| GROWING
EDGES
A decade-long project is now completed—Streams of Living Water. Some ten
years ago the dream was given—I think from the heart of God—of various "streams"
of Christian life and faith flowing into a mighty river of the Spirit: The Contemplative
Stream, or the prayer-filled life; The Holiness Stream, or the virtuous life;
The Charismatic Stream, or the Spirit-empowered life; The Social Justice Stream,
or the compassionate life; The Evangelical Stream, or the Word-centered life;
and The Incarnational Stream, or the sacramental life. Soon
we assembled a little team of speakers and leaders to discuss, pray through, and
work together for the realization of such a future. For several years I tried
hard to get several others on our little team to commit to writing this vision
of a "Mississippi of the Spirit" that we were working on. But, no one took up
the challenge. Finally, about three years ago, the team spoke into me with one
voice, "This is a task you must do! Not us, YOU!" I took them at their word, believing
they had rightly discerned the mind of the Lord. Two years of extensive research
and one year of intensive writing followed. Streams began as a 96 page
primer and ended up as a 400+ page major effort. But at long last the task is
done and is now available to the public. Laying
a Foundation
I
am exceedingly pleased with the results—more pleased than I ever thought I would
be, or could be. Hopefully it has laid the foundation for a balanced vision of
Christian life and faith. I have taken quite seriously the history of the Church—all
the Church—and have sought to translate that reality into the contemporary scene.
By bringing the insights of an Abba Anthony or a Phoebe Palmer or a William Seymour
to bear upon our day and our time, we enter a deeper realization of the "great
cloud of witnesses" who are urging us on in our pilgrim journey (Heb. 12:1). I
feel especially happy with a 25-page Appendix, "Critical Turning Points in Church
History." This, I believe, will give people a sense of the grand sweep of history,
which will provide a grid through which to view the specific details of the individual
chapters. This
larger perspective is especially critical today when most Christians think almost
exclusively in terms of "the early church—the book of Acts—and us!" Perhaps for
a few people there is a little blip at the Reformation, but that is about it.
And we seem totally oblivious to the arrogance of such a posture—as if no one
since the early Christians have tried to be faithful to God until we came around!
Rather it is a genuine act of humility to realize that we can learn from others
who have gone before us. To be sure, they made mistakes, but even so they have
much to teach us. "Insight
into the Christian Experience"
But, I wondered, "Will others
find these stories as helpful and as meaningful as I have?" Or will they think,
"Another age, another culture—they have nothing that could possibly be of interest
to me!" Hence soon after I turned in the manuscript, I was genuinely encouraged
by the immediate response of Mr. Mark Chimsky, Executive Editor of HarperSanFrancisco,
who wrote, "Congratulations
on finishing STREAMS OF LIVING WATER! I am currently reading it, and I am astonished
by its power to bring to life Jesus and his disciples and to show us how faith
can be lived fully and not just practiced ‘at arms length.' As a Jew I am grateful
to you for giving me such insight into the Christian experience." May
you too find "insight into the Christian experience" in its pages.
Peace and joy,
Richard J. Foster
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