In the small community in which Dee and I live, there are numerous parcels of land which are for sale.  I forget what the technical term for this type of development is.  I suppose one could say it’s a miniature sub-division.  I guess that makes it a sub-sub-division.  The lots are small.  Yet, the selling point is the community development and the way the houses, lawns, walking areas, etc. mesh with one another.  So, it’s not the individual lot per se that draws you; it’s how it fits within the community.

As I’ve mentioned before, too often salvation is presented by folks as being merely privatized religion.  My forgiveness.  My salvation.  My heaven.  My Jesus.  My bible.  My worship.  My holiness.  My blessing.  My church.  (ad infinitum)  The tendency is to forget the communal nature of redemption.  Some questions that come to mind:  What is the scriptural notion of salvation?  Is it merely accepting Jesus in my heart?  Is it a profession of faith upon which God deposits all that I’ll ever need inside my soul or adds it to my eternal account?  Are proper relationships with others a sign of personal salvation or integral to the salvation process?  Will neglecting to foster such (proper) relationships hinder or endanger a saving relationship with God?

The point of the illustration offered at first is that persons don’t purchase a parcel of land in our community simply to be a landowner.  Meaning, someone must purchase the land with the intent to build (or sell to a builder).  In like manner, the way we often preach salvation is as if God simply wants to be a landowner.  He purchases the lot of land, analogous to forgiving us of past sins, with no intention to build.  Really?  Might it be that God’s redemption is more dynamic than simply the forgiveness of past sins?  Thank God he offers forgiveness of past sins; however, this is one aspect of the redemption process.  He purchases with the intent to build upon that which is his.  And it’s always with the community in mind.  (Notice Romans 6 addresses believers and John 17 is a prayer for believers as well.)

Check out this short video clip which offers a powerful critique of how the gospel is presented in many of our churches and calls folks to revision “salvation” in light of the New Testament picture of God building a people.  (After the Jack Van Impe clip, you’ll hear one of my favorite New Testament scholars, Gordon Fee):

… to be continued

I would like to unpack a bit further the issue of our last post (Sunday-Monday divide).  I appreciate the comments shared thus far.  The replies have been very helpful.  Sonny brought out a good point concerning the transition that occurred in the church’s identity during and after the time of Constantine.  For those who are unfamiliar, Constantine (ca. 272-337 CE) was a Roman emperor who allegedly had a vision that instructed him to draw the symbol Chi Rho (the first two letters of the word “Christ” in Greek, as seen in the picture above) on his soldiers’ shields during the battle of the Milvian Bridge, Oct. 312 CE.  It is said that in the vision Constantine was instructed, “By this sign you shall conquer.”¹

After emerging victorious in this battle, Constantine attributed the victory to the God of the Christians.  Thus, he and his co-emperor at the time, Licinius, issued what is known as the edict of Milan in 313 CE, which called for religious toleration throughout the empire.²  Until this time, as Sonny mentioned, the Christians were a suffering, persecuted minority.  However, after this edict, Christianity began to take on a more respectable, prominent role in the empire.  That’s a good thing, right?  Not necessarily.

Slowly but surely, the church, in her identity and purpose, began to merge with the empire.  And by the end of the 4th century CE, “the emperor Theodosius finalized the conquest of Christianity, making the faith of the Christians the only legal religion in the empire… The Church had arrived, or so it appeared.  Thus arose ‘Christendom’ – an alliance between church and empire.”³  After this transition, the church began to define the faith in a more compartmentalized manner.  If the empire is understood to be “Christian” and many of its members, for the most part, live in an un-Christlike manner, then discipleship (living under Jesus’ lordship) is emphasized less and less in teaching what it means to be “saved”.  And when one falls prey to the myth of a Christian “religion,” acknowledging proper teachings/doctrines takes precedence over entering a new way of life (now lived in allegiance to Jesus).  Thus, we divorce what we “believe” from how we live.  And as Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.”

As Jeremy, Mike, Dee and Jason have also alluded, salvation entails more than simply claiming to be a “Christian” by title, church membership, and/or experience (e.g. saying the “sinner’s prayer” however many years past).  Not to belittle the relevance of admitting to others (verbally) that we are “Christians,” being part of a local assembly, or surrendering one’s life to Christ in prayer – at the heart of “salvation” in the New Testament is “to participate in the kingdom of God, that long-awaited rule of God, in which the rebellion, with its corollaries of lust and violence and greed and self-seeking, is undone.”4  And, in order to participate in God’s Kingdom, there has to be a change brought about in a person’s life.  He or she must “repent” of the old world order and, by faith, pledge his or her life to Christ.

Such a faith-commitment means that one no longer lives in accordance with the rebellious worldly system (cf. Rom 12.2).  By the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, we surrender each area of our lives to Jesus’ lordship.  Meaning, all of life is sacred or lived out “as unto the Lord.”  As followers of Christ, it is important to realize that our relationship with God is inextricably connected with our relationship with others (even our enemies!).  That at the heart of being witnesses of Jesus is living and loving as Jesus did.  We enter into a Christlike, Spirit-empowered life of love for God and others.  And, of course, we don’t do this by our own strength or smarts.  It is through the empowering grace of God that we enter into this new order; a way of life inaugurated by our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Shannon

¹ Lee C. Camp, Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2008), pp. 25-27.

² See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_I

³ Camp, Mere Discipleship, p. 26.

4 Ibid., p. 81.

I’ve been doing some soul-searchin’ of late, particularly concerning the lordship of Jesus.  I’m sure you’ve heard ministers admonish men, women, boys and girls “just to receive Jesus into your heart” or “all you have to do is believe in Jesus.”  My question is whether our neatly encapsulated message is the proper way to go about inviting others to faith in Christ.  Does Christ need acceptance?  Or does our acceptance of Christ equate to a blase confession of being “Christian” which entails little to no change regarding day to day living?

As many of you know, I’m still working on People of Bread by Vondey, but since our pastoral transtition at ACoG, I’ve zeroed in on The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch and, now, Mere Discipleship by Lee C. Camp.  Quite honestly, Hirsch’s work is one of the most challenging reads I’ve encountered in a while.  Not regarding its style and readability.  Challenging – as in driving me to question (in a good way) the motivations and fruitfulness (healthiness) of the way/s we go about “doing” church.

One of the questions that has come to mind over the last few weeks is whether there is scriptural warrant to the understanding of a sacred/secular divide.  Are there certain parts of life (e.g. “church” on Sunday or Wednesday) which are particularly “holy” or “sacred,” while other parts are “secular,” outside the influence or scope of one’s spirituality?  If there is a sacred/secular divide, where do we find Scriptural warrant for such?  If there is not, then why do we oftentimes succumb to this notion in our assemblies?

With Jesus being Lord & Savior of my life, what impact does this have upon how I live?  Is it simply a matter of his saving my “soul,” whilst understanding that my thoughts and actions can never be tamed?  Or is there something more to my professed surrender to the lordship of Jesus whereby every aspect of life is impacted and thus transformed (or being transformed) unto Christlikeness?

What are your thoughts?  Does such a divide exist as evident in our understanding of church here in the West?  Is this helpful or harmful?  What can we do in response?

Thinking out loud,

Shannon

³²Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.” ’ ³³And Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord, to be kept throughout your generations.’ ³⁴As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant,^* for safe-keeping. ³⁵The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.

(Exod. 16. 32-35 NRSV)

For 40 years, God provided for Israel while they wandered in the desert.  Due to unbelief and disobedience, Israel did not immediately enter into God’s desired blessing of the Promised Land, “a land where you may eat bread without scarcity” (cf. Deut. 8. 6-10).  Yet, God still provided for his people in the midst of their wanderings.  Isn’t this an amazing display of God’s gracious intervention in our lives in spite of our less-than-ideal circumstances and/or response?  As a gracious Dad, who longs for his children to have the very best, he provides for us even when we don’t quite understand his provision (remember that “manna” literally means “what is this?”).  However, as we’re making decisions each day at home, on the job, at school, in the hospital, at the church, in the jail, etc., we’re not left alone in the process of things.  God, by his Spirit, calls, beckons, woos, encourages, convicts us toward unreserved surrender in our relationship with Him.  But must we have everything figured out (even the Bible) before we say “Yes” to God’s purpose for our lives?

I don’t think so…

If you feel like you’re wandering somewhat aimlessly in a desert land, know for a surety that God loves and cares for you in the midst of your reservations, doubts and fears.  That you don’t have to have everything figured out in order to trust Jesus (who is God revealed to us).  What our enemy (satan) doesn’t want us to do is to slow down and take inventory of God’s goodness in our lives (even while we’re wandering in limbo regarding faith in Jesus).  The one who provides the bread in the wilderness (a sustaining nourishment to make it through the day) is he who calls you to trust him with your heart and life.

Peace,

Shannon

Entering the room, I didn’t know exactly what to expect.  I knew that it was a wonderful opportunity to be able to meet and talk with some fellow ministers concerning what it means to follow Jesus Christ and lead others in this path.  Young in ministry and in my overall walk with God, there is so much of which I am unaware. Programs, leadership styles, methodologies, conflict resolution, vision casting, spiritual guidance, family nurture, spiritual warfare, biblical exposition, mentorship, communication, time management, ecumenical perspective, organizational facilitation, and the list goes on and on. So many things to consider in the direction of pastoral ministry.  

In many ways, and oftentimes, the how tends to overshadow the why. To me, the why is a given.  God loves us and made a way for persons to be restored to Him.  By faith in Jesus, we enter into a relationship with God.  This relationship is empowered by the Holy Spirit (God), so it is a matter of trust and obedience as opposed to simple will power and personal piety (although both are involved).  As we grow in this relationship, God calls us to a life of influencing others to enter his Kingdom, thereby embracing his lifeline to rescue us from eternal sin and death.  The why seems much clearer than the how.  Thus, in my mind I think I was more focused on learning the latest info pertaining to the how of ministry.  You know, that which makes things more “effective.”

And as I’m walking into the room, I see an older lady who appears sweet and hospitable, yet somehow firm and resolved.  

“Hello, my name is Shannon.”

With a gentle smile, she replies, “Hello, Shannon.  I’m Margaret Gaines.”  

My mind considers the name somewhat familiar.  However, it doesn’t fully dawn on me until we’re all seated and the meeting begins – Margaret Gaines…(trying to remember)… She is the missionary to the Arabs of whom I have heard tremendous accounts of miracles in ministry.  In a short while, Sis. Gaines is asked to share with us some things on her heart concerning ministry.

Of all the things which she shared, the one thing that resonates in my mind pertains to the simplicity of walking with God.  We must be willing to walk with God.  And in walking with God, his love draws us into a loving relationship (with Him and others).  Such a relationship entails a sincere trusting God with our lives that finds expression in faithful obedience to God’s Word.  So, beyond novel methods, models and means, the word shared was one that called us back to the simplicity of faith – as a child lays her head upon the shoulder of her father, we can trust our Father to take care of us in spite of the storms.  

Arriving home later that evening, I thought of the many wonderful things learned throughout the day.  However, some things slipped through… They slipped through the note-taking, concept-oriented rationality which is definitely a necessary component, and they began to percolate in hidden places of my heart.  No matter how well versed I am in the methods, models and means of ministry, the heart of my influence stems from walking with God.  Am I walking with God, day by day, place by place, conversation by conversation?  Have I pledged devotion to Him, even when I don’t fully understand life, death, the world, the church, salvation, sin, people, pain, etc.?  For it is in walking with God that I find myself joined hand in hand, heart in heart, gift in gift with other brothers and sisters of like surrender who know that without trusting God, we are left to our own devices.  Such a picture underlines the gravity of being disconnected from God (by sin) and the gracious redemption offered by a loving Father determined to rescue his children.

Pondering her call to walk with God,

Shannon

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. - Phil. 2.5-7 ESV

“We have to give Him away so we can keep Him.” – Connie Davis

In one of the comments to our most recent post, a reader made the above statement regarding the loving witness of the local church.  Quite honestly, the statement stopped me in my tracks, so to say, and I stopped reading the comment for a moment, only to let Dee read it with me.  Such a statement is a powerful reminder of the called-for worshipful witness of the Church.

I spoke with Connie last night at church.  She made mention of her desire for a new ministry endeavor, one which targets ladies who are struggling with addiction.  What a tremendous ministry to those in our community.  Our prayers are with Connie, and we encourage her to walk on the water with Christ in launching this ministry.  Connie, we’ll be checking the discussion forum – A Sonny Gathering – for updates regarding your new ministry. 

Back to her previous comment: it goes hand in hand with something that my prof, Dr. Adewuya, taught us 2 weeks ago.  He was teaching on the kenosis of Christ, often referred to as the “self-emptying of Christ” found in Philippians 2.5-11.  Many times verse 7 is interpreted as Christ becoming “less God” in the incarnation (the view which insists that Christ emptied himself of something – equality with God, divine attributes, etc.).  Yet, it is more appropriately rendered “Christ made himself nothing” or “He poured himself out.”  This flows directly from v. 6, which tells us that Christ, though in God’s form, did not exploit such privilege and “made himself nothing” (v. 7).  The Savior was a slave.  Our King was crucified like a criminal.

Amazingly, the kenosis of Christ grants us insight into who God is.  God’s character, his holy essence, his nature of love is revealed in “Christ making himself nothing.”

It is his self-emptying and humiliation in which he reveals what God is like.  It is through his taking the form of a slave that we see the form of God. – Dr. Adewuya

As we have mentioned in previous posts (some of which have been lost to the last WordPress update), the church bears witness to the Triune God through our relational, other-affirming love.  We are, after all, intended to be the image-bearers of God to the world around us.  Such an image reflects (or should) the mutual indwelling, other-affirming, outward-oriented love that is ultimately depicted in the kenosis of Christ. 

So, when we look at the picture of God displayed in Christ making himself nothing, pouring out his life for the sake of humanity, we see a picture of the attitude and relational posture which should characterize the church.  If we are “in Christ,” pledging our lives to him by faith, then such love should manifest in how we love those around us.  A preacher once said, “I can tell how much you love God by how much you love those around you.” 

I think Connie’s statement is profoundly rich in theological substance because it captures the point that participation in the self-sacrificial, other-affirming, Calvary-like love of Jesus is what it means to be “led of the Spirit.”  And such Spirit-empowered love directly impacts every area of our lives – our homes, our schools, our jobs, and our local assemblies.  If we are led of the same Spirit who led our Lord and Savior, then we are led in the footsteps of his life(style).  It is a way of living which is what Michael Gorman calls “the cruciform life;” a life that looks like Jesus in both word and deed – a life in which our faith can be measured by our embrace of the other.

Peace,

Shannon

I first read The Shack by William Young earlier this year.  My husband, Shannon, had heard a preacher talking against the book and decided to check into it.  He read the first chapter online and decided to buy the book.  He and I read the book together and really enjoyed the story.  Since then, we have heard some people give rave reviews of The Shack while others contend that it could be harmful to Christianity.  Since it has become such a hot topic, I thought I would give my opinion of the book here and ask for yours. 

The Shack is the story of a man, Mac, who has lost much in his life.  Through his painful experiences, he has also begun to lose his faith in God.  I do not want to spoil the plot, so I will try carefully to keep from doing that while giving you some vital information about the book. 

The book opens in the good part of Mac’s life, and we are taken through a series of events that cause Mac’s world to crumble.  He becomes only a shell of the man he used to be, and his wife and children also struggle through life in the face of extreme loss.  One day, while Mac’s family is away, he receives a letter that changes his life.  He travels to a remote shack in the woods, where he proceeds to experience God in a dynamic and tangible way.

I think Young’s portrayal of the nature of God is one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen.  He shows that God is not constrained by our misconceptions or limited imaginings of him.  God is more dynamic than we could ever imagine, and his utmost concern is that we have a thriving relationship with him.  This is easily seen in how God reveals himself to Mac in The Shack.  This has been an object of consternation to various people who criticize the book for not being theologically sound.  However, I think the portrayal of God in The Shack captures many beautiful facets of the love of God that we see in the Scriptures, even if it is quite untraditional.

While there are some theological nuances in the book with which I disagree from a Pentecostal perspective, I think this book is one of the best books I have read all year and would encourage anyone who wonders about the nature of God and where God is in the middle of a bewildering situation to read this book.

Please let me know your thoughts, especially if you have read the book.

Blessings,

Dee

I was able to add a bit to the “About Us“ section of the blog yesterday. Dee is working on a snapshot introduction as well, and we’ll post that as soon as it’s complete.  Again, we want to say “Thanks” to everyone for your support of the blog thus far.  We look forward to future conversations. 

Blessings to all