Church – Page 2

Create. Creation. Creative.

February 14, 2011 by The RevNo Comments

Creation: the act of producing or causing to exist; the act of creating; engendering. We are all little creators. We are designed to create. Some of us may do this ways we would call “creative”; poets, artists, authors, or painters. Regardless of how creative you feel, you as a person created in the image of God, are to create. This is what it means when the Scriptures talk about the “subduing” and having “dominion” over the creation. We are to leave the world better than when we found it. We are to build, shape, mold, and design. This is what it means to be human. This is the distinctive difference between us and the animal kingdom (and opposable thumbs). To be human is to create. To be Christian should mean to create at the highest level. Sadly the creatives among us are largely ignored or cast out. A friend says that we plucked out the eye of the church (although we like musicians because...

I “Liked” it = I “Did” it, Really?

February 9, 2011 by The RevNo Comments

We live in a unique time in the history of the world. If you don’t believe me check out this video:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8]Did I mention that video is a year or so out of date? Regardless. The reality is that the world is a very different than it was just a decade ago. We live in a time where our world is more interconnected than ever through mediums such as Facebook, Twitter, and Wordpress. We are able to express our thoughts and ideas to the globe in a keystroke. This is for the most part, in my opinion, a very good thing. It’s good because for those of who are seeking to make change we are able to express our ideas to the world at large in a way that is fast, nimble, and easily accessible. There is a darkside. A very darkside. One that I think is something we must begin to unravel or it could become so epidemic that change will be...

Culture War — The Introduction

February 8, 2011 by The RevNo Comments

The Holy Spirit lives in those of us who have been reconciled by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those of us who are invited into and adopted as sons and daughters of the living God have received our new but old identity as ambassadors.He gives us all we need to be who we are. This is it what it means to human.What does this ambassadorship look like?We create culture. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;male and female he created them.And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and...

The New is the Old

February 1, 2011 by The RevNo Comments

Where have we been in this quest for understanding the cultural engagement by Christians? Well first we saw that humanity is created in the image of God, second we recognized our epic fail, then we saw how the Law was given to keep on the straight and narrow, and in the previous post we looked at King Jesus.The question we must now face is what does this mean for the Christian? If we indeed have been transferred from death to life by King Jesus through his bloody revolution on a Cross, what does this new life look like?2 Corinthians 5 gives us the answer, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV).”In the new life we are now ambassadors for Christ. Wait, isn’t that what we were called back in the first post: “God gives humanity a very specific responsibility and...

Easter, It’s More Than a Bunny

January 29, 2011 by The RevNo Comments

As we continue to think about what it means to be culturally engaged Christians we must take a look at the turning point. Where have we been so far? First, we are created in God’s image. Second, we failed and failed big. Third, the Law was given as an overseer to show us our need for the Son. Now, we come to this place, the turning point. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to...

Overlords, Overseers, and a Glimmer

January 25, 2011 by The RevNo Comments

Last week I wrote that we have experienced an epic fail regarding our roles as ambassadors for the Creator to the creation. We rebelled and separated ourselves. We lost our way and began a corrupting process that led to shame and guilt (the first sin was Adam’s silence followed quickly by fratricide, that’s one heck of a spiral).The story though is just beginning. Thankfully we are not the heroes or the centerpieces of this story. A good story needs a hero who desires something and overcomes conflict to get it.The story that I am talking about has a hero, God. He wants something, relationship with people. So, what is he doing to get it? That’s the question I want look at.It started in Genesis 3: And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21 ESV) If you look a few verses earlier you see that Adam and Eve were experiencing shame from being...

I Can See Clearly Now…

December 24, 2010 by The RevNo Comments

…the rain is gone,I can see all obstacles in my wayGone are the dark clouds that had me blindIt’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)Sun-Shiny day. It’s funny how clarity can change things. After the first big winter storm the schools were all closed and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader had just been released, so we packed into the car and headed to the show. The roads weren’t too bad but there was a constant spattering of stuff on my windshield. I hit the mister and nothing happened except for the mud and grime to smear. The realization of traveling on an expressway with no visibility was a little nerve racking. This got worse as I had to slowly make way around the exit ramp cloverleaf without falling off the side. I learned a timeless that day: Clarity IS important. In the previous post we talked about the importance of language. Here’s the thing though: language without clarity is useless. This hit home...

Watch Your Language!

December 23, 2010 by The RevNo Comments

Sa a se bagay ki pi enpòtan ke ou te ka janm li. Ou ka li li l ’? Si ou pa kapab alò ou pa pral kapab konprann. Ou dwe konprann! Frape, frape! Ki moun ki la a? Ou. Ki ou? Oh pa kriye, li jis yon blag!I think that I have heard the words, “Watch your language!” more than I could ever imagine. It turns out that when I was younger I did not have much of a filter. It also turns out that as an adult I do not have much of a filter. Every day my poor wife has to remind what not to say.Don’t you feel bad for her? I do.My issues are not the point of this post, however. The issue is language. Could you read the opening few sentences? Unless you are some sort of awesome linguist, then probably not.If you are a follower of Jesus you speak a secret language, a language...

Destruction or Construction?

December 22, 2010 by The RevNo Comments

I was 18 or 19, the room was jammed with more than 1,000 college students and we were enthralled by the man on the stage. He was thick necked and spoke with power and authority. When he got passionate the veins in his neck bulged. As a young man, I found in him the embodiment of all that I wanted to be: strong, intelligent, quick witted, and a command of philosophy and logic that left your head spinning.He shared story after story of destructing the worldviews of other people thereby creating a vacuum for the message of Jesus to fill.He didn’t share many stories of people becoming followers of Jesus.Fast forward nearly ten years.I am alone in my basement listening to a man with an English accent, whom I have never seen. He is sharing story after story of people responding to the story of Jesus.One man built bridges and the other created vacuums.One man started with humanity being created...

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

December 16, 2010 by The RevNo Comments

Aretha sang, “Find out what respect means to me”. Respect is a simple word. It is one which causes people to get into fights, feel good, or get loud. Respect is something that is intangible and yet is required.Today I interacted on a blog where some people were critiquing a friend’s book.They had not read the book.Yet, they trashed the book. They trashed him. They challenged his character. It was a personal attack.They claim to be Christians.Over the last couple of weeks I have been teaching a group of people about how to engage with those who don’t follow Jesus. We began with “respect.” Why? Because this is the place that Jesus starts. This is the place that Paul starts. They were respecters of people.Consider Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman in John 4.He respected her. He did not pull any punches but he dealt with her in love and did not demean her.Respect is a powerful form of love...