There are three standard questions for an ordinand to answer. I would like to give a general statement first, and then speak to the questions. I feel that my answers will be more understandable that way.

I would like to tell you about myself. My passion in life is to promote New Spirituality. New Spirituality is a clarification and reframing of traditional Christian truths.

The most important truth is about our relationship in God. Usually people talk about their relationship with God, but that implies separation.

I can describe my understanding of our relationship in God with four statements: God is All That Is; God is One; God is Love; and God is the Creator.

Let's take the first two parts because they go together: God is All That Is and God Is One. This means that we are parts of God and that there is no separation.

It's easy to understand that we are parts of the All That Is. So each of us must be part of God, and so is everyone else. That informs our ethic. Imagine a world in which everyone would treat everyone else as a manifestation of God. Everyone would be treated with the highest regard.

Jesus said something like this in his ministry on earth. He said, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these brothers of mine, you have done it unto me" (Matthew 25).

The first statement is God is All That Is.

The second statement is God is One. It's very similar to the first statement. God is One means that God is one integrated unit. All the parts of God are connected, and that includes everything. This implies a universal consciousness that is shared by everything, and it explains why mind-to-mind communication works. PMH Atwater expressed it this way: "One Mind, many thinkers."

Consider the implications of the concept that God is One. It means that every expression of energy affects everything else because everything is connected in the Oneness. Living consciously is being aware that this is taking place every moment.

The energy is also part of God. Nothing is ever lost. How easily the Universal Records can be understood from this. How we have used God's energy has been recorded, and we can access it and will experience it again.

Now let's take the third statement about God: God is Love. This speaks to the highest level of human fulfillment. We are Love at the essence of our Being inasmuch as we are part of God who is Love. This means that we can find the greatest fulfillment in life by extending the Love of God. Love is an expression of Who We Really Are. When we finally come to ourselves we will Love. Then nothing else will matter. That's what enabled Jesus to hang on the cross and to forgive those who put him there. Love filled his consciousness.

The fourth statement is God is the Creator. This speaks of our potential and power to create our own reality. We have the power inasmuch as we are of the same essence as God.

God created us out of God's Self, and God gives us the freedom to do what we want. Not that we won't experience the effects of our thoughts and actions, but God won't condemn us, no matter what we do. We will just have a learning experience so that we can make better choices next time.

Furthermore, our opportunities to make different choices will never end. We will have endless opportunities to choose Love, and to experience the soul growth that will follow. In fact, our potential in God is unlimited.

I am delighted to be part of Fellowship of the Inner Light, where such concepts are commonly held. I cherish the opportunity to promote these concepts with you for the impact it will have on us, and for the advancement of the whole human family.

In summary, I am passionate to promote a vision among you and with you that must inevitably change the world.

Now for the questions:

"Would you describe a direct experience you have had with God? An experience that is not just a belief but is an experiential relationship with God?"

Given my concepts about God, anybody could answer this question. We are having an experience with God right now. God is All That Is, and each of us is a part of God.

I have also felt lost in Love during which time nothing else mattered. It happened when I was giving to another's need.

The second question is, "What makes you believe that God is calling you and that you are not just making a decision on your own?"

I am making a decision on my own. God gives me complete freedom to do what I want, and this is what I want. It's in my feelings, not just my thoughts. I am passionate about it. It's what I want more than anything else.

But I could also say it this way: the God I Am seeks this more than anything else. Furthermore, the vision of New Spirituality is to create a world of love. I can't conceive of anything greater than that for the Earth. In fact, the Lord's Prayer describes this as God's will – "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven."

The third question is, "What is the nature of the ministry that you wish to be commissioned for?"

I wish to promote New Spirituality among and with a group of persons who understand their relationship in God the same way that I do. I wish for us to work toward a Oneness of Love and to be an influence to change the thinking and acting of persons beyond us. This is what we have been doing, and God willing this is what we will continue to do.

Pastor Dick Dinges