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Category Archives: Missiology

Will You Take the Gospel to Families Drowning in Sin?

January 02, 2012   Jared Moore   No comments

On December 31st, a car containing 1 adult and 3 children lost control on an icy road, causing it to plunge upside down into the Logan River near Logan, Utah.  The children were trapped upside down as the water poured in.  As many as 10 passers-by stopped to help the family.  After shooting out the windows, cutting seat belts, and reviving a young boy, the labors of these gracious heroes proved successful.  Although some were airlifted to a local hospital, the entire family survived this horifying accident.  You can read the full details of this amazing story here.

Imagine what would have happened if these passers-by didn’t stop.  What if these heroes were too busy to care about this family?  We would be reading a sad obituary instead of a heroic tale of salvation.  Christian, the sad reality is that you and I pass by sinners on a daily basis who are drowning in their sin, and we have the only thing that can save them: the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately, we often are too busy to care, consider, notice, or even ask whether or not these human beings have experienced the wonderful saving grace of Christ.  As Christians, we live in a world full of families who are drowning in sin.  Instead of providing a laundry list of excuses, we need to act like the heroes in the above story.  We must lovingly, intentionally pursue the lost, as if Jesus Christ is their only hope, for this is exactly what He claimed in John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”‘

So, the next time you interact with another human being, ask yourself if he or she is submerged upside down in sin, drowning while “safely” buckled in by his or her worldview, as he or she unknowingly drowns into eternal death.  Pray for God to shoot out the windows, cut off the worldview (safety belt), drag these dead sinners from Adam’s river, and breathe salvation into them through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ in their stead; while realizing that God has determined to get the gospel to the nations through His church: Christians (Matt. 28:18-20).

Will you take the gospel to families drowning in sin?

Interpret Culture with the Same Method You Use to Interpret Scripture: Why I Wrote the Harry Potter Bible Study

December 10, 2011   Jared Moore   1 Comment
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This article was originally posted on Speculative Faith.

I recently wrote a book titled The Harry Potter Bible Study: Enjoying God Through the Final Four Harry Potter Movies.  The writing of such a Bible study poses a question: “Why would a conservative Christian Pastor write a Bible study intertwined with a book and movie series that obviously contain evil elements?”  This is the question I hope to answer here.

To summarize, I wrote The Harry Potter Bible Study because I’m trying to encourage Christians to approach their cultures with the same method of interpretation they use when reading Scripture.  I believe Christians should be consistent.  Please allow me to explain.

The Bible, even though it is God’s perfect Word, contains evil elements.  These elements are recorded so that readers and hearers will know the definition of evil and how God’s wrath is kindled against it.  In other words, these evil elements are provided so readers will know that man has a sin problem which makes him God’s enemy (Rom. 3:23; James 4:4); and yet, God reveals His love for His enemies by sending His only Son to redeem sinners from His own wrath (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10).  In most cases in Scripture, God provides the discernment for the reader by judging evil immediately or by speaking of its coming judgment.

My point is that just because various forms of media contain evil elements, doesn’t mean that they are entirely evil.  If the Bible can contain evil elements without being evil, then other forms of media can contain evil elements without being entirely evil as well.  The mere presence of evil doesn’t make something evil, for evil is clearly present in Scripture.  It’s the reaction to evil that determines whether a form of media is entirely evil or not.  Whenever evil is argued as good or acceptable, then media is making an evil argument that directly violates Scripture.  But, if Christians recognize this argument as evil, then they still may participate in media unto the glory of God by exposing and rejecting this evil argument.  Furthermore, whenever media presents something that is evil and calls it evil, Christians can recognize God’s fingerprints, for evil can only be rightly called evil in light of His perfect goodness/holiness.  The Light of the world exposes the darkness (2 Cor. 4:4-7).  Christians know the “Why” (God), the Reason why certain acts are evil and certain acts are good.  Therefore, when we participate in media we can enjoy God because we know media presents evil as evil and good as good because there is a moral law pressing down on all humanity from the Law Giver (Gen. 1:1; John 1:3-4).  Moreover, even when media presents evil as good and good as evil, Christians can recognize the fingerprints of the Fall, the fingerprints of Satan, and reject them; which is exactly what God does throughout the Scriptures as He judges evil.

Before we continue, let me be clear, I AM NOT saying that other forms of media are equally God’s Word with Scripture.  The Bible is the only special revelation Christians possess.  Of course, God reveals Himself through conscience and creation as well, but these are not infallible or inerrant (John 1:3-4; Rom. 1).  What I AM saying is that some evil does not necessarily corrupt the whole form of media; for if the Bible can contain evil elements and not be evil, then other forms of media can contain evil elements and not be entirely evil as well.

The difference between Scripture and other forms of media is that in Scripture God has largely provided the discernment for us.  He doesn’t merely tell us that David committed adultery and murder, He also records His sending of the prophet Nathan to rebuke David (2 Sam. 11:1-12:23).  He also records His own direct judgment against David in taking His son’s life, as well as, prophesying of His future judgment concerning the sword being active in David’s kingdom among his children (2 Sam. 12:10-23).  On the other hand, when it comes to Christians participating in media, we must provide the discernment.  No one will provide the discernment for us.  This is true of all of our participation in this evil world, not just in our participation in media.  We therefore must bring Scripture to bear on all aspects of culture: our jobs, education, media participation, politics, morality, family, etc.  My contention is that if we bring Scripture to bear on media as we participate, it’s no different than God bringing His Word to bear on the various evils in Scripture.  In other words, if Christians approach evil and good in their cultures the same way God does in Scripture, they will participate in media unto the glory of God.

Like God has revealed in His Word, we must hate evil, love good, and connect truth to its Author: the Triune God of Christianity (Gen. 1:1; John 1:1; Rom. 8:9; Col. 1:16-17).  All truth is God’s truth and all lies are Satan’s lies.  Therefore, Christians must reject Satan’s lies while connecting all truth to God through Christ in light of the Spirit of Truth.  As Christians participate in Harry Potter and other forms of media, they must ask three questions: 1) What must I reject because it goes against God’s Word?  2) What must I accept because it is in full agreement with God’s Word, including its connection of all truth to God through Christ?  3) What truths are presented that are hanging in midair that I must extract and connect to God through Christ in light of the Spirit’s work through the Word of God?  If Christians answer these three questions in light of Scripture, they will participate in their cultures in a distinctly Christian manner.  I wrote The Harry Potter Bible Study to train Christians to approach all forms of media in this distinctly Christian manner.

My question for those who are against participating in Harry Potter is “If a Christian rejects the lies and connects the truth to God through Christ, why can’t they participate in Harry Potter?”  I ask you this because it is possible to even read Scripture in a way that doesn’t honor God.  For example, in reading the story of David, it would be displeasing to God if you read about David’s adultery and contemplated how gratifying it must have been for his flesh when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and thus how gratifying adultery would be to your flesh as well. To dwell on such things from Scripture as if they are meant to be enjoyed is evil.  If you reject the evil, you can enjoy God’s holiness in light of David’s poor example.  Thus, I’m contending that you should participate in media the same way.  You should reject the evil, extract the truth, and connect it to God through Christ.

My final question(s) for those who believe Harry Potter should not be participated in is this: “If you and I approach Harry Potter the same way God approached David’s sin, what’s the difference?”  If we agree with God concerning evil while also agreeing with God concerning good, and we seek to understand these truths in light of Christ’s creating, sustaining, and redeeming work (Col. 1:16-17), why shouldn’t we participate in media that contains evil elements?  If we reject the evil, just like we reject David’s evil acts, and we qualify the good with Christ’s creating, sustaining, and redeeming work just like we qualify David’s good with Christ’s work, why shouldn’t we participate in Harry Potter and other forms of non-Christian media?

The Harry Potter Bible Study: Enjoying God Through the Final Four Harry Potter Movies

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Keep Exalting Christ Tim Tebow: A Response to Kurt Warner’s Functional Vanity

November 30, 2011   Jared Moore   3 Comments
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I love watching Tim Tebow play.  I love watching him because he’s excellently unpredictable. I never know what he’s going to do, if he’s going to get sacked for a loss, throw a hail mary pass, or run for a 25 yard touchdown.  Plus, he often looks like the guy down the street playing football. Many children or grown men can watch him and think “How does he do that” while also thinking “I could do that.”  

Furthermore, from a Christian perspective, he seems to understand the purpose of football, the purpose of all things: exalting Christ/enjoying Christ.  The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31  wrote, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  Eating and drinking make up the basic foundation of life.  If you don’t eat and drink, you die; therefore, from the foundation of life to everything else, humans must do all things for God’s glory.  In agreement, Solomon argued that when creation is enjoyed apart from God, all is vanity (Ecc. 1:2)!  Solomon continued, “Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun (Ecc. 2:11).”  Is there anything worthwhile in life?  Solomon’s point, which the apostle Paul echoes in 1 Cor. 10:31, is that creation and life are vanity, “grasping for wind,” when they are disconnected from the Triune God of Christianity.  Solomon summarizes his point in Ecclesiastes 2:24-26:  

24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God.This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

So, biblically, the people who are wrong in our society are not those who refuse to bow down to the culture, those who live out the fact that God owns this world.  The people who are wrong are those who believe life can be enjoyed apart from God.  Those who refuse to submit to God through Christ in light of the Spirit’s work through the Word of God, are those who pursue vanity.  In other words, Tim Tebow is not a weirdo, everyone else is.

Isn’t it amazingly terrible how even Christians are tired of hearing about Jesus in the public realm?  Listen to the advice Kurt Warner, a fellow Christian, had for Tebow:

“You can’t help but cheer for a guy like that,” former NFL star Kurt Warner said. “But I’d tell him, ‘Put down the boldness in regards to the words, and keep living the way you’re living. Let your teammates do the talking for you. Let them cheer on your testimony.’

“I know what he’s going through, and I know what he wants to accomplish, but I don’t want anybody to become calloused toward Tim because they don’t understand him, or are not fully aware of who he is. And you’re starting to see that a little bit.”

“There’s almost a faith cliche, where (athletes) come out and say, ‘I want to thank my Lord and savior,’ ” Warner told The Arizona Republic. “As soon as you say that, the guard goes up, the walls go up, and I came to realize you have to be more strategic.”

Warner continued, “The greatest impact you can have on people is never what you say, but how you live,” Warner told The Arizona Republic. “When you speak and represent the person of Jesus Christ in all actions of your life, people are drawn to that. You set the standard with your actions. The words can come after.”

I realize that Warner’s argument is a popular one in evangelical Christianity.  The problem is that the gospel is a message, not a lifestyle (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Cor. 15:1-4).  In Jesus’s day, Paul’s day, the most outwardly moral people were the Pharisees, and Jesus called them hypocrites (Matt. 23:13).  The problem with merely “living the Christian life” as an evangelistic strategy is that no one knows the reason “Why” you live this way, unless you tell them!  Furthermore, if Christians only enjoy creation while never telling people that we’re enjoying God through enjoying creation due to the reconciling work of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit’s work through the Word of God, we’re communicating to our observers that we’re just like them.  Morality is not what ultimately separates Christians from non-Christians, Jesus Christ is.  In other words, what separates Christians from non-Christians is the “Why” behind our morality, not merely our morality.  We enjoy life not because life is enjoyable, which is why non-Christians enjoy life, but because God is enjoyable through life, and He has crucified and raised His Son from the dead to reconcile us and His sinful creation to Himself (Col. 1:19-23).  Having been reconciled to God through Christ, Jesus is the only Reason Why Christians can enjoy God through creation.

In conclusion, Tim Tebow is correct, Jesus Christ is the source of all his gifts, and not only his gifts, but the giftedness of all professional athletes (Col. 1:16-17).  All things were created by Jesus Christ and for Jesus Christ.  To deny this reality or to be silent about this reality is functional Atheism.  In other words, to leave Christ out, the Source of all of life, the only Person who makes professional football not vanity, is . . . well, vanity!  in order to be accepted by a godless society, Tebow needs to “sneak the gospel in somehow through his life,” or, he needs to “wait until someone asks him?”  You won’t find this in Scripture.  Kurt Warner should be ashamed for advising Tebow to speak as if God doesn’t own the public realm of our society.  Tebow, keep exalting Christ every chance you get, for your/our God owns this world, and to live or speak as if He doesn’t is vanity.

What are your thoughts?

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Christians Must Plunder the Egyptians for Their “Gold” and “Silver”

October 27, 2011   Jared Moore   No comments
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As Christians participate in the media produced by God’s fallen image-bearers, they must be on their knees worshiping God through recognizing His fingerprints. In the words of Augustine, Christians must plunder the Egyptians:

For, as the Egyptians had not only the idols and heavy burdens which the people of Israel hated and fled from, but also vessels and ornaments of gold and silver, and garments, which the same people when going out of Egypt appropriated to themselves, designing them for a better use, not doing this on their own authority, but by the command of God, the Egyptians themselves, in their ignorance, providing them with things which they themselves, were not making a good use of [Exod. 3:21-22; Exod. 12:35-36]; in the same way all branches of heathen learning have not only false and superstitious fancies and heavy burdens of unnecessary toil, which every one of us, when going out under the leadership of Christ from the fellowship of the heathen, ought to abhor and avoid; but they contain also liberal instruction which is better adapted to the use of the truth, and some most excellent precepts of morality; and some truths in regard even to the worship of the One God are found among them. Now these are, so to speak, their gold and silver, which they did not create themselves, but dug out of the mines of God’s providence which are everywhere scattered abroad, and are perversely and unlawfully prostituting to the worship of devils. These, therefore, the Christian, when he separates himself in spirit from the miserable fellowship of these men, ought to take away from them, and to devote to their proper use in preaching the gospel. Their garments, also,—that is, human    institutions such as are adapted to that intercourse with   men which is indispensable in this life,—we must take and turn to a Christian use.[i]

Evangelical Christians must train themselves and their children to plunder pagan media for the “gold” and “silver” and put them to Christian use.  Instead of living as if sinful humans live outside of our God’s world, Christians must live in response to the fact that God owns everything in His world, creates and sustains it, for the purpose of mirroring Him. Yes, this image of God in man is fallen, but still mirrors Him nonetheless (Gen. 1:26; Col. 1:16-17).  As Christians recognize this image of God in pagans, they may take this mirror, separate it from sin, and add the creating, sustaining, and redeeming work of Christ to it as the only Answer for the sin problem. In the words of Augustine, we must reveal the “gold” and “silver” these pagans dug out of the mines of our God’s providence.  We must not cower beneath the Egyptians (world) as if they own us, for in reality, our God owns them. They live in our God’s world, and part of the culture war for Christians is to reveal this reality. So, do not fear a Lady Gaga, an Eminem, a Harry Potter, a Twilight, etc., but rather expose them. Use these various image-bearers for the purpose of worshiping the Triune God who gave His only begotten Son to redeem sinners and sinful creation.

What are your thoughts?

[i] Marcus Dods, ed., The Works of Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo: A New Translation, Vol. IX – On Christian Doctrine; The Enchiridion; On Catechising; and On Faith and the Creed (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1892), 76.

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T.D. Jakes to be a Participant in the Elephant Room Round 2

September 28, 2011   Jared Moore   8 Comments
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Mark Lamprecht at HereIBlog has an excellent examination of James MacDonald’s and Mark Driscoll’s decision to include T.D. Jakes in the Elephant Room Round 2 DVD series.  He concludes:

As I see it, there is cause for concern over giving Jakes a platform with Evangelical Christians. It would be great if Jakes were loving confronted on his positions with Scripture so he can clearly say what he means. Even if it could be shown that Jakes is now Trinitarian it would seem from the few examples listed above that he is not carrying out the pastoral duties of the role which he claims to fill.

When it comes to T.D. Jakes and Elephant Room it seems there is a lack of discernment when it comes to association.

Click here to read his entire article and argument.  

What are your thoughts about T.D. Jakes’ participation in the Elephant Room DVD series?

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