“The gospels, the epistles, and Revelation itself “work” only when you see them as detailed elaborations of the large, complex, but utterly coherent story we sketched earlier: the call of Human to be God’s image-bearer into creation, the call of Israel to be the rescuer of Human, and the vocation of Jesus to be the one who, completing Israel’s task, rescues Human so that, through redeemed humankind, the whole creation can be liberated from its corruption and death and the project of new creation decisively launched.”
Excerpt From: N. T. Wright. “After You Believe.” HarperCollins, 2010.
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gospel. Show all posts
1.08.2016
9.27.2015
Christian Prostitution
If you watch the first video, make sure you watch the second one too, its kinda the main point. The song he is talking about is the third video.
2.15.2015
Celebrating Black History?
Why would a White man write an article celebrating Black History?
...thats a fair question, but I think the answer is obvious enough. A better question, however, is why would anyone want to read an article from a White man celebrating Black History?
Hopefully that question is answered in the next paragraphs.
Permit me an observation. Some of the most articulate African-American voices I interact with are often given a platform to speak to White people about issues of race and racial reconciliation. White culture, and in particular, White Christian culture, is coming to terms with the fact that the gospel demands that we share meals with Christians of every cultural background (see Galatians 2). In light of this, articulate African American voices are sought after by some White Christians... but those voices are quite often only invited to speak about one thing: race and racial reconciliation.
The White Church will have a panel discussion around issues of race, and invite a multi-cultural group to speak, or will have an event focused on the issue and invite an African-American scholar to present some ideas the topic. In and of itself, this is a good thing. We need people of all cultures speaking to the issue of a reconciled and reconciling church. In particular we need the voices of the Black community to share their perspectives and their pain regarding the racial history of our world and the Church. The problem lies, however, in the fact that this is often the only space where White Christians are willing and able to hear Black voices.
Back to Galatians.
Paul's argument is not that Jews and Gentiles must resolve past hurts for the sake of the gospel, but rather, that Jews and Gentiles must eat together for the sake of the gospel! Indeed, the entire point of resolving past hurts is precisely so that we can enjoy fellowship in Christ!
What this means to me is that, while it is indeed vitally important for me to hear Black voices explain the history of race from Black perspectives, it is equally, if not more important, for me to hear Black voices speaking about worship, poverty, Christology, prayer, Ecclesiology, discipleship, addiction, Missiology, evangelism, technology, leadership, business, philosophy of ministry, socio-economics, etc. from Black perspectives!
The Church needs the wisdom of the Black community's voice, not just on issues of race and racial reconciliation (although this is one of the great gems that the Black community has to offer the global church!), but on all issues. The Body of Christ needs every member healthy and fully engaged for us to be healthy as a whole. If we belong to Christ, then we belong to each other. While this must be asserted when one part is suffering, it should also be asserted when there is no suffering! Should we only give attention to our hands when they are injured, or might we consider using them for work, and play, and art when they are healthy as well!
So... back to the question at the top; why would anyone read an article celebrating Black History that is written by a White man?
Simply put, if we are to ask for the African-American voice to speak to every facet of life in God's good creation, then we ought to expect to hear the White voice speak to issues of race and reconciliation. If I have asked African-Americans to speak about the breadth and depth of life and ministry, then perhaps I ought to speak to the issue of race and reconciliation.
Admittedly, this article has not actually been much of a 'celebration' of Black History or Black culture, so much as a push in the direction a multi-cultural future! So I will end with a few practical thoughts that might help:
1) Recognize our failure at a multicultural church as a failure at believing the gospel (Galatians 2:14); as a failure at Christian maturity. We must begin to talk like this and think like this. "I won't eat at the table with 'them' because I won't trust in the power and truth of the gospel."
2) Start with eating together with those different from you. Jesus scandalized his contemporaries precisely by who he chose to eat with. This is because table fellowship builds intimacy. Let us learn to eat the bountifully diverse fare of the Lord's Wedding Feast!
3) Look for collaborative projects with Christians of different cultures and traditions. The word conspiracy literally means "to share breath with another." This is the definition of intimacy. Let us find conspirators amongst Christians of all cultures!
4) Move towards giving away control, power, and influence. This means you will get things that you dislike and disagree with. Do so anyway, for the sake of the gospel.
5) Be true to who you are in Christ, don't hide yourself or pretend to be something you are not. But be humble and accept others as they are in Christ, allow them the same luxury to be themselves!
6) Expect this to be a painful process. Don't be afraid to communicate your pain, but be even more attentive to the pain of others! Think of it like a poodle dating a gorilla, it surely requires a great degree of sensitivity and creativity!
...thats a fair question, but I think the answer is obvious enough. A better question, however, is why would anyone want to read an article from a White man celebrating Black History?
Hopefully that question is answered in the next paragraphs.
Permit me an observation. Some of the most articulate African-American voices I interact with are often given a platform to speak to White people about issues of race and racial reconciliation. White culture, and in particular, White Christian culture, is coming to terms with the fact that the gospel demands that we share meals with Christians of every cultural background (see Galatians 2). In light of this, articulate African American voices are sought after by some White Christians... but those voices are quite often only invited to speak about one thing: race and racial reconciliation.
The White Church will have a panel discussion around issues of race, and invite a multi-cultural group to speak, or will have an event focused on the issue and invite an African-American scholar to present some ideas the topic. In and of itself, this is a good thing. We need people of all cultures speaking to the issue of a reconciled and reconciling church. In particular we need the voices of the Black community to share their perspectives and their pain regarding the racial history of our world and the Church. The problem lies, however, in the fact that this is often the only space where White Christians are willing and able to hear Black voices.
Back to Galatians.
Paul's argument is not that Jews and Gentiles must resolve past hurts for the sake of the gospel, but rather, that Jews and Gentiles must eat together for the sake of the gospel! Indeed, the entire point of resolving past hurts is precisely so that we can enjoy fellowship in Christ!
What this means to me is that, while it is indeed vitally important for me to hear Black voices explain the history of race from Black perspectives, it is equally, if not more important, for me to hear Black voices speaking about worship, poverty, Christology, prayer, Ecclesiology, discipleship, addiction, Missiology, evangelism, technology, leadership, business, philosophy of ministry, socio-economics, etc. from Black perspectives!
The Church needs the wisdom of the Black community's voice, not just on issues of race and racial reconciliation (although this is one of the great gems that the Black community has to offer the global church!), but on all issues. The Body of Christ needs every member healthy and fully engaged for us to be healthy as a whole. If we belong to Christ, then we belong to each other. While this must be asserted when one part is suffering, it should also be asserted when there is no suffering! Should we only give attention to our hands when they are injured, or might we consider using them for work, and play, and art when they are healthy as well!
So... back to the question at the top; why would anyone read an article celebrating Black History that is written by a White man?
Simply put, if we are to ask for the African-American voice to speak to every facet of life in God's good creation, then we ought to expect to hear the White voice speak to issues of race and reconciliation. If I have asked African-Americans to speak about the breadth and depth of life and ministry, then perhaps I ought to speak to the issue of race and reconciliation.
1) Recognize our failure at a multicultural church as a failure at believing the gospel (Galatians 2:14); as a failure at Christian maturity. We must begin to talk like this and think like this. "I won't eat at the table with 'them' because I won't trust in the power and truth of the gospel."
2) Start with eating together with those different from you. Jesus scandalized his contemporaries precisely by who he chose to eat with. This is because table fellowship builds intimacy. Let us learn to eat the bountifully diverse fare of the Lord's Wedding Feast!
3) Look for collaborative projects with Christians of different cultures and traditions. The word conspiracy literally means "to share breath with another." This is the definition of intimacy. Let us find conspirators amongst Christians of all cultures!
4) Move towards giving away control, power, and influence. This means you will get things that you dislike and disagree with. Do so anyway, for the sake of the gospel.
5) Be true to who you are in Christ, don't hide yourself or pretend to be something you are not. But be humble and accept others as they are in Christ, allow them the same luxury to be themselves!
6) Expect this to be a painful process. Don't be afraid to communicate your pain, but be even more attentive to the pain of others! Think of it like a poodle dating a gorilla, it surely requires a great degree of sensitivity and creativity!
1.22.2013
What Is a Christian?
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene,went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good newsabout the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 11
Who are these people? What do we call them? They aren't Jews... they're not Greeks; they are all of the above. So what do we call them?
How about Christians?
==============
So, the next question is, what do you call followers of Jesus who only hang out with people who look like themselves? Are they still qualified to be called a Christian?
2.17.2011
The Irreducibility of the Communal Narrative pt III
If the community of God's people is the medium for communicating the message of God's good news, then many of the behavioral prescriptions of the New Testament are actually just as important in terms of their communicative properties as they are in terms of their ethical properties. What we do is important because God wants us to act a certain way, but it is just as important because of what it says about God's Kingdom...
In other words, we are commanded to behave in certain ways because God wants us to behave in those ways, but also because God wants our lifestyle to communicate certain things about the gospel. This is true in all NT commands but we will here discuss one in particular, and for two reasons. Firstly, the New Testament authors (Paul in particular) make it clear just how important this commandment is and are explicit about its communicative properties, and secondly, it is a particular shortcoming of the contemporary church.
I am speaking of the calling of the church to be the united, newly created, people of God, called out from among every ethnic group, every social class, every cultural group, and every language, into allegiance to Jesus.
==============================
John 17:20-26
John quotes Jesus' prayer for his followers, including those in the future (you and I). Jesus' prayer makes it clear that the unity of the church will communicate the veracity of the gospel to the world. In other words, when the world comes upon a community of people who have nothing in common (a community that crosses political, racial, language, class, educational, sexual boundaries) they will be forced to wonder just what it is that binds us together. Contrariwise, when the church ghettoizes itself along denominational, racial, political and socio-economic lines, we damage the proclamation of the gospel message.
Romans 10:9-13
"I am saved by faith, therefore____________"
The typical evangelical fill-in-the-blank answer to this is "I am not saved by effort," but this is not the scriptural answer! In every single place in the NT where justification by faith is brought up, it is tied directly to the unity of the Church across social divides. We have been blinded to the words of scripture, and have failed at our exegetical task, by the history of Protestant anti-Pelagianism. The Scriptural argument is "I am saved by faith, therefore there is no longer a division between Jew and Gentile, slave or free..."
Galatians 2:11-21
Paul gets in Peter's face over this! This is not a peripheral issue. Paul essentially tells Peter he is denying the gospel when he refuses to eat with people of another race! This is a gospel issue for Paul, and should be for us too. Why are our communities of faith divided? Why do white Christians and Black Christians, English speaking believers and Spanish speaking ones, rich brothers and poor brothers, eat at separate tables? And even more importantly, why aren't we getting in anyone's face about this issue?
==========================
In short, you are not a committed disciple of Christ unless you are committed to work through your biases, and actively engaging in deep, formative, and submissive relationships with people who do not share your racial, economic, educational, political, or even theological, heritage.
In other words, we are commanded to behave in certain ways because God wants us to behave in those ways, but also because God wants our lifestyle to communicate certain things about the gospel. This is true in all NT commands but we will here discuss one in particular, and for two reasons. Firstly, the New Testament authors (Paul in particular) make it clear just how important this commandment is and are explicit about its communicative properties, and secondly, it is a particular shortcoming of the contemporary church.
I am speaking of the calling of the church to be the united, newly created, people of God, called out from among every ethnic group, every social class, every cultural group, and every language, into allegiance to Jesus.
==============================
John 17:20-26
John quotes Jesus' prayer for his followers, including those in the future (you and I). Jesus' prayer makes it clear that the unity of the church will communicate the veracity of the gospel to the world. In other words, when the world comes upon a community of people who have nothing in common (a community that crosses political, racial, language, class, educational, sexual boundaries) they will be forced to wonder just what it is that binds us together. Contrariwise, when the church ghettoizes itself along denominational, racial, political and socio-economic lines, we damage the proclamation of the gospel message.
Romans 10:9-13
"I am saved by faith, therefore____________"
The typical evangelical fill-in-the-blank answer to this is "I am not saved by effort," but this is not the scriptural answer! In every single place in the NT where justification by faith is brought up, it is tied directly to the unity of the Church across social divides. We have been blinded to the words of scripture, and have failed at our exegetical task, by the history of Protestant anti-Pelagianism. The Scriptural argument is "I am saved by faith, therefore there is no longer a division between Jew and Gentile, slave or free..."
Galatians 2:11-21
Paul gets in Peter's face over this! This is not a peripheral issue. Paul essentially tells Peter he is denying the gospel when he refuses to eat with people of another race! This is a gospel issue for Paul, and should be for us too. Why are our communities of faith divided? Why do white Christians and Black Christians, English speaking believers and Spanish speaking ones, rich brothers and poor brothers, eat at separate tables? And even more importantly, why aren't we getting in anyone's face about this issue?
==========================
In short, you are not a committed disciple of Christ unless you are committed to work through your biases, and actively engaging in deep, formative, and submissive relationships with people who do not share your racial, economic, educational, political, or even theological, heritage.
2.13.2011
The Irreducibility of the Communal Narrative pt II
Another way of making Smith's case is the phrase, 'the medium is the message.' Smith is arguing, not exactly that this is true, but that the medium is an important part of the message, and that the message is fundamentally different if the medium is changed. With respect to narrative knowledge, if we change the medium of the message from a story to a set of propositional statements, something is lost; that something is precisely knowledge.
So... if the medium is indispensable to the message, then we must pay at least as much attention to the medium we use to communicate with as to the message itself. And here we come to my main point:
If the message is the gospel story, then the medium is the community itself!
The gospel story is itself irreducible to propositions, but even more so, it is irreducible to merely a story. In order for the gospel to be fully communicated, a community is required. And not just any community...
It is this very thing that causes Paul to be so up in arms about the inclusion of the Gentiles...
So... if the medium is indispensable to the message, then we must pay at least as much attention to the medium we use to communicate with as to the message itself. And here we come to my main point:
If the message is the gospel story, then the medium is the community itself!
The gospel story is itself irreducible to propositions, but even more so, it is irreducible to merely a story. In order for the gospel to be fully communicated, a community is required. And not just any community...
It is this very thing that causes Paul to be so up in arms about the inclusion of the Gentiles...
12.25.2010
Review: Beyond Belief pt I
I will address some of her specific points in later posts, but thought it best to start with some generalizations:
Pagels portrays orthodox Christianity as largely concerned with static doctrinal purity. Conversely, gnosticism, as she describes it, is entirely concerned with a perpetual quest for meaning. Pagels claims that the orthodox understanding of truth is largely in terms of propositional statements, and in the conviction that those propositional truth claims are absolute. Gnosticism, however, is open to other, intuitive and emotive, ways of knowing. Pagels implies often throughout the book that the orthodox position, far from holding to truth, actually prevents people from pursuing truth; we are more concerned with political correctness than with truth. I must confess, Pagels description here of the Church, while painful, is generally accurate.
This was, however, the only strength of the book in my opinion.
We have often set aside the pursuit of God, and the seeking of truth, for the sake of a sense of assuredness. We want to 'know the truth' but when we discover that the truth is complicated or even, at times, ineffable we settle for 'knowing doctrine.'
====================
...a friend wants to know God more deeply, he is a Christian and a member of a local church, but the leaders of the church simply parrot creeds and doctrines at him. He doesn't know what questions to ask, but there is a sense of dissatisfaction with the answers they give him. They are frustrated that he won't just 'get with the program' but he simply wants to know the truth. (I thought that was the program!)
====================
We have become more concerned with correctly pronouncing our theological shibboleth's while ignoring the content of our theology and our lives. How someone answers the question of Christology, or homosexuality, or ____________, is more important to us that whether someone prays regularly, loves deeply, lives intimately, or obeys readily. We are unwilling to question, or to allow (much less encourage) others to question, out of fear. I know of Christian pastor's and professors who have explicitly stated, "I don't want my students to learn to think critically, I just want them to believe the correct statements of fact and doctrine."
Gnosticism, of course, runs to the other end of the spectrum here! There is no real concern for truth, as such. Rather, whatever I discover within myself is truth. This is Pagel's real agenda behind her scholarship; yet another ringing endorsement of the Enlightenment agenda, the unshackling of individualism and hedonism.
The contemporary gnostic says, 'Look deep within yourself, and then be true to whatever you find there.'
As one who has looked deep within myself and been horrified, I find these sentiments naive at best, evil at worst, and obviously spoken by someone who has no intention of looking 'deep within' in any honest sense of those words...
Pagels portrays orthodox Christianity as largely concerned with static doctrinal purity. Conversely, gnosticism, as she describes it, is entirely concerned with a perpetual quest for meaning. Pagels claims that the orthodox understanding of truth is largely in terms of propositional statements, and in the conviction that those propositional truth claims are absolute. Gnosticism, however, is open to other, intuitive and emotive, ways of knowing. Pagels implies often throughout the book that the orthodox position, far from holding to truth, actually prevents people from pursuing truth; we are more concerned with political correctness than with truth. I must confess, Pagels description here of the Church, while painful, is generally accurate.
This was, however, the only strength of the book in my opinion.
We have often set aside the pursuit of God, and the seeking of truth, for the sake of a sense of assuredness. We want to 'know the truth' but when we discover that the truth is complicated or even, at times, ineffable we settle for 'knowing doctrine.'
====================
...a friend wants to know God more deeply, he is a Christian and a member of a local church, but the leaders of the church simply parrot creeds and doctrines at him. He doesn't know what questions to ask, but there is a sense of dissatisfaction with the answers they give him. They are frustrated that he won't just 'get with the program' but he simply wants to know the truth. (I thought that was the program!)
====================
We have become more concerned with correctly pronouncing our theological shibboleth's while ignoring the content of our theology and our lives. How someone answers the question of Christology, or homosexuality, or ____________, is more important to us that whether someone prays regularly, loves deeply, lives intimately, or obeys readily. We are unwilling to question, or to allow (much less encourage) others to question, out of fear. I know of Christian pastor's and professors who have explicitly stated, "I don't want my students to learn to think critically, I just want them to believe the correct statements of fact and doctrine."
Gnosticism, of course, runs to the other end of the spectrum here! There is no real concern for truth, as such. Rather, whatever I discover within myself is truth. This is Pagel's real agenda behind her scholarship; yet another ringing endorsement of the Enlightenment agenda, the unshackling of individualism and hedonism.
The contemporary gnostic says, 'Look deep within yourself, and then be true to whatever you find there.'
As one who has looked deep within myself and been horrified, I find these sentiments naive at best, evil at worst, and obviously spoken by someone who has no intention of looking 'deep within' in any honest sense of those words...
12.17.2010
Rewriting History, or Correcting It?
"During the time of persecution of Christians, the church fathers constructed the canon, creed and hierarchy, suppressing many of its spiritual resources in the process, in order to avoid conflict with Roman law and religion."
Here is the link to where the quote came from.
It is a review of the Elaine Pagels book I am currently reading, Beyond Belief. I will have some thoughts and a review of sorts posted here shortly...
Fascinating stuff that makes me grateful for my intellectual superiors who have done their homework before me, and allowed me to look over their shoulders all the while!
Here is the link to where the quote came from.
It is a review of the Elaine Pagels book I am currently reading, Beyond Belief. I will have some thoughts and a review of sorts posted here shortly...
Fascinating stuff that makes me grateful for my intellectual superiors who have done their homework before me, and allowed me to look over their shoulders all the while!
7.22.2010
Gospel Contextualization for Science Geeks
"I was praying last night and God said..."
translation: "I have established communication with extra-terrestrial intelligence from dimension X."
"I asked Jesus into my heart..."
translation: "I have become a symbiotic host for an extra-terrestrial being."
translation: "I have established communication with extra-terrestrial intelligence from dimension X."
"I asked Jesus into my heart..."
translation: "I have become a symbiotic host for an extra-terrestrial being."
4.19.2010
Repentance
"Mark 1:15 “Jesus then came into Galilee announcing the Good News from God. ‘All the preliminaries have been taken care of,’ he said, ‘and the rule of God is now accessible to everyone. Review your plans for living and base your life on this remarkable new opportunity.”
This is a call for us to reconsider how we have been approaching our life, in light of the fact that we now, in the presence of Jesus, have the option of living within the surrounding movements of God’s eternal purposes, of taking our life into His life."
Dallas Willard
This is a call for us to reconsider how we have been approaching our life, in light of the fact that we now, in the presence of Jesus, have the option of living within the surrounding movements of God’s eternal purposes, of taking our life into His life."
Dallas Willard
3.17.2010
More Prosperity
The only problem is, scripture actually does speak of God's Kingdom in terms of material blessing!!!
Certainly more than merely wealth and health, but definitely including health and wealth.
The prosperity preachers have that part right; God does indeed want you to 'overcome' and to erase all tears, to provide food and drink at no cost, etc.
The problem is not in the preaching of a prosperity from God but in an inaccurate eschatology (forgetting the Kingdom is both now and not yet), in an awkward theology (portraying a God who both condemns greed and rewards it), in a short sighted perspective on suffering (unaware of the fruit of God's discipline), and in a skewed understanding of discipleship and spiritual formation (our desires are not in need of transformation, and can simply be pursued 'as is')
Certainly more than merely wealth and health, but definitely including health and wealth.
The prosperity preachers have that part right; God does indeed want you to 'overcome' and to erase all tears, to provide food and drink at no cost, etc.
The problem is not in the preaching of a prosperity from God but in an inaccurate eschatology (forgetting the Kingdom is both now and not yet), in an awkward theology (portraying a God who both condemns greed and rewards it), in a short sighted perspective on suffering (unaware of the fruit of God's discipline), and in a skewed understanding of discipleship and spiritual formation (our desires are not in need of transformation, and can simply be pursued 'as is')
6.22.2007
ASK ME WHY YOU ARE GOING TO HELL!
A man stood off to the side, surrounded by a group of 15 or so people crowding in on him, squeezing close, from afar there appeared to be a quiet intensity about that little huddle of people not the least of which included the large sign he carried, bordered with flames...
Across from this group were thousands of oblivious concert-goers. Not knowing, or not caring, to hear what this man had to tell them.
I stood observing him for five or ten minutes. To give him (and those around him) credit, there did not seem to be any shouting or intimidating going on, but there was plenty of tension, plenty of angry tones, plenty of hostility, toward him and his message, as well as from him.
I and a friend drew closer to listen, joining that little crowd of people (this group was gaining and losing people every moment, but there were a few faces who remained the entire time I was there) who were variously trying to argue, trying to belittle, finding something to laugh at, finding something to be angry at, being confused, and being agravated, or just listening...
A few faces stood out to me::
A young gothic teenager and his gothic girlfriend, he seem angry and frustrated; the girl told me she was a Christian when my friend asked her, she was not happy with this man's presence.
Another gothic man, perhaps my age, wearing a set of handcuffs, a red tee-shirt, and a shaved head. His face more than any other stands out in my mind's eye. The entire time I was there (20 minutes?) he never said anything, he had a very meek demeanor with folded hands, as though he didn't want to provoke, and he wore (what seemed to me) a pained expression on his face. I did not speak to him, but it seemed to me as though he wanted to listen, to understand why he was destined for hell, as though he wanted to hear what this man said, almost out of self-loathing...
...I want to speak to him.
Other faces, mocking and jeering, arguing and confronting; I am sure that my own was somewhat twisted with anguish...
======================
Earlier I had watched the movie with Denzel Washington, Man on Fire. Now, you are going to have to grant me some leeway here, which I think is warranted by Jesus own way of speaking; the Parable of the Unjust Judge is an example of Jesus speaking of God in a way that gets at a truth, even though it speaks of God in other ways that aren't necessarily true; so bear with me here.
In this movie Denzel Washington plays a broken man, a drunk haunted by evil things he has done, it is hinted at that he was involved in covert military operations. He sporadically reads the Scriptures and at one point he asks, "Can God forgive us for what we have done?" He lands a job as a body guard for an elite and wealthy family in Latin America. His primary role is to protect their young daughter from kidnapping. At first he presents the young girl with a gruff exterior, but her love for him wins him over, he comes to love her. When she is kidnapped, and then killed, he unleashes upon her killers with vengeance.
He is relentless, and goes to any lengths to rescue her, and then avenge her, without concern for the risk or cost to himself. He will not be dissuaded from his course of action, he has found the one thing in life that has made it okay for him to live, and now she has been harmed.
Perhaps it was simply the plot itself and the acting of Mr. Washington, and yet, I know that it was aided by the portrayal of the young girl by a blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl, similar to my own beautiful daughter Zoe; for whatever reason, this film touched me. I couldn't help but cry at several points in the film, and even afterward... and I felt that God was saying to me, "Steve, my heart loves like this, my heart hurts like this; tell them that I love them like this!"
===============
...and so, when I saw these people listening to this man explaining to them why God wants to torture them for eternity, I was moved... I don't know how to respond. I didn't really respond then in any way other than to listen, and be sad. It demands a response. People have to know, they need to know that God desperately loves them, He yearns to be with them.
Isn't that the point of the Parable of the Lost coin, the Lost Sheep, and the Lost Son? Isn't that what we hear whispered in the name of Jesus? Isn't that what we see when we look to the cross? At the anguish of God, desparate to recover to himself, his dear children?
Across from this group were thousands of oblivious concert-goers. Not knowing, or not caring, to hear what this man had to tell them.
I stood observing him for five or ten minutes. To give him (and those around him) credit, there did not seem to be any shouting or intimidating going on, but there was plenty of tension, plenty of angry tones, plenty of hostility, toward him and his message, as well as from him.
I and a friend drew closer to listen, joining that little crowd of people (this group was gaining and losing people every moment, but there were a few faces who remained the entire time I was there) who were variously trying to argue, trying to belittle, finding something to laugh at, finding something to be angry at, being confused, and being agravated, or just listening...
A few faces stood out to me::
A young gothic teenager and his gothic girlfriend, he seem angry and frustrated; the girl told me she was a Christian when my friend asked her, she was not happy with this man's presence.
Another gothic man, perhaps my age, wearing a set of handcuffs, a red tee-shirt, and a shaved head. His face more than any other stands out in my mind's eye. The entire time I was there (20 minutes?) he never said anything, he had a very meek demeanor with folded hands, as though he didn't want to provoke, and he wore (what seemed to me) a pained expression on his face. I did not speak to him, but it seemed to me as though he wanted to listen, to understand why he was destined for hell, as though he wanted to hear what this man said, almost out of self-loathing...
...I want to speak to him.
Other faces, mocking and jeering, arguing and confronting; I am sure that my own was somewhat twisted with anguish...
======================
Earlier I had watched the movie with Denzel Washington, Man on Fire. Now, you are going to have to grant me some leeway here, which I think is warranted by Jesus own way of speaking; the Parable of the Unjust Judge is an example of Jesus speaking of God in a way that gets at a truth, even though it speaks of God in other ways that aren't necessarily true; so bear with me here.
In this movie Denzel Washington plays a broken man, a drunk haunted by evil things he has done, it is hinted at that he was involved in covert military operations. He sporadically reads the Scriptures and at one point he asks, "Can God forgive us for what we have done?" He lands a job as a body guard for an elite and wealthy family in Latin America. His primary role is to protect their young daughter from kidnapping. At first he presents the young girl with a gruff exterior, but her love for him wins him over, he comes to love her. When she is kidnapped, and then killed, he unleashes upon her killers with vengeance.
He is relentless, and goes to any lengths to rescue her, and then avenge her, without concern for the risk or cost to himself. He will not be dissuaded from his course of action, he has found the one thing in life that has made it okay for him to live, and now she has been harmed.
Perhaps it was simply the plot itself and the acting of Mr. Washington, and yet, I know that it was aided by the portrayal of the young girl by a blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl, similar to my own beautiful daughter Zoe; for whatever reason, this film touched me. I couldn't help but cry at several points in the film, and even afterward... and I felt that God was saying to me, "Steve, my heart loves like this, my heart hurts like this; tell them that I love them like this!"
===============
...and so, when I saw these people listening to this man explaining to them why God wants to torture them for eternity, I was moved... I don't know how to respond. I didn't really respond then in any way other than to listen, and be sad. It demands a response. People have to know, they need to know that God desperately loves them, He yearns to be with them.
Isn't that the point of the Parable of the Lost coin, the Lost Sheep, and the Lost Son? Isn't that what we hear whispered in the name of Jesus? Isn't that what we see when we look to the cross? At the anguish of God, desparate to recover to himself, his dear children?
3.03.2007
Ramblings...
If "Theology" is knowledge of God, then the letters of Paul are not really Theology, and the parables of Jesus are...
...why then do we quote the epistles, yet ignore the words of Jesus?
Why do we answer the question, "What must I do to be saved?" with quotations from Romans, instead of with the very words Jesus used to answer that exact question?
Certainly I am not disparaging the words of Paul, only contextualizing them. They are primarily pastoral, not theological (this of course includes and implies theological content). Paul addresses issues of "Christian living," Jesus answers the question, "What is God like?"
I have before remarked on the unique situation of quoting Jesus and having a brother contradict that statement with a quotation of Paul. (Obviously we should use Jesus as the lens with which to view Paul, and not vice versa.) What is it about the words of Jesus that we Christians find so inflammatory? Is it that they challenge our religiosity? Do they imply that our religion cannot save, or that the "theologies" we have built for ourselves have nothing to do with God? Jesus cuts through our worked up definitions of "how to get to heaven" with simple parables that point out that our hearts are too black to enter that place...
Isn't it typical of God to reveal himself through make-believe stories and simple acts of compassion...
...true theology is never spoken, but rather acted.
And another train of thought...
Someone spoke the other day about the parable of the "Prodigal Son" and it dawned on me that there was yet another way in which this parable defines my relationship with God. (I have often seen myself in this story as I was raised in the Church, then lived in the world for several years, until ruin befell me; upon which I returned to God.)
The son comes to his senses and plans to return to his father, but he thinks to himself that he is no longer worthy to be a son, he will return as a servant. But this shows that the son never truly understood the depths of his father's love. The father's response to this attitude in his son is to interrupt him with love and blessing.
When I returned to my spiritual father, I did so with fear and trepidation (as is proper) but also with unconscious doubts about His goodness and wholehearted desire to bless. For several years I was afraid that God desired to bring calamity upon me. I thought that He could use me as a servant, and that my humiliation would somehow bring Him glory; but I could not believe that God would still treat me as a son, I had squandered my Father's blessing, He would not bestow another upon me...
...but I had failed to understand the goodness of my Father. God continued to speak to me, "My son, I love you and value you deeply, I will throw a costly party to celebrate your return!"
Thankfully God's patient persistence won out over my fear and unbelief!
...why then do we quote the epistles, yet ignore the words of Jesus?
Why do we answer the question, "What must I do to be saved?" with quotations from Romans, instead of with the very words Jesus used to answer that exact question?
Certainly I am not disparaging the words of Paul, only contextualizing them. They are primarily pastoral, not theological (this of course includes and implies theological content). Paul addresses issues of "Christian living," Jesus answers the question, "What is God like?"
I have before remarked on the unique situation of quoting Jesus and having a brother contradict that statement with a quotation of Paul. (Obviously we should use Jesus as the lens with which to view Paul, and not vice versa.) What is it about the words of Jesus that we Christians find so inflammatory? Is it that they challenge our religiosity? Do they imply that our religion cannot save, or that the "theologies" we have built for ourselves have nothing to do with God? Jesus cuts through our worked up definitions of "how to get to heaven" with simple parables that point out that our hearts are too black to enter that place...
Isn't it typical of God to reveal himself through make-believe stories and simple acts of compassion...
...true theology is never spoken, but rather acted.
And another train of thought...
Someone spoke the other day about the parable of the "Prodigal Son" and it dawned on me that there was yet another way in which this parable defines my relationship with God. (I have often seen myself in this story as I was raised in the Church, then lived in the world for several years, until ruin befell me; upon which I returned to God.)
The son comes to his senses and plans to return to his father, but he thinks to himself that he is no longer worthy to be a son, he will return as a servant. But this shows that the son never truly understood the depths of his father's love. The father's response to this attitude in his son is to interrupt him with love and blessing.
When I returned to my spiritual father, I did so with fear and trepidation (as is proper) but also with unconscious doubts about His goodness and wholehearted desire to bless. For several years I was afraid that God desired to bring calamity upon me. I thought that He could use me as a servant, and that my humiliation would somehow bring Him glory; but I could not believe that God would still treat me as a son, I had squandered my Father's blessing, He would not bestow another upon me...
...but I had failed to understand the goodness of my Father. God continued to speak to me, "My son, I love you and value you deeply, I will throw a costly party to celebrate your return!"
Thankfully God's patient persistence won out over my fear and unbelief!
4.05.2006
Think Before you Speak...
I have had a number of people express a level of concern over my last post...
I am sorry, I can get fired up over some of my pet concepts, this being one of them, and I probably did not communicate what I wanted to with the appropriate tone. I do understand that not everyone is at a place yet where they have moved beyond the "American (Nightmare) Dream;" they still believe that the Gospel is primarily for their benefit; and that we must lovingly encourage them beyond this. Others have legitimate needs and concerns, and are in sincere need of ministry; we must lovingly care for them. My concern was with what I see to be a general misconception, however, it appears that I communicated that in such a way as to provoke personal responses. I apologize for any harsh or inflammatory language. I, too, am a work in progress, Jesus help me...
I am sorry, I can get fired up over some of my pet concepts, this being one of them, and I probably did not communicate what I wanted to with the appropriate tone. I do understand that not everyone is at a place yet where they have moved beyond the "American (Nightmare) Dream;" they still believe that the Gospel is primarily for their benefit; and that we must lovingly encourage them beyond this. Others have legitimate needs and concerns, and are in sincere need of ministry; we must lovingly care for them. My concern was with what I see to be a general misconception, however, it appears that I communicated that in such a way as to provoke personal responses. I apologize for any harsh or inflammatory language. I, too, am a work in progress, Jesus help me...
3.29.2006
The Good News
I have tried to point to a problem within the evangelical understanding of salvation; this problem stems from an inadequate understanding of how to read the Bible. We have inherited the lenses of our age* (reducing all knowledge to its smallest parts; dividing disciplines into an ever greater diversity of study; assuming that the whole is the sum of its parts) and we wear these lenses when we read our Bibles. It is, quite simply, inappropriate to think that we can pick and choose which words of Paul to use to define our understanding of certain ideas, or to do the same thing to the words of Jesus, or to do the same thing to the Bible as a whole.
This fragmented approach to the Bible, as well as the person and teaching of Jesus, is what has led us to understand the gospel in such a way as to actually exclude the teaching of Jesus from the message. Our hermeneutic forces us to ignore the many passages that refer to Jesus “preaching the gospel” because we do not believe Jesus preached the gospel. We believe the gospel is that “Jesus died on a cross to get evil people into heaven;” how then could Jesus preach such a message if He had yet to die on the cross? This forces us to ignore many passages of the four Gospels, and to do great violence to other passages as we continue our hermeneutical and exegetical gyrations.
Here comes the fun part…
We have spent a post and a half talking about what isn’t the gospel, now let us begin to describe what is the Gospel of Jesus!
Jesus message was one of the present availability of God’s presence; from his inaugural address (Luke 4) to his description of salvation as “living water welling up from within,” from his life of compassion and power to his death and resurrection, everything about Jesus words and deeds screams out “God is here and present, available in a way that He never was before!” Jesus very words, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” could be seen as the summation of the gospel message; “God is available to you here and now, your black heart is no barrier to his love, turn from yourself and your ways, give yourself to Him and His ways, step into His Presence, His Authority, His Rule, His Realm of Influence!”
The Gospel
God exists!
God is a being so pure and real that He is a unity, and yet so loving and alive that He is a plurality. God is a community of divine love and selfless submission; the Father who is, the Son who reflects His glory, and the Spirit who proceeds forth; and all seeking the glory of the other, a glorious dance.
God is Beautiful! He is unlike anything else in holiness and righteousness, beauty and power, justice and mercy, energy and creativity! His very being screams out life! His words drip with unimagined realities, his breath is the sweetness of life itself, his activity is the world made – unmade – and remade in an instant…
He is the source and fountain of all goodness, He is the source of all existence, He simply IS!
God made man in the very image of Himself. Man was created to be with God, to be loved and known by Him, and to love and know Him. Man was created to be like God and to take care of the creation that God spoke into being. Man was the regent who ruled in the king’s stead; given charge to rule and bear responsibility as God’s representative.
God is heartbroken over man’s desertion of his place in creation. God is sick with grief over the decision to forsake Him. We have chosen to abandon our responsibility to creation, but even more, we have cast aside the imago dei, the very imprint of our creator, His DNA, and have thrust ourselves into the maelstrom of abyss. We exist apart from He who provides existence and so share in the part of that which does not exist; we are the “once-men” who were and no longer are. And God weeps…
…into this world steps Jesus. He lived a life that revealed who God is, He healed the sick, chastised the self-righteous, protected the helpless, raised the dead, proclaimed freedom to those in bondage, declared love and compassion upon those who suffered, brought justice and mercy to all who would receive it; and for this we destroyed Him.
God was willing to risk everything, and pay any cost, to redeem all things. By way of the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus (who was the Christ, the Son of God) all things have been reconciled to God, things spiritual and physical, heavenly and earthly. In the person of Jesus is restoration of God’s image to mankind, and the created order put right as man steps into his rightful role as regent over the earth. In Jesus can be found the restoration of friendship with God, as He once walked in fellowship with mankind, so does He desire to do today.
Jesus offers us this restoration, a renewed fellowship with the God of All Things, a restoration of His image, a re-commissioned responsibility over the created order. By rejecting ourselves and the death we had become, and by accepting His life and choosing to live it, we can regain what had been lost. By simply trusting Jesus enough to receive what He desires to give us, we can once again experience life on God’s terms, free from the chains we have shackled ourselves with. By way of simply accepting what Jesus said as true to the point where we are willing to act upon it, we can share in the very nature of God (which was destined to us); namely hope, righteousness, peace, love, power, faith, eternity, truth, justice, abundance, beauty, infinity, purpose, and mercy.
This fragmented approach to the Bible, as well as the person and teaching of Jesus, is what has led us to understand the gospel in such a way as to actually exclude the teaching of Jesus from the message. Our hermeneutic forces us to ignore the many passages that refer to Jesus “preaching the gospel” because we do not believe Jesus preached the gospel. We believe the gospel is that “Jesus died on a cross to get evil people into heaven;” how then could Jesus preach such a message if He had yet to die on the cross? This forces us to ignore many passages of the four Gospels, and to do great violence to other passages as we continue our hermeneutical and exegetical gyrations.
Here comes the fun part…
We have spent a post and a half talking about what isn’t the gospel, now let us begin to describe what is the Gospel of Jesus!
Jesus message was one of the present availability of God’s presence; from his inaugural address (Luke 4) to his description of salvation as “living water welling up from within,” from his life of compassion and power to his death and resurrection, everything about Jesus words and deeds screams out “God is here and present, available in a way that He never was before!” Jesus very words, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” could be seen as the summation of the gospel message; “God is available to you here and now, your black heart is no barrier to his love, turn from yourself and your ways, give yourself to Him and His ways, step into His Presence, His Authority, His Rule, His Realm of Influence!”
The Gospel
God exists!
God is a being so pure and real that He is a unity, and yet so loving and alive that He is a plurality. God is a community of divine love and selfless submission; the Father who is, the Son who reflects His glory, and the Spirit who proceeds forth; and all seeking the glory of the other, a glorious dance.
God is Beautiful! He is unlike anything else in holiness and righteousness, beauty and power, justice and mercy, energy and creativity! His very being screams out life! His words drip with unimagined realities, his breath is the sweetness of life itself, his activity is the world made – unmade – and remade in an instant…
He is the source and fountain of all goodness, He is the source of all existence, He simply IS!
God made man in the very image of Himself. Man was created to be with God, to be loved and known by Him, and to love and know Him. Man was created to be like God and to take care of the creation that God spoke into being. Man was the regent who ruled in the king’s stead; given charge to rule and bear responsibility as God’s representative.
God is heartbroken over man’s desertion of his place in creation. God is sick with grief over the decision to forsake Him. We have chosen to abandon our responsibility to creation, but even more, we have cast aside the imago dei, the very imprint of our creator, His DNA, and have thrust ourselves into the maelstrom of abyss. We exist apart from He who provides existence and so share in the part of that which does not exist; we are the “once-men” who were and no longer are. And God weeps…
…into this world steps Jesus. He lived a life that revealed who God is, He healed the sick, chastised the self-righteous, protected the helpless, raised the dead, proclaimed freedom to those in bondage, declared love and compassion upon those who suffered, brought justice and mercy to all who would receive it; and for this we destroyed Him.
God was willing to risk everything, and pay any cost, to redeem all things. By way of the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus (who was the Christ, the Son of God) all things have been reconciled to God, things spiritual and physical, heavenly and earthly. In the person of Jesus is restoration of God’s image to mankind, and the created order put right as man steps into his rightful role as regent over the earth. In Jesus can be found the restoration of friendship with God, as He once walked in fellowship with mankind, so does He desire to do today.
Jesus offers us this restoration, a renewed fellowship with the God of All Things, a restoration of His image, a re-commissioned responsibility over the created order. By rejecting ourselves and the death we had become, and by accepting His life and choosing to live it, we can regain what had been lost. By simply trusting Jesus enough to receive what He desires to give us, we can once again experience life on God’s terms, free from the chains we have shackled ourselves with. By way of simply accepting what Jesus said as true to the point where we are willing to act upon it, we can share in the very nature of God (which was destined to us); namely hope, righteousness, peace, love, power, faith, eternity, truth, justice, abundance, beauty, infinity, purpose, and mercy.
3.24.2006
Acts 1-4
I read Acts 1-4 out of the message the other day. It was really amazing to me because I hadn't read it out of the message before. It was amazing it made things more real for me. Peter was nuts for the Lord. It was really neat to read about him in the first few chapters of Acts. He wasn't the guy you read about in the book of Matthew. This was Peter, the Rock that Jesus was going to build his church on. And he was doing a great Job. I think he preached like 4-5 times since the book started. He took EVERY opportunity no joke. The book starts and right off the bat the 11 disciples are in a prayer meeting and they are trying to determine who will replace Judas. Then they decide on a guy named Mathias. Then Pentecost happens and people are wonder what is happening because all this crazy stuff is going on and people are speaking in tongues, and some people understand them and they are like what's going on, then Peter steps up and he's like, "Hey this is what's happening, this is what Jesus said would happen, and the prophets of old!" Then he tells them about Jesus, and 3,000 people come to know the Lord that day and Acts 2:42-47 happens.
41That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. 42They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. 43Everyone around was in awe--all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! 44And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. 45They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
46They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, 47as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
Hello! This book is dang amazing! Then Peter and the disciples were in their way to the temple and they heal this guy and he gives his life to the Lord! They all go into the temple and the Bible says, " Peter saw that he had a congregation and so he started to preach." 12When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people:
Then he started to tell people about Jesus, and eventually he and the disciples get arrested. The priests were trying to stop them but the word says that during that night the news of Jesus had spread to about 5,000 people, and they gave their lives to the Lord! Then they go to the trial and Peter tells the lead dudes there about Jesus too and they say, "Well maybe this is a fad that will die off, and if it really is God then who are we to stop him?"
Peter rocked the house he didn't think twice he just took every opportunity to tell people about Jesus! It was amazing! I was praying while I read this and I was like God forgive me for all the opportunities that I didn't take! Forgive me for not being willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of these peoples souls! I want to take every opportunity! People everyday die without knowing Jesus! I can do something about it though! I can take every opportunity and tell people the good news that was told to me! Somebody had to get outside of their comfort zone to tell me about Jesus! I want to get super uncomfortable so people can know Jesus! And I know that the more I do it the less uncomfortable I will be! Maybe telling people about Jesus would become like second nature to me! That would be a glorious day!
41That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. 42They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. 43Everyone around was in awe--all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! 44And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. 45They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
46They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, 47as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
Hello! This book is dang amazing! Then Peter and the disciples were in their way to the temple and they heal this guy and he gives his life to the Lord! They all go into the temple and the Bible says, " Peter saw that he had a congregation and so he started to preach." 12When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people:
Then he started to tell people about Jesus, and eventually he and the disciples get arrested. The priests were trying to stop them but the word says that during that night the news of Jesus had spread to about 5,000 people, and they gave their lives to the Lord! Then they go to the trial and Peter tells the lead dudes there about Jesus too and they say, "Well maybe this is a fad that will die off, and if it really is God then who are we to stop him?"
Peter rocked the house he didn't think twice he just took every opportunity to tell people about Jesus! It was amazing! I was praying while I read this and I was like God forgive me for all the opportunities that I didn't take! Forgive me for not being willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of these peoples souls! I want to take every opportunity! People everyday die without knowing Jesus! I can do something about it though! I can take every opportunity and tell people the good news that was told to me! Somebody had to get outside of their comfort zone to tell me about Jesus! I want to get super uncomfortable so people can know Jesus! And I know that the more I do it the less uncomfortable I will be! Maybe telling people about Jesus would become like second nature to me! That would be a glorious day!
3.22.2006
"I Never Knew You..."
Many today have taken the following passage (Romans 10:9-10) to mean, “acknowledge Jesus death on a cross, acknowledge that you are a sinner, ask Jesus to make His home in your heart, and you will be forgiven of your sins so that you can enter heaven after your physical death.”
If the gospel is to be understood as such, what are we to make of the following words of Jesus:
“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
…what else could possibly be meant by these words than what is the plain and stated meaning of the words!
I guess as evangelicals committed to both the gospel of Jesus, and the authority of Scripture we must come to a new and deeper understanding of just what the gospel is. This passage and others simply do not allow for the atomized, formulaic, and self-focused gospel that has been the mainstay of the Church during my lifetime.
Let us begin by saying that I do not want to denigrate anyone who came to faith in Jesus by way of the “American Gospel” (as this is how I came to faith), nor anyone who has led others to faith in this way (I have also led others to faith in this way); simply to clarify the gospel. Sincere men and women have been describing the gospel in terms of “heaven when you die,” with nothing but heartfelt passion for Jesus and a firm commitment to serve him here on earth. I applaud their devotion to Jesus, and point to their very devotion as yet more reason to rethink the common language of the American Gospel. The compulsion that they feel to live for Jesus this side of heaven, is reason to doubt the message they preach that Jesus only concern is what happens after they die.
If the gospel is to be understood as such, what are we to make of the following words of Jesus:
“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”
…what else could possibly be meant by these words than what is the plain and stated meaning of the words!
I guess as evangelicals committed to both the gospel of Jesus, and the authority of Scripture we must come to a new and deeper understanding of just what the gospel is. This passage and others simply do not allow for the atomized, formulaic, and self-focused gospel that has been the mainstay of the Church during my lifetime.
Let us begin by saying that I do not want to denigrate anyone who came to faith in Jesus by way of the “American Gospel” (as this is how I came to faith), nor anyone who has led others to faith in this way (I have also led others to faith in this way); simply to clarify the gospel. Sincere men and women have been describing the gospel in terms of “heaven when you die,” with nothing but heartfelt passion for Jesus and a firm commitment to serve him here on earth. I applaud their devotion to Jesus, and point to their very devotion as yet more reason to rethink the common language of the American Gospel. The compulsion that they feel to live for Jesus this side of heaven, is reason to doubt the message they preach that Jesus only concern is what happens after they die.
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