Yep...not so good. That would be the best way to describe how my efforts at posting on here have been. I mentioned in my pilot post that I had tried blogging a few years ago when it was somewhat new, but after about 6 posts spread out over an eight month period, I kinda gave it up. Had it not been for the devotional series our church was doing that I was posting on here, I would be in the same hole. Maybe not as deep, but it is the same hole.
I started reading "Forgotten God" (2009, David C. Cook) by Francis Chan. Well, let me rephrase that. I have about 4 books going right now and Chan's newest publication is one of the mix. I've not had much exposure to Chan. I am usually one of those that waits a little before jumping on the latest craze writer's newest book. Normally, it ends up that I don't regret my reticence in reading/purchasing their work. Those cases would be the Rick Warren's that have a purpose for everything, the Gary Chapman's that have five love languages for everyone including the lunchroom lady, or the Donald Miller's that are so postmodern (which is a logical fallacy in itself...that's for another day) that they don't know up from down or even if it matters if you are up or down. Francis Chan does not fall into that category. What I knew of Chan was from the cult following his book "Crazy Love" (2008, David C. Cook), and the people I have come in contact with that have read it and droned on and on about how it was the best book they had ever read. Whether or not I will go back and read Crazy Love or not is up for debate...but it is possible.
Here's the thing...Chan is not afraid to poke you in the eye and make you feel miserable about the way you and I approach Christianity. It's not because he is a mean guy. I've never met him, but I've seen him and he doesn't look like the mean guy type. I honestly don't know much about his theological disposition other than that he is a self-proclaimed evangelical Christian (oxymoron...will explain in another post...if I ever get around to it) and was trained at The Master's Seminary (John MacArthur). I would imagine that he is reformed (i.e., Calvinist) but, like I said, I don't know for sure. He is cutting edge and you can watch tons of clips of his sermons and illustrations on youtube if you have time (I don't). The reason he is not afraid of the eye poke is because he represents so many from my generation and those that are on the fringe of the generation above and below that are tired of a lackadaisical approach to Christianity. A cancerous brand of Christianity that has been purported by our churches for too long. A Christianity that seeks to entertain people rather than transform them by the Word and by the Spirit of the Living God.
Here are a couple of challenges that Chan raises just in Chapter 1 of Forgotten God:
"Churchgoers all across the nation say that the Holy Spirit has entered them. They claim that God has given them a supernatural ability to follow Christ, put their sin to death, and serve the church. Christians talk about being born again and say that they were dead but now have come to life...Yet when those outside the church see no difference in our lives, they begin to question our integrity, our sanity, or even worse, our God"(p32).
"Those of us who believe in Jesus would never deny the truth that we have the Spirit of the Living God, the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, living inside of us. I'm just not convinced that we've internalized this truth and enjoyed His blessings as He intends. It seems like this is mostly head knowledge to us and that we have not owned it. It has not really made much of a difference in our lives, to the degree that if we woke up tomorrow and discovered that it is not true that he Holy Spirit lives inside of us, most likely our lives wouldn't look much different" (35).
"It is really an astounding truth that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you...But, I am tired of living in a way that looks exactly like people who do not have the Holy Spirit of God living in them" (37).
John 16.7 picks up the words of Christ as he was foretelling his death and resurrection. Jesus says, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you" (ESV). I think too often we live our Christian lives in a way that is not so good. We think that life would be so much easier if Jesus was just right here physically walking with us everyday and having deep theological conversations. We think that would solve all of our problems, but we forget that the twelve didn't really get it either. Jesus' purpose was to make the atonement for our sins. He came in order that the Law of God might be fulfilled (Matt. 5.17). But, the Holy Spirit has been given to help us live. Jesus called him "the Helper". Other translations render the Greek term "parakaleo" either counselor or comforter. The Holy Spirit is the one who is to guide us and guard us in this life. Chan draws a keen observation from this verse that Jesus actually tells the disciples that it is better for him to leave so the Holy Spirit would come (35). But, we live our anemic Christian lives thinking that Jesus is all we need, when he says it is to our advantage that the Spirit is present.
Not so good, huh? How much different would our lives be if we took the advantage we are given seriously and lived a life that is dramatically different because it is lived in the Spirit of God? What about our families? I have a small family... just me and my wife. But, I know that if I took the Spirit for what He is, Christi and I would live differently. We would walk differently, talk differently, decide differently, and love differently. What about your family? What about your Sunday School class? If your class operated by the Spirit of Him who raised Christ Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8.11), what love driven outreach would you use to impact your community? If your church lived life in the Spirit rather than only giving him the occasional head nod, how many lost souls would be harvested by your effort? Something to think about...
I started reading "Forgotten God" (2009, David C. Cook) by Francis Chan. Well, let me rephrase that. I have about 4 books going right now and Chan's newest publication is one of the mix. I've not had much exposure to Chan. I am usually one of those that waits a little before jumping on the latest craze writer's newest book. Normally, it ends up that I don't regret my reticence in reading/purchasing their work. Those cases would be the Rick Warren's that have a purpose for everything, the Gary Chapman's that have five love languages for everyone including the lunchroom lady, or the Donald Miller's that are so postmodern (which is a logical fallacy in itself...that's for another day) that they don't know up from down or even if it matters if you are up or down. Francis Chan does not fall into that category. What I knew of Chan was from the cult following his book "Crazy Love" (2008, David C. Cook), and the people I have come in contact with that have read it and droned on and on about how it was the best book they had ever read. Whether or not I will go back and read Crazy Love or not is up for debate...but it is possible.Here's the thing...Chan is not afraid to poke you in the eye and make you feel miserable about the way you and I approach Christianity. It's not because he is a mean guy. I've never met him, but I've seen him and he doesn't look like the mean guy type. I honestly don't know much about his theological disposition other than that he is a self-proclaimed evangelical Christian (oxymoron...will explain in another post...if I ever get around to it) and was trained at The Master's Seminary (John MacArthur). I would imagine that he is reformed (i.e., Calvinist) but, like I said, I don't know for sure. He is cutting edge and you can watch tons of clips of his sermons and illustrations on youtube if you have time (I don't). The reason he is not afraid of the eye poke is because he represents so many from my generation and those that are on the fringe of the generation above and below that are tired of a lackadaisical approach to Christianity. A cancerous brand of Christianity that has been purported by our churches for too long. A Christianity that seeks to entertain people rather than transform them by the Word and by the Spirit of the Living God.
Here are a couple of challenges that Chan raises just in Chapter 1 of Forgotten God:
"Churchgoers all across the nation say that the Holy Spirit has entered them. They claim that God has given them a supernatural ability to follow Christ, put their sin to death, and serve the church. Christians talk about being born again and say that they were dead but now have come to life...Yet when those outside the church see no difference in our lives, they begin to question our integrity, our sanity, or even worse, our God"(p32).
"Those of us who believe in Jesus would never deny the truth that we have the Spirit of the Living God, the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, living inside of us. I'm just not convinced that we've internalized this truth and enjoyed His blessings as He intends. It seems like this is mostly head knowledge to us and that we have not owned it. It has not really made much of a difference in our lives, to the degree that if we woke up tomorrow and discovered that it is not true that he Holy Spirit lives inside of us, most likely our lives wouldn't look much different" (35).
"It is really an astounding truth that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you...But, I am tired of living in a way that looks exactly like people who do not have the Holy Spirit of God living in them" (37).
John 16.7 picks up the words of Christ as he was foretelling his death and resurrection. Jesus says, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you" (ESV). I think too often we live our Christian lives in a way that is not so good. We think that life would be so much easier if Jesus was just right here physically walking with us everyday and having deep theological conversations. We think that would solve all of our problems, but we forget that the twelve didn't really get it either. Jesus' purpose was to make the atonement for our sins. He came in order that the Law of God might be fulfilled (Matt. 5.17). But, the Holy Spirit has been given to help us live. Jesus called him "the Helper". Other translations render the Greek term "parakaleo" either counselor or comforter. The Holy Spirit is the one who is to guide us and guard us in this life. Chan draws a keen observation from this verse that Jesus actually tells the disciples that it is better for him to leave so the Holy Spirit would come (35). But, we live our anemic Christian lives thinking that Jesus is all we need, when he says it is to our advantage that the Spirit is present.
Not so good, huh? How much different would our lives be if we took the advantage we are given seriously and lived a life that is dramatically different because it is lived in the Spirit of God? What about our families? I have a small family... just me and my wife. But, I know that if I took the Spirit for what He is, Christi and I would live differently. We would walk differently, talk differently, decide differently, and love differently. What about your family? What about your Sunday School class? If your class operated by the Spirit of Him who raised Christ Jesus from the dead (Rom. 8.11), what love driven outreach would you use to impact your community? If your church lived life in the Spirit rather than only giving him the occasional head nod, how many lost souls would be harvested by your effort? Something to think about...
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Hey! I want to hear from you. Let's bridge dialogue as followers of Christ and not followers of the world. I am eager to see how we can grow together!