7 Pathways

In chapter 7 of John Ortberg's book "God is closer than you think" he talks or writes about how our individual uniqueness means we will all experience God’s presence and learn to relate to God in different ways. However we have to recognise our need to stretch in certain areas that don’t come naturally to us.

So the 7 pathways are:

1. Intellectual
2. Relational
3. Serving
4. Worship
5. Activist
6. Contemplative
7. Creation

I think it is good to be aware of how and why we experience God, but it is important to realise that we can't put God in a box. Very often we experience God up the mountains, then we expect to meet God every time we go up the mountain, and it has to be that particular mountain - so its become about us rather than God.

I also think it is good to be aware of how other people experience God. So in particular with Mannafest, we will be trying to cover all the bases, so to speak in our programme. In any youth event or church service we kinda all do the same thing, which doesn't suit everyone. We expect people to grow by "reading their Bibles and praying everyday" and thats it! But if you don't like reading or can't read them you're not in much luck! What happened before the printing press? What did people do for the 'Quiet times'??? Then you have the hymn/prayer sandwich on sundays. But what happens if you can't sing and wont sing? For having a creative God, we are not very creative!!