To put it simply, it's an strange name, but a powerful mission. Stained glass international was formed to organize efforts to provide a place for young people who have been wounded, condemned, and misunderstood by church-goers and the church to find acceptance, and somewhere to belong before they ever believe.
The stained glass name springs from the work of Dr. Ray Mitsch in his teaching on "the stained glass self." Stained glass is how many of us live... behind a stained glass which projects an image that we have decided is the socially approved image rather than be a reflection of who we are behind the glass. Stained glass portrays a picture to us of how we want to be perceived even though behind the glass we are busy shaming, condemning, and comparing ourselves to everyone else.
We learn in rows, but we grow in circles. This is the reason of the focus for SGI is on the development and growth of groups led by trained leaders who know what the journey is like, and are wiling to help others on their journey as well no matter where that might take them.
The essence of and pivotal characteristic of all of our relationships(including the one with God) is our willingness to be known. In any relationship, we have a choice to make what we will with share about ourselves to another person. The key, of course, is the question, "to what degree to I even know myself?" The importance of that question hinges on the reality of if I don't really know myself, then what am sharing with the other person? The answer to that question is usually sharing what I hope to be rather than who I really am. This podcast will inspire, instruct, and encourage to move into relationships with the courage to be known. That's the basis of all growing and truly connected relationships.
In 2005 after experiencing a devastating accident that left him in perpetual pain, Dr. Mitsch embarked on a journey into the heart of God realizing that God didn’t need him to accomplish ministry for Him. Dr. Mitsch was hijacked by the tender, relentless grace of Jesus that cemented his conviction that God wanted a brutally honest, authentic relationship with him. This led him into a long desert experience with God that has refined and transformed his relationships and his relationship with his Abba.
