- Read the Q’s and A’s
- Decide if you still are interested
- Click the link at end of article to learn how to apply.
Do I have to be a vegan to join?
No, but you need to eat a plant based diet while you are exploring possibilities of joining. If you find yourself craving meat or dairy, we would treat this as any other issue where we are disciplining ourselves and having a hard time with the discipline.
What is Christian Universalism?
Here is an excerpt from the Christian Universalist Association:
Are you looking for a faith community that boldly proclaims God’s unfailing love for all people?, that presents Jesus Christ as a Savior who shows us the true heart of the Creator, as a spiritual leader you can follow with joy and integrity — indeed a faith that does not use the fear of an endless burning “hell” to frighten people into being Christian?
Has your heart already told you that by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, in the end there will be no one left behind — and that through this blessed hope we can truly break down barriers and bring people together in a spirit of joy and “good tidings to all”?
There is such a faith and it is called Christian Universalism. This positive and victorious message of the Gospel is not something new but was in fact a prevailing belief of the Church for many years after Jesus lived and died.
Here are more resources about Christian Universalism.
How do you deal with people when they have a hard time with the disciplines?
Almost every evening, we do an Examen to reflect on the day. We do this in groups of 2 or 3’s. This is a good time to process and explore what psychological, physical and spiritual issues might be preventing us from living in the disciplines. We also work with Immanuel Approach at least weekly, or as needed, so that if deeper issues are involved, people can receive healing which may result in more receptivity to being disciplined.
What are the disciplines?
The disciplines are everything we do that helps us to retain our focus on Jesus. There are specific spiritual disciplines which we do together and individually which are required. Some are daily, others we do less often. Here is a list of the disciplines.
Why is there such a focus on the disciplines?
I believe that doing spiritual practices, which take discipline, create the foundation so we can move more quickly to that place where we are in constant communion with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The more we swim in the love of the Holy Trinity, the more we can accomplish because we will be in alignment with will of God, hearing His voice constantly. Here is a quote from an article about spiritual disciplines which was helpful to me:
“Simply put, these disciplines help to develop and refine our spiritual life toward a desired outcome: to be Christ-like. The disciplines aren’t an end in themselves but a useful tool along the way to help us remain sensitive to the Spirit in us that enables us to be Christ-like.”
What is Immanuel Approach?
“The primary objective of the Immanuel approach for life is improving the depth and quality of our connection with God, and the Immanuel approach for emotional healing is the easiest, safest, and most effective method that we are aware of for resolving traumatic memories.” (taken from this website.) I’ve written more about the Immanuel Approach in these articles.
Do I have to be a Christian Universalist to apply?
No. If everything else lines up, you can explore membership without adopting this belief. However, we will have discussions and teachings about Christian Universalism. In order to be a full member, you will need to whole-heartedly adopt this doctrine.
Are there any other practices besides spiritual disciplines?
Yes, I have written many articles about practices. Some of them might pertain to the time when I thought there would be men and women in the community. But they all apply. Read the articles here.
Can I be a Catholic in order to apply?
Yes. However, before becoming a full member, we would need to explore the beliefs you have about Catholicism. The belief that the Pope is infallible, and that you have to abide by the rules set forth by the Catholic faith, will most likely be incompatible with our beliefs. This can be something that we can explore together as we live and work together.
Are you part of a denomination?
No. I haven’t found a denomination which I can wholeheartedly agree with. However, the Christian Universalist beliefs are ones I am totally in alignment with. You can find them here.
Do I have to be a Trump supporter to explore membership?
No. However, if you are a Trump hater, you probably wouldn’t be comfortable here! If you have no interest in politics, I understand. That is the Anabaptist philosophy, and one that I adopted for many years. Or, perhaps, you have been disillusioned about politics and have given up hope that we could ever have people in office who truly want to serve. That’s understandable too! I don’t believe that President Trump is going to save us, but I do believe that if he is president for 4 more years, he will continue to help create an environment where our purpose of helping to unite Christians and make disciples will be much easier.
Do I have to believe in “conspiracy theories” to explore membership?
No, but if you judge people who do believe in some conspiracy theories as being factual, you probably won’t feel comfortable. There will be times where we can have lively discussions about topics which are not specifically spiritual, including Trump. current politics, conspiracy theories, and all sorts of things. As long as we can respect each other and love each other, we can be diverse in our outlook.
How do you prevent and resolve conflicts?
First, I want to define conflict:
“Conflict is serious disagreement and argument about something important. If two people or groups are in conflict, they have had a serious disagreement or argument and have not yet reached agreement.” This definition is found here.
The best way to resolve conflicts is to create an environment where we keep conflicts from happening. As seen by the definition above, a conflict is something serious, and usually intense and unpleasant.
Here are the ways conflicts can be kept to minimum:
Spiritual disciplines–help us to be more centered, loving, and keeping on top of any unforgiveness and even childhood wounds.
Communication: Since we have a daily examen, we check in and see if we have any incompletions (small offenses) with each other. I will write more about incompletions at some point. We also learn about models of communication that help us to share our offenses in ways that help us to connect with and understand each other.
Thorough screening of applicants: The rigorous screening process will help deter anyone who is unwilling or unable to do the disciplines and participate in communication learning and practices.
If in spite of all of the above, a big conflict occurs, here are some things I have written about conflict resolution which still need to be narrowed down to a clear step by step process which could end up in someone being asked to leave after every other measure is exhausted.
What are the values of the monastery?
https://wellspringcommunityblog.wordpress.com/values/
What is the living situation?
Learn more here.
How do I apply?
Fill out the application here.
How else can I learn about the monastery and about you?
The articles I have written more recently can give you a view of my evolving and expanding vision of the monastery. Check out the about page and other links at the top of this blog. I have done a ton of writing over the past few decades since the internet became more accessible.
