Ever Growing, Changing, and Evolving
Listen: “Courage to Change” by Sia
I’m Not There is a 2007 musical drama film loosely based on the life of Bob Dylan. It’s one of the most unique biographical films I have ever watched. Apart from the film’s opening caption which states—“Inspired by the music and many lives of Bob Dylan”—Dylan is not mentioned or seen except in the song credits and concert footage at the end of the film.
Six different actors depict six different facets of Dylan’s public persona—Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Ben Whishaw. While I watched the film, I thought of how we all grow, change, and develop as human beings over the course of a lifetime. I thought it was a beautiful way to depict how we humans evolve and/or devolve.
I have always valued human growth and life-long learning. I love learning, reading, exploring, and sharing what I have learned. Sometimes I wish I could download new information to my brain, like Neo in the Matrix movie when he learned Kung-fu. I try to foster my own personal growth and to nurture the growth of others—spiritually, mentally, socially, physically, vocationally, and recreationally.
Many psychologists have explored stages of human development, such as Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stages—Infancy: Trust vs. Mistrust; Early Childhood: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt; Play Age: Initiative vs. Guilt; School Age: Industry vs. Inferiority; Adolescence: Indentity vs. Confusion; Early Adulthood: Intimacy vs. Isolation; Middle Age: Generativity vs. Stagnation; Old Age: Integrity vs. Despair.
Brian McLaren has done a great job of applying stage development theory to stages of faith in his book Faith After Doubt. He condenses a vast amount of stage theory research into four stages of faith—Simplicity: Dualistic/Right or Wrong; Pragmatic: Success or Failure; Perplexity: Critical/Relativistic/Honest/Authentic; Harmony: Inclusion and Transcendence.
I think all of us can benefit from stepping back from our lives and reflecting on our own life’s journey from a stage development perspective while asking ourselves the deeply complex questions: Why am I here? What is my purpose? Where am I going?
Over the last couple of years, I have felt compelled (by God or myself or a combination) to write a memoir in which I reflect on my own life journey from a “philosophical/theological/stages of faith” perspective. At this point, I have found an editor with whom to work, and I have written the rough draft on fourteen of approximately twenty chapters. I hope to finish the rough draft by the end of 2023.
I’m having fun with it. Instead of “six different facets of Dylan’s public persona,” I am thinking of “three different facets of Fred’s public/private persona.” My public and private personas will hopefully meld into one. Instead of “inspired by the music and many lives of Bob Dylan,” it will be “inspired by the ministry and many lives of Fred Herron.” This isn’t grandiose thinking; it simply gave me some interesting framework through which to reflect about my own journey. I think everyone could write a similar memoir and benefit from it. That’s why I love to do story-based interviews on my podcast—Spirituality Adventures. We grow best together, and we can learn from each other.
At this point, I am thinking the memoir will have three parts: Southern Baptist Fred, Vineyard Fred, and Prodigal Pastor Fred. Here’s a brief preview. I hope it comes out in 2024.
Southern Baptist Fred
Growing up Baptist
Drugs & Rock and Roll
Following Jesus
Called to Christian ministry
Education (BA, MDiv), ministry experience
Conservative/moderate theology
Vineyard Fred
Charismatic leanings
Church planting with the Vineyard
More education (DMin, PhD work)
Hebrew/Progressive theology
Mega-church pastor
Prodigal Pastor Fred
Private/Public meltdown
Darkness & DoubtsFalling Upward
Recovery/Meditation
Process theology
Love & Grace
Prodigal is an old English word which means “extravagant.” Someone can be extravagant in waste like the Prodigal Son in the Gospel of Luke story (Luke 15:11-32), or someone can be extravagant in grace like the Father in the Gospel of Luke story. I have been a “prodigal” in both senses at different times in my life. Mostly, however, I have desired to be extravagant in love and grace—Always. If I err, I try to err on the side of love and grace. For me, it’s Love & Grace. Period (1 John 4:16)!
Shalom
©realfredherron, 2023
