WELD College+Career

Gospel Preaching Now & Then

Bern — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:45:10 +0000

With just two weeks left in our discussion of The King Jesus Gospel (KJG) by Scot McKnight we combined chapters 8 (The Gospel of Peter) and 9 (Gospeling Today) into one discussion.

Peter’s Gospel is Jesus’ Gospel is the Gospel’s Gospel is Paul’s Apostolic Gospel

To no real surprise (though the study itself is worthwhile and insightful) the Gospel of Peter perfectly mirrors and puts flesh on the Gospel Paul described in 1 Cor 15, and we found both as the structure of the Gospels and on the vocal chords of Jesus. Namely, that the Gospel is the announcement that the crucified and resurrected Jesus is King and Messiah who completes the story of Israel/The Bible and accomplishes God’s purposes in all creation. Then, in the Gospel presentations of Peter (and Paul) in Acts there is a subsequent call to believe, repent, ... Read More »

Bern’s Book List

Bern — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:30:48 +0000

Any book worth reading will challenge and change your views. One of the great things about overseeing College+Career and Sunday Morning Bible studies is that I’m constantly reviewing books that might be of use in a study or message series, as a loaner to someone with questions, or for building my own understanding of the faith and how to make sense of it for believer, seeker, and skeptic. Recently I’ve gotten several requests for a list of books so below is a non-exhaustive list with a few comments on each:

Note: The books are organized in sort of a narrative approach where connections in theme or approach link each book to those around them (you can sort them by clicking on Title or Author).

Title Author(s) Description The King Jesus Gospel Scot McKnight A Book so important I devoted a Sunday Morning Class and a blog series ... Read More »

Summer Plans 2012

Bern — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:28:18 +0000

We’re looking forward to a great Summer for College+Career! Check it out, have Siri add it to your calendar, and join us for a Summer of community, growth and fun!

Events Get to know C+C

We have a lot planned for the Summer including:

May 27: Summer Kick-Off BBQ @ Bern & Kat’s house.

June 24th: Dillon Beach after church.

July 28-29: Camping @ Casini Ranch

Aug 24: Breakfast @ Midnight

Sept 8: Six Flags

All dates are tentative, find final details through our FB Page. Weld C+C on Thursday Nights

Every Thursday from Jun 21 to July 26 we’ll be meeting for worship, teaching, prayer, and In-n-Out. Join us in Cundall Hall at 7pm. Benton Last but Not Least

For the third year in a row we’ll be crossing the Sierra Nevadas to help Larisa Craig run her annual Summer Camp for high schoolers living in remote Nevada and California. Trip dates are Sat, ... Read More »

The Gospel According to Jesus

Bern — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:25:08 +0000

Last week we caught up with The King Jesus Gospel (KJG) by Scot McKnight in summary fashion and today we pick up in Chapter 7 (Jesus and the Gospel) with the question, what does it mean that Jesus preached the Gospel?

Often we answer the question about Jesus and the Gospel backwards.

The assumption is spot-on—Jesus absolutely has to preach the Gospel. But our next step trips us up. Our salvation culture tells us the Gospel is a message about how someone gets saved and so we look for places Jesus might have said something about that—which, unfortunately, doesn’t happen very often (or that clearly). In fact, when Jesus does appear to address the question directly we find ourselves explaining away His answer because it sounds like works-based salvation!

Instead, we should ask what Jesus taught and call that the Gospel.

Easy enough. So, ... Read More »

Catching Up with the King Jesus Gospel

Bern — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:33:51 +0000

It’s been a really hectic 7+ weeks since I last posted on The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight (and just as long since I taught in the class—a big thank you to Greg Horton for picking up my slack in the classroom). That said, this post is intended to catch us up to speed from that post to what we covered this past Sunday. So in summary fashion here is essence of chapters 2-5:

Chp 2: Gospel Culture or Salvation Culture?

Evangelicals are defined by their emphasis on people making a decision to believe in Jesus for salvation (justification by faith). Discipleship—learning to become a follower of Christ and continuing as one—is only a strongly recommended follow-up and can nothing more because it is understood as a “work” (something that undermines justification by faith). In the salvation culture the ... Read More »

Schrödinger’s Catechism OR Why Calvinism Leads to Doubt

Bern — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:45:36 +0000

As I reflect on my years of following Christ I have found that my deepest periods of doubt were those times I was the strictest Calvinist (i.e. that wholly independent of themselves, some are divinely selected for salvation and the rest for damnation). All of life was consumed with the question [fear], “Is my faith genuine God-given faith or is it a false, works-of-the-Law kind of faith?”

When you are consumed with this question it colors every page of Scripture. Was Solomon saved? What about the seed that falls among the thorns—is that person saved? Am I saved? Am I saved? Am I saved? And so I prayed the prayer of salvation literally every other night hoping that this time it would work and that elusive assurance of salvation would finally be mine.

These questions become especially practical when we think of ... Read More »

A Good Time to Rethink the Good News

Bern — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:49:31 +0000

In November of 1998 at the University of Arizona I committed myself to Jesus and the life He was calling me to pursue. By January of 1999 as a part of my discipleship I was randomly approaching strangers on the U of A Mall for the first time to share 4 simple, but powerful laws—the “essential”, “bare-bones”, “lowest-common-denominator” gospel. It was straight-forward: “How certain are you that you will go to Heaven when you die?” I don’t even remember his response. “How would you like to be 100% certain?” I think he said yes. And so I continued:

1. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life;

2. Sin separates us from God;

3. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins; and

4. Believe Jesus died for your sins and ... Read More »

Reasons We’re Leaving: Doubtless

Bern — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:10:13 +0000

At last we reach the end of our series on You Lost Me by David Kinnaman where we have been exploring the criticisms of the church by the youngest generation to grow up in it. Today, the Church is doubtless.

Lest we mistake the label “doubtless” for confidence, faith, or any other badge of honor, the failure of the doubtless church is that is hostile to those with questions. Everywhere but the doubtless church we are taught to be skeptical, to inquire, and to doubt as part of a search for truth. While we are accustomed to dialogue in the search for the most important answers, the doubtless church is a a one-way street with a message we either take or leave.

Before getting much further it’s important to note that there are two major kinds of doubt: Intellectual and Institutional. ... Read More »

Reasons We’re Leaving: Exclusive

Bern — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:47:26 +0000

We’re nearing the end of our series on You Lost Me by David Kinnaman by focusing on the youngest generation to grow up in the Church and the criticisms they’re expressing. Today, the Church is exclusive.

Rather than primarily being a theological problem for young people who grow up in the Church (i.e. the exclusivity of Christ—only those who believe in Jesus go to Heaven, truly know God, etc…), the type of exclusivity we are talking about today is a relational issue. Contrary to how Jesus treats outsiders, the exclusive Church is hostile to people who are different. This goes far beyond being unaware of new visitors on Sunday Morning; its viewing the members of certain groups as enemies to be fought rather than people to be won with the love of Christ.

Although the problem young people have is with how ... Read More »

Reasons We’re Leaving: [Sexually] Repressive

Bern — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:03:25 +0000

Sex is currency She sells cars, She sells magazines Addictive, bittersweet, clap your hands with the hopeless nicotines

Sex is industry, The CEO, of corporate policy Skin-deep ministry, Suburban youth, hail your so-called liberty -Easier Than Love, Switchfoot

We’re continuing in our final series-within-a-series on You Lost Me by David Kinnaman by focusing on the criticisms the youngest generation of Christians and church-dropouts are expressing in addition to the changes we need to make in response. Today, the Church is [sexually] repressive.

Even though the [sexually] repressive Church lives in a sex-saturated culture it doesn’t want to have an honest conversation about sex because it’s so out of touch.

You can understand our reluctance—there are just some things we don’t talk about in polite company. Besides, our position is clear: keep it in your pants. Whether we’re talking about sex outside marriage, pornography & ... Read More »