The Good News: God's story through our stories
This past Sunday we left off discussing the quote from Brian McLaren's A New Kind of Christian. I apologize that we didn't have enough time to spend more time digging through that quotation, we will start next week by looking at the quote again. I wonder if Grace's comment is shared by more of you - perhaps you didn't have time to offer up that opinion. I agree that this quote challenges my assumptions and long-held beliefs on what it means to be a Christian - especially in a post-Christian time.
If you care, I've finished that book and am reading its sequel. These books are highly engaging and I think it's got an enormous amount of food-for-thought for many Christians. I know a good friend of mine has been criticized for echoing these ideas. Well, it's because our faith is not a cake-walk. There's much struggle, as in running a race. I'm hoping our class will raise similar questions and searching as this book is doing for my friend.
The core question that we want to visit throughout our class is "What is the Good News?" We will be addressing this question head on this Sunday. Take a look at Tom Sine's 4th quote from previous week's handout. I hope that will inspire us to think outside our box.
(Download this past week's handout if you're missing it. Tsk, tsk if you've lost it already!)
This past Sunday evening I went to a church called Freedomize. Besides it being a very welcome breath of fresh air to my weary soul, the pastor's message resounded with me. Our lives are like a book. For many of our friends and peers, our lives may be the only Christian book they will ever read. It doesn't matter if they have a knee-jerk reaction against the church, that they think Christians are quacks (but except for you), that they just can't wake up early on Sunday, that it's just "not for me right now, but maybe later", or that they are interested, they will be reading your story to see if they want a similar story.
I'm suggesting that a good read will definitely have the fruits of the Spirit. As we strive to be a New Kind of Christian (or simply renewed), those fruits will be evidence of deep personal change and will grow to become fruit to bless people around the world. Then the world will know that Jesus Christ is Lord, no?
So, don't be shy, we want to hear what you think...
And don't forget:
- Share with three friends/co-workers your story. Journal what you experienced, their response.
- Fellowship with others. Read God's Word. Pray.
Comments
Looks like you've been doing a great job of provoking thinking and discussion, Dan!
A note to all who have felt their concept of "good news" and "the kingdom" challenged, whether by the McLaren quote or by the class discussion: these ideas are "new" only in the sense that they may be unfamiliar to present-day Western evangelical churches. Perhaps one major weakness (and paradoxically, strength, at times) of many modern evangelical churches is the lack of a sense of history and tradition. These ideas of "good news" and "the kingdom" are deeply rooted and developed in the Christian Reformed and Mennonite traditions (and Roman Catholic to a certain extent), and are by no means "novel" changes to or mere postmodern accommodations of historical Christianity.
If McLaren is encouraging each of us to be "a new kind of Christian", he is doing so by often drawing upon the vast riches and resources of the story of the Church.
Posted by: brian lim | June 12, 2003 11:19 AM
Thanks for sharing your stories, Dan, Brenda, Rebecca. My ears perked up as Rebecca was talking about Rhetoric. I'm taking an early Christianity course at night school (and for all you graduates who thought Dan's suggestion to take some Christian coursework was too late, let me tell you it's not!!) and my mind was wandering toward this guy I'm reading about, St. Augustine of Hippo.
Turns out it's the same character Rebecca is thinking about. Indeed, Augustine was versed in Rhetoric, about persuasion and he struggled with the lack of need for truth in his profession and eventually came to a conviction that proper speech and style were not sufficient. That one must also seek after truth.
Now Augustine's story is the kind of walking the talk that we're looking at. Augustine went from thought to faith to philosophy looking for truth and having initially thought Christianity was intellectually lacking until he met a pastor named Ambrose. Ambrose's theology cleared a lot up for Augustine and he came to a belief that there was no faulty logic in Jesus Christ. He actually now had a problem of a different kind.
My text book reads, "At this point a battle raged within himself. It was the struggle between willing and not willing. He had decided to become a Christian... He could not be a lukewarm Christian. He wrote, 'When I thought of devoting myself entirely to you, my God... it was I that wished to do it, and I that wished not to do it. It was I. And since I neither completely wished, nor completely refused, I fought against myself and tore myself to pieces.' ... After his conversation, Augustine took the necessary steps to embark on a new life. Requested Baptism, resigned from his teaching (of rhetoric) post, dismissed his concubine..."
No theologian was more quoted that Augustine in the middle ages, and during the protestant reformation (of which the Baptist church tradition comes from) has become the most influential theologian in the entire Western church.
His life is one of integrity. Of walking the talk. It's only a glimpse, but if you're interested, I have a copy of one of his famous books, St. Augustines' Confessions. Rebecca has another one on doctrine, I believe. Definitely a page turner!
God bless everyone, see you next week!
Posted by: Alan | June 12, 2003 1:20 PM