CategoriesCompanioning Others, The Art of Dialogue, VP3 happenings by

Better Together

Flying into the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia is special. Dropping down from 30,000 feet over the mountains, the landscape opening up below is a surprise the first time. There are limited options for an approach. I’ve always landed from the north. It’s a bit like threading a geographical needle between small mountains; Okanagan Lake off to the right. So much beauty. And possibility. And lots of VP3 friends.

 

My first VantagePoint3 work assignment on the road was to Kelowna in February 2013. Randy Reese wanted me to meet friends of our ministry. My task was also to celebrate and honor The Journey process alumni in the area. 

 

The VP3 2026 Gathering at Green Bay Camp, October 5-7 on Okanagan Lake, is an opportunity to again convene our many friends in the area and to express VP3’s deep desire to both learn and encourage a more relational way of life and ministry with God and others. 

 

“It is in close relationships with others where we begin to see how Christ is actually, specifically, beautifully active in the fabric of our everyday lives.”

A Mentoring Guide: Christ. Conversation. Companionship. 

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CategoriesLife Story, Spiritual Conversation, The Art of Dialogue by

Growing into my questions…

“Tell me your story”

I recall sharing my life story with a very wise man one afternoon in my mid-twenties. After I rambled for 20 minutes or so, trying to capture the sense and thrust of my unique story,  he responded.  A few affirmations, observations, and even a challenge or two. His first noticing still lingers with me today.

“Rob, it seems like growing up you knew all ‘the answers’ before you knew what ‘your questions’ were. I bet that is very confusing for you.”

I had never thought about it quite that way before, but his words deeply resonated with me.

He paused for a moment and then continued, “I suspect your growing up into Christ is going to look a lot like growing into your questions… and then bumping into the Spirit and his kindness already there ahead of you, amidst the questions of your life.”

30 years later, this framework has yet to disappoint as a way to see God’s formation in my life. This “growing into my questions” has often been the way the Spirit has graciously met me along the way. Read More

CategoriesSpiritual Conversation, The Art of Dialogue by

Reclaiming Vocation: A Conversation with Keith Anderson

Recently, I had the joy of sitting down with my friend, who is not only passionate about developing leaders, spiritual formation, and adult learning, but also one who offers “quality attention” to those who share his company, Keith Anderson, to talk about his newest book, On Holy Ground: Finding Your Story of Identity, Belonging, and Sacred Purpose.

Our conversations are a sacred space, a shared journey within the stunning story of Jesus—honest, hopeful, and full of wonder (and some good laughs). While discussing his latest book, Keith reminded me that vocation is not just about what we do, but about who we are becoming with God in the ordinary places of our lives.

You can watch our full conversation on VP3’s YouTube Channel. Read More

CategoriesMentoring Matters, The Art of Dialogue by

Mentoring and Hospitality: Embracing Risk, Vulnerability, and Transparency

Mentoring Always Involves Risk

Mentoring is a risk.  Being mentored can be costly.  Being a mentor can require paying a price.

These are probably not words you want to hear if you are:

  • already a mentor or mentee,
  • considering becoming a mentor,
  • thinking about finding a mentor.

Mentoring requires one essential posture: hospitality. We create an open and free space for another person. As mentors, we open ourselves to the work of the Spirit in another.  As mentees, we open our inner soul space. There is an emerging and (hopefully) growing transparency.   Read More

CategoriesSpiritual Conversation, The Art of Dialogue by

Three Old Friends Living Under the Blessing

Three Old Friends, Weathered by Time

Three old friends. Once college roommates. Now, silver-haired sages with weathered faces and tender hearts. We gathered with spouses on a Zoom call, decades of life behind us, some days heavy with loss.  Yet even in the ache of aging and memory, there was a quiet sense that we are still living under the blessing. What do old friends talk about?

 

We reminisce about life “back in the day” Read More

CategoriesEquipping Events, Spiritual Conversation, The Art of Dialogue by

A Longing for Spiritual Conversation…

A few years ago I stumbled across a journal entry of Henri Nouwen; and as so often before, his words deeply resonated with my heart. Nouwen wrote,

“I have come to realize how hard it is to have a real spiritual conversation. I keep wondering how people with deep religious convictions can speak together at table about the life of the Spirit…. It always strikes me how grateful people are for a good spiritual conversation, but also how hard it is to make such a conversation happen.”

In the circles in which I move, I sense a longing among people for better conversations, more soulish conversations, conversations around the big questions and wonderings of their lives. And yet, despite all this longing, people confess a reluctance, or perhaps inability, to initiate such spiritual conversations. Why is this and what can we, who feel such things, do about it? 
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learn to be a mentor
CategoriesEquipping, The Art of Dialogue by

A small yet powerful matter

I pin my hopes to quiet processes and small circles, in which vital and transforming events take place.

Rufus Jones (1863-1948)

Adults need a space and place to move deeply into their own experiences and grow in the light of Jesus and his way in the world. Simply telling others where they must go or what they must do won’t cut it. Our mentoring tables need to be set for unhurried conversation.

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