The Lead-up to a Christmas on Mission Part I

Alright, it is time for us to start looking at Christmas as we’ve done with Halloween to see what God would have for us this season. Before we jump in to specifics for Christmas, let’s review some of the groundwork…
As we’ve talked about before, one of the major battles in pursuing Jesus is in continually working to believe the Gospel. We don’t want to merely know the Gospel. We want to believe it, and believing means doing. Why? Because faith works. We’re not justified by works, but faith (belief) always demonstrates itself in action. Okay, let’s not belabor the point (I’m sure we’ll return to it again later).
Just for a refresher, what is it that we believe?
We believe that God is at work in the world, that he is the God of mission, and we want to join him on this mission. From our reading of the Bible as both good theologians and good readers of story, we know that the point of God’s story is the restoration of all things through the Spirit-filled person and work of Jesus and that this restoration continues presently powered by the work of the Spirit (yes, I know; that was quite a mouthful).
So, how do we join with God through the power of the Spirit in this restorative work?
In much the same way that Adam and Eve were commissioned to be fruitful and multiply that the whole earth would be filled with the image of God, so we have been commissioned by Jesus to “Go…and make disciples of the nations” (notice disciple-making starts before conversion). The restoration of God is set to happen as the world is reconciled back to God and humanity returns to faithfully bearing the image of God in all our various contexts and lives. Put simply, engaging in God mission of restoring all things means discipling people like Jesus discipled people (in all of life).
As we move on to the specifics I want to hear from you: what can we be doing to proactively join with God in making disciples of the nations this Christmas season? More to come tomorrow…

Merry Christmas!

Christmas eve last year, we were literally putting together IKEA furniture until one or two am–what a different Christmas its been this year!

Instead of the paint cans and drop cloths of yesteryear, this year has afforded us much more Christmasy goodness.  We have a Christmas tree, stockings (made by Kate–and they look incredible!) and a well-populated circle of now-opened presents filling our living room.

Now I’ll grant you, we’ve only had two of them, but this has been our best Christmas in Holland yet!  A huge thank you to all those near and far who have supported us through the last year, who have prayed and sent presents to us!

Newbigin and Why Christmas Matters

I love Christmas.  Probably not as much as my wife loves Christmas, but I still love it.  There’s the family time, the food, the presents, the relaxation (or familiar holiday craziness) and all mixing together in one great big closing highlight as we take time to look back on the year and look forward to the burgeoning new year.

Today as I continue to read The Open Secret by Lesslie Newbigin I was reminded of that thing which, above all, makes Christmas so special:

The Bible does not tell stories which illustrate something true apart from the story.  The Bible tells a story which is the story, the story of which our human life is a part.  It is not that stories are part of human life, but that human life is part of a story.  It is not that there are stories which illustrate “how things are”; it is that we do not begin to understand how things are unless we understand how they were and how they will be.  (Newbigin, The Open Secret 92)

It’s not just the story, or “the reason for the season”.  It’s that we live in the story that God tells, and that his telling of how things were and how they are going to be has enabled us to live meaningfully in the present (how things are).

Christmas is special, because in the coming of God in the form of a baby over 2000 years ago my world was changed.  And every year around December 25th I remember with others that enormous leap in the story that in the Bible’s terms (Ac. 2:17; Heb. 1:2; Jas. 5:3; I Pe. 1:2 and many others), has catapulted us in to the last days as God’s restoration has already begun in Christ!

Merry Christmas indeed!

(BTW – the main impetus for this post is a conversation I had last week with a guy in our church who has stopped reading his Bible because it just isn’t relevant for him anymore.  This post is one of the reasons I cannot imagine living without a daily study of the story God says encompasses us all)

Christmas Movie Marathon

With less than a week left until Christmas and being married to a Christmas enthusiast, we have entered that final sprint where all the traditional favorite movies must be watched before the 25th.

Thus far having begun on Thanksgiving (I can’t even remember when the Christmas music began! Lol!), here are the titles we’ve already watched (or conquered, depending on your perspective):

• You’ve Got Mail (I know its not only Christmasy–that just demonstrates the nature of our plight)
• While You Were Sleeping
• Miracle on 34th Street (the original version)
• Muppet Christmas Carol

Still to come?

• White Christmas
• The Grinch (both versions)
• Home Alone 1 and 2
• It’s a Wonderful Life
• Charlie Brown Christmas
• The Santa Clause

Wow.  That list is a lot longer than I was thinking it would be, however there are a number of movies I’m thankful (and praying) we will not be watching:

• Jingle All the Way
• The Santa Clause 2 and 3
• Home Alone 3

Any more we should add to our list?