Embracing the Journey: Discovering Reformed Faith's Richness

 

Summary

Reflecting on my journey into Reformed Christianity, I am reminded of the unexpected paths God often leads us on. My initial motivation to write about this journey was sparked by reading Frankie Schaefer's book, "Dancing Alone," which chronicled his conversion from Presbyterianism to Eastern Orthodoxy. This prompted me to consider the power of personal stories and the need for a narrative that not only affirms the truth of Reformed theology but also its goodness and desirability. I realized that my own story, having been raised in a nominally Methodist home and later finding faith within the Reformed tradition, could serve as such a narrative.

The journey began in my high school years when I was introduced to a vibrant Reformed church community. This church was a stark contrast to the empty pews of my childhood Methodist church. It was full of life, families, and a palpable reverence for worship. The singing, predominantly of Psalms, was enthusiastic and deeply moving. This community not only welcomed me but also introduced me to the Bible in a way I had never experienced before. Through Sunday School, worship services, and youth groups, I began to understand the depth and richness of the Reformed faith.

One of the most profound aspects of this journey was the realization that Reformed Christianity is not just intellectually satisfying but also emotionally fulfilling. The Psalms, in particular, have become a treasured part of my spiritual life, offering a way to express the full range of human emotions before God. This honest engagement with God is a hallmark of the Reformed tradition that I have come to cherish deeply.

In writing about this journey, I aimed to connect personal experience with biblical truth, demonstrating that the Reformed faith is not merely a personal preference but a reflection of the truths found in Scripture. This journey has been one of unexpected discoveries, leading to a deeper appreciation of the Reformed tradition's richness and the profound joy it brings.

Key Takeaways:

- Personal stories have a powerful impact, especially when they reflect a journey of faith. Sharing one's journey can inspire others to explore their own paths and find truth and goodness in unexpected places. [02:18]

- The Reformed tradition offers a unique blend of intellectual rigor and emotional depth. It invites believers to engage with God honestly, expressing the full range of human emotions, as exemplified in the Psalms. [26:34]

- Worship in the Reformed tradition is marked by reverence and a deep commitment to Scripture. The practice of reading the Ten Commandments weekly serves as a reminder of our need for a Savior and God's holy will for our lives. [16:00]

- Community plays a vital role in spiritual growth. A welcoming and supportive church community can be instrumental in introducing individuals to the faith and nurturing their understanding of Scripture. [19:58]

- The journey of faith is often unexpected, leading to discoveries that enrich our understanding and appreciation of God's work in our lives. Embracing these unexpected paths can lead to profound spiritual growth and fulfillment. [25:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:26] - The Writing Journey
- [01:06] - Motivation from Frankie Schaefer
- [02:18] - The Power of Personal Stories
- [03:06] - A Fresh Perspective on Reformed Faith
- [04:04] - My Spiritual Background
- [05:32] - The Role of My Wife
- [06:34] - Connecting Experience with Scripture
- [08:04] - Writing Challenges and Humor
- [09:25] - First Impressions of a Reformed Church
- [11:31] - The Impact of Worship and Community
- [14:48] - Reverence in Worship
- [16:00] - The Role of the Ten Commandments
- [19:58] - Introduction to the Bible
- [23:18] - The Richness of Reformed Tradition
- [25:55] - Unexpected Journey and Emotional Fulfillment
- [26:34] - The Treasure of the Psalms
- [28:15] - Honest Engagement with God

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 66:16 - "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he has done for my soul."
2. Psalm 74:11 - "Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them."

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Observation Questions:

1. What was the initial motivation for the speaker to write about their journey into Reformed Christianity? [01:06]
2. How did the speaker describe their first experience attending a Reformed church compared to their childhood Methodist church? [09:25]
3. What role did the Psalms play in the speaker's spiritual journey and appreciation of the Reformed tradition? [26:34]
4. How did the speaker's wife contribute to the completion of the book about their journey? [07:30]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the speaker's journey reflect the power of personal stories in inspiring others to explore their own faith paths? [02:18]
2. In what ways does the Reformed tradition offer both intellectual rigor and emotional depth, according to the speaker? [26:34]
3. How does the practice of reading the Ten Commandments weekly in the Reformed tradition serve as a reminder of both sinfulness and God's holy will? [16:00]
4. What significance does the speaker find in the community aspect of the Reformed church, and how did it impact their spiritual growth? [19:58]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own faith journey. Are there unexpected paths that have led you to a deeper understanding of your beliefs? How can you share your story with others to inspire them? [25:55]
2. The speaker found emotional fulfillment in the Psalms. Is there a particular book or passage in the Bible that resonates with you emotionally? How can you incorporate it more into your spiritual practice? [26:34]
3. Consider the role of community in your spiritual life. How can you contribute to making your church community more welcoming and supportive for newcomers? [19:58]
4. The speaker emphasized the importance of honest engagement with God. How can you practice this honesty in your prayers and spiritual life? [28:15]
5. The speaker's wife played a crucial role in motivating the completion of the book. Who in your life encourages you in your faith journey, and how can you express gratitude to them? [07:30]
6. The speaker was introduced to the Bible in a new way through the Reformed church. How can you deepen your understanding of Scripture, perhaps by joining a Bible study or engaging in personal study? [19:58]
7. Reflect on the practice of reading the Ten Commandments weekly. How can regular reminders of God's law and grace impact your daily life and decisions? [16:00]

Devotional

Day 1: The Transformative Power of Personal Stories
Personal stories have the ability to deeply impact and inspire others, especially when they reflect a journey of faith. Sharing one's personal journey can encourage others to explore their own paths and discover truth and goodness in unexpected places. The narrative of moving from a nominal faith to a vibrant, living faith within the Reformed tradition illustrates how personal experiences can affirm the truth and desirability of one's beliefs. This journey is not just about personal preference but about finding a deeper connection with God and His truth. [02:18]

"Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods." (1 Chronicles 16:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a personal story from your faith journey that has shaped your beliefs. How can you share this story with someone who might benefit from hearing it today?


Day 2: The Unique Blend of Intellect and Emotion in Reformed Faith
The Reformed tradition offers a unique combination of intellectual rigor and emotional depth, inviting believers to engage with God honestly and express the full range of human emotions. This is exemplified in the Psalms, which provide a way to bring every emotion before God, from joy and gratitude to sorrow and lament. This honest engagement with God is a hallmark of the Reformed faith, allowing believers to connect deeply with their Creator and find fulfillment in their spiritual lives. [26:34]

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a Psalm that resonates with your current emotional state. How can you use this Psalm to engage with God more honestly in your prayers today?


Day 3: Reverence and Commitment in Worship
Worship in the Reformed tradition is characterized by reverence and a deep commitment to Scripture. The practice of reading the Ten Commandments weekly serves as a reminder of our need for a Savior and God's holy will for our lives. This regular engagement with Scripture in worship helps believers to align their lives with God's commands and to live in a way that honors Him. The structure and reverence of Reformed worship provide a space for believers to encounter God and grow in their faith. [16:00]

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your own worship practices. How can you incorporate more reverence and commitment to Scripture in your personal or communal worship this week?


Day 4: The Vital Role of Community in Spiritual Growth
Community plays a crucial role in spiritual growth, as a welcoming and supportive church community can be instrumental in introducing individuals to the faith and nurturing their understanding of Scripture. Being part of a vibrant church community provides opportunities for fellowship, learning, and mutual encouragement. It is within this context that believers can grow in their faith and develop a deeper understanding of God's Word. The support and accountability found in community are essential for spiritual development. [19:58]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Think about your involvement in your church community. How can you actively contribute to the spiritual growth of others in your community this week?


Day 5: Embracing Unexpected Paths in Faith
The journey of faith is often unexpected, leading to discoveries that enrich our understanding and appreciation of God's work in our lives. Embracing these unexpected paths can lead to profound spiritual growth and fulfillment. The Reformed tradition, with its depth and richness, offers believers a framework for understanding and appreciating the unexpected ways God works in their lives. This openness to God's leading can result in a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with Him. [25:55]

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when God led you down an unexpected path. How did this experience deepen your faith, and how can you remain open to God's leading in your life today?

Quotes



And I was motivated initially to write this book by reading a book by Frankie Schaefer, Francis Schaefer’s son. He wrote a somewhat autobiographical book, if I remember right, entitled Dancing Alone, which discussed his conversion from Presbyterianism to Eastern Orthodoxy. And I remember reading that book and being really aggravated, aggravated in part because I felt Frankie Schaefer had not represented the tradition from which he came very well, aggravated in part because I wasn’t convinced he knew the tradition to which he was going all that well. [00:01:09]

But in any case it made me pause and think how effective a book could be that reflected a personal journey, that we live in a period of time – maybe this is true of most periods of time – where we’re interested in personal stories. We’re interested in why people do the things they do. We’re interested in memoirs. We’re interested in biographies. And I thought someone really ought to write a book on how they became Reformed and what was attractive about being Reformed, not just how Reformed theology is true. [00:02:08]

And then I suddenly realized, since I’m a sort of slow learner, that that was me, that that described my spiritual journey. I’d been raised in a nominally Methodist home and really didn’t know the gospel until I fell in with Reformed folk in my high school years. And then I thought, well, my life isn’t very interesting, and Reformed people, I don’t think, are very good at opening themselves up and being autobiographical. [00:03:55]

And I had already decided that one of the things I wanted to do in each chapter was to move from my experience of learning to be Reformed to the Scriptures, because the point I wanted to make is that being Reformed is not for me something that just fits my idiosyncratic pattern of living. It’s not just a matter of taste for me. It’s not just a matter that it feels good for me, as if therefore, you know, find whatever feels good for you. [00:06:13]

But my conviction is that what I have found in Reformed Christianity, what feels so good to me in Reformed Christianity is precisely what is also found in the Bible. So I wanted in each chapter to try to move from my experience to what the Bible says and talk about how what I had found in the Reformed churches was what I actually found as well in the Bible. [00:06:47]

And then, I think, the thing that probably most impressed me on that first visit was the singing. Here were people who sang – well, I was going to say with enthusiasm, but they were Dutch. They sang with a certain commitment, a certain passion, and you could hear them above the organ, even though old Mr. Andreas was playing the organ, and as he progressively got deafer, the organ kept getting louder. [00:13:29]

But in spite of that, there was a true devotion to be sensed and to be heard in the singing. I didn’t know anything about church music. I hadn’t been much in church. I didn’t know hymns, but I was rather intrigued to see that these folk mainly sang Psalms. I hardly knew what Psalms were, but I sensed an enthusiasm here, a commitment here that was rather infectious. I sensed also a great reverence. [00:14:03]

And the practice in that church was that the minister and the elders and the deacons would meet together for prayer before the service, and then they’d all walk in together. And it marked a kind of official beginning, this sense that those to whom God had given oversight of the congregation were coming in together now to begin this service, this serious service. And the service week by week had a certain rhythm to it. [00:15:29]

One of the things that was striking is the Ten Commandments were read every Sunday morning. And here was this solemn moment when the law of God was laid again before the people with a dual purpose of reminding us of our sinfulness and need of a Savior in our failure to keep this law, but also reminding us of what God’s holy will for our lives was. [00:16:00]

And there were lots of ways then in which this Reformed community began to introduce me to the Bible. I really didn’t know anything about the Bible. And I think this is important for churches to think about. I remember encouraging my sister to go to a Bible study. And after she had gone, I said, “Well, what did you think?” And she said, “Well, I’m never going back.” I said, “Why not?” And she said, “I was humiliated.” [00:19:53]

I guess what I have found so satisfying about this unexpected journey is how rich the Reformed tradition is and that the more you study it the more you profit from it, the more engaging it becomes, the more wonderful it really is. Now one of the things I found in writing this book is that publishers are very difficult people, and editors are worse. [00:24:03]

And I, for myself, find a great deal of that emotional satisfaction in the treasure that is ours in the Psalter. And so I kind of wrapped up something of my journey by how as my life has gone on, I have come more and more to appreciate the Psalter to the point where I realized not so long ago when someone asked me, “What’s your favorite book of the Bible?” that my favorite book of the Bible is the book of Psalms. [00:26:34]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?