Seth’s World View

This year, I spend at home, back in Cranesville, Pennsylvania, where I spent the first 20 years of my life. It was back in 1974 that I was born to Frank and Iva Daire in Erie, PA. The house has gone through numerous changes the past 30 years, and many home meetings. My dad, a Pentecostal preacher, hosted more home church gatherings than I can remember in this house of ours. After graduating from Zion Bible Institute, he spent the next several years preaching and teaching as an evangelist. He and my mom, Iva Smith, got married when he was 30 years old (over 45 years ago!). As is typical for many Pentecostals, he worked a variety of jobs to support the family while also pursuing ministry. Many preachers and missionaries traveled through our doors, and we through theirs. And when I was young, around 5 years, my mom led me through the prayer to receive Jesus Christ. I knew I wanted it, though I had yet to learn what all a life in Christ entails. Through it all, I’ve seen people changed by the power of God, and seen some who use the right words but fail to live the life. Believe me, 20+ years of Christianity gave me lots of knowledge, but if it doesn’t go from my head to my feet, it’s worthless.

In my teens, got involved with various patriotic Christian movements. There were various strains of America-first, conspiracy theory, and militia groups. And while Christian theology was interwoven into most their ideals, and there was much truth to find, the gospel often got lost. Then there’s the story of how the majority of the Christian world turned on Jim Bakker, and how my dad sent him an ordination certificate and befriended him. That’s a long story. After 10 years of public school at Northwestern, I opted to homeschool my last three years.

Before going to college I took a year off to figure out what I wanted to do, then decided to major in Radio, TV, and Film at Messiah College. It was later changed to Speech/Radio Communications with a Family Studies minor. While there, I was a radio DJ, small group leader, street evangelist, prayer coordinator, gospel choir member, tech theatre stagehand, staff writer, photographer, SALT house member (coed community house), and concert committee member. During this time, I saw Tony Campolo, Brennan Manning, John Updike, Marylin Quayle, Dave Thomas, Elisabeth Elliot, Elie Weisel, and Lori Salierno. I got to be backstage with Jars of Clay, Audio Adrenaline, White Heart, and Kenny Marks (a fellow alum), among others. All in all, it was the most exciting and challenging time of my life. My worldview was greatly expanded and my friendship circle widened.

Upon leaving college, I found myself with great dreams, and a worldview that had made room for multiculturalism, pacifism, social justice, environmentalism, and many other perspectives. I also picked up interests in the arts, guitar, photography, and a renewed interest in writing. On the 31st, I will head back to my home of the last 2.5 years, Fort Collins, Colorado. There’s a verse that says: To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48). While I have had many blessings and opportunities, I haven’t always made the best of them. My hope for the coming year is that I will be the kind of person I’m capable of being by the grace of God. As Morpheus says in The Matrix: There’s a great deal of difference between knowing the path, and walking it.

Happy New Year!

Next Month – Part 2 or 2
The Empirical Analysis (or what it all felt like)