The Story of God

An incredible spoken word piece by Matt Papa. He does an excellent job of capturing the storyline of all human history and connecting it to this present moment. As he says, "it's a story like no other, it's a movement you can't undo."

Poverty and The Gospel: Part 2-Gospel of the Kingdom

Before we start digging into how the gospel relates to poverty, I want to start with a bigger question, "What did Jesus come to do?" What were the intentions of his ministry? Most of this will be based off of a post I wrote a little over a week ago, The Intention of Jesus, which lays this out a little more thoroughly. I'm going to try and be brief.

The reason many of us don't see poverty as a gospel issue is because our view of the gospel is too small. Either we (reformed folks) limit the gospel to justification by faith (which don't get me wrong, is absolutely central to the gospel. Yet, the gospel is bigger and effects more than just our individual standing with God) or, we forget this central tenant of the gospel (justification) and move on to the social issues that Jesus cared about. Last post we saw that both extremes are misconceptions.

To look at what Jesus came to do, I want to let him answer the question himself.

"Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.'" Mark 1:14-15

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Luke 4:18-19

I'm going to try and be brief here. A couple big picture takeaways.

First, Jesus came proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom. In other words, the good news is that God's kingdom is at hand. God is reclaiming his rule and reign. He gives the call to repent and believe, because in reclaiming God's Kingdom, he is calling us to turn from our own little kingdom of self-autonomy. Jesus came inviting us to be a part of God's rule and reign, wherein we live under the love and righteousness of our Creator.

Second, as seen in Luke 4, under God's rule and reign (The Kingdom of God), all things are being set right. Look at all the comparatives he gives in Luke 4. The poor are receiving good news, the captive is set free, the blind see. At the heart of God's rule and reign is the restoration of humanity. Under his rule and reign, all things are being made right again. This is because under our own rule and reign (self-autonomy), we are really ruled and reigned by sin. Under the curse of sin, everything is distorted. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Therefore, if under our own self-autonomy, everything is jacked up, I propose that under God's rule and reign, EVERYTHING is being made right. In other words, Jesus came to restore life.

To get a glimpse of what God intends life to be like, we need to look at Scripture. The place we will look at primarily will be the Creation account, because this was the only time when life was unhindered by the Fall. Genesis 1 and 2 are the only times in human history where humanity itself wasn't distorted by our own self-autonomy.

Two Things Jesus Knew

"Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisee's fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day." Mark 2:18-20

Some people like to think that Jesus was just a good moral teacher; a really nice guy who was a great leader. This passage reveals a couple things that Jesus thought about himself. He knew who he was, and that he was going to die. 

Figuratively, Jesus knew he was the bridegroom. He was the Son of God and the awaited Savior. He also knew the reason why he came. He came to die. The culmination of his mission was to defeat death by dying a substitutionary death for his people. When you read the gospel's this way, listening to what Jesus thought and knew about himself, the stories make much more sense. His whole life,  his eyes must have been fixed on his mission. He wasn't aimlessly living life trying to help people when he could. He was on a mission; he had a purpose. He was much more than a moral teacher. He was and is the Savior of the world. 

Ministers, Not Messiahs

A great quote from Bishop Oscar Romero. This is a helpful reminder to me that ministry is God's work. It is something he is doing. I simply have the privilege of participating. It is a work that is far beyond me. It doesn't depend on me and my performance. I don't have to be a messiah. I am a minister of what God has done, what he is doing, and what he will do. He is the master builder and messiah.

"It helps now and then to step back and take the long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetimes only a tiny fraction of that magnificent enterprise that is God's work.

Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. 

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the Church's mission.

No set of goals and objectives includes everything. 

That is what we are about. 

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. 

We lay foundations that will need further development. 

We provide yeast that will produce far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.

This enables us to do something and to do it very well. 

It may be incomplete, but is is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and to do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. 

We are the workers, not the master builder; ministers, not messiahs. 

We are prophets of a future, not our own."

Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death-Defying Missions

Here is David Platt's full message from T4G 2012. I encourage you, find an hour to listen to this. It is well worth it.

Pastors: Leading Their People to Death-Defying Devotion

"A high view of God's sovereignty fuels death-defying devotion to global missions"


"Pastors who believe that God is sovereign over all things will lead Christians to die for the sake of ALL peoples"

Just a couple opening quotes from David Platt's message he delivered at Together 4 the Gospel (T4G). I haven't read any of Platt's books (although I plan to) nor have I listened to much of his stuff, but from what I have heard, I love this guy and his passion for the gospel.

Being a Christian is intrinsically linked with mission. A legitimate belief in the God of the Bible fuels radical self-giving in the form of mission. I'm thankful for Platt, especially for that 2nd quote about pastors having the privilege of leading their people to die for the sake of the gospel going to ALL peoples. Most churches, and most pastors don't have the stomach to preach this. Yet, it is in the Bible. It is what Jesus said was necessary to follow him. Most pastors prefer to build up comfortable buildings for people to gather, giving them a few snippets of good advice for living, and enough assurance to soothe their religious conscious. This is nice, but this is not Christianity. This is not being a disciple of Jesus. This is not holding a high view of God's sovereignty. I'll be posting Platt's message here in a little bit. It is an hour long, but is well worth the time. John Piper is calling it the best sermon on missions he has ever heard. So, if you want to have your world rocked, check it out!

When Helping Hurts

Just finished reading When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert. This is outstanding book and is a true gift to the Church. Corbett and Fikkert do a tremendous job of laying out a gospel-centered approach to understanding poverty and how to help. A warning, this book is challenging, and if taken to heart, will likely be paradigm shifting. It has caused me to repent for the way in which I have understood and approached poverty. Yet, it has left me in awe as I consider the cosmic implications of the gospel. I truly believe this is a book that all Christians should read. It will greatly benefit reformed folk who have a passion for personally applying the doctrines of grace on an individual level, but a passion to see the gospel transform all of life seems to be lacking. It is equally as beneficial to those who are passionate for social justice, but find themselves without a worldview to properly address these issues. Here is the review.

Corbett, Steve, and Brian Fikkert. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor-- and Yourself (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009).           

           

          “Have you ever done anything to hurt the poor?” This is a question most evangelical Christians would answer with a no. Yet, it is a question raised by John Perkins in his Foreword to the book When Helping Hurts: How To Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting The Poor And Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. With issues of social justice gaining popularity as well as an exponential increase in spending towards short-term missions, When Helping Hurts is a much-needed biblical response on how to understand and help alleviate poverty. If the authors’ goal is to reform our understanding of poverty alleviation by bringing our worldview under the reign of Christ, thus transforming how we understand poverty itself, then this book is a complete success. In this book, the authors set out to both challenge our typical understanding of poverty, and to affirm a biblical approach towards alleviating poverty. Those of us living in affluence are not likely to believe that our simple efforts to love our impoverished neighbors could in fact be causing more harm than good; yet, this is the exact challenge that Corbett and Fikkert offer. However, what makes this book such a success is not the authors’ ability to critically question the false paradigms which have been ingrained in our ministries, but it is the way in which they are able to practically address these problems, starting with Scripture, and ending in application to our lives. Further, the authors’ humility shines throughout the book, demonstrating the very principles they are conveying.

            There is much to be celebrated in When Helping Hurts.  Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is its foundation in the grand narrative of Scripture. From the beginning, Corbett and Fikkert set out to refresh their readers understanding of what poverty is by understanding the gospel story.

            Typically, evangelical Christians assume poverty is a simple problem; thus requiring a simple solution. Poverty is materialistic in nature and can be solved by a redistribution of material wealth. While, a lack of material resources is certainly a large component of poverty, understanding poverty in the context of Scripture’s account of Creation-Fall-Redemption allows us to see the true scope and nature of poverty. To this end, When Helping Hurts rightly uses Creation as the starting point for understanding the nature of poverty. Man was created to be in perfect relation, with God, with himself, with his neighbors, and with creation. God created humans uniquely in his image in order that we may reflect his glory. In the Garden of Eden, these four relationships (God, self, others, creation) existed in harmony. There was no poverty. Then, as the story goes, Adam and Eve rebelled against God by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thus shattering the harmonious relationships that existed. All four of these relational facets were deeply affected by the fall. Therefore, rightly understood, poverty is the brokenness that exists between man and God, man and himself, man and others, and man and creation. When Helping Hurts does a fantastic job of establishing the source of poverty as the fall, and its scope as cosmic. As Corbett and Fikkert write, “poverty is the absence of shalom in all its meaning” (62).

            This is helpful for several reasons. First, this shatters the common perception that poverty is simply materialistic. As Corbett and Fikkert point out, poverty is primarily relational deficit. Far more often than not, those impoverished describe poverty in terms of social and emotional brokenness rather than a lack of ‘things’. Words such as ‘powerlessness’, ‘shame’ and ‘depression’ are reoccurring descriptors. If we think poverty is solely materialistic, our solutions will address only materialistic issues. This is exactly why most people tend to view poor people as objects. The ensuing goal of poverty alleviation then becomes assimilation to North-American middle class affluence. In this stereo-typical view, poverty alleviation tends to address the effects of poverty rather than the cause. As the title of the book suggests, this results in both the poor and ourselves being hurt. This inevitably doesn’t work because it fails to recognize the nature and scope of poverty in light of the fall. Confronting our misunderstandings of what poverty is also causes us to rethink poverty alleviation in terms of God’s story of redemption. Corbett and Fikkert write, “poverty is rooted in broken relationships, so the solution to poverty is rooted in the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection to put all things into right relationship again” (77).  This is the power of the gospel; Jesus is reconciling all things to himself (Colossians 1:20). This means everything that was lost in the fall  is being restored through Christ. This includes individuals as well as systems. Evangelical Christians have a tendency to understand the gospel solely in terms of the personal forgiveness of sins. We tend to think that the only relationship of the four that really matters is the vertical one that exists between God and us. Once again, When Helping Hurts does a tremendous job of challenging this view of Scripture. While the personal forgiveness of sins is a primary aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is not the whole story. In the gospel, all four relationships are redeemed. The gospel gives man a new relationship with creation, with each other, and with himself. Not only are we forgiven, but the gospel also transforms work, politics, housing, education, etc. This is especially important because so much of poverty is rooted in broken relationships with creation, others, and self. Yet, overtime, we have somehow forgot the cosmic implications of the gospel. The major strength of this book is the way in which Corbett and Fikkert are able to realign our view of poverty with the beautiful story of God’s kingdom.

            Further, When Helping Hurts clearly demonstrates this from Scripture. The book argues that poverty alleviation is rooted in the Church’s mission, which is rooted in Christ’s mission. The authors’ describe Christ’s mission as preaching the kingdom in both word and deed (38). Further, Christ’s words and deeds in Scripture go beyond justifying sinners. Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and cared for the poor. In essence, Jesus mission was to return us to a true expression of humanity in its fullest sense. Going further back, Corbett and Fikkert show this in the Old Testament. Israel’s God ordained mission was to be the agent of blessing to the rest of humanity. The Law was given to Israel in order that they may more fully display and express humanity as it was meant to be. This included alleviating poverty. For example, the Sabbath year was intended to cancel debts and allow the poor to glean from the fields (38). The year of Jubilee focused on social justice; ensuring that slaves would be set free, land would be redistributed, and the poor would be helped (39). Through Israel, God desired that, “There should be no poor among you” (Deuteronomy 15:4). Israel dismally failed to achieve this task. Yet, where Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Jesus came establishing God’s kingdom where all four relationships (God, self, others, creation) would be restored. Further, seeing God’s mission traced through the entire Bible allows us to see God’s heart in alleviating poverty. Alleviating poverty is not simply handing out materials to people, it is bringing all things under Christ’s reign, where all four relationships are made new. Since the nature and scope of poverty are rooted in the fall, the nature and scope of the solution must be rooted in Christ’s cosmic redemption of all things.

            Having established the nature and scope of poverty and its solution, When Helping Hurts transitions from theory to practical application and methodology. This is extremely helpful, as up to this point, readers may be experiencing an over-whelming sense of inadequacy and guilt. In deconstructing our false paradigms, readers are left realizing the many ways in which their misconceptions of poverty have inevitably led to hurting the poor rather than helping. This begs the question, “Where do we go from here?”

            On a personal note, this is exactly how I felt. This book left me not only rethinking my mental models, but more importantly, repenting of the ways in which I’ve misunderstood and mistreated those who are impoverished. It left me overwhelmed at the extent of poverty, but even more amazed at how depth of the gospel. It also forced me to address my own superiority complex. As stated earlier, affluent evangelicals typically minister to the poor by thinking that they are superior. However, as seen in the Creation-Fall-Redemption paradigm this is not true. An invaluable contribution of When Helping Hurts is the premise that “until we embrace our mutual brokenness, our work with low-income people is likely to do far more harm than good” (64). We are all broken from the fall and therefore are all impoverished to some degree.

             In terms of methodology, this should result in coming alongside the poor rather than living in the distance. It should result in a mutual recognition that both the materially poor and the materially rich are impoverished, but that Jesus is fixing both parties. Although the materially impoverished usually exhibit a great deal of brokenness in all four relationships, Corbett and Fikkert rightly assess that poverty alleviation shouldn’t begin with needs assessment, but but by recognizing all the positive ways in which the poor exhibit human flourishing. Since we are all humans, we all bear God’s image and inherently bear good gifts from the Creator. Starting here functionally gives the poor the image bearing dignity that they rightly possess. Embracing our own poverty allows us to humbly see the good gifts that the impoverished already possess. It also allows us to recognize the things the poor do far better than most of us; things such as community.

            This idea has had a tremendous impact on my life. In my ministry to those impoverished, my instinct is to think that I have all the answers and materials to give. Yet, I fail to recognize the way I am in need and can learn from the people I work with. I am not working for the poor, but am working with them. In fact, last week, I had an experience that demonstrated this exact principle. On my way home from work, driving through the inner-city of East St. Louis, I saw some guys playing pick-up basketball and decided to stop and join their game. After playing for an hour or so, one of the young men, recognizing that I was profusely sweating, graciously invited me into his home for a drink. Part of me wanted to skip out on this, since I knew I had a busy night ahead of me. Part of me wanted to turn down the offer because I knew that his family was probably struggling to make ends meet. Part of me thought, “I don’t really want to take some of their grape Sunkist to drink for myself.” However, applying what Corbett and Fikkert write, by God’s grace I was able to recognize that, just because Rashon (young man) and his family were poor, didn’t mean that they had nothing to offer me. I was indeed thirsty and in need of a drink. For me to accept that drink was in a sense to accept my mutual brokenness and need. It was to recognize the image bearing qualities of Rashon and his family and allow them to offer to me the gifts that God has gifted them with. It was recnognizing their dignity. At that moment, my superiority complex was crushed.

            Along these lines, When Helping Hurts presents several models of poverty alleviation that rightly reflect the biblical narrative. One in particular is the Asset Based Community  Development (ABCD). This method starts first with the assets that the community has to offer, and builds on those by coming along side the impoverished and developing these beautiful image bearing qualities that the poor already have to offer. This involves always seeking the highest level of participation possible from those whom you are serving.

            To conclude, When Helping Hurts is a significant work contributing to the field of poverty alleviation. The authors’ successfully challenge Western Christians’ traditional paradigms involving poverty; these include thinking of poverty in simple, materialistic terms, as well as models of poverty alleviation stemming from a super-man complex, rather than from an understanding of God’s cosmic mission to reconcile all things to himself. Poverty alleviation begins by recognizing our own brokenness and need of a Savior. It is at this point that we are able to humbly come alongside our brothers and sisters in love, not superiority. It is here that we are able to empathize with the multi-faceted nature of poverty. Lastly, it is here, in our own brokenness, where are able to apply and participate in the beautiful remedy for poverty; the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Gospel Clarity For Missional Calling

Great article that really struck a chord with me. If we belong to the Kingdom of God, we are essentially called into missional, cross-cultural living. The reasons are this: God's kingdom expanding mission is proactive, and we are all therefore called to be missional. Also, God's mission of the kingdom requires reaching across barriers. We aren't called to sit and wait. We are called to bridge the gap, to cross barriers, and to bring the good news to those outside the Kingdom. Therefore, all ministry is in a sense missional, and cross-cultural.

Read the article here. 

Bloodline of the Cross

The closing quote from John Piper's most recent book, 'Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian,'

"What I've tried to do with this book is show that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death and the resurrection of the Son of God for sinners, is the only sufficient power for this effort, and the only power that in the end will bring the bloodlines of race into the single bloodline of the cross. It is the only power to bring about Christ-exalting harmony, which, in the end, is the only kind that matters, because all things were made through him and for him. To his grace, and his name, and his Father, be glory forever. Amen."

Piper's book has been a tremendous blessing to me. In particular, it has helped me to see how the pursuit of racial/ethnic harmony and reconciliation is so very close, and goes hand in hand with the Gospel of God's grace. It has opened my eyes to the implications that the gospel has on  this pursuit, as well as my own sins of partiality and indifference to injustice. Lastly, I am thankful for Piper's book as it was a needed reminder of the breadth and scope of the Gospel. God's plan from the beginning was to bless the nations through his Son Jesus. God is in the business of restoring that which is lost. He is redeeming for himself a single people united by the blood of His Son; and this united group of people will include people from every tribe and every nation. 

Missional Community?

With the recent resurgence in gospel-centered church plants from groups such as ACTS 29, Sovereign Grace and Redeemer, the word 'missional' has become exceedingly trendy. Churches love to label themselves as 'missional', or love to call their small groups 'missional communities'. All this really means is that the church sees itself as part of God's mission. A missional church is a community of Christians who live and experience life together, who are united together in the gospel, meeting regularly to worship, speak biblical truth to each other, to build up, encourage, rebuke, and to partake in the Lord's Supper together. It is also a group that considers its purpose not only to inwardly build each other up and experience life among each other, but to share their lives with those outside the church. Missional churches are serious about living and proclaiming the gospel outside the church walls. They long to see the redemption of all things, and being indwelled with the Holy Spirit, are partakers in this mission. Yet, they do this together. They do this as a community of believers.

The reason I am posting this is because this term 'missional' seems to be so modern and trendy, but it is really an ancient idea. In fact, Israel was called to be a 'missional' community. They were to be a holy nation that mediated God's presence to the rest of the world. They were called to be a blessing to the rest of the world. Also, Saint Augustine mentions the idea in his Confessions. In this quote, Augustine had just recently become a Christian along with a few of his close friends. The next step? They were to move back to Africa together, live together in 'missional' community, so that they be of whatever service the Lord saw fit for them. That is 'missional' community.

"'You make people to live in unanimity' (Psalm 67:7): So you made Evodius a member of our circle, a young man from my home town. When he was a civil servant as an agent in the special branch, he was converted to you before we were. He was baptized and resigned his post on taking up your service. We were together and by a holy decision resolved to live together. We looked for a place where we could be of most use in your service; all of us agreed on a move back to Africa."

Saint Augustine, Confessions, pg. 166

Exodus, then Law

"The covenant law comes after the exodus. That is, we have eighteen chapters of salvation in Exodus before we have a single chapter of law. Only after the story of salvation do we come to Sinai (Ex 19), the ten commandments (Ex 20) and the making of the covenant (Ex 24). The Sinai covenant, like all covenants, is founded on God's grace and motivated by God's mission. That is to say, it looks back to what God had already done for Israel out of his love and grace in delivering them from slavery, and it looks forward to God's purpose within history through Israel - to make them the instrument of his blessing to the nations."

- Christopher J.H. Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God

....

In the same frequency, the gospel says, "I'm accepted; therefore, I obey."

Finish the Mission: For the Joy of All Peoples, Bringing the Gospel to the Unreached and Unengaged

A preview of this upcoming year's Desiring God National Conference.

Getting God Himself part II

Last post I shared a quote from Augustine in which he talked about the Gospel providing the only real satisfaction to our longings by connecting us to God himself. Along the same lines, I thought it would be fitting to share these verses from Revelation. The end goal of the Gospel is for God's people to be with God in the new heavens and new earth. God, through Jesus' life, death and resurrection, is redeeming the entire world from Sin. The new heavens and the new earth are the restored, glorified creation. As members of God's covenant people, we will also be fully redeemed and restored from sin, and be given new glorified bodies, completely free from any form or effect of Sin. I can't even image how awesome it will be to be in the presence of God, without my Sin being a hitch. We will see Him for who He truly is, and it will be magnificent. God will walk among us as He did in Genesis with Adam and Eve. He has restored the goodness of His creation. He has rescued His people from Sin. Here, the Gospel comes to full fruition, as God fully establishes His Kingdom on earth and in the hearts of men. All things have been made new, and God himself will dwell with us for eternity.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be any mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.' And he who is seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" Revelation 21:1-5

He is THE Saving God

Mike, I as well am excited to have settled into a summer routine finally, and look forward to reading and sharing what we are learning. Here's something I stumbled across, which serves as such a simple reminder to me.

....

"On the one hand, 'salvation belongs to ... God.' That is, salvation is God's property, not ours. And on the other hand, 'salvation belongs to our God.' That is, salvation is part of God's identity - he is the saving God (as no other god is)...According to the Bible, religion saves nobody. God does...We are saved because God has acted, in Christ, to accomplish salvation for us...Our Christianity is the response we make, in faith and life, to the saving acts of God."

Christopher J.H. Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God

Text: Revelation 7: 10

"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

YHWH is incomparable

"Who among the gods is like you, O LORD?

Who is like you,

majestic in holiness, awesome in glory,

working wonders?

Exodus 15:11

Through the exodus, Israel came to know that YHWH is incomparably greater than other gods. He is without equal. There is none like Him. This rhetoric also runs throughout the Old Testament. YHWH is without equal....

• in keeping promises and fulfilling his word (2 Samuel 7:22)
• in power and wisdom, as seen in creation (Jeremiah 10:6-7, 11-12)
• in the heavenly assembly (Psalm 89: 6-8)
• in ruling over the nations (Jeremiah 49:19)
• in pardoning sin and forgiving transgression (Micah 7:18)
• in saving power on behalf of his people (Isaiah 64:4)