Hard Questions (R#3): Radicalism, Family, and Following Jesus

Introduction

What is a young family to do with a desire to follow Jesus more radically? This series of email exchanges I had with Paul Munn over a year ago (starting in April of 2009) attempts to explore some of that. To get caught up with the series, read question #1, response #1, question #2/response #2 (which are one post), and question #3.

Response #3

Date: Fri, 1 May 2009 12:07:03 -0700
From: Paul
Subject: Re: work, gift, prayer
To: Jason

Jason,

Peru, eh? A college kid from here was just down there on some sort of mission trip. He visited a number of guinea pig farmers, and even ate one (a guinea pig, not a farmer). Ever try it?

I didn’t think very hard before listing work, gift, and prayer; they’re just what came to mind. But now that I consider it some more, maybe I do think they are especially important. When people get together and live together and work together, “groupthink” is always a danger, and it’s especially dangerous when the group consensus is considered to be the truest indicator of the will of God. We need to nurture other ways of sensing and knowing God’s will, so we don’t get swept away by the group (and so we can help correct the group when it errs). Prayer is an important help here. Also scripture and the counsel of Christians outside our local group. I think God tends to speak to us through a variety of ways, harmonizing them, so we get the message.

Groups and especially institutions also tend to absorb people and want to put them to work for the purposes and goals of the group. Sometime people are drawn in for just that reason, because they want to be useful to “something greater than themselves.” But I think it’s important to have our own sense of who we are and what God has created us for, including the work(s) we are being called to. A good community of Christians can help us discern this, but I don’t think we should rely on that completely. Heather and I came to Plow Creek with a definite work that we wanted to do, that was our main purpose in coming. The community here embraced and supported that, which has been great. But there are continual (perhaps unconscious) pressures pulling us to farm, bakery, bookkeeping, hosting visitors, and other work required for the upkeep of the organization. Having a clear sense of calling helps us avoid getting too drawn into those things (which I think are much less important than the retreats, or prayer, or writing to you).

And the gift thing has been big for me. How Jesus offered his time and work as a gift to people, asking nothing in return (and then also being dependent on their gifts to sustain him). Totally revolutionary. An economy of mutual giving, prompted by God’s spirit. One of the greatest lessons for me from Jesus’ life and my experiences on the road. There’s more about it here: “work” (I see work and gift closely connected; you might also find the posts after that one interesting).

As this applies to community life, I think a big advantage of living closely with others is the many opportunities to share and give to one another. So it’s a good place to practice a gift economy. On the other hand, communal groups often give freely within their group, but much less so to those outside the group (that’s one aspect that I think falls short of Jesus’ example). If finances are shared, there may also be pressure to “pull your weight” financially. Which could push you towards a better income-producing job (I’ve seen this). So I think a strong commitment to giving freely (along with living simply so as not to be a burden on others) can also help resist the communal pressure to work for income rather than offering your work as a gift to others, including others outside the group. This may not be much different than the usual pressures within a family to pay the bills, though the bigger the group gets the harder it is to resist. Anyway, this has been an important part of following Jesus for me.

That’s probably enough, isn’t it? By the way, we’re friends with a couple at Sojourners. Dan and Katie Piche (Pishay). Great folks. And I’ve heard good things from them about their community. So, yeah, that would be a good place to visit, if for nothing more than meeting Dan and Katie. Tell them hi for us.

peace,
Paul

Hard Questions (Q#3): Radicalism, Family, and Following Jesus

Introduction

What is a young family to do with a desire to follow Jesus more radically? This series of email exchanges I had with Paul Munn over a year ago (starting in April of 2009) attempts to explore some of that. To get caught up with the series, read question #1, response #1, and question #2/response #2 (which are one post).

Question #3

From: Jason
To: Paul
Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 5:41:37 PM
Subject: RE: your JM post

Paul,

Well, that makes a lot of sense. As difficult as it can be to discern what following Jesus might mean in each individual person or each context, I can certainly appreciate that “community” (especially by itself) won’t guarantee much for us as a family or anyone else for that matter.

Actually, I’m going to start a new job (as a school-based Marriage and Family Therapist) when my wife and I get back from South America. (We’re here in Peru visiting her family, introducing them to our son, etc. Julissa was born and raised in Lima. We’ve talked about moving here someday…who knows, right?). So, perhaps now is a pretty good time to start re-exploring the radical nature of following Jesus in the areas of work and gifting. Could you say a little more about them? For the benefit of a “just beginning” Jesus radical? :)

As for “prayer life,” I take that to mean making space for God through regular daily rhythms of silence, solitude, the divine hours, etc. What are your thoughts there? How can that kind of radical prayer life be related/integrated into a “rat race” type job like the one I’m going to start come Monday?

Also, why did work, gifting, and prayer life make your (explicit) list of additional areas to explore? Sorry to bother you with all these questions. I haven’t met many people like yourself. But if you want to stop answering them, I’ll really understand. :)

I’m glad you told me some about how you and Heather have negotiated your commitments at Plow Creek. I was going to ask about it, but I wrote what I wrote in the last email instead. I’m reading your journal from 2005 right now…it’s good. There’s some stuff in there about raising kids in radical Christian communities. That will be good for Julissa and I to explore as well.

Lastly, have you ever heard of Sojourners in SF, Ca? I’ve been in contact with someone there about going for a visit to get a feel for how they live community life and follow Jesus. Maybe that contact or visit will take us somewhere good in this journey. Also, Julissa and I were recently introduced to and then “invited” to do a time-limited stint (3-6 months) with a newly formed “neo-monastic” community near our hometown (Chico, Ca). It would be, in terms of expectations for what community life will do, probably the least ambiguous let-down since they are just getting started. Joshua, the leader-guy/friend-of-mine, has told me a few times that since they came together their Christian standards have actually mostly gone down hill. I don’t know what that says about whether or not to join them, but anyway…

Cheers,

Jason