NW2BH Ch2 - The Jazz of God
Charlie writes in Ch2 of New Way To Be Human that it's important to start with the "right story" as we look at what's the gospel, how do we share our faith, etc. The thesis is that if we start with the "wrong story", we might be developing followers of the wrong thing, people who aren't doing what they're supposed to because their starting point is out of whack. Do you think this is that big of a problem today? And if so, is it something that needs to be "fixed", or something we can grow through? I see it as something more organic that needs to almost evolve or devolve into the "right story" - coming right out and saying "you've got it wrong" rubs people the wrong way, for better or for worse. Often, "starting right" might be easier than "fixing" on some of these points.
"The goal is to tell a community story before you tell a personal story.... People who step into their role in the ongoing faith story of God's people become the kind of followers Jesus desires. People who hear and believe the Story that following Jesus is about developing your own personal faith and receiving your own personal salvation miss out on what following Jesus actually means [wow, you can be "saved" and still miss out?!? - that's what people hear when this is taught, from what I've found]. Jesus calls people to follow Him in the making of a multinational tribe of Spirit-empowered people who will love God's creativity and take His Word seriously. He's looking for people who will exchange their agendas for God's. He's looking for kingdom representatives who through unceasing word and work will make God's rule known everywhere and in everything." (p. 16)
That line of thought brings me to two good questions from the back of the book (pp. 214-215):
2. How and why do you think this question developed: "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?" [anyone have research or dates/articles on when this really started?]
4. What's the difference between a Jesus story that focuses on saving people from hell and one that focuses on saving them to unceasing life in Christ?
posted by Rick @ 8:24 AM
2 Comments:
Rick,
I'm new to your site. I can't really remember how I got here (one of the scary truths about blogging). Anyway, I'm enjoying your thoughts. Particularly your stuff on NW2BH. I've read the book and right now I'm teaching through it (loosly) in an adult class on Sunday mornings. Good stuff so far.
Towards answering your second question (don't have any research on the first) I stumbled across a McLaren article(http://bgc.gospelcom.net/ise/RT2004/PDF%20Files%20for%20CD/mclaren.pdf)
that begins to talk about some of this. I've really never thought about the concept of the "wrong story" leading to a different kind of life, but it seems to be fitting together as I've been challenged to rethink the story.
I think that this "unceasing life" issue is one that is huge for those in my own faith heritage. We tend to focus on "getting it right" so that you can get to heaven and forget that so much of what Jesus talked about is living Kingdom life in the here and now. Allowing the rule and reign of heaven to have its way in may days and nights here on this planet. We forget that Jesus' call to "follow me" is incorporated into everything that we do. We've relegated the Jesus-stuff to church times and personal prayer/quiet times. Then we wonder what's wrong when the rest of our life doesn't "feel" like God time. (Jolly Blogger has some good stuff in his series "Bill and Ted's Excellent Lunch")
I'm rambling so I'll go for now...look forward to continuing the conversation!
thanks for stopping by and posting your thoughts - definitely a high-traffic thought process, i'm finding out :)
Post a Comment
<< Home