A long-time friend from childhood, Peter Dusan, now serves with his family as campus missionaries in Texas — to and with college students. In the short video below he encapsulates what it means to work with the next generation, as they explore identity, meaning, truth, intimacy, pleasure and truth (and so much more).

May Christ captivate them as the fountain of all pleasure, and the source of their significance.

Twelve years ago I was saved in a wreck because I had paused to buckle-up. I certainly would have died on that snowy night, except for that little strap across my shoulder. In those days, pausing to buckle-up was rare for me. Actually believe an audible voice told me to do it, at around 1am, and my life was spared from the ensuing crash. Next thing I know the car had crashed head-on into a concrete ditch, and I was shaken, but safe. The little things, like buckling-up, really do matter.

Take the time to fasten your seatbelt, and your kids’. (And put down the cell phone. Just drive!)

Here’s a creative and passionate reminder:

(Lots of the sessions are available to watch via live video stream/feed at Verge2010.org.)

Won’t be blogging here or tweeting (@deTheos) during the actual sessions, but perhaps will post some thoughts on occasion.

It is quite easy to think of the Bible as a book of rules — things to DO. Yet, it is far greatest The Story of God, of His coming near to us, and in that way is not primarily about us. The Bible is about GOD. And not just facts, figures and fables — as if God were a science experiment, a idea to be calculated, quantified and categorized. In reality, God has acted in history — in this real world — and as we read Scripture we discover the stories are true, the characters are generally failures, and God is always faithful. That’s step one, reading the Bible as if it’s about God and not just “me.” Of course, it must be experienced, taken into our whole lives, if we are to learn what God says.

There’s another needed emphasis, more likened to a simple priority: know the WHOs before the DOs. Jesus came to show us the way by BEING the way. No five step (or 12) plan for salvation here. He’s the plan, the whole plan. So when we read, we see the what, why, how, and especially the Who of God’s Story.

This “happy tension” of sorts is recognizing the why the Bible is written. Take the New Testament, written in common day (Koine) Greek. The most common mood of the verbs is in what’s called the indicative mood. Stating facts, making declarations (e.g., “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” John 3:16). Later, and less frequently we get into the imperative mood, of commands (”Do this … do that…”; e.g., “Be holy…,” or “forgive one another” Eph. 4:32). I say later because we must recognize that every command of Scripture is rooted in a promise, in the prior work of God with us and for us. A couple examples…

Ephesians 4:32:

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” // a very good command; do it!

But how and why?

“…as God in Christ forgave you.”

We can only forgive out of the resources of the self-sacrificing God who forgives sinners at the greatest sacrifice the world has ever known. We can think of the “other,” because God is all about the “other,” modeled in relationships among the Trinity. Furthermore, as an application, we can begin with forbearance, because Christ has gone before us — the WHO before our DO — throwing away His convenience to suffer as a servant in our place (Phil. 2:1-11).

Digging into the Word: Paul’s Letter to the Philippians

Another example of this indicative-imperative correlation is Philippians 4:1:

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

(We just taught this passage to our high schoolers.) Do you see what Paul did there? He could have said it so simply, like: “just stand firm in the Lord. Do it!” Why does he wax eloquent — is it just poetic or is God doing something deep and meaningful here? He’s talking about identity… their true (and new) identity.

That’s the only way to be read the Bible as one alive, and to teach it to others for transformation. Every single command in Scripture is rooted in  God’s prior work, for His commands become His enablements. Just as Paul waited unto the twelfth chapter of Romans to give the very first command in that great letter (Romans 12:1-2), we recognize Christianity is far more about WHO Jesus is than what we DO. Plus, our doing comes out of our being, which comes from being remade into His image (Colossians 3:10) and embracing our new identity.

Below Darrin Patrick, summarizes this necessary approach to reading and teaching the Bible in a 9 minute video. He was asked to collaborate with about 80 other church leaders across the country on a day of training called “The Nines” (on 09.09.09), put on by the Leadership Network and Catalyst. Darrin serves as lead pastor of The Journey Church in St. Louis, a Gospel-centered missional church he and others founded less than a decade ago, and has become a catalyst for church planters and leaders globally.

We used this video to spark a discussion last week with high school leaders and students. Bits of it may have been over their head — there’s those happy tensions — as real growth comes from being challenged. This sparked a great discussion, and spiritual and mental lights were going on all over the place. So, that’s what it means to work from significance and not for it, according to the Gospel (as I seek to remind them).

He covers the ground quickly, so open your Bible to Luke 24, and grab something to take notes. Enjoy!

Here’s an excerpt from his foreword to an English translation of Athanasius’ On the Incarnation.

(Find more about Athanasius, the “Father of Orthodoxy.” In this book Athanasius demonstrates the utter uniqueness of the God-Man Jesus.)

Lewis gives a good reminder to read good, old books, giving a needed place to the historic voices that speak beyond their day:

… Naturally, since I myself am a writer, I do not wish the ordinary reader to read no modern books. But if he must read only the new or only the old, I would advise him to read the old. And I would give him this advice precisely because he is an amateur and therefore much less protected than the expert against the dangers of an exclusive contemporary diet. A new book is still on its trial and the amateur is not in a position to judge it. It has to be tested against the great body of Christian thought down the ages, and all its hidden implications (often unsuspected by the author himself) have to be brought to light. Often it cannot be fully understood without the knowledge of a good many other modern books. If you join at eleven o’clock a conversation which began at eight you will often not see the real bearing of what is said. Remarks which seem to you very ordinary will produce laughter or irritation and you will not see why—the reason, of course, being that the earlier stages of the conversation have given them a special point. In the same way sentences in a modern book which look quite ordinary may be directed at some other book; in this way you may be led to accept what you would have indignantly rejected if you knew its real significance. The only safety is to have a standard of plain, central Christianity (”mere Christianity” as Baxter called it) which puts the controversies of the moment in their proper perspective. Such a standard can be acquired only from the old books. It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new ones.

Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. All contemporary writers share to some extent the contemporary outlook—even those, like myself, who seem most opposed to it. Nothing strikes me more when I read the controversies of past ages than the fact that both sides were usually assuming without question a good deal which we should now absolutely deny. They thought that they were as completely opposed as two sides could be, but in fact they were all the time secretly united—united with each other and against earlier and later ages—by a great mass of common assumptions. We may be sure that the characteristic blindness of the twentieth century—the blindness about which posterity will ask, “But how could they have thought that?”—lies where we have never suspected it, and concerns something about which there is untroubled agreement between Hitler and President Roosevelt or between Mr. H. G. Wells and Karl Barth. None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books. Where they are true they will give us truths which we half knew already. Where they are false they will aggravate the error with which we are already dangerously ill. The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books. Not, of course, that there is any magic about the past. People were no cleverer then than they are now; they made as many mistakes as we. But not the same mistakes. They will not flatter us in the errors we are already committing; and their own errors, being now open and palpable, will not endanger us. Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction. To be sure, the books of the future would be just as good a corrective as the books of the past, but unfortunately we cannot get at them.

• Read the rest of Lewis’ foreword and Athanasius’ On the Incarnation online

Listening is not simply, or mainly, hearing what the other person is saying. It is thinking about what they are saying, and doing so from their point of view.

Implication: This includes a willingness to be influenced by others. If you are generally unaffected by what other people say, you aren’t listening.

Then I sent it to my theologian (and pastor) friend Adam. Here’s his brief biblical reflection, since he doesn’t blog himself:

I like these statements, they remind me of Proverbs 18:2 and 18:13. Here are some more thoughts for the conversation:

I think that “Listening” is the main theme of the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4; Matt, 13). Since this is the first parable, it functions importantly as a kind of gateway parable into Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom. Check out Mark 4 (akuo is the first and the last word of his initial telling of the parable to the crowds; and it is the only word in the imperative mood). It is literally this “hearing heart” that Solomon prayed for in his famous request for wisdom (1 Kings 3) Listening is a fundamental activity that characterizes entrance and continuation of life as a disciple of Jesus in His kingdom. Surely, a key discipline for disciples is the cultivation of a listening ear. As in the parable, those who fail to listen fail to bear fruit. A spiritually deaf disciple is a dead disciple. All of this highlights the importance of listening.

As to the nature of listening, it seems that a ‘willingness to listen from the speaker’s perspective’ highlights a potential sense or aspect of what true “listening” is, but this aspect still does not capture the bulk idea of a theology of listening. The primary idea seems to be more of a receptive and teachable heart (see also James 1:22; receiving the word with meekness). The Scriptures also speak of the nobility of the Bereans [Acts 17:11] for the discernment in which they listened. We must guard against both naivety and unreceptivity in our listening.

There are a cluster of virtues that seem to characterize healthy listening, such as: humility, honesty, love for and hunger for truth, and respect for others. Cultivating these virtures is likely to make one a better listener.

Final thought, on a practical note perhaps it is wise to distinguish between how we treat ideas and people. Namely, be critical with ideas. Be charitable with people.

Well said, Adam!

If you want to learn more for Adam, think about attending Cornerstone School of Ministry in Corvallis, Oregon, where he serves as Director and a church Elder and Pastor. I’m grateful for the opportunity to visit as a guest lecturer from time to time, and used to teach there regularly.

“Proverbs 22:6 has been widely adopted as both psychological premise and theological promise, despite the widespread recognition that hermeneutically, the Proverbs are not promises from God, but general observations and maxims.”

(The Book of Proverbs brings us observations on the general realities of life (like percentages), though they are not meant to be absolute promises. We read too much into them and overstate God’s intention with that genre of Scripture when we treat them that way.)

The core issue is not “success” (’look at me, my kids turned out great,; which can produce guilt or pride); it is faithfulness. Our success at parenting takes root in the form of our faithfulness to God and living out His love. The author’s conclusion:

“It is time to acknowledge there is only so much influence parents can have.” Scripture has taught us this all along. We are not sovereign over our children—only God is. Children are not tomatoes to stake out or mules to train, nor are they numbers to plug into an equation. They are full human beings wondrously and fearfully made. Parenting, like all tasks under the sun, is intended as an endeavor of love, risk, perseverance, and, above all, faith. It is faith rather than formula, grace rather than guarantees, steadfastness rather than success that bridges the gap between our own parenting efforts, and what, by God’s grace, our children grow up to become.”

• Read the whole article, “The Myth of the Perfect Parent“

Also, on teaching the next generation, a recent post at Culture Making notes how testing for IQ is actually the lazy way to measure student development. A summary:

Perseverance and discipline likely matter more than intelligence and innate talent when it comes to being successful in one’s endeavors. And—according to the study cited at the end of the article—praising children for their hard work rather than their innate skill yields significant improvements in test results; kids praised for their talents actually start doing worse when they encounter significant challenges.

• Read the whole article, “Valuing What’s Easiest to Measure“

By my own experience, a startling number — to me, it seems — of those in my TAG (Talented and Gifted) classes from elementary and middle school chose not to complete college, while others have earned post-secondary degrees and are quite successful (by various definitions). The issue was clearly not intelligence; it was diligence, perseverance, self-control and certainly a passion for learning and developing a discipline that translates to helping others. As probably one who just barely made it in over the IQ threshold (to get into TAG), I think that my “success” in life may have less to do with innate ability and more with developing an appetite for learning and perseverance within God’s good grace.

I imagine both articles have controversial pieces to them. Let’s be civil and gracious in our discussions, here and elsewhere.

The text was Luke 15, and I called it “The Search.” (Listen here.)

Three key themes emerged from Luke 15:

1. A deeper view of our sin // we are lost
2. A higher view of our value // we are treasured
3. A farther view of salvation // Jesus is the Relentless Shepherd

The background was key, especially about the Pharisees. Won’t go into it here, but suffice to say they were not villains or extremists. They were the moral middle class, and they are more like us than we even realize. Also, we tend to open the Bible and think that it’s about our search for God. That we are searching or Him. Jesus came to show us God is searching for us. The Bible summarizes God’s relentless pursuit of His people. The search continues today.

We began with this intro video:

The parts cut out

As is the case with every message I’ve ever given more than once, there are parts that don’t make it to round two. Below is a section I shared at our Saturday night worship gathering, but not on Sunday, along with some context to the parts I did share all weekend. The cut out parts simply did not fit perfectly, and I needed to edit down some content. But, it remains a deep insight that I hope will stay with me and us as we figure out how to relate to people, whether they seem to be near God or far from Him.

The religious leaders then (and now) made barriers to approaching God. People had to progress this way in the faith community:

Behave -> Believe -> Belong

if you behave how we tell you & believe these things, then and only then can you belong.

Jesus had a different philosophy:

Belong -> Believe -> Become

In reality, none of us can actually “belong” without believing, not in the eternal and ultimate sense. We need to trust in Jesus as the only way to God. (While Truth is exclusive, Christianity is inclusive. Jesus came to reveal God to us, and light the way to the only true God. He is inclusive by being exclusive, and vice versa.

But this is a safe place to doubt-our-doubts, learn who Jesus is, why He came, and what it means to follow Him. Be challenged, and yet feel affirmed and valued as a person. Wrestle, ask, seek, knock, and come to know this Jesus that we keep pointing you towards. (That’s why I am so excited by a new course beginning January 24th, a dinner and discussion on Christianity Explored.)

Again, let’s see the progression: BELONG -> BELIEVE -> BECOME. When you believe in His Name, and build your whole life, significance (identity) upon Him, you will experience the joy of being changed into His image. You will become more and more a disciple, applying the Gospel to every area of your life.

Where does this come from?

(Source on many of the following thoughts: thanks to a discussion by Jim Belcher in Deep Church, ch. 5, “Deep Evangelism,” specifically pp. 98-99.)

In fact, if you read the Gospels, you’ll see a pattern. Matthew, Mark and Luke can be broken up in three main parts:

1. The first chronicles Jesus’ ministry with the disciples in Galilee and the north – rural (Matt. 1:1-16:12; Mark 1:1-8:26; Luke 1:1-9:17)
2. Second part narrates Jesus’ travels with His disciples south to Jerusalem – the city (Matt. 16:21-20:34; Mark 9:2-10:52; Luke 9:51-19:10)
3. The third/final section shows us Jesus’ entrance to Jerusalem, the scene of His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection (Matt. 21:1-28:20; Mark 11:1-16:8; Luke 19:11-24:53)

In these three movements Jesus shows them (and us) WHO He is, WHY He came, and what it means to FOLLOW HIM. His Identity, His Mission, His Call.

First, He wants His disciples to know exactly WHO He is. Through His teaching, miracles, and actions He’s answering their questions about His identity. Every miracle is deliberate, to reveal His character. They ask Him lots of questions, and He freely receives them. They learn this Man is talking about a whole new way to be human.

This is what sets Jesus apart from all other religious teachers and philosophers. He’s adamant that He’s like no one else before or since. He’s God. It’s all designed to draw you in to see Jesus. The writers want to convince you that Jesus is the promised Savior, God’s anointed King, who can rescue the whole world.

We first met these “tax collectors” and “sinners” in this section. They are part of His community; they’re “outsiders” yet strangely “insiders.” They like to be around Jesus … and He welcomes them. What’s more: it’s clear none of them did anything to deserve this VIP status. He let them belong.

Then, there is hinge point, a moment of decision between sections one and two in all three Gospels organized this way. [See it in the text: Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:21]

What’s that moment of decision? …

He transitions from answering their questions to ASKING them one big question: “Who do you say that I am?” If you want to belong in my family, to know God, this is the key question to everything: Who do you say that I am?

He was not seeking good people. He was seeking those who realize they are not good, and yet desire to know God. They drew close to Him (so welcoming!), trusted in Him, and became His disciples. Their lives were changes from the inside-out.

• (Listen to the rest here)

Watch another segment as host John Brenkus provides an “unprecedented forensic breakdown” of Alabama running back Mark Ingram, looking at the physics behind Ingram’s speed, vision and cutting and jumping ability. Brenkus breaks down an impressive Ingram run had this year, gaining 30 yards after contact.

This one from a college student whose life has been utterly transformed by Christ:

“I didn’t realize it but over time my faith in Christ was shifting into some quazi self/church based faith where my only real relationship with God was intellectual… it was really lame, and it’s been a necessarily painful shift back.”

There’s obviously a who context to that statement, which I won’t get into here. The growing pains are worth it. I commended this disciple to “Let Christ explode your shallow conceptions of the life He offers, and don’t settle for a plastic Jesus” (a metaphor we’ve shared in the past). We emailed back and forth about how we were meant for more than church and God to just be a part or slice of our lives. Christ is our life (Colossians 3).

Earlier this morning I read:

“…whenever our sins press hard against us, whenever Satan would drive us to despair, we must hold up this shield, that God does not want us to be overwhelmed in everlasting destruction, for He has ordained His Son to be the salvation of the world.”
—John Calvin, NT Commentary on John, p. 75; via OFI

A third set of truths struck me, right in the heart. Too long to quote here, as my godly wife wrote an amazing reflection on her resolutions to be a “1950s housewife” this year. (It may not be what you imagine, as she is active outside our home, and especially influential.) For us, with me as breadwinner, my domain is more public, hers more private. We are a total team; she’s my hero and I ask her for advice more than anyone.

(Men, marry up!)

What truth did you read today, connected to identity and hope?

Listening is not simply, or mainly, hearing what the other person is saying. It is thinking about what they are saying, and doing so from their point of view.

Implication: This includes a willingness to be influenced by others. If you are generally unaffected by what other people say, you aren’t listening.

Do you agree?

Abstract: Playing sound effects both pleasant and awful, Julian Treasure shows how sound affects us in four significant ways. Listen carefully for a shocking fact about noisy open-plan offices.

I say it will be The Triune Creator God. How so? As They work out the unified mission in this world, for our good and to the glory of God the Father, Son and Spirit. More and more people will take notice and be renewed to a saving knowledge in Jesus. It’s not trendy but will become more increasingly the trend as the future becomes the present.

This new year presents endless opportunities for good and bringing hope to a dark work. It will be quite an adventure. It’s always good to start new adventures with some essential theology:

Missio Dei is Latin for “mission of God” and captures the reality that God is the one who initiates and sustains His mission (restores His image marred by the fall and reclaims His kingdom marred by the kingdom of darkness).  God the Father sends the Son, God the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit send the Church. The church is being sent and sends itself into the world as God’s ambassadors to restore the image of God and recapture the ‘reign of God’ through God’s redemption and reconciliation in our Savior Jesus Christ.

—summarized from Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative (Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Academic, 2006), 5.

That’s why missional theologians can be quick to remind us that the Church doesn’t have a mission. Rather, God has a mission, and for that reason He created the church to participate in fulfilling it (Matt. 28:18-20).

Or, in simple terms, as Jesus prayed:

“As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” —John 17:18

By the way, Happy New Year!

Not Only Christmas Day

Lord, this is my prayer
Not only on Christmas Day
But until I see You face to face
May I live my life this way:

Just like the baby Jesus
I ever hope to be,
Resting in Your loving arms
Trusting in Your sovereignty.

And like the growing Christ child
In wisdom daily learning,
May I ever seek to know You
With my mind and spirit yearning.

Like the Son so faithful
Let me follow in Your light,
Meek and bold, humble and strong
Not afraid to face the night.

Nor cowardly to suffer
And stand for truth alone,
Knowing that Your kingdom
Awaits my going home.

Not afraid to sacrifice
Though great may be the cost,
Mindful how You rescued me
From broken-hearted loss.

Like my risen Savior
The babe, the child, the Son,
May my life forever speak
Of who You are and all You’ve done.

So while this world rejoices
And celebrates Your birth,
I treasure You, the greatest gift
Unequaled in Your worth.

I long to hear the same words
That welcomed home Your Son,
“Come, good and faithful servant,”
Your Master says, “Well done.”

And may heaven welcome others
Who will join with me in praise
Because I lived for Jesus Christ
Not only Christmas Day

— Mary Fairchild

We don’t know. One day we shall see Him as He is, and become like Him (1 John 3:2). (Doubt He looks like the blue-eyed, blond-haired version sold here in the States as “Jesus junk,” that is, as trinkets.) Yet, we do have some clues as to what He is like. His character shines through brighter than His physical appearance. He’s full of compassion (Matthew 9:36: σπλαγχνίζομαι = moved with compassion), which is much deeper than mere emotion. More broadly, He’s full of grace and truth. He is the living embodiment of Grace, and Truth became a Person. Grace is meant to be experienced, truth intended to be known in the same way. We are to “receive” them as we receive Him. God’s grace never fails, and as wholly true He is completely faithful. (He’s not like us.)

Yet, He became like us. One of my favorite passages of Scripture is in the Gospel of John, first chapter, verses 14 & 16. It reads:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…. And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

In His incarnation, Jesus stepped down into our world, showing us the worth of God in real-time. Someone has said the Incarnation is “deity for dummies.” God made Himself obvious and visible. Jesus was overflowing with the two essential qualities of perfect humanity: grace and truth. Those twin perfections remind us of God’s essential character: “steadfast love [Hb. hesed] and faithfulness [Hb. ’emet]” as revealed about 1,500 years prior in Exodus 34:6 (cf. Exodus 33:18–19). Moses asked to see God in all His glory. Yet the great patriarch was only  able to see the back side of God’s presence passing by. Here in Jesus we see God making Himself known as a person. To be known, experienced, treasured and loved. If God is a theory or His Son simply a business transaction to get us to Heaven, we we’ll miss everything in between. This relationship of love is founded on endless grace and rock-solid truth. God intends Jesus to be sufficient for our failures and sweeter than our failures. He is Grace & Truth in action, making life worth enduring until the end. The Triune God enjoys a fullness that spilled over into this world.

A few years back pastor John Piper wrote about these Scriptures and the Incarnation in a short article on these verses (read the entire thing here). Here are some highlights:

• …the one from whose fullness I am being drenched with grace is the Word that was with God and was God (John 1:1-2), so that his fullness is the fullness of God—a divine fullness, an infinite fullness;
• …this Word became flesh and so was one of us and was pursuing us with his fullness—it is an accessible fullness;
• …when this Word appeared in human form, his glory was seen—his is a glorious fullness;
• …this Word was “the only Son from the Father” so that the divine fullness was being mediated to me not just from God, but through God—God did not send an angel but his only Son to deliver his fullness;
• …the fullness of the Son is a fullness of grace—I will not drown in this fullness but be blessed in every way by this fullness;
• …this fullness is not only a fullness of grace but of truth—I am not being graced with truth-ignoring flattery; this grace is rooted in rock-solid reality.

As I savor this illumination of Christ’s fullness, I hear Paul say, “In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9). I hear him say, “In him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Colossians 1:19). And I hear him say, “In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

Can we see how deeply that God’s glory resides in Jesus? He intends us to seek Him in that one place alone: in Christ. Piper continues:

Paul prays that we would experience Christ’s fullness. Not just know about it, but be filled with it. Here is the way I hear him praying for me:

That I “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19).

The “fullness of God” is experienced, he says, as we are given the “strength to comprehend” the love of Christ in its height and depth and length and breadth—that is, in its fullness. This is remarkable: The fullness of God is the spiritual apprehension (experience) of the fullness of the love of Christ. This love is the grace and truth that fills the Son of God and pours out on us.

• Read the rest of Piper’s meditation on John 1:14-16.

Experiencing the fullness this Christmas. Pray you are as well.

It may be helpful to take a step back and realize what that “X” stands for. X marks the spot where God’s glory was revealed, on the cross. Every time I see Xmas I think of the Cross. More to the grammatical point, X is the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter for Christos, which is Jesus’ title: He is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the world. He’s the true human, the God-Man who came to rescue us from sin, death and Satan (and ourselves). It seems that many of us need rescuing from ourselves even more now.

I’m not sure there really is a culture war over “X” instead of “Christ.” It’s the other instead-of’s that we need to war against: those idols that steal our joy and captivate us from fully following Christ. What is ultimate to you? What do you build your life upon?

While about 20% celebrate Christmas (or Xmas) as a secular holiday, I wonder if the key is to bring the Gospel back in the forefront for the 3/4 of us who claim Christmas as a religious event.

• Who is Jesus?
• Why did He come?
• What does it mean to follow Him?

Jesus is the Good News. He brings us the resources to look past ourselves, not be offended by those who do not know God, and to respond with compassion and grace — and in creative ways in keeping with our being made in the image of God. Americans know why we Christians are outraged at the X instead of Christ. Do they also know why we think Jesus is a big deal? Do they see His life portrayed through ours? Do we make them want to know what the X is all about?

To broaden the discussion, I find that having a shared season of “Happy Holidays” is a great antidote to the otherwise break-neck pace of our culture. If Jesus is special grace (John 1:14-16), then the pause in American society of this week and next is common grace. Most people have time off, get to be with family, and are simply nicer to be around. Even with “Happy Holidays” and “Xmas,” it’s like we all have a headstart on conversations. Those terms may not be a simple pathway to getting my views heard, but it is an easy pathway to valuing people, slowing down, asking questions, and even challenging assumptions. People generally don’t care about my personal relationship with Jesus. They do care how my life reflects Him. Because of the Cross and who Christ is, I say keep the X in Xmas.

————-

For a little background on how X represents Christ, we can quote R.C. Sproul:

“The idea of X as an abbreviation for the name of Christ came into use in our culture with no intent to show any disrespect for Jesus. The church has used the symbol of the fish historically because it is an acronym. Fish in Greek (ichthus) involved the use of the first letters for the Greek phrase “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.” So the early Christians would take the first letter of those words and put those letters together to spell the Greek word for fish. That’s how the symbol of the fish became the universal symbol of Christendom. There’s a long and sacred history of the use of X to symbolize the name of Christ, and from its origin, it has meant no disrespect.”

• Read Sproul’s whole explanation.
• Separate article on InternetMonk: “Why I Don’t Participate in the Christmas Wars“

When I found out, I cried. Then prayed for Matt, Lauren and their three kids together with my lead pastor. I’ve never met the man, and while I know many others who face cancer (and cry with and for them), I was strangely reminded of my own frailty and the weight of pastoring.

While the path is not easily, Matt and his family are modeling perspective for us. May we experience the grace to face our deepest fears daily, trusting in Christ as the sole source of our significance and strength.

• See a short video their church family saw this weekend, an update on Dec. 18th (same video as the first link)
• Also, a video from Dec. 6th, before surgery
• Matt Chandler health updates here

The crux of the Christian response is that God came and entered the suffering of this world, suffering with us. Christ is the ultimate proof God is good and powerful. He sees all is not right and will be made new and perfect in the end. Why? How long, O Lord? Those are the cries of every human heart. (My take on this “Story of Sovereignty.”)

If God is Good…

Author Randy Alcorn’s new book If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil tackles these questions head-on. From the sections I’ve read, it is personal, pastoral, academic and certainly thorough (about 600 pages!). Few can write like he does, for a popular audience yet with a scholar’s acute sense of finer theological points.

In this short video Alcorn talks about our questions, “WHY?” and “HOW LONG?” Partly, because we live between Eden and the New Earth, where there is suffering, but only for a time. All things will be made new, and no more curse. Everything in us cries out for all to be made right. That’s a natural and God-given impulse. Alcorn shares some highlights:

Good word. Looks like a good book. Eager to crack open my copy after the New Year.

What’s your foundation?  More to the point: Who is your foundation?

the Wise and Foolish Builders from WCC Students on Vimeo.

Song: “Safe” by Phil Wickham on “Heaven & Earth”

An enlightened king in ancient India invited four men into his court who were blind and set before them an elephant and asked them to say what it was. The first man grabbed the elephant’s tail and said “It is long and flexible – an elephant is like a rope.” The second man took hold of the elephant’s leg and said “No, it is thick and round – an elephant is like a tree.” The third man felt the elephant’s side and said, “No, it is nothing like that at all. It is large and flat – an elephant is like a wall.” The fourth man grabbed the elephant’s tusk and said, “No it is hard and sharp – an elephant is like a spear.” And the king described to all the hearers in his court how we all are like these men in our understanding of God. We see only in part. Indeed, all the religions of the world are but the gropings of blind men after a truth much too great for any human mind to grasp.

Is this how you see truth claims in the world?

Let’s consider the characters in this story. The key players seem to be the four blind men. Let’s call them representatives of the world’s great religions. We have a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Christian, and an Atheist. (Or, include a Jew, a Hindu, a follower of Confucius, a Sikh, a Zoroastrian, etc.). But are the blind men the key players? Not really. The main character is the king, who described for them what they perceived, completing their knowledge, and having a full understanding.

Is it not ironic that religious pluralist — in seeking to illustrate that all paths lead to the same destination — places himself or herself in the place of the all-wise king. He alone can see what is going on. The religious pluralist basically says, “Each of those people are blind, and they are stupid. I am the only one who sees what’s really going on.”

It is in fact an extremely arrogant claim. Far greater than any claim that any of these specific religious leaders could make. Only someone outside of all religious truth-claims makes that carte blanche statement. The devoted followers of these philosophies do not make these claims, for their truth claims are exclusive (and declared wrong). The un-believing king is the so-called expert on God. How so?

The story wants us to reject the notion (the claim) that a specific religion can know the whole truth about God. However, in order to tell the parable the storyteller has to make the claim that he knows all there is to know about God. He’s the only one not blind. Somehow, religious pluralism knows that God is, in fact, an elephant and not a rope or a wall or a tree or a spear. Religious pluralism has placed itself in the seat of the enlightened king while the world’s religions are blind men! A person who believes all paths are equally true (or equally wrong, all of them) is quite arrogant. This person knows everything about God and is the only enlighted one.

(Many thanks to the late Lesslie Newbigin, British missionary to India, for snippets of this reasoning.)

Next time, a reflection on the nature of revelation. We no longer have to be blind! It is quite cool in our culture to search for God, but uncool to have found Him. Even less cool is to be found by Him. Revelation is His coming our direction — finding us — and for that we need humility. It’s not “my” truth, and I’m not “right.” It’s His truth and He’s come to rescue us.

Adam doesn’t blog, so with his permission I’ll share them here one at a time.

#1: Christian teaching involves a divine/human partnership.

Christian teaching is neither solely the work of God, nor is it solely the work of the teacher. Rather, teachers cooperate in a participational relationship with God in the stewardship of the gift and calling of teaching. This stewardship involves attending with faithfulness in the areas of preparation, instruction, and evaluation as teachers. It also involves depending on the person of the Holy Spirit and seeking to grow in relationship with Him in one’s life and ministry of teaching.

• See: Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 4:11; Phil. 2:12-13; Col. 1:28-29; 1 Tim. 4:12-16; 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 13:20-21; 1 Pet. 4:10

While Patterson Street in Eugene is named after my great-grandfather, I broke ranks with our family ties to the University of Oregon Ducks, becoming an Oregon State Beaver of all things. (As if you care. My mom did, however. She cried when two of her sons became Beavers and not Ducks. We have some humorous banter about it now.)

Here’s what former Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington had to say in the Oregonian this morning:

“The rivalry will never leave. There’s a reason I won’t wear orange. There’s a reason when I eat peanut M&Ms, I eat the orange ones first so I don’t have to look at them any longer. That stuff is ingrained.”

— Joey Harrington, former Oregon quarterback, quoted on page C7 (special section on The Civil War), The Oregonian, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009

So true.

Here’s a video version of the Advent (first coming) of Jesus, “He’s Here!“:

(There’s also a Deluxe Edition, which includes an audiobook version narrated by David Suchet, the same voice as in the video above. At under $12 and $17 respectively, both are a good deal.)

• Find out more at JesusStorybookBible.com

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

His team finished the regular season 12-0 after dismantling rival Florida State 37-10. Next week it’s the SEC championship game for the #1 Gators, then (presumably) on to the national championship game.
(It is worth noting that as of 10 pm on Saturday night, “Hebrews 12:1-2″ was the No. 1 most-searched term on Google Trends.)

• Read “Generosity of spirit separates Tebow” by ESPN’s Pat Forde

Also, via ESPN: Tim Tebow talks about his last game at the Swamp:

Photo credit: Huffington Post

“All of our personal & church problems come because we don’t come continually back to the gospel to work it in and live it out.” — Tim Keller, The Centrality of the Gospel

(We work out what God has first worked in — Philippians 2:12-13)

“Most necessary it is therefore that we should know the gospel well, teach it unto others, & beat it into their heads continually.” — Martin Luther

(Let’s beat it into our own heads first — Ephesians 3:14-21; Romans 12:1-2)

Two videos here, both speakers are not believers in Jesus (or one of His followers). Both with different perspectives on this question … or, perhaps just different on the surface. What do you think? (

“I’d like to say something about Christians trying to convert non-Christians.”

At the end of an interview for a series we were doing at The Journey Church (St. Louis), Pastor Jonathan McIntosh’s good friend Aaron turned to him and said, “I’d like to say something about Christians trying to convert non-Christians.” This is what he said… (3:21)

(originally found here)

Penn Says: A Gift of a Bible

“How much do you have to hate someone to not want to convert them?”
Noted atheist Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) recalls a time an attendee of his show stuck around and gave him a Bible with a personal note. The story starts off a bit slow, but listen to his first-hand account (5 min). A portion of his words transcribed below.

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?

“I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

—
Update: wrote this post a a few days ago but the Penn Says video was highlighted here by JT as well. (Thanks to JT for typing out the transcript.)

The video makers write:

The challenge was to go out and shoot a whole month of sunrises in a row and put them together in a video. we both heard the talk on September 30th and the next month was already set.

Too many times we forget that with passion comes dedication and hard work. what we learned is that it’s often in these small moments of beauty, that we are able to peek into the glory of an amazing God.

Song: “Phos Hilaron (Hail Gladdening Light)” by the David Crowder*Band

Reminiscent of Lamentations 3:19-24

19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

And of Psalm 19:1-6:

19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

—

This book is fascinating. It is a great mix of solid research (science and numbers) and cultural engagement (arts). I eat up the numbers side (as a left-brainer), yet appreciated greatly the wise commentary throughout. There were a number of characters whose stories were engaging, and although fictitious and fleshed out from homogeneous groupings, the narrative is fast-paced. This isn’t a just dry thesis with a bunch of numbers to back it up.

Lost & Found has three sections: Part I is Polling (who they are, what they believe, and what the future holds); Part II is Listening, where four markers are discovered (common themes of their deepest longings); and Part III is Reaching, where actual churches are looked at that are reaching the younger unchurched. This is a practical and helpful book. For that reason I will comment mostly on the helpful parts of the book and not dive too much into where it lacked (because it didn’t lack much). That said, there are some spots where I wish a more thorough analysis could be found; I’ll comment on those as we go.

Part I of Stetzer’s book deciphers research conducted among the “younger unchurched” (twentysomethings, 20-29 years-old), who happened to comprise the following cross-section:

• 22% always unchurched
• 62% de-churched
• 15% friendly unchurched
• 37% hostile unchurched

Because the masses are mixed, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to outreach. Many unchurched value spiritual matters but say they are turned off by “religion.” For example:

• 43% say they are spiritual but not religious
• 31% say they are spiritual and religious
• while only 9% say they are religious but not spiritual (and 18% were neither)
• about 40% of the younger unchurched identify with a denomination or faith group (as many of them grew in church and thus are de-churched)
• 60% say they grew up attending church as a child

It’s partly a book about evangelism (in a personal, individualism sense), but mostly about how local churches can mobilize our people to reach this “gap” generation before it’s too late for them. It’s about connecting as people, and as the corporate church. In that way it’s helpful, as Stetzer and company do not advocate a “come and see” approach that most books of this type advocate. They are not into only attractional church, but in missional church that is distinctly not extractional. (That is the dichotomy I see: rather than just missional vs. attractional, it is more essential to be missional vs. extractional.) We need to engage people where they are. Or, as Stetzer so apply summarized when talking about developing a sense of authentic community:

“Rather than behave/believe/belong ministry, we must move toward a belong/believe/become model” (84)

How many churches (or at least most of its members) have a Christian morality and social code that they project on the unconverted? Too many, in my opinion. If we are not on mission, moving towards people, then can we really be making disciples?

Here’s a talk Stetzer gave about these research findings:

Continuing on …

The skinny: it is bad news that the younger unchurched believe the church is to critical about lifestyle issues, generally full of hypocrites, and ultimately not necessary for spiritual development. This group has voted with their feet, and they have rejected the church because they think it is not necessary (or at least irrelevant; the church is not on the radar of many). The good news is that the younger unchurched are willing to dialogue about Christianity and Jesus. That is really good news: we want to talk with them about Him. Perhaps what they’ve encountered is not real Christianity at its core, but something altogether different (“religion” in the pejorative sense).

Their sense of spiritual truths is disjointed. While 4 in 5 believe that God or a higher supreme being exists, three out of five believe the God of the Bible is no different from other so-called gods (as in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism). Yet, more than 60 percent believe Jesus died and came back to life. They are open to learning more about Jesus. (More on where they would turn to learn about Him to follow.) About 3/4 believe the Christian church is generally helpful to the world. But almost half indicated that Christians get on their nerves. And nine out of ten believe they do not need the church in order to have a relationship with God or learn how to live the Christian life. Yet, nearly that many said they are willing to talk with someone about Christianity. They’re open.

Where (or to whom) would they turn to find spiritual guidance? Since they don’t believe the church is indispensible or a place to encounter absolute truth, About 60% are willing to study the Bible with a friend (if asked). But, since they believe Christianity is today more about organized religion than about loving God and loving people, they’re not that keen on going to church. Only one in six would go to church if seeking inspiration.

Their theological beliefs are interesting. It’s hard to argue with facts; they’re stubborn things. But, statistics can be construed certain ways based on questions lending themselves to nebulous self-identification. For example, Barna’s research of the last few decades often centers around persons identifying themselves as “born-again” Christians. Alas, the immorality of this self-called group is no better than the world (sinful behaviors, divorce, bad theology, etc.) But, because the classification is self-identified without an objective locus, how can one be certain of those findings? (Are they really born-again?) A strength of LifeWay Research’s questioning system is that one is more likely to say they are Christian than not (here in the U.S. at least), and this group sought out in the research for the book are decidely unchurched (or de-churched). They don’t really want to be known as Christians, and thus I tend to trust their self-identification more readily (than the system selected by Barna in parallel research).

Four key markers:

1. Community

2. Depth (& content)

3. Responsibility

4. Connection

We have “aspired” to community but it has scarcely become reality; and young adults have taken notice, both inside and outside the church (69). What stands out? An interest in authentic encounteres, a desire for relational equity (both presence and programs), wanting to be listen and process content (not passive), and a real desire for relationships to go past “hello” and “hi.” The key metaphor of family comes to the forefront. In this stage twentysomethings are wrestling through five key areas, such as identity, meaning, intimacy, pleasure and truth (from my own other research). All of these should be experienced in the context of community (at least in part).

I’ve long felt that depth of content — communicating under the authority of the Scriptures and wrestling with theology — is what my generation desires. We cannot subsist on “how to” speeches or “law-lite” platitudes or can-do speeches. We want the real thing; we want God. And even if we don’t want God (Romans 8:7-11), we want a transcendent experience. If we come to church we’ll want to encounter the real thing, not a side dish. So, I was not at all surprised at the researchers’ findings. A church an make a first-impression with eye candy, but to have a lasting mark, to produce deep Christians who want to live for Christ and be used for Him, we need to take them deep into the Gospel. The research shows this (87-104). The analogy of sitcoms (94-95) is spot-on. Nowhere in life are a few problems introduced in parallel, then navigated successfully and wrapped up neatly at the end of a 30 minute span. But that is what sitcoms give us (Friends, Seinfield, these days The Office), and that is what many contemporary churches strive for in their services. We want practical theology but we don’t just need six steps to a happy life. We need an encounter with the living God, with the truth of His Word, so we can be changed and become people who can face real issues in life.

And that’s why the issue here with depth is more than just about the words we say; it is about the person we are. Younger adults want to connect with real people navigating authentic struggles, and sharing life through the process. We cannot preach and give off the air that we walk in everything we are saying. We are broken people too and need to preach and speak and pastor as those who are also wrestling with issues. Not flimsy or unconvinced, but with conviction and authenticity at the same time. We’d rather be in over our heads than ankle deep in the shallow end (98). See, I’m placing myself in the middle of this group even as I write; this analysis resonates with me. More than What or How, we want the Who and the Why behind truth (more here). Stetzer writes:

“A significant chasm exists between behaviorism and transformation. Transofrmation goes beyond external resolutions. It requires internal struggle. It requires mining truth down to its deepest core and allowing it to resonate within you” (98).

The younger unchurched are wondering why the church remains silent on many of the issues plaguing our world. They desire responsibility. They want a culture of awareness, of wanting to make a difference, of coming together for a common goal — other than ourselves and self-preservation. Too many churches exist for themselves. They want to serve: one another, the church, and especially the local community and the world.

They also desire a cross-generational connection. I could write for days on this one, but suffice to say that as I organize small groups at our church I’ve gotten quite a few blank stares when I’ve mentioned inter-generational mission and community. Yet, in every instance, when the generations have seen the purpose and gave it a chance, they’ve felt a deeper connection to the church, to being used by God in each others’ lives. It’s organic mentoring; well, intentional and organic at once. Call it a greenhouse effect, giving room for growth but setting up proper environments.

So, what will we do at WCC? I’m not sure, but this book and statistical research has given me deeper confidence in some of the core emphasis I hope to continually bring before our leaders and members. Issues of authenticity, of Gospel-centered Bible teaching, of exploration and learning wisdom. Not short-cutting by simply giving (all) or assuming conclusions, of an openness of life to multiple generations, and challening the status quo of church being a place rather than the biblical definition of God’s people birthed by the Spirit, sent on the mission of the Son to the glory of the Father. We must be a people who welcome others to belong, leading to believing and becoming (and not being moralists).

Lost & Found is a good read. I highly recommend it for church leaders, and especially for a team of leaders who want to learn together and be challenged beyond their perspective to reach twentysomethings in their context.

Note: Just found out Jason Hayes (the research contributor to Lost & Found, and the leader of the Threads initiative for LifeWay) has produced a short supplemental booklet for connecting young adults in community. It’s called Context: Engaging the Young Adults of Your Community. A church staff friend gave me an advance copy; it looks to be a good synopsis of the longer book, with practical applications for reaching young adults.