Be Steadfast & Immovable
We’re going to look this Sunday at Paul’s grand inference on the doctrine of the resurrection. How should that reality break in to our everyday experience? By being steadfast and immovable. We want to further strengthen you to stand through one of two upcoming opportunities because odds are you feel like you don’t know how to help others apply the gospel to life or you don’t actually have a biblical worldview. Let me explain.
A Weakness in Helping Relationships
The stream of the Christian tradition we swim in is especially good at study and doctrine. I think that is a commendable strength, to wrestle deeply with Scripture, synthesizing how it works together to convey a comprehensive understanding of God’s revelation. However, bringing that strength to a personal conversation where a friend pours out her anxieties and fears? That is an adjacent skill set. One that I think many Christians feel ill-equipped in.
And the upcoming Paraclete Fellowship course “Helping Relationships” sets its sights directly on equipping Christians like you to have conversations like that. You may have heard us talk about “biblical counseling” and the “Christian Counseling & Education Foundation” and thought, “Yeah, that’s not me. I’m not a counselor. I’m just a mom/engineer/church member/fill-in-the-blank.” But so much of “the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58) takes place in everyday conversations where a Christian faithfully brings the Bible to bear on the topic at hand. Call it counseling, evangelism, parenting, discipleship—it is all essentially the same task. In prayerful dependence on the Spirit, you apply Scripture to life’s situations.
Deepen your footings, bringing the certainty and power of the resurrection to bear on your life so that you might abound in the work of the Lord by joining Pastor Zach and others for a ten-week bootcamp this summer.
And the upcoming Paraclete Fellowship course “Helping Relationships” sets its sights directly on equipping Christians like you to have conversations like that. You may have heard us talk about “biblical counseling” and the “Christian Counseling & Education Foundation” and thought, “Yeah, that’s not me. I’m not a counselor. I’m just a mom/engineer/church member/fill-in-the-blank.” But so much of “the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58) takes place in everyday conversations where a Christian faithfully brings the Bible to bear on the topic at hand. Call it counseling, evangelism, parenting, discipleship—it is all essentially the same task. In prayerful dependence on the Spirit, you apply Scripture to life’s situations.
Deepen your footings, bringing the certainty and power of the resurrection to bear on your life so that you might abound in the work of the Lord by joining Pastor Zach and others for a ten-week bootcamp this summer.
A Deficient Worldview
My second comment above about not having a biblical worldview comes from research done by the Barna Group and Arizona Christian University. Through their work, they have identified that while 66% of Americans self-identify as Christians, only 6% of that group has a biblical worldview. Worse is that their same research shows only 37% of American pastors have a biblical worldview. By “biblical worldview,” they mean respondents think and act like Jesus. It is further defined by “seven cornerstones”:
You may read that list and say, “Hey! I believe those things!” But do they shape your decisions? Your values? And they very well may—praise God! But do you know how to talk with your neighbor who grew up Lutheran but has a “Love is love” sign in his yard? Do you know why such a sign would even be a thing? Where did that idea come from? Do you know how to talk with your kids about that sign?
The Colson Fellowship, starting in August, aims directly at addressing such worldview issues. Come to my house Saturday morning for an hour to learn more about this opportunity (RSVP to me or Kelina). Deepen your footings, bringing the certainty and power of the resurrection to bear on your life so that you might abound in the work of the Lord by joining me, Kelina, and others in engaging with the Bible and the ideas that shape our culture over nine months of study and discussion.
Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed. That’s not just an emotional high for one Sunday a year. That’s true today. And it makes all the difference.
- An orthodox, biblical understanding of God.
- All human beings are sinful by nature; every choice we make has moral considerations and consequences.
- Knowing Jesus Christ is the only means to salvation, through our confession of sin and reliance on His forgiveness.
- The entire Bible is true, reliable, and relevant, making it the best moral guide for every person, in all situations.
- Absolute moral truth exists—and those truths are defined by God, described in the Bible, and are unchanging across time and cultures.
- The ultimate purpose of human life is to know, love, and serve God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul.
- Success on earth is best understood as consistent obedience to God—in thoughts, words, and actions.
You may read that list and say, “Hey! I believe those things!” But do they shape your decisions? Your values? And they very well may—praise God! But do you know how to talk with your neighbor who grew up Lutheran but has a “Love is love” sign in his yard? Do you know why such a sign would even be a thing? Where did that idea come from? Do you know how to talk with your kids about that sign?
The Colson Fellowship, starting in August, aims directly at addressing such worldview issues. Come to my house Saturday morning for an hour to learn more about this opportunity (RSVP to me or Kelina). Deepen your footings, bringing the certainty and power of the resurrection to bear on your life so that you might abound in the work of the Lord by joining me, Kelina, and others in engaging with the Bible and the ideas that shape our culture over nine months of study and discussion.
Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed. That’s not just an emotional high for one Sunday a year. That’s true today. And it makes all the difference.