Comments on: The Gospel of Jesus http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/ moving towards a missional mindset Fri, 18 May 2012 12:15:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tom Rees http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1501 Tom Rees Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:57:56 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1501 I’m coming to realize that there is a huge difference between having someone acquiesce to a set of propositions and surrendering to a King. People must be led to follow Jesus, the risen and living Lord not a system of belief. This is what has been missing at my church. The emphasis is on following and understanding a set of ideas rather than following Jesus moment by moment. But let’s face it, you can’t control Jesus. He leads you God knows where. A set of ideas is controllable, definable, fixed, unmoving dependable, we can get our hands around them. But to follow a Person we can’t see, why that is like trying to follow the wind…EXACTLY! (John 3) Brad, this site really encourages me…I have sent it to many of my friends. I’m coming to realize that there is a huge difference between having someone acquiesce to a set of propositions and surrendering to a King. People must be led to follow Jesus, the risen and living Lord not a system of belief. This is what has been missing at my church. The emphasis is on following and understanding a set of ideas rather than following Jesus moment by moment. But let’s face it, you can’t control Jesus. He leads you God knows where. A set of ideas is controllable, definable, fixed, unmoving dependable, we can get our hands around them. But to follow a Person we can’t see, why that is like trying to follow the wind…EXACTLY! (John 3)

Brad, this site really encourages me…I have sent it to many of my friends.

]]> By: Brad Brisco http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1497 Brad Brisco Sat, 25 Aug 2007 01:56:33 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1497 Ted, yes I agree. I hope to post a bit more from this chapter tomorrow that speaks more to your point. Ted, yes I agree. I hope to post a bit more from this chapter tomorrow that speaks more to your point.

]]> By: Ted M. Gossard http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1496 Ted M. Gossard Sat, 25 Aug 2007 01:44:20 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1496 This does set me to thinking. Our lives as God's people need to really be living out the truth of this gospel. I'm afraid that while such gospel presentations can be used of God, and are- they can cut us off from the richness of what God has revealed and is doing in Christ, as revealed in the story ongoing to this day. This does set me to thinking. Our lives as God’s people need to really be living out the truth of this gospel. I’m afraid that while such gospel presentations can be used of God, and are- they can cut us off from the richness of what God has revealed and is doing in Christ, as revealed in the story ongoing to this day.

]]> By: Brad Brisco http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1494 Brad Brisco Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:11:20 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1494 Georges, also if/when you get the chance would you share just a line or two about evangelism in other parts of the world. I heard you say once that the way we do evangelism is neccesary where the gospel is being lived out. True? Georges, also if/when you get the chance would you share just a line or two about evangelism in other parts of the world. I heard you say once that the way we do evangelism is neccesary where the gospel is being lived out. True?

]]> By: Brad Brisco http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1493 Brad Brisco Fri, 24 Aug 2007 15:09:41 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1493 Georges, great point! Those that are "converted" by the bullet points then read and understand the story differently. And yes "the gospel is too precious" to be summarized by 4 bullet points or a formula. Georges, great point! Those that are “converted” by the bullet points then read and understand the story differently. And yes “the gospel is too precious” to be summarized by 4 bullet points or a formula.

]]> By: Georges Boujakly http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1491 Georges Boujakly Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:59:42 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1491 Cameron, The Orthodox grew with the story from their infancy as it is told often and on special occasions: Baptism, Lord's supper, weddings. That is the story is the liturgy they have adopted. Special classes are held when children get older, but it is never bullet points. The Orthodox peoples of the world thrive on narratives of the past. Cameron,

The Orthodox grew with the story from their infancy as it is told often and on special occasions: Baptism, Lord’s supper, weddings. That is the story is the liturgy they have adopted. Special classes are held when children get older, but it is never bullet points. The Orthodox peoples of the world thrive on narratives of the past.

]]> By: Georges Boujakly http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1490 Georges Boujakly Fri, 24 Aug 2007 01:55:25 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1490 Hear, hear, Brad. A further problem is that the one converted by the bullet points does not usually learn to read the stories and see himself in them. So when the bullet points shelf life for sustaining his faith run out, he is lost and cannot find his way. The gospel is too precious to summarize. We must know it all. It's like giving someone a minute part of a huge diamond. He can only see a bit of shine. If he learns to look at the diamond with all the angles that dazzle, how much more will he appreciate it and relish in it? Hear, hear, Brad.

A further problem is that the one converted by the bullet points does not usually learn to read the stories and see himself in them. So when the bullet points shelf life for sustaining his faith run out, he is lost and cannot find his way.

The gospel is too precious to summarize. We must know it all. It’s like giving someone a minute part of a huge diamond. He can only see a bit of shine. If he learns to look at the diamond with all the angles that dazzle, how much more will he appreciate it and relish in it?

]]> By: Ariel http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1485 Ariel Tue, 21 Aug 2007 23:52:08 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1485 Thanks for posting this quote. I'd heard Miller share the Omar story in a talk, but I didn't know he wrote about it at length. I need to get this book... Thanks for posting this quote. I’d heard Miller share the Omar story in a talk, but I didn’t know he wrote about it at length. I need to get this book…

]]> By: Cameron http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/comment-page-1/#comment-1483 Cameron Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:09:41 +0000 http://missionalchurchnetwork.com/the-gospel-of-jesus/#comment-1483 "...the greater trouble with these reduced ideas is that modern evangelical culture is so accustomed to this summation that it is dificult for us to see the gospel as anything other than a list of true statements with which a person must agree." Great point, and a great post. It seems to me, in my limited understanding, that this way of looking at the Gospel is very much a Western problem--born out of the Enlightenment and rationalism. I wonder how the Eastern church would address this issue... “…the greater trouble with these reduced ideas is that modern evangelical culture is so accustomed to this summation that it is dificult for us to see the gospel as anything other than a list of true statements with which a person must agree.”

Great point, and a great post. It seems to me, in my limited understanding, that this way of looking at the Gospel is very much a Western problem–born out of the Enlightenment and rationalism. I wonder how the Eastern church would address this issue…

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