The boundaries became constrictive in what I was doing, and if my faith grew, it was because I pressed some of the boundaries in ways I hadn't felt comfortable or responsible doing that before.

I'm a follower of the Christ path, and that opens a huge discussion about what we even mean by words like "Christian."

Salvation is a word for the divine spaciousness that comes to human beings in all the tight places where their lives are at risk, regardless of how they got there or whether they know God's name. Sometimes it comes as an extended human hand and sometimes as a bolt from the blue, but either way it opens a door in what looked for all the world like a wall. This is the way of life, and God alone knows how it works.

You can create an intimate community of about 20 or 25 people, and beyond that you're into a different kind of relationship.

Beliefs have become unimportant to me. Faith as radical trust became even more important to me.

The church grew, and I gained a reputation for preaching, and people came, and it was a wonderful community. But we had a building that seated 82 people, and with a congregation then approaching 400 we were up to four services on Sunday, and everyone was tired.

When I say I trust Jesus, that is what I mean: I trust that the way of life leads through perishability, not around it.