Here's an article from Jim Hatch, the dude in charge of church planting for the PCA. It is called "U-Haul Theology." In light of the transient state of young adults and younger families (well, really all generations since we have a large number of "snow birds" here in Florida), I found this a well thought out theology of both moving and staying. And since we just lost yet another family to a move, and will probably lose one or two more in several months, I found this an apropos time to post this article. I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read "U-Haul Theology," which is both comforting and challenging to those moving or staying put.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
U-Haul Theology
Here's an article from Jim Hatch, the dude in charge of church planting for the PCA. It is called "U-Haul Theology." In light of the transient state of young adults and younger families (well, really all generations since we have a large number of "snow birds" here in Florida), I found this a well thought out theology of both moving and staying. And since we just lost yet another family to a move, and will probably lose one or two more in several months, I found this an apropos time to post this article. I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read "U-Haul Theology," which is both comforting and challenging to those moving or staying put.
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2 comments:
The author makes good points that "we should bloom where we are planted," to borrow a popular saying from the 70's-80's, but I think it's a stretch to use the Scripture passages of the exile and equate that to modern day moving across the country, to another state, or community. When one makes a move they generally are not being forced into exile. Certainly, when one moves one leaves friends, family, all that is familiar to go to a place where new friends and associations have to be made. I'm not minimizing the pain of a move. There is loneliness as one adjusts and settles in, but if one believes that God is involved in every area of one's life, then one can rest in that knowledge, assured that eventually deep roots will be put down. One can look forward to the challenge, adventure, new friendships, fellowships. I also think that likening Christ's incarnation with one moving to a new locale is not a good application. G
Gail,
Glad you read the article and found something positive with it, even though you disagreed with how Jim arrived at his application. That's a good quality that Randy is teaching me to apply!
And I agree with you that the Exile is way different than moving in today's world. Sometimes folks were led away with literal fishhooks in their mouths! That would stink far worse than any move.
I did however liked seeing the Exile as a model (not direct or even indirect comparison). With our economy the way it is, people will be "forced" to move because of job considerations. And sometimes they will move where they would not desire. Other times, family members (sometimes wives), have no say in the matter, and need to have a model of how to understand their move and how to live when they go to a new place. So they can look to passages relating to the time during the Exile for some instruction.
The most challenging part of the article for me was of a family that moved to a town where they really didn't want to be. In addition, there was no PCA church to attend. So they went to a local church (where they didn't seem to embrace all of the theology) and gave themselves to it and to the betterment of the area. That would be hard for me.
This is really my hope for all of us: to see where we are as home (even if we don't desire to be there), to serve the church and bless the area.
Geoff
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