Vintage Faith Community

Many Americans want to maximize their potential and live meaningful lives. One person might try to maximize her potential through adventure and travel. She will conquer mountains, travel to foreign countries, and experienc life off the beaten path. Another might aspire to academic achievement. A third will try to achieve meaning in life by maintaining a beautiful home, tire swing in the front yard, and three lovely children. In each instance the individual has the same goal in mind; however, the method employed to achieve the goal is vastly different. As we travel different paths to reach the same goal, we tend to convince ourselves there is one surefire way to gauge own progress: personal happiness. If the quality of our life has increased then we must be on the right path, but if our path is filled with pain then we must have done something wrong. We are all creating our own paths of purposefulness guided by the guard rails of happiness and pain. However the book of Exodus in the Bible sets forth a completely different paradigm. In fact, the criterion of happiness is actually subverted. The Israelites are experiencing real pain for seemingly no purpose. The book of Exodus is so completely radical and counter intuitive. With this story God challenges our American ideals and gives us a new way if understanding our lives. The book of Exodus is thought provoking and countercultural. Listen in to hear the 3,4, and 5 chapters of the book explained.