One of the graces this summer for Caleb Thompson has been greater appreciation for the depth and width of the Christian faith.
Through their preaching series at Varsity Bible Church in Calgary, AB these past few months, they have delved deep into the richness of the Christian tradition.
As Formation Pastor, Caleb is interested in knowing God and facilitating congregational spiritual formation in the fullest ways possible.
Richard Foster’s book – Streams of Living Water – has provided a sort of launching point for Varsity Bible Church.
Foster investigates six church traditions – contemplative, holiness, charismatic, social justice, evangelical, incarnational – and suggests that together these represent the living water that Jesus offers us.
One thing that has stood out for Caleb is the incarnational stream of the Christian faith.
The belief and knowledge part of faith has often been emphasized and is indeed important; however, sometimes experiential knowledge of God has been dismissed and the connection between ordinary life and God has been weak.
But the Christian faith is incarnational – meaning that everyday life is a chance to know and experience God.
Our embodied experience matters – and can be the door to knowing God in God’s fullness.
But sometimes we need more than one door.
That’s where the variety of Christian faith traditions comes in.
Sometimes visitors ask – what kind of church is this?
There’s an emphasis on liturgy and the church calendar.
Prayer is taken seriously and practised faithfully.
If someone is sick, they will anoint with oil and pray.
It’s not easy to put a label on the church but maybe that’s the point.
Sometimes it’s easy to get stuck or to just do whatever we’ve done in the past.
And when we do that, we miss out on the full glory and wonder of God.