This has the potential to get pastors fired for following Jesus’ example. It will confuse anyone who sees me as a Christian apologist, and apologetics as being in the business of giving answers. The fact is I believe we need more unanswered questions. Pastors in particular need to leave more questions unanswered.
There are (at least) five reasons this is true. Jesus set the example, as seen best in the book of John.
To Follow Jesus’ Example
Jesus’ first words in that gospel are a question: “What are you seeking?” This introductory statement to Nathaniel provokes sheer confusion. His mother asks him to help with the wine in Cana, and he asks her a most surprising question. He bewilders the Jews in Jerusalem by telling them he will raise up “this temple” in three days. Nicodemus offers him the honor of recognizing he came from God, and Jesus says, “You must be born again.” What?
He puzzles the woman at the well with an offer of living water. Asks Philip (a native of that region) where they can buy bread to feed thousands (again, What?). Drives off the multitude with truly incomprehensible teachings about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, and then he questions his close followers, “Will you leave, too?” And confuses the Jews by telling them where he is going they cannot come.
And so it continues.
I could point to similar tactics of our Lord in the Synoptics. His Beatitudes leave at least as many questions open as they answer. He explains his parables only to a few (Matthew 13). When the Jews ask him where he gets his authority, he asks them whether John’s baptism is from heaven or from men.
To Prepare Ears To Hear
Of course I do not mean to say that Jesus never answered anyone’s questions, or never followed through to satisfy hearers concerning the questions he raised. It was always a matter of timing and and of sensitivity to the Spirit and his audience. The unifying principle is this: he gave answers to those who were ready to hear. (“Let him who has ears to hear…”)
The rest he goaded toward readiness by stimulating their curiosity, provoking dissatisfaction with where they were, and refusing to inoculate them with half-received truths.
When Jesus taught…
Even the Sermon on the Mount, for all its simple clarity, must have provoked considerable consternation when he gave it. It certainly does that for me. There are places in it where I have trouble understanding just what he meant, and I have to dig in hard to figure it out; and other places where I have more trouble yet understanding how I can live up to it. It is not a sermon meant to satisfy on the surface.
To Accomplish Your Real Purpose
Of course this is a problematical model to follow. I can’t remember the last sermon that left me wondering what?, the way Jesus’ messages so often did. Or how any pastor could keep his job doing what Jesus did, for it is the pastor’s job to provide answers, isn’t it?
No, it is the pastor’s job to lead the flock toward richness of life and service in Christ.
To Do the Questions Justice
Often this means turning us, their listeners, away from habits or beliefs that lead toward death. The difficulty there is that it means leading us to change, which few of us will do as long as our current ways seem to be working for us.
Answers soothe. Unanswered questions rankle. They throw us off balance. The right questions may just jostle us out of our conditions of comfort so that we can see what’s not really working for us after all. Some can help us see the distance between who we think we are (Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, for example) and who we really are (spiritually ignorant and confused, in his case).
Why open questions?
One reason to leave some questions open is because even a sermon-length answer may be too short to do them justice. Some questions are hard. Compressing answers into thirty minutes, intro and illustrations included, may well be misleading; and the more serious thinkers in the congregation will know it. They may even start to wonder whether all of Christianity is equally superficial. This applies equally to questions of intellect and of application, by the way.
To Answer the Questions They’re Really Asking
I am of course an apologist, one whose business it is to understand and to communicate answers. I could dream (if I dared) of the day when my wisdom was so manifest that every answer I gave was unquestioned. Alas, that won’t happen: it didn’t happen even to Jesus!
There is another sort of unquestioned answer, though, that happens in thousands of churches every Sunday: it is the answer given by preachers to un-questions. Teachers explain how to be more like Christ when congregations are not asking.
Pastors teach how to show God’s Kingdom love in their communities, when no one is wondering. And the people walk away with answers, never having felt any urgency to know, or any deep need to practice.
This may have happened to Jesus, too, but by his teaching technique he always strove to prevent it.
When To Answer After All
A leader’s questions can also encourage followers to ask questions, which is often the very best thing for us. How can we understand better without probing deeper?
Which leads to the point at which the pastor/teacher really must be prepared to supply answers: when the people are finally asking — when they desperately need to know.
Too often this happens only when life causes pain. “Why, oh God?” is the most frequently articulated question of them all, followed by, “How will I make it through this?” These are fine questions; the Psalms are replete with them. But they are not the only ones, and not always the most important. They do tend quite reliably to be expressed when they need to be.
Not all questions are. There are many that we should be asking but usually don’t. “How can I truly be more like Christ?” or “What would God have us do to show his Kingdom love in this community?”
More Unanswered Questions
I suspect — I hope! — this has raised a lot of questions for you. One of them, I’m sure, is how it would be received if you shifted to following Jesus’ pattern by leaving more questions unanswered.
But of course I must close with a question of my own: Can you imagine what it would be like to teach your answers to a congregation that was ready and eager for them?
About:
Tom Gilson is senior editor and columnist with The Stream. He’s published over 700 articles and several books including his most recent, Too Good to Be False.
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And I’ll send you my article: Exaggerate to Make Your Presentations Funny. You’ll learn how to punch up your presentations with humor.
Back when I was a little too clever for my own good, I would ask people, “Are you happy?” Then, regardless of their answer, reply, “It doesn’t matter. Life isn’t about whether or not you are happy.”
As we mature, sometimes we believe things quite similar to when we were younger, we just find better ways of expressing those beliefs.
What is life about?
I still believe life isn’t about happiness – not ultimately. Feel free to ask me what I do think it’s about, but that won’t be the point of this newsletter. You may think this newsletter is a review of my life, but I assure you, it’s really about you.
I want to challenge you to examine what you are pursuing. What life are you creating for yourself? Why are you making the choices you are on your journey?
You may be sick of the phrase “new normal.” I get it, but Coronavirus can provide an opportunity to reevaluate tendencies that have become ruts along your path. Use this strange period to quit assuming that the destination to your journey is inevitable. Ask: Is it time to reorient and chart a new direction?
If I Had A Dream
I tell people I had three dreams as a child. To be a professional baseball player. Read books about baseball and memorized all sorts of stats about the Big Red Machine (the Cincinnati Reds of the 1970s). And attend baseball games. The one thing I neglected to do was to play organized baseball.
I wanted to be a Native American. Seriously. So I read books about the unjust treatment of Indians, identified with those injustices and wanted to help right them. Iron Eyes Cody was featured in anti-littering ads and I’ve never littered since. You can read the online debate about whether Iron Eyes Cody was even a Native American, but to me he was and I listened to his counsel.
I wanted to become a genius. Then my father told me that geniuses are born. I was smart enough to know what he meant. I wasn’t a genius. I read a lot of books about baseball and Native Americans, but I wasn’t any of the things I dreamed about being.
So, early in life I was 0 for 3 on my life goals. It was time to reorient.
Then in college an adult I respected said, “Julian, you are far too serious.” I realized my melancholy nature and natural discontentedness were leading me down a path toward a life I didn’t want to inhabit. So I decided to follow the advice of Carole King in “Beautiful.” And when I got up with a smile on my face found that people were happier to be around me.
This isn’t about me. It’s about you. I just know my story better than I know yours.
Your Life Pursuit
What are you pursuing in this life? When you take time to reflect on your life, if you ever slow down long enough to do so, I want to suggest one question for you to ponder:
Are you pursuing goals worthy of a human life?
Restated: If you got everything you are seeking to accomplish/acquire, would your life have been worth living?
You may guess at my answer to what life is about. I’ll give you a hint: Whatever it is, it has to be larger than you. No amount of money, lake house in Michigan, car, McMansion or actual mansion, fame, power, or influence will ever be enough.
Are you happy? Yes? That’s great. I’ll check back in a week, a month, a year to see if your happy answer remains unchanged. In the meantime, ask yourself: Am I pursuing goals worthy of my time on this planet? This may be the most important question to ponder as you battle the Coronavirus blues.
About:
Dr. Stephen Julian is President of Julian Consulting, a firm specializing in team health, effective communication, and leadership development. He has worked with leaders and their teams for nearly 30 years in a variety of settings – including Africa, South and Central America.
Four Bible -based priorities for a balanced life. Jesus set the example for living a balanced life. I know, we usually blame imbalance on lack of time. But it’s really a lack of priority. Because we always make time for what’s important to us.
So make these four priorities a regular part of your schedule to enjoy a balanced life that is purposeful, meaningful and joyful.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. —Luke 2:52
Four Bible-based priorities for a balanced life. Mind development for intellectual balance.
Jesus grew in wisdom…
The Greek word for wisdom is Sophia. It means wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; Varied knowledge of things human and divine.
Even at 12, Jesus was an avid learner who spent time in the temple listening to religious teachers and asking them questions. And he amazed the people with his understanding and answers.
Begin your balanced life with intellectual engagement. And keep your mind active–learning and creating–to keep it sharp.
Read books, listen to podcasts, take music lessons, continuing education classes and participate in discussion groups. In other words, don’t settle for couch vegetation and thoughtless Internet surfing.
Four Bible-based priorities for a balanced life. Exercise and nutrition for physical balance.
Jesus grew in stature…
We can only speculate on what Jesus looked like. But he was a carpenter by trade, traveled on foot and regularly included fish in his diet. And carpentry was a more rugged occupation in his day than now. So it’s safe to assume Jesus was physically fit.
Terrific. We all know a balanced life includes exercise and a healthy diet. But knowing it and making happen is like the journey of a thousand miles. It requires determination and self-discipline. That’s my next blog topic.
Here’s the point: Your physical health impacts your cognitive and spiritual health. It improves your performance, your quality of life and your self-image.
Okay, so you don’t want to quit pizza and ice cream. Me neither. We’re going for a balanced life, not pleasure-less. So here’s a suggestion. Don’t approach it from what you should eliminate, but what you should ADD.
In other words, how can you add exercise into your week? How can you add fruit, vegetables and fish into your diet? Adding positive things into your lifestyle will naturally push out negative things.
Draw Closer To God For Spiritual Balance
Jesus grew in Favor with God…
By the time Jesus started his three year ministry, he was thoroughly knowledgeable in the Old Testament law. His balanced life included drawing close to his heavenly father through regular prayer. And God the father publicly affirmed him.
Therefore, an active, spiritual life is a must for a balanced life.
ByReading God’s Word. God’s Word is a game changer because it is living and active. Studying and meditating on it will spiritually replenish you and unleash its transforming power within and through you. Along with prayer and confession, God’s Spirit leads you towards His will and a balanced life that glorifies Him.
ByServing Others As Jesus demonstrated, we are also called to serve, not congregate in a holy huddle. It’s where you learn to exercise humility as you invest in advancing God’s Kingdom. Your eyes open to a bigger picture. And you find greater purpose through a hope that you are blessed to offer others.
Four Bible-based priorities for a balanced life. Engage In Christian Community For Social Balance
Jesus grew in favor with man…
Jesus demonstrated a vibrant social life. He clearly enjoyed hanging out with all kinds of people and was often, the life of the party. Perhaps that’s why the Co-vid pandemic is especially difficult. We aren’t made to live cooped up at home.
But keep in mind that a godly life is best lived in community with other Christ-followers. The church.
So build healthy, social relationships with a variety of people. But do so in a public manner that lives out your faith.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Looking for a Bible Study for yourself or small group??
Christians are called to be great. Although, maybe you don’t think you’re one of the great ones. Maybe you do. Either way, this message is for you.
One of the most damaging, disastrous failings of the church in our age is that you and I, “ordinary Christians,” have not responded to God’s call to be great.
Discovering Our Sphere of Impact
How then can we know whether we’re called to be great in this sense? It’s not that difficult. First, we need to recall the other kind of greatness that we alluded to at the beginning. Greatness starts with a deep relationship with God. It starts in knowing his will as revealed in Scripture, seeking his face and his guidance daily, and knowing the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It certainly includes knowing what true humility is all about.
We each have a great sphere of influence
It may be narrow or broad. But it’s where we begin, by seeking to have maximum impact where we can already. We have our talents in hand from the master, and we can see what return we can bring him from them.
Third, we can explore the edges of that circle, to see how our influence can expand. We can risk going out on a limb, impacting a wider group of people, studying and learning to expand our capabilities, trying new things to multiply our influence. Christ taught us that the one who is faithful in a little will be entrusted with much. Starting where we are and walking by faith, there’s no telling how much God will lead us to do for him.
In seeking to expand our great impact…
It’s wise to seek depth before breadth: to do one thing well before attempting many, to influence one person deeply before trying to lead a crowd. Doing “one thing well”–or many things, for that matter–involves knowing how God has gifted us and putting our focus in those areas. Our gifts are a great clue to our calling.
Finding Great Encouragement
We can profit from the encouragement of a community of brothers and sisters who are committed to the same things. It’s hard to go it alone; together, though, we can burn brightly for God. Going for greatness often means hard word and risks, both of which are much easier when someone is standing at your side to encourage. It may be that the first step into the edge of your circle would be to gather a group like this. It’s not just a Bible study, not just an accountability group; it’s an action/encouragement group.
Recovering Greatness for God’s Glory
Can we revive a true understanding of greatness? In seeking God’s glory alone, can we seek it in the widest, deepest, most influential, most thrilling way? What can hold us back, if we just seek to know and to go and do what God has sent us to do? Let’s put aside weakness masquerading as humility. Lay aside fear and take up faith and courage instead. Choose to be as great as God has called us to be, for his glory to shine brightly and widely.
About:
Tom Gilson is senior editor and columnist with The Stream. He’s published over 700 articles and several books including his most recent, Too Good to Be False.
Join My E-mail List
And I’ll send you my article: Exaggerate to Make Your Presentations Funny. You’ll learn how to punch up your presentations with humor.
Overcoming Porn addiction is a serious problem for Christian men. Studies indicate that 60-70% of men in the evangelical church are addicted. It’s rarely discussed. And the number breaking free is small.
And for Christian men, it gets worse. Because Christian men know that viewing porn is a sin of sexual lust. And Jesus clearly taught that to think about adultery and commit adultery are both sin.
So Christian men who follow Jesus and call him Lord. Desire healthy marriages. Recognize porn as sin. Know it damages their family relationships. But still can’t quit are trapped.
So what do they do?
Hide their porn addiction, maintain a Christian appearance, and suffer with a profoundly deep and secret shame.
I’ve worked with these men for the last 5 years and observed these three keys for conquering porn addiction.
Christian Men Who Overcome Porn Addiction Want To Be Free
This sounds obvious, but it isn’t. Because the journey towards sobriety is a long haul. It requires more than a casual interest. So ask yourself. How much do you really want it?
The men I know celebrating freedom first plunged to the bottom. They cried out in despair, feeling both helpless and hopeless. Alarmed that their most treasured relationships were on the line. They became determined to overcome porn no matter what.
Other men join our groups because their wives threaten them. They attend and participate. Say all the right things. But don’t fully own the problem. Or often even admit it is a problem. They’re just appeasing their wives. And that is not enough.
Only when you’ve reached the bottom, you’re drowning in shame, desperate for freedom and willing to make recovery a priority are you ready to begin. Victory is possible. But it’s a long fought battle.
Christian Men Who Overcome Porn Addiction Approach It As A Moral And Neurological Problem
Porn addiction begins as a moral problem of engaging in lustful, sexual thoughts. So it’s natural to think the solution is a spiritual reversal. Increase how often you read God’s word, pray and confess. Pursue a deeper, spiritual life. And this is all important to the recovery process.
Except porn addiction is both a moral problem and a brain problem.
Because viewing porn over a period of time releases unhealthy surges of dopamine into the brain that alters gene expression and causes physical damage. In fact, brain scans show similarities between a cocaine addict’s brain and a porn addict’s brain.
Fortunately, God formed the brain with plasticity so it can return to normal. Renewing the mind can take 2-3 years, but is possible with perseverance.
Christian Men Who Overcome Porn Bring It Into The Light
Trying to overcome porn addiction by yourself is a long shot. Although Satan will urge you to try. Because he wants you isolated. Hiding in secret. Overwhelmed with shame. And trapped in hopeless bondage.
The men who experience freedom go public. They don’t confess it to everyone. In fact, they don’t always tell their wives until they are on a solid path towards recovery. Confidentiality is crucial for an effective porn addiction, recovery ministry.
But it starts with humility. Admit the problem to yourself. Confess it to God. Then seek the encouragement and support of other men. This is your brotherhood. A community of accountability partners. Who pick you up and watch your back. And with linked arms, you walk in the power of God’s Spirit towards victory.
There is hope. You can overcome porn addiction. When you admit the reality. Confess the sin. And commit to restoration. That’s God’s desire for you too.About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Looking for a Bible Study for yourself or small group??
Christians are called to be great. Although, maybe you don’t think you’re one of the great ones. Maybe you do. Either way, this message is for you.
One of the most damaging, disastrous failings of the church in our age is that you and I, “ordinary Christians,” have not responded to God’s call to be great.
Called To Be Great Means Humble, Not Puny
God calls us to be humble, not to be puny. When Jesus rebuked the disciples for jockeying for position in his kingdom, he invited them at the same time to greatness, as long as it was greatness on the right terms: “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave” (Matthew 20:26b, 27).
What God Chooses
God chooses public greatness (church-wide, community-wide, or even broader in scope) for certain people and not for others. But I fear there are many that God has called who don’t listen, trust and obey. Some could be great for God, legitimately called by him, but turned their back on it.
This is a great loss to the kingdom of God. A burying of talents that God rebukes. To be great in following what God calls us to requires humility and obedience.
Called To Be Great Means Ready To Pay The Price
We can learn about greatness from John the Baptist from the account in Luke. It uncovers the second chief reason many fearfully approach the topic of greatness. I think it often explains the shrinking from the greatness God call us to:
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that God is able to raise up children of Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”
He answered
“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by John concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison (Luke 3: 7-14, 18-20 NKJV).
John stirred things up a great deal. He paid a price for it in the end. (Jesus himself did the same, even more so.) But John knew what he was called to do, which included agitating for change in a corrupt culture. Some responded gladly. The king, however, threw him in prison, and later had him executed.
Greatness pays a price. Even “successful” greatness–such as the greatness of Daniel, of Joseph, of many others in our day who see great fruit. Like in churches, mission agencies, government, and military. There’s a price of long hours, much opposition, deep concerns, many pains.
Called To Be Great Means Trusting in God
I think I have too often refused to step toward greatness because of fear: fear of stirring people up, fear of being branded, fear of having to give up the easy way.
I lost the thrilling opportunity to see what God could do through me if I followed him wherever he led. And also, the glory of God, which I could have shared in the wider world, was hidden like a light under a bushel.
Following John’s great example
The desert example of John the Baptist is a hard one to follow. God does not call many to make a solitary stand for him in that way. But He does call us individually to follow him wherever he leads; that is a decision we each make for ourselves.
From there, though, most of us will find opportunities to follow God into greatness by doing it with teams of brothers and sisters in Christ. Oh, for communities of faith that are determined to change their cities, their world! To join a band of believers who charge the enemy’s ground and take it back for Jesus Christ!
About:
Tom Gilson is senior editor and columnist with The Stream. He’s published over 700 articles and several books including his most recent, Too Good to Be False.
Join My E-mail List
And I’ll send you my article: Exaggerate to Make Your Presentations Funny. You’ll learn how to punch up your presentations with humor.
Join my list and I'll notify you of new blog posts and send you a monthly newsletter. It features inspirational thoughts, writing tips, and a peek into writing projects. I'll also include my article: Exaggerate to Make Your Presentations Funny. It shows you how to punch up presentations with humor and make them more compelling.
