In Grand Rapids, MI - a standing stone

Standing Stones

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lordyour God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

Joshua 4.4-8

The second week of September I made my way to Grand Rapids, MI. I went to attend an intellectual retreat hosted by The Acton Institute. The retreat was held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. This was the second time that I stayed at the Amway Grand. While I was there, thoughts of my first stay kept coming to my mind. 

My first stay at the Amway Grand took place in December of 1988. The Wesleyan Church held several regional youth conferences in the final days of the year. I joined the youth group from Pittsford Wesleyan in heading to a conference that I hoped would hold some fun, but honestly I did not know what to expect. Eventually, there would be two major takeaways from the conference in 1988. First, I heard a real call to get to know the story of Jesus. Second, I started to see the integration of faith and daily life in the book, "In His Steps," by Charles Sheldon. 

In the fall of 1988 I began reading the Bible in earnest. I began my reading in Leviticus. I do not know why I started there, but I did. After a while I found it a hard slog. At Grand Rapids I listened to the challenge of Pastor John Ott with rapt attention. I do not recall what he said, but I left with a distinct impression that I attribute to his preaching, to become immersed in the story of Jesus and the gospels. I returned home, left off my reading in Leviticus and took up Mark, then John, then the rest of the New Testament. Before I finished High School I would read most of the old and new testaments. Moving from Leviticus to the gospels was a blast of new life, of fresh air. My spirit awakened and in Jesus even the writing of Leviticus made sense. 

Along with beginning to read the Scriptures in earnest, I began to read other writings. Everyone who attended Grand Rapids 88 was given a copy of Charles Sheldon's classic, "In the Name of Jesus." 

Up to that point in my life I was a non-reader. My normal reading included cartoons in the daily paper, captions under pictures, a sports article, and most likely something from a farm magazine. Reading from the Bible every night before bed opened me up to other reading. 

Charles Sheldon's work was compose in the late 1800's and it is a classic. It is the source of the phrase, "What Would Jesus Do?" In the work, Sheldon painted a picture of a city facing significant turmoil and the followers of Christ struggling with putting faith into action. When they began to ask the question, what would Jesus do, they gained clarity about the challenges they faced. In particular, faith propelled them to care for the poor in ways that made pretty and put-together religion uncomfortable. That story resonated with me, not so much about making religion uncomfortable, but that there should be fruit coming forth from a life that is being shaped by Jesus. 

Sheldon's work would become the second book I would read from cover to cover. It would introduce me to a different kind of literature, that which was interested in the intersection of God and humanity. This literature would speak to the deeper longings of my heart and mind.

Looking back on the days that have passed between Grand Rapids in 1988 and today, I can see the powerful imprint of those few days, as they have shaped so much of my life and work. 

The Amway Grand Plaza is a beautiful hotel, but more beautiful is the work God did in that place, in setting my heart on a course that I could not have charted. I went for an intellectual retreat, and found a standing stone, a marvelous reminder of God's intervention and provision in my life many years ago. For that, I am grateful.