Photo credit: Doug Johannsen
As we travel through the cosmos, at what I understand to be around 373 miles per second, we miss a lot. Kids riding in cars today miss a lot too. That’s mostly because there is so much going on in the world of social media that it has their attention fixed on their mobile devices. They aren’t looking out of the windows like in days of yore.
The windows to that which has taken place and is currently taking place in the cosmos seems shut or at least too small to be of use… that is unless we take moments to stop the busyness of life and soak in the Holy Spirit’s sauna; the shekinah glory of God.
There are moments and places where I personally know I will experience this Glory. One such place that never disappoints is the annual Perichoresis Men’s Gathering.
Being with men, who like me, are desperate to know as we are Known by the Father, Son, and Spirit always seems to open a window into the Heavenlies for me but also a window into my own soul.
This year’s gathering saw Baxter Kruger and John Crowder teaching together. It was more of a concert than a series of talks, sermons, or lectures. John’s depth of the Patristics coupled with his dry off-the-wall sense of humour gave this year’s conference a jovial spirit and gave us permission to laugh, not only at ourselves but at the folly of our deluded efforts to win the affection of a God who loves us so much already that he has made his way inside our souls and set up housekeeping. It is here, we heard reinforced, inside our very own souls, that the Father, Son, and Spirit now live in mystical union with us.
Warren Sylvester was with us this year to lead worship and in my life I have never worshipped with as deep a feeling of union and connection with the Blessed Trinity. A few times during the weekend I felt as though I could physically feel the arms of Jesus around me. Warren Sylvester is the kind of worship leader who has been somewhere with Papa that is intimately special and healing… and he knows the way back! “Come, and see,” I heard in my spirit.
Baxter of course was stellar as usual. If you’re like me you have sometimes caught yourself taking for granted how brilliant CBK is and how thoughtfully simple he is able to communicate the Good News of our inclusion into the Share Life of the Father, Son, and Spirit. It cannot be overstated just how blessed we are to have access to such a brilliant mind, and more than a mind, a heart that has felt loss, defeat, anxiety, success, love, and triumph, but above all a soul that has heard, from within, the cry of ‘Abba Father’. Our friend Baxter heard this cry in his soul from his mother’s womb and doubtless yearned to intimately know its Source but praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ he would not know it alone. He is determined that we would know too. Baxter’s life’s work has been to teach others to hear and recognize this cry. I am eternally grateful.
I’m a self-admitted wreck on the inside but I’m not in nearly as bad a shape as I was until I started attending the Perichoresis Men’s Gathering. Each year I go sees another breakthrough, more healing, and afterward a noticeable “spiritual growth spurt.”
If you didn’t make it this year that’s okay. We’ll do it again. Randy Baxter, David Peck, Tim Walker, Steve Horn and the crew will see to that. We have nearly 10 months to prepare and plan for the next one. So put aside a little each month. Ask in advance for the time off work. Put a new set of tires on the pickup and save up for a full tank of premium… I promise… you won’t be sorry.
Oh, and tonight when you read this, step outside and look up at the night sky. Imagine you are looking out of the window as we travel 1.3 million miles per hour and thank the in-dwelling Christ for such a wonderful ride!
Bill Winn – author of Pink
