Shameless Plug: Second Wind (Inaugural Post)

Our first Shameless feature you will not likely read about in the Adventist News Network anytime soon.

In the only description we could find, Second Wind "is a spiritual community in San Francisco started by two pastors who were kicked out of their church after having an affair. Forced to quit their jobs and leave the congregations they loved, they moved to the city to start something new - a spiritual community with no strings attached. "

A little background first. The two pastors in the video you will see shortly are the high-profile couple Greg and Shasta Nelson (formerly Shasta Burr). Greg pastored traditional churches for 26 years and felt a calling along with Shasta, to co-plant the "Anchor Point" missional church in downtown Seattle back in 2001. Shasta, once the darling poster-girl of the Adventist Gen-X movement, spearheaded her generation's call for commitment to serve Christ and the church by organizing a national revival event called eXcite 98. You can read about it here.

Then the affair came and they were discarded by the church. Now they're back. This is Greg and Shasta's new emerging ministry.

Welcome to Second Wind.



My Review of the Interview with Greg and Shasta and Their Ministry

First of all, this is not an official church. It's a small group. But in a pluralistic society I suppose that for some who attend, this is church because church in the modern sense has never welcomed them with even a handshake. Others have called it a "support group." Although my perception of this ministry, which I admit may be misguided, border on the touchy-feely new agey side of things, Greg is quick to point out its focus:

"I see Second Wind as a community that takes spirituality seriously and intentionally and works to help one another learn how to live in alignment with that personal picture of spirituality."

Shasta talks about Second Wind being a safe place free of religious judging or attempts to conform the group's views to, supposedly, personal/denominational beliefs. She states:

"the relationship is more important than being so arrogant as to think that what I believe is what you need to believe."

I applaud that. Greg emphasizes the group's foundation based on the principles of inclusion and community. As former pastors crumpled up and thrown away by their own organizational community, I venture to guess their healing from immense pain has created transcending paradigms to lead and provide for others a spiritual haven unlike that of their former employers. Greg adds:

"You can't have real community if you are saying: 'for you to be in our community you have to be this way or believe this way.' That's not real community, that's conditional community."

He uses Dietrich Bonhoeffer to further illustrate his point (paraphrasing Bonhoeffer):

"You can't have true community unless people know the worst about you. Because only when they know the worst about you can they respond to you accurately."

Perhaps one of the functions of Second Wind is to be a spiritual hospital, or at least the behavioral medicine department. Either way, I'm still supportive of it because it offers much more than traditional churches can even fathom.

Inclusion here crosses sexual orientation lines. One homosexual member of the group adds:

"one of the things I like about coming to Second Wind is that it's getting me re-connected completely with myself. And I think that I personally got disconnected from my spirit ...because of being gay, and all the negativity associated with most religious approaches to sexuality."

From the interview, Second Wind clearly has no underlying agenda and the catch is this: you are accepted, respected and encouraged on your quest to find your own spirituality, even if your beliefs or lifestyle differ from your neighbor's. Check your intolerance at the door.

The video doesn't reveal much about what topics are spoken at the meetings. The word 'spirituality' seems to be used loosely and interchangeably as a catch-phrase to draw the post-church/unchurched/disenfranchised into an appealing smörgåsbord of differing thoughts and expressions. Greg does note that this gathering of people do have beliefs and are highly opinionated about them.

Although Second Wind is still in its experimental stage, the interview did not reference biblical applications as the foundation to their ministry so they could be exposing themselves to rumors of apostasy by the traditionals. The video does leave many questions unanswered. Can they articulate their "inclusion" and "community" leanings into a New Covenant apostolical model? Is there a discipleship track? What is its true purpose? Perhaps the agendaless agenda of Second Wind is simply to meet, fellowship, rant and get along? Time will tell as the story of this ministry unfolds.

Having said all that, Second Wind seems to have a loyal audience and huge potential. And if they intend to grow, funding allocation will most likely be needed for expansion. This is a good problem to have.

In an age of personal, religious and professional betrayals, people are hungry for relationships built on honesty and trust. With this ministry, Greg and Shasta have the tools to engage the community around them into embracing each other. This is a rare find in the culture of tightly-knit Adventist circles only seeking their own comfort and fellowship (vespers?). The premise is a gorgeously appealing methodology that addresses every person's need to be in a caring and nurturing environment when they feel detached from the larger Body.

By viewing the video here, you can vote to make it possible to be broadcast over cable.

Update 1/22/07: I located Second Wind's official website, which has their mission, values and weekly meeting topics.