Christian Standard | January / February 2023

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Is There Still a Standard to Be Raised?

This issue marks the completion of six years since Christian Standard was faced with its consignment to history. In December 2016, Doug Crozier, CEO of The Solomon Foundation, received a phone call informing him of the impending shuttering of the magazine. First published in the spring of 1866, Christian Standard quickly became the voice of the fastest-growing religious movement of the 19th century; the publication was desperately needed after the ravages of the Civil War. It persevered through division, liberalism, two world wars, and the Great Depression.

In 2006, Wicks Group, a private equity firm, purchased Standard Publishing and began to sell it off a piece at a time; by the winter of 2016, everything was gone except for Christian Standard and The Lookout. That’s when Doug and the board of The Solomon Foundation stepped in and acquired the magazines before they were gone forever. (In early 2020, we combined the magazines into a single publication.)

Six years have come and gone since the decision to acquire Christian Standard, and much has happened during that time. The magazine and the media platform behind it became not-for-profit. We developed new web-based platforms, social media, free resources, a new digital database for churches (CC Churchlink), and a completely new magazine style.

We have constantly fought the battle to maintain subscriptions, which once were accounted for in the budgets of churches, which made copies available for churchgoers to take home for free. Now, that has changed, like many other things that once bound this movement together. Our unity is fading, as evidenced by what is happening to our colleges, conferences, and publishing houses.

I ask: Is this magazine and the voice it represents still necessary to help pull together more than 6,000 churches and their 1.3 million members? Is there still a standard to be raised? My answer is a resounding YES!

Our movement was born from a desire to restore the church to its original pattern described in the book of Acts, and that unity can be derived from the commonality and freedom of interpretation that this model represents. We continue to need that today.

Doctrinally, the Restoration Movement believes the Bible is the Word of God written by authors inspired by God and inerrant in its original language. The Bible is our only rule of faith and practice and the doctrinal foundation of the movement. We follow the model of the New Testament in practicing baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins as part of the process that believers take into a relationship with Jesus Christ. We do not believe in water regeneration, but we do believe that this identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ cannot be labeled as nonessential; instead, it is the appropriate and necessary response after one hears the gospel, believes it, and repents of their sins.

We see a developing pattern in the New Testament concerning Communion and seek to observe it as proscribed there. Communion began as a daily observance associated with meals in homes. It grew into a weekly observance in church gatherings by apostolic direction. While Communion—unlike immersion—is not specifically commanded, we follow the New Testament church pattern of weekly Communion as was occurring by the end of the book of Acts.

We recognize no denominational authority above the leadership of the local church. The pattern of local leadership is defined in the pastoral Epistles of Timothy and Titus. As such, all churches are independent and autonomous. No creed defines our core beliefs outside of the New Testament as a whole. We see church traditions as simply tradition, and we do not place any higher value on them.

Inside these doctrinal foundations, there are different interpretations of Scripture that would identify

the Restoration Movement generally but, at times, not specifically. We do not ascribe to theological labels or systems of theology, so there is diversity and freedom of interpretation in individual churches. These distinctives are foundational to our collective identity, and they are the foundation of our story.

Today, I am asking you, the readers of Christian Standard, to stand with us as we seek to continue to champion these precious realities in our movement. I’m asking you to donate, to advertise, to share, to post, to connect with us on social media . . . to do whatever you can to continue to raise the standard high. Help us to remain true to a 157-year legacy and help us to chart a path forward with truth and grace.

To subscribe, go to christianstandard.com and click “Subscribe” or call Customer Service: (720) 598-7377.

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Jerry Harris is publisher of Christian Standard Media and teaching pastor at The Crossing, a multisite church located in three states across the Midwest.

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I May Be Wrong

What is truth? We seek to answer that big question in this first issue of 2023 because truth is foundational for our faith, our lives, our churches. This issue is like a seminary course on biblical truth; we seek to answer the most important questions about what it is, how to discern it from untruth, how to live it out, how it affects our worldview, how it relates to grace, how to respond when people question or reject truth, and more. If you don’t usually read Christian Standard cover to cover, you’ll want to do so with this issue.

But I want to approach the question, “What is truth?” by asking it another way: What isn’t truth? Truth is not my opinion (or yours), my stance (or those of my seminary professors or favorite theologians), or my feelings. As I study God’s truth in his Word, I must carefully differentiate actual truth from my particular positions and interpretations. That takes wisdom and diligence in studying Scripture. It takes sound exegesis and avoids eisegesis. It takes integrity, humility, and self-surrender.

Most Christian Standard readers agree on the doctrines on which we will not sway, and from which I hope we will not

stray. We refer to these as “essentials” or “matters of faith.” In their article in this issue, Bobby Harrington and Daniel McCoy call these “bullseye beliefs.” We are called to unity in these areas.

There are other areas, however, where smart, biblically astute disciples of Jesus don’t agree. On these debatable matters, we sometimes sacrifice unity, love for one another, and our witness in our quest to be “right.” We can privately discuss and debate these issues (that’s what makes them “debatable”), but we must maintain “liberty in opinions,” “love in all things,” a posture of oneness, and intellectual humility.

“All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you” (Philippians 3:15).

Speaking of which, some of us could do a better job of not using Scripture out of context . . . which I just did. I used the Philippians verse to make a point that Paul was not making. This happens way too often on social media as well as in Bible studies, Communion and offering meditations,

and sermon messages. I work hard to assure it doesn’t happen in Christian Standard articles.

Recently, a Restoration Movement preacher posted on Facebook that the repentant thief on the cross wasn’t baptized and then provided verses used out of context to explain why that matters theologically. Several people shared the post and scores commented on it, many with biblically unsupported assumptions; some claimed, for example, that the thief had been baptized by John the Baptist (and so had no need to be immersed before he died).

Social media posts like these can lead me into temptation. My reflex is to correct what I think is error, to shut down what I perceive as falsehood. But then God reminds me of the times I’ve gotten something wrong or spoken before I was certain of biblical truth. When I allow God to be in control, I can resist these “foolish and stupid arguments” (2 Timothy 2:23).

Disagreement is normal. We don’t need to respond to every social media post, video, or magazine article with which we hold a differing opinion. We waste so much time and effort arguing with one another about debatable matters. Imagine what would happen if we spent that time talking to people who desperately need God’s truth and grace, of which we are ambassadors.

I’m reminded of the words of the 1970s Dave Mason song: “There ain’t no good guy, there ain’t no bad guy. There’s only you and me, and we just disagree.” While the song had a very different application from ours, I believe we can disagree on disputable matters without destroying our unity and our ability to make disciples. I am not saying we should never take a stand on issues, even disputable ones. But we must do so with humility, with agape love, and with unity as our polar star.

True, there is one correct interpretation of Scripture, one right position on every doctrinal matter. We can know truth partially and provisionally, but only our almighty,

omniscient God knows the truth absolutely, entirely, and infallibly; he alone is always right . . . and I may be wrong (but not about this). We will never know all that God knows, but we can seek to continually grow in our understanding.

Like many people, I have struggled to understand God’s truth on certain debatable matters. Here’s my practice in discerning these often-complex issues. First, I study as many relevant Scripture passages as possible. Then I reference various theological and historical works, speak with theologian friends I trust, and then I often re-examine Scripture. Eventually I arrive at a conclusion—a position. I can then say with conviction that I’ve studied the matter thoroughly and this is where I stand. I can preface my remarks with, “in my view” or “from my study of the Bible, here’s how I see it.” And, at the same time, I can treat others who have different convictions with respect, dignity, and honor. They may be right, and I may be wrong.

May we all continue to humbly seek, study, ask, learn, and correctly handle the word of truth!

NOTE: We will continue throughout 2023 with other significant biblical themes: grace, unity, faith, hope, and love. These are bedrock topics for our lives, our churches, and our movement. The best way not to miss out on these issues is to subscribe, which you can do at ChristianStandard.com or by calling 1-720-598-7377. Be sure your staff members and elders, your class and group leaders, and others are receiving Christian Standard as well. (Consider sending gift subscriptions!) It will help them know the truth, live by God’s grace, seek unity, and mature in their faith, hope, and love. 

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The Story That Changes Lives

By Megan Rawlings

“I

I remember saying this like it was yesterday. I was in Bible college, and the number of stories people told of how they came to meet Jesus despite extenuating circumstances left me feeling “less than.”

I was born and raised in the church and, frankly, I felt my story was boring compared to others. Those who were freed from addiction were able to minister to addicts in a way I could not. Those born into situations without clean water or adequate food could show the saving grace of Jesus.

I, on the other hand, was upper-middle class most of my life and always knew Jesus. I felt like a poor example of life change when I accepted Christ. At that point, in college, I contemplated doing something wild so I could have a compelling testimony to make God look good.

What arrogance! First, to think my story could not be used for God’s glory was just silly. Second, I completely forgot the message of the cross, that I am a wicked sinner in need of a loving God. Just because my sins did not carry the weight of some others did not make them any less costly while Christ hung on the cross. Finally, God can accomplish his good work and extend his saving grave without me. But the beauty of it is, God wants me and invites me to participate in his ministry. He allows me to use my gifts, passions, and, yes, even my story in his kingdom. God never called on one of his own to sin to make himself look better. It simply wouldn’t work. After I came to this realization, I had to extend a good deal of grace toward myself. So, I would like others to learn from my mistakes.

Your Story Doesn’t Save People; Jesus Does

The experience I just shared helped teach me it is not my story that moves people to salvation. Rather, it is Jesus’ story. God became like us to remove our sin, which is the one thing we cannot seem to purge from ourselves. My testimony, as well as others’, is just a cherry on top. I can show others what God has done for me, but without knowing his gospel message, my testimony is weak and useless.

It is a great relief to know the salvation of others isn’t dependent on my ability to save them. To clarify, this does not mean I am not responsible for carrying out the Great Commission. It does mean that when I am obedient to God’s commands, he will take care of the rest. It is hard to mess up sharing the gospel.

don’t feel like God can effectively use me because I don’t have an amazing testimony.”

God used a donkey to deliver a message, after all. That means he can use any creature, including me.

No matter who we were before coming to Jesus, remember that God can and will use us. We must keep just one simple thing in mind.

Give Grace to Yourself

I constantly teach the women I mentor that we must give ourselves grace. Grace when we mess up and encouragement to try again. Staying stuck on a moment in history is unhealthy. Replaying scenarios repeatedly in our heads when there is nothing we can do to fix it is not beneficial. This is a sign we are too concerned with how others see us, which runs counter to Galatians 1:10, and likely indicates we take ourselves too seriously. We are not powerful enough to mess up the Holy Spirit. Take comfort in that and accept some grace. I promise, 99 times out of 100 the other person is not stuck in the same moment that we are obsessing over.

Reading Scripture is an easy place to start. I encourage everyone to read the book of Philippians. Chapter 2 begins like this:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:1-4).

When we put others first and look to their interests, we automatically stop thinking so highly (or frequently) about ourselves. 

about the author

president of planned giving with The Solomon Foundation. She is the founder and CEO of The Bold Movement. She is an extrovert, pastor’s wife, and lover of the Scriptures.

“ no matter who you were before coming to jesus, remember that god can and will use us.

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e 2:effective elders

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

By Ken Idleman

The title of this article is one of the most difficult implicit commands in Scripture: “[S]peaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). It is difficult to obey because it links in a single imperative the three most difficult aspects of life for human beings to consistently control: speech, truth, and love.

Our  speech often betrays our secret thoughts and our untamable tongues. Jesus said, “The things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them” (Matthew 15:18). And our Lord’s brother asserted, “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). So, who among us can testify that he has never had a sinful, vindictive, hateful, or judgmental thought? And who among us has never regretted something hurtful or unfiltered we said in a moment of weakness to another person?

Our experience with  truth isn’t much better. How often have we lied to make ourselves look good? Who hasn’t passed on a juicy piece of gossip about someone else? Consider the times we have told people what they wanted to hear rather than what was true. Paul wrote, “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25). And then, two chapters later, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (Ephesians 6:14). The belt of truth holds the rest of the armor of God in place! Truth is the foundational virtue on which all others are dependent.

What about  love? Well, sometimes we “feel” it and sometimes we don’t, right? But Christian love is  not a feeling! It is an exercise of the will, not the temperature of the heart. It is a matter of obedience. It is extended universally to others by truly godly people, even when it is not reciprocated. It is the first fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is our primary identifier as disciples of Jesus (John 13:35).

It is a great daily challenge to consistently “speak the truth in love.” But as Christian leaders, we must strive to do just that in the following three arenas.

Conversation

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19). God made us with two ears and one mouth, perhaps because he wants us to do twice as much listening as speaking. God mounted our ears on either side of our mouth, perhaps because he wants us to be the first to hear and evaluate what we say . . . and in stereo! It is easier to “speak the truth in love” when we have listened first. Listening allows us time to evaluate the content and

tone of the conversation and to be more thoughtful in our response. Being “slow to speak” means to be controlled in what we say. It means we thoughtfully respond rather than thoughtlessly react.

Conversations are frequently negative and critical in the present cultural climate. Divisiveness is rife. And even when we are with people who agree with our politics or values, we can easily get carried away into unhealthy rhetoric. So, let’s be vigilant to remain “in the moment” and deliver a “word fitly spoken” (Proverbs 25:11, English Standard Version).

Confrontation

Though confrontation is a natural and necessary part of life, (almost) no one enjoys it. But sometimes a hard “meeting of the minds” simply must take place to renew a marriage, salvage a friendship, discipline a child, or correct bad behavior in an employee or a bad attitude in a Christian brother or sister. In this context, “speaking the truth in love” is critical. Confrontation will be agony if handled poorly, but it can be ecstasy if handled proficiently.

And the key to confronting effectively is found in the charge to “speak the truth in love.” Truth and love tend to get out of balance. Truth without love creates defensiveness or denial in the person being confronted. And love without truth simply results in an unresolved problem.

Proclamation

The ethical gold standard for effectively preaching and teaching the Word of God is to “speak the truth in love.” Obedience to this command is most vital in this context. The sermons in the book of Acts are the model for all contemporary preachers and teachers. From Peter’s sermon in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) to Paul’s sermon to the Jews under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28), the balance between truth and love is laced into every message. So, remember these principles:

• If preaching is  untrue and unloving, listeners will be subjected to public bullying. This kind of preaching is nothing more than a deceitful attack designed to manipulate and dominate. It is the doctrine and spirit of the Westboro Baptist Church.

• If preaching is  untrue but loving, it means people will be misled, yet cared for. But real love is not possible without truth. To build a church by not

telling people the truth from Scripture is to merely replicate a social club or a cult.

• If preaching is  true but unloving, it will produce a community of people that has answers no one is interested in hearing. To be long on truth and short on compassion is to ensure a perpetually small and provincial body of believers.

• If preaching is  true and loving, it will result in a growing community of people who will “become in every respect the mature body of him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” 

about the author

“ Truth without love creates defensiveness or denial in the person being confronted. And love without truth simply results in an unresolved problem.

Ken Idleman serves as vice president of leadership development for The Solomon Foundation. He served as the fourth president of Ozark Christian College and then as senior pastor of Crossroads Christian Church in Newburgh, Indiana.

A Cheeky Article on Travel Baseball

By Tyler McKenzie

I have three young children, ages 7, 4, and 2. With each passing milestone, my desire to see them grow in Christ deepens. As the pastor of a church made up largely of young families, I’ve found this to be a desire many parents share. At our church, we call it being an “intentional parent.” However, I have also found these same parents feel just as strongly that they are doing a bad job at it. When I ask what the problem is, their answers are the same, “Tyler, I just don’t know how.”

I ain’t buying it.

In my observation, parents show a high level of competency in forming their kids to do all sorts of things. My 7-year-old boy loves baseball. (Not bragging, but we’ve wrapped up the South Oldham Fall Coach-Pitch Championship. Yes, he’s 7. Yes, we keep score. Yes, I’m reliving my glory days vicariously through him. Stop judging me.) Having gotten our feet wet at the local Little League, I have been stunned by how intentional the fathers of Oldham County are at teaching their boys baseball.

Now, if you ask them to be intentional about God, for many it’s all shoulder shrugs and I don’t knows. Guys, I ain’t buying it. You may not know the Bible that well or have a degree in youth ministry, but you know how to form your kids. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. You have invested thousands of dollars in travel ball, one-on-one private lessons, and all sorts of advanced equipment. You have invested hundreds of hours playing catch in the yard, going to practices, and attending summer camps. Some parents have built batting cages in their backyard or hung nets in their garage. They are watching Major League Baseball games together at night. They bought their kids bedsheets and pajamas emblazoned with balls, gloves, and bats. They are 7, but we are already all-in on their journey to Cooperstown. Don’t tell me you don’t know how to be intentional. Instead, imagine what we might do if we invested all that into our kids’ spiritual formation.

Quick confession, my son is involved in a lot of this. We played spring ball, then all-stars, and then went to three summer baseball camps. He loved it. I loved it more. At the camps, I was in awe at how many dads had taken off work to line the fields and watch their sons practice in 95-degree heat. The pride and ownership over their son’s baseball prowess was inspiring. No joke, that’s an invested dad!

Prioritize Parenting

I’ve been a bit cheeky so far, but there’s nothing wrong with baseball. It’s a great teacher of life. I just wonder when we will realize there’s an almost 0 percent chance our kid will go on to play Division 1 baseball in college (much less get a cup of coffee in the majors), but there

is a 100 percent chance they will stand before God one day. Will they be able to show him more than just good swing mechanics?

It’s the same thing with basketball, music, theater, dance, robotics, and gymnastics (just to name a few). Most of us keep our kids busy with an array of activities unrelated to church. The parents in my city want to be intentional. I’ve seen it. They know how to deploy their resources to make sure their kids are disciplined, trained, and formed.

Once you let go of the burden that you must control the end results of your kid’s faith, you can start measuring parental success by the means that you put in. If the means is the only thing we ultimately control, then there is no excuse why every Christian parent couldn’t say, “I did it right. I gave it my all. I invested the resources. I was an intentional parent.” 

“

I’m not asking anyone to stop baseball. The pitch of this article is to bring that same intentionality to your kid’s faith. Your role is essential. Here is something my youth pastors will tell you. Church twice a month (whenever travel ball or lake trips don’t conflict) will not be enough. A 15-minute Bible lesson and craft in kids church will not be enough. Nothing less than parental responsibility will do. Even if your kid is already an older teenager, it’s not too late to be intensely intentional.

parenting our kids in jesus' name should be a top priority in life. if you're a parent, the front lines of the mission field start at home!

Parenting our kids in Jesus’ name should be a top priority in life. If you’re a parent, the front lines of the mission field start at home! We should be sacrificing profit and personal ambition. We should be sacrificing sleep. We should be giving our best hours, best planning, best thinking, and best ideas to this. We should bring all the wisdom and creativity life has given us. We should bring all the scars and lessons from the school of hard knocks. It should be calendared and courageous. It should be celebrated with big cheers and lots of cake.

Measure Means

If you were to ask me, “What is one thing you want to get right in life?” I would tell you that when my kids fly the nest, I want to be able to say, “I made it a primary ambition to lead my kids toward Jesus.” I want to be able to say, “When it came to parenting, I got it right. Not perfect, but right. I put in the time. I spent the money. I took them to church. Their eternity was the priority.”

No one has that sort of confidence. Many parents say, “I’ll never write the book on parenting!” Then we laugh and fake humility, but I always think, Why not? Why do we have to surrender to a reality that says we’re doomed to get it wrong? It’s probably because we all know we can’t control our kids. At the end of the day, they will have to choose their God and life for themselves. We want them to be a math equation or a recipe with guaranteed results. They aren’t that.

about the author

Tyler McKenzie serves as lead pastor at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

horizons

Remember the Children Cares for Orphans in Romania and Beyond

By Laura McKillip Wood

One summer afternoon in 2014, Andy Baker visited a friend who pastored a church in a Romanian village. As they ate lunch, he noticed a college-age girl who kept smiling at him as she worked in the kitchen. Andy finally asked who the girl was; she looked so familiar. His friend said her name was Loredana, and she had been an orphan living in a Romanian orphanage. She was staying with him and his family while she attended the nearby university. When the pastor told him the name of the orphanage, Andy realized he had been to it many times over the years.

“Do you know me?” Andy asked the girl.

“Yes!” she answered him. “You’re Santa Claus!”

Andy’s eyes filled with tears as he realized he had visited her at her orphanage one Christmas.

“Your visits were the best times we had in the orphanage.”

She explained he had taught her that Jesus loved her and had a purpose for her life. She remembered when Andy sat on the floor with her and helped her open the Box of Hope Remember the Children had sent the orphans. Those moments had inspired her to build a relationship with Jesus and pursue her education at the university.

THE BEGINNING

That meeting came after a long ministry for Andy Baker. Growing up in Virginia, he attended Milligan College and Emmanuel School of Religion. Early on, he had a variety of ministry experiences, including church planting, hospital chaplaincy, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Gerri, adopted two girls from Russia.

When a Romanian friend named Mircea Toca invited them to visit Romania in 1996, Andy and his wife jumped at the chance. He had never visited a postcommunist country, and he found the idea intriguing.

“We visited 17 different government orphanages over 21 days, and the horrific conditions many orphans were experiencing was unfathomable,” Andy says.

Mircea and his wife, Lidia, served with a ministry to orphans, and Andy saw how their ministry changed the orphans’ lives. Mircea and Lidia raised 21 children to adulthood over many years. Before Andy left Romania, Mircea challenged him to “remember the children.”

“

seeing orphans given a future and then becoming successful in life is a huge blessing.

Andy and Gerri returned home from that trip with a firm conviction they needed to do something. Remember the Children was born.

THE WORK

Remember the Children initially raised funds to help orphans and took medicines to orphanages. Later the ministry began focusing on finding Romanian families for orphans. Soon that work expanded to helping at-risk children living in extreme poverty.

“This grew into far greater activities which included starting new orphan homes,” Andy explains. Eventually, they saw the need for communities of faith in places where the gospel was not having an impact, and Remember the Children began planting churches. The ministry also hosted training seminars through the years to help strengthen local church leaders.

In the beginning, Andy maintained his full-time ministry in the United States and traveled several times a year to Romania, but eventually the elders in his church challenged him to consider working full-time in Romania. In 2001, he and Gerri stepped out in faith to begin working full-time with Remember the Children.

In 2017, Remember the Children realized they could replicate their work in other countries. They branched out and started working in Tanzania.

“In five years, we have built ten homes, started four churches, and we have a school that will accommodate 550 students under construction,” Andy says.

THE CHALLENGES AND INSPIRATION

Over the years, Andy and Gerri have faced many challenges, but the work has been rewarding.

“Travel was once fun; now it is more tiring,” he says, “but I have been to some pretty amazing places!”

Seeing the fruit of this hard work inspires him. Having served in Romania for 26 years, those children he first worked with now are adults. Many are married and have their own children.

“Seeing orphans given a future and then becoming successful in life is a huge blessing,” Andy says. God has made beautiful lives for those children and healed family legacies of poverty and pain.

Finding new sources of income is an ongoing challenge. American culture seems to thrive on the immediate crisis, he says. “Keeping supporters long-term takes great com-

munication and helping them see the ministry is actually a part of who they are, not just something they support,” Andy explains.

THE FUTURE

The Romanian orphan crisis has waned, but Andy’s passion for the local church has grown. He has mentored others to see the church as the future hope for their country.

“My biggest dream is to work with my Romanian team in a church-planting initiative with the goal of planting a reproducing church in every county in Romania,” he says. He plans to continue the work in Tanzania. With 3.1 million children identified as orphaned there, Remember the Children’s vision is to provide families for as many as possible.

As for Loredana, God used her in the work of Remember the Children, too. She finished her education and was working with children in her village when she approached Andy in 2018 and told him she had been asked to teach orphans on the mission field in Namibia for a year. Remember the Children helped fund her trip. When she returned after a successful year there, she married Alexandru.

Loredana’s story is a simple, beautiful one. Because Remember the Children went to her orphanage, she met Jesus. She took what was given to her and returned the blessing by helping the orphans in Namibia.

“A lot of times we don’t see results of our faithfulness to God by following the Great Commission,” Andy explains. Loredana’s story encourages him to continue working, and she showed him sometimes ministering to one child leads to blessings for many.

“Disciples making disciples. This is a story of eternal legacy,” he says. “I’m grateful God let me see it in this life.” 

Laura McKillip Wood, former missionary to Ukraine, now serves as bereavement coordinator and palliative care chaplain at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She and her husband, Andrew, have three teenagers.

about the author

intentional

Marriage Beings and Humans Being

By Osharye Hagood

When it comes to marriage, the truth is we are humans being. (Yes, you read that correctly.) And when we get married, we become “marriage beings.”

While our marriages are intended to be divine expressions of God’s perfect love, and while we may at times feel the goosebumps of love and the perfection of our loving commitment—please hear me—all marriages are unions between human beings, and all humans sin. So, our mistakes and missteps should be seen as, well, expected. Blunders are as natural as breathing, and errors are as common as ears. Why? Because we are human.

Forgiving Beings

There is no step-by-step handbook to life. We all are in a lifelong struggle of trial and error. So, it requires God-ness—that is, forgiveness—for two error-ridden lives to coexist in marriage. Maybe this is why we are blessed with the Imago Dei—the image of God—not for perfection’s sake, but to be forgivers like God. As God has the power and desire to forgive the world, we have the ability (and we should possess the willingness) to forgive one another.

My husband told a couple during marriage counseling, “You should marry the person you desire to spend the rest of your life forgiving.” I saw the beauty and truth in that statement—but then I realized something in our marriage obviously had brought out this perspective. I was shocked when I realized he had constantly been forgiving me!

Why? Because I am a human being. (I’m constantly busy being human!) From my vantage point, I’m simply living my perfect little life. Yet somehow, Rudy was experiencing it as (in biblical vocabulary) missing the mark. Now, don’t be confused, Rudy, my human being, needs constant forgiveness as well. That’s the truth about us; it’s the truth about all of us.

Becoming Beings

God says human beings are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are fragile creatures in every way, and we are bound together in fragile relationships as marriage beings. When something or someone is fragile and also possesses great value, we refer to it as precious. Marriage is so precious that the Bible says our unions are an illustration to the world of the union between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32).

Although we humans are precious and we protect a precious relationship (marriage), we still must continue

“becoming”—that is, maturing to be more like Christ— both individually and collectively. We all require a process. This is a vital truth for our marriages. And while we, marriage beings, are on our journey to become, we need constant forgiveness (God-ness) along the way.

A female acquaintance remarked that there had been much discussion on social media recently about a famous music artist and his emotional unfaithfulness to his wife. Many people were arguing that his wife should not have had to deal with this. I played devil’s advocate by asking, “Why not?” My response surprised her (and probably surprises many of you).

The truth is,  I do not condone being unfaithful to your spouse in any form. The music artist made a horrible decision that caused great pain. Rudy and I strongly advise that prevention is the best intervention for infidelity. Many have experienced pain akin to this in their unions. I hoped to get her to think about this truth: We are all humans “mistaking.” None of us is perfect, and no marriage is perfect. Thus, we all need God-ness (forgiveness) in our marriages. We are not humans perfected. We are humans being along the way.

When we “sign up” for marriage, we agree to help the other person “become.” It would be fantastic if we could walk through life without any bumps and bruises, except that is impossible. Jesus’ brother said, “Consider it pure joy . . . whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). In another place, Paul wrote, "But those who marry will face many troubles in this life” (1 Corinthians 7:28). So, until perfection comes, we all must be forgiving our human beings.

Many enter into matrimony looking for unrealistic “happiness.” But James wrote, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him,” (James 1:12). So, until then, forgive.

Fruit-Bearing Beings

Rudy and I recently began watching a television show that deals, in part, with sugar cane crops. We learned that a great deal of time, effort, watching, and waiting goes into producing the granular sweetness we take for granted. They had to plant the seed, protect it, feed it, watch the seed as it was being transformed, monitor it for pestilence, and scrub away (forgive), if necessary,

the thing trying to harm it. And before all of that, they sometimes had to drain the soil when too much rain fell, and then they had to wait to harvest it.

Likewise, marriages undergo many trials before they will produce fruit, and fruit is what Rudy and I want in our marriage. That’s why we are in marriage ministry, to help couples develop fruit in their marriages, which comes about through the process.

No one person will get everything right throughout life, marriage, or parenting. The person who truly loves a “not-getting-everything-right” person will need to keep in mind that being human is a process of trial and error. The glue that holds us all together is God-ness (forgiveness). Image bearers express the power of God! 

about the author

Rudy and Osharye Hagood have seven children and nine grandchildren so far. Osharye is a women’s minister who is also certified as both a life coach and a health coach. Rudy is a lead pastor with a background in social work. They love being married and love to bless both married and engaged couples.

“ you should marry the person you desire to spend the rest of your life forgiving.

metrics

Are You a Truth-Teller?

By Kent E. Fillinger

AJanuary 2021 Lifeway Research survey found 49 percent of U.S. Protestant pastors say they frequently hear members of their congregation repeating conspiracy theories about something happening in our country. Around 1 in 8 pastors (13 percent) strongly agree their congregants are sharing conspiracy theories.

What the Research Shows

An October 2020 research report found that Facebook users engage with misinformation 70 million times per month on average. Though far fewer than the 2016 peak of 200 million monthly fake news engagements, it still is no small figure. On Twitter, people share false content 4 million to 6 million times per month, a figure that has remained relatively unchanged since 2016.

The journal Science in 2018 reported a study by a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which found that fake news spread faster on Twitter than true news.

Sinan Aral, who led the team of researchers, said, “Falsehood diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth in all categories of information, and the effects were more pronounced for false political news than for false news about terrorism, natural disasters, science, urban legends, or financial information. It took the truth about six times as long as falsehood to reach 1,500 people.”

How to Identify Fake News

The library at Thompson Rivers University in Canada provides a simple, helpful summary of the characteristics of “fake news.” In general, fake news is factually inaccurate, optimized for sharing, and meant to obscure or distort with emotions . . . preying on prejudice or bias.

A story is not fake simply because it is impolite or inconvenient. A story that challenges your beliefs or values is not necessarily fake news. And a story that is rejected by those in power does not make that story fake news either.

Why Do People Spread Social Media Disinformation?

An October 2020 research project by Tom Buchanan noted there are three primary reasons people spread false information online: consistency, consensus, and authority. (Learn more at journals.plos.org.)

Consistency is the extent to which sharing would be consistent with past behaviors or beliefs of the individual. Research indicates social media users consider headlines

consistent with their preexisting beliefs as more credible, even when explicitly flagged as false.

Consensus is the extent to which people think their behavior is consistent with that of most other people. For example, seeing that a message has been shared widely might make it more likely a person will forward it themselves.

Authority is the extent to which the communication appears to come from a credible, trustworthy source. Research participants have detected a greater likelihood that people will propagate a social media message if it comes from a person or agency they perceive as trustworthy.

How to Stop the Spread of Disinformation

Misinformation is a serious threat to the credibility of Christians and the church. For that reason, it deserves serious attention.

Truth alone can free us from the deception and bondage of conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation. Christians should set the standard as truth-tellers, but we should do so with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15-16).

Theologian John Stott said, “We are neither to seek to preserve our holiness by escaping from the world nor to sacrifice our holiness by conforming to the world.” So, we need to learn how to filter information so we can speak God’s truth into a broken world.

How can we focus on sharing truth and discontinue repeating and reposting falsehoods?

Be Like the Bereans. Paul said the Bereans “listened eagerly” to his message and “searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Acts 17:11, New Living Translation). The Bereans factchecked Paul and Silas, and in doing so, they set a good example for us.

We should fact-check social media, our preacher, friends, politicians, etc. Don’t blindly accept statements and opinions as true. Instead, search the Bible and other credible sources to verify its veracity. Do this especially before you share, repost, or repeat it. You can verify stories before sharing them by using websites such as these: factcheck. org, politifact.com, snopes.com, and truthorfiction.com. (These websites agree with one another about 95 percent of the time.)

Reevaluate your circle of friends. The Public Religion Research Institute concluded that Americans tend to choose friends who vote like them, worship like them,

and look like them. America is becoming more geographically polarized as people sort themselves based on political views. A recent example of this: Of the nation’s 3,143 counties, the number of super landslide counties—where a presidential candidate collected at least 80 percent of the vote—jumped from 6 percent in 2004 to 22 percent in 2020, according to political scientist Larry Sabato.

When you consider your circle of friends—the big question is who is influencing whom? Paul told the believers in Corinth not to be fooled by people who spread lies; he said, “‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning” (1 Corinthians 15:33-34).

To apply Paul’s words in your own life and ministry, you may need to create some healthy distance and needed boundaries and ignore people who are “passionate but uninformed.”

Check yourself and your motives. Before sharing something that might be questionable, divisive, or blatantly false, ask yourself these questions: Should I be focusing on this? Is this an important focus for a Christian? How will sharing this impact my Christian witness?

Paul told Timothy to “avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior” (2 Timothy 2:16). Proverbs 19:9 says, “A false witness will not go unpunished, and a liar will be destroyed.” Remember, your words have consequences. Be a truth-teller! 

about the author

Kent E. Fillinger serves as president of 3:STRANDS Consulting, Indianapolis, Indiana, and regional vice president (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan) with Christian Financial Resources.

/3strandsconsulting 3strandsconsulting.com

preach

The Power in Preaching

By Chris Philbeck

I n 2001, when I came to my current church, I had to adjust to having a Saturday night service. I had been a pastor for over 20 years, but the weekend service had always been exclusive to Sunday morning, and it took a while to feel comfortable preaching on Saturday night for various reasons. We didn’t have a particularly large crowd, and the people would be pretty spread out in a worship center that could seat around 1,400. The energy level was different on Saturday night, and the service just felt different.

More often than I like to admit, I came home from church feeling dissatisfied with the message. I take my preaching responsibility seriously and I have never stepped up to the pulpit unprepared. Still, there were times I thought, That’s the worst sermon I’ve ever delivered. So, I would go home and spend the rest of the evening going over the message looking for ways to improve the content and delivery.

After a while, however, I discovered that on those occasions when I felt my Saturday-night message fell short, I would almost always get a note or email from a Saturday-night attendee telling me how much the message spoke to them. And I was reminded that it’s the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God that makes a difference in the preacher and those listening. I’m not writing that to dismiss the necessary work of preparation and delivery, but to bring some perspective to a preacher’s role as God’s spokesman.

In the back of my Bible, I have written four things about the Holy Spirit that I often use to help people better understand who he is. It’s simple, but it always opens the door to deeper discussion.

1. The Holy Spirit is a person. When talking about the Holy Spirit in John 15:26 Jesus said, “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.” Notice Jesus used the word he when speaking about the Holy Spirit; the third person in the Trinity is not some kind of “force” or “essence.”

2. The Holy Spirit is a part. The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, a word used to describe the truth that there is one God who exists at all times in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And while the word Trinity isn’t used in the Bible, the concept shows up repeatedly. For example, Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

3. The Holy Spirit is a promise. After the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost and Peter preached a sermon that cut the crowd to the heart, the people asked,

“‘What shall we do?’ Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:37-38).

4. The Holy Spirit is power. Jesus promised, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We need to depend on the Holy Spirit’s power when we preach.

With preaching, it’s easy to become overly focused on our preparation and delivery. We feel pressure and responsibility to get the text right and deliver the sermon well. We can become overly focused on our personality or preaching style because we want to be engaging. And while these are important considerations, they are useless apart from the power of the Holy Spirit—the One who brings the power of conviction to both the speaker and the hearer.

The task of being God’s spokesman is to explain the content of the Scriptures and apply the purpose of the Scripture. But neither can be done effectively without the help of the Holy Spirit who illuminates the Scripture in terms of content and meaning, and who empowers us to deliver the message with clarity and conviction.

I have learned from years of preaching that the effective delivery of a sermon is often connected with how it applies to my life. I recently shared a message about loving your neighbor, based on Jesus’ words in Mark 12:2831. I have a deep conviction about this because there is such a strong biblical connection between loving God and loving your neighbor.

I prayed earnestly for the Holy Spirit to empower that message, and when I shared a personal story of struggle related to loving my neighbor, a moment of conviction covered the service in an unmistakable way. When I shared that I was neither challenged nor convicted by the command to love my neighbor, I was exposed. And in the process of sharing my story, many in my church family were exposed as well. Those moments aren’t the result of technique, personality, delivery skill, or any other human creation. They result from the convicting presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

The late minister and physician Martyn Lloyd-Jones has been cited as saying, “If there is no power, there is no preaching.” We simply can’t ignore the need to ask

the Holy Spirit to fill us and lead us in every aspect of our preaching—from preparation to delivery. And our prayer can be as simple as, “Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on me. Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.” That may be an old song, but the need will never grow old. Especially when it comes to preaching. 

about the author

tian

Greenwood, Indiana. He has been in ministry since 1980 and has had the privilege of planting a new church, leading a turnaround church, and now leading a megachurch. Chris is passionate about biblical preaching, effective leadership, and developing new and better ways for the local church to make an impact in the community and the world.

/PastorCPhilbeck

@cphilbeck

@pastorphilbeck

Chris Philbeck serves as senior pastor of Mount Pleasant Chris-

Church in

“ the task of being God's spokesman is to explain the content of the scriptures and apply the purpose of the scripture.

COMMUNION

I s t h e s a n c t i t y o f y o u r

TRUTH? what is

A Word Study from the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament

By Billy Strother

Truth, these days, is all too often described as intangible or relative. At the altar of tolerance, people are coerced into unjust capitulation that “all truth claims are equal.”

At the end of Jesus’ public trial, Pilate sought to confirm that Jesus committed the crime of political insurrection against the Roman state.

He said to Jesus, “You are a king, then.”

Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37).

Pilate, caught in a political quagmire, settled for expediency. His final words to Jesus, before turning him over for flogging and crucifixion, were cynical and rhetorical “What is truth?”

In July 2022, Gallup reported, “A record-low 20 percent of Americans now say the Bible is the literal word of God, down from 24 percent the last time the question was asked in 2017, and half of what it was at its high points in 1980 and 1984.”

About 58 percent of Americans agree that the Bible is the Word of God, but that not everything in it should be taken literally. The view of the Bible

as truth is corroding at an alarming pace, even for those involved in churches.

At what cost do we relinquish the faith and practice of biblical truth so that others might consider us more tolerant? Eternity is at stake. For church leaders, the slippery slope of conceding the territory of biblical truth to cultural truth will result in eternally lost lives. Congregational leaders, adult teachers, children’s teachers, small-group leaders . . . anyone who serves in the church is far too valuable to withhold God’s truth from them. As Christians, giving ground on biblical truth to curry social favor results in spiritual compromise, neglect of faithfulness, and eventually the weakening of our witness and our walk.

“My truth” is a popular phrase today. It simply is a way of saying, “I am going to do what is right in my own eyes.” Biblical truth is commonly exchanged for a flexible fantasy of ever-changing truth that is dependent on changing circumstances and emotions. Our definition of truth becomes the intellectual, moral, and spiritual scaffolding that shapes our ethics and daily actions. Our version of truth shapes us daily and eternally.

Multiple Hebrew and Greek words are translated as truth in English Bible translations, but the Old and New Testaments independently employ one word for truth over all others. In each case, it’s a different word.

Old Testament Truth (Emet)

The primary word for truth (found 127 times) in the Hebrew Old Testament is emet. The word conveys not just the meaning of a body of truth, but a body of truth that shapes the practice of daily living. Emet may be considered in translation as not only truth, but faithfulness, fidelity, integrity, sincerity, authenticity, and honesty. Emet is a lived body of beliefs, not a simple list of knowledgeable points. What one believes may be deduced and proven from how one lives, rather than simply what one professes.

Truth is lived out. What we believe to be true is manifested in our daily living. David wrote, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11). The Psalms portray truth as a body of belief impacting our daily living. God’s truth may be taught and caught. We should model truth in real life. “Guide me in your truth and teach me,” Psalm 25:5 says, “for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

Lived truth shapes us as well as those whose lives we touch. Proverbs 14:25 says, “A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.” How we live bears witness to the truth we claim to believe. How we live out truth may draw others to Christ; however, if our mouths profess one truth and yet we live out a lesser truth, this “false witness” may deter others from seeing Jesus.

Embedding God’s truth in mind and heart does not happen by accident. To grow, we must spend time focusing on holy writ. “I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees” (Psalm 119:48). Loving the Word and meditating on it require a plan and follow-through to hear, understand, and live out the truth we discover in the Bible.

THE WORD CONVEYS NOT JUST THE MEANING OF A BODY OF TRUTH, BUT A BODY OF TRUTH THAT SHAPES THE PRACTICE OF DAILY LIVING.

New Testament Truth (Aletheia)

In the Greek New Testament, the primary word for truth (found about 110 times in various forms) is aletheia, which primarily means “that which is true, pure from all error or falsehood”; the word may also mean “conduct conformed to a body of that which is believed to be true.”

A preferred theme in John’s Gospel is that Jesus embodies the truth. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus plainly stated, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Therefore, in Christ, we see the fullness of a life surrendered to the whole truth of God. Jesus was not only a moral example, but an expressly truthful example to be spiritually imitated. John recorded Jesus’ prayer connecting the process of us growing in holiness with truth. Jesus asked the Father, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

In Romans, Paul described a tragic exchange that is all too common in our own culture. He wrote, “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25). The process of growing spiritually in Christ is reciprocal—the more we exchange our false truths (lies) for the truth of God, the greater our spiritual growth and health, and the greater spiritual impact we will have on others, including family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and persons we have yet to meet.

For Paul, the love of the truth of God leads to and affirms salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:10). If one loves the truth of God, then one will live the truth of God. The

choice is ever on the horizon. Living God’s truth is a daily challenge; temptation always exists to supplant God’s truth with a more convenient truth in our lives. Paul cautioned the young evangelist Timothy, “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:4). Such is ever the potential pitfall—to supplant God’s truth for the adoption of new cultural myths. We need not worry so much about others, but we should focus on our own faithfulness to God’s truth lived in our lives. We can definitely wander away from truth (James 5:19). Though we fail, Peter gives us hope in living out God’s truth. Readopting and living God’s truth in the forgiveness of Jesus, even after failure, purifies us when we begin anew to obey God’s truth (1 Peter 1:22).

How might we measure our faithfulness to living God’s truth? Perhaps the more we live and look like Jesus, the more we may be in danger of being crucified. The apostle John outlined a way to measure ourselves: “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth” (1 John 1:6). The converse is true as well: If we claim to have fellowship with Jesus and walk in the light, we live by the truth.

As we study select references to the two primary words for truth in the Old and New Testaments, a pattern develops. God’s truth is . . .

• Protective (Psalm 40:11)

• Instructive (Psalm 25:5; 86:11; Luke 20:21)

• Illuminating (Psalm 43:3)

• Codified (Daniel 10:21; John 17:17; Colossians 1:15)

• Salvific (Proverbs 14:25)

• Liberating (John 8:32)

• Incarnate (John 1:14, 17; 14:6)

• Strengthening (John 17:17)

• Knowable (1 John 2:21)

• Eternal (2 John 2)

We are beings of free will. We are free to choose to live our own shifting relative truth, which will cause us to become broken, twisted, and regretful. Or we can choose to live God’s truth, thus transforming us into the likeness of Jesus; if we do this, we will live an abundant life now and eternally, which God purposes for us. The benefit of living God’s truth is we need not guess and then trust ourselves. We trust God, in Christ, when we live committed to biblical truth.

In May 1984, I was a newly minted graduate of Cincinnati Christian University’s undergraduate program with a double major in Bible and ministry. That August, I started an MDiv program at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville I went from a grounded, conservative, and small StoneCampbell Bible college to a large seminary in the midst of a theological “war” on what was biblical truth. Faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and even SBTS’s new president declared sides. The battle

was over the Bible . . . whether true in historicity and as an authoritative guide for all faith and practice, and whether its clear meaning and claims were undeniably true.

I was quickly swamped with a need for grounding in clarity. Those days were soulfully disrupting and disturbing. A well-known preacher and scholar was invited to preach in chapel. The preacher, Dr. E. V. Hill, gave a gift not only to me that day, but to many others in attendance. Hill spoke of the battle for the Bible. He then gave us advice that continues to guide me in my own studies, faith, and practice. To a chapel full of scholars, guests, students, and leaders in crisis, Hill preached, “My grandmother told me, and I advise you to hear and live these words, ‘When it comes to the Bible, don’t adjust it; trust it!’”

We live in an age when most people conceive of truth as subjective, an ever-changing consensual cultural construct that shifts with passage of time and the winds of faddish social favor. But, as Christians, there is a truth to which we may surrender—a truth that will shape us, guide us, preserve and strengthen us not only to eternal life, but through a life worth living now. That eternal and unchanging truth is plainly stated, implied, taught, and exampled in the history, poetry, songs, prophecies, doctrines, and stories in the 66 books we call the Bible.

When it comes to the Bible, “Don’t adjust it; trust it!” 

Strother, PhD, serves as dean of graduate studies and as professor of preaching, New Testament, and leadership with Central Christian College of the Bible, Moberly, Missouri.

Billy

GRACE TRUTH

&

New Testament Theology Embodied in Jesus and Carried Out in Cultural Chaos

By Mark E. Moore

Please don’t judge me . . . it was the 1980 s and it was at my wedding (not a time of complete sanity for most of us). What I did has become one of my greatest regrets as a Christian.

I asked my older brother to remove his earring because we didn’t want it in our family wedding photos. He was not a Christ follower and, as you can imagine, I gave him all the ammunition he needed to judge me for being judgmental. (He wasn’t wrong.)

As I write this nearly 40 years later, for the life of me, I don’t know what I was thinking. I prioritized a nonbiblical value at the expense of sharing the love of Jesus with my own flesh and blood. I’m ashamed of that moment. But I’m most ashamed that it was hardly a solitary moment. In my zeal for moral value, in my stance for the truth, I have too often neglected grace.

Today, I am much older and I hope a bit wiser. And the pendulum of our Christian culture has swung substantially the other way. Today churches tend to be much stronger on grace than 40 years ago, which is a good thing. However, it begs a question: Has the pendulum swung so far that 40 years from now we will apologize for neglecting truth? Since I don’t have the personal gravitas for such a weighty discussion, I’ll simply share, as best I can, what the Bible says about grace and truth.

Grace and Truth in John

Do you know how many times the Greek words for grace and truth are found together in the New Testament? Just four times: John 1:14, 17; Colossians 1:6; and 1 Peter 5:12. By looking at those verses, we can gain insight into how we hold truth and grace in tandem without tension. We will start with John, since he has half the uses and they occur in the very same paragraph:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 16-17, emphasis mine).

Through the Law of Moses, humanity was gifted the truth of God. The Jewish nation was blessed because of the godly guidelines in the Law of Moses. The Jewish people to this day have benefitted by observing the law of God. Their cultural contributions to humanity are disproportionately larger than their population. Over time, however, grace was often glaringly absent from the law. This actually is true for any law at any time among any group of people. Those who prioritize the law take a hard stand on what is right, often to the neglect of compassion (Matthew 23:23).

Grace, on the other hand, was introduced with the incarnation when God showed up in Jesus to be the very penalty the law demanded. Here is where it gets interesting. John used the word grace only twice in

his Gospel, and he paired it with truth both times. (That’s something worth pondering). One would think that the apostle whom Jesus loved would be all about grace. Turns out, he was far more attuned to truth.

In his Gospel, John mentioned truth more than a dozen times. In fact, one could almost always capitalize Truth in John’s Gospel because he almost always used it to refer to Jesus—what the Lord said or what he did. (So, I’ll capitalize such instances in this article.) For John, Truth was a person, not a proposition. At least up to chapter 14. Then Truth became an eponym for the Holy Spirit (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). It was still personified, but by the Spirit rather than by Jesus.

In other words, in John’s theology, just as Grace was embodied in Jesus, so too Truth can be embraced and experienced only in the person of Jesus (or his ongoing incarnation of the Spirit). For a Christ follower, Truth must be relational, not merely propositional. It is not a fact or formula one can read from a book or even hear from a sermon. It is a person with whom we have a relationship. We don’t stand for the truth; we stand with the Truth. That’s why I so regret the earring incident. I was standing for a (misguided) moral precept rather than standing up for, or with, Jesus in my concern for my brother.

When we care more about religious morality than someone’s spiritual mortality, we are in danger of going backward to Mosaic legislation and missing Jesus’ reconciliation. At such a point, we focus on excluding outsiders over including those Jesus came to seek and to save.

Truth is truly Christian when it is demonstrated in sacrificial love .

Grace and Truth in the Epistles

This Johannine theology of grace and truth bleeds over into Pauline Epistles.

We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit (Colossians 1:4-8, emphasis mine).

This “true message” was delivered through Epaphras, a living representative of Jesus. He not only shared the true message with the Colossians, but he also shared the love of the Colossians with Paul. Hence, we see the same elements as in the Gospel of John: Grace and Truth through Jesus and the Spirit resulted in loving relationships in the church. These core elements of Grace and Truth made it universally applicable, going “throughout the whole world.”

In the same vein, Peter wrote,

With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ (1 Peter 5:12-14, emphasis mine).

Notice again, that Grace and Truth are delivered in person by Silas—a representative of Jesus. It is expressed through love, which in this case is ritualized by a kiss of greeting in the church. And again, because of these core elements, it has a universal application, extended all the way to the capital city of Rome (aka Babylon).

We don’t stand for the truth; we stand with the Truth.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

There are two major implications of this New Testament theology of Grace and Truth. First, Truth is embodied in Jesus. Just as there is no Grace without the sacrifice of Jesus, so too, there is no Truth without the sacrificial incarnation of Jesus by his followers. How he lived and how he loved is the Truth we embrace.

To embrace Grace and Truth in tandem without tension, the church must focus more on living the Truth of Jesus than defending the propositions of Christian theology. Our Truth is a person with whom we have a relationship. More than that, we embody Jesus as his ambassadors in this world. The Truth is not defended with an argument, a sermon, or a diatribe. Christian Truth is truly Christian when it is demonstrated in sacrificial love. To that extent, the church—the body of Christ—is the embodied Truth of Jesus as we live out his love for one lost sheep.

The second major implication of this theology of Grace and Truth is that it lives in the midst of cultural chaos. Peter described this embodied Truth through the church in Rome. Paul expounded it amid the church of Colossae. We embody it in a similarly pagan and chaotic culture. Political tensions, racial divides, and gender confusion are just a few of the conversations complicating the Christian message. At the propositional level, any of these could (and

have) derailed the church from her mission. If our goal is to “tell the truth,” all these issues can easily make us appear judgmental, fundamentalist, even hypocritical. If, however, our biblical theology is a lived Truth—loving the least and lost as Jesus did— then each of these issues is a massive opportunity to demonstrate the grace of Jesus in love, which leads to a Truth of Jesus that liberates.

One might fairly ask, “So, we just love people as they are without speaking scriptural truth to their situation?” No. Absolutely not. Some might think it compassionate, but ultimately it is cruel. That is the error of liberalism that has proven ineffective, even counterproductive to mental health, unity, and charity. So no, we don’t just “love people as they are” without speaking Truth. Rather, we love people as they are before speaking scriptural Truth to their situation. Perhaps this is a poor way to put it, but we earn the right to speak Truth by embodying Truth through love. Ultimately, we will win the cultural argument by being loving people better than anyone else.

Too often the Western church has prioritized the principles of truth over the Person of Truth. Such has been the legacy of rationalism since the Renaissance. Culturally, we have now thoroughly embraced existentialism and individualism. We can

stand in our cloister of Evangelical Rationalism and bemoan the cultural demise, or we can take advantage of the cultural moment and engage a culture steeped in individual existentialism by loving better than any other tribe or organization. Truth be told, that has been our strong suit for 2,000 years.

Historically, the church of Jesus Christ has been on the cutting edge of medical care, benevolence, women’s rights, liberation of slavery, education, housing, prison reform, adoption, and defending human rights. This makes sense, since only with a biblical theology can people be authentically viewed as special creations rather than random evolutionary by-products. The reality is that communities that are “affirming” do not come close to the enduring and sustaining support of the church from cradle to grave. Because of the Truth of Jesus, Christians can and should view all people as valued since they bear the image of God and all people have the potential for improvement through the transforming power of the Spirit. These are not just philosophic fineries. They have real world consequences.

As individual Christians, we live this out by investing time, talent, and treasure to others in our orbit who need care and compassion. As an organization, the church can shift our order of inclusion

from Believe, Behave, Belong . . . to Belong, Believe, Behave. Our practical steps for discipleship in the local church must allow people access to groups and inclusion before they ever come to similar theological conclusions. That is now easier than ever through small groups.

Twenty years ago, church leaders encouraged others to invite a friend to church, then to a group, and finally to participate in a mission trip. Today, the order is reversed. Our best first invite is often to a community service project that connects a prebeliever to a group of Christians, which will open them to the possibility to coming to a large gathering at church. Though this may feel backwards, a glimpse of the first three centuries of the church make this real and ancient pattern applicable to modern times. 

Mark E. Moore serves as teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona, and is author of Core52: A FifteenMinute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year.

Truth and the Biblical Worldview

By Bobby Harrington and Daniel McCoy

This article could well have been only a paragraph long. We could simply have written this:

A “worldview” is your overall view of the world. Having a biblical worldview means that the teachings of the Bible fill in your answers to the big questions about reality. For example: Why do we exist? If you have a biblical worldview, your answer will include how God created us to bear his image and rule over his creation. What’s the source of our deepest problems? According to the Bible, our misery stems from our decision to mistrust God and sever ourselves from his authority. What’s the solution? The gospel of Jesus. Having a biblical worldview means you take biblical teachings to be the core truths upon which you build your life. Biblical truth becomes the lens through which you view the rest of reality.

Done. Nothing too controversial here. Sounds a bit vanilla, doesn’t it? But if this is vanilla ice cream, it comes stuffed with red hots.

Because there are two kinds of people in your church who won’t let a straightforward description of a biblical worldview suffice without a major debate. Let’s call them, hypothetically speaking, “Spencer the Specifist” and “Amber the Ambiguist.”

SPECIFICITY VS. AMBIGUITY

Spencer argues that the biblical worldview needs to be a lot more specific than what we’ve described. The biblical worldview, he explains, stakes a clear biblical position on everything from welfare benefits to how to avoid a recession to which candidates God favors in the midterms. Let’s be clear: Christians should approach every dilemma with truth and wisdom cultivated in the soil of God’s Word. But Spencer goes beyond this to say there’s one biblical stance when it comes to each issue, and if you don’t hold this biblical stance on each issue, you don’t have a biblical worldview.

While Spencer lobbies for greater specificity, our hypothetical Amber is forever arguing for greater ambiguity. Are we saying that a biblical worldview must be theistic (as in, God created the universe and remains distinct from it)? If so, then Amber thinks that’s too narrow. The Christian God should be defined more loosely, she suggests. For example, if we interpret God in a more panentheistic mold, in which God unfolds/incarnates himself into the creation, that plays better with other religions, especially Buddhism.

Are we saying that a biblical worldview teaches that Jesus is the Savior? That God judges personal sin? That biblical views on sexuality are still binding for Christians today? Then, according to Amber, our “biblical worldview” is too narrow. In fact, it’s worse: our “biblical worldview” is really just us trying to maintain power by reducing Christianity to our own narrow version of it.

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

As you read this, you probably feel more sympathetic toward either Spencer or Amber, but if you’re anything like us, you’re probably a bit annoyed by both. Perhaps when it comes to navigating the Spencers and Ambers in your life, you feel a bit like Roxanne Ritchi in the movie Megamind. As the “damsel in distress,” Roxanne finds herself in the middle of yet another war of clichés between the dueling Megamind and Metro Man. She says, “Girls, girls. You’re both pretty. Can I go home now?”

Yet, we want to suggest that this is not a battle you want to back out of and leave to the Spencers and Ambers. Having a worldview based on biblical truth is still a really important concept worth sticking up for.

So, what makes the concept of having a biblical worldview so important?

The answer is simple: Every person fills in these worldview questions with answers from somewhere. You abdicate here, and the people you should be discipling will get their biggest questions answered from outside Christ. As nice as it would feel, there’s no neutrality when it comes to these big worldview questions. When you see Christianity as more of a collection of therapeutic insights and practices—and less a worldview that speaks truth into life’s biggest questions—you’ll find your Christian beliefs falling like dominoes under cultural pressure.

PLAYING DOMINOES

If dominoes are standing close enough together, it’s naïve to hope one can fall without causing the next one to fall. “Your point?” Amber asks with a yawn. The point is, if you care about “contend[ing] for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3), then you’ll pay attention to falling dominoes.

Here’s an example (and we’ll use Amber’s own faith evolution so she’ll pay attention). An early domino to fall for our hypothetical Amber had to do with gender. Based on New Testament passages, the leaders in her church held that, biblically, the elders and main preacher needed to be qualified men. She began to realize just how misogynistic and unjust this was. Women were being left out of these positions of importance despite being gifted for them. Under the guise of biblical faithfulness, these men were maintaining privilege and power over the church and marginalizing gifted women.

The next domino used the same logic with different characters. The Ambiguist realized that the church had long been doing the same kind of marginalizing with members of the LGBTQ community. Gay couples were perceived as living in sin, even when their relationships exhibited the fruits of love, joy, peace, etc., just as well as many heterosexual couples. Amber concluded that heterosexuals in the church had been maintaining their privilege and power by marginalizing gay people.

When the Ambiguist zoomed out, she realized that the evangelical church had been working this formula outside the church, as well. How is it that the church, which claims to carry on Jesus’ mission of love, feels it appropriate to condemn Muslims, for example, to the category of “lost”? (The Muslims she knows seem just as Christlike as the “saved.”) Thus, the “exclusivity of Christ,” which now seemed to Amber to be a contradiction in terms, was the next domino to fall. Overseas missions, which she now viewed as imperialistic, fell next. The next domino was evangelism itself, as her earlier enthusiasm for the Great Commission was eclipsed by pressing political causes.

Eventually, even the bedrock notion of a God separate from humanity seemed a belief that marginalized people. Some of the spiritual authors she had been reading, such as Richard Rohr, called themselves panentheists, meaning that God incarnates himself into creation. She too began to see herself as a panentheist, and she reasoned that, since we’re already part of God, it’s barbaric to think we need some bloody sacrifice on a cross to appease God and reconcile with him. So, with this upgrade to a better view of God, more dominoes fell.

What do you think of these falling dominoes? Is it basically harmless? Or, to put it bluntly, has Amber left the faith to where now she’s in spiritual danger? As you well know, the question is way more real-life than hypothetical. While you might have a Spencer or two on your church board, you’ve probably got a few Ambers in your youth group . . . and maybe under your roof. You’ve probably got some Specifists and Ambiguists leading small groups. The need for discerning how you should feel about all this is past due.

take captive every thought to make it obedient

to christ.

BULLSEYE BELIEFS

So, if you are watching these sectarian fights and falling dominoes and your heart hurts, then you’re seeing how important it is to disciple people into a biblical worldview.

At the risk of disappointing Spencer, we want to suggest that you picture Christian beliefs mapped out on an archery target and then ask which of those beliefs should form the innermost bullseye. If you don’t like the idea of faith crumbling all around you, that’s where you start. You return to the Bible’s bullseye beliefs and build on that.

This is because the point of faith isn’t to pursue what feels most therapeutic for you. Or to reinvent faith until it best matches your sense of justice. Those paths will get you nothing more than a pile of fallen dominoes. We need to build our lives on what’s true. If Christianity is true, then start with its bullseye beliefs.

Like what? Chad Ragsdale, in his Renew.org Real Life Theology book Christian Convictions: Discerning the Essential, Important, and Personal Elements, gives four “bullseye beliefs” on which we need to build our lives: (1) God exists, (2) Jesus is Lord, (3) Jesus is the risen Savior, and (4) Salvation is by grace and not by human effort. These bullseye beliefs are worth becoming our core convictions. They’re worth defending and persuading others of. The Bible’s bullseye beliefs are planks that comprise the “faith once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.”

If we don’t start with God’s true answers to life’s biggest questions, we’re standing lightweight and fragile, swaying at the mercy of cultural winds. Let’s get serious about building our worldviews, and the worldviews of those we disciple, on these core convictions and build from there. Again, when it comes to these big-picture questions, there’s no neutrality. Someone or something will provide our answers. Followers of Jesus “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

EXAMPLES

To close, here’s a sampling of basic biblical answers to some of these big-picture questions. However, first a caveat: Having true beliefs is only a part of biblical faith. Biblically, faith includes trusting in Jesus to save us and placing our allegiance in Jesus as king (see Mark Moore’s Faithful Faith, Book No. 5 in Renew.org’s Real Life Theology series). We can’t treat our faith as if it’s merely a checklist for true beliefs, when having true beliefs alone leaves us at the starting gate. With that caveat, here’s a sampling of basic biblical answers to some of life’s big-picture questions:

1. What is our purpose? God created us to know and follow him as we fill the earth and reign over it as the managers he has put in charge.

2. What is our core problem? We fall short of God’s glory because we pridefully resist his authority as a threat to our well-being.

3. How is this problem solved? We turn from our self-centered ways and trust and give our allegiance to Jesus the Messiah as our Savior, Lord, and King, and he forgives us, fills us with his Spirit, and restores us to our original image.

4. How should we live? We should live according to the way of Jesus the Messiah, which can be summarized as loving God and loving people, as he teaches.

5. How does it end? We are either with the Lord or apart from him in eternity, based on our relationship with Jesus through faith in him and his gospel. 

Bobby Harrington serves as point-leader of Renew.org and Discipleship.org, both collaborative, disciple-making organizations. He is the founding and lead pastor of Harpeth Christian Church, just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.

Daniel McCoy serves as editorial director for Renew.org as well as an online adjunct instructor for Ozark Christian College. Renew.org Discipleship.org

How do we arrive at truth?

By Tyler McKenzie

In his book Blue Parakeet, Bible professor Scot McKnight explains that every semester he gives the students in his Jesus class a test. Part one has 24 questions inquiring what they think Jesus is like. Here are four examples:

Is Jesus moody?

Is Jesus talkative?

Does Jesus think marriage is old-fashioned and should be done away with?

Does Jesus prefer to go his own way rather than act by the rules?

This set of questions is followed by another that asks the students what they think they are like. Here’s the catch. Both parts are the same questions, just tweaked a bit. McKnight says that every semester the results are the same. When they compare their answers from both parts, the traits people attribute to Jesus are the traits they attribute to themselves.

I’m reminded of the French philosopher Voltaire’s words, “If God has made us in his image, we have returned the favor.” I see this played out often within the church. People form Jesus in their image to justify their preferred sins or pet doctrines. This serves to give divine approval to artificial truth. This is the opposite of spiritual formation. When we become more like Jesus, that’s spiritual formation. When we make Jesus become more like us, that’s spiritual deformation.

THE WESLEYAN QUADRILATERAL

This trend within the church is indicative of a larger cultural shift in how Westerners arrive at truth. I call it “The Ascendance of Lived Experience.” The idea is that our lived experience (our individual feelings and inner desires) is the starting point for determining what is true. You can probably anticipate what makes this problematic. If we aren’t careful, we end up with a bunch of competing tastes rather than objective truth.

That said, while lived experience may not determine truth, it is important to acknowledge that it plays a key role in contextualizing truth. The Wesleyans help here. They use an interpretive lens for discerning God’s will called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. It suggests there are four considerations we must honor when arriving at the truth and its appropriate application: lived experience, reason, church tradition, and Scripture.

In our cultural moment, trust in Scripture and respect for church tradition are low. So, we tend to journey toward truth in the following sequence:

1. We start with our lived experience or the lived experience of our friends. This is deeply personal and therefore powerful.

2. Then we reason based on that.

3. Then we unflatteringly critique church tradition based on our lived experience.

4. Finally, we take our lived experience and read it into Scripture.

Basically, we bring church tradition under the authority of our reason (which is egotistical), and we bring Scripture under the authority of our lived experience (which is downright heretical). What the church customarily has done is the opposite:

1. We start with Scripture.

2. Then we read that in conversation with church tradition, the great saints who have come before us.

3. Based on this, we then reason our way to a Godhonoring application of truth.

4. Lastly, we bring our lived experience under the authority of the truth.

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral serves to bring lived experience under an authority (God) and a community (the historic church) that is far bigger, wiser, older, multicultural, and weathered than us.

FROM AUTHORITY TO AUTHENTICITY

Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor sums this up when he suggests we’ve moved from an “Age of Authority” to an “Age of Authenticity.” While basically every culture before us has stressed the importance of negotiating your personal feelings and inner desires in a way that works for the common good of your community, the modern West suggests you first look inward to discover the authentic you, and then turn outward to demand that your community affirms who you are. Truth doesn’t come from the outside in, it flows from the inside out.

This creates incredible friction with orthodox Christianity because we are not an inside-out faith. We’ve always said our identity is found in Christ, our purpose is found in the designs of our Creator, and our moral code is found in our sacred texts. We submit to these external authorities, experience inner transformation, and then express this resurrected self as worship and testimony. Authenticity is not a fruit of the Spirit. Tellingly, after listing the Spirit’s fruit, Paul wrote, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24, New Revised Standard Version).

If we take a long look in the mirror, what we sometimes call “authenticity” is nothing more than conformity to what the formational forces of our world are telling us. Through aggressive quasi-religious political tribes and inescapable digital inputs, we are being evangelized relentlessly with alternative gospels—in classes at school, in shows on Netflix, in 24/7 breaking news, in articles online, in influencer posts on Instagram, in celebrity commencement speeches, and in throwaway comments from coworkers. You can’t pump your gas without a TV screen proclaiming what you really need to be happy. You can’t watch sports without being told what to think about justice.

Recently, my wife came home with a bag of clothes from Old Navy and the message on the bag said, “Bod Equality.” This idea sounds good, but it is worth noticing that Old Navy is no longer just in the business of selling clearance shirts. Their bag is telling shoppers how they think human worth ought to be measured.

HOW WE OUGHT TO ARRIVE AT TRUTH

I would like to offer a few guiding questions that will help us arrive at God’s truth. None of these is all-sufficient on their own, but together they can be a sound filter. A few years ago in Uganda, a missionary explained to me how biosand filters work. They push impure water through layers of schmutzdecke, fine sand, coarse sand, and then gravel. It is important for the dirty water to pass through each layer to remove the impurities and produce something pure. These questions can serve a similar purpose.

We need to humility.

hold our interpretations of Scripture with

What Does

Scripture

Say?

We should begin our search for truth here. I could offer a litany of arguments for why Scripture is trustworthy. Space is limited, however, so I’ll leave it at this: I trust Scripture because Jesus did. As followers of Jesus, we trust his moral imagination, stunning intellect, genuine compassion, divine nature, eternal perspective, piercing commands, wise applications, and countercultural vision. We find his teachings to be the most compelling version of truth the world has ever offered.

I’m confused why so many people love Jesus but not the Bible. How does that work? Jesus had a high view of Scripture. He endorsed the Old Testament, his life is recorded in the Gospels, and he commissioned those who wrote the New Testament. In many ways, Jesus is the One who set the Bible apart. It is inconsistent to say, “Jesus, I believe you were Immanuel, an unrivaled teacher of truth, a worker of miracles, the securer of cosmic justice, and the victor over evil and death. But I’m not sure you inspire a set of writings for your followers.”

A word of caution here. We need to hold our interpretations of Scripture with humility. There is no perfect Bible reader out there. We should not confuse our fallible interpretations of the Bible with God’s inspired Word. It is possible to live into your beliefs with confidence while simultaneously holding them with humility. N.T. Wright wrote, “I used to tell my students that at least 20 percent of what I was telling them was wrong, but I didn’t know which 20 percent it was.” If Wright is getting 20 percent wrong, I’m off on at least 50 percent.

Does It Align with Orthodoxy?

In Jude 3, he calls Christianity “the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (New American Standard Bible, 1995). Scripture had yet to be compiled into the 66-book library we know today, but his point is clear. No new revelation, no new cultural fad, no new-age theology, no “prophetic” end times sermon, no quasi-religious political movement can change the truth of what we believe. Our great God does not need enlightened Bible readers to help him improve Scripture. He’s good.

Today, orthodoxy is the word used for the faith once and for all passed down. It means “right belief” or “right teaching.” In Acts, what we call orthodox faith was called “The Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22) by the earliest Christians. Orthodoxy is Jesus’ Way passed down to today. By this definition, the Restoration Movement is an orthodox movement. We believe a body of teachings were validated by Jesus, inspired by the Spirit, and passed down in Scripture. Orthodoxy is more than the ancient creeds. The creeds were a response to heresy. The Way is the comprehensive vision of Jesus for the church.

What Does the Global and Historic Church Have to Say?

This is one of our greatest untapped resources. There is wisdom to be found in the great saints who worked out our faith in eras after the New Testament and in contexts other than the United States. Restoring the New Testament doesn’t mean ignoring all the Christians who lived after it. Billions have done life before us and applied the faith to almost every issue we are facing now. This means we don’t have to relearn these lessons all over. We don’t have to make the same mistakes. If we will bring a teachable spirit to the study of historic and global Christianity, we can avoid much pain and discover ways our faith has stood the test of time.

Will This Form Me to Become More Like Jesus?

Sometimes a good Scripture wrongly applied can produce a bad result. We must strive to discern how any given truth claim or application will form us.

• What is this telling me will make me happy? Will it? For how long?

• Who is this highlighting as a role model or villain?

• Is this cultivating rage or hate toward others?

• Is this focusing my attention on things largely out of my control?

• Is this inducing anxiety or fear?

• Does this make me a better spouse? Parent? Friend? Neighbor? Citizen?

Does the Author Have Expertise?

In a social media age, everyone with an internet connection has a voice. Expertise matters. Let us not be an anti-intellectual movement. In a political system built on equality, we’ve come to believe that since everyone has an equal right to an opinion, everyone’s opinion is equally valid.

Reflecting on this, missiologist Ed Stetzer wrote, “Armed with no experience and some sketchy information culled from the corners of the internet, more and more individuals are brash, confident, demanding, and frequently dead wrong. This predictably produces conflict and outrage in a world in which self-reflection is a sign of weakness and confidence is truth-making.”

• Does this make me more like Jesus?

This last question is essential. If spiritual formation is becoming more like Jesus, then Scripture leveraged toward any other end is wrongly applied.

My son is 7 years old. We have a devotion time every morning where we study the Bible. One of his flash cards has the word Truth on it. This is the definition we have memorized: “Truth is the way things are according to God’s Word, God’s world, and Jesus.” In theological terms, this definition aims to teach him that truth is found in God’s special revelation, general revelation, and ultimate revelation—Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. Many mornings before I drop him off to school, we close our time by saying, “Jesus’ way is the best way. So, his way is our way.” Amen. Let it be true of us. 

Tyler McKenzie serves as lead pastor at Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

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How do we hold onto truth while loving and pursuing a world that seems to question everything?

By Brent Bramer

my dad is a builder. My earliest memories as a kid were waking up early, climbing into his truck, and driving onto an empty plot of land as the sun rose. We’d walk together, and I’d listen to him talk and dream about the home he was about to build. My dad would walk the lines where the foundation would be poured. He’d try to explain and describe where the rooms would be placed, the walls would be framed, and the look and feel of the house. I loved listening to him passionately describe how everyone and everything had come together to create something that was beautiful and steady . . . marked by creativity but “built right.” Dad always said, “Build it right the first time,” because he knew the frustrating work, pain, and cost of dismantling what’s been built and then starting over.

As I grew and worked with him more, I learned that mistakes inevitably occurred with every home build. Some were minor and some major, but when mistakes or errors are discovered, a responsible builder tears it out and rebuilds.

I often reference these cherished memories on a job site with Dad as I notice our current cultural moment. Today, I’m a pastor in a progressive city on the central coast of California where I see people scrutinizing what’s been built and established. There’s increased questioning, criticism, cynicism, and mistrust toward almost every institution that’s been built: entertainment, the education system, politics, government, and the church, to name a few. We’re in a period of deconstruction: a critical analysis of why we do what we do (oversimplified definition) that seems to hit every part of life, and especially faith. Today, considering the real questions, skepticism, and fear toward the church, many are walking away from it. They are, as our culture puts it, deconstructing their faith.

A recent Gallup poll found that only 47 percent of U.S. adults belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque. It’s the first time affiliation to a faith community of any kind fell into the minority nationally. In recent years there’s been a meteoric rise in Americans with no religious preference; almost 24 percent of Americans now claim no religion. We’ve seen many people leave the church; scandals, skepticism, doubt, and deconstruction seem to be tearing at the fabric of faith and church in America. It all feels heavy and a little hopeless. For many, these numbers cause fear, frustration, anger, or despair.

So, what do we do? How do we respond to this cultural moment? How do we engage with friends, family, coworkers, and a world that seems to desire to tear everything down? How do we hold onto truth while loving and pursuing a world that seems to question everything? I want to offer some encouragement.

Acknowledge It

John Eldridge observed, “A wound that goes unacknowledged and unwept is a wound that cannot heal.” This idea has carried me as I’ve met with many who are questioning their faith and the institutions of Christendom today. All Christ followers should attempt to acknowledge, understand, and empathize with the needs of others.

Have we acknowledged the wounds others walk with? Have we wept with those who’ve been hurt by the church? Have we acknowledged leadership failure and lack of transparency in the church? Have we wept because many feel they can’t ask questions or express doubts and emotions in some of our congregations? When we feel attacked, questioned, and criticized, is our first response defensive? Do we disregard others when scrutiny comes, or do we acknowledge the real thoughts, feelings, and hurts around all these questions? We must learn to acknowledge others in the midst of their journey. We must learn to grieve and weep with others who have real hang-ups in their walk with Jesus and their relationship with the church.

Welcome Scrutiny

Questions, doubts, and acknowledging hurt can be good. An inspector who scours a building to find problem areas can save the structure; a church should welcome such scrutiny as well. Jesus himself asked hard questions of religious leaders and scrutinized man-made systems and structures that were built with good intentions but kept others from experiencing the goodness, grace, and truth of God. Jesus pushed back on the religious elite of the day. He said, “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27-28). Jesus sought to tear down (dare I say “deconstruct”) the processes and systems that made it impossible for people to connect with the heart of God.

And Jesus welcomed hard questions. Nicodemus came with questions for Jesus. The teachers of the law and Pharisees openly brought forth their doubts and fears about Jesus. The rich young ruler asked questions of Jesus, as did his own disciples and the Samaritan woman. Jesus acknowledged all of them. He didn’t get defensive or disregard them; he welcomed the questions despite their doubt. Jesus didn’t shame them or shun them or proclaim that they offended God by their doubts and concerns; Jesus invited people to ask questions . . . and he still does.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7-8).

Jesus taught us to ask questions. When we do so, we acknowledge we don’t know something, but we’re hopeful to find an answer. Jesus does not resent it when we say, “I don’t know why this is the way it is.” Should we get angry, resent, and reject others for behaving in a manner Jesus didn’t object to? Jesus taught us to seek. He respects our desire to learn. Have you created an environment in your church where it is safe to ask questions? Where others who are seeking answers can bring forward doubts and criticisms?

de co sn rtu ct io n

doesn't have to lead to

de s rtu ct io n

Create Spaces for Hard Conversations

I believe the wave of deconstruction we are seeing can lead to a deeper faith . . . if we create spaces and places that meet people where they are, that acknowledge hurts and hang-ups, and that welcome the asking.

A year ago I sat with a friend who shared, with tears in his eyes, “My faith is hanging on by a thread. I’m this close”—he held his thumb and index finger less than a half-inch apart—“to throwing in the towel on the whole thing.” As I listened to him, I recognized that he had never voiced his frustrations, fears, questions, and doubt about Scripture with a pastor. He had never shared his weariness over the perceived politicization of the pulpit and a move toward nationalism in the church. He’d never felt safe to share his feelings about celebrity pastor culture, the “us vs. them” mentality in the church, the inability for “church people” to truly love their neighbor and give up their rights for the good of others. I sat and listened and acknowledged where he was in his faith and relationship with the church, and I apologized for the church not being the space, the place, the group of people who made it OK to voice those things. See, deconstruction doesn't have to lead to destruction.

I love what pastor Brian Zahnd said: “Deconstruction doesn’t have to mean demolition. Maybe it’s worth trying to save that which is precious before it all burns down. Maybe it’s worth trying to separate the wheat from the chaff before you launch into a world without any Easters . . .”

Church leader, now is the time to acknowledge others, to try to understand their needs, create places where it’s OK to ask questions, and step into the mystery with them. I remember studying the history of the Restoration Movement at Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary. The phrases, “in essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity” and “we speak where the Bible speaks, and we are silent where the Bible is silent” were impressed upon us. These sayings were a major factor in the early Restoration Movement revivals that saw many come to faith. What if we returned to these mantras in the midst of a cultural moment of deconstruction? What if we held to the essentials and left room for liberty (i.e., questions and doubts)? Are there systems, processes, and things in disrepair that need to be torn down in our churches? How can we offer belonging to those in a season of doubt or deconstruction?

If the disciple Thomas lived today, we might call him a “deconstructionist.” Thomas asked hard questions; he wrestled with belief. Thomas made hard demands: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). And yet, a week later, Jesus’ disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them (v. 26). Thomas—in the middle of his doubt, skepticism, questions, hard demands, disbelief, and deconstruction—was still with them. Thomas wasn’t pushed out of the group for asking or doubting. Thomas’s doubts and questions didn’t cause his disconnection from the community of believers. May we learn from this. Doubts and fears don’t inevitably drive us to disconnection. Instead, they can lead us to growth, deeper faith, and community.

Be a Place of Rediscovery and Reconstruction

A few things we’ve learned the past few years:

Doubt is OK. Ask, seek, knock, and create environments where individuals with questions, doubts, and fears can voice them without fear of condemnation.

Don’t coast. The worst thing we can do is to ignore our doubts and questions. We must acknowledge what we’re thinking, feeling, and wrestling with in our faith, and we must acknowledge and seek to understand the journey others are on. Sitting, waiting, and wishing for the wave of deconstruction to pass leads us to drift further away from God and one another.

Do this in community. Help establish a culture of belonging and communities where it’s safe to wrestle with real issues together.

Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Many times we don’t engage in certain topics because we don’t know where it will all lead or we’re afraid everything will unravel. We worship the God who calls people to himself, who has remained Lord and Savior through war, famine, disease, and

cultural movements of faithlessness . . . and he is still faithful. May we not fear the unknowns but lean into them, trusting the goodness of God.

Curtis is a good friend of mine who shared his story of hurt, doubt, discouragement, and deconstruction with our church family. His family found SLO City Church during a pivotal season of their lives. He shared this powerful message with us:

I’m not sure we’d be anywhere right now—with any faith or connection to God or the church—if we didn’t find a place and a group of people that allowed us to ask questions. We have had so many experiences in the church of people, and pastors, and dear friends not listening to us, not seeing what we were struggling with, not allowing us to voice concerns and doubts or fears. And then we found this church.

We were hesitant, but soon discovered that this was a group of people who didn’t silence us and didn’t just shell out all the answers, but was a safe place to wrestle. This was a place that kept Jesus central, where we could ask questions, where we could have our doubts and differences and be welcomed. . . . Ultimately it’s been a place where we rediscovered our faith in Jesus and our love for the church.

This is the hope.

Friends, in light of deconstruction, may we see the hope to rebuild . . . the hope of reconstruction of faith in Jesus and love for one another. May we seize the moment in front of us to acknowledge the journey of others, to create spaces where questions are welcomed, and to stand on the truth and grace of Jesus. May this moment of deconstruction lead to a more beautiful, steady, and strong faith and community that is centered on Jesus, and which shares hope with everyone. 

Brent Bramer serves as lead pastor at SLO City Church in San Luis Obispo, California.

TIPS

for Having That Difficult Conversation About Truth

By Caleb Kaltenbach

1.

Having conversations about truth will always be difficult. (That may be the understatement of the decade!) Whether it’s difficult conversations that address someone’s pride, selfishness, bitterness, or, well, you fill in the blank, we’ve all been the recipients and bearers of “tough love talks.” And an already difficult conversation becomes even more complicated and emotions increase dramatically when the topic centers around a lighting-rod societal issue.

Unfortunately, many who are tasked with confronting another person can go to extremes when sharing truth. They might challenge a person too harshly or they might be too fearful and not be truthful enough. While truth conversations are challenging, they should never sabotage anyone’s spiritual health. Prioritizing such interactions creates opportunities for future dialogue and helps pave the way for the other person to draw nearer to God.

Preparation for tough discussions is paramount. I contend you should spend as much time preparing for truth conversations as you’d spend studying for a sermon, lesson, or presentation. Preparation will help you to be clear and intentional with your words. Without this readiness, your difficult conversation will amount to sideways energy leading to nowhere but frustration. Worse yet, you’ll probably sabotage a tremendous amount of influence with the other person. Here are seven tips that might help your difficult conversations.

Listen for Cues

In a best-case scenario, the person you need to have a truthful discussion with approaches you to talk. More times than not, however, you’ll probably need to initiate the conversation. As such, timing is everything In your everyday interactions with this person, listen for certain statements and questions that could indicate their openness to a conversation. Examples include these:

•

“Why is this happening?” or “Why did this happen?”

•

“I never thought I’d end up here.”

•

“I never thought _______ would happen.”

•

I don’t know what to do.”

•

“I’m not sure what’s next.”

•

“What do you think about faith and ______?”

•

“No one understands me or even tries.”

•

“No one listens to me.”

• “I feel alone.”

These statements and questions suggest the individual might be contemplating life issues and thus might be open to a deeper discussion.

2.

Ask Questions

Assuming the worst about someone never brings out the best in any conversation. Everyone is different, so when it comes to having truth conversations, you need to “pivot” depending on whom you’re engaging with. Taking a strategic approach to sharing truth doesn’t necessitate making truth more palatable by watering it down. Jesus’ method of communicating to Nicodemus was distinct from his approach with the woman at the well. However, he conveyed the same truth to both individuals. Paul’s message to the Sanhedrin was very direct, but he set aside time in his message to relate with the Athenian philosophers.

Just as missionaries and church planters must study contextualization, you and I are obligated to think more deeply about those with whom we have difficult conversations. This is where questions come into play— because questions are imperative for such meetings. Asking yourself questions about the meeting and about the person compel you to think intentionally. Examples include these:

• What do I hope to accomplish in the conversation?

• What do I hope they gain from the conversation?

• How should I bring up the conversation?

• What can I do to help them take one more step toward Jesus?

• How can I best emphasize my love and God’s love for them?

• What do I hope they feel after our meeting?

Also, asking questions during the meeting can help squelch tense moments. Questions can defuse passionate emotions because they invite the other person to dialogue rather than defend themselves. Refusing to ask questions before and during the meeting produces wrong answers and ensures faulty perspectives. The conversation will start heading in the wrong direction, with each step taking you further away from a helpful solution. You will also find yourself more distanced from the person you care about.

Having conversations about truth will always be difficult.

3.

Determine the Goal of the Conversation

Difficult conversations sometimes end badly because there was no goal (or no helpful goal) for the meeting. This might be obvious, but your goal in tough conversations isn’t to convince the other individual to praise your logic. The goal isn’t to debate or to win an argument. Leveraging the conversation to validate your personal feelings isn’t the goal. Ego-driven morality is never the goal. (Also, behavior modification for the sake of behavior modification never glorifies God—it’s so diametrically opposed to Christ-centeredness that it makes you appear legalistic and pushes the other person toward resentment).

There are several goals for every difficult conversation about truth. Inspiring people to take another step toward Jesus is the ultimate goal, but you also want to maintain influence with the person so you can have another meeting. You should also have a specific goal for that particular conversation. The goal might be to bring a problem to the other person’s attention. It could be that you need for them to understand how their choices are impacting others. Maybe that individual doesn’t realize their attitude is unbiblical. Whatever the goal might be, don’t have more than one or two specific goals per tough conversation. The person you’re speaking with will likely be emotional, so the longer the meeting lasts, the more emotions will take over, and the less likely you will be to inspire them toward any goal.

Reality becomes messy anytime your beliefs collide with contrasting opinions from a loved one. Society pushes the narrative that it’s easier to manufacture villains out of those who disagree with you than learn more about them and invite them to dialogue. Without dialogue, Jesus’ followers will never become bridges for society. The idea of dialogue actually implies disagreement. So, as you prepare for your difficult conversation, you need to be ready for differing perspectives. Doing so can ease confusion during the meeting.

In recent years, I’ve noticed a trend: depending on context and a person’s life experiences, a Christian may believe two different perspectives on the same issue. To say it differently, a believer might hold a biblical belief about a topic while having a seemingly contrasting civil view on the same topic. As an example, many Christians theologically disagree with same-sex marriage but, from a civil perspective, believe a person should be free to marry someone of the same sex. Also, a believer might believe getting drunk is a sin but wouldn’t support a countrywide ban of alcohol.

While maintaining differing perspectives on the same issue might be positive or negative, it’s a way of life. Just as you can experience various emotions about an individual, you can have different perspectives on an issue. My intent isn’t to justify any specific view, but to help eliminate confusion during truth conversations. It could be that whomever you’re speaking with might hold contrasting views on the same topic while your theological view and other views on the topic are aligned.

4.Anticipate Differing Perspectives

Plan an Intentional Conversation

As you prepare for the actual conversation, ask yourself more questions:

• What’s the best day of the week for the meeting?

• What’s the best time of day for the meeting?

• How long should the meeting be? What time does it start and end?

• Where should the meeting be held?

• Should I have someone accompany me to the meeting?

I cannot stress enough the importance of these details! For instance, the conversation is likely to drag on if you don’t set definitive starting and ending times. Again, the more it drags on, the more emotional the meeting will become. Also, it might be that you both work certain hours, so evening is the only time you can meet. On the

other hand, if you can meet any other time, do so, because people are more emotional at night.

On the meeting day . . .

• arrive earlier than the person with whom you’re meeting

• don’t change the agreed upon meeting place unless necessary

• don’t meet longer than the meeting is supposed to last

• pay for their meal or coffee (if you’re able to do so)

• don’t keep notecards in front of you (that’s cringy)

Attention to these minor details communicates your concern for the person and shows you to be invested in them and the meeting.

7.

Be Fully Present

Being fully present with an individual means being physically present during the meeting. While this idea doesn’t offer a silver-bullet solution to the problem you’re addressing, it can be a catalyst to help you understand another individual’s perspective. Here are some ways to show you’re engaged in the conversation:

• maintain eye contact

• keep your cell phone off the table (or at least, turn it upside down)

• don’t check your watch

• try not to fidget

• face them during the entire conversation

• smile as much as you can (without being weird)

Another aspect of being fully present is talking less so you can listen more. If you think listening is easy, you probably aren’t doing it well. My wife is a therapist, and she has emphasized to me time and time again how challenging it is to really listen. Yet, listening more and talking less has a tremendous benefit—people are more likely to feel safe when their concerns and experiences are acknowledged. So, during such crucial meetings, my strategy to listen well involves having their story playing in my head as if it’s a movie. Without knowing it, on a very low level, I start reacting to what’s happened to them (as portrayed in my head). This practice doesn’t work for everyone, but it personally helps me listen more and talk less.

Write Down What You Want to Share About Truth

Society’s trends and values are always shifting, but God’s Word never changes. Thus, the Bible can be trusted to guide you and the person you’re sharing with. I’d encourage you to write out the truth part of your conversation and ask yourself questions like these:

• What is the person struggling with?

• What does the Bible say about their struggle?

• What lies might the person be tempted to believe?

• How will this person best hear truth?

• Where is God offering hope during their struggle?

When you begin sharing truth, start that part of the conversation with Jesus and keep him at the center. Concisely share what you believe and don’t talk forever! Keep your comments to five minutes or less. I know five minutes doesn’t sound like much time, but when you listen to someone talk for that long (especially about a difficult issue), it can seem like an eternity.

Throughout the meeting and after it ends, emphasize Jesus’ love for them. Reassure them of how much you care about them and always point them toward hope. More than likely, this will be the first of several meetings you will have with the person. Truth conversations are spiritual marathons, not sprints. So, love them in both grace and truth. 

Caleb Kaltenbach serves as research pastor at Shepherd Church in Los Angeles. He is founder of The Messy Grace Group where he helps churches love and foster community with LGBTQ individuals without sacrificing theological convictions. This article is adapted from his book, Messy Truth

start the conversation with jesus at the center.

jack

Cottrell

on truth

Jack Cottrell (April 30, 1938—September 16, 2022) wrote many articles for Christian Standard over the years, and one of his favorite topics was truth. While we do not have space to include all his articles on different aspects of this important topic, we have excerpted from several of them here.

We’ll let Dr. Cottrell introduce himself. In “What I Have Learned in 50 Years as a Theologian (Part 1),” published in our February 7, 2010, issue, he wrote,

Since receiving my AB degree from Cincinnati Bible Seminary in 1959, I have been either preparing to teach or teaching theology (Bible doctrine) in CBS’s (now Cincinnati Christian University’s) graduate school. I was recently challenged to sum up what I have learned during this lifetime of study. Here are my thoughts. . . .

My 50 years as a theologian (43 of them as a professor) have been based on the firm conviction that there is such a thing as truth. And if there is truth, there is also falsehood. I have also worked under the conviction that human beings made in God’s image are able to receive and understand God’s communication of truth in his revealed and inspired Word.

I take seriously the teaching of Titus 1:9, that a leader in Christ’s church must be “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Thus a main task of every Bible teacher (theologian, if you please) is to discern and teach truth (“sound doctrine”), and to expose and refute false doctrine.

As I have attempted to be faithful to this mandate of the apostle Paul, I have been pleased to find widespread agreement about the reality of truth and falsehood. But I have also learned over these five decades that a great many within Christendom, including our movement, and often in positions of leadership, do not accept this most fundamental of all beliefs.

These convictions are clear in Cottrell’s many writings.

From “In Defense of the Gospel,” January 21, 1967, pp. 7-8

(In response to two writers concerning their teachings about Calvinism)

I want to be as clear and frank as possible. The motivation of consequence is not gospel at all; it is law. To insist on this motivation as the answer to man’s problems is to fail to make the transition from law to gospel, and the book of Romans may as well have never been written.

To obey the law simply out of regard for the consequences is legalistic self-love; it reverses Romans 3:28.

What kind of motivation distinguishes the believer from the unbeliever, who may outwardly obey the law for fear of punishment but inwardly hate it? It is the motivation of grateful love, not of fear (or greed). The Christian obeys the law not because he fears the consequences if he does not, but because he delights in the law and just wants to obey it (Romans 7:22; compare Psalm 1:2; 119:97). The ultimate test of Christian faith and love is the willingness to obey regardless of the consequences. As a matter of fact, fear of punishment cannot motivate the Christian to do good works, for those who dwell in Christ by faith have no punishment awaiting them anyway (Romans 8:1). The Christian is not a sullen slave who obeys only to escape the whip; nor is he a greedy hireling who does what he is told only to collect his promised wages. Rather, he is a saved and grateful sinner who loves his Lord and Saviour so much that he will joyfully do anything for Him.

Consequences are important, to be sure; and we must not forget them. And just to be realistic, we must recognize that even Christians, while in the imperfect earthly state, still find themselves motivated by such considerations to a greater or less degree. But such motives alone are not gospel at all. The gospel-motive is love and must be primary in the Christian's life, even if vestiges of the law-motive remain. But our goal is to rid ourselves of the latter, and to make love for God alone our motive for obedience.

From “Restoration and the Word of God,” November 15, 1970, pp. 11-13

It is only because the Bible is the Word of God that it can and should be the norm for restoration. If it were less than this, it would have no more claim to authority than any other human judgment or standard. Restorationism itself would be questionable if not precluded—for why should we give any special allegiance to some collection of human opinions and ideas from the distant past and from a distant culture? Thus the divine origin of the Bible is the necessary foundation for restoration. The Anabaptists knew this, and we need to remember it today.

From “The Inerrancy of the Bible,” May 21, 1978, pp. 4-6

One of the most crucial and widely discussed issues facing the church today is the nature of the Bible. At the heart of the discussion is the question of inerrancy. Is the Bible inerrant in everything it asserts? The answer must be yes. This is the only view which is consistent with Biblical teaching and Christian commitment.

The Biblical Teaching

What does the word “inerrant” mean? It means “without error, mistake, contradiction, or falsehood.” It means “true, reliable trustworthy, accurate, infallible.” To say that the Bible is inerrant means that it is absolutely true and trustworthy in everything that it asserts; it is totally without error.

Inerrancy is not just a theory about the Bible or a philosophical concept alien to the Bible, as some critics say. The doctrine of Biblical inerrancy is firmly rooted in the teaching of Scripture itself, where it is both implied and asserted.

The argument for inerrancy is more than a mere inference. It is actually a syllogism, which is a form of argument in which the conclusion is necessarily true if the two premises are true, as in the following classic example: “All men are mortal (major premise); Socrates is a man (minor premise); therefore Socrates is mortal (necessary conclusion).”

In the argument for inerrancy, the major premise is “Every word of God is true (inerrant).” This may rightly be inferred from the very nature of God, since God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). But it is also specifically affirmed. Jesus said to the Father, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). His word is called “the word of truth” (2 Corinthians 6:7; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18).

The minor premise of the argument is “The Bible is God’s word.” This premise is also established both by inference and by direct assertion. It is first of all the proper and necessary inference from the fact of inspiration. All Scripture is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), which means that God himself is its origin and source. He is ultimately responsible for every word. It is His word, the word of God.

In addition to inference, though, is the direct assertion. Scripture is called “the word of God” in Matthew 15:6 (see Mark 7:13); Romans 9:6; and Psalm 119:105 (“thy word,” addressed to God; see throughout the psalm). Even more emphatically, Scripture is called “the oracles (spoken words, ta logia) of God” in Romans 3:2, where the term refers to the whole Old Testament, and in Hebrews 5:12, where it includes the New Testament revelation as well.

Since both the major and minor premises are asserted as true, the conclusion follows by logical necessity. Every word of God is true (inerrant); the Bible is God’s word; therefore the Bible is inerrant. This can be denied only by denying one or both of the premises.

every

word of God is true.

Direct statement

Even if one rejects this solid argument, there is still another point that must be faced. That the Bible is inerrant is not just the necessary conclusion of a sound syllogism; it is also directly taught in the Word of God. Jesus specifically declared that “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

Whatever is written in Scripture is absolute truth; Scripture is the infallible authority. This statement by Jesus is the solid foundation on which the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy ultimately rests. . . .

We should not be surprised at this conclusion [that the Bible is true (inerrant)], since the very purpose of inspiration is to assure the accuracy of the communication God gives to man through His spokesmen. This is the very goal and rationale of inspiration; this is why God inspired the writers in the first place.

Why is the inerrancy of Scripture such a crucial point? If the Bible were no more important than any other book, then it would not really matter. The degree of accuracy in any writing is directly related to its importance. Vacation postcards could contain errors of fact, and little would depend on it. . . . On the other hand, mistakes in military communications and command decisions could be very costly in terms of lives and freedom.

But the most important message of all is the one God is communicating to us through Scripture. It is a matter of life and death, indeed, eternal life or eternal death. These things “have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). Here is a message of such importance that God has not trusted it to fallible memories and understandings. He has supervised its communication so that it reaches us without error.

From Reflections column, “Inerrancy—Does It Really Matter?”, November 7, 1982, pp. 4-6

It is now public knowledge that a considerable number of preachers, teachers, and leaders within the Christian churches (churches of Christ) reject the inerrancy of the Bible. They do not believe that the original manuscripts, as first penned by inspired writers such as Moses, Matthew, and Paul, were necessarily free from errors and mistakes.

This is serious enough, but even more serious is the widely-held notion that it really doesn’t matter whether one accepts inerrancy or not. The point of this article is to show that it does matter. The implications of denying inerrancy are staggering. This can best be seen by asking the question, what else does one give up when he gives up the idea of Biblical inerrancy?

Consistent surrender to Christ

When one abandons the concept of inerrancy, the first thing he gives up along with it is consistent surrender to the lordship of Christ. This does not mean, of course, that anyone who rejects inerrancy is not truly surrendered to Christ as Lord. It does mean that he no longer has a consistent, reasonable basis for such surrender.

Why is this so? Because Jesus himself taught that Scripture is inerrant. His references to the Old Testament record of events and characters show an absolute confidence in its historicity and truth. The written text can be trusted, down to its smallest letters (Matthew 5:18). Jesus specifically affirms that “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35), i.e., its testimony cannot be assailed or shown to be false. . . . In a promise relevant to the inspiration of the New Testament, Jesus told His apostles that the Holy Spirit “will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you”; “He will guide you into all the truth” (John 14:26; 16:13).

Now the question is this: if Jesus taught the inerrancy of Scripture and we deny it, what are we saying about Jesus? There are two choices: either He was deceiving us, or He himself was mistaken. For instance, in Matthew 24:37-39 Jesus refers specifically to Noah and the flood as recorded in Genesis 6–9. Was there really a man named Noah? Did he really build an ark? Was there really a flood? If not, then Jesus has deceived us by His implied acceptance of the Genesis record. Or else Jesus himself thought it was true even though it is not.

If such is the case, why do we still consider this man Jesus worthy of our trust? If what He taught about the Old Testament is incorrect, how can we trust anything else He says? How can we consistently accept Him as Lord and Savior?

An alternative is to say that the Gospel writers were themselves mistaken in reporting that Jesus said such things about the Biblical records. But where would this leave us? If they were mistaken in their reporting about this, how can we trust anything else they tell us about Jesus’ words and deeds? We are back to the main point: once we deny inerrancy, our faith in Jesus lacks a consistent, rational basis. . . .

Let us remember that our faith in Jesus is consistent with reason. It is based on evidence that satisfies the mind. But what becomes of reason when we give up inerrancy and continue to serve and trust a Savior who taught it? Our relationship to Jesus ceases to have a rational basis. It becomes irrational, subjective, and mystical. This opens the floodgates to errors and excesses of all kinds.

Objective basis for doctrine

A second thing one gives up when he gives up inerrancy is any objective reference point for Bible doctrine.

When we accept the Bible as God’s inerrant Word, we must still go through two major steps to determine sound doctrine. The first is textual criticism, which means that sometimes we must decide which among varying manuscripts represents the original text. The second is hermeneutics, which means that we must apply standard rules of interpretation in order to determine the meaning of the original text.

These are no small tasks, but with an inerrant Bible at least we do not have to decide which Biblical claims to believe and which to discard as false. All of Scripture is true and authoritative; it is an objective source and standard of truth. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching.”

But what happens when we give up inerrancy? We are then faced with the infinitely more difficult task of deciding which Bible claims are true and authoritative for doctrine, and which are tainted with error and are therefore useless for doctrine. When a person denies inerrancy, he is saying there are errors in the Bible—somewhere. It is then up to the individual to decide which Bible statements are true and which are false. In the final analysis, where matters of doctrine are concerned, the criterion chosen for deciding between truth and error will be purely subjective. One winds up believing what he wants to believe, and rejecting whatever he does not want to believe as false anyway. . . .

scripture

is the infallible authority.

It should be obvious that such an approach to Scripture destroys its objective authority and pits the subjective opinions of the interpreter over against the claims of Scripture. This leads to a total subjectivism in the area of doctrine, and ultimately to doctrinal skepticism and agnosticism. Confidence in the very concept of truth is destroyed. Doctrine itself becomes less and less important because it becomes relative, i.e., relative to individual preferences. This leads to such inanities as, “We can be right without everyone else being wrong.” One belief becomes just as good as another, since we cannot have complete trust in our sources anyway.

In this connection we may comment on the odd notion that the nature of the original manuscripts is irrelevant since they are no longer available. First it should be recognized that whatever we say about the inerrancy of the originals must also be said about the inspiration of the originals. If we do not know whether the originals were inerrant, then we do not know if they were inspired, either. If it is irrelevant whether they were inerrant, then it is irrelevant whether they were inspired. Let us be consistent. . . .

You see, if you cannot appeal to the nature of the originals, you cannot appeal to the nature of the copies either, since the nature of the copies depends on the nature of the originals.

The keystone of Biblical authority

Finally, when one gives up inerrancy, he gives up the very keystone of Biblical authority.

A keystone is the top piece in a stone arch, the very shape and position of which keep the other stones in place and hold up the arch. If the keystone is removed, the arch falls down.

Inerrancy is like a keystone. Without it, the whole structure of Biblical authority becomes problematic. History and experience have shown that once inerrancy is surrendered, Biblical authority will continue to be eroded, because there is no logical stopping place. The denial of inerrancy is thus likened to a hole in a dike. The hole keeps getting bigger and bigger as the pressures of unbelief get stronger and stronger. . . .

We have seen this happen once in the churches and schools of the restoration movement, in the Disciples of Christ apostasy earlier in this century. I must state my deep concern that we stand today at the threshold of another such disaster. Already, as noted above, a considerable number of preachers and teachers have rejected inerrancy. Thus they have removed the keystone; it is only a matter of time until the arch falls down.

From “Ravi & Me,” March 2019, pp. 42-43

My main advice for Christians in the early 21st century is this: Do not surrender the concept of truth to the pretentious proponents of postmodernism. Objective truth exists, and we can know it. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32, New American Standard Bible). What we believe is absolute, objective truth; the Bible is absolute, objective truth. As the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and given to creatures made in God’s image, every biblical statement has a single correct intended meaning that we for the most part can discern and confidently teach. We must resist the temptation to relativize faith and doctrine, and to elevate experience above Scripture as our final authority. 

Class goes on

A Tribute to the Life and Teaching of Dr. Jack Cottrell

By Tom Claibourne

After a long battle with cancer, Jack Cottrell, 84, passed from earth to heaven September 16, 2022. Dr. Cottrell was a respected professor of theology at Cincinnati Christian University for 48 years, from September 1967 to December 2015. He wrote more than 40 popular theological books and countless magazine articles. Several days after Dr. Cottrell’s passing, Tom Claibourne wrote the following tribute, which appeared on our website. We reprint it here especially for those who did not see the originally posting.

dDuring my final time around a table with Dr. Jack Cottrell at the Christian Restoration Association board meeting in November 2021, it was evident to all present that the voice of this great professor was weakening, even as cancer ravaged other parts of his body. I’m certain I was not the only one in the room that day who deeply mourned the uncomfortable reality that soon his important voice would be silenced.

Since his passing, I’m sure some of his admirers and former students have expressed their dismay that we have lost not only a good man of God, but a strong, biblical voice still so desperately needed in the Restoration Movement and the wider church world.

As a former student and ministry colleague of Dr. Cottrell, I share that concern, but I would also propose a question for consideration: “Is the voice of a truly great teacher ever completely silenced?” I think not. Class simply goes on.

CLASS WENT ON FOR JACK COTTRELL

Jack Warren Cottrell lived most of his life in classrooms. He spent 23 years as a full-time classroom student (it should have been 24—he skipped first grade) and nearly five full decades as a respected professor of theology. In both settings, and elsewhere in life, he was a lifelong learner. And driving his desire to learn was his love for and commitment to truth.

At a presentation earlier in 2022, he explained, “My main motivation for what I do can be summed up thus: my LOVE FOR TRUTH. I have always had a passion for sound doctrine. I teach and write because I believe in certain truths so strongly that I want to share them and convince others to accept them.”

As a result, he knew what he believed and why he believed it—a trait increasingly missing in church leaders today at a time when pragmatism reigns supreme. However, while Dr. Cottrell pursued truth with a passion, he was never afraid to rethink his own theological positions, and he sought always to articulate Bible truths in the clearest possible way.

Several years ago, I showed Dr. Cottrell a chart called “God’s Plan: The Good News of Salvation,” which I developed for my congregation during a sermon series on Romans. <<ABBY, I am putting a scan of this in the pics folder, if you want to use it.>> I explained that my education in his classes was the basis for most of the chart’s content. I asked him to review the chart and to suggest any changes he thought necessary. He contacted me a few days later and assured me he thought the chart was a good tool for personal evangelism and classroom teaching. (That wasn’t surprising, as most of the material came from him.) However, he did suggest I change the wording of one phrase I had taken directly from his teaching. He explained that continued study had led him to believe there was a more biblical way of expressing the point.

Always a teacher; always a student. You see, class went on, even for Jack Cottrell, and so must it be for you and me.

CLASS GOES ON FOR THOSE WHO DIDN’T KNOW HIM WELL

As people look back on Jack Cottrell’s life, I hope they will see that he was far more than just a superior professor and author. Many were not aware of Jack’s winsome spirit, friendly smile, good singing voice, and his sense of humor. Those who knew him well appreciated his humility, generosity, and kindness.

Some will be surprised to learn that Dr. Cottrell’s primary area of focus in high school was his Future Farmers of America program as he prepared for a career in agriculture. That all changed during a late-night conversation at church camp with one of his camp counselors, longtime Kentucky preacher Wayne B. Smith, who steered him toward ministry.

I’m sure we all are thankful that this private, one-on-one “class” took place in a quiet camp dining hall.

Dr. Cottrell typically kept his office door open to allow students to walk in, sit down, and talk. No doubt some of those private sessions had enormous implications, as well. Class goes on.

CLASS GOES ON FOR PREACHERS LIKE ME

Jack Cottrell was a preacher. During both his college and graduate school years he held preaching ministries in five different states, including serving as the first minister for a church plant in Greater Philadelphia while studying at Princeton Theological Seminary. He had a heart for the Lord’s church and remained active in local congregations his entire life.

During a one-week span in 1979, I sat in my first theology class under Dr. Cottrell and preached my first sermon at Bethlehem Church of Christ near Winchester, Ohio, where I continue to serve. On the Sunday after Dr. Cottrell’s death, as I preached from Galatians 3—a full 43 years later—I realized that most of the salvation truths I shared were a result of my time in his classes. His teaching still influences the messages and lessons of countless preachers like me.

CLASS GOES ON FOR BIBLE STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD

Jack Cottrell’s scholarship and teaching have truly shaped generations of preachers, professors, missionaries, and church members, who in turn will continue to carry his voice to future generations. As I look back on Dr. Cottrell’s classes from several decades ago, I now realize he actively practiced the 2 Timothy 2:2 principle of teaching: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.”

His prolific writings—43 books translated into 15 languages, countless articles, printed lessons, informative social media posts, and website teachings—will continue to teach, correct, and train countless people in righteousness. His writings often were scholarly and profound, but many others were written so the average church member could understand and even share the material in a Bible school class or small-group setting.

In some of his final Facebook posts, shared less than a month before his death, he presented the biblical teaching on what happens to Christians after we die. After I mentioned these posts at church one Sunday morning, a woman asked me if I could print a copy of these posts for her. Class goes on.

John Mitchell, Jack’s colleague with the Christian Restoration Association, wrote to me, “If the Lord tarries, I firmly believe a hundred years from now students will be studying Jack Cottrell material.”

CLASS GOES ON AS WE LIVE AND TEACH GRACE AND TRUTH

Grace and truth were the two prevailing themes of Jack Cottrell’s life, as he sought to serve, honor, and proclaim Jesus Christ who was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14, 17). In classes, articles, sermons, books, and even debates, his goal was always to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

Dr. Johnny Pressley, who taught for many years with Dr. Cottrell at Cincinnati Christian Seminary, explained, “Those who said he was ‘dogmatic’ missed how often he prefaced his statements with ‘in my view.’”

However, it was always clear that Dr. Cottrell’s view was developed only after extensive examination of the words of Scripture. As he wrote in his 2018 book, God’s Word Is Truth,

Long ago I made the decision to accept the teachings of the Bible as absolute truth, no matter what the subject, no matter how much pain it causes me, no matter how much I would like for it to be otherwise, no matter if I am in the minority, and no matter how much it costs me.

That commitment is what prompted Kerry Allen, president of Louisville Bible College, to write, “Jack Cottrell had a true burden for truth and grace, which burned within him so furiously that neither popularity, friendship, platforms, nor position would deter him from standing exactly where he understood God had revealed in his word.”

Dr. Cottrell’s known commitment to Bible truth also helped him to slowly transform the Restoration Movement’s understanding of biblical grace, after his teachings were initially met with resistance.

Many of us who studied under him believe his most significant teaching legacy was his life-changing teaching on grace. I am one of countless students who consider his Doctrine of Grace class to be the most important, impactful one I ever took. Over nearly half a century, Dr. Cottrell taught that class more than 70 times, steering generations of students away from the dangerous concept of salvation by works, which saturates most false

religions, and for too long was subtly ingrained in our own fellowship of churches.

Thanks to Dr. Cottrell’s clear and concise teaching, his students have confidently explained God’s salvation process to many thousands more using the simple formula that sinners are saved by grace (the basis), through faith (the means), in baptism (the time), for good works (the result).

Now I ask you again: Is the voice of a truly great teacher ever completely silenced?

CLASS GOES ON, EVEN AFTER THIS LIFE

Since none of us can put into words all Jack Cottrell has meant to the kingdom of God, join me in celebrating the truth expressed by his former student and colleague, Harold Orndorff, just hours after Jack’s transition: “Jack gladly received his justification, he worked on his sanctification, he now joins those awaiting the final glorification.”

Faith has become sight. Our dear brother Jack can now appreciate more fully the “robe of righteousness” given him by Jesus the Lamb, about whom he wrote and taught so passionately. I also know that as his teachings continue to inform and guide us here, his own learning will continue, as well.

I suspect that Jesus, the greatest teacher of all, welcomed our beloved teacher with a commendation—perhaps something like a notation at the top of an exam paper—that said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

Tom Claibourne studied under Dr. Jack Cottrell, served with him on the trustee board of the Christian Restoration Association, and preaches Bible truth each week at the Bethlehem Church of Christ near Winchester, Ohio.

Well done, good & faithful servant.

teaching truth

The Win for Kids’ Curriculum

By Larry Cramer

My two daughters have grown up in church. Whether it’s on a Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, or any other day and time, my daughters have always attended a church experience built just for them. I am speaking of Next Gen programming . . . specifically, kids’ ministry.

Over the years, we have seen many changes in kids’ ministry, including changes to curriculum. While churches have many great options, as a kids’ pastor, I look for curriculum that is Christ-centered, fun, and developmentally appropriate. Questions I ask include these: What activities are offered for each age group? How many supplies do I need to buy? Does the curriculum challenge my volunteers and kids to take “next steps” with Jesus? Is it easy to use? How much time is required to make the curriculum work for us? Does it include worship videos (with lyrics and motions)? Can I share it online? Can the curriculum be used to help partner with parents during the week?

At Christ’s Church of the Valley, we asked all those questions as we searched for curriculum, but we couldn’t find one that seemed a good fit. Everything we looked at was Christ-centered, for sure, but some did not dive deeply enough into what we believed. All of it seemed fun and tried to be age-appropriate, and it all seemed developmentally sound. Most of the choices had great suggestions for activities, but some would have required additional expenditures—quite large expenditures—to gather all of the supplies, and that just wouldn’t work. We also would have needed to spend hours changing the content to make it work for us, so that was less than ideal.

In light of all these things, we decided to start producing our own content. But what does that even mean? What does it involve?

For starters, it meant we needed lesson content writers for each age group. We had to get actors (staff and volunteers, mostly) to help create our videos . . . and a producer to make sure the videos are exactly what we want. We have a video team that films and edits all the videos. And throughout this process there are numerous meetings involving countless hours. All of this ensures we are putting together the best content possible for our kids’ ministry. (By the way, we are happy to share the curriculum we have created, for free, with any other church that wants to use it. For more information on that, see the end of this article.)

By creating our own curriculum, the win for our kids’ ministry is this: We create an irresistible environment so kids connect with Jesus, their friends, and the coaches (CCV’s name for volunteers).

We divide our content into two areas: Early Kids (3-year-olds through first-graders) and Later Kids (second- through sixth-graders). We have separate mission statements for each area.

Early Kids

How we define 'ministry win' for Early Kids: Kids will leave our ministry having discovered Jesus.

STRATEGY:

In Early Kids, we establish the foundation for a curiosity about Jesus and God’s Word, and a foundation for a healthy and enthusiastic relationship with church. We take initial steps toward teaching kids how to be Christ-centered difference makers.

We prioritize a fun experience that inspires curiosity and discovery of the Bible. Examples:

• The program aids coaches in facilitating a fun and integrative experience to spark curiosity and discovery for kids.

• We value and utilize education tactics; however, we resist the traditional “Sunday school” model many churches still use for kids. (Quite simply, church is not school.)

• CCV values transformation over information (or knowledge accumulation). For Early Kids, we emphasize teaching/learning Big Ideas (that is, foundational truths that will set up children for success later, as they discern trusting, following Jesus, and taking “next steps”).

• We prepare guides for coaches (i.e., volunteers) and videos emphasizing that kids understand key concepts of identity, relationship with Jesus, and what it means to follow Jesus, over retaining biblical plot points.

• Bottom line: our weekend experience can only provide moments and opportunities for long-term growth of our kids.

METHOD:

Our content and curriculum is fun, engaging, and simple. It emphasizes that Jesus is amazing and that he loves us. Our scope and sequence for each year’s lessons is simple. We keep the following principles in mind:

• Provide a good variety of Old Testament and New Testament stories or passages.

• When possible, keep our yearly calendar and individual series chronological so that young minds begin to understand that the Bible leads us to Jesus.

• Address topics and themes that are relevant to kids.

• Repeat topics that always bear repeating (i.e., God loves you, prayer and Scripture, obedience, etc.).

• Series should inspire children to be in awe and want to learn more about God’s Word. This provides a thematic foundation to the writing of series content.

• Every series title should be simple, fun, and memorable (for example, “God Beats Fear!”).

• Most series will have an immersive theme, as we play into the sense of awe, wonder, and discovery we teach to Early Kids (for example, “Adventure Quest,” “Pool Party,” “Camp,” etc.).

• Every series has a Big Idea that typically carries through the whole series. For example, “God Is Amazing!”

• Big Ideas should be simple, memorable, and targeted at a young kid’s desire to experience new things, be in awe, and express themselves.

Guides for coaches should follow the same service flow each week to reinforce routine and predictability; this helps kids feel safe and secure. We aim to keep these guides simple, while still including enough activities to engage children in total physical response and fun, and to keep the attention of young kids.

We use teaching techniques that include total physical response and whole-brain integration to help kids understand God’s Word, no matter what their level of comprehension, so they can begin to apply it as they get older. These are the foundational teaching methodologies we lean toward in Early Kids; we use them to set up fun activities, so kids do not feel like they are learning or “in school.”

Written guides are designed to set up coaches to connect with kids, own their circle, actively participate, and challenge kids. We hope to ultimately create a space where coaches can have fun with kids, build relationships, and point young kids to discover Jesus.

Later Kids

How we define 'ministry win' for later Kids: Kids will leave our ministry trusting Jesus.

We will know children trust Jesus when they begin to take these next steps:

• baptism

• worship (they attend weekly and engage in personal prayer and Bible reading)

• serve (both at church and locally)

• share (they invite others to church and tell others about Jesus)

Most of these steps are always in process (as is the case with adults) and will vary with each child. So, we keep in mind that “kids trust Jesus” is an abstract goal. The kids’ coach/volunteer is key to achieving this goal more concretely by providing accountability through their relationship with the child.

STRATEGY:

We prioritize a fun experience that inspires curiosity and discovery of the Bible. Among the ways we do this:

• We prioritize a fun experience that inspires and calls to action (primary actions being “next steps”).

• The program primarily inspires, and the coach calls kids to action.

• We value and utilize education tactics; however, we remember that church isn’t school.

• We value transformation over information

• We seek transformation through fun and relationships

• Bottom line: our weekend experience can provide only moments and opportunities for long-term growth of our kids.

METHOD:

Our content and curriculum is simple and practical, emphasizing how amazing Jesus is and how to follow him. Our scope and sequence for each year is random and topical with these guiding principles:

• Provide a good variety of Old Testament and New Testament stories or passages.

• Emphasize the importance of the Bible to help understand Jesus and follow him. (We use this phrase almost every week: “If you didn’t know . . . the Bible is one big story that leads us to trust Jesus.”)

• Address topics that are relevant to kids.

• Topics should inspire kids to be practical and “go do something about it.”

• Every series has an internal overview “problem” and “answer.” This provides a thematic foundation to the writing of series content.

• Every series has the same, repeatable “main point.” These should be short, simple, and memorable. “Main points” are meant to inspire and call to action (primary actions being “next steps”).

Guides for coaches include the same service flow each week to reinforce routine and predictability; this helps kids feel safe and secure. We aim to keep guides for coaches simple, while still including enough activities to engage in total physical response and fun, and to keep the children’s attention. The guides are always simple, which syncs with our goal and strategy. (They are guides rather than thorough or exhaustive workbooks. Their structure is meant to anticipate and create moments for great discussion.) We acknowledge that having “great discussion” is both art and science, but discussions are essential in achieving the overall goal within the Later Kids ministry.

the win

The win for our weekend experience is this: We create an irresistible environment so kids connect with Jesus, their friends, and their coaches/volunteers.

This is why we produce our own content.

Your church should ask,

"What is our win?"

"What curriculum will help us achieve our win? " 

To access the Christ’s Church of the Valley content for Early Kids and Later Kids, download it at https://open.life.church/partners/ christ-s-church-of-the-valley.

Content from other sources is also available via this open network platform.

Our content is also available via our CCV Kids YouTube page: www.youtube.com/c/CCVKids.

Larry Cramer serves as lead kids pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley, “one church in many locations” in and near Phoenix, Arizona.

FALSEHOOD VERSUS TRUTH

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25).

Through the apostle Paul, God tells us how we are to deal with falsehood and truth in the church. Why is this so important? Falsehood destroys the body of Christ. Truth builds it up. (This may help explain why Ananias and Sapphira were dealt with so severely in the early days of the church.)

“I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law” (Psalm 119:163).

The psalmist demonstrates how we as individuals are to think and feel about falsehood and truth (God's law). Our attitudes are crucial.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Paul tells us how we can put off falsehood: it starts with what we think about. Light (truth) diminishes darkness (falsehood). See also John 3:20-21; Ephesians 5:8-10; 1 John 2:3-11.

THE LOOKOUT

OUR FREE WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY MATERIAL IS AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH CHRISTIANSTANDARD.COM AND OUR “+LOOKOUT STUDY” NEWSLETTER.

To access our weekly lesson material, simply visit ChristianStandard.com in your web browser and select +The Lookout in the main menu.

There you will find the most recent

• Study • Application • Discovery

A new block of related lessons begins every month, so your group can jump in at any time during the year.

Many small-group leaders and participants prefer to receive our lessons via newsletter, which we send out monthly at least 10 days in advance. The newsletter provides a link to a download of the next month’s lesson material all in one easy-to-print pdf. (Send an email including the title “The Lookout Study” to cs@christianstandardmedia.com to be added to our mailing list.)

You have our permission to print as many copies as you need for your group or class, or you can forward the link or share the pdf via email with your friends.

A final thought: Our Discovery questions are designed to foster conversation and “discovery” of biblical truth among groups and individuals with much Bible knowledge or no Bible background. Try it out! It’s free!

christian standard .com

EZRA

IT’S A NEW START

The calendar frustrates us but also guides us. God carved time from out of eternity; he made days, weeks, months, seasons, and years. Surely one reason for such creativity was to give us fresh starts and new beginnings. When Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah helped bring back the exiles from Babylon, they also helped provide to them a fresh start with God. Ezra the Bible teacher led the way in reconstituting the nation of exiles. During January, students will learn of God’s exciting plans for fresh starts, that fresh starts require prayer and fasting, and that they are not always easy. Students also will learn more about the distinctive lives God calls his people to live while in this world.

NEHEMIAH

IT’S ABOUT COURAGE

The root of the word courage comes from the Latin cor, which is the word for “heart.” So, courage is strength of heart. Courage is formally defined as “the strength to do something that frightens you; bravery; strength in the face of pain or grief.” If Nehemiah—the cupbearer of king Artaxerxes and later governor of Judea—was anything, he was courageous. During February, students will learn from the book of Nehemiah about the courage to stand up against all odds, take appropriate risks, deny one’s own amenities, and restore righteousness.

INTERACT

OUR IDENTITY AND OUR CITIZENSHIP

Ted Skiles Thank you, brother Harris, for this timely reminder of our true identity [From the Publisher, “The Struggle with Identity,” by Jerry Harris, p. 2, September/October 2022]. While reading, I was also thinking our identity is greater than any government can give us since our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21) and that God’s mercy has given us new birth into a living hope and grace to which we can look forward (1 Peter 1:3,13). PTL!

Rob Tuttle Very timely and applicable for these times. Great article.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Jerry Owens Your article hits home to the problem of today’s “American church” [Engage, “8 Ways Church Growth Has Reached an Idolatrous Level (Part 2),” by Tyler McKenzie, p. 12, September/October 2022]. People are hurting. When people are hurting, they need people around them to comfort and pray with them. American churches have become more like “country clubs” than “hospitals.” . . . A healthy organism should be a growing organism. Leadership is about touching people’s lives. Jesus didn’t care about “my rights” or “my freedom.” He touched people with his love. First Corinthians 13 is still the answer to church health and growth.

Patty Boswell Your question at the end of No. 5 [“If we really feel called to a certain community, should we do a capital campaign to support the healthy sister churches already there?” ] was so important. There are existing small churches who are swallowed up by multisite campuses, and [there are] areas of the United States where few Christian churches even exist—the Deep South, the Northeast, and Northwest. Supporting small churches by sending families in from the big churches to help renew the existing body and financially supporting church growth in those areas where we have few Christian churches would create bonds of unity in our brotherhood. These steps would also further the Great Commission, prosper the work of restoring New Testament Christianity, allow preachers to actually be involved in the lives of people they preach to each Sunday, and allow for more personal discipling of new Christians. Jesus said, “make disciples.” That’s the bottom line.

‘THE WALTER SCOTT RAP’ GOES ON ’N ON ’N ON ON ’N ON

Nathan A great article, Dr. Beavis [Heal, “Who Are You?” by Wes Beavis, p. 26, September/October 2022]. As a side note, I still have the lyrics to “The Walter Scott Rap” running through my head from when we used to play it on Sonshine FM! Love your work, particularly your message here.

POLITICS IN THE CHURCH

Ron Fraser Thank you Ben Cachiaras for the insightful article [“What’s Wrong with Politics in the Church?” p. 40, September/October 2022]. And a huge thank you to Christian Standard for the courage to publish it. As a Canadian looking in from the outside at American politics, I can’t help but think, Here we go again! Another reason to divide our churches and our beloved Restoration Movement. Ben correctly points out how our fighting over politics makes our message generationally irrelevant. It also makes it interculturally irrelevant, turning the RM into a parochial American movement instead of, potentially, a gift to the universal church.

JESUS WASN’T WHITE?

Russell Kuykendall This just in: Jesus was ethnically Jewish! [“The White-Jesus Myth,” by Jerome Gay Jr., p. 32, September/October 2022]. His commission (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8) was to make disciples and be a witness throughout the world, to all peoples. Northern European peoples were relative latecomers to Christian faith, except for pockets before the fall of Rome in the British Isles and present-day Spain, France, and Germany. Most of northern Europe was not Christian till the second millennium. Meanwhile, the Levant and North Africa had been Christian prior to the rise of Islam for going on a thousand years. European slavery was a reversal of nearly a thousand years of slavery’s repudiation in Christendom. European Modernism, including its anti-miracle bias, was a repudiation of 1,500 years of Christian thought led by theologians based on the Mediterranean.

James R. VanCuren While I am reluctant to comment on an article such as this, clearly only someone who can ignore obvious history and culture could see Jesus as European white instead of a Middle Eastern man of color. This article seems to present a somewhat “woke” application of total White guilt. Of course, the issue needs to be addressed, but I would plead for it to be addressed without the implication of “all us Whites have never been sympathetic or compassionate with the plight of all those people of color” firmness. I would like to have seen the article include recommendations for solutions and/or acknowledgment of the many efforts to evangelize and reach people of all colors. These articles only polarize while today we need acknowledgement of an issue and of further progress toward Jesus’ goal of one body made up of various equally dependent but diverse parts.

MISUNDERSTOOD

Riley Hauser Amazing, Emily! So perfectly worded and something we all understand and feel [“The Ministry of Being Misunderstood,” by Emily Richardson, p. 68, September/October 2022].

INTERACT

(CONT'D)

Jill Walters So true and much needed. Thank you for your vulnerability to share a piece of your amazing journey!

Jessica Childress Thank you for sharing, Emily! Very well said. It’s hard being misunderstood, but God knows our hearts and our true intentions.

‘LEFT TO WONDER’

James Bement, Oklahoma City The article by Osharye Hagood made me cringe [“A Critical Question for Women in the Church: Who Are We?” p. 46, September/October 2022]. We must make room for women to prophesy? We must see that “woman also means prophet, teacher, leader”? . . . Since Mrs. Hagood was careful not to overtly cross any lines or even define the terminology used, we’re left to wonder how far she meant to go. Maybe I’m misreading her intentions; it’s written so as to be rather open to interpretation of the terms involved.

We in the trenches (I’m an adult Bible study teacher, curriculum developer, ministry leader, and deacon) constantly struggle against the incredibly powerful influences of our evil culture. Families are collapsing at alarming rates. Christians look more and more like the world. I know five women (all professing Christians) who are divorcing, or recently did divorce, their husbands. The world tells them they are all powerful and don’t need men. Male leadership throughout the church is under attack. Dear friends, please support, don’t deconstruct, the biblical model for order in Christ’s church. The world does that enough. The Bible honors and respects women, and we all agree they are critical to our churches. They have important roles teaching our children and other women, [along with] a host of other vital tasks, but God has given the men responsibility for teaching and preaching and leadership in the church.

SHARING CS WITH A FRIEND

Jack McCracken I read Christian Standard from front cover to the back cover. I appreciate that I can still subscribe to the print copies. I have some eye issues, and print is easier to read. [Your recent] issue had so many good articles that I would like to buy another copy to share with a friend. Is that possible?

From the editor: Thanks, Jack. You can give a gift subscription to a friend via our website at www. christianstandard.com, then click on “Subscribe.” Or call Customer Service at (720) 598-7377. You can also order copies of any issue, but we have a limited supply of back copies.

For space, length, readability, relevance, and civility, comments sent to Interact may remain unpublished or be edited. We do read them all and prayerfully take them to heart. If we publish your comment, we will try to honestly reproduce your thoughts with those considerations in mind. Where we disagree, let’s continue to keep P.H. Welshimer’s words in mind to “disagree without being disagreeable.”

"Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws."

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