My Part of the Conversation

From high school through a Bible degree in college, I’ve had multiple classes where I was taught how to share the gospel with someone. There were a few different approaches, but they almost all of them involved some path that worked it’s way through the Bible, asking pointed questions about each passage and how it relates to the person’s life.

They all made so much sense. Sometimes moving from uncertainty about the fate of one’s soul, to the fact we’ve all sinned, to the need for a savior, to how to accept such an incredible gift. A usually clear and perfect stream of thought. Other times just reading about Jesus and God’s love and calling the reader to follow Him.

I’ve heard stories about each method, and how different people had converted hundreds with each one. I remember after learning a new one, how I was excited about the prospect of trying it out.

But, they rarely seem to work.

I had some scattered opportunities before college, but most of my experience came while working in Italy. I worked with a program called Avanti Italia where we would teach English using them Bible. I averaged around 10 studies a week, so I got the opportunity to use many different approaches.

The outcome was never what was promised.

I had several instances where we finished studies, I asked questions to verify that they understood what we learned. All people are lost without Jesus. All have sinned. We need to be baptized as our act of unifying ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. We need to walk with Him and live pure lives. It was all clear, and I heard so many people say it right back to me.

Yet, when I would follow the logical questions with personal questions, the responses left the realm of logic and went… someplace else. I had one student say he understood it, and even believed it, he just didn’t want to do anything about it. Others simply stated they had been their background taught something different, so that’s where they were going to stay. Others said it’s a question for the old. And many said they just didn’t want to think about it. Almost all walked away without ever getting to know Jesus beyond those few times we read together.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am very conservative when it comes the the Bible.  I believe it is God’s inspired Word, and that as we read it, we are reading a message directly from Him.  We are called to follow His Word without question or prejudice.  In fact, the times I have been criticized for my belief or teaching (never to my face, of course), it was because I refused to teach and practice traditions churches have created and tried to make equal to Scripture.

But, Scripture is not God.  It is a pathway, a beacon, a light to lead us to God.  It helps us get there and know Him.  I believe it is a crucial piece, but I’ve found there must be something else- something that takes place beyond logic or reason.  People believe all kinds of things that aren’t logical or reasonable, yet hold firmly to them.

I think our commercial culture has made us all defensive.  We’re bombarded with millions of messages every day to break into our minds and get us to buy into an idea or concept that might not even make sense.  Today I ate breakfast at McDonald’s and was trying to figure out why I had a green straw until I saw all the Shrek 3 ads all over the place.  My plastic straw was telling me to go see a movie.  If my head is trying to sort out messages from my straw, no telling what else my subconscious is fighting off.

If a telemarketer were to call me with the deal of a lifetime, I’d miss it.  I just don’t trust them.  If I got a coupon for a free house in my inbox, I’d probably delete it without reading.  There are just too many messages out there.  I think our message about Christ’s salvation somehow gets mixed in with everything else.

There’s a connection beyond logic and reason to the human heart.  There are barriers brainpower can’t cross.   There are paths that good arguments and excellent points are not able to complete.

What are they?  How do we get there?

I finally broke down and bought a new Bible yesterday.

Why is that a big deal, you ask?

I have many Bibles, of differing versions and sizes.  But, this one is not just another Bible.  This one replaces 2 versions I’ve already had of the same type.

About 15 years ago, my mom bought me my first NIV Study Bible (compact size).  It was my first Bible to have my name on it and everything.  Nice blue leather cover.

To say I’m hard on Bibles would be an understatement.  I wish I could say it’s mainly from my rigorous study habits, but it’s not.  It’s mainly from carrying it around, bringing it to church, accidentally dropping it, and occasionally leaving it on top of the car as we started to pull away.  In college, as a Bible major, I had to carry it around in my backpack for classes.  Needless to say, the binding was in shambles within a few years.

After my first year as an intern at Heritage Church of Christ, the church gave me a hardback version of the same Bible.  It lasted through the second half of college and my 2.5 years in Italy, but the binding fell apart in it beyond repair.

When the second Bible gave out, I pulled out the original, and discovered I could repair it enough to carry around.  But recently, it gave out as well.  I was starting to lose pages, and a minister with missing pages in his Bible is a bad idea…

So, the other day, I bought a new one.  It’ll take a little while to break in, but it’s like catching up with a new old friend.

A while back, I read an article somewhere about the brilliance of Britney Spears. I know. I re-read that overview, too- And found myself intrigued enough to read on. (Did it work for this blog?)

The article laid out how even aspects of her personal life were well-contrived, planned marketing schemes to keep her career growing and growing. Anytime you see some entertainment show mention Britney, there’s nearly always the question of “what happened to that sweet little girl on the Disney channel”. This article showed how she needed to market a sweet, girl-next-door image to sell albums as a tween star. We she got older, she had to sexy-up, sing more adult-ish lyrics, and lead a lifestyle that would clearly distance herself from her squeaky-clean past. (The article didn’t say this, but based on how much sense that made, I doubt anyone knows the real Britney. Chances are, even she has lost sense of her real self.)

Why are innocence, naivite, and inexperience characteristics that should be hidden or overcome to be respected?

Ever hear someone talk about “getting rid of their virginity”? Or “finally” finding out what something means? Ever hear people talk about “experiencing the real world”? Our world values knowledge and experience in ever subject. To be ignorant of something is to be foolish, closed-minded, and stupid.

And look how easy it is to find information? Our tv’s have 500 channels and the internet has infinite resources a click or two away to providing multiple answers to any information you desire. Our teenagers are walking around with immense amounts of data in their brains that they are not even able to process yet. Jeff Foxworthy once told a story about deciding he needed to tell his son about sex. So, to start off the conversation, he asked his son what all he know. A few minutes in, Jeff was taking notes asking in bewilderment, “You can do that?!!!”

It’s amazing how we find our way back to the tree. Not the good tree, not the tree of life, we find our way back to that tree Adam and Eve ate from and were forever changed: the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Eve was no longer content with her naivety. Adam couldn’t handle being separated from Eve because of her new knowledge. So, they both gave up their innocence and purity and their minds were opened to a world pregnant with darkness and depravity.

Our world has scoured that tree, made jelly from it’s fruit, baked it into pies, and even has chewed on the leaves and branches. Nothing is off-limits and no subject is taboo.

I love that quote from Ian Malcom in Jurassic Park, where he says, “You were so busy asking yourself if you could, that you never stopped to consider if you should.” We have no concept where the line is. But even Paul said, “…it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” (Eph 5:12)

I’m not saying we should burn our books, toss out our computers, or move our families to remote mountain cabins. We should even value knowledge and experience- when it leads to wisdom, character, and integrity. But let’s honor and respect lines where ignorance truly is the higher path.

Perhaps then, future Britney’s of the world won’t have to live out a public self-destruction before someone will buy their albums.

While praying today, God gave me this verse.  It’s such a poignant description of where He’s been taking me recently:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything AND the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.  Consider him, who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV [emphasis mine]

Wow!  There’s so much in these few verses, much I’ve never noticed before.  First, he reminds us that we are not alone in our faith, that others have gone on before us and are walking right now.  They, and their testimonies, are all around us.  The picture that God gave to me before coming to this verse is one of a runner breaking loose of ropes holding him back, suddenly free and able to use the full strength of his legs.

I’ve seen this verse before, and often put the emphasis on sin.  But, it clearly says to throw off everything AND the sin that trips us up.  We have other burdens- guilt, frustration, fear, anger, resentment, insecurity, doubt, and depression.  We don’t fully run because we’re afraid of what our family, our coworkers, or even our friends at church might say.  We don’t finally stretch our legs because we harbor anger and bitterness against people we may not even know.  We hold tight to those ropes and chains because, in some sick way, we think we deserve them as punishment for getting tangled up in sin in the first place.

But, God says to break free and run with reckless abandon.

The Hebrew writer reminds us of all Jesus did.  He tells us that Jesus did it all with JOY in mind- not dutiful obligation.  And he admonishes us to not take our eyes off Jesus.  I love why he says to do so:

“So you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

We’re not told to focus on Jesus because we will be led into sin.  That’s usually what we teach.  While that’s true indirectly, the main reason we focus on Jesus is because we will get tired, we’ll burn out, we’ll give up, and we’ll lose hope.  That emptiness and despair gives way to sin, but only after the runner has been broken.

I imagine an Olympic runner surrounded by cheering fans, simply stopping, leaning over with his hands on his knees, panting for air.

That was me.  I had taken my eyes off of Jesus.  I was tired.  I was weary.  And I was losing heart.

Today, may you too break free of what’s holding you back and run with reckless abandon, with your eyes firmly focused on your Savior, His example inspiring and convincting you to keep running.  And may you share in His Joy.  Amen

And let’s face it, you probably don’t either.

(Stay with me…)

I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.  I believe we should follow it’s teachings as if God himself is telling us.  I believe that what it says is true.   It teaches me about Jesus, who he was, what he did, and the immediate effect it had on the world.  I believe he was born of a virgin, performed miracles, was crucified, and was raised back to life.

I even believe God created the world, that He will one day destroy the world, and that the church is his kingdom on earth.

I belive all that radical stuff because I see it in Scripture.  So what’s the problem?

When I’m honest with myself, I don’t fully believe God’s promises for me.  I can accept the supernatural when Jesus is doing it, or when apostles are doing it and writing about it.  I have a hard time swallowing what is meant for me.

I’ll give you some examples:

Mark 16:15-18 -  He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

John 10:10 - The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Matthew 5:48 - Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Luke 10:19 - I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 - I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 - Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Maybe some of those things weren’t intended for a modern audience.  I would normally tell you these things are all true, but I often live out my life like they are not.

It leaves me to answer the question, “What do I REALLY believe?”

What do you REALLY believe?