About the Author: Spencer Burke
SPENCER BURKETHEOOZE CREATOR Spencer is a man of metaphors. "KINDLING" describes his approach to speaking and consulting. He sparks new thought and conversation in his audiences and clients through his innovative thinking, humor, compassion, and use of arts and technology. Whether talking to 10 or 10,000, he encourages people to view their businesses and relationships in new ways, and they walk away ablaze with the possibilities. "CAVEPAINTING" is an ancient tool used to express the stories of the soul. Spencer has always been fascinated with individual and collective spiritual stories and has chronicled these through his photography. His work has been collected and exhibited at galleries, and he has taught photography at the University level. Spencer co-founded the Damah film festival exploring spiritual themes. In the 1990s, he created TheOOZE.com, a safe online community for a diverse faith-based population to connect through articles, message boards and social networking. This community has grown to include over 150,000 monthly visitors from ninety countries. Spencer is author of Making Sense of Church, in which he contrasted his twenty-two years as a pastor in a traditional church with eight years of exploring emerging, non-traditional metaphors. Spencer has been described as a "HERETIC". After achieving more than he dreamed as a teaching pastor at a mega-church, Spencer refocused on his original desires to love, serve, and live a grace-filled life. Spencer lives out his faith with what the Los Angeles Times called "a church with no name." Spencer developed ETREK, collaborative learning groups that challenge the individual and traditional educational values. Spencer also initiated Friends of God's Golden Acre in the United States, to raise awareness and funds for a South African organization committed to loving, educating, and supporting those affected by the AIDS epidemic. Spencers next book entitled A Heretics Guide to Eternity will be released July 2006 by Jossy-Bass. SpencerBurke.com is his latest adventure, where he is looking for new ways to evolve. Spencer lives with Lisa, his wife of 20 years, and children, Alden (nine) and Grace (five) in Southern California. email SPENCER
"Some Christians have the ability to make you want to be a Christian just by being who they are. They make the gospel alive, real, healing, and utterly attractive. I think Spencer Burke is just one of those people. In his writings he shares himself and his vision" -Fr. Richard Rohr, Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico
I used to be a pastor. More than that, I was a pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, California-a bona fide mega church with a 25-acre property and a $7.8 million dollar budget. For years, I played by the rules and tried hard not to think too much about the lingering questions in my soul. Doubt, after all, was dangerous. Who knew where it might lead?