Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

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A Pattern for Discipleship

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Ezra 7:10 (ESV) “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”

I like when things can be simplified. Why make things more complicated than they need to be? As a result, when I read this verse, I noticed a three step pattern for discipleship.

  1. Learn
  2. Do
  3. Teach

The Church (all believers) is commissioned to make disciples. As a result, I have seen churches embark on discipleship programs involving one-on-one meetings and workbooks. These things are not wrong in themselves, but it seems to me that discipleship is a natural result when leaders do what Ezra did.

Ezra studied the law of the Lord, learned to live out that law in his life and taught others to do the same. It doesn’t have to be complicated or programmed. Discipleship should be a natural outworking of living out the good news of Jesus Christ.

Meetings and workbooks might be used as tools in this process, but I have seen programs fail because the meetings and workbooks became the end rather than the means.

Discipleship is not a program, it is a lifestyle.

Advice from Hollywood

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Hollywood SignYesterday I read Psalm 1:1.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.” (ESV)

Growing up, I was taught that this verse is speaking about choosing friends and situations to avoid: those who are wicked, those who are overt sinners. “Don’t hang out with worldly people,” is the short version.

The thought struck me that this should be applied not only to choosing friends, but also to choosing the media I consume. Even though a film, song or show may not be enticing me to overtly sinful behavior, am I being sucked into a world view that is contrary to Scripture?

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul tells us,

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

While there are media choices that are clearly wrong, there are many about which discernment needs to be practiced.

For example, the sin in the Garden is primarily that of valuing self over God, precisely the sin that is lauded in our culture. Put yourself first, have it your way, you deserve the best, control your own destiny; these are some of the messages that come at us every day.

The point of this is not to lay down hard-and-fast rules about what media is safe to consume. The point is that we need to remain vigilant in exercising discernment about which particular media items are harmful. What trips me up might be OK for you and vice versa.

But how do we choose? I think that Paul gives us a clue in Philippians 3:8–11,

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Those media items that cause me to deepen my relationship with Jesus are helpful. The rest are rubbish. It goes without saying that rubbish is not to be consumed.

When to use the delete key

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Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other communication tools enhance the speed of disseminating thoughts and information.

The question I ask myself this morning is how do I determine what is worth communicating? Is there a test which determines when the delete key should be used?

I believe that Paul gives us such a test in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul tells me that without love I am a noisy gong or clanging cymbal. Therefore, I must determine if my message conveys the love that I receive from God. If it does not, or if it is incompatible with love, then the delete key is the only remedy.

The internet is full of noise and clanging, it is my hope that I will not increase the volume.

Good News Elevator Speech

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In recent years, the business world has coined the phrase “elevator speech.” Sellers are encouraged to be able to explain their product offering to someone in the elevator in the 20 seconds or so it takes to get to their floor.

Most people who have been in the church for a while have been taught that the word gospel literally means good news. The question is, if someone asks you to explain the gospel, do you have a good explanation? Do you have an “elevator speech” prepared to explain the good news of Jesus Christ?

One of the best concise presentations of the Gospel can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:3–8:

Elevator3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (ESV)

This certainly does not explain everything, but it is a good starting point and I am committed to memorizing these verses to be ready to give an answer when required.

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