Over the years Tricia and I have prayerwalked in Northampton as I've written about. It gives us the feel of grabbing hold of and connecting God's Kingdom values with the spiritual landscape of this unique, small city. I experience his Presence when I pray this way.
Yesterday, I ran across a video of Tempe church planter Jay Moore. It's entitled Prayer Walking for Ordinary Christians Living Missional Lives: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MissionalMeditations/~3/9bdJm2Hid_I/prayer-walking-for-ordinary-christians.html. Naturally, I was interested in what he had to say. In it he addressed the key reality of spiritual warfare especially in the context of entering into enemy territory and asking him to reveal demonic presences and tear down strongholds which hold people captive.
Smack dab in the middle of watching the video I heard someone coming up the stairs. I put it on pause, got up and greeted Hilary (not her real name). She was very forthright and shook my hand with a grip stronger than many mens' I've shaken. Hillary is an artist. She's also had a tough life. She does pencil sketches, and wanted to invite me to a show she was a part of in Northampton next week in the hopes she could have one at our gallery. She admitted she was really excited by the drawings she'd done, especially those of the Hindu gods (when she said it my mind actually flashed to the imagine Art Gallery filled with portraits of Hindu deities...what?). Then she exclaimed, "They really saved my life!!!" Her voice was filled with passion and sincerity. She seemed nervous; our interaction lasted on a few minutes.
I told her I would go see her work and I will. But after, I wondered what was the chance that when I was looking at a video on prayerwalking and spiritual warfare that a woman would come into our gallery and praise the Hindu gods in her life? A divine "coincidence?" God pointing and saying: "See where I'm taking you?" I had one of those God moment feelings we all get from time to time. Something's up.
Then, it happened again last night.
I was at my Friday night post hosting the gallery when four folks came in, parents in their 60's with their daughter-in-law and son. The parents were visiting from Cleveland. They began to tour the gallery when mom knocked on my office door. She praised the gallery, mentioned it had this amazingly peaceful vibe (it does and I know why) and told me she was a therapist. She mentioned she was Jewish when I told her of the TWiNE exhibit we'll host in May. Some the weavers are Jewish, and one in particular, has a tapestry memorializing the Holocaust. Then, she asked me if I knew where there was a store where she could purchase statues of gods for a friend - there is. I asked if she meant "like Hindu gods," and she said "yes!" She also was aware we are a church with a gallery. I'd mentioned it to her when she asked why we were here. She thought it was cool. Her spirituality was characterized as a belief in the universe, God or "whatever" as she put it. We fit there somewhere.
For the second time in the day I was talking someone relating closely to other gods. They came to me because of the gallery. Again, I wondered what was the chance I'd have a conversation about other gods on the same day? Both women talked as though they had tapped into divine reality. It made them happy. I thought of deceit and strongholds destroying lives. You might think that a bit strong. I don't and I have no malice toward the people; I don't have hatred for the false gods, however. I see their handiwork.
Twenty minutes later, I was in the office when two women came into the gallery. I did not hear them actually walk through. They were very quiet. The music may have covered their presence. They knocked on my open office door to inquire about the gallery. They loved the space. I mentioned it was an expression of imagine/Northampton, a church. She responded, "I know, but what kind?" I told her we were Christians, followers of Christ, but not affiliated with any denomination. The imagine Art Gallery was our effort to connect with the arts community in Northampton. They thanked me again and left. Not sure what they were thinking.
While the third conversation didn't lead to a discussion of other gods, it was clear the Holy Spirit was inviting me to pray in a very specific way. Northampton has a plethora of spiritualities all welcome, while Christianity is tolerated best if it behaves. While they might seem benign on the surface they are demonic strongholds all dressed up, likely guided by deceiving angels of light. Some might think my view judgmental, but the Scriptures don't. The Kingdom of God in the Old and New Testaments presents YHWH and His Son, Jesus Christ, as warriors overcoming the demonic forces of great darkness and death by proclaiming the truth, setting the captives free, giving sight to the blind, battling injustice and oppression, healing the sick, and giving dignity to the wretched and despised of the earth; the voiceless, unwanted, marginalized and weak.
My day began with a video about how to pray for others that the Kingdom might come in a particular place, and ended with folks who do not know Christ, crossing our threshold and revealing opportunity.
Therefore, my conclusion from yesterday is fourfold:
1. I need to pray with a more laser-beam sagacity about what God is revealing and confronting in this place with his tearing down and healing love. Divine love sears evil and consumes idols as if they're kindling. Discernment is paramount; without it we're nice, well-meaning people chasing our tails.
2. I mustn't fall into a sleepwalk with the imagine/Northampton routine I live. Church culture can easily become an end in and of itself, including our missional church culture. Efforts such the gallery, and the Open Table, the imagine Community Garden are in the right direction. There is more though...much more.
3. The spiritual people we meet here - there are many - are leery of us when they suspect we'll promote Christianity as the way, the truth, and the life if they get near us. And we must, but through the door of unbinding grace and love, the kind that demolishes fear because we live the courage of our liberty to love beyond first perceptions.
4. God must grant me the grace to struggle for a true manifestation of the Kingdom of the Almighty that will break though illusion, evil and pretense in this historic place of awakening and quickening of the Spirit. Without it, I'll remain merely a clattering cymbal. Not good.
7 comments:
Thoughtful provoking God-honoring reflections. Thanks for sharing them.
Thoughtful provoking God-honoring reflections. Thanks for sharing them.
So helpful! Thank you for your faithfulness to Jesus and also to loving people.
Hi Kit,
Been reading your blog on and off ever since you came to Northampton. It's so interesting to hear your perceptions of this city. You see it so differently than I do. I can't imagine what it must be like to feel called to fight a spiritual war with all the yoga studios and Buddhist meditation sangams and Hindu gods around here. No wonder you're tired.
Luckily, God is amazing and He is perfectly able to use whatever means are at hand to touch people's hearts. My heart has been touched so many times in the 15 years I've lived here. My heart has been touched in school auditoriums, in yoga studios, in church sanctuaries, in theaters, in church basements, in the streets, on the steps of city hall, in Pulaski Park. There are so many good and kind people in this city, people who care about their community, who love their neighbors, and who love the Creator and His creation, each in their own way. I see God's footsteps all over this town.
Were I you, my prayer for the women who love Hindu gods would be "Holy spirit, may all who sincerely seek truth and beauty and divinity be touched by your power and love." After all, the giving of grace is God's business.
As for this being a town where Christianity is tolerated best if it behaves, that's not my experience. My church, Edwards Church of Northampton, is active in the life of this city and is much more than just tolerated. Perhaps you'd like to join us sometime in worship, or for some outreach projects.
I see you have comment moderation enabled. I will understand if you don't want to post this comment, but I felt moved to speak to you.
peace to you,
Annie
Hi Annie,
Thanks for responding in the gracious and thoughtful way you did. BTW: I don't make it a habit to ignore responses to my posts which take a different point of view or challenge me. Not my way of thinking. Peace to you as well.
Permit me to respond to a couple of things you wrote. The first has to do with your thought that I felt "called to fight a spiritual war with all the yoga studios and Buddhist meditation sangams and Hindu gods around here." Coming to Northampton has never been for me about fighting a war; it's been more about following Jesus in the redemptive Kingdom work of grace he is about in this community. It's true the Scriptures present a worldview which includes spiritual warfare. Manifest evil is present in this world, but it is to be overcome with love and fighting.
I do work to "proclaim freedom to the captives, give sight to the blind, heal the sick, bind-up the broken-hearted, liberate the oppressed and proclaim the year of the Lord' favor. I try to do that all the time. I have never targeted people of other worldviews as enemies I need to go to war with. Never.
I agree God can touch hearts as he chooses, but I don't agree that every path leads to Him. There are clear distinctions in each belief-system. I also agree there are many lovely people in this city. I,too, have met them, and worked alongside them. I am called to live a life of grace and love, reflecting Jesus, He changes hearts; I don't.
The people I wrote about in this post I pray for for, and treated with kindness and interest. We also prayerwalk through the town often praying for Abba's blessings on people, including those who do not know, or acknowledge him in any way. Prayer is an act of love for those one prays for.
Thanks for taking the time to write. Thanks also for inviting me to worship with you or help with outreach. I'm more than willing to do so.You're welcome at imagine too.
In Christ's love,
Kit
Hi Kit,
Thanks to you as well for your graciousness and clarity. I do know from following your blog that you don't hold animosity toward people who have beliefs different from yours. I've seen and appreciated the respect you show to the people you meet here in Northampton, which represents very well the One you serve.
Edwards Church is going to be receiving a new pastor in July, so this has been and continues to be a time of reflection for us. One of the stated intentions of the congregation right now is to open our doors wider to the community and to engage in more interfaith activity. Maybe that activity will include Imagine Northampton? At any rate, I'll try to stop by the gallery during the next Arts Night Out. Your involvement in the arts was what made me aware of your presence here. I look forward to meeting you.
Annie
Hi Annie,
I would be open to some sort of dialogue regarding Edwards Church's desire for more engagement with the community and interfaith activity.
Keep me in the loop and please do drop by a week from tomorrow for the next Arts Night Out. Peace.
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