Walking Beside Each other in the Muck
Repeat Offenders by Kevin Miller| LeadershipJournal.net.
Just read this article this morning. My feelings about this run the gamut– hope to fear, resounding YES! to please no!, convinced practicality to idealized naivete.
I firmly believe that we cannot walk out of the things that hold us without walking in the light of community. This morning at our Man Breakfast, Scott Kelsey encouraged us to find 2-3 guys who know us, pray for us, and walk alongside us in these things.
I like the way Kevin Miller talks about this process. You can tell he has lived it out with lots of people. I have a lot of respect for what Church of the Rez is doing out in Wheaton.
When a person has just confessed his [wrong-doing], what I’m after is not punishment. And definitely not shame. It’s change…
If you are really mired in something, you want out. You want to be known. You want grace upon grace. So how does Restoration do this? Miller gives 9 options: What do you like? What has been effective in the past? What seems most helpful? Does this article give you hope or make you want to run away?
June 18, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
Really, really great article – a lot to chew on & a timely follow-up to Bobby Manning’s sermon on Jesus’ interaction with the woman caught in adultery. Major props to Church of the Res (love that church!) for their willingness to walk through the confession-to-transformation process with one another . . . as Miller says, living this out in community is *work* – but it is good work when you see the Holy Spirit bringing change in yourself or others! As for the nine options he shares, I like that their approach doesn’t seem to be formulaic (ie – if you commit X sin, then you must go with Option 8). There appears to be room for prayer & dialogue & for the response to be tailored to both the situation and the person – which probably better embodies a gracious (instead of legalistic) response.
My initial thoughts 🙂 This will keep me thinking – thanks for posting the article!
June 25, 2009 @ 6:14 pm
Julianna, thanks for your thoughtful reflections. I also like the fact that the 9 options seem more like an artist’s palette– opportunities for creative redemption, rather than a formula. challenging.