A Door Set Open, by Peter Steinke

Chapter 7 – The People of the Way

1.  Steinke begins by noting that “movement” is connected to both learning and mission.  “Movement is a significant part of both biblical content and spiritual living.”  He illustrates this with examples from Old and New Testaments, as well as The Apostles’ Creed.  Citing Sydney Carter, “The resurrection narratives depict a God who is constantly on the move, energetic, revealing here, now.”  He stresses that we can live our Christian lives in one of three ways: inertly, reluctantly or freely.”

How have you experienced each of these three?  Where do you find yourself right now?

2.  “William Bridges, a consultant on transition management, says change is an event. Our experience of the change is transition. He cites three movements—endings, the neutral zone, and beginnings—in the transition experience:

“All we know is that periodically, some situation or event deflects us from the path that we thought we were on, and, in so doing, ends the life-chapter we were in. In order to continue our journey, we are forced to let go of the way we got that far. Having let go, we find ourselves in the wilderness for a time, and until we have lived out that time can we come back around to a new beginning.”

We face the temptations of avoiding change and adopting the “additive fallacy,” which copes by adding more of this or that to the equation. 

What makes it difficult for us to accept and navigate our “tumbling” through the neutral zone experiences of life?

3.  “The process of ripening may be as or more important than the outcome or production, such as data or numbers.

 Meaningful, lasting outcomes are the result of the journey and the learning that takes place. Maybe a word of caution should be stamped on all programs: “Not transferable.” Transition time, especially the neutral zone experience, is life’s curriculum. Being on the path opens new insight; being on the path, not the steps one takes, is the very condition necessary for learning. Tumbling is disruptive but equally instructive.

Steinke continues: “Churches need to remember that no handbook is available on freelancing mission. Only by going out, being there, and seeing from a fresh angle will the process lead to learning. Discovering how to respond to shifts and changes is the learning. Self-confidence is a byproduct. But growth is in the struggle, the push, and the journey. Churches in decline need to look beyond the BIG RESULT and become the people of the way—tumble and all.”

Where do you find yourself tumbling these days?  Where is St. Mark tumbling as people of the way…and how are we managing the journey?

4.  Finally, Steinke shares Friedman’s creation story involving survival versus adventure…stability versus mobility.  Movement favors one and not the other.  The door is set open.  Let’s conclude with Steinke’s final questions:

“Are we a people of the way or in the way?  Are you ready to explore the neighborhood?”