Kyle Lake, 1972-2005
One of my heroes died last Sunday.
I just found out about it today from one of my friends out that way. Kyle Lake was pastor of the University Baptist Church out in Waco, Texas. He was accidentally electrocuted while preparing to baptize someone during a church service, and soon passed away.
Kyle Lake was the author of two books, Understanding God's Will: How to Hack the Equation Without Formulas and (Re)Understanding Prayer: A Fresh Approach to Conversation with God. Not a single news article that reported his death (Christian-based publications notwithstanding) mentioned either of these books, which is a shame. I read the first earlier this year, and I'm currently reading the second. Kyle Lake is the first writer I've ever read who has been able to speak to who I am. Though I never met the man, I felt a kinship with him as I read his words. The man thought. For so long, I encountered church leaders and writers who demanded only acceptance of, and adherence to, explanations for all the questions we typically have regarding this or that pertaining to religion. Many times, my experience and learning seemed to have outgrown the answers I was being told I had to agree with, and they no longer satisfied the questions I had. This fact even gave me more questions: was I thinking too much, as I was so often told? Was I over-analyzing things? Was I unwilling to accept the truth? If I couldn't accept all that I was being told about my religion, did that place me outside of it, and consequently away from God? I could not become the wholly-confident, zealous Christian that seemed to be the ideal because I knew that I would not be true to myself.
Kyle Lake struck a chord in me by asking the same questions, by approaching things the same way I did. I received much needed affirmation by reading his work. It was like having someone come along and unlock the chains binding me. It was okay that I asked questions, that I thought past what I was told. He helped me reconceptualize a little of how I viewed God, and this re-framing lifted a lot of the feelings of failure that I had built up in the traditional church setting. For one thing, I no longer had to worry so much about questions like "What career does God want me to pursue?" Because Lake helped me to see that God's a lot more concerned with how I live and who I am. God may not tell me "Marry her" or "Say this" or "Take this job and not that one", but if I strive to be a learner of Christ, I will try to make careful, mature decisions about who to date, what to say, and where to work. That's not to say I've achieved being a learner of Christ; I still struggle. But it's a struggle that, if I take it on, I know will bring success and life and happiness and new opportunities for growth. It's a struggle I would take any day over trying (and failing) to be someone I'm not because someone else has dictated my ideals and goals to me.
I imagine that Kyle Lake was a wonderful man. He reached me and spoke to my inmost being. If he could achieve something like that, I have no doubt that he was a wonderful husband, father, pastor, and friend. And if I feel loss over his passing, it hurts me to think of what those who really knew him must be experiencing. I'm sad to know that he died, just as I would be for any person. But it goes deeper, I think, because I realize now that I'll never get to meet him in this world, to shake his hand. To say "Thank you."
I just found out about it today from one of my friends out that way. Kyle Lake was pastor of the University Baptist Church out in Waco, Texas. He was accidentally electrocuted while preparing to baptize someone during a church service, and soon passed away.
Kyle Lake was the author of two books, Understanding God's Will: How to Hack the Equation Without Formulas and (Re)Understanding Prayer: A Fresh Approach to Conversation with God. Not a single news article that reported his death (Christian-based publications notwithstanding) mentioned either of these books, which is a shame. I read the first earlier this year, and I'm currently reading the second. Kyle Lake is the first writer I've ever read who has been able to speak to who I am. Though I never met the man, I felt a kinship with him as I read his words. The man thought. For so long, I encountered church leaders and writers who demanded only acceptance of, and adherence to, explanations for all the questions we typically have regarding this or that pertaining to religion. Many times, my experience and learning seemed to have outgrown the answers I was being told I had to agree with, and they no longer satisfied the questions I had. This fact even gave me more questions: was I thinking too much, as I was so often told? Was I over-analyzing things? Was I unwilling to accept the truth? If I couldn't accept all that I was being told about my religion, did that place me outside of it, and consequently away from God? I could not become the wholly-confident, zealous Christian that seemed to be the ideal because I knew that I would not be true to myself.
Kyle Lake struck a chord in me by asking the same questions, by approaching things the same way I did. I received much needed affirmation by reading his work. It was like having someone come along and unlock the chains binding me. It was okay that I asked questions, that I thought past what I was told. He helped me reconceptualize a little of how I viewed God, and this re-framing lifted a lot of the feelings of failure that I had built up in the traditional church setting. For one thing, I no longer had to worry so much about questions like "What career does God want me to pursue?" Because Lake helped me to see that God's a lot more concerned with how I live and who I am. God may not tell me "Marry her" or "Say this" or "Take this job and not that one", but if I strive to be a learner of Christ, I will try to make careful, mature decisions about who to date, what to say, and where to work. That's not to say I've achieved being a learner of Christ; I still struggle. But it's a struggle that, if I take it on, I know will bring success and life and happiness and new opportunities for growth. It's a struggle I would take any day over trying (and failing) to be someone I'm not because someone else has dictated my ideals and goals to me.
I imagine that Kyle Lake was a wonderful man. He reached me and spoke to my inmost being. If he could achieve something like that, I have no doubt that he was a wonderful husband, father, pastor, and friend. And if I feel loss over his passing, it hurts me to think of what those who really knew him must be experiencing. I'm sad to know that he died, just as I would be for any person. But it goes deeper, I think, because I realize now that I'll never get to meet him in this world, to shake his hand. To say "Thank you."
posted by Casey at 3:09 AM
5 Comments:
Casey,
You say thank-you to Kyle by how you live your life...that Christ's message through the servant Kyle was transforming to your life...not just more knowledge or inspiration...but transformation. Keep up the pondering!
Your blog was awesome! I am so encouraged to hear someone who has never met Kyle but who was touched by him in the exact same way I was. He would love you, I can tell you that for sure. You have so much potential - please keep learning. He mentored me through college, and I question my theology and know God more deeply because of his example. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING REAL AND SHARING!!!
Your blog was awesome! I am so encouraged to hear someone who has never met Kyle but who was touched by him in the exact same way I was. He would love you, I can tell you that for sure. You have so much potential - please keep learning. He mentored me through college, and I question my theology and know God more deeply because of his example. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING REAL AND SHARING!!!
My wife and I were just talking and this would be a wonderful tribute for Kyle's kids to read someday about their dad. UBC has set up a footprints remembrance site. Please post this there - http://www.ubcwaco.org/2004/footprints.html
If he touched you so with his thoughts, could it not also be said that your thoughts might go forth and touch others, too? Perhaps God would have you send your thoughts into the world now, passing on the same thought patterns as Kyle, reaching out to those like yourself.
Your blog touched me.
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