Wednesday 31 January 2018

Butterfly or Snake



When I began bible college 13 years ago, I was told that it would be a difficult experience, because they would strip down my faith to the bare minimum and then rebuild it on solid foundations.  This did not happen!  Mainly because I had only been a ‘recommitted’ Christian a year and did not have much faith to strip back!  I was a blank canvas.  However, my time as a missional listener has stripped me back and corrected some wrong ways and purposes and I hope over time rebuilding me in a much more Christ like manner.  It has been a difficult experience, broken at times, terrifying at others but the result has been one of moving closer to God and being more able to join in with His mission.  My previous blogs on the wrong questions, more answers and family are good examples of this stripping back and over the next few weeks I will share with you some others. 

But it’s a good thing.  A difficult thing but a good thing.  A painful thing but a good thing.  A scary thing but a good thing.

In November I went to the Launch conference in Manchester.  It wasn’t completely my cup of tea but as always with God there were bits that were helpful.  Danielle Strickland, wherever and whenever she speaks, is someone who is always a means of grace to me.  She mentioned in her talk about being a butterfly or a snake.  It is in conversation with Nicodemus that Jesus says that to see the kingdom of heaven you must be born again.[1]  But how are we born again?  Like a butterfly that has a one-off transformation from something small too something incredible?

Imagine asking Peter when he was born again? What might his answer be?  When he was fishing, and Jesus asked him to follow him?[2]  When he realises Jesus has the words of eternal life?[3] Perhaps at the transfiguration?[4] Or when reconciled with Jesus on the beach?[5] Coming forward to preach at Pentecost?[6]  Or doing the unthinkable and staying with and explaining the gospel to a Roman centurion called Cornelius?[7]  The answer would probably be every time.  Strickland concludes that perhaps the Christian should be more like a snake, constantly letting go of skin that doesn’t fit anymore and move closer to God.[8]

This tells you where I am in the missional listening project.  I’m a snake!  Constantly shedding skin… painful… scary… hard… but the result is moving closer to God.  Hallelujah! 

When were you born again?  Is it a date in time when you were ‘converted’?  The Christian calling is to be continually born again.  So, when was the last time you were born again?  May you be born again today. 

Hiebert writes that in the nineteenth century the focus of the missional movement was behavioural change, in the twentieth century its focus was the changing of beliefs and in the twenty-first century it needs to be focused on the transforming of worldview.[9]  When we focus on conversion we think of an old set of beliefs and behaviours replaced with new ones. As we live in contemporary culture our worldview is constantly affected and shaped and we must see worldview not only as conversion but ‘as a process of deep discipling’.[10]  Then we can respond to Paul's plea ‘to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God’.[11] 

My friends, be continually born again, shed skin, and have your worldview constantly changed by our wonderful God.  Learn to know him different, neighbour different, yourself different, the world different… be born again and may you move closer to Him! 



Hiebert, P.G. (2008). Transforming Worldviews. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.



Strickland, D. (2017). ‘Snake vs. butterfly – being born again’. Thrive.  Retrieved January 10, 12:13 from thrive: https://thriveconference.org/now/snake-vs-butterfly-being-born-again-by-danielle-strickland.





[1] John 3:3. (NRSV).
[2] Mark 1:17. (NRSV).
[3] John 6:68. (NRSV).
[4] Matthew 17:1-13. (NRSV).
[5] John 21:14-23. (NRSV).
[6] Acts 2:14-41. (NRSV).
[7] Acts 10. (NRSV).
[8] Strickland. (2017).
[9] Hiebert. (2008). pp. 11-12.
[10] Ibid. p. 319.
[11] Romans 12:2. (NRSV).

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