I recently read a post on Pastoralia titled, Why the Bible is Insufficient for Mission. In it he talks about the fact that the Bible is losing relevance in our culture. He says that scripture is no longer seen as authoritative by most of the culture, and if we want to interact with people outside the church we can't rely on people acknowledging the authority of scripture.
When I read that I immediately realized that what he was saying is true. At the same time, I began to lose confidence in what I'm doing here. I started to realize that what I'm doing here just isn't working.
I quote scripture quite a lot on this blog. I even went so far as to write a post explaining why I quote scripture all the time. I'm beginning to understand that if I keep doing that, then the only people who read this blog will be people who share my respect for the authority of scripture. And what's the point of that?
So what do I do? How can I share the message with people who no longer believe that it is true?
The answer he gives is simple. The answer is to live it out. Instead of telling people what the Bible says, we should demonstrate it with our lives and our actions. Instead of telling other people to devote their lives to Christ, we should show them what it looks like to live a life devoted to Christ.
So in the future, I plan to spend less time on this blog talking about theological issues and more time talking about how to live a life devoted to Christ. I'll still touch on theology and scripture, but my goal is to focus on more practical matters.
As always, feel free to let me know what you think.
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8 hours ago
I think the Bible as it is used is definitely not accomplishing much. This is because most people who quote the Bible do so to prove a point and as such try to use it as the basis of or the clincher in an argument. This obviously doesn't work unless the person you are talking to shares your respect for scripture.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible was never meant to prove a point though, it's there to tell a story and the story remains as compelling an life changing as it ever was.
The story of Hosea is just as startling and relevant now at it ever was. Marry a prostitute? Go and get her and take her back after she abandons you and cheats on you again with other men? Forgive time and time again? That is a story worth paying attention to!
I read a woman's testimony who was Muslim and she was reading the New Testament. She started to love Jesus as she saw him, but when it came to the woman caught in adultery she couldn't bear to read further. She knew, as we do not that he had only 2 choices, either condemn the woman as the law commanded and lose her love, but keep his respect and reputation as a rabbi, or pardon her, and lose all respect, including hers. The day she picked it up and finished that story was the day she believed. To her that showed that he was truly God.
The stories are never less compelling, or less amazing, it the sad tendency we have to only quote it it if backs up our opinion that loses people and is no longer relevant.
Tell the story Jimmy, tell it so others can hear. That's what's relevant, the story of Jesus, in and through us, of God come to earth. Today, as well as 2 thousand years ago,.