For quite some time now I’ve been posting daily about what it means to call myself a Recovering Bapticostal. I have no idea how many have read posts from this series and I’m not really concerned about that. Oh, when I’m honest with myself, I desire that thousands each day would read and be challenged by the words I write. Realistically, however, I know that perhaps only a handful are actually drawn to my words. Although I wish more people would read, respond and interact with me, my primary concern is that I write what tantalizes my mind and tugs at my soul.
In this particular series which is part of my 365 day personal writing challenge, I’m taking a break. I’m hitting the pause button. I promise that I will return to this topic again to explore this part of me, but for now I must distance myself for a short time so that I may ponder new insights that have emerged over the past couple of weeks.
Before I Hit the Pause Button, I want to clarify something. I want to share my personal definition of “Bapticostal” and share the importance of Recovering from this brand of faith.
In my mind, a Bapticostal is a person who grew up either some brand of Baptist or some brand of Pentecostal and then began exploring tenets of the “other” kind of faith. One may become a Bapticostal from either side of the line. One can come from the rather vanilla Baptist side (please do not be offended here) where expression of emotion in a worship service is almost completely taboo. One can also from the emotionally laden Pentecostal side where adherents are routinely “slain in the spirit,” “speak in tongues,” receive direct messages from God in the form of prophecies and revel in the almost chaotic (seemingly pointless) venting of emotion during worship. A Bapticostal, to me, is one suffering from a sort of spiritual split personality. As with any similar disorder, recovery eventually becomes necessary.
Why, you may ask? For relief from the toxicity often found in such seemingly mis-aligned spiritual expressions.
Without the hope of recovery from the many toxic beliefs ingrained in me almost from birth, I would likely find myself a bit agnostic. So many people of faith fail to think about, examine or question the version of faith pushed on them by the indoctrination machines in our churches and denominations. To hear many groups proclaim, “Our is the one and only way! Anyone who refuses to accept our Christ as Savior is doomed to Hell for Eternity!” What a curious choice of words and visualizations.
I must recover from the subtle deceit, the confusing half-truths and the tendency toward hatred to which many congregations ascribe. I must recover from a myopic view of salvation that proclaims only one way (Heck! Even believers in the “One Way” position fight and argue about which version of the “One Way” is actually legitimate). I must recover from misguided beliefs that require self-sacrifice over self-love (Remember that we are enjoined to love our neighbor in the same manner in which we love ourselves). I must recover from labels, formulas, guarantees, predictions, falsehoods, manipulations and the effects of spiritual elitism.
In order to adequately recover, I must do the following:
- I must choose to challenge long held beliefs that may not be true.
- I must be willing to remain open to the perspectives of others.
- I must desire spiritual purity as demonstrated in my actions toward others unlike me.
- I must explore various veins of thought that flow from the heart of the Creator.
- I must embrace the possibilities that exist outside my often narrow view of the Creator, people and the world in which I live.
- I must be willing to share insights gained on my journey.
- I must sometimes take a break from the analysis and just BE!
And that is what I am now doing. I will take a little time to BE with my thoughts, feelings and perceptions. I must evaluate my journey thus far. I must seek a calmness in my soul.
For a brief time, the posts from my Bapticostal Background will simmer on the back burner. Soon, I will return to this line of thought but for now . . . I I will hit the pause button.
Be looking for a new brief series beginning tomorrow. For now . . .
Peace!
Mark E. Hundley
