Ian Morgan Cron's Blog, page 4

Comment on Are You a Christian Mystic? by Ramona

Finding your website brought me peace of mind in knowing I don’t have to look to the 1500s to find people that have experiences such as mine. I didn’t even know for sure there was such a thing as a Christian Mystic in today’s world until I googled it and found you. If we let Him in, God will take each of us on a ‘walk” with him. Each person’s walk will be filled with different sights and sounds as it is personally designed for that individual by the highest force, The Force, of the Universe, our Father.

Like Alice, I believe that there likely are many others that experience the calling. But, our culture actually encourages us to run in a direction that will take us away from God. This is the chase for material things. If more would listen and follow His call, then it would be easier for all of us to be open to giving recognition to the fact that our Father has called us and to walk towards Him.

Ramona

Comment on Welcome to My New Website and Blog! by Rt. Rev. M.A. Warnke

Dear Ian – Thank you so much for Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim’s Tail. Not much has moved me, like that, in the last five yeas. Burnout and loss have taken quite a toll. Your book give me hope. Thanks, again. A Pilgrim.

Comment on Are You a Christian Mystic? by alice

thank you for posting this – i am a mystic – have had so many experiences with the divinity in so many different ways and as a result am constantly changing how i view life. we all the ability to walk in the way of the mystic but so few are willing to go down that path. thank you once again.

Comment on Contact by Ian

Thanks, Jennifer. I love Josh and Otter Creek Church.

Comment on Contact by Jennifer Greenberg

Ian,

I just finished reading “Jesus, my father, the CIA, and me”. Thank you for allowing me to see what MY father’s childhood was like, through your eyes. It was a brave thing for you do, allowing us to see glimpses of your past life, to shed light into the dark corners when others aren’t able.

My biggest take away from your book is the advice Miss Annie gave you on forgiving God and that He will say He’s sorry if it will heal our hearts. Love always stoops. Amazing! Truly needed to know that.

My book club and I are hoping to see you at Otter Creek Church in Nashville! Can’t wait! And hey, maybe I’ll run into you sometime in downtown Franklin. My husband said he saw you the other day. you spoke at our very, very small church about a year or so ago. Hopefully, you can again sometime.

Thank you again!

Jennifer Greenberg

Comment on Thoughts on Spiritual Practices by Charis Varnadore

Although my marriage is in tumult and I continue wasting money and my health on cigarettes, I am attempting to hang in there… I read Merton while serving in the Air Force, and had the opportunity to study with Fr. Gerard from “Conjectures of A Guilty Bystander.”

Comment on Believers in Exile. A New Christian Diaspora? by Charis Varnadore

EXILE! YOu should live here in the Bible Belt of coastal South Carolina to experience the depths and frustrations of this.Good luck… Charis

Comment on Believers in Exile. A New Christian Diaspora? by LEAVING CHURCH – Joshua Graves: Exploring the Collision of Culture & Faith

[...] can read Ian’s complete post HERE. An excerpt from a conversation Ian had with a friend who’d left the [...]

Comment on Thoughts on Spiritual Practices by A “To Be” List | Tammy Helfrich

[...] I am a big fan of Ian Morgan Cron. I loved his memoir Jesus, My Father, the CIA and me. I’ve heard him speak on multiple occasions, and his message and style really engages me. It’s also why I love listening to his podcast. [...]

Comment on Believers in Exile. A New Christian Diaspora? by Mike Smith

I was senior pastor of a large and reputedly successful church (“large” only by Australian standards). I lost faith in “church” and have spent the last 12 years restlessly searching for a way that “believers in exile” can be church together. The journey is strange.

On one hand – being church with fellow travellors has been rich beyond words. However – if we were commissioned to bear much fruit – I am wondering where it is. I sometimes think about a return to churchworld.

I’m worried I would break churches though. I think the thought forms of the “believers in exile” have been used by the mainstream as marketing gimmicks for local churches and discussion starters for small groups. In terms of concrete action – when someone tries to change the core structures of church-as-we-know-it, the results (at least down here) are pretty sad. The exiles remain exiled, and their ranks are swelling with exiled pastors and leaders.

Believers in exile are still church – possibly the largest part of it.

Is there a way community can be formed, the sacraments celebrated and the word passed on without reference to the institutions that have served the faith so well for the last 500 years. The believers in exile have put their 95 thesies on the door – but we don’t seem to have found what to DO to make it all work despite some truly heroic attempts.