By John Erbele, Spiritual Reflections

On Christmas Eve I was sitting and watching my family open a room full of presents and questioning how there seemed to be a very different economic story portrayed this day than the past 180 days on Wall Street. A seemingly much more normal and less panicked feeling was in the air.

This Christmas I really didn’t see the result of our huge economic tsunami. What I mean is that we have all felt the crunch this Christmas, but nobody wanted to show it. Numerous friends have lost jobs, but like all of us tried to normalize Christmas. Why? Because I think for just one day we were all sick and tired of living in fear. We just wanted things to be normal again and Christmas usually gives us that.

I am personally drained by living everyday in a world that is dominated by fear. Like so many, I too fear of what my lost equity on my house means long term. Or what things will be like next year. Everyday most wake up fearfully wondering if they will have a job by the end of that day! Fear of the Vikings breaking all our hearts again (and they did)! Fear of where the bottom will actually take us, our economy, our nation, our debt, and our quality of life! I believe this fear that seems to be sweeping across America will do more damage than any sub-prime crimes we live with.

The thing that shocks me is that I see the same fear in the churches. The past 200 years in America gave Christians freedoms we never had in the previous 2,000 years. I believe that Christianity actually grew because of those who rose above the fear and simply lived the moment, radical in their faith, and trusted God for the future! In fact many of those fearless Christians found their providence ending in a horrific disgust known as the Colosseum. We as Christians give our lives to the future hope that Jesus is who he said he is.

So why am I, a senior pastor for the past 13 years, afraid? I too have to get up everyday and make a choice to be afraid or embraced this ride we are on. I have to remind myself that fear is human but hope is sacred. I think this is why Jesus always rebuked saying, “Oh, you of little faith.” Fear breeds the mundane, ordinary, status quo and trades potential for essentials.

The greatest champions in human history were those that rose above the fear and stepped out into the extraordinary! This is the same reason they made so many “Rocky” movies and we bought the tickets! We tearfully read the names of the soldiers at war memorials who died for this great country. Stories that inspire are those of courage -- not fear. The real fear for me is that this pandemic panic that we now live with will loosen the grip of democracy, trade freedom for comfort, and abandon our fighting spirit that made us who we are.

So I too had to step out of fear as I recently resigned from the church I was senior pastor of. As many are loosing their jobs, I rose above trepidation and left security for a new direction that is risky but already rewarding. Rewarding to me because I am not afraid anymore; and that is a great feeling. To step out the door, unsure of the next paycheck, but doing exactly what my heart is telling me to do. That is freedom!

That freedom has called us start a new church called LifePrint Church (www.lifeprintchurch.org) where reality, virtuality and faith collide. What I would call a new twist on a well traveled tradition, a place where you can come as you are, and where being real is lived and preached. A church that is relevant for today but helping forge the new tomorrow. We are stepping out and starting pre-services Jan. 11 at 10 a.m. at Twin Oaks Middle School in Prior Lake and officially opening Easter 2009. So in the midst of all the unknowns, I believe this world is wide open for the ordinary to rise to the extra ordinary. Like the realtors say, “it is a buyer’s market,” but I say it is a “courageous market.” In other words, don’t let fear keep you from finding true life; freedom is still up for grabs so take it! 

(John Erbele is the senior pastor at LifePrint Church. He is one of several area pastors who contribute regularly to “Spiritual Reflections,” a column that is one of several opinion and commentary pieces appearing regularly in this newspaper.)