How greatly do we honor the pioneers of our faith? That’s the point of Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith” chapter that honors the righteous saints of old going back to Abraham. We could bring that list forward to the present, including many who have been on the cutting edge of new moves of the Almighty. But do we think about what life was like for them? The “normal folks” of their times would have considered them radicals, heretics, rebels, outcasts, and many other unpleasant things simply because they were following the lead of the Holy Spirit into something our God wanted to emphasize that the “mainstream” of the day had missed. That’s why people like the Pilgrims, the Puritans, and the Moravian Brethren had to move to new lands to carry out the commissions God had given them.
Does that still happen in our day? Perhaps it does. The journey of Dr. David Jones and the congregation of Ruach Ministries International shares some of the same elements of those stories of the faithful pioneers from long ago. Of course, as David explains, one of those elements is a degree of zeal for the new understanding of scripture that sometimes results in strained or broken relationships with those we love the most. How did that work out for David’s family? That’s what he begins to share in this second of our three-part conversation with him.
This brings up the question of how to apply zeal in a way that uplifts rather than divides. David joins Barry Phillips in discussing that question in the midrash they call, “Zealous.” Their discussion provides plenty of material for pondering as we hear the music of Solomon Lopez and Jimmie Black.
To learn more about Ruach Ministries International, visit http://www.ruachonline.com/.
You can also check out David Jones’ book, The Restoration and the Gifts of the Spirit, at http://www.ruachonline.com/.
