FEAR, COVID-19 AND THE ENNEAGRAM / WITH KAREN CLARK
S.01 EPISODE 8
We had Karen Clark on and talked about how to navigate fear in the midst of Covid19. We discussed the three triads of the Enneagram and how knowing our Enneagram number can help us healthily navigate fear.
Karen shared that ultimately knowing the goodness of God is the foundation of navigating fear healthily; perfect love casts out fear.
Thomas, Jason, and Karen talk about some of the fear-mongering theologies that are running rampant online. When we understand who God is we understand that God didn’t send Covid19. God is not the instigator of death, He came to give us life and life more abundantly.
Finally, they discussed how God is a good Father who is available to us now in the midst of our fear. A Father who weeps with us while also lifting us up so we can see our circumstances the way He does and live in peace.
Quotes
“Fear should walk under the authority of love.”
“Fear is meant to be used as a road sign to let you know you need to change course. Fear is not meant to control.”
“Any end time view that ramps up fear, stop engaging in it, He’s a good Dad.”
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You Are A Spiritual Giant!
There are no spiritual giants in the room,” the pastor said.
He was speaking to the same church I’d spoken to the week before. And he was directly contradicting the last thing I’d said which was, “Everyone in this room is a spiritual giant.”
I believe that. I believe it whether there are 2 in the room or 2000. I believe it regardless of the room.
I believe the finished work of the cross revealed that in Christ we are all spiritual giants. I believe that grace empowers us to live as saints of the highest one, overcomers, hope-filled, joyful, miracle workers. Grace empowers us to be lifegiving ministers of the gospel to our spouses, kids, parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, Facebook, the whole world…
I was devastated when the pastor spoke such a small thinking powerless gospel over my family and friends; a gospel for survivors that required him at a pulpit in a building big enough to host his words. A gospel painting sons and daughters as weak, powerless, prone to wander and in need of a room with a stage and a fella at that stage reminding them of their smallness.
The statement that “there are no spiritual giants in the room’” is even more devastating right now. Why, because right now, as we social distance, there are no large rooms with stages available to us.
When we think we need to gather in a room on a Sunday to be the church, we have just made the church really small and powerless and likely we are wrestling with some small and powerless thinking in other areas of life as well, especially regarding how we define ministry…
But we aren’t small! We are all spiritual giants; powerful ministers! We are the church regardless of where and when and how we meet, regardless of whether a well-spoken fella or gal preaches, or our kids laugh around a fire in the backyard. There is life to be had and to give right now, there are needs to share and needs to meet. And we are the church, a family of powerful people, who can get the jobs done!
Right now our thinking is expanding, we are repenting and beginning to see in new ways! We are awakening to the fact that we are all spiritual giants, or, we can awaken.
Right now there is grace for us to discover who He is and who we are in Him!
Grace empowers us to live like Jesus, with access to everything the Father has because Holy Spirit lives within us; because we are becoming one. One with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and one with each other in a way that I believe will yield more fruit than our best Sunday service because we are all in this game together, and every one of us is a slugger!
Grace is the goodness of Christ crucified and risen. Today Grace says everyone in the room is a spiritual giant. Period.
What room are you in? It doesn’t matter, you’re a giant in the faith today! That’s how He sees you so it’s true. I pray you see from His perspective…
Grace isn’t dependent on a Sunday morning or Wednesday night service.
I appreciate our traditions and for the most part, I’m good with our organizational models.
I’m thankful for pastors, those with large rooms and stages and those with living rooms and a phone.
I absolutely love our gatherings, I’m a preacher who loves to preach. But I am leaning into this season as I believe God is raising our perspective to see as He sees. I believe God is changing our powerless small thinking and inviting the church to live powerfully in any room we might find ourselves in.
Grace my friends, you are all spiritual giants today!
Check Out a Recent Message on Being a Spiritual Giant
What A Wonderful World
A Hopeful Eschatology
In the midst of these days of uncertainty, when fear is knocking doggedly at our doors, it seems eschatology is all the rage.
In a day when apocalyptic films are on the rise, and the day after tomorrow (get it) is unclear, I’ve seen more than a few folks sharing their “Last Day’s” views with fear, trembling and a little bit of “told you so.”
25 years ago I went to Bible College and took a class on eschatology. In the 25 years since, I’ve lived loved, so what I’m about to share with you is no joke…
When it comes to End Times views:
First, there are several. I can’t remember what they are but there are several.
Second, they are theories based on biblical, historical and contextual interpretations, they are not certainties.
Third, anyone who has a theory, regardless of their depth of knowledge, should probably let those they are proselytizing know it’s just a theory and it’s not the only one.
Finally, if there isn’t room to disagree, if the person presenting an idea is selling something, or if their absolute certainty is causing fear, I recommend taking what the person is hypothesizing with a grain of salt.
When it comes to how I personally navigate End Times views, if fear of punishment plays a role in the theory, it’s a flawed theory. Jesus already exposed and settled that issue.
That’s not to say there isn’t truth to discover in all the theories out there, or insight to be had from well-studied theorists, but, for me, fear of punishment doesn’t get billing.
My theory? Glad you asked.
God is not retributive, He is restorative. Which means God isn’t about punishment, He is about mercy and grace; He is a relentless redeemer who forgives, heals, and transforms.
So I have a hopeful eschatology.
Not sure where that lands in all the “lism” options I learned about in Bible College, it was 25 years ago.
But hope is the word.
I have a hopeful eschatology based off a simple belief that what Jesus did at the cross was a whole and finished work; that His Kingdom, His family, is expanding “until the Kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of our God” (Rev 11:15); until “on earth as it is in heaven” becomes a reality. (Matt 6:10)
I have a hopeful eschatology based on a simple belief that humanity is worthy of Jesus’ death and resurrection, fully redeemed in Christ, and intrinsically good.
I have a hopeful eschatology because I have a naïve childlike belief that kindness is how the world will be saved and transformed. A kindness received and then given away by those who love because they were first loved. (1 John 4:19)
I posted on Facebook last week that my eschatology could be understood simply by listening to Louis Armstrong’s song, “It’s a Wonderful World.”
“… I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do. They’re only saying I love you…Then I think to myself, what a wonderful world…”
I have a hopeful eschatology. I believe it’s getting better. For everyone. The whole world. How can I not when Jesus is my friend.
I am not naive to pain and suffering or the consequences of sin in the world; I am not ignoring justice. I simply believe God was in Christ redeeming and restoring all humanity, not counting our deep and broken sense of separation against us. I believe His justice is restorative and transformational.
I have a hopeful eschatology. I think Love, revealed by Jesus’ finished work through sons and daughters who know love, is the beginning and ultimately the fulfillment of every story. We, His friends, are the implementation, a mirror reflection of His restorative redemptive story.
For me, Love, Christ crucified and risen, is the best way to view the End Times. When we view the last days through a restorative lens, healing, hope, and expectation of “all things” being made new (Rev 21:5) can actually become a reality in every area of influence.
So yeah, I get that entire books have been written about the last days. But you’ve probably picked up on the fact that’s not what I’m doing here. I’m not the guy to give an interpretation of the book of Revelation, for that I’d recommend François Du Toit’s Mirror Bible and commentary. If you’re looking for some brilliant theologians to encourage you regarding a good God and a hopeful eschatology, I’d recommend anything written by Bill Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Baxter Kruger, Brad Jersak, Dan Mohler, Danny Silk… these fellas and more have helped me greatly.
For me, the End Times has never been an itch I’ve felt the need to scratch. For me, “No man knows the day or hour” (Matt 24:36) has provided enough data on the subject. I’m not undermining the great thinkers who have provided profound insight into scripture, but my eschatology has to be simple and applicable to all my relationships and to this moment.
For me, the End Times is now, “on earth as it is in heaven” is my mandate, growing sure in love is my strategy, and being kind and faithfully loving everyone around me is my implementation.
Even now, when fear is doggedly knocking at my door, I’m hopeful. Hope is my now and my future. And when it isn’t, I repent.
I have a hope-filled eschatology today. It’s the same hope-filled eschatology I had yesterday and the same one I’ll have tomorrow. How can I not when Jesus is my friend.
And what a wonderful friend, what a wonderful world.
Because I have a little more time than usual, check out my top ten covers of Louis Armstrong’s ode to life and love and lean into His love as you listen. You just might discover your eschatology is a little like mine. If not, no worries, there are plenty of End Times views and we don’t have to agree. Whatever you do, don’t be afraid, it’s our Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
Lots of love.
What A Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They’re really saying I love you
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world
Repent! The Kingdom of God is Within You
In this Corona Virus pandemic, I have been seeing a lot of online calls and challenges to repent.
Yes, repent!
Change the way you think until “righteousness, peace, and joy” are your reality; until the confidence of “on earth as it is in heaven” is your perspective; until you sense the arms of your kind and loving Father enveloping you and you grow sure in His nature to work all things to our good.
Repent!
Begin to think as He thinks, see as He sees, hear as He hears, give as He gives… live sure in His love today.
Repenting is not an act of desperation, it’s not about begging or groveling for some reprieve or stay of execution from a judgmental God who is angry with us. He is not angry. He is in a good mood! His love is still the answer, is still measureless and true. He is still the God who feeds 5000 plus people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. He is still a Relentless Redeemer!
So repent!
Step away from desperation and live in His reality of more than enough today!
Repenting is not about feeling ashamed or condemned. Repenting is the agreement with what Jesus did at the cross. It is the agreement with His value for us. It is our conscience awakening to our true identity, it’s our agreement with our restored nature!
Repent!
Live confident in your proclivity to be generous, and kind, and full of life, and hope; then love people with boldness today!
Repenting isn’t an act of fear by a guilty person. It is agreement with Love by a redeemed person. And it casts out fear.
So repent!
Live redeemed and fearless today! And love, love, love!
Repenting isn’t a heavy burden, a 24-hour wailing session focused on our brokenness, and poverty, and need, and sin. Repenting is a 2 min, 4 min, 24 min, 24 hours, 240 days and on and on revelation and agreement of our Father’s perspective in which we lay our burdens down, we exchange brokenness for righteousness, poverty for hope, peace, and joy; and sin for wholeness.
Repenting is the gift Jesus gave us to live confident as sons and daughters in His love on earth as it is in heaven.
So yes, repent! Grow sure in His affection and live confident in His love today!
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In uncertain times, I want to encourage you to live sure in peace and joy. You are His beloved son or daughter and it’s my heart that you experience lower anxiety and increased confidence, security, and connection in every area of your life.
SOVEREIGN LOVE is a six-session teaching series based on my book, God Is (Not) In Control.
God’s sovereign love is available to you right now. His love is the tangible peace, and hope that will empower you to live secure in every area of life. It’s my desire to guide you into a refreshing encounter with our Father’s love and goodness.