Since I was a child my family connected me with God. During the first 8 years of my life I was always taken to the Methodist church, and from there I have carried with me bases, values and messages that have accompanied me through life. However, I have been as in Russian: “On-Off”, or as I told some friends, another intermittent Christian.
Religion has been one of the causes of my estrangements, also the world and our culture and maybe the fact that it took me a long time to understand that I need translators. The Bible is a sacred compendium of 66 ancient writings by 44 people inspired by God, over a period of 1,600 years in 3 continents and 3 different languages. I am convinced that it is without error, and although I have a hard time understanding most of it, as well as not fully understanding a good part of it, I believe it is the message of the Higher Being who created all that exists.
However, if instead of 2,000 years ago, Jesus had come today, surely his message would have used iMax 3D to tell his wonderful parables. The New Testament, as a consequence, would have an impressive production, everything would be in pictures, millions of twitters would have recounted all the events, YouTube would have countless views of his miracles and our Facebook would have hashtags all over the place proving his existence.
However, God chose to do it differently. He left us a book of times when there were not the resources we have today. Even more than the faith we need to believe that Jesus was who He said He was, perhaps He delivered His message to us this way because He knows that no movie beats the book. Our imagination has to put the video, and for that, it is better than anything they can do in Hollywood, although my reason takes care to complicate between doubts and my obvious limitations.
The truth is that I find it hard to read the Bible, and I can’t feel comfortable when they preach to me. I do not understand why priests and pastors dress strangely to speak to us with their pulpit tones, it annoys me when they scold, while I get bored to death between repetitive rituals and hymns of 200 years ago. I need translators, like some I would like to recommend to you in case you are like me.
Outside of religion, I have found answers in relationship. Far from stiff sermons, I have been able to truly listen in natural conversations, in the framework of a church model designed with people who don’t like church in mind.
Modern translators then have a space updated to our times, and timely resources for the attentional deficits many of us suffer from. The scheme adapts and brings the translators we occupy in a relevant environment to the hard-nosed or malamansados like me. In Costa Rica it is promoted by the Openhouse.
If it’s about people, here I tell you about my translators and I leave you with their messages so you can get to know them. The most relevant for me has been Andy Stanley. Most of his messages are in English, although at this address you can find some of them dubbed into Spanish: https://northpoint.tv/espanol.
Now in Costa Rica, imported directly from Atlanta, another translator is Julio Gonzalez. After 7 years in North Point, he understands and lives the unconventional model of church, and with a deep biblical knowledge, he has brought the leadership that every movement requires. Here is a video from about a year ago, that allows you to understand the type of translators I am referring to.
On the basis of intentional community and relationships, convinced of the importance of growing spiritually for authentic life, in the midst of many bad translators, some are extraordinary. One of the best known today is Rick Warren, here in a TED talk.
Bill Hybels is another wonderful translator, from Willow Creek Community Church, whose approach is also multi-denominational, open and especially focused on reinventing the church. Among others, Rob Bell argues that absolutely everything is spiritual.
Jesus Adrian Romero is an incredible translator from music, as is a Hans Wust in Costa Rica.
With the Bible as a base, with all that it costs me, I need translators. Because of this, I often go to digital church, here on the web at https://www.northpointonline.tv/. I use a lot of the podcasts available and download apps to my iPhone. The Openhouse is a marvel and my small group a real blessing.
Mind you, the only way to avoid the Russian “On-Off” is with high maintenance. It’s not a matter of once a year, but every day. It’s like eating spiritual bread or training for a marathon, it requires high maintenance. So, I invite you to feed yourself spiritually very well, and if you have nowhere to go, I invite you to explore the Openhouse. You are invited, you are invited, we invite you to invite.
I extended myself! I think I got excited about the keys. Sorry about that. I trust in God, if you have not done so, that here you can find some routes or paths to return, to search or to initiate you in the direction of God.
I don’t know what will happen after this life, although I believe in all the promises. What is certain is that our lives will be better today.
Cheers!