Your Unique Path to Knowing God Better
Several months ago (probably even a year ago), I read a book by Bill Hybels called Courageous Leadership. In the book, he states that there are a number of different, healthy, biblical paths to knowing and loving Christ. Hybels refers to seven of these paths: Relational, Intellectual, Serving, Contemplative, Activist, Creation, and Worship.
Gary Thomas has similarly written about this topic in a book entitled, Sacred Pathways. He talks about nine pathways: Naturalists: Loving God out of doors, Sensates: Loving God with the senses, Traditionalists: Loving God through ritual and symbol, Ascetics: Loving God in solitude and simplicity, Activits: Loving God through Confrontation, Caregivers: Loving God by loving others, Enthusiasts: Loving God with mystery and celebration, Contemplatives: Loving God through adoration, Intellectuals: Loving God with the mind.
I think that this is an important subject because it can keep people who follow diverse paths from the pitfall of spiritual superiority or even from the danger of spiritual inferiority. It keeps me from looking down on somebody who isn't wired to connect with Christ in the same way that I am. At the same time, a realization of these diverse paths keeps me from feeling like I don't measure up spiritually.
I'll ramble some more about this later, but I'm wondering if anybody else has any opinions on all of this.
Gary Thomas has similarly written about this topic in a book entitled, Sacred Pathways. He talks about nine pathways: Naturalists: Loving God out of doors, Sensates: Loving God with the senses, Traditionalists: Loving God through ritual and symbol, Ascetics: Loving God in solitude and simplicity, Activits: Loving God through Confrontation, Caregivers: Loving God by loving others, Enthusiasts: Loving God with mystery and celebration, Contemplatives: Loving God through adoration, Intellectuals: Loving God with the mind.
I think that this is an important subject because it can keep people who follow diverse paths from the pitfall of spiritual superiority or even from the danger of spiritual inferiority. It keeps me from looking down on somebody who isn't wired to connect with Christ in the same way that I am. At the same time, a realization of these diverse paths keeps me from feeling like I don't measure up spiritually.
I'll ramble some more about this later, but I'm wondering if anybody else has any opinions on all of this.
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