atonement (fusion series)

our next fusion teaching series was going to be about a four week look at genesis 1-2, but we felt led in another direction.

which means i've had to cram about three months worth of work into about 4 weeks. it's cool, though, 'cause i believe it's the right choice.

anyways - we're trying to be a little smarter about how we do the teaching atlases (specifically in terms of man-hours for angie + norma) so we're using blurb this go-round to see if we like it. the problem, though, is that there's a price-point at a certain number of pages...so i've had to cut some things out.

they're reprinted below if you're curious

Parables, Testimonies, & Prayers

This Teaching Atlas contains several subsections of genres other than (pure) theology. Allow me to briefly articulate my rationale for why (and how) I've included them here.


PARABLES
I've often been bothered by the separation of the church and the academy ñ meaning, it bugs me how 'dumb' we can be in the church.

Once upon a time, theologians and academics helped pastors better understand the Bible, the Gospel, and the Kingdom of God. In turn, pastors would translate that understanding into ways that normal people could understand.

Things don't work like that anymore, though. Typically, pastors only learn from theologians within their own denominations, who own rehearse the pet doctrines of their tribe in increasingly monochromatic tones.

We don't read the whole Bible anymore, and (by-and-large) we ignore the people that do, those who devote themselves to a deepening understanding of the richness of scripture and God's redemptive work in the world.

One of my long-time passions has been reading and learning from the brightest theological minds. I've always tried to take the best thinking available on any given topic and bring it into my regular life as as pastor.

But the more I've invested in theology, the more I've come to understand that we are often incapable of discerning the subtle differences that make the gospel so rich.


To be fair, I think it's impossible to really ìgetî how different something is from what you've always heard in church...and yet also ìgetî how much it is the same all in 30minute chunks once-a-week.



Parables, Testimonies, & Prayers

This Teaching Atlas contains several subsections of genres other than (pure) theology. Allow me to briefly articulate my rationale for why (and how) I've included them here.


PARABLES
I've often been bothered by the separation of the church and the academy ñ meaning, it bugs me how 'dumb' we can be in the church.

Once upon a time, theologians and academics helped pastors better understand the Bible, the Gospel, and the Kingdom of God. In turn, pastors would translate that understanding into ways that normal people could understand.

Things don't work like that anymore, though. Typically, pastors only learn from theologians within their own denominations, who own rehearse the pet doctrines of their tribe in increasingly monochromatic tones.

We don't read the whole Bible anymore, and (by-and-large) we ignore the people that do, those who devote themselves to a deepening understanding of the richness of scripture and God's redemptive work in the world.

One of my long-time passions has been reading and learning from the brightest theological minds. I've always tried to take the best thinking available on any given topic and bring it into my regular life as as pastor.

But the more I've invested in theology, the more I've come to understand that we are often incapable of discerning the subtle differences that make the gospel so rich.


To be fair, I think it's impossible to really ìgetî how different something is from what you've always heard in church...and yet also ìgetî how much it is the same all in 30minute chunks once-a-week.



So...here is my problem:

how do I help our people understand the rich and textured theology delivered by the best and brightest minds in simple enough ways that they ìget it?î

Well, one of the ways that has been very effective over the years is through the use of stories. Consider, for example, the story of the bridge operator whose son is caught in the gears of a bridge.

TESTIMONIES
These testimonials are real, though the names have been changed to preserve the privacy of my friends. They are the brightest spots in my ministry memory. In many ways, they are the reason I first began exploring the richness of Christís work on the cross. Time and time again I would hear people testify to Godís saving work in their lives in simple, yet unfamiliar (evenÖ ëunChristianí) ways. It became obvious to me that God was doing something beyond my theology; so, equally obvious, I recognized my need to dig deeper into scripture to find out what was happening in these lives and how I might increasingly facilitate similar experiences of transformation.

Each of these testimonials has a ìIíll never forget statementî that, in many ways, has been the jumping off point for our exploration of Jesusí atoning work here in the Teaching Atlas.

As you read this stories, consider whether or not they sound familiar to you. Do you know anyone like these people? Have you heard others talk about faith this way?

See, in many ways, everything said here is totally normalÖbut if you look closely youíll realize that the ways these people talk about faith is not the way we usually talk about faith in church.

They have found themselves at-one with God through Jesus Christ.

But none of them ever mentioned that ìJesus Christ died for my sinsî or that ìHe paid the price.î Yet, all of them express deeply biblical and theological truths about Godís reconciliation through Christ Jesus.


I include these stories to demonstrate that God is working through many different streams of at-one-ment.

I include them prior to the theology upon which they are based to reflect their un/familiarity ñ familiar language, but unfamiliar significance. The words immediately ring true, but I had to go find them in the Bible to make sure they were ìsufficientî for salvation.

PRAYERS
These prayers are mine. I wrote them while reflecting upon the different theologies of at-one-ment weíve been studying in this Atlas.

But, thatís not to say they are mine and mine alone.

Quite the contrary ñ like many other prayers, these prayers could easily be yours, if you choose to pray them.

In fact, Iím hoping you will.

They are written in such a way as to invite you deeper into the followership of Jesus Christ; so, if youíve been following Jesus for decades they would be appropriate for you to pray ñ and, if youíve just begun following Jesus, they would still be appropriate for you to use as statements of your engagement to him.

My hope is that you will both pray these prayers (as your own), and pray your own prayers as well. Perhaps your prayers will be slightly ñ or even dramatically ñ different. Regardless, the two prayers taken together may well serve you in your efforts to know him more.

And I encourage you to do so.