G'day from Australia

[JonParticipant]

Hi. My name is Jon and I live in Australia with my wife Vucki and two fantastic kids.
I grew up as a missionary kid in the Philippines. My parents were missionaries with a smallish ultra-dispensationalist, fundamentalist group at the time. My sister and I were brought up without TV, movies, dancing, rock music or ‘secular’ literature. The King James Bible was the absolute authority.
In 1973 my parents felt ‘called’ to relocate to Australia. They teamed up with a former Plymouth Brethren family to start a church (which, in 20 years, never seemed to grow much–but that’s how they knew they were doing the will of God.)
I was home-schooled or in a Christian school most of my life and, afraid that I might ‘backslide’ in a secular College, my parents sent me back to the States to Bob Jones University.
I was a proud (and obnoxious) fundamentalist who argued with anyone about anything. I was like a policeman, yelling out the rules and turning in those who strayed.
I graduated with my B.A. In Bible/Music and promptly followed my parents in missionary work, returning to Australia to plant a church.
I lasted 8 years.
In that time I married.
We had two children.
I just about lost my family because I was a church addict.
We left the ministry and had two unfortunate church experiences with abusive, totalitarian, narrow-minded pastors.
My exodus? In short, in my new job at an Anglican-Catholic school, I saw an ad in Sojourners magazine for a book by Brian McLaren, ‘A New Kind if Chrustian.’
That changed my life.
I read and read and read and listened and read.
I knew there was more and I was desperate to find it.
From McLaren, I found Rob Bell and was mesmerised by a spirituality that was open, fluid, dynamic, non-dualistic.
I latched on to Ed Bacon’s podcasts from All Saints Passadena where I found a God of love and welcome.
I discovered a new way of living and relating to others.
And I found this in atheist podcasts, new age websites, Catholic Mystics, and Zen masters.
But I still have a lot of hang ups from my fundy days. I still struggle with the idea of God and there are times when I don’t believe–mostly this is where I am.
I am a member at a local Baptist Church where the pastor thinks a lot like me, though i don’t think he’d ever let the congregation know. I lead services, sing and play piano. I feel like a hypocrite most Sundays. There is a deep disconnect, but I have a few close friends there who understand me and know me, and I really love the music.
So I’m here. I want to see how you’re dealing with your past, your longings, yoyr questions.
I need to learn how to live in this new space I find myself.
I need courage to ‘come out’ to my family and friends, to be honest with them about where I am and what I cannot return to.
That’s me. That’s where I am.
Peace.
Jon.

• This topic was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  Jon.

[cowboyjunkeyParticipant]

Thanks for your story. Look forward to see you around here. I don’t spend much time on Facebook – I’m a forum person

[Susan in TXParticipant]

I’m new here too, but welcome. This place is ver-r-r-r-y interesting.

[HeleneParticipant]

Hi Jon, Canberra-ite here (recently OECD said it was the world’s most liveable city, haaaaa) – your upbringing sounds very similar to mine, but I wasn’t a TCK. Well, maybe in my own country, as it felt like that. Re: ‘coming out’, I’ve felt for me it has happened naturally and over time. I find it’s very rare for people to ask or even be interested where you are at spiritually. So much is just assumed. I’m grateful to TLS for the times where I have spoken to others in my cirle about my skepticism/doubts etc and when it hasn’t gone down well – I can do a full vent here, and I get support and encouragement that builds me up to resist not ‘getting back into the Christian conformity box’. PS I wonder how many Pastors are out there like yours – I suspect it might be many…

[TraceyParticipant]

Hi there! I’m an MK from a little mission that was Berean . . . Lived in Brazil 6 years . . .love to talk more

[WarwickParticipant]

Hi Jon.

My grandparents left the Exclusive Brethren when my dad was 15. You can take the boy out of the Brethren…

W

[irreveranceParticipant]

>>(cowboy junkie) I’m a forum person.<<

Ditto!

[Author]

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