Leading With Love: Loving is Doing Something (3/4)

Loving is Doing Something

“Do everything in love” (1 Cor. 16:14). In the first post we looked at how God loves the leader. The second spoke to the leader loving the people. This post is a brief look at how the love of God impacts how the leader sees the church as a whole. 

From Feeling to Action

Some are under the impression that love is merely a trivial feeling that comes and goes at whim. Unfortunately, many in our churches today think that God's love works like this as well. The Bible insists that God is not like us and that deeply loves us!  In The Reckless Love of God, chapter 2 is dedicated entirely to looking at the nature of God's compassionate, loving care he feels and extends to the crowds, the few, and even individuals. On page 54 two scholars state "God's compassion, however, went beyond simply feeling the emotion; it was always demonstrated by definite acts that testified to his covenant with Israel." Leader, did you catch that? Don’t dismiss that as disconnected theology that really has no bearing on your leadership. God demonstrated his love by definite acts.

How might this impact the way you go about leading? Telling people about the love of God or even telling the people that you love them is one thing but what would it look like for you to imitate your Heavenly Father and move beyond talk, beyond feelings, into action? And no, I’m not suggesting you pull off any miracles like the flaming torch (Gen. 15:17), making a rainbow in the sky (Gen. 9:13) or shed your blood for the sin of the world (Matt. 26:28). But I am talking about ways of thinking about, speaking of, and approaching the church as a whole.You may be stuck and spinning your wheels and maybe what you need is not a better system, strategy, or structure. Maybe it is love? 

“You may be stuck and spinning your wheels and maybe what you need is not a better system, strategy, or structure. Maybe it is love?
”

Business, Language, and How Far is "Too Far?"

Please don’t hear this as an anti-business, “let’s have no plans, no systems, no strategies" and let’s just “be organic” rant. I enjoy reading HBR, Seth Godin, Forbes, and other business-leadership materials myself. There’s many things that the Church can and should learn from the business world today. In fact, many aren’t afraid to embrace some practices found in the secular marketplace. 

And yet, at the same time, there is the temptation to treat the church strictly like a business and the results are catastrophic. Of course, the Church is business-like in that it is recognized by the government as a tax-exempt institution, there’s a staff, pay roll, and policies in place that are all extremely necessary. Just like in the business world But the pendulum can swing too far in that direction and therein the Church loses her edge, her identity, her focus. 

“But the pendulum can swing too far in that direction and therein the Church loses her edge, her identity, her focus.
”

Here’s what’s interesting–both insiders and outsiders are right for thinking the Church can and should feel different. And most have in their mind “love.” 

Perhaps it all begins with the language leaders use when speaking of the Church. If you don’t believe me that words, language, and communication matters–just consider there’s an entire science out there known as “hermeneutics” that speaks to this reality. Jesus himself taught us that our words reveal what’s really going on in the human heart (Matt. 12:34). So what goes on in the heart leads to speech, and speech impacts everything. Two brief examples will serve us well here. 

The Church as a Whole

One, it is not uncommon for pastors and Christian leaders these days to refer to the local church as an “organization.” The church is not merely an organization.This may seem like a small thing and no big deal, but time and again it proves to be problematic.

“The church is not merely an organization. ”

The Bible uses words like “bride” (Rev. 21:9), “body”, (1 Cor. 12:12), “family” (2 Cor. 6:18), and  and “saints” (1 Cor. 1:2). Leader, what if we spoke of the Church in these terms? How would you go about tending the flock, serving the family? 

Sunday is Not Game Day

Second, and please don’t hear this as an anti-Sunday rant, discouraging creativity, passion, and excellence when we gather for Sunday worship. Everything absolutely matters from the time someone pulls into parking lot until the time they leave - everything should be done with excellence and intentionality. God most certainly deserves our very best. And yet, leaders sometimes refer to Sunday gatherings as “Game Day.” It makes sense. That’s when everyone is there. But again that’s not biblical language, nor does it flow from or lead to loving one another. When the leaders refer to Sunday as “Game Day”, the people start to believe it and show up for the “big show”, looking to be wowed and amazed by the lights, music, and colorful preaching of the Word. “Game Day” doesn’t help people understand that Jesus is actually interested in their chaotic, mundane, routine, Monday-Saturday. The benediction of “Game Day” theology communicates “See you next week. Hope the next 6 days are good for you.” Sunday is not a day to perform. Sunday is not a day to impress the crowds. Sunday is not a day to show off. Sunday is the Lord’s Day. Sunday is the day that the people Jesus died for gather to worship him. Again, think about how the Bible speaks when the Church "comes together" (1 Cor 14:26) that there is to be the preaching of the word (1 Tim. 4:13) receiving of the sacraments (1 Cor. 11:23-25), prayers to God and for one another (James 5:16) and many other things that reflect lives transformed by Jesus. 

“Sunday is not a day to perform.”

Leader, think about the language that is bubbling out of your heart. Does it sound like you’ve “been with Jesus” (Acts 4) or does it reflect typical cultural values? 

Leading with Love: God Loves His Sheep (2/4)

Leading and Loving Are Not Antonyms

Some people, most people, aren’t too excited about those who have been given authority. Think about out the last time you felt when you passed a police officer gunning people onthe interstate. You pumped the brakes and thought “Oh no! I hope I wasn’t breaking the law.” When it comes to leading in the church here’s one thing that I know is universally true: People don’t want to be lead without first being loved. In fact, it is safe to take it a step further and say that people don’t want to be loved just up front or on occasion, but love needs to be in the mix of everything going on, regardless of the circumstances. That is to say that love ought to permeate everything in the church not just some things. The people I have in mind in this article include: staff members, other elders, deacons, community group leaders, Sunday school teachers, and every volunteer in the church that is seeking to contribute to the body.

“People don’t want to be lead without first being loved”

In order to lead lovingly, you have to be filling your cup with the love of God. Jesus said, that the world would know who were his disciples by the way the love each other (John 13:35). Leader, did you catch that? Jesus did not say “they will know you are my disciples by your sweet buildings, innovative programs, grand visions, or hip worship music accompanied by phenomenal coffee.” Disciples are known first and foremost by and for their love. Leaders are not exempt from this calling, either. Pastors are not managers telling the sheep “down there” to “love each other” while keeping a safe distance from the messiness of the flock. Shepherds smell like sheep. This means they are to lead, feed, serve, and love the sheep within the pasture.  

“Jesus did not say ‘they will know you are my disciples by your sweet buildings, innovative programs, grand visions, or hip worship music accompanied by phenomenal coffee.’”

Big “K” Kingdom and Small “k” kingdom

That may sound simple, trite, or like common sense to some but a continuing cry of the people that goes up in churches all over the country is that the leaders are nothing more than miniature pharaohs, committed to their own little vision being fulfilled at all costs. The building of one's own little kingdom on the backs of the people isn’t just bad leadership; it is sin against God and others. Jesus refers to this kind of leadership as “Gentile” which essentially means “pagan” (Mark 10:42). And Peter puts it bluntly that leaders are to steward their authority well rather than “lording it over those entrusted to them [you] (1 Pet. 5:13). When these commands are ignored the results are catastrophic. Every. Single. Time. At first people get tired. Then they get annoyed. Then it results in full-blown anger. And some eventually walk away from the faith altogether. 

“The building of one’s own little kingdom on the backs of the people isn’t just bad leadership; it is sin against God and others.”

Working in the world of the church is extremely challenging because the day-to-day work of the ministry and how things are being accomplished directly impact the ways in which those doing the work view God.

Pastor, remember the people are God’s sheep, not your slaves.  

So how does a leader guard against this? By staying reminded of the sobering reality that most of the people (church staff most certainly included!!!) in the seats every week are showing up “tired and heavy burdened” looking for Jesus to give them rest for their weary souls. It’s not that they don’t think that it is important to raise money, live on mission, and see the lost found. Its not that they don’t think that there’s work to do. They know all that. It is that they live in this real world too, with bills to pay, tough relationships, broken hearts, and being harassed by the devil. What they need is the same thing the leader needs–love, grace, and compassion. This, of course, doesn’t mean that things don’t need to get done and that the hard truth mustn’t be spoken. It just means the love of God should be felt in our work and not merely a doctrine to be systematized or a point in a sermon.

“the love of God should be felt in our work and not merely a doctrine to be systematized or a point in a sermon”

Practical Theology: Law, Gospel, and Leading

How does this work practically? Think theologically. The law gives the bad news by exposing and condemning us for our sin. The gospel gives us the good news that Jesus takes our sin away and makes us righteous before God. Leaders tend to lead either from the law or the gospel.

If you lead with the law, the people, the staff, everyone around will end up exhausted with the labor, afraid of the leadership, too bored to dream, and too timid to attempt anything exceptional because the law isn’t too kind to failures. If you lead through the gospel, the people are loved, encouraged, motivated, and are given real sustenance for the ongoing work of the ministry!

So leader, lose yourself in the reckless love of God for you and for his people and give ‘em grace. And then give ‘em a little more.  

The Most Scandulous Thing in the World: Discussing God’s Love with Alex Early

I had the privilege to be interviewed by Vyrso on The Reckless Love of God! I'm really honored to be featured alongside some other authors that you may know. Here's the interview: 

This exclusive interview is part of Vyrso’s author recommendation blog series, where you can read exclusive interviews with Christian authors and get great recommendations on ebooks that have impacted their walk with Christ.

Alex, tell us a little bit about your background. You seem to keep busy running a blog, which reflects both your love for God and cooking, and being a dedicated husband and dad. What got you started and what continues to drive you?

I absolutely enjoy my family! Downtime with them in the kitchen cooking, listening to music, and carrying on is absolutely life to me! There is nowhere else I would rather be than with them. 

I got into cooking because I needed a hobby and I didn’t want one that would take me away from my family. I have an artsy streak in me, so I figured I’d give my culinary skills a go, and that scratched the itch. But as an author, past/future church planter, and doctoral student, life is most certainly busy. 

What keeps me going is:

• I know that I am loved by God and empowered by his Spirit
•  I am called to this and nothing else

Over the years, as you have grown in your faith, which books have made an impact on you?

Like any pastor, I could mention dozens. I read tons of academic theology as well. But if I could recommend just five books, I’d say:

1.The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning

2. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

3. Faithful Feelings: Rethinking Emotion in the New Testament by Matthew Elliot

4. The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection by Robert Capon

5. Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale by Frederick Buechner.

These books are penned by men who are well-aware of their own brokenness before God and utter estrangement from even themselves. Over the years they have prodded me toward becoming more spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically whole as a person. By no means have I arrived, but I am indebted to these authors for their admonishments to not accept life as the way it is and to press on in the faith, finding a tender Abba Father in heaven who cares so deeply for me.

Tell us a little bit about your new release, The Reckless Love of God, and what inspired you to write it.

I was inspired to write the book a few years ago on vacation as I was thinking about and truly reveling in God’s love for the first time in my whole life. I had been a Christian since my teens, had graduated from seminary, and was pastoring my first church, but it had never really dawned on me that God knows me, loves me, and cares deeply for me, personally. [Click to Tweet!]

I wanted to write something meaningful that calls attention to the most scandalous thing in the world—God Almighty loves us as we are. 

My aim is to say that God himself has burned in everlasting love for you before time began and has stopped at nothing in his pursuit of capturing our hearts and demonstrating this life-changing reality.

What are key pieces of advice you would give to those who struggle to believe that Jesus really does love them apart from their actions?

First, I’d say, Jesus loves them not just apart from their actions, but with their actions intact. That is to say, Jesus doesn’t turn a blind eye to sin. Rather, he engaged it and defeated it fully on the cross and in his resurrection. [Click to Tweet!]

Second, the ongoing narrative that we as Christians have to default to is that our word is not the ultimate authority in life. God’s Word is, and it hasn’t changed. Often, we need to dethrone ourselves, our opinions, and our harsh judgment that we lay on ourselves and feel free to drink deeply of the love of God. After all, if Jesus was breathing out prayers of forgiveness over those who had nailed him to the Cross, most certainly he burns in compassion for you today.

Finally, tell God when you question his love and ask him to help your unbelief. Nothing can separate you from the love of God. So go ahead and tell him it’s hard to believe sometimes. He can handle it.

———

Find assurance of God’s love for you in Alex Early’s The Reckless Love of God: Experiencing the Personal, Passionate Heart of the Gospel.

Leading With Love: God Loves His Leaders (1/4)

God Loves His Leaders

I just wrote my first book entitled The Reckless Love of God  and day after it released I was contacted by LifeWay to write a series of guest posts pertaining to how God's love impacts both the leader personally and then to speak a little bit as to how that translates practically into an overall ethos of the day to day responsibilities of leading in the local church.

It is imperative that leaders in the local church continually stay reminded of the fact that being called to lead in kingdom work at any capacity (pastor, deacon, Sunday School teachers, greeters, custodians, etc.) is an outlandish act of grace. Paul told the Ephesian elders that Jesus purchased the Church with “his own blood” and that the Holy Spirit appointed them as overseers in the church (Acts 20:28). To be entrusted with the Gospel as well as to look after, care for, and be involved in the ongoing discipleship of the souls of other believers is incredible grace! Leading is serious work. It’s also seriously hard work.

“being called to lead...at any capacity...is an outlandish act of grace.”

What Leadership Really Feels Like

Ask any leader in the church and they’ll tell you that leadership can feel awfully lonely at times. Sometimes the loneliness can go on for days, weeks, months, and for some, years. You don’t even have to bear the title “pastor” or “deacon” in a church to know loneliness accompanies responsibility–just ask any parent. Leaders, like parents, are often taken for granted being that there are hours of work that nobody sees, menial tasks performed that go unnoticed; or big wins that nobody or congratulates or celebrates along the way. Additionally good leaders, like parents, know that it is ultimately up to them to take responsibility for when things go bad, and yet, rarely, if ever, should leaders take the credit for when something goes right. After enough of these routine punch-to-the-stomach-experiences, it is not uncommon for leaders to moan over feeling used and burnt out. When there’s a shortage on thank you's and honor is a foreign concept, the seeds of discouragement set in, and before long, apathy blooms in the heart of the leader.

“Leaders, like parents, are often taken for granted”

Disorientation, Big Egos, and Beat-Downs

This all leads to a place of real disorientation. Once a leader is disoriented, anything can happen. Tension, fights, blow ups, sporadic spending, moral failure, everything disastrous, start cropping up. Then there’s the fact that some leaders are put on a pedestal and unnecessarily glorified. This inflates the leader’s ego, and they become haughty and entitled. Or there are those who for the sake of “keeping the leader humble” constantly nit-pick and critique the leader without end.

Living in the leadership paradox is tough. The swing of the pendulum of the over-inflated ego or total beat-down of critics is exhausting. Oh, and then there’s continual renouncing of oneself and looking to Jesus for strength, purpose, and identity, (like every other Christian!) doesn’t go without resistance from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Anybody want to sign up for leadership, yet?

The Love of God: Remedy to the Leadership Paradox

So where does the Christian leader find strength, comfort, encouragement, and identity? What brings clarity, grounding, and sanity to the leader? It is surely not in pithy self-talk nor is it in grinding it out, white knuckling the whole experience, just hoping the it’ll end soon. It’s not in bigger budgets or more staff. Rather, the answer to the leadership paradox is in the nature of the very personal love of God for the leader! 

A 30 Second Exercise

Leader, when was the last time you thought about God loving you with no strings attached to your role in the church? What if its not about what you bring to the table? What if the answer for your ego-tortured or beat-down soul is found at the communion table? What if the wind you’ve been looking for to fill your sail has been blowing from Calvary for 2,000 years and isn’t showing signs of dying down?

“...the answer for your ego-tortured or beat-down soul is found at the communion table”

Take 30 seconds and try this exercise out of The Reckless Love of God (p. 144) –

In Galatians 2:20 Paul writes:

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Theologian, Tom Schriener tells us that Paul sees this love as extending to all Christians, but the individualistic emphasis must not be neglected.

Now let’s read this verse a bit differently. Remove Paul’s personal pronouns, and in your poverty of spirit and with the bold confidence you have in the person and work of Jesus, put your name in the blanks:

“____________ [has] been crucified with Christ. It is no longer _________ who [lives], but Christ who lives in ___________. And the life __________ now [lives] in the flesh __________ [lives] by faith in the Son of God, who loved __________ and gave himself for ____________.”

Leader, Jesus wants the best for you. And therefore, he gives you his love. 

Know Your Limits: Omniscience (Pt. 2 of 4)

There's a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in. – Leonard Cohen, "Anthem"

In this series we're looking into three doctrines that are completely mysterious and simultaneously carry immediate practical implications. 

Omniscience: Know-it-All

The easiest way to define the doctrine of "omniscience" is to "know it all.” The Bible is unmistakably clear that God is the only one who quite literally exhaustively knows all there is to know about everything in the past, present, and future.* God never “learns” anything. There has never been a point where God has not been at his fullest potential. God is perfect in all that he is and does. 

How is any of this relevant or practical to us right here and right now? Well, for one, sometimes we cross the line and presume in our pride to know it all. 

Know-it-Alls Are Really Annoying

There's hardly anything more annoying than being around a know-it-all. The annoyance is acutely intensified when the know-it-all is under the impression/delusion that in their infinite knowledge, they possess an air-tight, well-nuanced, exhaustive answer about every single subject under the sun. 

Christian know-it-alls believe they have the ability to take the subjects that so clearly belong to the realm of mystery and faith and explain them away with utter simplicity. 

The frustration with the know-it-alls goes through the roof in times of real crisis such as when someone loses a child, for example. My dear friend Elliot Grudem visited us recently and said, "You know, Alex, the oldest book in the Bible is Job and the book reaches its pinnacle of frustration when Job's friends succumb to the  temptation to place a WHY on his suffering; they try to make sense out of the utter chaos. They were doing well when they weren't saying anything at all." 

The Remedy for the Know-it-All

The remedy for the know-it-all is not to swing to the other end of the pendulum and know nothing. The answer lies in the humility to express gratitude for what is known and yet simultaneously acknowledging the reality that there is so much that is still beyond the grasp of even the brightest of minds. There really is "a crack in everything."

If you're a know-it-all and I stepped on your toes a little bit, here's three words that will easily let you off the hook the next time you're tempted to put your omniscience on display: I....Don't....Know. 

It is not a sin to acknowledge that you don't know everything. In fact, it is actually a righteous thing to go ahead and let God be God (Deut. 29:29). Besides, it is exhausting to know everything. 

Two Positives for Giving the "I Don't Know" Answer

First, people stop feeling patronized when you say "I don't know." The uninformed, slap-together answer doesn't help. In fact, it is often patronizing. Rather than irritating people with sloppy answers take the time to enter into the question with them, see it from their point of view, and even be stumped with them. Besides, your friend may not really want your answer. More often, they just want presence.

Second, saying "I don't know" buys you time to go do some digging and keep the dialogue going. You'll do some growing and your friend will respect you for it.

Don't fall into the temptation to be lazy and take a short cut. Feel free to enjoy the pursuit of knowledge, grappling with mystery, and do the work that it takes to arrive at real "understanding." After all, Solomon was big on getting wisdom. 

"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding" (Prov. 4:7).

 

___________________

* 1 Sa 23:10-13; 2 Kings 13:19; Ps. 139:1-6; Isa. 40:12-14; 42:9; Jer. 1:4; 38:17-20; Ezek. 3:6; Mt. 11:21.

Know Your Limits (Pt. 1 of 4)

30,000 Foot Overview

Ever since the Fall of humankind in Genesis 3, we've faced and often continue to plunge into the temptation of both mistaking ourselves to be God as well as possessing the attributes that belong to Him and Him alone. And here’s the deal–trying to be God always results in disaster. Always.

In this short, 4-part blog series entitled "Know Your Limits" my aim is to highlight three doctrines that when wrongly understood and applied will inevitably lead to burn out, frustration, and anxiety. However, when rightly understood and applied, these doctrines can lead to real life, peace, freedom, and productivity that are both enjoyable for us and glorifying to God.

Theological Groundwork: Communicable and Incommunicable Attributes of God

The Bible teaches us that human beings are made in the "image of God” (Gen. 1:27) which is very different from saying “human beings are God.” Systematic theologians offer us several ways to help us understand the distinction between God the Creator and the human image-bearers he has made. One of the ways is by calling attention to what are known as the “communicable” and “incommunicable" attributes of God. The communicable attributes are those that God shares (communicates) with us, though analogically.* Examples include our ability to be and express goodness, justice, honor, rationality, love, etc. Though we don’t carry out any of these perfectly like God; they do point to the One in whose image we are made. 

And yet, God doesn’t share all of his attributes with us. He is also the transcendent Creator and establishes plenty of distinction between us and Him by hanging onto his “incommunicable” attributes. Three of which we’re going to take a brief look into are: 

Omniscience: Knowing Everything

Omnipresence: Being Everywhere

Omnipotence: Possessing Limitless Power

The moments when we attempt any of these prove disastrous. And yet, letting God be God brings the Christian life, peace, and real joy. Stay tuned as we dive into these jaw-dropping truths in Scripture. 

_______________

*Michael Horton defines the communicable attributes as “those attributes that may be predicated of God and humans (though only analogically), such as love, mercy, and justice”, Horton, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way, 992.

God Has No Potential

You and I live in a constant state of change. People, circumstances, and our physical environment are all we know through our five senses and by observing the natural sciences. These are always in a constant flux, an ebb and flow of change, things appear to settle into being constant only to turn and change again. 

Here's what I mean:

* Printed newspaper circulation has decreased by 7,000,000 readers over the last 25 years. They are losing to online newspapers which have increased in readership by 30,000,000 in the last 5 years.

* Google has 31 billion searches conducted every month. That is an increase from 2.7 billion in 2006.

* 12 years ago, YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace did not exist: now they collectively receive 250,000,000 unique visitors. Compare that to the 6,000,000 unique visitors who watch CNN, NBC, and ABC every month (NBC began almost 60 years ago).

* The number of internet devices in 1984 was 1,000. The number of internet devices in 2008 was 1,000,000,000.

* "The computer in your cell phone today is 1,000,000 times cheaper and 1,000 times more powerful and about 100,000 times smaller than the one computer at MIT in 1965. So what used to fit in a building now fits in your pocket, what fits in your pocket now will fit inside a blood cell in 25 years”

* The top 10 high-paying jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.

* The amount of technical information doubles every two years. What does this mean for students aspiring for a four-year technical diploma? Half of what they learned in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study.

*Each hour, 67 babies are born in the U.S, 274 in China, 395 in India, and 694,000 songs were downloaded illegally. – Ray Kurvweil

And then we have in Malachi (and many other places in Scripture) this statement by God: “For I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6). So there is one thing, one reality, one Person in the universe who actually does not change? That’s something that causes our brains to stutter a bit because we don’t have very clear categories of relating to someone or something that doesn’t change.

ACTUS PURUS

However, here is how Christians think: Thomas Aquinas, the 12th-century Italian priest and philosopher who is arguably the most influential thinker to engage the Western world said that God is actus purus—he is a “pure act.”

This means that God has no potential.

God does not aspire to anything.

God has no "goals."

God is totally and completely perfect in himself from eternity past to eternity future.

Another way to say it is that God has no potential that is not already fully realized. Or as Michael Horton tells us, “God cannot be more infinite, loving, or holy tomorrow than he already is today.” 

AMAZING, UNCHANGING GRACE

However, having a God who cannot and will not change can be a very haunting or a very comforting thing depending on your view of him.

It might seem haunting in a sense to think that God will never compromise his standards for entry into his kingdom. That’s a scary thought for most of the world. This means that he’ll never change and make the narrow mountainside path, the person and work of Jesus, into an eight-lane freeway into heaven. This will not change.

However, it’s also far more comforting to know that he won’t change his standards—it will always be “grace alone” and no other means. If you are a Christian, Abba will never change the way he relates to you, calling you sons and daughters, forgiven, clean and beloved.

He is Actus Purus.

He is Abba. 

Student Profile: Alex Early Western Seminary "Transformed" Interview Post 2/2

Student Profile: Alex Early, Part 2

I'm honored to be  a doctoral student at Western Seminary in Portland. They interviewed me about some theology and my new book entitled The Reckless Love of God.  Here's part 2! 

Today, Transformed continues our conversation with Alex Early, a current student in Western Seminary’s Doctor of Intercultural Studies (D.I.S.) program, and author of the new book The Reckless Love of God: Experiencing the Personal Passionate Heart of the Gospel (Bethany House Publishers).

Transformed: Your book is built on the premise that we need a renewed emphasis on God’s love. How can a right understanding of God’s love bring about change in a person?

Alex: Knowing about the nature of the love of God and just how powerful it is radically changes us from being selfish, navel-gazing, hateful, and harmful people from the inside out. God's love not only transforms us so that we can live as those who repent from sin and walk in the light, but it also changes the way we see ourselves. This fills us with incredible joy, grace, and gratitude. As we understand God's love more and more, we end up becoming like children, in the way Jesus described. That's a very good thing.

Transformed: Are there any potential dangers to an over-emphasis on God’s love? If so, what might these be?

Alex: I've been asked about whether or not talking so much about the scandalous love of God will create antinomians of us all. And so yes, as with any point in theology, things can be taken too far in one direction and can lead to living lives that are contradictory to what Scripture has called us to. Those who use the love and grace of God as a license to sin against God do not have a right understanding His love and grace. The grace of God empowers us to walk away from sin, and the love of God assures us that even when we fail we are never separated from him.

Transformed: So then, how do we avoid the equal and opposite errors of legalism and licentiousness?

Alex: Both legalism and licentiousness stem from a lack of a right relationship with God. Legalism presumes that the relationship is built solely on contractual, economic, employer-employee terms. But that completely misses the entire concept of covenant as shown throughout the Bible. Licentiousness, on the other hand, presumes too much and dismisses the holy character of God altogether. The way to go about avoiding both of these is to enter into an authentic, humble, childlike, dependent, loving relationship with God. In this type of relationship, one is not trying to earn God’s attention or affection, nor treating the relationship without care. 

Transformed: All right – so tell us more about the interplay between love and obedience. Is there a necessary correlation between these for a Christian?

Alex: There is absolutely a necessary correlation between love and obedience. Jesus said, "if you love me you will obey my commands” (John 14:15). Professing love is one thing, but to go forward with living it out in actual physical demonstration is quite another. Christians are the people in the world who know they are loved deeply by Jesus, have been transformed by him, and live lives that reflect that reality, though imperfectly.

Transformed: Does God love Christians and non-Christians the same, or differently? Can I tell non-Christians that God loves them, and, if so, in what sense?

Alex: Christians have divided and debated over such questions for centuries. Though this isn't a place for a lengthy discussion on the nature of particular redemption, I certainly have no problem with telling people, whether or not they are Christians, that God loves them. It seems to me that God loves the world, as it is stated so clearly in John 3. I have been given a free message of grace to proclaim to anyone and everyone under the sun. Because of this, I find it only right and biblical as a Christian who wants to see the lost found, to look people in the eyes and tell them that God loves them.

Transformed: Your new book talks a bit about God having emotions. In light of this, would you push back on the notion that God is impassible?

Alex: I know that this is controversial for many, but I think I would push back a little here. The Bible is absolutely riddled with anthropomorphic and anthropopathic language speaking about God's feelings of wrath, or joy, or compassion, and so on. I don't personally picture God as a cold, distant, computer in the sky that doesn't feel things. I also don't think that this necessarily introduces the idea that God changes. I believe that God is capable of feeling any and every emotion simultaneously without changing precisely because he is God. I actually spend a little time addressing this in the book.

Transformed: Let’s finish up with this question: what’s the biggest misunderstanding about God’s love?

Alex: While there are many misunderstandings about God’s love, I think that Paul addresses the core of the issue in Romans 8, where he lists rhetorical questions about things that could potentially separate us from God’s love. Every Christian wonders if they’re really safe in the arms of God, or if He truly won’t stop loving them. Christians wonder whether there is a person or circumstance that can separate us from God love. And so Paul pounds the table, shouting at top of his voice, that absolutely nothing is bigger than, stronger than, or more enduring than the love of God. 

Transformed: Alex, thank you for your time. You have brought some critical theological issues to the surface in this book, and have brought them to bear on the day-to-day life of the believer. 

Who? Jesus.

Who won't quit on us when we quit on him? Jesus.

Who keeps us company when when we are lonely? Jesus.

Who comforts us when our souls just can't sit still? Jesus.

Who chased us from before time began? Jesus.

Who waits on us when we're too busy? Jesus.

Who made our wine sweet and cashews salty? Jesus.

Who hears us in our fist-pounding, white-knuckling, please-make-it-stop pain? Jesus.

Who soothes our scorched hearts? Jesus.

Who was the Good Samaritan who insisted on cleansing our wounds and putting us his donkey to carry us to heaven? Jesus. 

Who will not give us what we deserve? Jesus. 

Who knows our past but won’t bring it up unless he's out to heal it? Jesus. 

Who puts faith in the faithless, love in the loveless, hope in the hopeless? Jesus. 

Who's blood made us clean? Jesus. 

Who eats with us when we're alone? Jesus.

Who loved us to death and back to life again? Jesus. 

Who is the treasure of heaven? Jesus.

Who has a laugh shakes the foundation of the earth? Jesus. 

Who is looking forward to seeing us face to face? Jesus.

Who watched over us last night as we slept? Jesus.

Who sung over us with gut-busting joy as we woke up morning? Jesus.

Always. Only. Forever. Our Jesus.

Amen.

Healing our Image of God as Father

STRUGGLING WITH GOD AS "FATHER"

"Our Father in heaven." Not every Christian can (or does!) pray those words to God with ease. I've gotten a lot of questions lately by other Christians in the church regarding how to go about relating to God as "Father" when one has an understanding of a father that is so skewed, so damaged, so beyond repair. Many people grew up with an abusive father, negligent father, or an absent father. For some, tragedy struck and our fathers died way too early leaving some questions unanswered, conflicts unresolved, and memories never made. Thus, for countless squirming saints in the Church, the idea of having or even wanting an intimate relationship with God as “Father" is not only incomprehensible; it is altogether repulsive. Men are bad, corrupt, and fail. How on earth can I trust my heavenly Father? With things like this in mind, I’m often asked, “Alex, how can my image of God be healed?" 

ONGOING RELATIONSHIP?

One of the most famous lines in the Bible is where Jesus taught us to pray "Our Father in heaven." And he didn't just teach us to pray those words in a disconnected vacuum; he took it further as he taught us to have an ongoing relationship with God understanding him to be good Father who provides for his children (Matt. 6:26), thus alleviating our daily worries about food, clothing, and shelter. So, for those that didn't have a human template to base this on, it is nearly impossible to grasp what Jesus is talking about, isn't it? So, why’d Jesus teach us to pray this way when he knew that so many of us would struggle? Does he just expect all of our daddy-issues to just vanish? 

And the answer is no. Here's a couple of thoughts.

LOOK TO JESUS

First look to Jesus. At the Last Supper, Phillip said to Jesus "Show us the Father."  And rather than parting the sky and pointing into heaven, Jesus said something no Jew would've ever dreamt of saying, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father" (John 14:9). The writer to the Hebrews says, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Heb. 1:3). There are many more places where the Bible makes it explicitly clear that Jesus is God and is the perfect representation of God the Father.

So what does that mean? How does that help heal my image of God the Father? It begins by understanding that every time you see Jesus doing something in the Bible, you are to think "God the Father is just like that." How does Jesus feel about hungry crowds? He feeds them. How does Jesus treat the woman caught in adultery? He forgives her and gives her her dignity back. And here's the deal – that's how God the Father is. So, if you're struggling with relating to God as your heavenly Father, I'd say start there. Start with Jesus.

SAYING STUPID THINGS AT FUNERALS

My good friend Elliot came down to Atlanta a couple of months ago and spent the whole day with me and Jana. As we were talking he said, "You know, people say really stupid things at funerals, don't they? Like, 'Well, they're in a better place now.' Or 'How are you doing?'" He's so right. People do say really dumb things in really hard places! Maybe it's out of the nervousness that fills the room where tragedy reigns. Maybe it's the classic savior-complex that we all have, wanting to save the day and make the pain go away?

The Bible certainly says that God is "Father to the fatherless” (Ps. 68:5). But here's some advice to Christians seeking to help, don't just jump to Psalm 68:5 so quickly. For many, this is a gunshot wound, not a scrape, and people need more than a pithy band-aid-theology that slaps a verse on deep-seated pain. God is a heavenly Father, not an earthly, biological father, and that painful truth becomes all the more real to those who are suffering. If someone's invited you into their pain, their struggle, first thank them that they'd be willing to let you into such a tender place in their life. It is no small thing to be speaking about God, someone's soul, and that relationship.

SOME MIRACLES TAKE A LIFETIME

So how do you heal one's image of God as father? You and I don't. But God can. That may sound trite, but it isn't. I'm convinced that the healing of one's image of God as Father takes time, patience, frustration, persistence, and vulnerability on behalf of the person who really wants that image of God healed. And it just may take a lifetime. If you're struggling, I'd say first look to Jesus and get your picture of God by looking at his Son. Second, you need to know that it is okay if this takes a long time. All Christians are on a journey and none of us have it all figured out. Third, being that you're processing so much, maybe tell your pastor or friend(s) how they could potentially help you in this area by asking you the right questions with the aim of teasing out what's going on in your head and heart. Questions like, "What do you mean by that statement?" "How does what Jesus said sit with you today?" "How can I be praying for you?" 

Student Profile: Alex Early Western Seminary "Transformed" Interview 1/2

I'm honored to be  a doctoral student at Western Seminary in Portland. They interviewed me about some theology and my new book entitled The Reckless Love of God. 

Today, Transformed catches up with Alex Early, a current student in Western Seminary’s Doctor of Intercultural Studies program. Earlier this month, Alex’s new book “The Reckless Love of God: Experiencing the Personal Passionate Heart of the Gospel” hit the shelves (Bethany House Publishers).

Transformed: Tell us a little bit about your background.

Alex: I grew up in a Christian home, in Woodstock, Georgia. I became a believer in Jesus in high school, and after only about ninety days, I knew that God was calling me into the ministry. However, like most, I didn’t know what that would look like. I went to college in South Carolina where I met my wife, and we were married about a year after graduation. Next, I served for about three years in a church where, among other things, I led a skateboard ministry for a few hundred kids at a local skate park. During that time I completed my M.Div. After graduation, my wife and I moved to England, where I attended the London School of Theology and obtained a second masters degree – this time specifically in the field of hermeneutics. After returning to the United States, I planted Four Corners Church in a bar that I worked in prior to moving to the U.K.

In the more recent past, my wife and I have been through a lot: the tragedy of losing a child through miscarriage, the sudden loss of my father a few months later, and then the births of our two wonderful children. Additionally, we moved out West for three years and served two churches. Now we’re back in the South. I’m working to complete the D.I.S. at Western, and taking a breather from full-time ministry before jumping into church planting in Atlanta, God willing.

Transformed: Wow – and along with this, you’ve somehow found the time to write too. Let’s talk a little about your most recent writing project, The Reckless Love of God, which came out earlier this month. What prompted you to write this book?

Alex: It was my own personal experience of coming to believe that God loves me, personally, as an individual. This is all still pretty new to me (maybe five years ago.) As I said, I grew up in the church knowing about the love God, and even being a professing Christian for ten years. However, it really hadn’t occurred to me just how much God loves me as an individual. My wife and I were on vacation down in the Florida Keys when I came to believe for the first time just how much God loved me, and so I decided to sit down and write what was on my mind and in my heart. It was through this experience that the Reckless Love of God came together.

Transformed: The title of you new book uses the word “reckless” to characterize the love of God. So then, what do you think is “reckless” about God’s love?

Alex: I went with the word “reckless” to describe the love of God because that is exactly how the Bible depicts His love. For example, in the famous parable about the prodigal son in Luke 15, Jesus tells us that the son goes off and squanders his inheritance in  “reckless living”. Then, out of nowhere, the father sees the son in and the distance, and comes running to him. He plows him over, kissing him, hugging him, shouting at the top of his lungs in incredible gut-busting joy that his son is home. In this parable, the only thing more reckless than man’s rebellion is God’s incredible, over-the-top, scandalous grace in coming to us, loving us, saving us, and restoring us to himself – even on our worst day.

Transformed: If a reader takes one thing away from this book, what would it be?

Alex: I want readers to know that Jesus is the perfect Son of God who has revealed the love of God perfectly and dispenses it freely to God’s children.

Transformed: The organization of the chapters in this book is clever (check out the table of contents on Google or Amazon). What gave you the idea?

Alex: lyrics of the song one day, I began to believe that this simple children’s song sums up so much of the message of the Bible.

Transformed: What can you tell us about your experience in Western’s Doctor of Intercultural Studies Program, and how it has equipped you in your various ministry capacities?

Alex: So far I’ve had a great experience at Western Seminary. I really love the city of Portland, and so getting to visit fairly often is a true blessing. In terms of how the program has equipped me, one significant thing that comes to mind is my personal interaction with Dr. Wan in working on my dissertation. I’m excited about the topic of my research, which pertains to atonement studies and relationships. I’ve found that this is a fruitful area of study for myself as a pastor-theologian.

Watch the video trailer for The Reckless Love of God.

Next week, our conversation with Alex continues. In this upcoming second (and final) part of our interview, we explore the topic of God’s love a bit further, including some potential pitfalls to watch out for when seeking to apply this theological truth to our lives.

God Seriously Loves You!

The entire message of the Bible is a message of grace, hope, forgiveness, and love – all unearned, ill deserved, and completely without condition! The love of God is reckless, pervasive, and unstoppable. The love of God has yet to meet its limit, boundary, or match! Thus far, though billions of tried, none have been able to stop the work of God, Satan couldn’t destroy the Son of God, and what prevails in the end is the Church of God. 

The love of God is not reserved for just the rich or just the poor.

It is not only for straight people, republicans, humanitarians, or Baptists.

The love of God cannot be confined to being found only within the walls of a local church building on Sunday morning. The love of God is not rhetoric or wishful thinking. It cannot be shrunk down to a coffee cup. The love of God does not fall asleep at the wheel but is always alive, brilliant, and blazing! God’s love is not just for the world, not just for the Church, but for little bitty you in that chair right there, right now, with all of your past mistakes, all of your present skepticisms, and your ongoing stubborn “so what’s?” and “prove-it-to-me’s” going on in your head right this second. God's love is for you. Right here. Right now.

DON'T TRY TO EARN GOD'S LOVE. YOU CAN'T.

To take it a step further, God hasn’t insisted on you getting better, trying harder, or doing more so that he’ll love you. His love isn’t fickle, moody, or affordable. The love of God is something so unbelievable that Christians need to show up to the communion table every week to see it put on display. The love of God is quite special. It must be given and received and the only thing more offensive to God than our sin is our pithy attempts at earning his loving affection. St. Paul tells us "God is for us” and either we either take him at his word or we flat don’t.

 HAVE YOU GONE TOO FAR FOR GOD TO LOVE YOU?

Have you gone too far for God to love you? What’s that sin that you committed that haunts you at night? You know, the one that if everyone found out, you’d be ruined? Consider that the people who Jesus goes to battle with are not the prostitutes, the downcast, the outcast, vagabonds, or drunks. It’s not the greedy tax-collectors, the broken down peasants in the countryside, the Good Friday thieves who were crucified on either side of him or even the Roman guard who nailed him to the wood.

WHO JESUS ARGUED WITH 

The people Jesus found himself arguing with were the ones who thought they were doing just fine in God’s economy because they kept all the rules, tithed out of their spice racks, and diligently worked to observe the Sabbath.  They had a monopoly on the community, Moses memorized, and God in their back pockets. And Jesus, well, he was that trouble-maker out there forgiving the adulteress of her sin and giving her dignity back. Jesus, was the one healing handicapped people on the Holy Day (Mark 3:1-6). Jesus rocked the religious boat by identifying himself as the Son of God (John 5:18). Jesus was the one who called their bluff and flipped their money tables over, and drove them out of the temple, shouting things about prayer.

 JESUS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU

Today, Jesus has burst on the scene and says,

“You’re thirsty. I’ll be your cold drink of water.”

And “I can see that you’re hungry. I’m the bread of life.”

“I know you’re lonely. I’ll never leave you.”

“You look tired. I’ll give you rest.” 

"Want to come to heaven?" You have no idea how much I'm looking forward to you being here with me.”

Can you believe this?

The devil is a liar.

God is alive.

The gospel is a total scandal.

What the Reckless Love of God is All About

Alxegesis RSS

The Reckless Love of God: Experiencing the Personal, Passionate Heart of the Gospel

The love of God is not some old, dusty, theological concept that is to be confined to seminary libraries, desert fathers, or just a few elect mystics that “really get it.” It is for every last person who lives in this world regardless of race, gender, socio-economic background, etc. 

The love God is not simply positive thinking, a wish upon a star, or superstition like finding a penny heads-up. The love of God is as big as, as strong as, as faithful as, and enduring as, as unbreakable as, and as personal as God himself! When we talk about the love of God, we’re talking about what has literally turned the world upside down and people's hearts inside out. As the children of God, we’re celebrating right now what we will see and savor for all of eternity–that God would clothe himself in flesh, descend to us in the person and work of Jesus, separate our sins from us, and give us his very own righteousness at no cost to us and immeasurable cost to him. The love of God causes the most sophisticated to squirm and blush. It brings the proud to a sober understanding that all of life is grace. It lifts up those who've gone too far and and think to themselves "God could never love someone like me." Singing the children’s song “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so” may have a simple melody but the theology it communicates is as rich as any you'll ever read. In fact, it is safe to say that the short phrase “Jesus loves me” is is quite literally deep end of the theological swimming pool.

In the Reckless Love of God: Experiencing the Personal, Passionate Heart of the Gospel, my aim is to say that God himself has burned in everlasting love for you before time began and has stopped at nothing in his pursuit of capturing our hearts and demonstrating this life-changing reality. When we think of the famous parable known as the “Prodigal Son” who Jesus describes as someone who goes off and “squandered his [Father’s] property in reckless living” many of us know exactly what that looks like. But rest assured, there's something scandalous than the son’s rebellion! What changed the prodigal's heart and continues to change ours is the out-of-nowhere-lovingkindness, the outlandish grace put on display in the Father’s running, embracing, kissing, and partying at the sight of his weary son (Luke 15:20). The“Welcome home, son!” "You belong here!" booms again and again in the hearts of those of us who know we can't do it on our own and need the love, grace, acceptance, and forgiveness of God. 

Whether you’ve never heard of the great love of God displayed through Jesus or you’ve been a Christian for 20 years (like me), the love God is for you. The Reckless Love of God is an attempt to bottle one tiny drop of the everlasting love of God found in the bottomless well of his own Son’s heart. Sitting with the Reckless Love of God for a few minutes moves us from humming “Amazing Grace” to shouting it from our bellies. The table is set. The best wine has been poured. The band is playing. Pull up a seat. You’re welcome at Jesus’ table. He’s been expecting you.

Experiencing the Personal, Passionate Love of God

When it comes to talking about the love of God, we’re not talking about something that is trivial, trite, common, or elementary. We’re playing with real consuming fire.

Maybe you’re like me and have found yourself hanging out in a Christian subculture for a little too long. If you are like me, rattling off “Jesus loves you” comes as easy as saying “Good morning” to a complete stranger. You might mean it, but chances are that you don’t.

Maybe you just assume the love of God is always there, always real, and certainly, always deserved. Many in our culture today, if they believe that God exists at all, believe that in some way they are worthy of his love and that only a few—the Hilters, the Pol-Pots, the Mussolinis of the world—should be excluded from his love, but not us normal people with our mundane sins.

After all, Apartheid is a curse word, the slaughter of the innocent is still wrong, and the capturing and selling of children in the marketplace is disgusting. Our petty sins like a white lie, a bit of laziness, and general selfishness are hardly comparable to the really wicked people of the world.

Don Carson wrote a small book several years ago entitled The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God. I highly recommend you read it as you think about, steep in, and savor the love of God. After all, the doctrine of the love of God isn’t just a doctrine, you know. It is a real thing going on right here and right now in the universe.

Discussing any point in theology is bound to be “difficult,” I suppose. One of my professors in London once remarked, “All theology is polemical.” That is to say that every theological point we make is an argument for something and against something else. I think that’s helpful to remember.

And yet, when we get to speaking about God himself, our categories, no matter how robust, how articulate, and well-informed still come up short. Why is that? Because our theology is not inerrant. We simply do not possess all knowledge about God. That is to say that we’re needy, dependent, and lacking all the information.

Besides, if we even had all the information about the nature of who God is, what he does, and why he does what he does, do you think you and I could actually arrange and articulate him exhaustively and perfectly anyway? Doubtful.

Michael Horton reminds us of two helpful categories of theological knowledge available to us:

The first is Archetypal knowledge. This is the knowledge that only God possesses. It is the original whereas everything else is the copy. The other is known as Ectypal knowledge and it is creaturely knowledge that is revealed by God and accommodated to our finite capacities. Creaturely knowledge is always imperfect, incomplete, and dependent on God’s perfect and complete knowledge. [1]

Thus, the tensions abound.

The Bible explicitly says that “God is holy” and that “God is love.” The Bible also teaches us that God vents his wrath and is perfect in all of his attributes. Some of those attributes are communicable (he shares those with us – love, honor, joy, wrath) and others are incommunicable (omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient).

Although we don’t have perfect knowledge of God’s attributes and how they interact, these are still important things for Christians to consider. In the Reckless Love of God, I’m simply calling attention to the personal, passionate heart of the gospel, and therefore, I am primarily focusing on this attribute of his love for you as a person. I don’t go into great lengths on discussing election, predestination, justice, or hell though those points are certainly in the book.

“This is the life of the believer, living out one’s identity as a child of God for the glory of God.
”

 

If the theologians, pastors, and authors I’ve read are correct, then the indicatives drive the imperatives, and that is the grace, love, and kindness of God that leads us to repentance and life with him…and indeed, this is the life of the believer, living out one’s identity as a child of God for the glory of God.

_______________________________________________________

[1] Michael Horton, The Christian Faith: A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims On the Way, 991, 994.

*This blog is also featured over at http://reasonabletheology.org/experiencing-the-personal-passionate-love-of-god/

Keep Trusting God's Call by Henri Nouwen

“As you come to realize that God is beckoning you to a greater hiddenness, do not be afraid of that invitation. Over the years you have allowed the voices that call you to action and great visibility to dominate your life. You still think, even against your best intuitions, that you need to do things and be seen in order to follow your vocation. But you are now discovering that God’s voice is saying, “Stay home, and trust that your life will be fruitful even when hidden.”

It is not going to be easy to listen to God’s call. Your insecurity, your self-doubt, and your great need for affirmation make you lose trust in your inner voice and run away from yourself. But you know that God speaks to you though your inner voice and that you will find joy and peace only if you follow it. Yes, your spirit is willing to follow, but your flesh is weak. 

You have friends who know that your inner voice speaks the truth and who can affirm what it says. They offer you the safe space where you can let that voice become clearer and louder. There will be people who will tell you that you are wasting your time and talents, that you are fleeing from true responsibility, that you fail to use the influence you have. But don’t let yourself be misled. They do not speak in God’s name. Trust the few who know your inner journey and want you to be faithful to it. They will help you stay faithful to God’s call. ”

— Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom, pp.89-90

A Short Catechism

Q: Who made all this?

A: The only God (Gen. 2:2). 

Q: How bad is my sin?

A: Blacker than the blackest hole (Rom. 6:23).

Q: How far away are my sins from me?

A: "A great gulf has been fixed." "As far as the east is from the west" (Lk. 16:26, Ps. 103:12).

Q: How clean am I in the presence of God? 

A: You are as clean as Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)

Q: How disappointed is God in me? 

A: “You are the apple of my eye.” “You are my darling child.” “Please refer to me as ‘Abba.’” (Ps. 17:8, Jer. 31:20, Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:6). 

Q: How many times will Jesus forgive me? 

A: At least 70x7 (Matt. 18:22). 

Q: Will God bring up my past? 

A: "You are hidden with Christ in God" and "your sins are on the bottom of the ocean floor" (Col. 3:3, Micah 7:9). 

Q: Precisely how many good works do I need to do to go to heaven? 

A: Zero. Jesus did them (Eph. 2:8-9). 

Q: Exactly what can stop the love of God from getting to me? 

A: "Nothing in all creation" (Rom. 8:37-39). 

Q: How sure can I be that I’ll finish the race? 

A: "He who starts a good work in you WILL complete it"(Phil. 1:6). 

Q: “What if I fall asleep in when I pray?”

A: “I’ll never leave you” (Deut. 31:8).

Q: One last question… “How long can I stay in heaven?”

A: Eternity on top of eternity (John 3:16).

A Wednesday Afternoon Prayer

Jesus, you have no idea how bad I’ve been. 

Yes I do. In fact, I expected worse out of you than you expected out of yourself.

Jesus, what if I don’t ever get any better?

I’ll always love you. 

Jesus, what if I do it again?

We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I’ve got a plan. 

Jesus, what if I just give up on you?

I’ll never quit on you. 

Jesus, how do you expect me to forgive ______ when they’ve been so hurtful to me?

Just give them what you get from me. Grace. Just charge it to my account.

Jesus, but what about how insensitive they’ve been to me? 

Charge that to my account too. 

Jesus, I’m tired.

I’ll be your rest.

Jesus, are you mad at me?

You’re the apple of my eye. My beloved.

Jesus, what do you want me to do for you?

Don’t be so quick to work for me. Everybody wants to work for me. I want you to know me and live in my love and acceptance of you.

Jesus, what if I fall asleep when I pray?

I’m happy you feel comfortable in my presence. Rest well. I’ll see you when you wake up.

Jesus, what if I don’t understand all of the Bible?

I am the Word of the word.

Jesus, I don’t know where I belong.

You belong with me. 

Jesus, what if I’m lazy?

You’re not lazy. You’re just distracted. We can change that.

Jesus, I’m mad. 

I’ll take your anger. 

Jesus, I’m disappointed. 

Keep looking at me. 

Jesus, I’m sad. 

I know. I see you right there. Want to talk to me about it? 

Jesus, I’m drunk.

You’re my friend. 

Jesus, I stole.

I’ll take care of it.

Jesus, I’m lustful. 

Give me your heart.

Jesus, I hate myself.

My love for you will drown your hate of you. 

Jesus, they told me I could lose my salvation. Is that true?

If you could lose it, don’t you think you would’ve lost it by now? I don't drop anything. Especially my people. You're safe. 

Contextualization Is Not Optional

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Steve Timmis who serves as the Global Director for Acts 29. He talked to me about our commitment to theological clarity, cultural engagement and missional innovation. Here's some thoughts...

There’s way more to church planting and pastoring than meets the eye. That is to say that there's more going on than writing sermons, praying with people, going to leadership meetings, raising money, training up others, and overseeing staff/volunteers. For those like me that happen to be engaged in this world of pastoring and church planting, we are in a constant state of study and exegesis, not only of Scripture of but of the culture in which we find ourselves.

The church planter is constantly asking questions such as

• “Who actually lives here?”,
• “What do they value?”,
• "What are they super-interested in?",
• "What is the history of this place?"
• “What are the obstacles to the gospel here?”,
• “How can I speak and live in such a way as to really connect with this community?”
• "What are the real needs of this city?" 

It is ever so tempting to read a book or blog by somebody out there that is really impacting their context and seek to copy/paste their philosophy of ministry in one's own. But here's the deal – What may be working in one context may not, and, in fact, often won't work in another context. One size does not fit all. One way will not work. One model is not enough. What works to advance the Kingdom in one place may not actually work in another. What works in Manhattan will probably not work in Hueytown, Alabama. This is because of how vastly different the cultures really are. There are different kinds of people groups, rhythms of life, belief systems, values, political affiliations, and so forth represented within each ecosystem. The thoughtful, engaged, strategic leader is thinking through these kinds of things so as to love and impact the context with the gospel of Jesus. So, pastor/church planter, plant your church, preach to your context, and serve the flock of God right in front of you well by thinking about and praying through where God actually has you.

On one occasion the Apostle Paul gave real insight into exactly what he was doing and shows some of why his ministry was so impactful. He said, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9.22). Today, this is commonly referred to as the contextualization of the gospel. 

Contextualization is not optional. Hear me, working to contextualize what you're doing is not just mere pragmatism – "how to get stuff done", and "be more effective." (Though those things are important). It is about loving people. A church that does not seek to contextualize itself, its ministries, the gospel message, and every other avenue of communication inevitably creates more barriers than bridges for the advancement of the gospel in our communities. To put it bluntly, we as Christians believe a few things that aren't so simple and therefore we've got to live and speak in a way that makes sense to those around us. Remember, the people in our communities aren't dull or dim. We're preaching a message that even our own Apostle calls "foolish" (i.e. the Triune God spoke creation into being, a talking serpent deceived the human race and we "fell" into our current state of depravity, the long-expected, prophesied Messiah was born through the Virgin Mary as He was conceived by the 3rd Person of the Trinity, lived a sinless life, died a sinner's death, resurrected from the grave, ascended back into heaven, sent the Holy Spirit to endwell/empower all who have the faith (and nerve!) to believe this gospel message, and take us to heaven to be with God and all the saints forever and ever). Listen to all those "Christianese", "churchy", Bible/theological/insider-lingo terms. And as Christians, we can't just throw those ideas around without explaining what we mean when we use them. 

So you can see that trying to go about gospel ministry in a place without contextualizing isn't just bad form. Contextualization is a labor of love. 

“I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9.22)

Our desire in the Acts 29 Network is to continue to see thousands of churches planted all over the globe and millions of people come to faith in Jesus Christ, deepen their relationship with the One who gave his life for them, and serve on his mission.

We don’t want to see churches planted that just share our theological convictions. Certainly theological clarity and unity is essential, but so much more is required of us in order to be effective at reaching the specific places that God has uniquely placed us. Cross-cultural missionaries have been doing this for thousands of years. They venture into a new country and learn the language as well as the theological, philosophical, political, and overall worldviews and ideas that shape that culture. Then, the gospel is proclaimed in ways that don’t give it new meaning, but rather in ways that take more ground because the missionaries are speaking directly to that culture in that place at that time. Church planters and pastors are to do the same. Successful church planters are successful because they are doing everything with the utmost intentionality — namely, they consider the enormous task of contextualization and then by the power of the Holy Spirit, engage that community with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here's a link to the Acts 29 Podcast –

 https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/acts-29-podcast/id913326376?mt=2

John the Bulldozer

It's Christmas time.... Advent. Why a post about John the Baptizer? Because the Virgin Birth marks the Advent, the arrival of Jesus. John the Baptizer was a fiery preacher of the judgment of God and announcing the dawn, the beginning of the Messiah's ministry.

One image that comes to mind when I picture John is a piece of heavy machinery, in particular, a bulldozer. (This could be due to the fact that our home his filled with bulldozers and excavators.... thanks to our four year old, Jude! :)

John is no lay-down-and-die weakling. He is not out to wow the crowds with cheap tricks. Though a radical–and one who definitely stood out, it’s important for us to make sure we don’t confuse him for being a bug-eating carnival worker looking to just gain the attention of strangers and then send them away with plastic nothings that end up in landfills. No. He's got something to say. Or better, he has Someone to proclaim.

FLATTENING MOUNTAINS AND FILLING VALLEYS

John the Baptizer is a person that we often hear about and is no stranger to us. He is one of the first ambassadors for Jesus Christ—and certainly one of the first who got to meet the God-man in the flesh. He even had the honor of baptizing Jesus! (John 1:29-33). He was not just blogging, tweeting, or dialoging. John came preaching and baptizing.

John did not come to maintain the status quo. He came to tell people that someone was coming who’d change their lives and it would be impossible to undo his work. John rolled in with a mission. He came to flatten mountains and fill in the valleys; his mission was to prepare the way for our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Metaphorically speaking, his job description included turning Mount Everest into a parking lot and filling in the Grand Canyon to make it level. This was intense labor set out ahead of him.

His example is encouraging for those of us who get tired, frustrated, and bogged down. John wasn’t reluctant about what God had created and called him to be. In fact, he had been jumping at the opportunity to serve Jesus ever since he was in his mother, Elizabeth’s, womb (Luke 1:39-45). In John’s mind, Jesus deserved a smooth walking path as he took center stage of salvation history.

OUT OF THE BLUE

In the English Bible, Malachi is the last book in our Old Testament. It contains this prophecy:

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:1).

After this prophetic message is penned, there is going to be over 400 years of total silence from heaven. No prophets or kings with a word from God for his people. And then suddenly, one day, out of the blue, a man arose coming out of the wilderness, sporting a gnarly beard, eating locusts and wild honey, wearing camel fur and a broad belt around his waist, and strangely resembling the prophet Elijah. He opens his mouth booming authority, crying out “Prepare the way of the Lord!” (Luke 3:4).

GREATER AND LESS

The messenger is John the Baptizer. Malachi’s prophecy about John is cited three times in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. On one occasion, Jesus said about John:

What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you." Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist" (Matthew 11:7-11).

Why was John so great? One of his declarations about Jesus might clue us in, "He must become greater; I must become less." (Jn 3:30 NIV).

During Christmas, the world stops because the Greatest became the least that the least might become great in the eyes of God. 

God Has No Potential

You and I live in a constant state of change. People, circumstances, and our physical environment are all we know through our five senses and by observing the natural sciences. These are always in a constant flux, an ebb and flow of change, things appear to settle into being constant only to turn and change again. 

Here's what I mean:

* Printed newspaper circulation has decreased by 7,000,000 readers over the last 25 years. They are losing to online newspapers which have increased in readership by 30,000,000 in the last 5 years.

* Google has 31 billion searches conducted every month. That is an increase from 2.7 billion in 2006.

* 12 years ago, YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace did not exist: now they collectively receive 250,000,000 unique visitors. Compare that to the 6,000,000 unique visitors who watch CNN, NBC, and ABC every month (NBC began almost 60 years ago).

* The number of internet devices in 1984 was 1,000. The number of internet devices in 2008 was 1,000,000,000.

* "The computer in your cell phone today is 1,000,000 times cheaper and 1,000 times more powerful and about 100,000 times smaller than the one computer at MIT in 1965. So what used to fit in a building now fits in your pocket, what fits in your pocket now will fit inside a blood cell in 25 years”

* The top 10 high-paying jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.

* The amount of technical information doubles every two years. What does this mean for students aspiring for a four-year technical diploma? Half of what they learned in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study.

*Each hour, 67 babies are born in the U.S, 274 in China, 395 in India, and 694,000 songs were downloaded illegally. – Ray Kurvweil

And then we have in Malachi (and many other places in Scripture) this statement by God: “For I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6). So there is one thing, one reality, one Person in the universe who actually does not change? That’s something that causes our brains to stutter a bit because we don’t have very clear categories of relating to someone or something that doesn’t change.

ACTUS PURUS

However, here is how Christians think: Thomas Aquinas, the 12th-century Italian priest and philosopher who is arguably the most influential thinker to engage the Western world said that God is actus purus—he is a “pure act.”

This means that God has no potential.

God does not aspire to anything.

God has no "goals."

God is totally and completely perfect in himself from eternity past to eternity future.

Another way to say it is that God has no potential that is not already fully realized. Or as Michael Horton tells us, “God cannot be more infinite, loving, or holy tomorrow than he already is today.” 

AMAZING, UNCHANGING GRACE

However, having a God who cannot and will not change can be a very haunting or a very comforting thing depending on your view of him.

It might seem haunting in a sense to think that God will never compromise his standards for entry into his kingdom. That’s a scary thought for most of the world. This means that he’ll never change and make the narrow mountainside path, the person and work of Jesus, into an eight-lane freeway into heaven. This will not change.

However, it’s also far more comforting to know that he won’t change his standards—it will always be “grace alone” and no other means. If you are a Christian, Abba will never change the way he relates to you, calling you sons and daughters, forgiven, clean and beloved.

He is Actus Purus.

He is Abba.