with Dr. Michael Regier
Scripture References: Ephesians 3:14-19; Ephesians 2:14-16
Intro: Welcome speaker Michael Regeer. As we continue our Ephesians series, Michael shares his journey regarding connection – a key theme in Ephesians. His testimony highlights the deep human need for connection and how God's love, mediated by the Holy Spirit, is the only true answer, powerfully echoing Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3.
Key Points:
- The Crisis of Disconnection:
- Personal: Despite a religious upbringing (Mennonite background, duty, hard work) and outward success, Michael felt a deep inner disconnection and emptiness.
- Generational: Child-rearing practices based on behavioral psychology (e.g., limited nurturing) created widespread disconnection in his generation (those now 40s-60s).
- Cultural: This disconnection fueled rebellion (60s counter-culture) and confusion over roles and identity.
- Theological: Downplaying the Holy Spirit's active role led to "biblical behaviorism" (focus on doing right things without supernatural power), resulting in guilt, shame, hypocrisy (dualism), and further relational breakdown (commitment over connection).
- Core Problem: Humans desperately need connection, both human and divine. Trying to fill the void through duty, achievement, or worldly means fails.
- The Journey Towards Connection:
- Hitting Bottom: Despite career success (PhD, Johns Hopkins), Michael's inner emptiness led to crisis (suicidal thoughts). Human efforts (therapy, seminary, career) weren't enough.
- Turning Points:
- Anger at God led to a genuine encounter where God promised to teach him directly.
- Attending an "inner healing" seminar exposed him to authentic, Spirit-filled love and challenged his academic worldview ("You think you are more real than God?").
- Prayer for his heart to open led to a profound experience of feeling God's love and the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit, bringing transformation.
- The Fruit: This encounter shifted his motivations, brought emotional healing (years of weeping/receiving God's love), and sparked creativity (book, music) and ministry born from experience, not just duty.
- The Solution: Supernatural Love & Connection (Eph 3:14-19):
- Paul's Prayer: For believers to be rooted and established in love, strengthened by the Spirit in their inner being, so they can grasp the dimensions of Christ's love and be filled with God.
- Spiritual Reality (Bonhoeffer): True Christian community and connection are spiritual (Holy Spirit-created), not just psychic (human effort/natural ability). We need God's supernatural love.
- Letting Go: Accessing this requires surrendering control to the Holy Spirit, moving beyond mere duty or commitment to genuine relationship and love, even if it looks foolish to the world.
Conclusion: Our deep-seated disconnection cannot be healed by human effort, rule-keeping, or worldly success. True connection, with God and others, is a supernatural work initiated by God's love and mediated by the Holy Spirit. Like Paul prayed, we need to be rooted and established in this love to truly grasp its reality and be filled with God's fullness, overcoming the emptiness and brokenness caused by disconnection.
Call to Action: Recognize your own need for deep, authentic connection. Where do you feel disconnected or empty?
- Surrender Control: If you haven't fully yielded your life to t
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