The Gift of the Body of Christ Throughout the Centuries with Author Ben Lansing

Written By Lori G. Melton

​(Click Here to Listen to the Podcast Interview with Ben Lansing)

“Even though we call our times unprecedented, there really is nothing unprecedented. God has been at work in every century, and the saints are a comfort to me because they remind me of that. They point me to Jesus.” Ben Lansing, author of Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints From Every Era and Place

Pivotal things happen when you’re on retreat. It makes sense. During a time when you’ve stepped away from distractions and turned your heart, soul, body, and mind to the Lord, He will bring things across your path that are integral to your callings.

I experienced this a year and a half ago.

As the orange rays of the sun lit the horizon, I opened my email. Scrolling down, I spotted a subject line I couldn’t ignore:

“Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era and Place”

A book highlighting the “Saints?” From a protestant-oriented publisher like Intervarsity? Just as I was finishing my manuscript about walking with a spiritual giant — aka a saint — here was a book that sounded strikingly similar.

Scanning the email, I immediately clicked through to the OurChurchSpeaks.com website, devoured every word, and ordered the book. The two-day shipping felt like an eternity. When I finally got it in my hands, it was even better than I hoped — short chapters featuring 52 saints from across centuries, continents, genders, and vocations—pairing biographies, prayers, and pastoral reflections with a companion podcast.

It took me back to one of the most transformative seasons of my spiritual life.

A Season of Growth

In 2016, I stepped through the doors of the Dominican Center.

My homeschooling years were complete, and the question of what God had for me next loomed large. So many options swirled in my head. I didn’t know His ultimate plan, but I knew I wanted to take the spiritual formation class I had heard glowing reports about.

The class met one Saturday each month—and quickly became something I looked forward to.

We learned about church history and the spiritual disciplines practiced by passionate followers of Jesus throughout time — practices to deepen their relationship with God, help them discern His will, and strengthen them to live it out.

During one segment of the day, we were introduced to a notable saint from history. Because the Dominican Center was Catholic, I initially worried that all the Christians we studied would be Catholic. But they weren’t—they were from every stream of the Church.

Those teachings became one of the most meaningful parts of the day. And learning about one spiritual giant per month laid a foundation—one that was essential in year two, when we were instructed to choose a giant to walk with.

A Stretching Step

I’ve shared before that I wasn’t crazy about the idea. Alarm bells rang in my head. My denomination taught strongly against the practice of worshipping saints. But after taking a deep breath, the Holy Spirit helped me to see that wasn’t what the instructors were asking.

If you come from a similar denomination, you may feel the same hesitation. The word “saint” is used in different ways across different traditions. So, let’s unpack what we mean here.

The Moody Bible Institute defines a saint as,
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“Derived from the Greek hagios, meaning holy or set apart. A present identity, not just a future title. A saint is any person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ and has been set apart (made holy) by God.”

We see the term often in the Epistles that Paul wrote to the early Christian churches, where all Christians are referred to as saints. When we look to the example of the saints who have lived before us, we’re not worshipping them but allowing their lives to strengthen and guide us in our faithfulness to Christ.

With differing opinions and theologies about the saints, many of us have set them aside. But when we do, we miss a rich component of our discipleship. All the gifts of discipleship are like the facets of a diamond--when they all come together, they form a glistening whole that radiates the fullness of who God is.

The saints are one of those facets—powerful, inspiring, and encouraging.

​Watch the Interview with Ben Lansing on YouTube Here→​
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Our Church Speaks

That’s why I was so excited about Ben’s book.

As I flipped through its pages, I saw an opportunity — for thousands of people who may never step into a class at the Dominican Center — to learn about the saints in a way similar to how I did — laying a foundation for the Body of Christ throughout time. A foundation that enriches our relationship with God, enables us to be faithful to our calling, and reminds us that we are not alone.

Once that foundation is in place, the Lord can continue to build on it—and perhaps even guide us to walk with spiritual giants of our own.

So if you’ve been curious about Journey with a Giant, or the idea of walking with a spiritual mentor, Our Church Speaks is a beautiful place to begin. Read a short chapter. Listen to an episode of the podcast.
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And watch what God begins to stir.

I can’t wait to hear.

​Click Here to  Listen to the Interview with Ben and subscribe →​
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Resources:

Worth Remembering:

"We are indeed stressed-out demigods. The tonic for our vanity ulcers is not ... chucking your smartphone into the Atlantic (tempting). Rather, we need to tune the frequency of our souls to the still-broadcasting song of the gospel being sung by the lives of men and women throughout the history of the church." Ben Lansing, Our Church Speaks, pg 4

Lori G. Melton
Next

Holy Leisure: Transform Your “Quiet Time” from Duty to Delight with Guest Cara Ray