So, I’ve been studying the last week or so for this weekend’s innagural event… The Gathering goes weekly! Henceforth my problem. You see; it used to be whenever I had opportunity to teach when I lived in california and went to miletwo::church, I could harass Steve Folgheraiter or Scott Boren with my questions on deeper theological issues. I have no formal theology training, never went to seminary, but MAN I love to read and so I do that… a LOT! I have stacks of books on the bible and issues facing today’s Christians, but today I realized… the books are not enough.
I need a mentor again.
It used to be that Steve and I, along with Scott B and even Frenchy or Chris would get together and talk about what we were going to be saying the next week. If I was going to dive into John 1 and I was freaking out (like I am today) over the difference between how early Jews and Greeks viewed the concept of “the Word” and how that plays out philosophically in the birth and life of Christ… I could just go grab my rabbi and have it out. Sorta like boxing or something. If I needed a sparring partner, I had one!
Now… I don’t. E-mail is NOT the same as a face-to-face and all of the smart guys I know now are either too busy for that kind of thing, or want to keep me in a box… no thinking allowed.
So, this is the first post where I don’t know what to do. I don’t have a great idea to share with you. I have no answers for mankind other than this: find a mentor who will challenge you to think and drive you to pursue a deeper understanding of your relationship with God. You shouldn’t need to go to seminary to find this kind of thing, but sadly many of you will have to.
If you’re a man of deep theological and philosophical understanding and experience, let me know. I need a mentor.
Steve… I miss you buddy. You too Scott.
