In leading a discussion on this book, the first week gave me this observation for our group: they wanted detailed definitions and detailed actions.

Here is the “problem” with the book (and, also, with how Jesus leads): no finite details are given. Beautifully, when it comes to “actions,” they readily admit this:

“We have no idea what precisely this will mean in practice.” (p. 86)

I absolutely love that… and find that most Christians do not. I didn’t always love it. It kind of grates on me a little in my … ummm… advancing years. But I have learned to embrace it generally. Is it still uncomfortable? Always.

Years ago I was in a seminary class on Bonhoeffer’s book, Ethics. It is a highly complicated book and we had small group discussions all the time because we all wrestled with the content and the incompleteness of the book because Bonhoeffer wrote it in sections without telling anyone which section went in what order and his imprisonment kept him from finishing the work. But the further we went, the more my imagination was engaged.

I finally blurted out to my Lutheran group, “Folks, this is maybe something I can add right here as a Pentecostal.” (Which I knew irritated them because at that time Pentecostals weren’t really “intellectual” to many of them.) My view was Bonhoeffer was taking his process to this conclusion: there is a point where you need to make a decision and an action, and that point you need to trust the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In other words, you don’t know the next step. You simply… step. You trust your heart to hear. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. If it works, wait for the next step.

And then it gets even more scary (in my view of where Bonhoeffer could have been leading us): the next time you come to a similar situation, you may need to take a DIFFERENT action. In other words, don’t codify your action for a situation so that it is now “law” this is how you will act. The Spirit may be taking you in a different direction!

We want predictability. We want certainty and certitude.

Wright and Bird wisely tell us: How you live this all out has to be specific TO YOU and how you sense the Spirit leading you.

Our vocation on earth, as believers, is to bring the goodness of the Kingdom of God to the world around us. We are to live out of Kingdom abundance to help human flourishing where we are. How that happens is unique in each of our lives.

I was able to live that out in 20 years of ministry in a particular place that wasn’t particularly friendly to believers, and I found that my life was richer because of it. I love God more deeply and I loved people without pressuring my life to “save souls.”

It was scary to take steps where I didn’t know what was next. Then… it was exciting. It never led to a “big” church. It often led to some spectacular crashes. And so often… it led me deeper into the life of Christ because I cared so deeply about the people around me.

This is the power of the Kingdom of God and no world power can touch it.

PART ONE
PART TWO
PART THREE