I want to be clear that you do not have to be a Christian to get my help and benefit from it. This is partly because I help people achieve a profound change in their deep minds by activating immutable natural laws of the deep psyche. Like the laws of physics, they work regardless. My clients include atheists, agnostics and people with other non-Christian spiritual perspectives, as well as Christians.
In the below, interpret the words 'believe' and similar as including knowing, experiencing.
My Core Beliefs
- Belief in God: I believe in the existence of God as the Supreme Being who created everything. (Genesis 1:1; 2:4).
- Divinity of Jesus Christ: I believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, the Son of God who came to earth as a human being. (John 1:1-3, 14; Philippians 2:5-8).
- Salvation through Christ: I believe Jesus died for the sins of all humans and was then resurrected to eternal life, providing the path to salvation. (John 1:29, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Corinthians 15:17, Matthew 12:40, Hebrews 12:2).
- Necessity of Spiritual Rebirth: I believe in the need for spiritual rebirth, as Jesus stated, "You must be born again" (John 3:3-8).
- Authority of Scripture: The Bible is the authoritative word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Work of the Holy Spirit: I believe in the Holy Spirit's role in convicting sin, restoring regeneration, and guiding the Christian life.
- Not everyone who claims to be, or thinks they are, a Christian is one in reality. This is common and one reason the 'Church' currently has such a poor reputation in society (Read this carefully: Matthew 7:21-23). Some 'religious' people find me challenging at best, despite my humility and loving attitude. Cruel people with, to themselves, a clean conscience are some of the most injurious and toxic people one can meet. Such people are common in churches. Some haters 'self-validate' because they see God's power at work. Those with eyes to see know that God's power works because of His laws, despite the hater's attitude and actions. Read that verse above again. Genuine repentance is lovely because it brings one closer to God, and more.
"Both history and our current headlines reveal a church that can be a deeply flawed, sinful, and unhealthy institution, marred by acts of injustice, corruption, abuse, misogyny, and oppression. The contemporary American church is wrecked with bickering and division, celebrity worship and unaccountable leaders, false and shallow teaching, and a Christian industrial complex formed around greed and vanity."
Quote reference:
McKnight, S. (2020). A church called Tov: Forming a goodness culture. Tyndale House.
Core Practices
- Repentance and faith: I practice repentance from sin and place my faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
- Prayer, fasting and Bible study: Regular prayer and study of the Bible are essential practices for spiritual growth. Contemplative prayer, fasting and biblically appropriate meditation practices cultivate awareness and experience of God's presence.
- Love for others: True Christians are characterised by loving one another, as Jesus commanded (John 13:35).
- Good works: While salvation is by grace through faith, I believe in the importance of good works as evidence of my faith.
- Transformation of life: I strive to dramatically change my life, leaving old sinful ways and living according to God's standards of righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).
- Worship and fellowship: Regular participation in worship services and fellowship with other believers is important.
- Evangelism: Sharing my faith and the message of salvation with others is an important practice.
- Baptism: I am water baptised, partly as a public declaration of my faith. Also baptised in the Holy Spirit.
- Ongoing spiritual growth: I believe in continuous spiritual development and becoming more Christ-like in my character and actions (2 Corinthians 5:15). I focus on inner spiritual growth and transformation rather than external religious observances alone.
- Direct personal experience of the divine as a central goal. I seek intimate communion with God beyond intellectual understanding.
- Openness to Christian mystical experiences. Visions, revelations, discernment of spirits, and a sense of union with the divine.
- Integration of mystical insights with orthodox Christian theology and scripture. If it's not genuinely biblical, it's not right.
- Avoidance of New Age practices. The New Age movement's (NAM) core tenets directly oppose central Christian beliefs, potentially misleading both believers and non-believers away from scriptural teachings.
- Avoidance of any kind of magic, sorcery, divination, witchcraft, necromancy and shamanism. Regardless of their intent or perceived benevolence.
- Emphasis on silence, periods of solitude, and simplicity. To nurture the inner spiritual life.
- Holistic biblical spirituality that connects body, mind, and spirit. Including honouring the natural laws God has created.
- Appreciation for mystery and the ineffable aspects of God beyond human comprehension.
- Engagement with contemporary issues through a contemplative lens.
- Use of psychological insights to understand the Christian mystical journey.
- Use of spiritual insights to understand and heal the psyche.
- Engage with social justice issues as an expression of Christian mystical awareness.
- Incorporate body-based practices such as exercise alongside traditional contemplative methods.
- Explore the intersection of science and Christian mysticism. I have a registered trademark: "Logically Mystic".
- Use technology, business acumen and social media to share Christian teachings more widely.
It's important to note that while these include common beliefs and practices among born-again Christians, there can be variations in interpretation and emphasis across different denominations and individual believers.