Description

Brian committed himself to practising contemplative spiritual disciplines every day for a month. Here’s what happened…

Psychological studies suggest that certain personalities are better suited to hearing God’s voice than others. Those who are “feelers” rather than thinkers seem to be pre-disposed to experiencing the Spirit in sensory ways. So what does that mean for the thinkers and the intellectuals among us?

On this episode of the show, we’re talking Spirit experiences and analytical thinkers with someone who appreciates both. Dr Brian Ross is an associate professor at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary in California who hails from the Anabaptist tradition but regularly ministers at a wide range of churches. In Brian’s words, he’s always “lived in his head,” but things changed when he began practising some of the contemplative spiritual disciplines. You’ll love this conversation, particularly if you’re a “thinker” rather than a “feeler”! Brian brings some wonderful wisdom and insight to the topic. 

In this conversation, you’ll learn about:

• Brian’s journey to faith from a broken home, through a nihilistic and depressing season as a teenager to his decision to follow Jesus and enter pastoral ministry. 

• Brian’s angst in discovering that the church was not always a place where people were naturally oriented to answering his questions.

• Relating to God as an intellectual: 

I’ve always lived in my head by nature, but this doesn’t mean my walk with God isn’t practical or personal. God as an incarnational being meets us where we are – that’s where God has met me. Sometimes you might hear people say things like Christianity is not a philosophy – it’s a relationship and I know what people mean by that, but I would always say, “what’s wrong with it as a philosophy?” because I find that compelling.

• Brian’s initiation into the spiritual disciplines and the Spirit encounters that followed. Brian committed himself to practising the disciplines – such as contemplative prayer, meditation and sitting in silence​ – every day for a month. He explains what happened:

Nothing changed for a while. Then after a few weeks, I began to have experiences I’d never had before… that I do not have words or categories for. I found them often beautiful and compelling… So, this is what Pentecostals and Charismatics talk about!

• Brian’s reflections on the variety of personalities God has created and how we all experience God differently. Since we all reflect God’s likeness, we should expect that we would relate to God in different ways. For example, through acts of service, doing justice, intellectual enquiry, participation in nature and prayer or worship experiences.

• The need to incorporate all aspects of our intellect to know the fullness of God including rational discourse and deep thinking. Indeed all the early church leaders related to the Greek thinkers of their time.

• The impact of spiritual experiences on Brian’s life…

These experiences that are often beyond words are a visceral reminder that there’s much more to reality than what we see or understand or control.

• Some advice for those who haven’t had those Spirit experiences.

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