Thank you for making last week's "Winder's Weekly Wisdom" the most downloaded, most forwarded post of the year. I recognize that I really touched a chord.  So this week, I wanted to add another layer which I hope will encourage you.

If you research the term "Spiritual but not Religious" you'll discover that now more than 40% of modern people define themselves this way and the number is on the rise. These are the people who no longer associate with a particular denomination, no longer attend a religious institution, or who can no longer reconcile certain religious claims in light of their life experience or view of the world, but they have not abandoned the belief in God. This group is now larger than those who attend church.

In short those that are dropping from the institutional church delivery system are finding other ways to grow spiritually, connect with people and find meaning and God in life.  John Spong called this the Church in Exile. This is why my blog is called Thrive in Exile, since the focus of my ministry is to serve those who have a wider and more inclusive understanding of what it means to be the church.

Not surprisingly, the arguments against this massive shift in our culture come from the institutions. They employ fear to warn of spiritual death, God's disapproval, or some form of banishment. While the loss of people in the pew's equates to economic decline, the bigger issue is having to own that many have a message and/or methods that are trending toward irrelevance.

By contrast I see the growth of the Spiritual but NOT Religious sector as extremely positive. Even though this growing community threatens institutionalized religion, it is an amazing force of positive change in the world. It is powered by the spirit (pneuma:meaning breath or spirit) found in all humanity that knows and hungers for something more, something real, something beautiful. They are tired of the "same old, same old."

The early church was made up of Jews, non-religious people, Samaritans, Romans, Greeks, and every sinner in between. Christianity and it's church was not an alternate religion or institution, but a way of freedom for all comers. 

Rather than eradicate Judaism or any other religion, it completed them.

External religious rules were displaced by a focus on the internal condition of the heart. Religious displays or the worship of idols were displaced by loving one another as the highest worship of God. Christianity was to be the salt that brought out the best flavor of each person or tradition, not the penal system to devalue them or a means to replace them.

The Christian conversion of the past meant that Jews became the best Jews. Samaritans became the best Samaritans. Roman centurions became the best Roman Soldiers. The messianic story is that of new life emerging out of suffering or sacrifice. It does not mean that all other stories are invalid, rather the messianic story means that it is central to all possible stories. In fact once we see this, there is no place to look on the face of the earth where this story isn't being told (except possibly within certain institutions). Even the rocks are crying out.

In my opinion, the move toward Spiritual but NOT Religious is one of integrity not rebellion or deficiency. It is one where people are emerging out of their small categories and prejudices into a new found freedom to become their most inspired and illuminated self, for those are the kind that most optimally reflect God in the world. Modern people recognize this journey as spiritual in nature, and I celebrate being a part of a rapidly growing community who welcomes and inspires all comers on their way.