The Surprising God

"My son, I have always loved, accepted and forgiven you---now, come join the party." The Parable of the Prodigal Son by Guercino (public domain via Wikimedia Commons) I'm often asked about something Jesus said to his disciples following his resurrection: ...“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. ” (John 20:21-23 emphasis added) Is Jesus declaring that his followers have authority to forgive sin or to withhold forgiveness? Some think so, but note the context here---John is giving his account of the commissioning of Jesus' disciples (the Synoptic Gospels give another account). When Jesus says to his disciples, "I am sending you" (John 20:21)   John likely intends that we recall what Jesus had earlier prayed to the Father: “As you sent me into the wo...

GCI pastor David Gilbert has produced an evangelism, invitation-to-church brochure grounded in incarnational Trinitarian theology (see the text below). To download the brochure in Windows (.docx) format,  click here . You have David's permission to use it in your congregation (first change the host church information). It's formatted for two-color, double-sided, tri-fold printing. To download another GCI-produced gospel tract click here . Here is some good news: You’re included! In a world filled with the heartache of broken relationships, it’s no wonder we long for connection—to love and be loved— to be included . Sadly, when struggles and heartaches mount, many of us give up on this deep longing. But there is good news! God offers us a love worth finding and a love worth sharing. At [name of church] we experience that love, believing God absolutely and positively has done all it takes for everyone to be included in his love and life with its abundant, fulfilling relat...

This post continues a review of key points in Ron Highfield's book,  God, Freedom & Human Dignity: Embracing a God-Centered Identity in a Me-Centered Culture . For other posts in the series, click a number:  1 ,  2 , 3 , 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 . Colors of Happiness by Candilov (creative commons attribution, Wikimedia Commons) Last time we noted that the modern, me-centered self is insatiable in its desire, particularly in its quest for a god-like personal freedom. But because we are not God (and thus lacking God's attributes, including his non-contingent freedom), we humans eventually crash up against the hard reality that our insatiable desire is "infinitely greater" than our capacity to satisfy ourselves. Thus a me-centered quest for freedom eventually leads to a state of futility, even despair, "for no finite thing can satisfy an infinite desire" (p. 100). This time we'll examine the nature of...

This post continues a review of key points in Ron Highfield's book,  God, Freedom & Human Dignity: Embracing a God-Centered Identity in a Me-Centered Culture . To read other posts in the series, click on a number: 1 , 2 , 4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 . Last time we identified three reactions to God common in our day: defiance, subservience and indifference. All three see God as "unworthy of our complete trust and love" (p. 77). This negative assessment results largely from conceiving of God as "superhuman"---possessing qualities like our own, but in far greater measure. This modern/post-modern conception of God is not unlike that found in ancient mythologies (see picture). As we'll see, its net effect is rejection of a God-centered personal identity in favor of one that is decidedly me-centered---one that gives expression to what Highfield refers to as "the insatiable modern self." Minerva and the Triumph ...

This post continues a review of key points in Ron Highfield's book,  God, Freedom & Human Dignity: Embracing a God-Centered Identity in a Me-Centered Culture . To read other posts in this series, click on a number: 1 , 3 ,   4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 . Adam and Eve by Titian (ca. 1550) Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons As noted last time , human freedom and dignity are found not in a me-centered identity grounded in the false values of modernity, but in a God-centered identity grounded in the person of Jesus. But there is a problem---moderns tend to view God not as a source of freedom and dignity, but as an obstacle. That being so, they tend to react to God in one of three ways: defiance , subservience , or indifference . As we'll see, all three lead to bondage, not freedom. Defiance Because moderns tend to view God as their "ultimate enemy," they respond to God by seeking to "guard the...

This is the first post in a series exploring God, Freedom & Human Dignity: Embracing a God-Centered Identity in a Me-Centered Culture by Ron Highfield, professor of religion at Pepperdine University. My thanks to Dr. Gary Deddo for recommending this book. I'll be summarizing its key points. I solicit your comments as we proceed.  To read other posts in this series, click on a number: 2 , 3 ,   4 ,  5 ,  6 , 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13 . Within Christianity and without, debates rage over questions related to ethics: How should we live/behave? On what do we base our answers? Incarnational Trinitarian theology, following the Christo-logic of the biblical gospel, answers these questions by pointing to the related topic of identity. Why identity? Because that is where Scripture takes us, in line with the truth that we humans tend to live (behave) in accord with our sense of personal identity. With respect to identity, ...

And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. (Revelation 11:19-12:2 KJV) ( Image source ) So begins a section in the book of Revelation, which according to T.F. Torrance (in The Apocalypse Today: Sermons on Revelation ), offers "a panoramic view of world-history...from the perspective of the Kingdom of God" (p. 90a). He continues: We look right into the Temple of God in Heaven and see something of the eternal purpose of God, and the way in which He works out the redemption of mankind throughout the ages. (p. 90b) How is this redemption accomplished? How do the kingdoms of this world become the Ki...

This is the 15th and concluding post in a series reviewing the book  The Shape of Practical Theology: Empowering Ministry with Theological Praxis  by Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click a number: 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 , 13 ,  14 . We conclude our exploration of Anderson's book on practical theology (what he refers to as theological praxis ) with a review of key points in his chapter on a practical theology of forgiveness ( the praxis of forgiveness ). When it comes to living out incarnational Trinitarian theology in the crucible of the "real world," there is, perhaps, no more important and challenging topic than this. Anderson comments: Being a Christian means not merely being forgiven but being a forgiving person. Forgiveness is not only a spiritual grace but a human virtue, to be experienced and expressed as a mark of graceful living. (p291) Jesus: "Fa...

Sometimes I'm asked, " Does GCI teach universal salvation ?" My typical reply is this: " It depends on what you mean by universalism ."  To clarify GCI's teaching on this topic, I recommend the short video below in which William Paul Young (author of The Shack, Crossroads, and Eve ) shares a perspective that, in general, aligns with what GCI teaches. For another Surprising God post on this topic, click here .

As we enter the new church year (in accordance with the Western-Christian liturgical calendar), our worship is focused on three joy- and hope-filled reminders of God’s lavish love: Advent (meaning coming ) reminds us that, in love, God has come, is coming , and shall come to us in the person of Jesus, our Savior. Advent services are held on the four Sundays preceding Christmas (meaning festival or mass of Christ )---the celebration of Jesus' incarnation and birth on December 25 (and, in some traditions, for a total of 12 days ). Following Advent/Christmas comes Epiphany (meaning revealing ), which reminds us that the Savior of humankind is none other than Jesus of Nazareth---the Son of God incarnate; God and humanity (two natures) united in one person. Epiphany services typically are held the Sunday nearest the day of Epiphany (which falls each year on January 6). These services focus on the revealing of Jesus to the world—typically highlighting either the visit of the Ma...

This post continues a series in  The Shape of Practical Theology  by Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12 , 13 , 15 . Anderson's review of pastoral ministry now focuses on the very real danger of clergy burnout, which he identifies as "a symptom of theological anemia" (p284). By that he means that when pastors burn out it's often because their approach to ministry lacks grounding in a robust incarnational and Trinitarian theology. In short, they see themselves working "for" God, rather than "with" the Father, in the Son, by the Spirit. Because of this, they tend to take too much upon themselves and that places them at risk of burnout. It's ironic that the very people who have devoted their lives to sharing the message, My Redeemer Lives , operate as though Jesus is not truly present and alive, and as though he is not active in a...

This post continues a series in  The Shape of Practical Theology  by Ray S. Anderson. For other posts in the series, click a number:  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ,  11 , 12 , 14 ,  15 . Be Not Afraid  by Greg Olsen (used with permission) As noted  last time , Anderson calls upon pastors to serve as  moral advocates rather than  moral police. He defines moral advocacy this way: The extension of divine grace to persons who are guilty of breaking the moral law or who are suffering a loss of personhood through the existence of a structure mandated by moral law. The practice of moral advocacy places on the side of the marginal person the moral right for personal dignity, freedom from abusive relationships, and full parity in social and communal life....  [This advocacy in the form of pastoral care is] provided at times of crisis, when life has become difficult, if not...