talking politics...sort of

By Steve

I write this simply because it was on my mind. It's not a candidate endorsement. It's littered with assumptions and leaps and things left unexplained. Still, I know some will read this and say, what?...what is Steve thinking now. But I write anyway because to me, this is interesting.

Some polls have predicted that Obama will win the presidency. So let's assume he wins. Gasp! Let's also assume that we believe this:

It is God who raises up leaders and removes leaders. He gave moses, Joshua, Solomon and others prominence, credibility, and authority in the eyes of the people. For you proof texters, see Exodus 14:31; 19:9; Joshua 3:7; 4:14; 1 Chronicles 29:25

and what about this Proverb:

The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 21:1, King James

So give me the idea that God raises up leaders...and leaders for such a time as this (whatever time it might be). Let's also assume that this line of thinking could be applied to the USA presidency (a stretch in my opinion, but deal with it for now).

So let's say Obama does become president and to some degree God raised him up for such a time as this. Why?
Well here's I've been thinking. Some say Obama is a liberal socialist. I don't know anyone who says that and means it in a good way. And what about redistribution of wealth. And how about care for people...all people?

And maybe we don't agree with how Obama wants to go about each of these things and more, but. Here's the but. When I listen to the things that Obama speaks of, much of what he says seems quite similar to the things I speak about. Similar to the things I read in the Scriptures about the Kingdom of God...here, now on earth. Similar to the way I believe we are to live as followers of Jesus (I just experienced a moment of fear, thinking about what some of you are now thinking of me as you read this. So, certainly not everything fits into what I'm saying, and I'm not done writing yet, and I told you at the beginning that there would be leaps, assumptions, things left unexplained...and that I just wanted to share something).

So could it be...assuming that we here in America are living today quite far from God's hope for his people, far from his Kingdom if you will...that God has (assuming he wins) raised up Obama to give us a glimpse, well, a Kingdom model of living?
A glimpse of what it could be like. What a community could look like if we served each other. If we shared our resources. If we looked out for each other. If those that were blessed used what they had to help those that were less fortunate. If, when we saw someone in need, we didn't pass by on the other side of the street or turn our head away, but did what we could to influence the life of another human. And for all of God's creation.

Of course it's not about Obama, but about God. It's not about politics, government or Obama's policies, but about Jesus and his way of life that brings us to God. It's not about being forced to live this way as might be the case under Obama's plans, but by choosing to because we believe its right. And it's about hope, not the hope read about in Obama's book, but about the hope described in God's book. I'm just saying...wondering...could God be helping us to see through this political medium, in some small, warped way, what his Kingdom could look like?

I don't even know how I answer that, but its interesting to me...assumptions, leaps, vague explanations and all.
What do you think?

Bill's Story

By Steve

I met bill several weeks ago in downtown San Diego.  He was very thin, involved in economics and "green."  We bonded immediately and I took bill with me everywhere.  After a few days, I sensed that bill would be better off with someone else, so I passed him on to a friend.  

By Steve

Here's the deal.  My frustration.  Probably the reason for yesterday's blog.  I cannot give hope.  That may not surprise you, but it does me.  I want to live, communicate, teach, etc. this way of faith and life and Christianity that gives hope.  But I can't.  Well I can live it, communicate it, teach it etc. but that doesn't mean I'm giving it or that people will grab hold of it.  

By Steve

In Memory Of:


It was several years ago at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert that I first sensed that one day I would adopt a child. Steven and his wife had recently adopted their first child from China, and they told their story during the concert.


Now, years later, they have adopted 3 children and have established a ministry called, shaohannahshope.org to help financially support others in their adoption pursuit.

Sadly, tragedy struck their family yesterday. At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman, was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

Meet Maria

It was on this same day, yesterday, that Ali and I learned that we indeed can move forward in our adoption of Perez from Uganda. We are thrilled by the news, but I find it ironic that the man who first most influenced me to adopt loses a child the same day I learn that I may gain one.

Today, my thoughts are not on Perez, my heart is grieving for the loss of Maria and the hurt in the Chapman family.

By Steve

I have taked a reading hiatus from "surprised by hope," this week. I continue to chew on the first 100 pages I have read.

What is the Christian hope? Is it smoke and mirrors or something real? Have we understood correctly what it is we hope for - who we hope in? Have we accurately portrayed this hope, the real hope, to others or do I just try to make people "feel good" in this troublesome life?

These seem to be big questions to me. Good questions. Hard Questions. Actually, they're necessary and easy questions, the answer is what's hard.

Are you (am I) willing to consider such questions? Saying yes means you may come up with a conclusion other than what you've clung to in the past. That scares some people. It excites me.

So I move forward in reading this book (you should read it too), and re-think hope, heaven, resurrection and the mission of the church I'm excited and look forward to being surprised.

Surprised by something real. Meaningful. Biblical. True. Something worth living for.

By Steve

"Surprised By Hope," by N.T Wright



I am really enjoying this book (although its quite rare that I ever dislike a book). It continues to challenge, and change, and shape, and help and inspire my faith.


The subtitle is, Rethinking heaven, the resurrection and the mission of the church. Not really big or important topics, but they interest me. Ha. As I have worked through the first 100 pages, mostly about the resurrection, I have realized how hard it is going to be to re-trace the pages I have read...so I am going to tease with a few quotes and maybe add a few thoughts of my own. I still believe this is a book worth reading, and if you're an N.T. Wright fan, it is one of his best (and I feel the same even if you're not a fan). So...here we go:

"surface discrepancies do not mean that nothing happened. Indeed, they are a reasonable indicator that something remarkable happened." This is a reference to Easter and the resurrection.

"Jesus ushers in not simply a new religious possiblity, not simply a new ethic or a new way of salvation, but a new creation." Without exploring what this means (the book does), what are the implications. What does it mean to be a new creation? That can be troublesome. You may like the current you. You may think you're beyond repair. You may be intrigued by the concept, but don't know the way forward. You may think new creation is more than you're interested in. At this juncture, "we are the Israelites standing on the shore of the Red Sea. Behind are the forces of skepticism: Pharoahs gang, mocking and shouting that they're coming after us. Ahead is the sea, representing chaos and death, forces that nobody else has ever claimed were beaten." We cannot go back, but how do we move forward? Forward in the way of Jesus, in new creation, Kingdom living...embracing the fullness of what these things mean?

This brings us back to the book title, Surprised by hope. What is our hope? "Hope is what you get when you suddenly realize that a different world view is possible." "In the absence of real hope, all that is left is feelings. Persuasion will not work because we're never going to believe it. What we appear to need, and therefore what people give us, is entertainment." I wonder if we have presented a good, something to live for, kind of hope when we speak of Jesus, and faith and the gospel? And I'm not talking about hope in going to heaven. But something more. I think there is a lot to chew on this paragraphs quote...is there really a different worldview to see things from (we will wrestle with this a bit in our next teaching series, "what are you talking about)? And if that worldview is not realized (meaning absence of real hope), then Jesus and faith and Christianity are things that we will not persuade people into...and we may just resort to entertaining people religiously. Think about all the "Christian" entertainment, from rock concert worship services and big events to TV and radio...we Christians are becoming good at offering entertainment...but are we giving hope?

"there is a clash between a worldview that allows for a God of creation and justice and worldviews that don't." "When something doesn't fit within the paradigm you're working with (this is analagous to the scientific method), one option at least, perhaps when all else is failed, is to change your paradigm." This is where we may be surprised by hope. A change in paradigms. A change in worldview. Moving past a bad or incomplete faith and entertainment to a life giving hope. And this is not a hope of progress, or the hope that Obama speaks of, or the hope that all your dreams will come true. But more on this later.

Something remarkable did happen on that Sunday of resurrection. It changed things. Maybe we don't understand it in all of its entirety. Maybe there are some discrepancies in the story, things we find hard to reconcile. And maybe we need to allow that to be okay, and pause for just a moment and consider our worldview. Because that remarkable happening way back when is able to do something remarkable still today. And I don't want you to miss it.

To be continued...

By Steve

Thoughts on Surprised By Hope, by N.T. Wright.

This book is dangerous. Timely. Helpful. And I love it! But let me say, it's not for everyone. It will challenge pre-conceptions and shake up some of your cherished doctrines (though they will be put back together in a way that will give passion to your love for God).

The other day I was challenged by my "church planting coach" to work out what it means to accept Jesus, to be saved, to be (a) Christian. This challenge came from a lengthy conversation we were having where we found many points of aggreement but diverged from time to time as well. He issued the challenge, because it's important to him (and to me) that we know what it is we are asking people to do. What is the gospel Citywalk is preaching/living and how do others enter into it. He knows enough about me that alter calls and 4 spiritual laws don't fit into my way of answering his questions. But he also has never heard me articulate what I do believe.

He also said that many young pastors he works with refuse to clearly describe these issues at all. They just want people to hang out with Jesus. And since my coach is "old" and "old fashion" in their opinion (neither of which are true), they don't respond well to his questions (I often find myself not responding well either, but not on this issue of salvation). So he has challenged me to work this out, in part for me and for the church, but also to help others struggling with similar things. I accept.

That's why this book is so timely. The subtitle reads, Rethinking heaven, the resurrection and the mission of the church. These are a few of the most important issues to consider if I am to personally work through what it means to follow Jesus. You can't rethink your approach to sharing the gospel if you're not willing to rethink some of these things. I think that's why so many are fuzzy on what this entire "become a Christian" thing is all about. Some may continue to cling to tired old theologies and just want fresh ways to refer to them. It may be true though, that our theologies inform our methods...so both must be looked into.

This is also what makes the book dangerous. If you're quite happy with your current beliefs and can effectively share them with others...that means people want to listen, and they are interested and attracted to what you are saying and they want it for them too...then don't read this book. But if you're like me, a bit frusterated and fed up with how people speak of faith, and proclaim to have become Christian but live effectively no different, then you must read this book. But reader beware, if you're not willing to open your mind a bit to things that may at first read seem wrong, then don't read this book.

Here's to a good journey over the next few Thursdays (or Fridays) together. Open your mind. Open the book. Open your wallet (just kidding). And be open to a more Biblical, helpful and dangerous way of trusting and following Jesus.

By Steve

"Do you want a couple bucks for a coffee?"

I was out early this morning, standing on the corner next to Starbucks when this kind man offered to buy me a coffee. I declined. But why the offer. It was early, I was unshaven and had some really great bedhead...but did I look needy or was he just being kind.

It's Ash Wednesday today. The day that we begin to abstain from certain things in preparation for Easter (I know, there's more to it than that).

I really enjoy living in the city. Occasionally it has its downsides (I may never get used to stepping over feces or the ongoing sounds of sirens) but mostly its great. Monday morning I woke up and witnessed a wreck, right in front of my condo (all were okay). Tuesday I woke up and walked directly across the street to vote. Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, I woke up and was offered a coffee by a complete stranger.

But something about living in the city really hurts. I witness so many living life in a direction away from God. It hurts. After declining the coffee, I made my way through the Gaslamp to pray. It was early, but the city was already a buzz...with clean up efforts. Today is not about Ash Wednesday, it is about recovery from Fat Tuesday. And Fat Tuesday means party time downtown. As I walked around, witnessing the frenzy of clean up occuring...you know, making things look right and okay before exposing yourself to the rest of the world, I wasn't thinking about puke piles and street sweepers...I was thinking about people.

People like me and you, who have made a mess of our lives but clean up each morning before we go out so we appear presentable. Maybe it should be okay to step outside every once in awhile and have someone offer you a free cup of coffee...if you know what I mean. Help is okay.

But even more. Many could use a good cleansing. Not a shower. Not biologically. Something more than that. I don't want your life to be a wreck. I don't want your life to be a pile of crap. I don't want your life to be a mess.

Ash Wednesday matters. It has meaning. It is my hope that this first day of the next 40 can begin a clean up effort for you. Not just abstaining from something that inflicts you (like me and coffee). I hope you find yourself longing for something this next month unmatched by any other longing you've experienced. And may you find yourself satisfied. Satisfied by this person we call Jesus and the Way that he invites you into.

By Steve

By Steve

Thinking Church through Campaigning, Quitting, Winning and Money

I believe it's broken. Broken things need to be thrown away or repaired, I would take either. The process by which we elect our countries president seems absurd to me. Not so much that we all get to vote, but how our vote is fought for.

The candidate with the most money may not necessarily win, but when money runs dry candidates quit. Does anyone else think its disgusting how much money is spent on winning your vote? Do candidates buy their way into the whitehouse? Could it be that the candidate who can produce the biggest show for the longest period of time sway the masses to his/her camp simply by mass marketing?

I believe the candidates really do care about "the issues" but could winning (or not losing) be just as important? The whole thing seems so shallow. The person with the best hair, best eyes, best tour bus, best slogan, best suit, best speech, best smile etc, will make the biggest impression and that person will win...whether the best person for the job or not.

It's sad to me when I hear about a friend considering ending the dream of starting a new church because money was gone (millions are wasted on getting my vote). It's somewhat upsetting while one church considers closing another down the street is spending millions on themselves. Big churches have learned how to campaign if you will, winning over people to join them. You may not think anything wrong with this...but at what cost. Who is winning? Who is quitting? And what has happened with all of the money?

Of course I wouldn't ask a wealthy, leading candidate to fund his competitors campaign...but they are on the same team. And I'm not necessarily suggesting that churches with money should help struggling churches. Use your money as you like. I just wonder what may happen if we all lived with a greater sense of generosity. Where winning/succeeding didn't rule. Where more didn't mean better. Where candidates and churches alike worked together.

It makes sense to me.

By Steve

WARNING: If you hold pastors on a lofty pedastal, the following will help to correct your perspective.

I failed today. I already messed up my New Years resolution. Sort of. It was actually one of my goals not my resolution, either way I failed. So just where did this perfect pastor lose his way? I found myself lured back into Starbucks for a morning coffee and pastry. Maybe not so tragic to some, but it is a big deal. That stupid green queen has an attractive pull that I cannot resist. Even as I walked towards the store I found myself saying I shouldn't go in. But I did. As I sit here typing and drinking, I'm wondering why I still sip against my own will. I will regret it soon as my stomach hurts, my hands jitter, and my waiste line grows. And next time I see my online banking I will regret having given the barista my debit card.

Quitting is so hard.

Why did I buy that coffee, go out with that girl, look at that website, say those words, think those thoughts, light up with anger, and so on...

I resonate with the writer of Romans when he asks, "Why do I do the things I don't want to do." There is a gentle line in the wisdom of Proverbs (26:11) that says, "as a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly."

I am a fool.

While I was standing in line, against my own will, I began to realize that this was more than just failing at a goal, it actually was going against my resolution. I don't want to spend money on coffee tasting prune juice. It was not good use of my time to stand in line with the 20 others (I actually did count) hoping to find a morning rush of yumminess. And so I resolve again today. No Coffee.

It seems that we often ask big questions about God. You know, like why do bad things happen, but are we willing to ask them of ourselves. Could it be more helpful to ask the questions of ourselves than of God. Why do I do bad things, or passively stand by while they happen. We could ask (and I believe we often do) why is it that God doesn't do the things that I want him to, or we could ask why it is that we don't do the things that God wants us to do. Perhaps if we work on the second part, the first may look different. Perhaps.

I have many ideas why we keep returning to our vomit (and in fear of sounding cliche) I believe that it is precisely at these times that we need to pursue God either individually or better yet, with our faith communities. What is it that I look for in this brew...how could I find that in God? Could it be that God is far more stimulating than a caramel machiatto?

What I am certain of, is that few of us need to be called a fool. I don't need to be told that I failed or that I am wallowing in vomit again. What may be the best theological thought stimulant of this page...we need to be people willing to go into the vomit for the sake of helping each other out, then stand together to help keep each other from returning.

(apologies for oversimplifiying)

By Steve

3000 copies of a new book were handed out for free by the Barna group, an organization that studies and researches spiritual trends. I don’t read books from the Barna group because they are usually filled with stats and survey practices and quite frankly, are not good reads (although “Revolution” by George Barna was an incredible exception). So I caught myself by surprise when I walked into Borders to purchase the book because I was not one of the first 3000 to request my free copy.
Not surprisingly, it is a more typical Barna book, but I continue to read. I just finished a section that was describing peoples perception of church and it took my mind back to a place where it spends plenty of time…making sense of church.
The emphasis of this section was that people found church to have little meaning. They eloquently stated this with phrases like: out of tune, lacking vitality, insulated from thinking and living in a bubble. These are the perceptions people who are not part of the church have of the church.
What’s sad is since this is the perception of the church, it is also the perception of what it means to be a Christian. It’s what people think of Jesus. It’s no wonder so many people could care less.
What matters? I have a thought. If we are too change these perceptions, we shouldn’t look at changing the church but each of us that are the church must change. If these perceptions are true, then is me who’s out of tune, lacking vitality, insulated from thinking and existing in a bubble…and it’s you too fellow church goer. If these perceptions are to change the bubble must be popped. We must be willing to ask hard questions about God and faith and life and our culture…and we must put forth the work required at answering some of these questions. We must not be boring, but alive and full of life. And we must not just be in tune with our own Christian concerns, but with what is really going on in our world.
But I also want to suggest that these perceptions may also reflect some problems with people that hold them. Maybe we are in tune with what really matters. Maybe people who have sought vitality and life in other places besides God cannot understand how I find life in something different than their pursuits. Perhaps we are thinking and working through hard questions, but are just not given the chance by these perception holders to talk with them. Maybe some have created an anti-God bubble that they exist in, and the fact is is that they are in a bubble too.
Truth is, whether or not I can make sense of any of this, I care deeply about what people are perceiving to be true about God and faith and the church. And the best way to help this perception is for me to work through what it means to be Christian, and live it out the best I possibly can. So maybe I’m not a huge Barna fan, but he has got me thinking again today about things that really matter to me…even if I did have to pay for it.

By Steve

Making sense of prayer:

Sorry, I am not going to really make sense of prayer, but someone has been praying for me for 30 years and her prayer is beginning to make sense. Maybe its better to watch prayer work itself out than it is to try to understand prayer.

When I was very young, a lady in our church, Mrs. Carleton, began praying for me. She prays for many people, each of us in the same way. She prays the words of the Psalm number that match your birthday. My birthday is on the 2nd day of the month, so she prays words from Psalm 2 for me. Year after year she has sent me birthday cards reminding me of this, telling me she has been praying and specifically what for. She tells me often that what God puts on her heart through this Psalm for me is that one day I will have ministry influence across the nations. Okay I would say, as a teenager growing up caring mostly for football and girls and trying to live up to as cool as I thought I was.

I never really understood what this prayer meant or would ever mean. Now I see it working itself out.

Citywalk is a church in San Diego. People from all over the world come here, and I talk often with people from far places. It is my hope that Citywalk will influence people from abroad. I just returned from Africa. Yes, I got to ministry across the nations, but it is only the beginning. We are now in the works of starting a microlending partnership, I am working on the early phases of a Christian leadership development school for Ugandan pastors and leaders, from our work while in Africa, we hope to get sponsorships for over 200 children which houses, feeds, educates and gives limited health care (for just $35/month) and we (Ali and me) are now pursuing adopting the boy that we have been sponsoring, Muwanguzi Perez. Who knows where all this may lead one day, but I believe that 30 years of prayer is beginning to make sense.

By Steve

Does God still speak? I believe yes. But what is he saying? How do you discern his voice? How can I know that It's just not my own thinking? I'm not sure! And I think most of us have a tendency to complicate this. Some attribute most everything to God, others give him little credit. We seek God's will (voice) on things God may care little about...like careers and colleges to attend and what team to bet for. Because we so actively seek God's voice, we may not be too receptive to listen when we don't seek...God may have things to say to us about things we are not currently considering. And we so often make up our mind on things before ever seeking God, that maybe we seek God for affirmation than we really do for direction. Anyway...

There is this passage in 1 Kings 19 where God is speaking to the prophet Elijah. I think you should read it, 19:10-18. God tells Elijah to go stand on a mountain because the Lord is about to pass by. Of course Elijah went, I wouldn't want to miss that either (but I probably would have missed it because I would have spent too much time trying to figure out if it was God who told me that or not). While Elijah was there on that mountain, there was wind, an earthquake, a fire but no God. Then came this gentle whisper...It was the Lord, and Elijah and the Lord had a conversation.

Maybe one way to get at the voice of God, and help in discerning it is to listen for it in the quiet (a Psalm 46:10 "be still and know I am God" sort of way). It may be harder to hear the voice of God in the chaos, in the turbulent times and when tempers, personalities or issues flare. Elijah was a prophet and he heard the voice of God when things finally calmed down.

I for one believe that God is speaking to people loud and clear these days on very real issues. Social justice, the war, the environment and homosexuality to name a few. It is my belief that the one's that really speak from God, using their prophetic voice over their own conviction or anger or frustration will speak from a similar heart as Elijah. They will be concerned that people have left the ways and heart of God. They will yearn to bring people back to God more than they will want people just to agree with their perspective. They will speak with humble conviction, believing they represent the heart of God and are not just seeking to be right or affirm their positions. And when others knock us down, we will see little reason to defend or argue because we will not take opposition personally.

Revolutions are rarely welcomed with open arms. They can be painful for some and disruptive for most. It is my stance that Jesus came to earth to begin a revolution and as followers we are to join him in this mission. In his tact, and heart, and compassion, and peace-bringing, and love, and honesty, and etc. We are not starting a new revolution or our own revolution (and we must be cautious and exercise wisdom here) but joining Christ in his. Which of course brings us back to the first few questions of this article.

By Steve

A quote:
My thoughts on atonement today are not mine at all, this entire entry are words by Scot Mcknight:

The first understanding of Jesus is a complex story of both personal redemption and ecclesial (church) recreation: it is the story of liberation from sin and oppression so God's people can live in the new community just as they were designed by God to live. Jesus' mission to establish the kingdom, a society in which God's will would be done, is why he dies. He understands his death as the atoning work of God to create a society , an ecclesial community, in which God's will could be done. He came to liberate his people from their sins and the world's unjust systems. He accomplishes that liberation by entering into enemy territory (sin and enslavement), by being captured to the point of death instead of and for the benefit of others, and by escaping from that captivity through the resurrection.

This begins to get at the heart, the point and the purpose of atonement...and it's much more than just a theory...or something to believe.

So just what is it, and what does it mean to live it?

See you next Thursday!

By Steve

If you have been following the last couple posts in this section, you know we are talking about the theological concept of atonement. This issue is one I think about more than most, it's confusing, frustrating and often seems so incomplete. It's also at the heart of basically everything of what it means to be a Christian, so I want answers (well, pursue answers at least). Answers to what it means to be human, what is sin, why did Jesus have to die only to rise again, how does this satisfy my sin, our sin and evil, what does it mean to now live in light of this.

Moreover, how might atonement look different to different people. If we are generically human, we may end up with a generic idea of atonement, but as we all know, we are not generic, we are unique individuals with radically diverse backgrounds so a generic understanding of atonement will not do.
What does atonement mean for a white male suburban kid whose parents are wealthy, and whose needs have been met, for the Mexican American female immigrant, for the kids in Africa whose parents have died of aids, for healthy people, sick people, disabled people, rich people and poor people. And even if the red and yellow black and white are all precious in his sight (and brown), we would be fools to approach each person in the same exact generic way.

I've noticed something. I grew up hearing that salvation, atonement was all about Jesus paying the penalty for my sin. Sometime during my early college days, a well known pastor and college president wrote a book about making Jesus Lord. This stirred controversy. Do we believe in Jesus or must we also make him Lord? Now, many who are around my age seem not care about either, and are much more interested in the idea of the Kingdom of God and the mission of Christ. I am one who appreciates this emphasis, but it is not wise to abandon other important things as we take on this "new" emphasis.

See, to me it seems that atonement is about all of these things, for everyone. Depending on our uniqueness, we may enter at different points and in fact may never consider some things (I may never really think about freedom from oppression for me while others may look mostly to this) and this needs to be okay (Just don't try to make your emphasis fit on me). Along the way, I confess that their was an Adam and he did sin. This sin started a cycle of death. That cycle was stopped at the cross with Jesus. But this "moment" of atonement did not end here. There was resurrection, another moment. The cross ended death, resurrection welcomes new life. As an aside, us Kingdom emphasizers would do well to remember that the death and resurrection of Jesus will always be an integral part of our story...don't leave it out (just as we cannot stop at death and payment of sins...there is no good news without new life). There is also pentecost, and the church and so on.

I'm going to stop here because I think I've made a mess of what I'm trying to say. So I publish with reservations but I will continue to pursue what lies at the heart of being a God followe... living in light of the atonement.

By Steve

More than the magic in Harry Potter or the xxx of The DaVini Code, McKnights, A community called atonement captures ones attention ignites our imaginations. And not just into the mystical or to Mary and the Chalice, but straight into the heart of God. A theology book does this. As it should. But enough book reviewing, on to atonement chatter. Almost.

I confess that I approach this conversation carefully because I am walking in the land of (theological) giants. I choose to join them but am also very well aware of lacking qualifications. But then, who is (or perhaps isn’t) qualified to pursue and speak of the things of God…theology. Onward.

Where we begin shapes where we end up. My (theological) upbringing was shaped around (began with) me being a sinner. This of course ends up with the “penal substitution” theory of Atonement, that God being holy cannot ignore human sin so there must be punishment. Jesus paid the price of that sin for me and I’m forgiven (simply stated). I have never really disagreed with this, but for some time it has felt incomplete. Could there be other places to start from (these could include death and immortality, love and evil for example)? Where might that take us? And how may we consider the atonement if we could start from every possible place rather than just one? Hopefully, and I believe it to be, we would end up with a fuller, better, more accurate understanding of the gospel (good news for real this time) and a faith that really transformed life…one that we would count as helpful and meaningful.

And this cannot be done in isolation. It must come in community. The gospel is meant for families, for friends and for entire communities. It may be that atonement is about creating communities of faith wherein God’s will is done and lived out. This isn’t the entire story of atonement, but part of the story is about the community of faith and how we carry on the mission of God.

It is in discussions such as these that I cannot help but wonder about salvation. What are we saved from, to and for? Answers only including heaven and hell are inadequate. Salvation must include a here and now and a there and then element. It is about life and about life after. Therefore (and certainly for many more reasons the giants would bring up), we would do well in our theological pursuits to consider more starting points. Being willing to expand upon our, probably too limited, perspectives/opinions/beliefs, and gain a more beautiful picture of God ourselves, this world and how it all fits together.

By Steve

The bathtub in our guest bathroom rarely gets used. Until this week. I noticed, while using another bathroom amenity, that a spider has taken up residence in the tub. It has been there all week and probably thankful for the lack of use by me. When things are not used for sometime, they are forgotten, become useless or used by and for something not originally intended. Before long we may wonder if the tub has any value or if it works. Perhaps the only way to find out is to hop in, turn the water on and wash the spider down the drain (or pick it up and gently place it outside).

I am not going to jump into the tub, but I am going to dive head first into a topic that probably needs to be cleaned up, washing the filthy (wrong) parts down the drain and hopefully uncovering some beauty.

Atonement.

The good news of Christianity, our gospel, is that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God really did atone for our sins. Of course, as with all beliefs there are several views of atonement theology. Some lean heavily on the Christus Victor theme, a belief that on the cross Jesus has won the victory over the powers of evil. Some focus more on the "personal" aspect of atonement, referring the judicial or penal elements. For now, the particular views are not what matter, for something more significant bothers me.

While the atonement offers good news, it finds itself in the company of bad news. The bad news, maybe more a question, is does atonement (any theory) work? In other words, does forgiveness of sins, the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, this reconciled relationship with God, the atonement...does it really transform the individual? Are Christians any better? Any different? Than before the effect of atonement.

To this I say the answer must be yes. At least the possibility. The atonement ought to make a difference in the here and now. And it can. Whether it has or not in the past, and how it might now and onward are things to be discussed here. Just not today.

(ideas for this post stream are influenced by N.T. Wrights, Evil and the Justice of God and Scot Mcknights, A Community Called Atonement)

By Steve

For God: John 3:16

On Sunday, September 9^th at the Citywalk service, I spoke on these first two words of John 3:16…For God. The take away of my message was that we should consider the first things first, getting right that this grand story of life that we find ourselves in stars God as the main character. Each of us has a place, even a significant role in the story, but we are not the lead role or main attraction (although many of us have a tendency to draw as much attention as possible to ourselves).

Since Sunday, a few things have troubled me. While few sermons are ever exhaustive, some lack too much. Today I feel compelled to make some additions to my previous words about the place God has in our lives.

1. I am not talking about making God a priority. We prioritize things like work, exercise, hobbies and the like…in my opinion, God should not find himself on a list like this (or any list for that matter). God is not in the same category of say, our jobs. It would be quite odd, yet common, to keep placing God on the top of our priority list in the morning only to have him knocked off at some point during the day due to some pressing issue or concern, then lay in bed at night sensing the need to re-prioritize. This is a game I would rather not play or invite others into. Rather than prioritize God, it may make more sense to consider our priorities in light of our love for God. He is not on the list, but all things on the list should be wrapped up in the perspective of a Godlife.
2. While I think it’s important to get first things right first, it may not be absolutely necessary. I do believe we will struggle with much of our understanding to the truth of the gospel if we do not first get that its not all about me. Making God in our image, or fitting him into our desires/wants, or God being my co-pilot concept as the bumper sticker proclaims…well these views will not do. There is a personal redemptive quality to the atonement (atonement theories are many, I’ll say more on them another day), but the atonement, or work of the Christ on the cross was not just to “save” “me.”

But even if we don’t get all this right first, not all is lost. In fact, I could think of many friends where this (God in his right place, but not as a priority) came some time later in their journey of faith. So let me encourage you, if you are seeking truth and the way of Jesus, press on…even if you’re not so sure about God.

3. Finally, it must be possible to get many things right while getting this first thing wrong. I can imagine someone communicating brilliantly but not understanding sentence structure. I know a great piano player who doesn’t know a thing about music. And I think you can love your neighbor, serve others, pray (for example) in ways that God intended and not really get the God thing right.

Eventually, in our pursuit of truth, God, we will come to recognize that the world does not revolve around me or anyone else. When we get this first thing right, for God, other things will begin to make more sense. Things like the rest of John 3:16, that this God, whom the whole story revolves around…the star of the show, now turns his attention to me; he loved, gave, and offered life. And isn’t this what many of us work so hard to find, real love and acceptance along with a life worth living, one with purpose and fulfillment where we feel our existence is making a difference.

For God is where its at. Where it begins.

By Steve

A thought on church...
If you build it, they will come...so say some. When speaking of church, it seems to work. When my church in Reno built its first building, the attendance doubled grand opening weekend. There was a second large growth spurt when we completed the second phase.

A couple of years ago, I was speaking to a realtor who lived in Orange County. She told me that she attended Mariners church in Newport Beach (Mariners is a huge church and had just completed a massive building project). I asked why she chose Mariners and she simply stated, "it's the nicest church in town." You can't expect people who live in multi-million dollar homes to attend a shabby church she asserted. We have nice homes (inside and out), cars, home theaters and so on, and we want to feel at home (comfortable) when we go to church. This is no secret, pastors and architects know this so they design and build to please.

On one level this makes sense. I'm not suggesting its good or right, it just makes sense. I don't go looking for the worst of things. I don't really like mediocre. And I'm prone to upgrade like the rest of you. But there is another level (if not many other levels) at where this is troublesome. Should the church build the best that money can buy? Should people be telling others that they attend because its the best church in town? Should we be surprised, or even impressed, at what millions of dollars can achieve in church architecture?

And I have another problem. When something is the best, most popular and trendy, it seems that nearly all of us want in. Sure, some probably still use a typewriter, have a cord on the phone and carry a boombox on their shoulder, but most have determined there is something better. And it's not just a computer, but a mac or Dell, it's the iphone and ipod. And its not the old ipod but the newer video one that we all "have" to have. But when it comes to church, it doesn't really work.

I said build it and they will come, but will they really come? A church may double, but there are still many more people not coming than are. And if a particular church really is the best...the upgraded model, how come we all don't go? Instead, few attend (relative to a cities population). I'm not sure how much big new buildings and fancy everything really impress people when considering church. Of course they attract many people who attend other churches close by, people who see the construction, read the newspaper articles and receive the flyers...people who decide they want a new model (I wonder how many small churches close when one mega church opens?), but I'm not convinced that the millions of dollars put into structures is the way forward for the kingdom and message of God.

At the heart of it, I want to (and I want others to) be in love with the Creator God and speak passionately about him and what it means to have life in Jesus, the Christ. Forget about all the talk about the building.