What is the New Believer's Guide?

Tomorrow, The New Believer’s Guide to the Christian Life: What Will Change, What Won’t, and Why It Matters releases! I thought I’d give a quick blog about it. 

The New Believer’s Guide is a book designed to help Christians set out strong on their journey with God. For the first several years of my faith, I personally struggled with having realistic expectations about what the Christian life is and isn’t. There were times when I thought “Now that I’ve trusted Jesus, everything is going to be smooth sailing, blue skies, and all roses.” Then real life happened and that theological nonsense had to go.

But then there was a season of life that I believed that if I wasn’t suffering immensely then somehow I must getting something wrong. But who actually wants to suffer? Not me. In The New Believers Guide, I want to help believers understand what the Christian life is actually like.

More than that, one major emphasis of the book aims to drive home the relational aspect of our faith. That is to say boldly to the reader – "Your salvation isn't to be understood in terms of economics or contracts. God is not our Divine Employer! He's our Abba, Father! He's out to adopt children, not pick up hired hands. He takes the route of grace. He's the one who initiates, sustains, and empowers us to live the Christian life!" So one thing I try to highlight is what it means to be one of God's beloved children in whom he delights and all that fundamental reality to shape the entire Christian life. 

Lastly, I wanted to help answer some common questions that so many believers have. What is baptism and communion and why do we do those things? Why do we give money to the church? Who is a pastor and what does he or she do? What does it mean to be a church member? What is this whole "community" thing all about? Why be on a mission? I try to take time and answer each one of these questions in a way that is easily understandable.

I'm hoping that this will be a book that Christians who have been in the faith for some time could read along side a new believer and grow together. 

I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to write this and pray it blesses many. 

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A Prayer for the First Day of School

Father, in your great grace you have provided me/us with the blessing of having our son/daughter, __________. You’ve shown unspeakable kindness to me/us through him/her. From my heart, I thank you for his/her life.

Today not just another day. It is a big day. In fact, it’s really our only day. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn’t promised. And on this day, this first day of school, I/we stop to think of and speak to you.

Thank you for the marvelous gift of education and educators. Would you bless, guide, and encourage Principal _______ and he/she leads [school] _________.

Would you give [teacher] Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. ________ the grace, strength, perseverance, and creativity that they need as they carry out their profession.

Please help our son/daughter to learn, to grow, to listen, and become whole human beings. 

Bless those working in administration, food service, janitorial services, transportation, and safety. 

Would you surround our son/daughter with friends that will speak life and encouragement into our child. Please help our son/daughter to do the same. 

Through Christ Jesus our Lord,

Amen.

Fear of the Lord

I had the honor of preaching on the Fear of the Lord this week at Redemption Church. Below is a quick piece on defining the fear of the Lord. For the full sermon (28 min) click here. 

Defining “Fear of the Lord"

Well, the fear of the Lord is different from being terrified of the Lord. Though the words “fear” and “terror” belong in the same etymological family, they’re very different. So think of them more as cousins rather than siblings. 

So where does this phrase “fear of the Lord” come from and what’s the context? Surprising to some, the phrase “fear of the Lord” is not in reference to hell or the wrath of God but rather, the context is the grace of God in salvation! When we read Deuteronomy 6, we get a good picture of what fearing God actually means.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25

“When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’

– Deut. 6:20-25

You see, God does not give commandments and then say, "If you do these, I'll enter a relationship with you." Rather, God enters into a relationship with his people and then says, “Now this is how I want you to live.” 

This is what “fear of the Lord means. It means to be in a loving, ongoing, sanctifying, obedient, reverent relationship with the living God.

When you hear the phrase “Fear of the Lord” it drives home that major point, that ever so glorious and unbelievably unpopular doctrine of the Church known as LORDSHIP. As Christians, we do not understand our relationship to God to be one only of he being our Savior, though he most certainly is! God is also our Lord who has called us to follow him, to lay down our lives in obedience to him. But we must not forget that as Moses says that it’s not so that he can burden us! God has no interest in grinding your life down to powder for no purpose. The fear of the Lord is  “for our good always, that he might preserve us…"

Jesus: Friend of Sinners & Saints (4/4)

This is Mikey (Timothy Michael Law). Through thick and thin we are brothers to the very end.

In rounding out our series this week on Friendship it’s only appropriate that we look to our Lord Jesus and the friends he kept and keeps. 

JESUS: FRIEND OF SINNERS

In two places in the gospels (Matt. 11:19 and Luke 11:34) we read that Jesus was a “friend of sinners.” Jesus introduced an upside down Kingdom and part of the upside down-ness is the fact that he befriended the last in line, the least of these, the not-good-enoughs, the throw-aways… the sinners. Of course, as God incarnate, he didn’t have any options. If here were to befriend anyone, that person would be a “sinner.” And yet, when the gospels use the word “sinner” they’re communicating something more than a common blanket statement lumping the whole human race under the rubric of “sinner.” In the very religious society that Jesus found himself apart of there were the insiders and outsiders, the clean and unclean, the righteous and the sinners.

Keeping company with sinners said more about him than their sins. The religious folks took offense to the fact that this so-called “Messiah” would dare blur the lines between what is and isn’t clean. You see, where Jesus came from, both the food you ate and the friends you had must be kosher. 

Calling Jesus a "friend of sinners" was intended to ruin his reputation. It was a slur used to demean his character in the eyes of others. However, Jesus cared more about the those who were clearly far from God than what the religious people thought of him. Being a "friend of sinners" wasn't something he hid or was embarrassed about. He came to seek and save the lost. And friendship is one way he went about doing just that.

Christian, are you a friend of sinners? And I don’t mean like are you a friend of unbelievers simply for the sake of trying to convert them. 

I mean, can you see another image bearer of God and not turn them into a project? I’m afraid that until we reach that place, we aren’t in a place of authentic friendship. You see, we don't use the medium friendship merely for the sake of converting the lost. We pour out our lives for the glory of God! That's an entirely different paradigm! Of course we share the gospel and don’t hide our faith! Of course we want people to meet Jesus and experience the grace of God! Yes! But hear me…  it is easy to buy into a a lopsided evangelicalism that is more concerned with numbers than love. More concerned with programs than actual broken lives. More concerned with being ‘right’ than being real. 

Please hear me… I’m not downplaying evangelism. I’m saying that true evangelism, true Christ-centered conversations and conversions bloom brighter in the soil of authentic friendship than anywhere else.

But here’s the deal… Jesus was and is way more than merely a friend of sinners.

JESUS: FRIEND OF SAINTS

Jesus also had his close, inner three disciples: Peter, James, and John whom he invited to pray with. You see, Jesus is the closest friend of the Church. In fact, Jesus is the eternal friend of saints.

Jesus transforms sinners into saints and he did so through entering our mess, taking our sins, brokenness, and failures upon himself.

On the night of his betrayal Jesus said, “there is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends” and that is exactly what he did. 

In his death we see Jesus lose the closeness and intimacy with the Father that he had enjoyed from eternity past. The nearness and friendly communion he’d always known with the Father was cut off and he was left alone.

You see, Jesus was pushed out so that we could be brought in.

Jesus was put to death that we could have life.

Jesus went into the darkest place of saying “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” So that we can pray, “My God, My God, you have never left me!” 

Brothers and sisters, Jesus is not so concerned with conversions that he neglects growing saints deeply in discipleship. Jesus is not so concerned with the depth of growth in discipleship that he proves to be dispassionate about conversions.

At the end of the day, if we’re only a friend of sinners there’s a problem. And if we're only a friend of saints, there’s a problem. If we really walk with Jesus, he will lead us to the grimmest of places. And if we walk with Jesus, he’ll lead us to the holiest place – the very presence of God. 

I’m praying for us here at Redemption Church that God will call us deeper into these realities afforded to us in the gospel and that we may experience closer communion with God, deeper relationships in the church, and authentic friendships here in the city of Seattle where so many desperately need to know that they are loved, they matter, have dignity, value, and respect. 

Three Keys to Authentic Friendship (3/4)

This is my Papa Walt. I'll probably write a book about him one day. 

Below are just three things that the Proverbs has to say about friendships. 

Love is the Ground

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

– Prov. 17:17

When Solomon speaks of friendship, he does not speak in terms of economics, contracts, or score-keeping. He doesn’t think of competition or nit-picking. He uses the language of love.

This is so counter-intuitive in a world that uses one another in order to get something. To have someone in your life that doesn’t want to use you but is there simply to love you is truly invaluable.

Catch that! Friends don’t define one another by their “usefulness.” Friends understand one another by their availability, depth of trust, and lovingkindness. That is, real friendship is not a tool used as a means to an end. The relationship itself is the end!

Relationally In-Tune

But for love to be expressed and felt between friends there are many things that have to be in play. One massive piece that keeps relationships in-tact is that both parties are relationally in-tune. Look at what Solomon has to say: 

Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.

– Prov. 25:20

To be relationally in-tune is part of the real work of friendship. Your real friend knows you and knows what you really need in the moment. They how to listen to you, weep with you, and feel what you feel. They’re not interested in just trying to cheer you up with a happy song so as to avoid the awkwardness that comes with sadness.  

We’ve all been there in the moment when someone is made so uncomfortable by our own pain that they can’t help but try to cheer us up or downplay our pain by trying to give offer a form of false comfort. “Well, lets just go play ball or get a beer.” Or even worse, give you some goofy theology that trivializes suffering and says “Let go and let God.” 

Your friend is the person who can’t fathom rejoicing when you’re mourning. 

They can’t party when you’re crying.

They can’t laugh when you’re racked in anxiety.

Your heartache is something that keeps THEM up at night, too. Your pain becomes their pain. Your friend absolutely cannot and will not will not keep a safe distance from the messiness of your life. They enter into it lovingly and whole-heartedly. 

A happy song sung to a sad heart does not heal; it compounds the fracture.

Tells You What You Need to Hear

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

– Prov. 27:6

Your friend is not only the person who is there for you in the gutter. They’re also the one who is willing to say true things to you… things you don’t want to hear… things that they don’t particularly want to say because of the fact that wounds accompany the words. Like Jesus, your friend gives you grace and truth. 

Your friend will go much further than surface level and will and run the risk of wounding you because the wounds will lead to healing. 

They’ll help break up the hard ground so that the seeds can grow. They’ll help cut down the branches so that light can get through. They really care about your well-being and maturity.

That’s because your friend loves you. 

Friendship: Escaping the Squirrel Cage (2/4)

My g, LBC II and I rocking our Darth Vader aprons. 

Finding and maintaining healthy friendships really isn’t on the priority list for most Americans. Getting an education, a job, a home, and so on are the essentials while meaningful friendships (the ones that progress beyond happy hour) are quite rare. Far too often the friendships that we read about in books and watch in gut-wrenching nostalgic cinema are left studied from a distance in novels and scripts. The reality is that we’d rather not get our hands and lives dirty with tragedies, valleys, and tears that accompany real friendship.  

In March 2015, Time Magazine wrote an article entitled “You Asked: How Many Friends Do I Need?” Here’s an excerpt:

"According to data from the General Social Survey (GSS), the number of Americans who say they have no close friends has roughly tripled in recent decades. “Zero” is also the most common response when people are asked how many confidants they have, the GSS data show. And adult men seem to be especially bad at keeping and cultivating friendships." 

We are designed by our God who dwells in perfect community as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and thus, because we are in his image, we can’t afford to go through life isolated. In fact, one of the greatest consequences of sin is that it drives us to places of loneliness, hiding, and withholding from others. And social media offers little to nothing when it it comes to real flesh and blood friendship. While having the appearance of friendliness, we deny it’s power. 

How Friendship is Born: Interests and Burdens

Many of you are probably familiar with the name C.S. Lewis and have likely read or will read one of his books along the way. As an Irishman who moved to England and had a profound conversion to following Christ he became a very influential Christian writer and thinker. In one of his books, “The Four Loves” he presents different kinds of intimate relationships and in it he makes the case that friendship is the most selfless and sacred of all. 

Probably the most famous paragraph in the book he speaks about how friendships come into being. 

“Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden). The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, "What? You too? I thought I was the only one."  ... It is when two such persons discover one another, when, whether with immense difficulties and semi-articulate fumblings or with what would seem to us amazing and elliptical speed, they share their vision - it is then that Friendship is born. And instantly they stand together in an immense solitude.”

– C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves, 65.

You see, what he’s saying here? He’s saying that friendship is something that’s discovered. It’s that moment that when you move from being an acquaintance to the holy place of friendship out of common interests and passions. That person chooses you and it’s because there’s something about you that lights up something within them. You're enjoy something together and that leads to enjoying each other.

And yet, Lewis, one who had his fill of suffering in life, also mentions that burdens can unite two friends as well. 

So for me, my father passed away 7 years ago and the men that I’ve grown very close to over the last few years also are men my age who lost their dads along the way. And here’s what’s interesting:  even if we aren’t talking about the men we miss, there’s an unspoken understanding, respect, and honor that’s in the air. Friendship is born just as often in the valley as on the mountaintops. 

Your friend is the one who knows the real you and didn’t turn away. Your friend is the one who not only read the story of your life from afar but wept with you and even for you. Your friend is the one you have laughed with until late in the evening accompanied tears rolling down your cheeks, waking up the children… only to keep the jokes coming. Your friend is in your memory. Your friend lives in your heart... not just your neighborhood.

Frederick Buechner says it this way:

“The best moments any of us have as human beings are those moments when for a little while it is possible to escape the squirrel-cage of being me into the landscape of being us.” 

– Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC, 21.

Friendship: Real Wealth (1/4)

Over the summer at Redemption Church, we decided to take a focused look at a few selected Proverbs. This week we learned a few things about what Solomon has to say about the ever so important subject and experience of Friendship..

Friendship is a gift that God has given to humanity and obviously isn’t something unique to the Church alone. Regardless of faith, age, race, gender, and so on – the gift of friendship is available to be had by all human beings. It is something so real, so beautiful, so powerful that we will sing our hearts out over it. Just notice these few songs about friendship. 

Friendship is Common Grace

"I Get By With a Little Help from my Friends" - The Beatles

"We Are gonna be Friends" by the White Stripes

"You’ve Got A Friend in Me" -Randy Newman

"Lean on Me" - Bill Withers

"That’s What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Night

"I’ll Be There" - Jackson Five

And on and on it goes… 

Earlier this year Kanye released the Life of Pablo record and has a track on it entitled “Real Friends” and even Chance the Rapper has a song right now that’s blowing up called “Summer Friends”.

The subject of friendship is especially precious to Jana and I as we spent the last year out of full time vocational ministry and became extremely focused on ourselves as individuals and as a couple. We needed to take a year out of the pastorate and push back from the world of serving Jesus frantically as Martha and find the space to sit down as Mary at his feet and simply learn from him (Luke 10:38-42).

“All of our wealth is in our relationships.”

So to get to the point of this post:  If you’re measuring your wealth strictly by your paycheck, your accomplishments, your accolades, your degrees, your looks, your vacations your 401k’s, your toys… I hate to break it to you but you’re actually using the wrong measuring stick for defining wealth.

You see, you were designed for far more than the mere accumulation of things and experiences. 

I’m not saying that having things is wrong. It isn’t. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be ambitious, take risks, and really push ourselves. We should. Those things are all important. However, you weren’t designed only for those things. 

You were designed to know others and be known. 

You were designed for friendship with God, friendship with yourself, and friendship with others. 

For Jana and I, we have resolved that all of our wealth is in our relationships.

You see, at the end our lives we aren’t going to be thinking about that corner office, how much money we had, or the square footage of our home.

We aren’t going to be thinking about that vacation, that car we drove, or that boat.

We’re not going to be thinking about the pool, the landscaping, or our GPA.

We’re not going to be thinking about the extra 5 pounds we just couldn’t lose, the wrinkled skin, or the designer jeans we could never afford. 

In the end, by God’s grace, we will have sober minds and...

We will be thinking of the people we shared our lives with. Those who took long walks with us and shared in our fears or pain.

We’ll be thinking of the people who were just as happy to have split pea soup and Sprite as to have a seared medium rare filet and a glass of Malbec with us.

We’ll be thinking about the people we shared our lives with.

 Chef Mario Batali said it as good as anyone:

“My last meal? The food would be much less significant than the company.” 

You Actually Need Jesus to Live the Christian Life!

I preached last week at Redemption Church

on our Emotions. Here’s a little of the takeaway.

Romans: Vertical and Horizontal

Paul’s epistle to the Romans (57-58 A.D.) stands as a tower, a lighthouse in a very dark world brimming and brooding with various forms of evil in every corner. When I think of the epistle to the Romans I think of God's incredible creation story. I think of our sin and all the consequences that we still bear. I think of the sending of the great savior, our Lord Jesus. And I can't help but daydream about all that is to come when he returns.

Just reading through Romans and grappling with all that is being said is not for the faint of heart. And equally as challenging is the application of the content! The first 11 chapters speak primarily to us about God, the gospel, the work of Jesus' redemption, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (vertical).

But then in chapter 12 (vv. 9-21) Paul provides for us a vision for what mature Christian life actually looks like on the ground level (horizontal). He tells us that we are to be a loving, honorable, patient, blessing, encouraging, peaceable, community. Christians are not to be the people who hit back or harbor bitterness. Christians are to be a forgiving people, a preserving people; the salt and light that Jesus spoke about (Matt. 5:13-14).

The Christian Life is Impossible!

And yet, if Paul were to command us to do all of these things without first and foremost anchoring our entire identity in Jesus, this would simply be impossible! We would fail; falling flat on our faces in the first 10 seconds! Why? Because the Christian life is anything but natural to us!

Don't Get the Cart Before the Horse!

In the gospel, the imperatives always follow the indicatives. What we should do as Christians is always grounded in what has been done in Christ. We can't afford to get the cart before the horse on this one. If we do, we lose the gospel!

You see, the way into Christ-likeness is not through a white-knuckled, grind-it-out, prove-you're-serious-and-scourge-yourself discipline (though discipline is at the core of discipleship). The way to becoming more like Jesus is to place him at the center of our thoughts and looking for him everywhere-starting with and saturated by the Scriptures. 

Look to Jesus!

So rather than reading Romans 12 and being broken by the the weight of the expectations, see Jesus there as our great example and Savior for when we fall short. Take a moment and marvel at each of these statements about our Lord Jesus in light of Romans 12.

Jesus' love is genuine. 

Jesus abhors what is evil; Jesus holds fast to what is good. 

Jesus loves others with brotherly affection. 

Jesus outdoes everyone in showing honor. 

Jesus is not be slothful in zeal, but Jesus is fervent in spirit, and Jesus served the Lord. 

Jesus rejoices in hope, Jesus was patient in tribulation, and Jesus was found to be in constant prayer. 

Jesus contributed to the needs of the saints and Jesus showed hospitality. 

Jesus blessed his persecutors; Jesus blessed and did not curse them. 

Jesus rejoices with those who rejoice, and Jesus weeps with those who weep. 

Jesus lived in harmony with the other disciples and Jesus lives in harmony with us. 

Jesus is not haughty, but associates with the lowly. 

Jesus was never be wise in his own sight. 

Jesus repaid no one evil for evil, but Jesus gave thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 

As far as it depended on Jesus, he lived peaceably with all. 

Jesus, never avenged himself, but left it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, Jesus fed his hungry enemies and gave water to anyone who was thirsty. 

Jesus was not overcome by evil, but overcame evil with good.

Christian, this is our Jesus. This is who we follow. This is who the Holy Spirit is conforming us to be more like day in and day out. 

Dear Seminarian

London School of Theology Library

Editor’s Note:

The purpose of this series is to help students whether they are preparing for, attending, or have graduated from seminary to grow in the God’s grace.

*****************

I began my formal theological education at the age of 19 and I recently turned 36. I have been in school this entire time with the exception of taking one year off. I’ve earned a Bachelor’s in Christian Studies from North Greenville University (2003), a Master of Divinity and Specialization in Christian Thought Theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (2007), and a Master of Arts in Aspects of Biblical Interpretation from the London School of Theology (2008). Currently, I am in the dissertation phase of my doctoral program at Western Seminary with the hopes of completion by next spring, earning my Doctor of Intercultural Studies degree. I’ve also had the opportunity to serve as a theology professor in an undergraduate program for a few years.

All that to say that I’ve been at this thing called “theological education” for about 17 years. I am very passionate about bringing what I glean from the academy to the local church. At one point I even thought I was going to pursue academia full-time but my heart really is for the local church. I personally feel that’s where the Lord would have me vocationally.

If you’re interested in this kind of pastor-theologian kind of role, I cannot recommend highly enough The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming A Lost Vision edited by Kevin Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan. Also, check out and the Center for Pastor Theologians.

I suppose everyone goes into seminary with mixed emotions, expectations, and desires. The reasons people go to seminary can vary in many ways. Some go with the aim of growing personally but not with the intention of serving the church in a full-time vocational sense. Others go with the hopes of getting their Ph.D. completed by the time they are 28 years old.

Some go under the assumption that God is up to something in their lives. Such people feel they need somewhere to go, in order to work out ideas, and theology with the hopes of figuring it out somewhere along the way. And still, others go simply because their denomination will not recognize them as an ordained minister without having completed formal theological education. Regardless of why you’re entering seminary, here’s three things that you may find helpful to keep in mind.

1) The Cost: Time and Money

Of all of my friends who have been involved in the world of seminary, I don’t know any who have had an easy go at it unless they were fortunate enough to be given a grant/free ride to focus solely on their classes. Many of my buddies were fortunate enough to work at churches that valued their theological education and would not only give time off for them to study but would actually pay their tuition and for their books as well! I didn’t find myself in that situation myself and so that demanded a bit more focus and discipline in order to go to school.

During seminary, I would go to class all day long on Mondays and then the rest of the week work at my church as an intern, at a catfish restaurant as a waiter, and as a substitute teacher, a bar back, and on many Saturdays as a day laborer in which I would go stand at the Marathon gas station out in the country and hope to be picked up for a day to make roughly a hundred dollars doing landscaping.

My friends often ask “How did you do all that?” And the simple answer is “I was a little younger, had no kids, had my wife’s full support, and could run on about five hours of sleep.” This means very late nights and very early morning studies were part of the routine.

If you are going into seminary, I’d encourage you to speak to your pastor about what he did for income during the seminary years. See if there’s any money in the budget for something like this. There are oftentimes on-campus jobs that are very convenient. However, I am glad that I worked in other vocations as they provided a context for me to work out a little bit of what I was learning in class in the “real world”.

Working at places like UPS loading trucks or at the airport loading luggage on airplanes are also some suggestions I’d recommend looking into because of the hours available to work.

2) Take Your Time

This one sounds easy but many find the temptation to just “get the job done” to be pretty intense. God is outside of time so you can take yours when it comes to your theological education. And while someone probably shouldn’t spend their entire life as a student in the classroom, there is no shame in taking your time.

You’re going to be wrestling with Hebrew, Greek, Systematic Theology, Hermeneutics, leadership, and soul care, and so on. Hopefully, you see your education is not just for yourself but for the people who will be in your life until the day you die. Your mind is a sponge that goes to soak up, process, and wring out for the good of others.

With that in mind, it is worth really reading, not just skimming along. It is worth delving into the footnotes and understanding where ideas are informed and formulated. It is worth taking the time to pray and think about what you’re actually studying because this actually carries the potential and potency to change the world!

3) You Are NOT Your Grades

The last thing I would say it’s something that I learned from my supervisor in London, Graham McFarlane. While writing my dissertation there, he marked up a section big time, kindly showing where some ideas needed shaping up. I went to him after picking it up out of his tray in the hallway and asked him about it. He kindly explained some things but could tell I was troubled. “Alex,” he said, “you really care about these marks, don’t you?” A bit surprised by that, I said, “Well sure, Graham” (the profs over there go by their first names). “I sold just about everything I owned to move here and study with you.” Then Graham said something that set me free. “Alex, do you know how many people have ever asked me about my marks on my Ph.D.?” I looked at the floor. I knew where he was going. “Zero!” “Nobody has ever asked me about my grades.” “Alex, you are not your marks. You belong to Jesus. Now, get to the library and think, man!” That day, I learned more abut my identity in Christ than ever before. So as you head into seminary, remember, “You are not your grades!” “You belong to Jesus!”

This post originally appeared over at www.servantsofgrace.org

Prayer for Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. 

Where there is hatred, let me sow love. 

Where there is injury, pardon, 

Where there is doubt, faith, 

Where there is despair, hope,

Where there is darkness, light,

     and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. 

– St. Francis of Assisi  

The World to Which He Came

What kind of world do you think Jesus came to? This is so important for so many reasons. Because of time, space, and the countless fairytales you’ve heard throughout your life, you might be tempted to overlook the fact that the Jesus of Nazareth actually came to this world. The real world.

The gospels speak to this reality so clearly. When we see Jesus enter human history he does so in a way that nobody would expect GOD to arrive – humble, gracious, and accepting of the least of these. As soon as he’s born in a borrowed barn, he’s smuggled out of the country as a refugee. A refugee in the world he created. 

The earth that was his footstool proved to be little more than a palace for the ungrateful and entitled and a bed of thorns for the weak. Jesus most definitely came to our real world filled with pain, rejection, setbacks, stubbed toes, cold spaghetti, deadlines, schmoozers, and rainy Saturdays. The infant lay surrounded by puffing beasts, buzzing flies, anxious parents, and grinding poverty.

And it is here that Jesus introduces a Kingdom that is completely upside down – where the poor are in fact wealthy, the outsiders are the insiders, and the unclean with their grimy fingers are welcome to eat at God’s table.  

Chicken Scratch

Father’s Day is a special day, an important day, even a peculiar day. To be honest, it is a day that you half-think men invented in order to make doubly-sure we get our due honor for the small sacrifices we make. I say “small” because when fathers get up and go to work, words such as “sacrifice”  don’t usually come to mind. No, we think of tasks, meetings, and deadlines, primarily. And yet, when heading out the door and the four year old little boy asks if his shoes are on the correct foot, we stop because we know we are on holy ground. It is in that split second that we fathers stop and know that whatever lies ahead for the day just simply isn’t as important as this little one speaking to us. Sure, the shoe being on the right foot is peanuts compared to everything in the headlines. But to the preschooler, it’ll make the difference between whether he walks or skips in the driveway. "Of course he needs to skip”, we say to ourselves. Of course he does. Whatever the origin of Father’s Day, it is a day that we stop, and if possible, remember who our fathers are (or were) and what they really mean to us.

As a 36 year old man, I can tell you that more than a few of my friends fathers have died. When talking with my friends about our fathers, we exchange good and not-so-good stories. We tell the bad stories too because none of us were born to perfect people and the highlight reel, as fun as it is, isn't all there was. Before we get into the whens, the hows, and the whys surrounding the men we miss we ask one question every single time and without fail. It is the question that rocks us to the core.

The question is: “Did you have a good relationship with your dad?” This is what we men, who work hard, have wives, children, and pay bills ask each other.  

The conversations are often short and pungent (sometimes peaty). When we speak of our fathers, we speak with fewer words because losing your father is unlike anything else. To speak of the man who raised you who was fraught with holes and simultaneously worea red “S” on his chest is to be speaking of something holy. Nobody ever envisions sitting at the kitchen table at 5:18 am on a Tuesday morning in June, thinking about the missing man. Dads are intended to be immortal, you know. 

I’m not sure why it is, but when I think of my father this year, I feel like I’m missing more than a father. It is like I’m missing a friend. I miss his laugh. I miss his heavy-starched dress shirts. I miss his cologne. I really miss his handwriting. God, his handwriting was just beautiful. Such straight lines and curves and spacing. There was real thoughtfulness care, and precision. It as though he knew that his handwriting, though usually to someone else, was actually saying something about himself. His handwriting spoke of his unhurried character. It spoke of a certain confidence in the subject at hand. More than anything, his handwriting spoke of the worth of the other. After all, why make life harder on someone else with chicken scratch? 

July 5th: Seattle, Emotions, Prayer, and Support

I took a little break from the blog to focus on my dissertation and my next book which is set to release in October. I’ll jump back into posting blogs and updating the food page on a regular basis once we move to Seattle on July 5th… which brings me to the point of this little post. 

This weekend, I had the great privilege of hanging out with folks and preaching the gospel at our new home church in Seattle. For those that may not know… after several months of praying, thinking, and wrestling over whether or not we should do it, Jana and I feel like this is what the Lord would have us do. So I’ve accepted the call to join the staff at Redemption Church and will primarily focus on teaching and theological development. As you would expect, we're feeling a few different emotions about our upcoming move to plant our family in Seattle. We’re humbled, exited, and a little sad.

Humbled: We’re humbled to be God’s children and graced with the opportunity to serve him and his glorious Church in this capacity. 

Excited: We’re exited because we absolutely love the church, the city, and so many wonderful friends in Seattle!

Sad: I’d be lying if I didn’t say this isn't a challenge. Leaving family is hard. It’s even harder when you really love your family and have envisioned living life closer than 2,600 miles apart. Our family and friends in the south are precious to us and will miss them terribly. 

Want to Help? 

So… Seattle is far and moving can be expensive. If you’d like to help us move, you can click the link below and select the “Help the Earlys Move” tab and you can donate there. I can’t tell you how grateful we are to those who will pray and support us. 

Here is a link to the sermon from Sunday at Redemption if you'd like to listen in.

And here is a link to follow if you’d like to help us move. 

Much love to you all! 

Abba’s Children,

Alex, Jana, Tovah, and Jude

The Early's in Emerald City

As many of you know, Jana and I took the last year out of any kind of formal ministry to take a break, regroup, and really work on our souls as individuals, our marriage as a couple, our family as a whole, and to really see what God would have us do with our lives in service of the King and his world. We have come to this decision very slowly and in much prayer – involving professional counsel as well as with close confidants, and trusted pastors.

This summer we will be moving back to the city of Seattle to plant our roots, God-willing for the long-haul. We will be joining Redemption Church! Redemption was planted 15 months ago and is a strong, healthy, gospel-centered community of followers of Jesus.

In addition to joining the preaching team, I will be focusing primarily on teaching, mission, leadership and theological development.

Please pray for us, our families, Redemption Church, and the wonderful city of Seattle as we make our journey to the great Pacific Northwest this summer.

#Home #Seattle #EmeraldCity  #PNW #RedemptionChurch

The Weekend Pace

...The Weekend Pace

"For those who over the course of reading this book became a Christian or for the person who recently became a Christian, consider the Easter weekend. During Easter, Christians observe Good Friday that marks the day Jesus gave his life, in our place, for our sins. Easter Sunday marks the day he rose from the grave defeating sin, satan, demons, and God’s wrath. Strive to keep the Easter weekend first in your mind. The Christian life is not to be lived only in the shadow of Good Friday, mourning your sins, counting the losses, and trembling in the shame of sin. There is also Resurrection Sunday’s bursting light that brings us hope, security, and promise of new life! It’s easy to get stuck on either Friday or Sunday. Some Christians you’ll meet along the way will only sing a dirge of Good Friday and seem to have forgotten that they might not remember that Sunday was just around the bend. There are others who live only in Resurrection Sunday, skipping about and acting as though sin didn’t kill God’s Son. They tend to strike up the band only to drown out the world’s sorrows. The reality of the Christian faith paces back and forth between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, reminding us of who we were apart from Christ and where we were headed while simultaneously bursting with joy that we are forgiven, will wear white on the last day, and that suffering, sin, and pain in this world will expire."

– The Reckless Love of God: Experiencing the Personal, Passionate Heart of the Gospel, p. 175. 

Old Testament Salvation in 5 Sentences

Many often wonder how people were saved in the Old Testament. Some mistakenly conclude that if the Jews simply observed the Law and if they kept the rules well enough that God would save them in the end. However, that is not the case. It’s always been by grace alone. Professor Max Turner (who is a former professor of mine at London School of Theology and is still a friend to this day) helpfully wrote in one of his footnotes 5 sentences speaking to this that you may find helpful. 

"Jews were not (as once thought) ‘legalists’, who believed in the need to keep every item of the law perfectly, in order to achieve salvation. Essentially most believed God had chosen them them and destined them for eternal life by grace, and that a Jew would only be barred from the new creation if he or she deliberately revoked the covenant (e.g., by gross unrepented sin). Otherwise repentance, the sacrificial system, the day of atonement, etc. were all there as testimony to God's mercy towards the sinner, and as the divinely appointed means of receiving forgiveness. Jews thus kept the law as a thankful response to God's grace and calling (not in order to earn a place in the redeemed order). This pattern of belief has been called ‘nomism’ (in deliberate contrast to ‘legalism’).”

- Max Turner, The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts, 51-52, note 47.

Party Theology

The Prodigal Son by Emilie Salome

My favorite, (and probably Jesus’ most famous parable) is known as the "Parable of the Prodigal Son" (Luke 15). It kicks off with Jesus around at the table having a meal with the tax collectors and sinners. This was a major social no-no. Rabbis were holy men and who they ran with really mattered. Who you shared a meal with was more than just eating. Sharing meals together was a sign of acceptance, welcome, and friendship. The Pharisees (the religious separatists) despised the fact that Jesus was willing to break bread with those who were most certainly unwelcome  around the things of God, much less, God himself.

Jesus notes their grumbling and decides to tell the room of stories. You can almost picture Jesus straightening himself up, tapping his wine glass with his fork, (Ding! Ding! Ding!), “Excuse me everyone… Could I trouble you with sharing a couple of stories that I’ve got on my mind?” Everyone chimes in, “Yes! We love your stories!” “Alright”, he answered. "I like to call these ’the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.’" 

Now, there’s so very much that can be explored in this earth-shattering chapter of the Bible but here I just one to point out one piece: the saddest part of the runaway son’s story.

The saddest part of the prodigal son episode isn’t when he asks his father for his inheritance before his father passes away.

The saddest part isn’t when he packed his bags and left home.

The saddest part isn’t when he squanders his inheritance in “reckless living” which included wild parties and sexual deviance.

The saddest part isn’t when he wakes up broke and starving in a pig sty.

The saddest part comes when he’s on his way home, putting together his “I’m sorry” speech, saying to himself, “I’m going to ask my Dad for a job.” He thought he’d be a better employee than a son (and maybe he was right). But that’s the thing. He was going to go back and ask his Father for the impossible. Listen to his words. Have you ever said anything like this to God? "I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.” Think about that for a second. “Treat me as a hired servant.” That is the saddest part of the story. How he wanted to be treated.

To the son covered in filth and shame it was inconceivable to come back home and pick up where they left off. Who in their right mind would even think of even showing up? That only happens in movies. But that’s not real life. In real life you always reap what you sow. In real life, you go to time out. In real life, karma gets you. In real life, there’s no free lunch. In real life, you pay for your mistakes. That’s real life.

The son must’ve been thinking: “I’ve gone too far. I’ve messed up way too much. I’m just nasty. There’s a pig sty in my heart. There’s filth all over me. I smell like a drunk. There’s lipstick from strangers on my neck. I’m a big pile of mistakes on the inside and outside. What I need is a job. I need to make some resolutions to try harder, do more, and not be such a screw up.” That’s the saddest part. Desiring to be an employee rather than a child. Hoping to come on the work crew as a hired hand rather than come in the house as a cherished child. Settling for a paycheck rather than a father’s embrace.

Ever been there? 

Why would Jesus tell this parable? Because it’s our default to come up with schemes and plans that put us near God without the vulnerability required to be embraced by God.

To the son, it just seemed way less scandalous to ask for a job than to be welcomed back into the family. But to the Father, nothing less than complete forgiveness and restoration was acceptable.

When it comes to being scandalous in this story, the Father tips the scales big time! You see, anyone can leave home, get drunk, and messup sexually. That’s hardly a capital “S" scandal. The really Scandalous One in the story is the the One who had a broken heart still runs to his son, kisses him, and throws a huge party for the whole town in his honor because they were back together again! He’s the One that’s out of line, right?

The Father is not about to hire his son!  The Father simply could not and would not turn this covenant into a contract!  Asking the Father to act as though he didn’t count the boy's ten fingers and toes as a baby. As though the Father didn’t delight in him every day as his son. As though the Father didn't cherish every birthday with all his buddies around.

God is not hiring.

God is adopting. 

The Father then throws a huge party. The son must’ve thought, “I can’t believe we’re partying. I thought I’d partied enough.” You see, what we learn here is that God isn’t anti-partying. He simply wants to be the one who furnishes the joy that makes the party an actual party. You see, partying without him is just coping. Partying because of him is abundant life. 

Notwithstanding the remainder of the parable addressing the older son - were Jesus writing a movie the narrator would come on at this point and  “And they lived happily ever after.”  

T.I.'s Birthday Party and Exegeting Culture

Last summer, Jana and I got to go to T.I.’s birthday party here in West Atlanta. Needless to say… it was crazy. We were the first people in the place and got down front for the show. The place filled up in the matter of a few minutes. We were talking to all kinds of people and learning about upcoming rappers here in the Atlanta area. The stage had nothing on it. The house music was bumping and then two guys came out and placed a throne on the stage. Everyone got super-stoked knowing that in a few minutes T.I. would ascend to the throne. Then that bass line from “Broadcast Live” came on and the place went off! Then Tip came and sat on the throne, crossed his legs, just sat there in all his birthday glory and everyone celebrated one of ATL’s famed rappers. A minute later he jumped up and he and his crew put on a show for about an hour. 

Why am I talking about all this?

Because I was watching a few theological themes happen right before my eyes. Basically, exegete everything. 

• famous figure (Psalm 111:4)
• seated on a throne (Rev. 21:5)
• in the middle of the city (Rev. 21:22-27)
• with countless followers (Rev. 5:11)
• music (Rev. 5:9)
• celebration (Rev. 22:3)

….sure seems like something we Christians are into. 

This isn’t a plea for Christians to find a way to Jesus-juke every single moment of life and make everyone uncomfortable with strange theological commentary every 10 seconds. 

But I am under the conviction that many Christians need to desperately recover what it means to be able to read more than the Bible and engage in reading cultural trends and ideas – the “texts” of today. This doesn’t downplay the importance of Bible study in any way. 

There’s just so much more to for Christians to be doing than reading the Bible, hanging out in Christian coffee shops, and going on Christian cruises (yep, those are thing). 

Listen to the World

If we’re going to have any kind of impact when it comes to engaging our world with the gospel we’ve got to first really listen to what the world is saying, believing, and how it is behaving. As disciples of Jesus, we’re not to become passive, brainless, conviction-less sponges that merely soak up everything under the sun. We also aren't to become ascetic, removing ourselves from the world, left with no clue of what’s going on in society either. We are to live intentionally, thinking through things with the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). And yes, that means that there’s a ton of things that you’ll hear that are offensive because the world doesn’t worship your God or have your values. It has it’s own. We’ve got listen to where folks are coming from. Remember that listening to someone doesn’t mean you agree with or endorse everything they’re saying or doing. It simply means you're listening and really thinking through what you’re seeing and hearing and processing it all in light of the gospel.

Ask Some Questions

We’ve got to be asking: Who is communicating? Why do they have a voice? What are they saying? What are people believing? Why are they believing this message over that message? Christians are challenged with the task of being able to bring biblical witness into the ever-changing culture in which we live. And not only that, we need to do so in a way that translates into the here and now and not just talk about the way back then (i.e.,contextualization, hermeneutics, mission, evangelism, etc.). There’s got to be an approach that doesn't begin by demonizing everything in the culture, telling people who’s out, what’s wrong with them, and how screwed up they are. That probably isn’t putting our best foot forward. We’re supposed to be building bridges rather than walls (and I’m not saying compromise the faith, drop your guard, or be careless with doctrine). However, don't start with “You’re a wretched sinner.” The Bible doesn’t start there. It starts with a loving God creating all things and making people in his image for a life together with Him. Start there. Then move on to sin, our brokenness, and bring the gospel to bear there.

The most popular example from Scripture of this way of engaging culture with the gospel is taken from the Apostle Paul in Acts 17 as he quotes poets and philosophers and then bringing Jesus into the conversation. Give it a read and think about the city you live in, the values it has, and the people that make up that little spot you call “home” for the time being. What are some themes, metaphors, and truths in Scripture that you see corresponding in your neighborhood today? 

Permission to Grieve

I haven't always been so great at grieving. Maybe you're like me in this way? We could blame it on culture or our upbringings or whatever. Regardless, I know that even Jesus himself wept on the bad days (John 11:35) and if he was allowed to grieve, so am I. So are you. 

Seven years ago today my dad died. His name was William Alexander. He was 56 years old and I was 28 when it happened. Exactly half his age. It came suddenly and was completely unexpected. I've learned a lot this year from my therapist and a few very close friends – lessons that will change me for the rest of my life. And for that, I'm extremely grateful.

No-Grieving Allowed

One of the things my therapist said to me last June was profound. He asked, "Alex, have you ever grieved the loss of your father?" I looked at the floor and said, "Sure, I have." (All this meant was that I had some hard days and attended the memorial service). He pressed in more and revealed to me that I really hadn't dealt with the pain, the loss, and the sadness that accompanies death's sting. He helped me see that at the time of our loss, I grieved over my dad as a pastor would (because that's what I was doing at the time; it was my job) but I did not grieve as his son. I didn't think I had permission to do so.

With a very immature and unbiblical understanding of death as well as a goofy, macho, no-crying-allowed version of manhood in my mind, (which isn't manhood at all, by the way) I suppressed the grief. I would be strong and courageous (insert out of context Bible verse). I would "press on" (again, insert out of context Bible verse). After all, that's what God "called" me to do, right? Deep down, I thought pastors were supposed to be tender towards everyone else but tough on themselves. Boy, was I wrong! I had no idea. I really didn't know that what broke my heart also broke Abba's. 

You Can't Sink A Buoy

Little did I know that grief and pain are much like a buoy in the lake. No matter how hard you try to climb on top of it and push it under, you eventually slip off, and it resurfaces. Confession: I sought to submerge my grief not with obvious sins like sexual promiscuity or getting drunk. No, I was savvy enough to suppress my pain through busyness as a pastor and theology lecturer. You see, I picked the good vices, the ones that made me feel and look good. Serving the church at break-neck speeds can't be bad for you, can it? Here’s the thing: there’s no such thing as a "virtuous vice." I needed permission to slow down, to grieve, to process, and sit with reality. In sitting in that space of grief, I learned that it's okay to have a broken heart and I learned that if I was going to heal, I'd have to be gentle with myself.

Self-Compassion is not Selfish

You see, extending compassion towards others is remarkable. But extending compassion towards ourselves is a miracle! I am becoming more and more convinced every day that the depths of one's Christian maturity are not measured only in terms of good works or abilities to articulate the faith in fresh and profound ways (though both are very important). The better, more accurate marks of a Christian are seen in those people who walk barefooted into the bathroom, stand in front of the mirror, and think of the bloody mess of Good Friday and the bright, clean sunlight of Easter morning and look oneself in the eyes without a scowl, a wince, or smirk, and say "I forgive you." "I accept you." "I love you." 

This does not in any way deter from the glory of God or the work of his Son and Spirit! This does not hijack the gospel of God and make it a man-centered, pop-psychology! On the contrary, it is the most logical, profound, and fitting application of the gospel! To profess that we are the justified, those who have received the free pardon and righteousness of God and yet withhold basic self-acceptance, self-forgiveness, and self-love betrays the very confession of the faith that the 2nd century Apostles Creed states so clearly: "I believe in the forgiveness of sins." If we will accept the forgiveness of God, the grace of God, and the love of God but then turn and shame ourselves, we've yet to let our confession become our reality. We all know talk is cheap. And we know that theological talk can be the cheapest.

Gospel-Identity, Again

The writer of Hebrews tells us that the triumphant Son of God is unashamed to call us brothers and sisters. How dare we sit around, licking our wounds, sulking in yesterday's regrets, and pouring self-hatred over our heads as though that were our true baptism! 

To be a member of the family of God is to abandon self-hatred.

To be the forgiven is to be the undamned. 

To be free is to be the non-slave! 

To be accepted is to remove alienation.

To be the adopted is to undo our orphanhood.

To be loved is to be the unhated of Almighty God.

If all that's true (and I believe it is!) then we can be a bit more gentle with ourselves in our brokenness and grieve but not as those who have no hope (1 Thes. 4:13-18).

William Alexander Early

August 4, 1952 - February 26, 2009

Filled with the Light, Life, and Love of God

A Comment on the Love of God

“Instead of an easy concession, the Divine forgiveness makes a heroic demand upon our courage. For that forgiveness is not the easy passing of a sponge over a slate. It is a stern and painful process: it means the re-ordering of the soul’s disordered love, setting right what is wrong, washing it from wickedness and cleansing it from sin.”

– Evelyn Underhill, An Anthology on the Love of God from writings of Evelyn Underhill, p. 186