This part of the book unpacks more of what I mean by Reimagining Possibilities and why it is so important for all who follow Jesus…
Why is reimagining so important? Character trumps competence…
I am clearly passionate about the ideas of priesthood and pioneering, there’s lots of words ahead on those subjects. But, we can only really explore those subjects fully when firstly the possibilities, potential and prospects, of who and what we are, begin to be reimagined. In other words, you can only begin to construct the building of Reimagining Priesthood and Pioneering, when you have laid the foundation of Reimagining Possibilities. So often we as individuals want to jump straight into the action and not be delayed by the process of ‘becoming’.
Equally so with institutions, especially those in crisis mode, which seem prepared to skip the reimagining of personhood piece, in order to increase the workforce as quickly as possible. To illustrate, the Church of England has Selection Criteria used in the assessment of potential candidates’ suitability for ministry. However, there appears to be great disparity in the definition of those Criteria. In addition ‘formation’ is regarded as a key part of ordination training – but the degree of rigour about what that looks like, also varies greatly.
It’s interesting that many older versions of the Bible do not generally use the word ‘ordain’ at all, probably for reasons I’ll discuss in Section Two. However a more recent one, the NRSV[1], does. Here are just two apposite verses:
‘Do not ordain anyone hastily’ – 1 Timothy 5:22
‘Let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons’ – 1 Timothy 3:10.
Anyone who has been through the Selection Process can verify that it is far from hasty. But that’s generally for pragmatic reasons, rather than because the Church of England is waiting for individuals to be ‘tested’, in order for them to ‘prove themselves blameless’. I recently watched a programme which portrayed a somewhat archetypal wishy-washy TV vicar. The character spoke this line, “I’m a good priest, I know what I’m doing, I help people, I’m valuable. As for the rest of it, the private stuff is unimportant, it’s private”. It’s a caricature yes, and maybe an extreme one, but it’s surprising how prevalent that view is.
‘…we need to, ‘lower the bar of how church is done but raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus’.
Alison Morgan
The New Testament places a great deal of weight on the character, formation, surrendered-to-Jesus-ness, and much more, of those called to lead – for very good reason. I humbly suggest it would be beneficial for us all to return to such ideas as our primary means of assessment for Selection. As Alison Morgan suggests in her excellent book on discipleship, ‘Following Jesus’, we need to, ‘lower the bar of how church is done but raise the bar of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus’[2]. The reimagining of possibilities has to be the base line starting point. Whilst that can be frustrating for both the individual and institution, we must encourage dwelling here, perhaps for years, before rushing on to the practicalities associated with ‘doing’.
Another way of describing this is the oft used analogy of the iceberg – most of which remains unseen. Reimagining is about completely prioritising the development of character, the 90% below the water line, rather than relying on competence, the 10% which sits above. This is precisely why Section One appears in this book and is just as long as Sections Two and Three. As I describe something of God’s reimagining in me, I’m trying to demonstrate both how necessary it is, and how possible it is.
Why is reimagining so important? For the sake of the world…
‘There are no examples in Scripture of privatised faith, or even an ‘individual relationship with Jesus’.
Reimagining is also important because, quite simply, it is reimagined people who reimagine the world. The work God does in us is never just an individualistic pursuit, concerned with making us feel good, becoming a ‘nicer’ person or ‘fulfilling our destiny’. Rather, whatever God does in us is always for the sake of the wider community and world. There are no examples in Scripture of privatised faith, or even an ‘individual relationship with Jesus’, dare I say it. As Pope Francis says, ‘[f]aith is not a private matter, a completely individualistic notion or a personal opinion’[3].
Consider God’s engagements with some Biblical giants; they may well be personal, but never individualistic or private – the encounters were always for wider purposes. Think of Abraham, Moses, David, Esther, Mary, John the Baptist, and Paul to name but a few. All were called by God in a personal way, and their lives were drastically reimagined, but always for the sake of larger groups of people, initially Israel and then the church. And of course even the calls to Israel and the church were in order that they may become ‘lights’ for the wider world.
God reimagines, reshapes, and reforms possibilities in us, in order that he can reimagine, reshape and reform possibilities in the world, through us. That’s exactly what the likes of William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa did. They were humble enough to allow God to reimagine in them, in order that God could reimagine the world through them.
What Reimagining Possibilities is not. The way to up is down…
I want to draw a distinction between what I mean by the reimagining of possibilities and a kind of modern psycho-babble, epitomised in pithy memes found on social media, which has pervaded contemporary living. This philosophy says things like: ‘you can be anything you want to be’, ‘don’t let fear stand in the way of your dreams’, ‘push the limits’, ‘if you never fail, you will never succeed’, ‘you deserve to be happy’. We see it all over TV talent shows too. Picture Simon Cowell and the like, talking to a competitor who has just been rejected. What often appears to be conveyed when they feedback is a most earnest promise, almost a guarantee: “you will be a star, I have no doubt about that”.
Whilst there may be a modicum of truth in the above expressions, and they are frequently adapted to be Christian motivational self helps, they do not actually express much of the kingdom of God. Plus, there are all sorts of reasons why they are neither possible nor healthy – not least because they set people up with false hope and unrealistic expectations. They are also heavily individualistic in focus, in contrast to the concept of being ‘reimagined in order to reimagine the world’.
‘Entitlement’ is a characteristic of contemporary life. That is, the idea that opportunity, possessions, relationships, status and more, are to be had by right. There is simply an expectation that such things should be there for the taking. By using the term reimagining possibilities, I am not suggesting that someone can, ‘fulfil their personal dream’, or is able to do and be, whatever they imagine they want to do and be.
Most of us do want our lives to count for something – of course we want to have made a difference on planet earth. That’s why that social media philosophy captures our hearts so readily. Jamie T expresses that desire when he sings, rather melancholically: ‘I wish I’d been a little more exceptional. And I wish I’d been a little unconventional’[4]. Gordan McDonald puts it more prosaically when he says, ‘[t]here must be in most people a deep instinct to hear a call, to feel that we can align our lives with a higher sense of purpose than just the routines of daily living’[5] .
‘…that’s the whole spiritual life. It’s learning how to die’.
Eugene Peterson
What I am
proposing is more akin to what the Apostle Paul experienced and described. To allow God to reimagine in us is be able to
say, ‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me’[6]. I really can’t imagine Simon Cowell
suggesting that as a way forward. But
really, the only way that we can be reimagined is the Jesus way – through death
and resurrection. Wisdom from Eugene
Peterson captured in a Tweet in his name reflects this idea beautifully, ‘[t]hat’s the whole spiritual
life. It’s learning how to die’.
[1] New Revised Standard Version
[2] Morgan, 2015:206
[3] Pope Francis, 2015:7
[4] Jamie T – Sign of the Times, from Trick, 2016
[5] McDonald, 2004:69
[6] Galatians 2:20