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Piper on Prosperity Gospel

For the sake of unity with some of my brothers and sisters in Christ, my rants against "health and wealth/prosperity gospel" teachings are usually subtle. However, as my concerns grow, my restraint to hold back lessens.

John Piper's evaluation is spot on. Thanks Adam.

Question #26: What is your View on Jesus and Culture

Over at Jesus Creed there is an insightful conversation taking place about Jesus and culture. The context for this discussion is the John Stackhouse book, Making the Best of It.

To begin the discussion McKnight breaks down the classic typology of H. Richard Niebuhr found in Christ and Culture. So when it comes to your view of Jesus and culture, which view best describes you?

1. Jesus against Culture: Reject the world and separate from it.
2. Jesus of Culture: Viewing Jesus in terms of cultural values. Interpret culture through Jesus and Jesus through culture.
3. Jesus above Culture: Culture is neither good or bad and God works through a harmony of both.
4. Jesus and Culture in Paradox: We live in both the spiritual world and temporal world and have responsibilities in both.
5. Jesus the Transformer of Culture: Culture is flawed and corrupt, but redeemable. 

A more detailed description of each view can be found here.

Questions 1-25

Holy Spirit vs. Assessments

OK not a fair fight. The Holy Spirit wins! Sort of... (dang!)

What am I talking about? Figuring out your spiritual gifts. Now we could debate which gifts exist and when someone receives a gift, etc..., but that is not my point.

My experience tells me that most people rely on spiritual gift assessments as the primary identifier of their gifts. I have seen some people who identified their "gifts" through an assessment prior to becoming a Christian. Hmmm...I could rant here, but I won't.  Assessments are quick, easy, fun, and they create a really nice, sometimes prideful conversation. Also, once we figure out our gifting, they give us several reasons not to serve in some ways. "I can't share my faith, I am not gifted in evangelism". "I don't usually have people over to the house, I don't really have the gift of hospitality like you do". (OK, I ranted a bit, but I feel better!)

It seems to me like we have things backwards. Assessments should be used to affirm what someone has already learned from personal reflection on God's Word and impression from the Holy Spirit. Any assessment should follow studying God's Word, praying and gaining insight from trusted Jesus loving friends. The discovery of gifting is probably going to take more than 30 minutes, and filling in a few dots on the computer screen.

Listening to your assessment results should trail listening to the Holy Spirit.

Trash spiritual gifts tests? No. I believe they can serve a purpose and help people think in terms of their God given wiring. Combined with proper teaching, they can add insight and propel a person to deeper study.  In fact, I believe that there can even be some value in using other assessments that help us better understand our leadership style, personality, etc... However, no assessment can take priority over God's Word and the Holy Spirit. If you want to know who you are and your part of God's story, ask Him.

I took a quick look to see if anyone else had written about this. Yep. More to think about from Tim Challies.

God's Way

  Are You in God's way or in God's Way?

I am in God's way when I abandon my responsibilities

I am in God's Way when I adhere to His Call

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I am in God's way when I focus on myself

I am in God's Way when I follow Jesus

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I am in God's way when I choose the path

I am in God's Way when I chase His passion

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I am in God's way when I declare what is next

I am in God's Way when I defer to Him

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I am in God's way when I enter talking

I am in God's Way when I exit listening

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I am in God's way when I figure it out on my feet

I am in God's Way when I fall down to my knees

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I am in God's way when I busy myself

I am in God's Way when I become quiet

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I am in God's way when I have the answer

I am in God's Way when I hold to the Truth

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I am in God's way when I dwell in the past

I am in God's Way when I dance in His grace

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I am in God's way when I click the remote

I am in God's Way when I cling to His Word

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I am in God's way when I try it alone

I am in God's Way when I travel with a friend

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I am in God's way when I fold my arms

I am in God's Way when I fly open my heart

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I am in God's way when I reject at first glance

I am in God's Way when I receive after a stare

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I am in God's way when I look like a Christian

I am in God's Way when I live like Christ

Harry Potter and Jesus

Harry Potter is huge. He is global. He and his powers and his story are known by almost everyone everywhere and iinterest continues to grow. The proof is in the bazillion books sold, and highlighted this weekend by the opening of the latest movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The anticipation was great for my 16 year old daughter Bethany who went to the opening last night (this morning) and made it home about 3:30 AM. This is on a school night and her mom is out of town. Is dad a softy or what?

Anyway. Despite his incredible popularity around the world and in my house, despite all that has been written, what I could tell you about Harry Potter would not even fill up a blog post. Why? Because I do not really have much interest in Harry, his magic, or his story. I don't have time, I don't consider it real and it has no relevance for me.

So what does this have to do with Jesus? I believe that there are a lot of people in this world who view Jesus the same way I view Harry. Jesus is not considered real and more significantly in some ways, He is not seen as relevant.

This made me ask the question, "what would it take for me to become interested in Harry Potter"?

I would need to be compelled to hear his story. I think this would happen through someone who is crazy about Harry telling me the story and taking the time to answer my questions. Maybe giving me my own book or taking me to the movie and explaining to me what I am about to see. Then after I've seen it answer my questions.

I don't know. It seems like I am on the verge of being very cliche. Maybe none of the above really applies or makes sense. However, thinking through this has given me greater insight about how some people may choose to ignore Jesus even though they are surrounded by His story.

Jabez and China

According to the Lark News, The Prayer of Jabez has caused great harm to the house church in China. "Chinese Christians used to sacrifice everything for Christ. Now they only want God to bless them, says one Chinese Elder."

OK, the story is pure satire, it's fake, (that's why it's called Lark News), but I think it makes a point that is real.

First there was The Prayer of Jabez, then all the Jabez merchandise, then Beyond Jabez. So, staying with this mood, here is my list of other soon to be released Jabez Books:

• 40 Days of Jabez
• Jabez for Women and you thought I was kidding!
• Jabez for Men
• Jabez for Anything Alive really - I'm not making this stuff up.
• The 5 Love Languages of Jabez
• The Jabez Code
• Jabez your way to a MILLION dollars
• Jabez for Dummies
• The Jabez Diet
• Blue Like Jabez
• Good to Great to Jabez
• Jabez and other J names in the Bible
• Developing the Jabez within you
• Hairy Jabez and the Kidney Stone (Book 1)
• Hairy Jabez and the Chamber of 4 verses (Book 2)
• Hairy Jabez and the Prison Years (Book 3)
• Hairy Jabez and the Goblet of Fire and Brimstone (Book 4)
• Hairy Jabez and the Flight to Phoenix
• Hairy Jabez and The Half-blood Jedi (Book 6)

And coming soon... The Left Behind Jabez series!