ALL INVITED
*For about five years now, my wife Joy and I have been blessed by the Emergent movement and in particular the writings of Brian McLaren. I can best summarize this by saying it has helped us go on a journey of exploring with others in an honest manner what we most truly believe and desire to act upon, what beliefs we struggle with or reject, and what “a new kind of Christian” might look like in today’s world. I would like to invite you to participate with this online forum as well as gathering from time to time in person to walk together on this strange yet exciting path of being a Christ follower in this post-modern world.
*Last week, at Epworth Forest, my wife and I ran into three friends that we hadn’t seen for 25 years. They are developmentally disabled adults and yet three of the most beautiful people you would want to meet. While I was interacting with them off and on for a couple of days, I began to think about the theology that a person must intellectually accept Christ as their Savior to make it to heaven. And if this is the case, my three friends won’t make it. I don’t believe this! I believe in Grace! So my question is the following. If we were to move toward being “a new kind of church,” could we say openly that we do indeed believe in the saving presence of Christ and his ways and yet also believe that it is just like Christ to bring that saving presence to all of humankind through His grace, ways, and people? I believe there are many un-connected people who would be more likely to connect with this good news. What do you think?
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Recommended Reading
- Surprised By Hope by N. T. Wright
- Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren
- Finding Our Way Again by Brian McLaren
- The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill
- The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
- Jesus by Marcus Borg
- The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg
- The Meaning of Jesus by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright
- Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg
- Reading the Bible Again for the First Time by Marcus Borg
- How to Read the Bible by Marc Z. Brettler
- A Heretic's Guide to Eternity by Spencer Burke and Barry Taylor
- They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball
- The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball
- A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren
- The Story We Find Ourselves In by Brian McLaren
- The Last Word and the Word After That by Brian McLaren
- A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren
- The Secret Message of Jesus by Brian McLaren
- God's Politics by Jim Wallis
- The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
- Simply Christian by N.T. Wright
2 comments:
On this topic, I keep going back to the writing of Oswald Chambers. From My Utmost For His Highest (Updated Version) he writes:
"I am not saved by believing - I simply realize I am saved by believing. And it is not repentance that saves me - repentance is only the sign that I realize what God has done through Jesus Christ. The danger here is putting the emphasis on the effect, instead of on the cause. Is it my obedience, consecration, and dedication that makes me right with God? It is never that! I am made right with God because, prior to all of that, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the cross of Christ instantly places me into a right relationship with God. And as a result of the supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, or because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don't know how it was accomplished. The salvation that comes from God is not based on human logic, but on the sacrificial death of Jesus."
What this means to me is that salvation is mine no matter what. My belief puts me into a right relationship with God, and my changed life is my way of thanking God for what He has done for me through his son Jesus Christ.
Based on this, Craig, I think your three friends are saved. They don't have to understand why or how.
Hey guys, not much to add today, just that I'll be checking out your site and seeing what's up. I'll gladly jump in the conversation as things progress! Looking forward to it!
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