What Dad said

My parents FINALLY replied to my email (can sleep easy now! :) ), and here's what dad, a pastor, had to say:

I want to take time to say more than the lateness of the hour allows--hopefully tomorrow--but let me just encourage you to accept the validity of your journey. You are assessing for yourself what is the core of Christianity. It's about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and by the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. Not that such things as truth and church and community and even rules are not important--they are, but in their right place in our relationship with God.

I have attached a piece that I wrote just the other day. In my devotional studies I am now working through Mark, and I study by writing (as I think you already know). This one is the last one I did and it is right on the subject. I hope you find it helpful and affirming.

If you're interested, I've uploaded it to my site here.

I'm pretty relieved that they at least understand where I'm coming from and my struggles with how church is and how it/we should be.

I'm really going to enjoy being able to sit down in person and thrash out all my questions with my dad when we join them in Australia. He's a wise bloke! :) And, as I've often been called my father's child (do just as much introducing of new stuff and ideas as he did when he pastored here), I think he'll have a good perspective on what's in my brain.

I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say - though I expect there will probably be a few constructive criticisms in the thoughts.