Wednesday, February 7
A reel to reel memory…
I don’t know what triggered it in me, but the other day I found myself thinking about the teachers or books or talks I have heard that have had the most influence upon me.The first thing that came to mind was sitting in a group of high school students in Terre Haute, Indiana and Dave Malooley, a youth sponsor, bringing out his reel to reel tape player.
I was probably a sophomore or junior in high school and I remember Dave and our youth minister, Jim Nartker, playing us recordings of a guy named Tony Campolo on that reel to reel.
They were recordings from a series of talks Campolo had given at another church in Terre Haute a few days previous. We listened to and discussed those talks over a period of a few weeks.
What an impact those talks have had on my life.
I still remember the very first story on those tapes…(a tale about Tony getting caught with his fly undone on an elevator and when he tried to zip up quickly he got a women’s scarf got in the zipper.)
I remember the extraordinary story that is now a classic “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming”…I remember listening to him challenge me to look at my faith unlike I ever had before…I remember thinking about what it would mean for me to have a faith with an ounce of the ‘radical call’ that Tony was calling for…
So…I was thinking…how ‘bout you? Who or what, as your reflect on your faith journey, has had that ‘reel to reel effect’ on you?
Mark Nelson at 12:43 PM 4comments
4 Comments
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at 4:09 PM
said... I can think of 4 instances in my life over the last 30 years that had that "reel to reel" effect in my faith journey:
1 - Two summers at Wesley Woods in Townsend (a UMC camp) as a counselor in training as a teenager in the late 70's. I never understood the depth of the impact that the camp had on me until July of 2006 when I returned after 25 years to a staff reunion.
2 - A sermon preached by our pastor in February 2003 which challenged us to pray that God would open our hearts and eyes to see people as He does. I took the challenge - changed my life - forever.
3 - John Ortberg's book "If You Want to Walk on the Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" - resonated with me and encouraged me to walk the water of deep faith with God each day as He pushes me out of my box into graduated levels of Kingdom work.
4 - My graduate work at JBC - I am in year 2 of the Masters of New Testament - Preaching program and I find myself in a continuous mode of growth as a result. In the last few months, I find that I am now really focusing in on what it is I believe and why. Do I believe what I do because of my Methodist background, my parents beliefs, what my pastor says or what the Christian church says or do I believe it because the Bible says it is true? It is a remarkable process.
Thanks for letting me comment.
Jeff Porter-
at 9:28 PM
Nicole said... I don't know if I'm an epiphany type of gal, but I can think of a few people and stages that have been undeniably transformative for me.
1.) The past 4 years of graduate school at Wheaton College where I have been changed from an anxious, somewhat legalistic person to a silence seeking, contemplative, grace leaning type that sits with people in their pain doing this thing called therapy. I occasionally I have to ask, "Who am I? How did i get here?" because I have changed so much (in good ways).
2.) The first time I attended CCC in Naperville. It was the Church in a way I had dreamed it might could be, but didn't really believe that it ever would be. There have been abounding healing moments scattered throughout the past 4 years there.
3.) In college, in a moment when I broke down to my roommate of 3 years telling her that in one area of my life I had been living a lie, even to her. I felt called by God to commit my life to sharing my story and entering ministry in that area as my life's calling that night. That calling is still strong and present in my training now. I feel passionate about it just thinking about it!
4.) Spirituality class on the day we did guided individual prayer and then group intercessory prayer. 6 women felt God that day, and we're going on our second year of meeting regularly. The prayer, support, love, and community I have experienced with these women because of that one day of class has been defining to how I understand community(listening to each other's suffering).
5.) Last one, I promise! The day I sat in clinical supervision with my then supervisor, Jamie, and cried so hard just because he was silent for 5 minutes. The difficulty in that silent moment made real to me discomfort I was in, and caused me to begin a journey of confronting my fear of myself and God. Thank you Jamie and God for that!-
at 10:31 AM
said...
I'm 42 years old. My parents hosted a small group Bible study when I was a kid using a reel-to-reel player - the speaker every week was Doanld Barnhouse. I grew up listening to this amazing preacher and incredible illustrator of God's Word. I remember many of his stories vividly.
Thanks for the reminder.
I pastor a church in Ohio and we have been praying as a church for the launch of your ministry in TN.
Peace be with you!
Tim Cox
levisgenes.org-
at 6:00 PM
said...
Dear Brother Mark,
This serves as a "reel" moment to me to remind us of our constant duty to make sure that in all we do we must glorify Christ. We may be the only Christ that one sees in this journey, or we may have a lasting impression that goes far beyond our "small" world of influence. We never know just how far reaching our actions will be. Yes, it may be Friday, but Sunday IS coming........... And yes, I still have that old reel to reel.
God's constant blessing on you, your family, and your new adventure. Thanks for the renewal. Dave