This is the seventh post in a series of eight taken from a presentation on Clergy Wellness that was cancelled in 2021 due to Covid-19 lockdowns. Maybe I'll get to present it live one day, but in the meantime I decided to post some sections of it online. The series as a whole is called Wellness in Ministry and naturally some aspects are specific to vocational ministry. However, much of the content is applicable to anyone concerned to sustain their wellbeing physically, mentally socially and spiritually.
The fourth dimension of Clergy Wellbeing that I want to discuss is Spiritual Wellbeing - Taha Wairua. Spirituality is a deep value for Maori, and as such is included in a number of legislative documents and public service guidelines. Although it goes wider than Christianity alone, it was Christian missionaries who helped found the historic Treaty of Waitangi partnership between Maori and the British Crown in 1840. Taking account of wairua has in some ways asserted faith as a value to be recognised in our mainly secular New Zealand culture; many karakia (prayers) and waiata (songs) use Christian words though this is not always explicit. The whare motif puts Taha Wairua as part of the roofbeams.
Devotional PathwaysWhen we talk about Spiritual Health we need to acknowledge that not everyone connects with God in the same way. History and the Bible, as well as our own experiences, point to a diversity of pathways that bring us closer to our Maker who created us with marvellous individual differences.
I first learned about the notion of Devotional Pathways from Gordon Miller in 2002; it was a lightbulb moment for me. As well as explaining why people in churches argue so passionately about ‘what really matters’, it gave me permission to lean into my own ‘thinking’ pathway, instead of feeling guilty that I am not more emotional about my faith. Later on I found exploring other pathways helped me deepen my 'shadow side'. I should acknowledge Gary Thomas who had written about Sacred Pathways in 1996, and no doubt contributed to Miller's article; the material has also been explored by others and nowadays there are many assessments available online. Let me offer a quick summary of the main categories to whet your appetite:
Relational: Some people find individual devotional practices boring; they don't encounter Christ, and go away feeling disappointed with God and themselves. However, in group devotions, they join in the discussion, enjoy the experience and go away feeling spiritually energised. They need a community element in their devotions. But unless they understand that, they may think there's something wrong with them. Relational people need friends and mentors to lean into their pathway and be able to flourish. These folk often have out-going personalities but not always.
Intellectual: These people get closest to God when they read their Bible along with Study Guides and Bible commentaries, because they love wrestling with profound issues and difficult questions. Intellectual insights are what bring them close to God. They aren’t particularly excited by worship focused on experiences and feelings because they're looking for something that stimulates their minds; their heart and will are moved when their thinking is stimulated. The intellectual pathway was what formed the faith of Paul, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Francis Schaeffer and Less Strobel and brought them closer to God. This pathway to intimacy with God depends on minds fully engaged.
Serving: A very different group of people get closest to God when they're helping with the work of the Kingdom. They may enjoy church services up to a point, but they’ll tell you they feel closest to God, when they're serving. Take away that opportunity and you'd close the door on their best pathway to God. In the body of Christ, they may not dream great dreams but they are the feet and hands that bring dreams to pass. We may not know their names, but without them, those visions could never be realised. The image shows two guys in their seventies who dismantle and repair or recycle electronic goods to raise funds for missions.
Contemplative: Some people’s best way to get close to God is spending individual time in prayer - enjoying Gods presence, meditating on God's goodness, thinking through great issues like suffering and the cry of the poor, perhaps writing songs that bless and books that stretch. They may have a prophetic gift and tend to steer away from relational activities that drain them. This smaller group have had an extraordinary influence on the Church; we could name Augustine, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Thomas Merton and Henri. They find God’s love by going deeper with Christ.
Activist: Some people feel closest to God when they're living on the edge - charging into great causes even when the odds are stacked against them. Think of Moses, Elijah and Habakkuk then John Wesley, George Whitefield, and D L Moody who accomplished so much. Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, was certainly a gifted activist. People on this pathway are inspired by fighting for justice, helping the poor, writing letters to editors, and calling the Church to wake up and change the world. I’ve noticed these are often the people who go on intercultural mission service. They have to be careful about burnout.
Creation: These are the ones who get close to God in the natural splendour of creation - praying outdoors, tramping in mountains and holidaying in the open spaces. Tie them down to living in the city and they dry up inside. Desert Father Anthony the Great wrote that his "book" was the nature of created things, so whenever he wished to read God's words, that book was at hand. Others who loved creation were Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis of Assisi and Jonathan Edwards. This group of people can feel frustrated listening to speakers and singing lots of songs; they are more moved out in nature than they ever are in church or fighting for social causes. The image is of Adventure Church, a group of local parents who regularly take their kids into the outdoors for an active Sunday morning enjoying nature.
Worship: Like King David, this group feel closest to God worshipping with their whole being. Many in our churches are like this and if we ignore their need for inspiring worship, we hinder their spiritual growth. Without that lifeline to God, they die inside. A few years ago I heard the testimony of a young mum who was struggling with depression and a disappointing marriage. She changed churches and found meaningful worship that was like a dam breaking inside her. She is back at our church now and co-leads our worship portfolio. Some say that in today’s church 50% of people find it is this pathway that most often enables them to encounter God. I’m not sure if that number is right but I think competent music teams and modern equipment have certainly taught us to lean into this pathway.
Devotional pathways are “like doors that open into a room where we feel particularly close to God.”
Its important to note that:• Many of us have one primary pathway and elements of some of the others.
• When we've found our primary pathway, we should lean into it with all our might.
• We should also experiment with other pathways – especially in midlife
• Worship leaders should remember that there will likely be people from all the pathways in our services
To Consider: Think about times and places where you to feel closest to God – and lean in to them.
Next time - Spiritual Practices for Wellbeing.
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