JESUS: A Theography

I have read many of Leonard Sweet’s books in the past and often find them provocative and challenging (and at the same time a bit wordy and flighty) but have always finished feeling I got something out of it.  I can’t say the same with JESUS by Sweet and Viola.

The purpose of this book is to reclaim the entire Bible as a gripping narrative about Jesus Christ.  It is a loft goal that many Christians have attempted to do in a small scale but I have not seen it attempted like this before.

Unfortunately to accomplish their goal they are forced to take scripture out of context and use a translation that suits their purpose.  I have to admit, I got angry and frustrated at their manipulation to make it serve their purpose.

After a while, I finally put the book down and said enough.

This book is so different from the approach that Sweet has taken in the past in works like The Gospel According To Starbucks, Aqua Church, SoulTsunami, etc.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE 6

According to the Pew Research Foundation there is a major increase in people who claim no religious affiliations and this decline in religious participation is particularly true in the younger generations.  Why do you think this is?

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE 5

In chapter 4 (p 45ff) in Everything Must Change, McLaren tells the story of a health care worker in Khayesitsha, South Africa.  He he were to show up at Ridge Church this afternoon what do you think he would say to us.  What would he say to other Christian Churches in the USA?

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE 4

What does the term "Kingdom of God" mean to you?  How would you define it?

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE 3

How do you think most Christians today respond to the issue of poverty?

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE 2

What do you believe are the causes of poverty around the world?

EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE 1

Just a couple of icebreakers to get us started.

1.     What movie that you have seen best illustrates the plight of the poor or those who are living in difficult (harsh) conditions?

2.     What issues or crisis in the world is most interesting or compelling to you?

Everything Must Change Discussion Group

Later this morning I will be leading a discussion based on Brian McLaren's provocative book: Everything Must Change.  I had hoped to set up a chat room on our website, but have been unsuccessful at getting it to work, so instead we will be using this forum.

How this will work is I will post the questions that we are discussing and allow you the opportunity to engage in the conversation.  Each question will be posted in a different blog posting.  I have set the security so that all posts will show up immediately without having to wait for approval.  I hope that I am able to keep it that way.  If you are not logged in, make sure that you identify yourself in your post.

If you encounter any problems, please let me know ASAP.  Feel free to use this post to test how it will work, by letting me know you are planning on participating.

I am looking forward to a lively discussion over the next few weeks.

Enough!

As I sit down and try to write this, my heart should be full of the joy and optimism of the Advent Season, unfortunately my heart is heavy.  This has been a tough weekend (I write this on Tuesday, Dec 18).  Yesterday we celebrated Mike Lawbaugh’s life and we all know about the events that took place in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday.

I need to make some confessions.  First, I am tired!  I am tired of all the violence.  I am tired of the silly rhetoric that “guns don’t kill people.”  I am tired of people who refuse to deal with the realities of our world.  Second, I know I am emotionally worn out.  Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the death of Ed Hollowell (Nancy’s Dad) and Christmas Eve is the birthday of her brother Mike, who died in April.  Third, I am struggling in figuring out what I am supposed to do (let alone how I am supposed to lead Ridge Church) in response to yet again another tragedy in our country.

So where to begin?  As you read this, it is the dawn of a new year.  I think there is a basic question that we need to ask ourselves: Will 2013 be different, or just more of the same?  We face some huge issues as the New Year looms.  We are drawing ever closer to the “fiscal cliff”, we have seen a year in which the weather was warmer and more chaotic than ever, and we have seen the continuation of violence.  Violence in the inner city, as well as violence in suburbia continues to grow.  And all of these issues have, in my opinion, a common thread.  That common thread seems to be one of JUSTICE

On my FaceBook page on Saturday I made two comments about the events in Connecticut.  First I wrote: “ENOUGH!  It is time for us to own up to our violent nature and do all we can to curb it, even if it means giving up ‘rights’!”  And then later wrote: “Just because ‘I have the right’, doesn't make it ‘RIGHT’”.  I was shocked by some of the comments that were made in response.  One particularly sticks out from a fellow United Methodist Pastor: “How sad it is that you would use this tragic loss of innocent lives to spew your left-wing agenda. Have you no shame?”  Another pastor suggested that what we need to do right now is pray and mourn and nothing more.  I cannot disagree more!  And if my agenda is “left wing”, then so be it (my suggestion back to him was that he needed to read the Bible . . .)

My prayer is that in 2013 that our indignation will rise to such a level that we will actually DO SOMETHING about it.  Yes, we need to pray.  But what we need to be praying for is direction from God, from the Prince of Peace, as to what God’s agenda is. 

The 64 million dollar question, the elephant in the room is: How do we as Christians respond to the injustices that are all around us?  How would Jesus respond?  How should we at Ridge United Methodist Church respond?

Tough questions, but ones that I hope you are willing to wrestle with. 

A number of years ago, Brian McLaren wrote a book called: Everything Must Change.  I want to invite you to read it with me and engage in a dialog about his wrestling with these very issues.  Maybe as a result we can begin to understand God’s desire for us. 

The format will be an open discussion beginning on Monday, January 14^th over the lunch hour.  Bring a lunch with you and we will share our struggles with these difficult issues.  If you wish to participate (even just via email) let me know.

ENOUGH!  It is time for us to do something to respond!  Make it your New Year’s Resolution.

Pastor Steve

Is Heaven for real?

It has taken me months to write this review of HEAVEN IS FOR REAL by Todd Burpo.  As a Pastor, I am supposed to love a book like this, because it seems to affirm everything that the institutional church has taught for centuries.

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL is the perceived true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters into what he understands as heaven. He lives and the book is all about his sharing the story of being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before he was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

It is a great story --- unfortunately, it is not biblical.  We want to believe that a story like this is biblical because it "proves" the notion that if we are good Christians, then we will be protected from harm by a loving God.  But that is not what God promised.  God promised to be with us in the valley.

Many of my members read this story and loved it because of its immature understanding of God.  I find it sad that we continue to produce literature like this that is self serving and fails to capture the real message of Jesus.  By the way, I have no doubt that many reading this will be greatly offended by my opinion. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”