“Divine Pursuit”

“The Spirit of God draws or leads the sinner from one phase to another, gradually, in proportion as one is found having a disposition to responsive hearing. Grace flows ordinarily from prevenient grace through the grace of baptism through the grace of justification toward sanctifying grace leading toward consummation in glory.” Thomas Oden

Overview

When it comes to faith, God is always the initiator. Before we are ever aware, God’s love surrounds and pursues after us. This love is called “grace” - a free gift offered by God to every person without stipulations or conditions. This is a gift that cannot be earned or lost; it is ours from the very beginning. Like a loving parent, God’s grace both precedes and supersedes all wrongdoing on account of the child. This stage acknowledges that before we choose faith, God chooses to run after us. It is a belief that before we draw near to God, God is drawing us nearer to Him. This can happen, and often does happen, in religious and non-religious ways. Before we are conscious or aware, God reaches for us through relationships, nature, media, and so much more.

Teachers at Mars Hill (Acts 17)

Levels for Stage 1

  • Knowledge of God

    Not expected at this stage. Understanding of God would mostly be driven by culture and personal experience.

  • Spiritual Disciplines

    Not expected at this stage.

  • Service to Others

    Not expected at this stage. Again, mostly driven by someone’s personality type or environment.

  • Church Engagement

    Not expected at this stage.

  • Witness to Others

    Not expected at this stage.

“Divine Pursuit” found in Scripture:

  • For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.

    Job 33:14

  • You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

    Romans 5:6-8

  • For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

    John 3:16

Spiritual Diet during
this Stage

  • During this stage, we strongly encourage you to become more open to both the possibility and the presence of God. Consider exposing yourself to experiences that others deem “spiritual” or “religious.” Perhaps this is a walk in nature or visiting a worship service. In other words, visit the places where others are claiming to encounter God. See what happens!

  • Another dietary suggestion we have for this stage is an intellectual one. Oftentimes, the way we see the world and the assumptions we make become fixed. During this stage, open yourself to the possibility that some of your beliefs about the world might change, evolve, or grow. In other words, consider engaging voices that expose you to alternate worldviews; especially those who believe in the existence of God.

  • For some, to even engage the topic of spirituality feels like they are defying everything they’ve ever known. It almost feels wrong for some to make room for God’s existence. This is why we encourage a diet that offers exposure to absurdity. A willingness to entertain what has always felt foolish. What do you have to lose? If this faith stuff isn’t real, you humored us for a moment. But if it is real, you might just discover truth you’ve never encountered before.

Sample Exercises

  • One way to expose yourself to alternative worldviews is research. Consider reading books or articles written by people of faith. Or you might consider listening to podcasts that deal with the intersection of faith and science. Simply put, find answers to why some people believe in the existence of God. You will know you are doing it correctly when you can recite a Christian perspective that you may not agree with, but you can respect.

  • Do you have a friend who is a person of faith? Consider attending church with them one weekend. Or, if they have online services, you can watch on your own. See what the experience is like!

  • Sometimes the most powerful experiences with the divine do not occur in a church or religious setting. Consider taking a walk through nature. Maybe you have a favorite hiking trail or a greenway near your house. As you walk, pay close attention to the incredible detail around you. The roots beneath the trees, the birds flying overhead, the vessels in each leaf. We aren’t pressuring you to believe in a God behind it all, but is it at least possible?

Trap #1 to avoid:

Strict Secularism

The first trap to avoid is a form of “intellectual pride.” In other words, a common trap at this stage is to see reality only through the eyes of humanistic and secular perspectives. Within this worldview, the events of life are purely coincidental. All moments of awe and wonder are reduced to simple, rational explanations. This is precisely why we’ve listed the action steps above. One of the biggest challenges during this stage is overcoming your own confirmation bias to ensure you are truly open to receiving new truths about the world. Even if those practices do not yield faith, they should (at the very least) increase one’s intellectual humility.

Resources

For more information about this stage of the Christian journey, use the link below!

Stage 1