By: Jana Greene
Hello, readers!
This past weekend, I was privileged to attend an event in Atlanta with a couple hundred other believers called “The Open Table Conference.” I went into it with a pretty open mind (which really came in handy) and was not disappointed. The panel of speakers included Steve McVey, John MacMurray, C. Baxter Kruger, and – this is important – Wm. Paul Young, author of “The Shack.”
Here is the link for the event, which gives you a general idea of what the forum was all about:
(If you are in the Portland area, another conference is happening this summer and I HIGHLY recommend checking it out!)
Since returning yesterday, I’ve attempted to go about my faith business-as-usual. It took a long time to construct many of the religious support beams that have held up my spirit (a lifetime, really) but the radical things I learned about Christ and grace and each one of us leveled me to the ground.
Rubble is not always a bad thing. It can create the opportunity to build a stronger, safer structure. The cornerstone of Jesus is unshaken, but the walls of religiosity have crumbled like the walls of Jericho.
Now, it’s time to rebuild from the rubble. Like the walls of Jericho, walked around seven times, I have an idea for a blog series exploring seven points gleaned from the conference, at which I learned more about radical Jesus love than I had in many months prior.
The series will not be a verbatim preaching synopsis from the gentlemen presenters. No, it will be my take-aways from the event. My own perceptions and the musings Holy Spirit shared with me. I hope that you will keep an open mind and an open heart to receive this VERY Good News. If it provokes discussion, I’m down with that. The news is too good to let lay in rubble.
I’d love to give you a bullet-point outline of what will encompass the series, but you see…it hasn’t been completely revealed to me yet. I am praying Holy Spirit guide my words, and often I’m not given them on retainer ahead of time. But I’m thinking the series will touch on:
The gospel of inclusion, which leaves no one out from the love of the Father.
Seeing through a glass darkly.
Sin – How big of a deal is it?
Radical, crazy good news that flies in the face of what I’d been taught most of my life and accepted as truth.
Some of it made me cringe, some made me cry. But overwhelmingly, steeled my resolute spirit to go shout to a hurting world that they are included in God’s best and invited to partake in this crazy love.
Lord have mercy Miss Percy, as the ZZ Top song goes.
Ain’t no turning back now. I’m ruined.
Musings of a Gypsy Soul 