Touchpoints by Jim Hanson

Touchpoints by Jim Hanson

Rev. “Bro. Jim” Jim Hanson serves as Spirit’s “Faith Mentor.” The dictionary defines a mentor as ‘an experienced and trusted advisor’. Jim is available for conversation throughout the day and evening for those who would like to reflect on their faith journey.</p>

Jim has worked with churches and individuals as far away as in Japan, as well as churches in the U.S. involved in Chinese, Hispanic, and other ministries. No matter where you are in your life of faith, just beginning or far along, Jim is available to spend time with you, hear your story, and reflect with you on the depth and mystery of your experience with the Divine.

Touchpoint: Thank You. Image of Jim Hanson as young seminary graduate and preaching at Spirit in the Desert decades later.

Thank you

“In a world where denominational identity is waning. Where church attendance is falling. And where religious systems are being questioned… Spirit in the Desert is a place where people can come and explore their spiritual journey, quest, and path in ways that are unique to their own experience… Surrounded by a gracious and welcoming staff and community … Thank you Spirit in the Desert.”
Touchpoint: Led by the Spirit; image of Canaanite woman kneeling at Jesus' feet by Adolf Holzel

Marginalizing Jesus

“Is there a message here for us? That it’s more important to listen to people, especially those on the margins, than to listen to the economic systems, the political systems, and the religious systems in which we have been raised? It is more important to listen to those on the margins than the leaders of those systems or those who have been most successful in them.”
Touchpoint: Jesus Walks on the Water; watercolor image of Jesus and Peter walking on the water

Eyes on You

“And so… When I have little faith… When I doubt… When I can’t stand on my own two feet… When I can no longer be the hero of my faith story… There… there is God. Keeping his eyes on me. Giving his hand. Taking me in his embrace.”
Touchpoint: Jesus feeds the 5000; watercolor image of 5 loaves and 2 fish

You Count

“Christianity doesn’t exist for the sake of Christendom. And Christian practices don’t exist for the sake of Christendom, either. Holy Communion was made for people, not people for Holy Communion. Though most church leaders get that wrong. We exist for the sake of the world. To feed the world. To provide a feast for the world.”
Touchpoint: Nothing can separate us from the love of God; image of two hands not quite touching, one is meant to be Jesus' hand

No Separation

“Look… let’s be real clear. The reason that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus isn’t because of our commitment to God, or our desire to go and be wherever God is. Not in any way shape or form. And no reading of the Bible could give you that idea. No, the reason nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus is because of God’s commitment to us. And not even our hanging him on a cross can stop it.”
The Parable of the Sower Touchpoint; woodcut image of native person sowing seeds

A So-So Sower

“This parable is about a sower who sows his Word of grace and forgiveness over all the terrain of my life. The hard-hearted times. The shallow and self-centered times. The easily excitable and flaming out times. And yes, even the good times.”
Save Me from Myself Touchpoint, painting by David Muirhead of woman looking at herself in the mirror

Saved from Myself

“I don’t know about you, but I find these words incredibly freeing. Finally, here is some brutal honesty that speaks not to my superficial hopes and dreams, my Facebook and Instagram pages, but to the profound depths of my pain and sadness about myself.”
The Wages of Sin Is Death Touchpoint; image of open Bible highlighting scripture passage

The Sin of Wages is Death

“To live under the law is to live under the mentality of the reward and punishment, earning, and wage system. That’s what the law is based on. Getting what you deserve, what you have coming to you, what you’ve earned. You know, reward and punishment. But that way only leads to death. Any relationship that is based on scorekeeping is a relationship of death. Any relationship based on reward and punishment is a relationship of death. Any relationship based on only getting what you deserve will not flourish and live, but will die.”
Take Up Your Cross Toucnpoint; image by Wayne Pascall of a man whose shadow is carrying a cross

Losing It

“Found in our lostness. What a frightening and freeing prospect. So, maybe I should have a bumper sticker that says “I lost it,” rather than “I found it.” And yet, it is exactly this ‘lostness’ that Jesus is calling me to lean into, to walk into, to embrace. And to embrace not only my ‘lostness,’ but embrace all the others who society has deemed ‘lost’ and ‘irredeemable.’”
Give Without Payment Touchpoint; image of mudslide over a highway

Shifting Ground

“Grace is funny. It is dangerous and subversive. But it is also peace-giving and freeing. Freed from having to justify ourselves, our existence, our stands… we are freed to live and serve the world. We don’t have a free will. We have a freed – F R E E D – will. And we are freed to take a walk, a hike, onto and into new ground.”
Embracing Imperfection Touchpoint; detail image old of statue thinking

Following the WAY Jesus Follows

“But it seems that something is different about the kingdom of the Divine. For according to these stories we have today, the deep Mystery is that when purity touches impurity, Purity wins. And when uncleanliness touches cleanliness, Cleanliness wins. In the kingdom of God, purity and cleanliness appear to be contagious. Death, disease and sin do not. When impurity touches purity, it becomes pure. And when uncleanliness is touched by cleanliness, it becomes clean.”
Created in the Image of God Touchpoint; detail of Michelangelo's God touching Adam's finger

Grace Space

“I want you to think about that. God’s first word – first observation about you – is goodness. God’s first word to creation, to you, is a word of grace. Grace is not something added after the fact. Grace is not something given after you mess up. Grace is not a patch on the pants of failure.”