Comments on: SAM - Less is More

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:05:00 +0000

That is a lot to think about all at once, Sam.
I think that the transactional approach comes out of the “age of reason” and Calvin’s (and Zwingli’s) rejection of mysticism. It is good to study the word and pull out the theological magnifying glass sometimes, but it has become the only way which some traditions approach the spiritual life. Egg-shaped spiritual formation, if you like.
Without rejecting my rationalist heritage, I’m looking at other ways to engage in spiritual formation which are more wholistic, both personal and within community.
Regarding exponential life, I feel that the calling is to be willing to step into God’s life the way a pearl is tossed into the ocean. It drifts ever deeper, being influenced by the currents, but always deeper. The exponential part is that the presence (pressure) of the ocean increases exponentially in descent.
Finally, I hope that when the adaptive intelligence (AI) singularity is reached in computing, we can sit down and talk about how we can teach our machines the message and good news of Jesus.
Sage H.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:39:00 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts, Sam. I’ve been in several different streams of church or styles of church in the past year. Pentecostal black, charismatic with mixed races, house church, indy emerging, etc. They each have a way of doing faith and wanting “more.” I think it’s good to want more of God (as opposed to wanting less!), but I agree with you about the formulas and hype and feelings of inadequacy if we have to perform in some way. If we are walking with Jesus it seems like it would be wise/healthy to keep pace with him. This may be a lot slower and take more listening than we are comfortable with! Or I might feel rushed when I sense him holding out his hand to me to step into something out of my comfort zone. Sometimes this unfamiliar pace doesn’t feel “right” Even though we each have our own path, I am thankful for a few people who continue to walk beside me and talk through this process of transformation. I am encouraged by you and what you have to say–encouraged to take a risk and trust that God is in it.That he is transforming me and even letting me be a part of that process in others’ lives. Maybe it could even be by just sitting and being with people and knowing that it is God who is doing “more.”

By: kathyescobar

kathyescobar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:15:00 +0000

thanks sam. i just watched the video. i had seen it recently & it did really cause me to think “wow, this world is a-changing”. i think the “more” thing is a reflection of this–we are egocentric as a country. we think we have the market corned. the stats in this video make it clear how naive we are. and i know i am egocentric as a person, and i am always trying to “get more” out of this short life i am living. egocentricity always means it’s about “me”. i want to learn the fine art of just being satisfied. not as in stagnant. as in “in the moment” instead of always striving for more. as in grateful for the next breath i take, the next lovely person i am across the table from, the pain because it reminds me i’m alive. the exponential thing can make me feel frantic–i have to do something, adjust, figure it out, read a book, do something! i can feel myself get caught up in it. it is so engrained in me, this idea of “mastering” things. i am trying to accept that my spiritual life can’t be mastered. but everything i was taught for a long, long time said that it could. damn, i wish i hadn’t listened to it, it is so under my skin now and i guess the next leg of my spiritual journey is to get it out, little by little, that voice that says “just do this and everything will be okay.”