The Eclectic Evangelical-Arlene Bridges Samuels : Spiritual DNA

Spiritual DNA

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

I received a DNA kit one year for my birthday. The results confirmed my Irish, Scots, and British roots. My patriarchal family tree opened the door for me to be a member of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). My “patriot ancestor” arrived on our shores prior to our fight for independence. Thanks to science, DNA tools have shined a light on our genetics. Indeed, it is fascinating; however, our spiritual DNA holds the treasure of eternal life forged in God’s infinite imagination when He created life “in the beginning.”

God also wove our spiritual DNA into a redemptive pattern of salvation through the sixty-six books of the Bible and culminates in the Incarnation when Immanuel (God with us) donned our human DNA to walk, teach, die, rise, and return to His Heavenly Father as our advocate.

In the pages of the greatest, most reliable book in history, the words are transmitted by the Creator of DNA itself. Through Jewish scribes, the Bible brilliantly captivates us with the “greatest story ever told.” God’s human entrance into the world came through Mary, a young Jewish woman. Her DNA was met with the most profound anomaly in human history from God the Father; a virgin birth.

Our spiritual DNA transmitted through the Jewish tribes set the stage to welcome and crown our Jewish Savior. Encountering Jesus is humbling, rich in overwhelming love, and eternal. Truly more than our human DNA can comprehend!

Our spiritual DNA also offers us an enormous family tree stretching around the world across cultures, colors, economic status, national boundaries, and backgrounds! That means that my Christian family includes a potpourri of Americans in varying denominations. Add to the mix Christians on every continent, Muslim and Jewish background believers, and it is a beautiful tapestry of Christian cultures on earth.

Whether we know much about our physical ancestry or not, inviting Jesus to dwell in our lives, HE becomes our Spiritual DNA. He saves, guides, and counsels us. He strengthens and enables us to bless and serve others. He enriches our earthly lives and secures our place in Heaven.

A Tapestry of Churches

A splendid tapestry of churches has ripened my faith with fruit from many good trees; as a missionary with Mercy Ships in a crew I describe as a "Christian United Nations," and also living in Switzerland and Romania-plus moving around the United States.

Growing up, my Southern Baptist church laid my foundation built with singing the great hymns of the church, where to locate books of the Bible, and scripture memory. Through my youth group, I encountered the Lord in a personal way on July 31, 1963.

Presbyterians fed me at a buffet of Protestant theologians especially my favorite one, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and emphasized God’s sovereignty.

In The Episcopal Church, I waded into two different streams, one liturgical and the other charismatic. In the liturgical "high" Episcopal church, I feasted at the Eucharist each week and navigated the ups and downs of kneeling. In the charismatic Episcopal church, I connected more deeply with the Holy Spirit, finding freedom to raise my hands in joyful worship. As a member of a black church on then-small Hilton Head Island, the pastor and choir fed me with vibrant songs and eloquent sermons.

Living in Switzerland, we enjoyed worshipping with other ex-pats in the Church of Scotland. During our eight years with Mercy Ships, the world's largest private Christian hospital ship, we sailed the seas with a crew from 35 nations-among them South Sea Islanders who introduced us to their lovely, worshipful dances. On the mission field living in Romania, my senses delighted in the Romanian Orthodox Church replete with incense and gilded, intricate altars.

In a non-denominational church with contemporary music, I engaged with believers from varied church backgrounds and joined a small group. At the Church of God, I worshipped in a Pentecostal setting in a distinctly pro-Israel denomination that displayed the American and Israeli flags. Belongling to a small Anglican church I relished liturgy, weekly Eucharist, missions outreach to Rwanda, and acoustic guitars.

Transferring from small Anglican to big Baptist, I have reconnected with my chidlhood biblical roots where I feast on hymns sung by an outstanding choir and orchestra, an excellent Sunday School class, bible-focused sermons, and a prolific domestic and international missions focus. Last but not least, the Jewish community and expert Hebraic roots teachers have opened a door of deeper understanding that Judaism nurtured Christianity in an ancient cradle rich with commandments, festivals, wisdom, poetry, patriarchs, prophets, and Older and New Testaments. Significantly, learning more about Jewish culture and Christianity's Jewish roots has deepened a richer relationship with my Savior, a Jewish Rabbi. I've received an extraordinary gift as a non-Jew grafted into the branches of the ancient Jewish tree connecting me to Israel, my spiritual homeland. .

I invite you to walk with me through a lifetime of adventures reflecting a tapestry of faith that I hope will encourage you in your journey to discover extraordinary beauty and limitless fulfillment of our Christian faith.

In Him we hope, Arlene

Spiritual DNA

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Spiritual DNA