Author: Fred Shope

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TGIF

This week has been busy and the weather has been on a roller coaster ride. On Tuesday, school was called of because of snow. Today it is sunny with a high near 6o. Today is Josh’s birthday. Stop by his blog and wish him a happy one. The country made history this week with the inauguration of President Obama. Of course that kicked the lunatic fringe of “Christianity” into high gear. Oh well. I guess folks have to find some enemy to fight.

Here are the good links for the week:

A Time to Laugh draws lessons from Mary Poppins. Dan Edelen again writes a good post, and Scot McKnight has some good thoughts about our new President and abortion. Lest you think the Israelis are the only bad guys, see this (HT: Scot McKnight). John Frye thinks we need to take Jesus back for America.

Brant Hansen gives a synopsis of the recent “24” episode. Next-Wave looks back at the last decade in the emerging conversation. If you’re interested in observing Lent, check out this from Christine Sine. Jared Wilson gives us some classic Larry Norman footage.

I hope your weekend is filled with God’s grace and blessing.

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Evangelism

Barb wrote about evangelism yesterday and asked folks to weigh in with their thoughts, so here goes.

I grew up in fundamental Baptist churches, where the point of evangelism was to convince the person of the truth of a set of propositions and bring them to the place where they agreed that they were a sinner and going to hell and that Jesus died for their sins. After this was accomplished the person would then be led in the “sinner’s prayer” and ask Jesus to forgive them and come into their heart. After saying this prayer, usually repeated after the person doing the evangelism, they would then be told that they were now going to heaven when they died. They would also be told to remember the date so they could point back to it if any doubts later crept in.

There were various methods used to try and get people to come to the point of making a “decision for Christ.” The Four Spiritual Laws, the Romans Road, surveys where you would ask a series of questions designed to lead the person to pray the prayer. All of the methods were designed to convince the prospect of a set of propositions.

I was mainly involved in the survey method, what I call “hit and run evangelism” because these surveys were usually done in shopping malls or at county fairs, where there was little, if any, chance for follow-up or discipling of those who did make a decision. To this day, I have no idea who really came to faith in Jesus.

I find it interesting that Jesus never asked people to say a prayer and ask him into their hearts. he simply called people to turn from their old way of approaching life and follow him in the new way, the Kingdom of God. The disciples were called to follow Jesus as Rabbi and to seek to become what he was and to relate to God in the same way he did. The Apostles’ message is one of turning from the old way of life and acknowledging Jesus Christ as the true Lord and King. If the Gospel message would have been just “accept Jesus into your heart and you’ll go to heaven when you die” the early Christians would not have suffered persecution. The Romans had no problem with folks adding their religion on top of the Roman religion, as long as they hailed Caesar as lord. The reason the Gospel message was so subversive was that it denied all the other gods and proclaimed another King above Caesar.

The older methods of evangelism may have been effective in their day. Then again, they may be a major factor in the rise of American Christendom. I believe that what followers of Jesus need to do today is go back to proclaiming that Jesus is the true King and Lord over all things and that he calls people to turn their backs on their old way of approaching life and follow him as their Lord and Master. As we proclaim this message we also need to live like we really believe it. As an example, how much would the Gospel message be shown as true if we who call ourselves Christians simply loved each other instead of always fighting and condemning. I’m sure you could think of other examples.

I am encouraged by the rise in the number of people who are realizing that the Gospel is for more than just going to heaven when you die, that it is for all of life. May their tribe increase.

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TGIF

This week hasn’t been quite as hectic as last week. I’m also off work today, so I’ve been able to do some things that sometimes get pushed to the side. It’s cold here in the sunny South, with a high of about 30. I realize that it’s a whole lot colder where some of you are, so I’m not complaining (too much). 🙂

Here is some of the good writing (and other stuff) that’s out there:

Here’s proof that the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree. Jake has some ideas to transform suburbia, and Dan Edelen writes about attraction. I don’t think there are any churches like this. Are there? John Fonville responds to Natalie Dylan. imonk has a recommendation and a good question. Scot McKnight wonders what we can do (BTW, The Blue Parakeet rocks!). Now books in Christian bookstores are coming with warning labels? Not enough obviously.

Jeff McQ is thinking ironic thoughts. Do we really have to think alike? Brother Maynard asks, “Where are the doors to the church?” Check this out. TSK is loaning books.

Well, I have to go get ready for a basketball game tonight. Have a great weekend.

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Being Like Jesus

The other night in our emergent cohort meeting, we were discussing what it means to be like Jesus Christ, and if, in fact, we can ever be like Christ. For what it’s worth, here are my thoughts.

I believe that there is a sense in which we can never be like Jesus. He is God, we are not and never will be. On the other hand, Paul tells us that the good that God works for us in all things is becoming like Jesus. To the first century Jew, discipleship meant being like the rabbi, learning to relate to God the way the rabbi did. So, how do we become like Jesus?

I think part of the answer lies in the concept of the disciple becoming like the rabbi in the way he related to God. Jesus relationship with God was a relationship of love and oneness. In the Garden of Eden the relationship between God and Adam and Eve was a relationship of love and oneness. Sin broke that relationship. Jesus came to restore that oneness. His sacrifice on the cross removed the barrier between us and God. Now, we can have a relationship of love and oneness with the Father. As we learn to follow our Rabbi closer, and grow in our faith and trust in him, we learn how to relate to the Father the same way Jesus does. The more we relate to God in love and oneness, the more we relate to those around us in the same way. In this way we fulfill the two greatest commands: love God and love others. So, we are formed into the image of Christ.

Thoughts?

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TGIF

This has been a good week. The basketball team I coach had our first win Tuesday. Yay! Christmas vacation is almost over as school begins again on Monday.

For some reason a lot of the blogs written this week were about the year that just passed and the one that lies ahead. Enjoy

Barb is painting in gray. My little town made a top ten list! It’s number 9 on the list of top 10 visiting cities. Here is another good post from Dan Edelen. Annedroid posts a funny. Josh posts a top ten list, sort of (sometimes I wonder about that boy). 🙂

Imonk makes his resolutions for 2009. Do you have anything to sell? Brant Hansen might buy it. Jeff McQ has been dangerously musing about equality. Part 1 is here. Jonathan Brink writes on the church crisis. You should check out this very good webcomic. Is Sola on it’s way out?(HT: Brother Maynard). Brother Maynard thinks about the missional conversation in 2009. TSK is ready for adventure.

Enjoy your weekend.

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Another Year Passes

Tonight we say goodbye to 2008. I’m not sure if seeing the year pass into history saddens me or if it makes me glad. It has been a year with few major changes, positive or negative.

At the beginning of 2008, I believed that God was calling me to help with the planting of a new church. That has not come to pass. A number of circumstances came up which put that on hold indefinitely. God has also kept me in the current church, even though it is dying or dead. For some odd reason, there still seems to be a ministry for me there. I have no idea what 2009 will bring.

My duties as an educational assistant have changed. Instead of working in a single self-contained class, I now travel to a number of classes within the building. It makes the day go a bit faster and I get to work with a variety of students. I’m still coaching basketball, but this year it seems there is more teaching needed as far as skills go.

Our daughter, Jennie, has flown the coop and made her way to the left coast, where she is trying to leave her mark on the film industry. I’m looking forward to seeing how God works in and through her. Josh, our son, is halfway through his architecture studies, and is still enjoying it.

My beautiful wife, Jan, continues to minister in a Christian school, although this year her duties have increased. We are grateful that her parents are in town so we can see them and help them as they need it.

God continues to teach me, and strip ideas and beliefs from me that I don’t need. I’m finding that I am being increasingly, as imonk so succinctly put it, “reduced to Jesus.” I’m seeking to follow more closely the Rabbi presented in the Gospels, rather than than the one created by modern Christendom. I’m finding that the pursuit is a lifetime thing rather than a one-time “turning everything over to God”. Actually, spending a lifetime trying to follow Jesus so closely that I am covered in the dust from his feet is not a bad way to live. There are days when I sense his presence right there with me, and there are days when I wonder where he is.

As I enter 2009 I journey down a back road that is shaded by trees that have grown over the road and made the path very dark. It’s not scary. It’s more like an adventure, like exploring a path that you know leads somewhere. The question is where? I don’t have an answer. Only God does, and he hasn’t chosen to let me know. So, I journey on, step by step, walking by faith and not by sight.

Maybe in 2009, the branches will part and a bit more of the path will be revealed.

Happy New Year everyone! May you have a blessed year.

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TGIF

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. It has been a busy, but nice week. Jennie came home from California and my sister and her family visited for a couple of days. We had a good time.

Here are the links from Christmas week, 2008:

Lindsey goes through a rite of passage. Mike Hollingsworth goes caroling in bars, and TSK writes about another famous Christmas Eve. Nakedpastor writes about a famous painting, while Jeff McQ tells us about his favorite, and un-favorite Christmas songs.

Scot McKnight is baffled. Josh wishes us a challenging merry Xmas. This is a great story. (HT: A Former Leader).

Only five days left in 2008. I pray that all of you have a very blessed new year.

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A Sestina for Christmas

It’s the time of year we call Christmas
A time we spend with friends and family
It’s a time for us to worship
We worship a baby
Who was born in a stable
But do we worship the King?

The child who came was born a King
Do we just see a baby?
Who do we worship?
During the time we spend with family
In this season of Christmas
Who do we see in the stable?

It was strange there in the stable
Not the usual place for the birth of a King
But there was the baby
His mother welcomed him to the family
We call this Christmas
Who do we worship?

There is only one worthy of worship
He lay in a stable
Surrounded by his family
At Christmas
We too often forget the King
And focus on the baby

It is wondrous that he was a baby
Born in a humble stable
So we celebrate at Christmas
Who do we worship?
A King?
Or an infant in a human family?

Yes, part of a human family
Born a baby
In a stable
He is more. He is King
He is worthy of worship
At Christmas

As we celebrate Christmas, surrounded by family
Remember that we worship much more than a baby
Born in a stable. We worship the King!

Merry Christmas!

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A Baby Changes Everything

Last night we were watching “A Home for the Holidays”. It’s a tv special about adoption. At the beginning, Faith Hill sang a song about the birth of Christ, and there was a recurring line that stated, “a baby changes everything”.

To me, that sums up the message of Christmas. A baby changes everything. The world that this baby was born into was under the control of an oppressive empire. The people of God were in bondage and waiting for a redeemer to come and free them. Then along comes this baby, born into a working class family and placed in a feeding trough. What many of the folks at that time didn’t realize was that the Redeemer had come. The One who would free them from bondage had arrived on the scene. Everything was about to change.

When Jesus began his public ministry and people began to follow him, most still didn’t realize the extent of the changes that were coming. They didn’t know that even their expectations had to change. They didn’t see that the bondage they were under was spiritual and not just political. They didn’t see that the Kingdom that was in their midst was a kingdom founded on love and grace, not on power.

Everything has changed. Because this baby was born in Bethlehem, because God took on humanity, we can now be saved from the oppression of sin. We can now enter the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of love. Everything has changed because this Kingdom does not operate like the kingdoms of this world. This Kingdom turns things upside down, or maybe it’s the kingdoms of the world that are upside down. Everything has changed because this Kingdom is concerned, not with serving self, but with serving others.

Everything has changed because this King will not die and allow another to take the throne. He has conquered death, and so His subjects will reign with Him forever in the new heavens and earth.

It’s true. A baby changes everything.