversation in which you listen as much or more than you speak.

Are you a person of great strength? You see power lifters and other athletes who put great effort into developing their muscles, and they can do feats of great strength, but there are few who can perform at this level. Is there another type of strength available to everyone? How secure are you in your identity that you can resist a sales pitch that offers a false promise for a better life if you buy their product? How willing are you to stand by your convictions even when you are surrounded by those who do not agree? Are you able to live a life consistent with what you profess?

Are you familiar with the concept of cheerleaders? They generate enthusiasm for the team but don’t play the game. Have you ever heard the concept extended beyond sports? You could refer to who provide encouragement and enthusiasm in this way, and you have seen this in practice. Do you have cheerleaders of your own? Would you welcome a support team that believed in you and was on your side no matter what? If you don’t have this, have you been tempted to attempt these things on your own behalf? How did that work out?

Have you read about the encounters that Moses and Jacob and other bible characters had with me and wished that you could have one of your own? You can, and this is what I want for you.  Do you assume that it has to be dramatic? Yet Elijah encountered some dramatic events in which I was not present, but I spoke to him in a still small voice. I will do the same for you. Do you assume that an encounter with me is a one-time event? Similar arguments apply. My dealings in your life have a cumulative effect. You would not be able to bear it all at once.

Have you ever heard the phrase, a dream come true? This is a common phrase. Have you ever heard it used in a negative sense? It is used to describe the fulfillment of the desires of your heart. Have you ever heard it used in reference to the stories that play out in your mind while you sleep at night? Would you be so eager to see those dreams come true? Yet have you noticed that everyone in the Bible took their dreams seriously, as though I was trying to communicate relevant truth for their lives?