Posted by Helen on: 10.20.2008 /
I’m very glad I was able to be in Denver for the Born Again Church Tour on Friday and Saturday.
These were some of the highlights for me
The Green Apron Team
Just like in Phoenix I was amazed at the cheerful attitude and initiative and willingness of the Green Apron Team to help in so many ways throughout the event. They noticed what the needs were and took responsibility for taking care of them before anyone had asked. Doug helped me by making sure there were mike runners in each session he was in and kept coming back to ask what else I needed. Jeff noticed how much coffee we were getting through and took on replenishing it when it ran out. Emily was always smiling and willing to miss a workshop she wanted to go to if I needed help elsewhere. I really appreciated her willingness; I was also glad she didn’t need to miss it. And there were several other helpers I haven’t named whose help I appreciated just as much and who I was delighted to meet and work with.
Sally Morgethaler and David Kinnaman
I wanted to meet Sally because I read she has been through some difficult personal things. In my experience people who survive such things tend to have a lot of depth and character. Sally turned out to be a wonderful listener and was very gracious and encouraging to me. She said “thank you” when I shared with her about scars life gives us, that Jesus still had scars when he was on the throne in the book of Revelation. And she asked about my story, and listened and then said “Thank you for speaking the truth”. I’m not used to Christians thanking me in such an unqualified way. It meant a lot.
I was able to hear about half her session. I enjoyed her pointing out that God is everywhere and how wrong it is if Christians imply God is only in church. She showed lots of beautiful outdoor photos taken by a photographer friend. I loved her saying she’d written a worship book but can’t stand most of the worship that goes on in churches. It seemed to me that her session would be very affirming to anyone who has ever found church services less than thrilling.
I was pleased to find out Sally is engaged to Joseph Myers, who did a workshop at last year’s Off The Map Live event. It was very cute - he arrived during her session and then they sat at the back of the next session, Joseph with his arm around Sally. That’s when I realized why people were congratulating them :)
I met David Kinnaman in Phoenix and was pleased to have the opportunity to talk with him one on one in Denver. He looks younger than he is, yet his maturity seems beyond his years. Both Sally and David seem connected to what is ‘real’. That’s very refreshing to me since I’ve been around many Christians who are connected more strongly to systems of belief than what is demonstrably real. I’m learning that I’m much more able to communicate with and be understood by Christians with that respect for and connection with reality, than those who don’t have it. Even though their beliefs differ from mine.
The other thing that was huge was I was respected and listened to by Sally and David. I’ve had many experiences of Christians who are more well-known than me not being interested in what I have to say. If they do make a show of listening I feel they are just being polite, rather than being genuinely curious.
David said to me as I was leaving “Remember I’m one of your fans” which again is not something I expect to hear from Christians. Like Sally’s comment, that meant a lot.
Conversations like these are very encouraging to me and help me remember that not all Christians are like the ones with whom I’ve had negative experiences. Intellectually it seems to me that this shouldn’t be hard to remember. But sometimes my emotions override my intellect.
I’ll continue writing about my experiences in Denver soon.
Comment by: Randy
1 10/21/08 9:14 AM | Comment Link |Wow…Sally and Joe! I hadn’t heard this! I was bummed I didn’t get to actually spend any time with either of them (only saw them…separately…once each). Thanks for filling me in, Helen. I was presenting when Sally did her presentation so I missed that as well. These events are so fast paced and full of exciting options that it’s virtually impossible to take it all in.
Kinnaman is everything you observed and felt. I have continued to be impressed with his intellect, his curiosity, his passion for the young, and his genuine humility. He works too much and too long (he doesn’t sleep much), which is probably why he has achieved so much in his short life thus far (but if he keeps it up he’ll end up paying for it later…imho). He’s also wickedly funny, which I didn’t expect upon first meeting him.
I’m happy to hear a bit of encouragement has touched your life in regards to Christians, H. Maybe there is hope for this thing after all.
Comment by: Helen
2 10/22/08 5:47 AM | Comment Link |Randy, I thought I was the last to know about Sally and Joe :)
What sort of hope does it give you?
Comment by: Randy
3 10/22/08 7:48 AM | Comment Link |I suppose it has to do with you mentioning several times that Christians (notably the more famous ones at the event) said or did things that you didn’t expect them to. I took this to mean that somehow, a few Christians, who are speaking out to the rest of us, are actually doing a better job of being like Jesus to others. This is a huge encouragement to ME…and it seems like it might have been to YOU as well. And if so, THAT gives me hope for the future of Christianity.
Well, that and the beauty of the next generation who are choosing to BE the church rather than just go to one (see my own post on the event for more detail on this observation).
Comment by: Helen
4 10/22/08 10:03 AM | Comment Link |Randy, thanks for elaborating.
I know I frame things a little differently from you, since I’m an almost-atheist. I want to see people making the world a better place; it doesn’t matter to me whether they do it within Christianity or outside it. As long as that’s what they’re doing.
When people who ‘have the stage’ treat those who don’t with respect, that does make the world a better place. So I was pleased to experience that from Sally and David.
Comment by: marion
5 10/27/08 2:51 AM | Comment Link |that is becoming more and more important to me too
wish I could find an old Adrian Snell song called ‘Making Me Real’ [in MP3 form] that was on a cassette in the 80’s.
That expressed it then when I barely understood what it meant.