Jesus' American Dream

"Some who are last will be first, and some who are first will be last."

I cannot tell you how many times these words from Jesus have rung in my ears. They are said with perceived understanding...from teachers...from pastors...from preachers. But are they? Are they understood? These words are preached like Jesus is "flipping over" things. He is upsetting the apple cart. He is making the religious mad because he moves the top to the bottom, and the bottom to the top. But is he? Perhaps, he is doing something much more.

The Center of Society

It is no surprise that Jesus came with certain expectations and theories. He was expected to be someone at the center of society. He was expected to rub elbows with them. He was expected to wear their roles...their robes. The center of society is the rich…the powerful...the political...the religious. They were expecting the Messiah to be one of them. Seriously, they all did. He was going to be a religious, political, powerful, conqueror. 

So much of what I see in the "American Church" is here in these expectations. We plant churches in the suburbs because they are more "sustainable" (by this we mean that we can financially support a bunch of people coming to a big room to hear us talk). We endorse (or defile) political leaders based on how they provide a more favorable position for our filled auditoriums that we call the "church". We go after cars...homes...educations...all that have the same smack of circumstance that is at the center of society. These are the things we pray for. These are the things we expect Jesus to give to his Church.

So, we say that Jesus is "flipping things over." We claim that these that are at the center of society were just not "spiritual enough." They didn't really "believe in Jesus." It was in “their head, but not in their heart.” But what if Jesus is doing something much more practical…much more compelling?

The Margins of Society

The truth is that Jesus came to the margins of society, not the center. He was born on the outskirts…with the outcasts…around the poor…the broken…the unrefined. He didn’t just live in the neighborhood. He was with them…for them…of them. He was one of them.

This was what was so confusing about Messiah for those in the center of society. Not only was he born to these marginal people, he upheld them. He defended their position. This is not “flipping over”; this is a seismic shift!

Jesus teaches that the margins of society are the center of the kingdom.

This is what freaks us out. He flatly never calls us to the suburbs…to the political…to the rich folk. According to his Kingdom, the wealthiest place in your city is actually the most dangerous neighborhood (and vice-versa). More than your life is at stake. Your soul…your heart…your eyes…your ears are all at risk as you drive through the perfectly kept lanes and dream suburban fairy-tales of happily ever-after. Far from desiring these homes…we should fear them… we should run as fast as we can from the simple assertion that we stay a night in one…our stomachs should ache and our skin should crawl.

The poor, the powerless, the broken, and the outcast are more than welcomed into the kingdom. Their lives display the kingdom. Somehow, in this reoriented kingdom, we will find the clearest understanding of Jesus as we touch the untouchable. Then a shift happens. What you spent 1,000 sermons searching for is suddenly right in front of you. All of those mornings hoping God “would show up” suddenly becomes clear that what he said was true; He is “with you always.” Here. In this broken bramble of a neighborhood. This place where few dare to be at night is a doorway to the very King you have been hoping would grab you and grip you like he did the first time you met.

Jesus call us to REORIENTATION

Just like the Rich Young Ruler and Zacchaeus or the Pharisee and the Prostitute. There is an open call from Jesus to “deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow me.” The place we are following him to is to the poor, to preach liberty to the captives, to set free the oppressed.

He calls us to re-center our lives. He openly admits that there are some that are so hard hearted that they could never see the kingdom…never. There are some that see the kingdom and want it but life on the margins is tough…we suffer with those that suffer…so we walk away. There are some that desire the kingdom but they also desire what is at the center of society. Desire for this “world” chokes out a desire for the kingdom like thorns. But there are some that will lay aside their own lives and see the kingdom, desire it, suffer for it, and see fruit come as a result.

The simple truth is that “fruit” is not more people in your auditorium, your classrooms, or your small groups. It is bigger. The sad truth is that you may never see it…feel it…or touch it. You may spend your whole life in these rooms for preaching and teaching yet never once actually see the kingdom. This is because your “church” is reaching for the center of society. You are not being shown what life in the kingdom looks like because your “pastor” has never actually walked with you for one second of your life. He has never guided you toward the kingdom. He has never shown you what life on the margins looks like, feels like.

Deny…Suffer…Follow

The path is still the same as when Jesus walked the earth. He is calling you on a journey. In order to go with him you must deny yourself. Deny your American dream. Deny your white privilege. Deny your identity as an African-American. Deny your “church” programs. Deny your need to preach every Sunday. Accept the call to the consequences of Jesus’ words.

Follow him to the margins.

Stay there.

Love them.

This is the Kingdom.

Book Review: EP Study Commentary on the Book of Acts

I love commentaries. I read them often and I have certain things I look for when choosing one. I don't always look at the author, although that can be a massive factor if I am familiar with the work. I don't always look at the series, although that could still be huge if there is a consistent and useful format. Mainly I look for the problems that are addressed, the readability, and the application of the text.

Recently I have been spending a lot of time in the Book of Acts (since I am church planting) and I came across a commentary on the book and an opportunity to review it, so I jumped.

The EP Study Commentary on the Book of Acts by Guy Prentiss Waters is a readable length (less than 600 pages). It lends itself to being used as you walk through the Book of Acts with a group or just to sit down and read through (which I did). The commentary has great readability and is accessible to pastors, teachers, and serious students. This is not a technical commentary so just about anyone leading or teaching a group of people will find it helpful and useful.

The commentary deals with many problems but not exhaustively. This is by no means a critical commentary. However, Waters has dealt with many of the modern commentaries that I love and trust, both critical and pastoral. Waters also deals with the narrative unity and flow of the Book of Acts. This can be missed by many commentators that deal critically with the text. There is much more to be dealt with than Waters touches, both critically and literarily, but this commentary does a good job if you are reading through or teaching through Acts.

Finally, the application of the text was hit or miss. There were many applications to the "church" as a gathered reality. Waters doubtlessly serves in the church and is applying it to the congregation. But there is a lack of individual application. Since this is not a critical or literary commentary I was looking for more direct application to the reader. Certainly all of the Book of Acts does not lend itself to individual application but it would have been good to see a balance, especially in texts dealing with issues on both sides like the account of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).

When all is said and done I would recommend this commentary if you are teaching through Acts. It is a bit too expensive ($43 US) for just reading through for my wallet. But it is without a doubt a solid job treating the text and explaining the meaning of key difficulties of the Book of Acts. 

Book Review: The First Time We Saw Him

When I first saw the title and make-up of this book I was intrigued and excited. I have been pursuing the life and teaching of Jesus for a while and I thought that this might offer a new viewpoint or a way that I could share the life and words of Jesus with others differently. At the very least this book held the potential to reconnect with familiar passages in a new way. As far as these are concerned I was not disappointed.

Mikalatos essentially retells the basic story of the Gospels in modern language but also places them in a contemporary setting. He recasts various stories from the Bible and guides the reader through the real emotions that might be present if we encountered Jesus today.

There were many things that I liked about this book. It is easy to read. It does not just tell the stories but Mikalatos interacts with the theology and implications of Jesus on our lives. The book has a fresh and up front way of talking about Jesus and the importance of the interactions told in the Gospels. For the new believer or the person that has grown weary of reading the same passages over and over this may be a good surge to the soul as they see Jesus differently. However, those who are still captivated by Jesus and seek to read in order to obey this book doesn’t really add much value, if any.

This brings me to the things that I did not like about the book. One issue is that the stories were cherry picked. I get that the author was not trying to retell the Bible but it feels like so much was left out. The other thing is that the author tried to harmonize the Gospels. He picked from different Gospel writers without carrying over the unique theological thrust that these stories communicate as they are tied together in a particular way.

All of that being said this is a good book. It may not  be for everybody but it is a well written and certainly creative expression of the life and teaching of Jesus.

Book Review | The Atheist's Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs

A trip to a local bookstore today will reveal dozens of books from the “New Atheists” and their popularity is growing as everyday people accept their message as truth. There have always been men and women within the Christian worldview rising to answer these atheist insinuations but the books that they write can be complicated. This is also to the advantage of the atheist. 

In The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs, Norman Geisler and Daniel McCoy have responded by displaying the conflicting logic used in the writing these many atheist books. Geisler and McCoy show the atheist’s words and treat them fairly and fully. The vast majority of the book is simply showing the contradictions used in “God in the Dock” arguments.

They look at:

The problem of Moral Evil

The value of human autonomy

Submission and favor

Death and faith

Guilt and Rules

Punishment and Pardon

Hell and heaven

Inconsistencies

The bulk of their arguments flow from the first two subjects here and they look at the conflict that come up in atheist arguments because of the tension in the problem of moral evil and the value of human autonomy. Then the authors display the unnecessary rebellion and rejection of God that these atheists make with undue certainty.

What I liked.

There was much in this book that is valuable and enjoyable. The writers know how to deal with difficult topics with simplicity and grace. They are fair to the writings of the atheists that they disagree with and try to let them speak for themselves. If you interact with people that are influenced by popular atheist writing (or if you are reading them for yourself) then you need to read this book.

The book was written logically and with such a style that you go through the chapters very quickly. I was surprised by how the book flowed and there were so few times that I was bogged down by philosophy or formal language.

What I did not like.

I wish there were some areas that would help the everyday Christian get into discussion with the everyday atheist. There are few helps here for that, however. This is more of a discussion about atheist authors than the everyday atheist. Few atheists that I know are going to jump into “God in the Dock” arguments (assuming that God is real). They still have contradicting beliefs but they are not dealt with here. So if you are looking for an everyday help to answer the reason for the hope that lies within you to your atheist friend you probably will not find much here. However, there could be some great discussions brought up if your atheist friend reads popular atheistic writing.

Book Review | 10:10 Life to the Fullest

There are many within the tradition of Christianity searching for a deeper walk with God. They are trying to manage a relationship of substance and worth. Many become frustrated and distanced from the one they long to know more. Daniel Hill has written an encouragement to those that are looking to live “life to the fullest” in 10:10.

Hill follows the reasoning that the reason most people do not experience “life to the fullest” is because of fear. He argues that most people do not admit that they are struggling in this way and so it compounds the problem. He traces the biblical response to fear through the life of Joshua and encourages the reader to live life in “3D”. The 3 dimensions are faith and fear, faith and intimacy, and faith and mission. These become the outline of his book.

WHAT I LIKED

There are many wonderful points within this book. Hill walks through the Bible and firmly roots his reasoning and guidance within the witness of God’s Word. This book is written in a way that anyone can understand and be encouraged by the lives of those listed for us in Hebrews 11. There is also an attempt to get a little deeper in these passages as Hill works through some details of these “heroes of faith”.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE

As a student of the Bible there were some places in this book where I struggled. In chapter 6, Hill claims that the rich young ruler was one that “loved God and genuinely wanted to be obedient” (Luke 18). While I see where he may get this assumption it is probably better to understand this man as assuming that because he follows the law that he has a relationship with God and is therefore suited to follow Christ. However, Jesus sees his heart and reveals that not only is this young man not ready to follow Christ but he really does not love and obey God. He is revealed to be an outsider regardless of his following rules. Jesus does that.

So Hill does this a few times with passages. He makes application his primary hermeneutic. That is dangerous and can become sloppy writing. I applaud the attempt to encourage but if we have to loosen our grasp on Scripture to accomplish encouragement then we have not achieved much in reality.

CONCLUSION

Taken as a whole, this book is worth reading for someone that is not walking deeply with Jesus and needs a little encouragement in the right direction. It is well written but not well researched or interpreted. That may not bother a new believer or even a struggling believer that needs something simply to encourage them. But if you are not one of these then you may be bothered by some of the lack of proper scholarship.

My Top 5 Online Missional Resources

Are you looking for some solid content and guidance on living missionaly or forming a foundation for a missional community?

Here are my top 5 resources for disciple-making and living every day with the intentions of the Gospel.

1. Gospel-Centered Discipleship http://gcdiscipleship.com

Here is one of my favorite sites for articles and resources for encouragement and handing to those that I am leading in discipleship. There are some very solid books that they publish for an awesome price as well.

2. Verge Network http://www.vergenetwork.org

This site has a huge amount of multi-media content for the missional church. The videos are enough to fill hours with content rich exploration. They also offer free ebooks and a training course on the missional church so be sure to sign up for all that they offer.

3. Exponential http://www.exponential.org

This is a site connected to the popular conferences. On the site is a vast amount of free ebooks and weekly updates to those that are working in the trenches of disciple-making. I often find incredible content for myself and those that are following Jesus with me.

4. Discipleship.org http://discipleship.org

This is a relatively new resource but look over who is collaborating together on this and you will find that it will soon make its way to the top of the list. The free ebook that they offer is incredible and a sure foundation for disciple-making groups.

5. V3 http://thev3movement.org

This is another fairly new resource but the content makes up in the quality. There are consistent articles geared toward the missional church and I am always finding them helpful. This is also a great place to connect for help with the planting process. 

So there you go. Some resources to help you in the disciple-making journey. Check these out today and let me know if you have some favorites of your own. I would love to share them.