MY NAME: For those that know me as Chris or CK, I am using a new name for the journey: JOHN CHRISTOPHER. I have made this change as I felt God lead me to it a couple of years ago, but it never felt like the right time. Now that I am starting the Faith Walk (which is like a new beginning or rebirth) and also as I looked up the meaning of John last month and discovered it means 'God Gives', I feel it is appropriate now, as God is 'giving' me to the city, in one sense. So please use the name 'John' when you contact or talk with me as to help me keep a sense of identity about who I am and what I am doing on this journey. Thanks :)
* Some people are not happy about calling me John, and others are. Hey, I am not going to force it on you, do what you like. I have discovered most people have a 'street' name and a real name. Many cultures have people with multiple names and often the meaning of names is important. Biblical characters have multiple names : Jacob-Israel, Daniel-Belteshazzar, Simon-Peter, and even Jesus (check Revelation). St.Francis was christened John before his dad changed it. The anonimity also provides my family members some protection from bad street elements who may want to 'investigate' me further. Besides the logic behind it, as I said before I felf it was a leading from God. So I am confortable with it on that basis alone.
DIARY UPDATES: Everything below this post relates to the 'vision' of what I felt led to do, and how it developed. Everything above this post will be updates posted when I am able, to keep people informed as to where and what I am doing. ie This blog will substitute for group emails.
CONTACT: There will only be this blog (so please bookmark it), and my email address faithwalking@gmail.com.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
The Mission
This November 2006, I plan to sell everything I have, give it all to the poor, walk into the city, and to reach out to others about God.
Enacting the words of Jesus:
Mathew 19:21
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Luke 18:22
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Enacting the words of Jesus:
Mathew 19:21
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Luke 18:22
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Why I am doing it...
There are many roots to this tree, so I thought it would be good to get these motivations written down.
-We need to find some of Jesus's words to challenge us, if we are to grow.
-It's what Jesus did himself, by coming to Earth as a man, and also the training he put ALL his disciples through.
-Someone in my small group at the start of this year asked for a study on faith, and I didn't know how to do that without an 'action'/doing component.
- I did something similar 10 years ago, and always wanted to try it again.
- To see what would happen if I switch everything I have learned on, to the max.
- Why is it the Christians that seem to be the shy ones when it comes to being public about their religion?
- Last year I had a 'near death experience' where I visited Heaven, and I wanted to reflect the act of walking into Heaven (which is with nothing but the cloth on your body) as an act of waling into God's Kingdom here on Earth. As Jesus says 'your Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven'
- I see life's journey not as a linear wealth creation (production) experience, but as an opportunity to explore and discover the universe and spirituality in different ways and opportunitys, before we move on.
- It's Biblical.
- To further understand the issues if homelessness and poverty that have been bubbling in my mind for many years, from an 'in the trenches' perspective.
- To help raise these issues to the attention of people in my own middle class background.
- To go through a process of Humbling myself before God.
-We need to find some of Jesus's words to challenge us, if we are to grow.
-It's what Jesus did himself, by coming to Earth as a man, and also the training he put ALL his disciples through.
-Someone in my small group at the start of this year asked for a study on faith, and I didn't know how to do that without an 'action'/doing component.
- I did something similar 10 years ago, and always wanted to try it again.
- To see what would happen if I switch everything I have learned on, to the max.
- Why is it the Christians that seem to be the shy ones when it comes to being public about their religion?
- Last year I had a 'near death experience' where I visited Heaven, and I wanted to reflect the act of walking into Heaven (which is with nothing but the cloth on your body) as an act of waling into God's Kingdom here on Earth. As Jesus says 'your Kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven'
- I see life's journey not as a linear wealth creation (production) experience, but as an opportunity to explore and discover the universe and spirituality in different ways and opportunitys, before we move on.
- It's Biblical.
- To further understand the issues if homelessness and poverty that have been bubbling in my mind for many years, from an 'in the trenches' perspective.
- To help raise these issues to the attention of people in my own middle class background.
- To go through a process of Humbling myself before God.
Theology of Faith Walking
Here I will connect ideas of theology I have learned along the journey.
SIMILAR THEMES IN THE BIBLE:
The bible says faith without action is dead.
Thus we need Faith Action (and 'walking' is an 'action') ie Faith Walk.
PEOPLE: If God put all these people through this similar experience, there must be something to be learned from it.
Abraham: (the father of Israel) started a journey/walk with God right back in the beginning, not just in heading towards sacrificing his son, but also in a later journey into unknown lands.
Noah: Building the Ark in faith before his journey.
Jonah: Walking into Ninivah with nothing but faith.
Job: Sitting on the road, stripped of everything, trusting God.
Moses: Fleeing Egypt into the desert with nothing, and then returning with faith and later climbing the mountain to meet God.
David: Often fleeing from Saul with little but his clothes and sleeping rough or in caves.
John the Baptist: Preaching and living in the desert on faith.
Jesus: Leaving Heaven (where he had everything) to be born to earth poor and later doing his ministry, with some funding, but often sleeping rough, and away from home.
The Disciples: Not 3 or 7 or 11 but 'all' 12 being sent out with nothing but what they were wearing as part of their discipleship training, and most likely a 2nd time as part of the 72 later sent out.
The woman who puts in her last dollar to the church, deemed by Jesus to have given the most.
OTHER TEXTS / PEOPLE:
Poustinia and The Gospel Without Compromise by Catherine Du Huek Doherty
- These talk of Russian Christian Spirituality over the last few hundred years.
- Pilgrims: Those that from any part of society, don a plain tunic, and take a days rations and then travel around the Catholic Holy Shrines in Russia. They walk in faith and knock on stranger's doors at night and share their stories of their journey.
- Jurodivia: Those challenged by the command of Jesus to the rich man, who then sell everything, give it to the poor, and then go and work with the poor in their environment/community.
- Poustinik: Those also challenged by the same command but instead they go and live in a cabin in the forest in hermitage. They read only the bible and stay there as a life vacation awaiting a message from God, that if received they will then go on a pilgrimage to talk to the people about. In the meantime they receive guests seeking wise advice and also act as an emergency helper for the local village.
St.Francis of Assisi: The patron saint of creation. Followed Jesus's challenge to the rich man in a complete literal interpretation and went on to found the order of Franciscan Monks. Living and working with the poor, preaching Christ through his actions.
Brother Roger: Founder of the Taize community, working with the poor and focusing on building a community of prayer.
Chasing The Dragon by Jackie Pullenger: Left everything to land broke in Hong Kong, worked with drug addicted men in the Triad City, and built the St.Stephen society community.
SIMILAR THEMES IN THE BIBLE:
The bible says faith without action is dead.
Thus we need Faith Action (and 'walking' is an 'action') ie Faith Walk.
PEOPLE: If God put all these people through this similar experience, there must be something to be learned from it.
Abraham: (the father of Israel) started a journey/walk with God right back in the beginning, not just in heading towards sacrificing his son, but also in a later journey into unknown lands.
Noah: Building the Ark in faith before his journey.
Jonah: Walking into Ninivah with nothing but faith.
Job: Sitting on the road, stripped of everything, trusting God.
Moses: Fleeing Egypt into the desert with nothing, and then returning with faith and later climbing the mountain to meet God.
David: Often fleeing from Saul with little but his clothes and sleeping rough or in caves.
John the Baptist: Preaching and living in the desert on faith.
Jesus: Leaving Heaven (where he had everything) to be born to earth poor and later doing his ministry, with some funding, but often sleeping rough, and away from home.
The Disciples: Not 3 or 7 or 11 but 'all' 12 being sent out with nothing but what they were wearing as part of their discipleship training, and most likely a 2nd time as part of the 72 later sent out.
The woman who puts in her last dollar to the church, deemed by Jesus to have given the most.
OTHER TEXTS / PEOPLE:
Poustinia and The Gospel Without Compromise by Catherine Du Huek Doherty
- These talk of Russian Christian Spirituality over the last few hundred years.
- Pilgrims: Those that from any part of society, don a plain tunic, and take a days rations and then travel around the Catholic Holy Shrines in Russia. They walk in faith and knock on stranger's doors at night and share their stories of their journey.
- Jurodivia: Those challenged by the command of Jesus to the rich man, who then sell everything, give it to the poor, and then go and work with the poor in their environment/community.
- Poustinik: Those also challenged by the same command but instead they go and live in a cabin in the forest in hermitage. They read only the bible and stay there as a life vacation awaiting a message from God, that if received they will then go on a pilgrimage to talk to the people about. In the meantime they receive guests seeking wise advice and also act as an emergency helper for the local village.
St.Francis of Assisi: The patron saint of creation. Followed Jesus's challenge to the rich man in a complete literal interpretation and went on to found the order of Franciscan Monks. Living and working with the poor, preaching Christ through his actions.
Brother Roger: Founder of the Taize community, working with the poor and focusing on building a community of prayer.
Chasing The Dragon by Jackie Pullenger: Left everything to land broke in Hong Kong, worked with drug addicted men in the Triad City, and built the St.Stephen society community.
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