Ep 99: The Critical Journey w/ Dr. Jim Reiter (GH)

What happens when we move through the early stages of faith but are not guided into the deeper ones? In this Greenhouse episode, Brian, Handsome Kyle, and Doc continue the conversation from Episode 98 with Dr. Jim Reiter on The Critical Journey. They explore the six stages of faith, the Wall, and why many modern churches are well equipped for awakening, learning, and service, but often struggle to guide people through the inward journey, deeper self-awareness, and the life of love. The conversation asks what happens to individuals, churches, and culture when discipleship stops at Stage 3. If the later stages involve wrestling, suffering, deconstruction, character formation, and deeper union with God, then neglecting those stages has real consequences. Brian, Handsome Kyle, and Doc discuss church safety, pastoral scandals, celebrity church culture, the rise of the โ€œdones,โ€ and why being right is not the same as being formed.

BY Brian Fisher

June 26, 2024

the critical journey

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Kingdom of God
Soil and Roots
Ep 99: The Critical Journey w/ Dr. Jim Reiter (GH)
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The Stages of Faith

Kyle, Doc, and Brian sit down to unpack Brianโ€™s recent conversation with Dr. Jim Reiterย aboutย The Critical Journey, one way to describeย our spiritual adventure.

Itโ€™s a passionate and animated dialogue, and it covers three main questions:

1. If modern church institutions help us prepare and walk through the first three stages of our discipleship but donโ€™t help or guide us into the last three, what is the impact of that void on individuals, the church, and culture? How does it impact The Great Omission?

2. There have been several recent high-profile celebrity pastor scandals in the U.S. These men preached the Gospel and claimed biblical accuracy for decades. What does that say about โ€œbeing rightโ€ compared to โ€œbeing formed”?

3. Jim brought up the spiritual discipline of “cinema divina” (and Kyle happily jumped out of his seat). What does it mean to look for Jesusโ€™ speaking to the world through means many consider “secularโ€ or โ€œbad”?

Lots of good material to discuss, debate, and argue with your friends!

This episode continues the discussion from Ep 98.

Continue the Journey

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