S2 Episode #29- Gary Thomas (He's Back!)
THE ONE WHEN GARY THOMAS COMES BACK
Click on the book cover to purchase Sacred Pathways.
We are thrilled to welcome Gary Thomas back to the show to discuss the re-release of his book Sacred Pathways: Nine Ways to Connect with God.
Gary says it best himself: “Whatever temperament or blend of temperaments best describes you, rest assured it’s not by accident. It’s by the design of a Creator who knew what he was doing when he made you according to his own unique intentions. If your spiritual walk is not what you’d like it to be, you can change that, starting here. Sacred Pathways will show you the route you were made to travel, marked by growth and filled with the riches of a close walk with God.”
In this updated and expanded edition of Sacred Pathways, Gary details nine spiritual temperaments and--like the Enneagram and other tools do with personality--encourages you to investigate the ways you most naturally express yourself in your relationship with God. He encourages you to dig into the traits, strengths, and pitfalls in your devotional approach so you can eliminate the barriers that keep you locked into rigid methods of worship and praise.
Scroll down to watch the interview, read detailed annotations, or listen to the podcast!
W A T C H
R E A D
This book was first published in 1996, but now 25 years after the original release it has picked up traction! Try not to be discouraged if you put something out into the world and you don’t feel that it received the response that you believed it would… you never know what the future holds! You may not see the full impact for many years (or even until eternity), but you must hold course!
Link to the movie that Gary referenced: Searching for Sugarman
There is not just one way that you can connect with God. The traditional “quiet time” is not all that exists in Scripture.
THE NINE PATHWAYS
1. Naturalists: Loving God out of Doors
They want to be outdoors, surrounded by all that God has made. God’s creation shows His character, creativity and beauty!
Psalm 19-- The Heavens declare the glory of God!
2. Sensates: Loving God with the Senses
They love to see, hear, feel, smell and taste as a full worship experience. They incorporate all of the senses into loving God.
3. Traditionalists: Loving God through Ritual and Symbol
Observing traditions and symbols are deeply meaningful.
4. Ascetics: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity
They like the quiet. They crave time alone to meet with The Lord.
5. Activists: Loving God through Confrontation
They love God through confrontation. They feel closest to God when they are fighting God’s battles. They connect with God when they are out in the world working on behalf of God’s kingdom.
6. Caregivers: Loving God by Loving Others
They feel closest to God when they are meeting others’ needs in God’s name. They are serving God when they are serving others.
7. Enthusiasts: Loving God with Mystery and Celebration
They love the expectancy of God-- that we serve a supernatural God. They crave the celebratory side of God.
8. Contemplatives: Loving God through Adoration
They are connected with their emotions in a very deep way and love spending time in intimacy with God.
9. Intellectuals: Loving God with the Mind
They are highly conceptual. When they understand something new about God, they appreciate and love Him more.
The Enneagram Connection
The Enneagram is about understanding yourself. The Pathways are about adoring God. Both are essential to the full human experience.
The Pathways are very fluid, you can have more than one Pathway. The more you walk with The Lord, the more pathways people tend to adopt. God can reach you in many different ways in each new season of your life. However, most people tend to have one or two that is consistently their preference.
A Word About Delight
This is NOT about what you should do, it’s about what you can do. If what you’re doing feels like a chore, or you don’t miss it when you skip it, then you might just need to try another way.
We were created to love God and delight in Him. So, if there is a block there, then it’s not about the who, it's about the how.
Don’t underplay the power of delight! When we delight in the Lord, the “discipline” aspect will take care of itself.
“Finding Your Gethsemane”
This is the place that Jesus was when the soldiers arrested him. He was not caught by surprise when the time came for his arrest. He was able to pick the location where he wanted to spend his last moments!
The Garden of Gethsemane (the Mount of Olives) was a precious place for Jesus.
Recognize what the “Garden of Gethsemane” is for you! Where is your place of delight where you’ve met with The Lord in the past. THIS is the place where you can retreat when you are going through a struggle.
Find what works for you! That’s the freedom of The Lord!
Other people may bring perspectives that aren’t your preferences, but they can show you a new aspect of the heart of God and a new way of relating to God that you can grow in.
Choosing a Church
The Sacred Pathways are designed for Monday through Saturday. We cannot satisfy all of our spiritual needs in one hour on a Sunday morning. If we are coming to church famished every week, then no church service will satisfy us anyway! Church should be about having full hearts that come together to share, not just a “feed me, feed me” mentality.
L I S T E N
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Imagine what a whole community of Believers who
know who they are in Christ + understand their purpose as Kingdom cultivators can do!
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