Hello, I’m Joel Bidderman, and I am a pastor and Spiritual Director, as well as a musician and a creative. Simply On Mission (SOM) is my space where I develop resources for contemplation, cultivating an inner life with God, fostering creativity as a pathway of spiritual growth, and living lives of justice and mercy.

CONTEMPLATION

con·tem·pla·tive
/kənˈtemplədiv/

noun
a person whose life is devoted primarily to prayer, especially in a monastery or convent.

con·tem·pla·tive
/kənˈtemplədiv/

noun
a person whose life is devoted primarily to prayer

The contemplative tradition of the Christian faith has impacted and transformed my life (and it still does). I believe that a life that has a foundation in prayer, is a life that is empowered by the Spirit, and can make us more like Jesus. I believe all of us are invited to cultivate lives devoted primarily to prayer – not through withdrawing from the world, but rather by cultivating practices in our lives to live out lives of prayer wherever we go.

Creativity

Creativity has been a foundation part of my spiritual development, and Simply On Mission is a space for developing practical ways to engage in both creating as a spiritual practice, and beholding the creativity of others as a means of hearing God’s voice in our lives.

Compassion

Fr. Richard Rohr wrote in his book, Simplicity, “The effect of contemplation is authentic action, and if contemplation doesn’t lead to authentic action, then it remains only navel-gazing and self-preoccupation.” I agree. I believe that in order to embody the Love of God, it requires that our hearts are being transformed in silence, solitude, and stillness. Authentic transformation leads to authentic action.

A Francis-ish Way

A Francis-ish Way

Something that often arises in the themes and discussions of following Jesus is how my philosophy of ministry and worldview is largely Franciscan influenced. You can learn more about how this shapes the ways that I minister and serve.