Where’s John?

I embarked on a communal journey through scripture way back in January. A bunch of brave and slightly crazy folks joined in, committing to read about a chapter a day in Luke and then Acts. Signposts and reflections of that journey have appeared here along the way. As planned, we made it though Luke in four weeks and then through Acts in the following four. Although there were no formal checklists, I personally found it helpful to write a quick reflection on my personal Facebook after each day’s reading. This had an additional benefit of reminding everyone we were still moving along together. The encouragement I received also helped motivate me to continue daily.

As the end of the Book of Acts approached, there were questions regarding where this journey would go next. A couple of my original goals were to encourage others to read chapters rather than verses, demystify Bible reading, and foster a love for God’s Word in the people of God. When the end approached, it was clear many people were finding new joy and life in the Word and that the journey should continue. And so…we boldly dove into the Gospel of John.

But…then…the rhythm got off somehow. The daily sharing and accountability became inconsistent and essentially stopped. In the past month or so, I’ve made it through John 11. I fully intend to continue reading and sharing, but want to share the “behind the scenes” happenings and lessons since we began the Gospel of John. In other words, what’s happening in the Bouchard Bubble? Where’s John?

First: Filled

I’ve often encouraged others to “serve as an overflow.” In other words, become so spiritually full that the work of God spills out of us. To posture ourselves in the opposite way–serving in order to receive from God–is fruitless and leads not to God but to burn-out. I have found that it’s vital that followers of Christ “fill up” through personal discipleship habits. Our community gatherings can be refreshing, but it’s our daily habits that keep us turned toward our Savior. As my life got a bit chaotic, I recognized that there were things I simply had to let drop. Although the side of me that seeks the affirmation of others wanted to push through John and enjoy the feedback and encouragement I was receiving from so many of you, the wiser path was to let that drop. A piece of me still hoped I could fit it in every day, but it simply didn’t happen.

The public “chapter a day” posts are a ministry. It falls into that “overflow” category. Although those posts dried up, I have personally continued to stay in the Word daily. I don’t often publicly talk about my scripture intake. Honestly, it’s the spiritual discipline I find easiest and enjoy the most. Not everyone has the same experience, so I stay quiet. Even though I haven’t been pushing through John, I am 100% caught up on my personal “Bible in a Year” plan. Last fall I began supplementing that with a plan that involves reading one Psalm per day out loud. Both of these provide spiritual nourishment that sustains me through darker days and fuels ministry when things are going well. My hope and prayer is that through this dry spell, all of you have continue exploring and enjoying the Word of God on your own as well.

Second: Opposition

Many of you already know that I’ve been pursuing a Master’s degree in Theological Studies. I began that journey in the Fall of 2014 and completed my FINAL class on March 8, 2018 (woot, woot). A Master’s degree is a lot of work and a lot of stress. It’s interesting to note that our reading of Luke/Acts coincided with my final class and John didn’t kick off until class was over. Because of the timing, I thought I’d have ample extra time to spend on John. However…

Although some people erroneously think I’m a relatively laid-back person, I’m actually naturally quite tense. Throughout seminary, I never was able to be content to simply pass class (okay…or even get a B). Although my grades likely will never be relevant to any circumstance I face in this life (or the next), I just couldn’t help but overachieve in every class. Looking back, I realize now that adrenaline had been a vital sustaining fluid for the past few years. Once class was over…well, let’s just say there was a bit of a crash. In the weeks since, I’ve been discovering a new and healthy rhythm of life. This has been thrown off by a random case of strep throat and a huge, high-pressure implementation at my day job. In addition to those big things, it seems as if there have been a thousand tiny gnats of darkness buzzing around my head for the past month. I’d love to say every bit of opposition is in the past. It’s not, but surely it’s back to normal levels.

Finally: The Layers of John

I said this when we started and quite a few times since: John is deep and layered. The first couple of times I shared about Luke, I summarized it in a few words. Every now and then I’d write a bit more. People kept reading in spite of the length, so I threw caution to the wind and began just saying what I had to say about each chapter. This worked well through Luke and Acts. The reason I picked those to begin with is because they are so matter-of-fact. Although there is depth to be explored, it tends to be historical but still approachable by most of us today. John, on the other hand, is full of depth impossible to even scratch in a single rambling Facebook post. Honestly, it’s a bit intimidating and I’ve shied away from it.

The Gospel of John is beautiful and life-changing. As I write reflections about it, I’m balancing the goal of demystifying scripture while attempting to remaining true to the depths of the text. During our walk through Luke and Acts, I would pretty much share off the top of my head after reading the chapter. With John, I tend to reference a few commentaries before I share. Perhaps I’m returning to my old ways and setting a higher standard for myself than is truly necessary. Even so…this is where the path has led and so it is what I will follow.

What’s next?

I’d love to continue this path through the Gospel of John. One thing I’ve learned in my decade or so of following Jesus is that persistence is a more valuable trait than perfection. I invite you to persist with me in this journey. I’m again setting a goal of a chapter per day, starting with John 12. Come along with me. If there is anything I can do to assist your journey, please reach out.