In his book, Exploring Christian Spirituality: An Ecumenical Reader, Collins (2000) presented Christian spirituality perspectives of the seven Christian traditions: Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, Methodist, Evangelical. In this section of the essay, I discuss my reasons for identifying with one particular tradition and my zeal for its unique characteristics.
Shortly after the North Vietnamese took control of Vietnam in 1975, the United States government began accepting Vietnamese from many Southeast Asia refugee camps until 1990. Like many other refugee, I came with a Buddhist background. In 1992, I became a Christian while I was studying at Dordt College, an institution of higher education affiliated with the …show more content…
I was not interested in spiritual activities and I think my local churches did not challenge me either. Perhaps because of the cheap grace that enables me to become a Christian without a challenging regeneration in the first place, and perhaps because of dependability on the same cheap grace that my spiritual experience was growing slowly for a significant number of years after conversion. It seems that my problem related to the problem of sanctification gap that Lovelace characterizes this evangelical tradition. Although evangelicalism is suffering the problem of sanctification gap in discipleship, I have to recognize that its commitment to evangelism and mitigation of regeneration might increase conversion and mission opportunities globally. The vigorous commitment to the Great Commission is the one key distinctive of the evangelicalism that I am embracing. I believe the sanctification gap will not be a major issue for this Christian tradition to migrate in order to bring a balance between evangelism and discipleship. Because evangelicalism has inherited a strong theology that based on the authority and illumination of the Scripture, which is the foundation for developing spiritual qualities. When I began to involve in Bible study and eventually become a seminarian student, by God’s grace, I have rediscovered God and consciously engaged in a tangible Christian life. I also began to understand more about the Christian doctrine and experience more spirituality. As Collins affirms, “The core doctrines of spiritual theology determine the shape of spirituality” (p. 215). I embrace evangelism and believe that it is more than just preaching the Gospel but also including transformative life witnesses. As I reflect on my spiritual journey, I think that besides Bible study, strong network connections within the faith communities for support and
Shortly after the North Vietnamese took control of Vietnam in 1975, the United States government began accepting Vietnamese from many Southeast Asia refugee camps until 1990. Like many other refugee, I came with a Buddhist background. In 1992, I became a Christian while I was studying at Dordt College, an institution of higher education affiliated with the …show more content…
I was not interested in spiritual activities and I think my local churches did not challenge me either. Perhaps because of the cheap grace that enables me to become a Christian without a challenging regeneration in the first place, and perhaps because of dependability on the same cheap grace that my spiritual experience was growing slowly for a significant number of years after conversion. It seems that my problem related to the problem of sanctification gap that Lovelace characterizes this evangelical tradition. Although evangelicalism is suffering the problem of sanctification gap in discipleship, I have to recognize that its commitment to evangelism and mitigation of regeneration might increase conversion and mission opportunities globally. The vigorous commitment to the Great Commission is the one key distinctive of the evangelicalism that I am embracing. I believe the sanctification gap will not be a major issue for this Christian tradition to migrate in order to bring a balance between evangelism and discipleship. Because evangelicalism has inherited a strong theology that based on the authority and illumination of the Scripture, which is the foundation for developing spiritual qualities. When I began to involve in Bible study and eventually become a seminarian student, by God’s grace, I have rediscovered God and consciously engaged in a tangible Christian life. I also began to understand more about the Christian doctrine and experience more spirituality. As Collins affirms, “The core doctrines of spiritual theology determine the shape of spirituality” (p. 215). I embrace evangelism and believe that it is more than just preaching the Gospel but also including transformative life witnesses. As I reflect on my spiritual journey, I think that besides Bible study, strong network connections within the faith communities for support and