Live Blog by Chipper Flaniken

Welcome to the live blog for the Henry Center’s Timothy Series message at the 11AM TEDS chapel service.  This event will begin shortly (approximately 11:10).

———————————————————————————————

Today’s speaker is Dave Johnson, pastor of the Church of the Open Door, Maple Grove, MN

David Johnson has been the senior pastor at Church of the Open Door in Maple Grove, Minnesota, since 1980. During this time, the church has grown from a congregation of 160 to 3,000 people. A much sought-after speaker, he is a graduate of Bethel College and received his theological training at Bethel Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. His Growing in Grace radio broadcast is syndicated internationally. David and his family live in Minnesota.

———————————————————————————————

Scripture reading: Colossians 1:3-8

Dave Johnson

Introduction

We are going to talk this morning about hope - what we put our hope in - and what it’s like to lose hope.

Many of the people living in Colossi had lost their hope - they were living in the shadow of the Romans. Many had lost their lives or their land.

But still, Paul gives thanks at the opening of this passage! Paul has heard of the Colossian church and their faithfulness and love.

Faith and love are coming from the hope that the Colossians have. But where does the hope come from? The Word of Truth.

The war is over! The victory is won! Victory gives birth to hope.

The Central Question: What is this Word of Truth that stirred such faith and love in Colossi and beyond? This hope was being spawned in places where the circumstances seemed hopeless.

The human spirit is dependent on hope! We can suffer through almost anything - except the loss of hope.

We are all “hopers”. We hope we get jobs, we hope it’s not cancer, we hope our spouses come back.

But what if what you are hoping in doesn’t actually come to fruition? Paul was in a Roman prison - he certainly hoped to get out. But what if he didn’t?

So the people in Colossi are probably hoping the Caesar doesn’t notice their refusal to worship him. But what if he does notice?

So what is this Word of Truth that provides such hope?

See Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 15  - Paul condenses the gospel into just a few verses about Christ’s resurrection! This is where the hope comes from! Roman crosses and Caesars can kill you - but they can’t keep you because Christ has been raised.

So the Colossians apparently had this type of hope! Because their external circumstances would suggest otherwise

But the truth is - we don’t have death in our face everyday. So sometimes, the reality of heaven may not help us out much. It may not feel like a significant source of hope.

So what did Paul see that we have such a hard time seeing?

The faith and hope we are talking about is not born of pretending things are fine if they are not fine. It is not fairy dust that makes our problems go away!

- Paul saw his problems clearly. He even despaired of his life! He saw things and didn’t deny what he felt.

- The key is - he saw MORE! See 2 Cor.4:18

So the question for us is, what do we see?

In our personal battle to find hope in whatever circumstances we might be in, what do we see?

People full of faith - on a practical level - they live their lives with a conviction that there is more going on in life that what we can see with physical eyes. They don’t deny what is real.

Again, Paul didn’t pretend! He just saw more.

But it is so easy to forget this “more”. This is why we need community! We need to remind each other of these things.

- The people in Colossi saw the horrors of Rome and didn’t deny it. The felt the pain, but they saw more! This gave birth to faith and hope.

- Same example with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were threatened with the furnace! They didn’t write off the furnace as if it wasn’t hot! Instead, they looked to God to rescue them from this furnace and refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar.

- Example of Caleb and Joshua - they saw more when the others around them wanted to give up.

- Example of Nehemiah - those living and working around him were losing hope. All they could see was rubble!

Does this happen to you? Does it often happen that you can’t see past the rubble? For example, can you see past the rubble in your marriage?

- When you make mistakes, what do you see? Everyone has made these types of mistakes. But in him we have redemption in the blood of Christ.

- Do you see this?

What is the rubble for you that has convinced you that you can’t rebuild?

- Sometimes our ability to see more is really a choice. We have to look at something else! And often we need someone in our life to help us stop moping! We have to be reminded of Heb. 12:2

- But sometimes when we try to see more, we can’t! And in cases like this we need a gift from God. To help us see what we can’t see. Recall 2 Kings 6! Sometimes God has to open our eyes!

- And remember - God is for us! See Romans 8:31-35!

- Nothing is able to separate us from the love of God! This is the ultimate Good News! This is Word of Truth that inspired love and faithfulness in the Colossians.

Closing Prayer

Thanks for joining us! Dave Johnson will be giving a second message on Thursday, April 22nd at 11AM. See you then!

Live Blog by Chipper Flaniken

Welcome to “Apologetics Beyond the Pew - A Conversation with Ravi Zacharias and Friends”

A live video stream of this event is available here.

The event will begin at 2:30PM CST.

—————————————————————————————-

The Henry Center is sponsoring a special event with global evangelist Ravi Zacharias on Monday, April 12, from 2:30pm-4pm in ATO Chapel on the TEDS campus.  Entitled “Apologetics Beyond the Pew: A Conversation for the Church with Ravi Zacharias and Friends”, the event will cover how Christians can carry out faithful apologetics beyond the walls of the church building.

Zacharias will be joined by Scott Chapman of The Chapel (Grayslake) and John Njoroge of RZIM.  President Craig Williford of TIU will give opening remarks.

—————————————————————————————-

Introductory comments from Dr. Craig Williford, TIU President

- Introductory music by Jay Greener

- Further introductory comments by Scott Chapman, who came to Christ in part through the tapes and writings of Ravi Zacharias.

Ravi Zacharias - Introductory Comments

- Honored to be here, accompanied by his wife.

- Mentioned that Rick Pease is here, the new president of RZIM. This will allow Ravi to focus more on his speaking engagements.

- Mentions that the new partnership between RZIM and TIU is very strategic and timely. Through this new alignment, we will look into the future together.

- Remarks that Trinity faculty has been very instrumental in shaping his spiritual formation - especially when he was studying at TEDS for his MDiv - (graduated ‘76)

Address:

When you look back over the last thirty years, there have been many voices announcing that changes were coming - sounding the alarms. Including Francis Schaeffer.

And these warnings have come true. We can’t define sexuality, marriage, etc. These social difficulties are not longer shocking. We can’t even define what “life” really means.

Things that we thought would be self-evident and sacred and no longer that way.

But again, people like Schaeffer warned us of this, and this time is now here!

Now, as we live in the “high-noon” of reasoning and thinking - we need to know how to respond. What are the patterns we need to deal with?

Four changes in the past 30 years:

1. The popularization of the death of God - especially the atheistic mindset.

- people don’t just believe this - they are also willing to live within in ramifications. If you say it, and repeat it, and say it in a triumphalistic way - that’s all you have to do! You say it or pronounce it, and then it’s over! Dawkins, Hitchins, Harris, etc. - they have made this type of thinking very popular.

2. The Third World’s attack on western ideas with their pantheistic mannerisms. The western world looks juvenile, and the rest of the world looks sophisticated. Pantheism has “disoriented” the Western world.

- Do you know of any other religious worldview defend the statement, “all are created equal”? Only Christianity would really support this. This framework shaped the Western world.

- All of the sudden the most unwanted voice in Western public forum is that of the Christian. Can you believe this shift?

The world doesn’t realize how precious the Gospel is

3. The transfer of truth through the eyes - the “eye-gate” rather than the mind.

- Most people today see with their eyes, but not with their conscience.

Example: Movies. They get rejected because

4. It has become a youth-oriented world as far as a molding point. We have to address the youth!

How do we respond?

1. We need an apologetic that is seen! Not just explained. Otherwise it will become heretical.

- Many Christians have sown these seeds of action - and we need to keep sowing. The life has to be lived! When the life is lived, don’t underestimate the impact.

2. An apologetic that is not merely argued, but is also felt. You cannot have a persuasive speaker if he/she does not come through as being persuaded themselves!

- passions are very real, and therefore the passion for the gospel has to be real if it is to appeal to a generation that lives with its feelings.

3. We cannot comprise the Word of God in the process! We cannot compromise the Word in the process of bringing the world over into the experience of Christ

- we have to bring life into the proclamation of the Word!

- Why didn’t Christ wait to become incarnate until we had video cameras? The Word has a lasting, abiding value as a carrier of truth.

- Words - they must have objective meaning and value! Otherwise, you are manufacturing a world of your own. And when these types of worlds collide - terrible things happen.

Thomas Moore: When we give our words to someone, we hold our lives in our hands. If we open our hands and let them drop, we shall look down and never find ourselves again.

- The Word that we have been given must be seen, felt, and argued!

———————————————————————————-

Question & Answer Session - with Zacharias, Chapman, and Njoroge

- Chapman to Zacharias: The practice of apologetics is changing - how do social justice issues affect this? Are classical apologetics still useful?

- Dr. Zacharias: look to Schaeffer for a bridge from apologetics to cultural engagement. Also, classical foundations are still important. There are felt realities to that we must address. If we understand the “wounds” of a culture, we will never be able to communicate with them. We need to understand the “why” questions and the anguish that a culture might be dealing with. Otherwise we will talk completely outside of their felt needs. There needs to be a connection between classical apologetics and felt needs.

Njoroge: we can become very good at intellectual ideas and forget that there are many other aspects of being human that need to be addressed. Often, gifted communicators find it hard to understand why people are not changed by good arguments. We need to make sure that different gifts are being used well. They all come into play.

- Dr. Zacharias: Just because people have heard the arguments doesn’t mean they understand them! So find an entrance into the heart - such as through music, poetry, etc.

Question: Christians are comfortable talking about truth because they believe there is one. Is there such a thing as objective beauty? Could this serve as an apologetic?

Dr. Zacharias: you can usually tell when beauty is violated more easily than you can sense it on its own. There will be preferences and choices, but when profanity comes into play, we see beauty from a more objective point.

Njoroge: We are called to preach a vision of beauty to others so people can truly long for God! Arts often bring out the best in people, so we need to know how to use art.

Scott Chapman: people might be searching for a beauty of love. In this kind of openness - God must find a place to dwell. And this is the role of the church.

Dr. Zacharias: most people have given up on love. They just don’t believe it exists anymore. People are very cynical in this regard. One thing we can do to help with this - is the model this fraternal relationship. This king of respect! And the church must model this. People who leave the church, they find that the church has totally rejected them, and they don’t have any room for God.

Njoroge: We talk a lot about winning souls for Christ - but we need to remember that once people come to Christ, there is still a lot of work to be done in their lives and in the community. We need to saturate the community with the gospel. This has really been lost - especially the biblical storyline. So we have to change the angles that we speak to. We need to understand this storyline of Scripture so that people are truly changed. They will be forced  to confront issues that they are dealing with.

Dr. Zacharias: Apologetic strategy often depends on where people are from. Also, this is a tumultuous time that we live in as far as the invasion of the mind! We have our Black Berry devices, TV, tons of emails - it’s almost as if God doesn’t have a chance at getting in! So we have to acknowledge this, and make sure that we guard our quiet times as well. This is a difficult time in which to live a consistent, godly life.

Question: From a Christian perspective, when we look at key political issues today, Christians are very divided. As you look at the landscape, what guidance can you give as far as addressing a diverse Christian body?

Dr. Zacharias: This is a difficult question! There will always be people who disagree with you.

- Example of Joe Gibbs (NASCAR - used to be in the NFL) - everyone is depraved (according to Joe Gibbs). It doesn’t matter what industry you are in.

Watching the world today - including the United States - there is systemic corruption everywhere! When the central power is given to a governing authority, it will plunder the souls of people. There are plenty of historical examples of this. The process of freedom and markets doesn’t eliminate evil, but it may be the best route from a philosophical perspective.

Can you respond to the apparent cruelty of God in the Old Testament?

Dr. Zacharias: Another very difficult issue! John Njoroge is doing a lot of thinking on this.

Njoroge: This is a really important issue today - in fact much of The God Delusion is based on attacking the character of God.

- the question itself assumes a certain standard. You have to believe that there is a moral standard in order to even raise this question, and you can’t have a moral standard without God. The question of evil is in view here as well. You answer these questions in a similar light. We have to remember that God is all-knowing, and we are not. When answering this question though, remember that God is often cast in the worst light possible. Remember that you cannot say that the events of the Bible are knee-jerk reactions. God’s judgments on the nations are purposeful. Also, Israel was an instrument in the hands of God and they too were inflicted with judgments from God.

Dr. Zacharias: When you see God’s cataclysmic actions - remember that there are major revelatory elements there as well! This means that what he does is a result of people ignoring God’s revelation. God is not acting in a vacuum.

Also: Dawkins and all of these scholars disavow God because of evil. But the thing is, when you talk about evil, you must say there is a God. But why must there be a moral law giver? Because when evil is discussed, it always relates back to people - so the question is bound within itself. There is a dignity inherent in humans that cannot exist without a law-giver.

Finally: pain is necessary! The possibility of pain is an indicator for self-preservation. This keeps us from self-destructing!

End of event: Thank you for joining us!

Today at 11am CST Trinity International University will announce a new partnership with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Go here to watch the live-stream for free: http://tiuproductions.com/livestream/ This is a special chapel service of the university.

In addition, you can watch a free live webcast of a special Henry Center-sponsored event entitled “Apologetics Beyond the Pew” at 2:30pm CST today, April 12, 2010 at http://tiuproductions.com/livestream/ The event will last for roughly 1.5 hours and will feature a talk by Dr. Zacharias on apologetics.

Both of these events will be recorded and posted for free viewing on the Henry Center website 2-4 weeks from now.

Schedule of Events for Monday, April 12

• 11am-12:15pm: Special chapel service to announce TIU-RZIM partnership in ATO Chapel (all invited); free webcast online
• 2:30pm-4pm: “Apologetics Beyond the Pew” with Ravi Zacharias and Friends in ATO Chapel (all invited); free webcast online

As previous announced, the Henry Center is sponsoring a special event with global evangelist Ravi Zacharias on Monday, April 12, from 2:30pm-4pm in ATO Chapel on the TEDS campus.  Entitled “Apologetics Beyond the Pew: A Conversation for the Church with Ravi Zacharias and Friends”, the event will cover how Christians can carry out faithful apologetics beyond the walls of the church building.

Dr. Zacharias will give 15 to 20 minutes of remarks on this essential topic and will then be joined by Scott Chapman of The Chapel (Grayslake) and John Njoroge of RZIM for a panel discussion.

The entire TIU community, with the general public, is invited to this free event.  It will be webcasted live for an international audience at http://tiuproductions.com/livestream.

In addition, the Henry Center is pleased to offer a free live webcast of a special service in ATO Chapel at 11am of the same day (Monday, April 12) announcing the formation of a special partnership between TIU and RZIM.  As noted above, visit http://tiuproductions.com/livestream to access the free live webcast.

Schedule of Events for Monday, April 12

• 11am-12:15pm: Special chapel service to announce TIU-RZIM partnership in ATO Chapel (all invited); free webcast online
• 2:30pm-4pm: “Apologetics Beyond the Pew” with Ravi Zacharias and Friends in ATO Chapel (all invited); free webcast online

On Thursday, April 15, 2010 from 12pm-1:15 p.m., the Henry Center is sponsoring a brown-bag gathering in Hinkson Hall entitled “Fostering Biblical Preaching Movements: A Conversation.”

Led by Greg Scharf, chair of the Pastoral Ministry department at TEDS, this conversation will feature David Jackman of Proclamation Trust, David Helm of Simeon Trust, and Todd Kelly of Leadership Resources International. With Scharf, who is affiliated with Langham Preaching, each of the participants will give a brief, seven-minute presentation on the movement they lead and how it contributes to the spread of biblical preaching. Following the brief presentations, attendees will be welcome to contribute to a lively question-and-answer discussion in the mold of the Center’s Timothy Series events.

The Henry Center invites the TIU campus, along with interested parties from the surrounding area, to this eye-opening event. “Fostering Biblical Preaching Movements” is free and open to all.

The Center has a heart for enriching the preaching ministry of God’s church, and we hope that this brief but packed event will accomplish just that.

(Image of Paul Preaching in Athens/An Uncommon Grace)

The Henry Center is sponsoring a special event with global evangelist Ravi Zacharias on Monday, April 12, from 2:30pm-4pm in ATO Chapel on the TEDS campus.  Entitled “Apologetics Beyond the Pew: A Conversation for the Church with Ravi Zacharias and Friends”, the event will cover how Christians can carry out faithful apologetics beyond the walls of the church building.

Zacharias will be joined by Scott Chapman of The Chapel (Grayslake) and John Njoroge of RZIM.  President Craig Williford of TIU will give opening remarks.

The entire TIU community, with the general public, is invited to this free event.  It will be webcasted live for an international audience at http://tiuproductions.com/livestream/.  The Henry Center is glad to sponsor this event, which comes on the heels of a special service at 11am of the same day announcing the formation of a special partnership between TIU and RZIM.

(Image: SoliDeoGloria)

March 17th, 2010

Live blog by Chipper Flaniken

To view the live-stream for Christine Pohl’s lecture on hospitality, visit here: http://tiuproductions.com/livestream/

The Henry Center for Theological Understanding welcomes Dr. Christine Pohl, Professor of Church in Society at Asbury Theological Seminary

At 1:00 PM in the ATO Chapel of TEDS, Dr. Pohl will be delivering a lecture entitled:

“Practicing Hospitality in Troubled Times: Promise and Peril for the Church”

See below for a summary:

Offering hospitality to strangers was a distinctive feature of ancient Christian life. The biblical texts and tradition, Jesus’ practice and explicit teachings, and the needs of the ancient church and world combined to make hospitality a central aspect of Christian discipleship. In the last 500 years, transformative understandings of hospitality have been mostly lost, and with them, some crucial insights into Christian witness, social ministry and congregational life. Giving fresh attention to an ancient practice allows us to see the close connection between theology and everyday life, and offers promise and challenge to the contemporary church.

Begin Live Blog:

———————————————————————————————

Introduction

-  In the church today, our hospitality tends to be fairly tame and “safe”

-  It doesn’t really cost us.

Hospitality in Scripture

1. True hospitality is present from the the very beginning of Scripture until the very end, in fact, true hospitality is a condensing of the gospel

2. It wasn’t easy, but the NT finds leaders challenging each other to be welcoming

- Hebrews 13 - we may even be entertaining angels!

- 1 Peter 4 - hospitality is vital yet costly

3. Hospitality was practiced in the church and in the home

4. Hospitality was often practiced around meals

5. Hospitality was connected to the divine

- Jesus makes a close link to this in Matthew 25

- Jesus presents a hospitality parable in Luke 14:12-14

A History of Hospitality:

In the early church, hospitality was a vital apologetic

- as expressed by many writers, including Justin Martyr

The church reformers valued hospitality

The reformers, including Martin Luther, spoke very favorably of hospitality

John Calvin commended Christians engaged in the welcoming of refugees.

However, in their efforts to reform the church, Luther and Calvin did not recover the importance of hospitality in congregational life.

This is a critical issue, because vibrant hospitality occurs when there is overlap between society and the church.

If there is too much emphasis on the social/civic side, hospitality becomes disconnected and scattered.

18th Century - John Wesley recovered many of the practices of hospitality - such as eating meals together and visiting. But he did not call it hospitality since the term “hospitality” lacked a moral significance in England.

The argument is not that hospitality was damaged intentionally, but hospitality has been altered into something shallower in the Christian church over the past several centuries.

Wesley’s understanding of hospitality was much closer to the practices of the early church, so his views certainly deserve a closer look.

The Resurgence of Hospitality in the Modern Church

Why is this important?

1. Hospitality provides us a fresh lens that we can use to think about our faith

- we gain fresh perspective on discipleship

2. Hospitality is critical to the credibility of the gospel

- without hospitality, it is easy to dismiss truth.

- Robert Webber: the most significant apologetic for the Christian faith will be the hospitality found in the local church. This will become the new apologetic. People will come to faith not through arguments, but through fellowship.

Illustration: Christian community in rural Georgia. It is a rural Christian community that attracts 3,000 visitors per year simply because strangers are attracted to see how this Christian body loves and serves refugees.

3. New Christians hear about the gospel through intimate relationship!

- This is what allows for discipleship

4. People are much more alone than they used to be.

- People in lots of churches have no family close by. Thus, the church can help reconstruct families out of people who have come to be parts of these congregations.

- Churches have generally embraced a social service model. We serve meals, but we don’t sit down and have conversations with them, or invite them into our church. This is artificial and destructive! We are not just providing a social service

5.  People today are open to mystery!

- People understand that life has to consist in more than how much money they make. This is a dangerous search unless the church longs to meet these yearnings!

The Perils of Hospitality

What is in danger when we practice hospitality?

1. When we practice hospitality, our lives and our lifestyles are in danger!

- our lives are more exposed when we practice hospitality - especially when we become friends with people unlike ourselves. Hospitality forces us to live closer to our limits. Our frailties are exposed!

- hospitality stretches us! It involves a dieing to self. It is costly!

- we worry about embracing hospitality because we think that strangers might take advantage of us

- we must become willing to live with a certain amount of risk while still protecting the vulnerable people in our families.

- hospitality is safer in the context of community, so since we have smaller families today,

2. Since it is so potent, hospitality can be misused!

- many in the Christian tradition have used hospitality as a means of being idle

- but the churches founds ways to deal with this!

- Calvin wrote that people in need should be helped, but their circumstances should be inquired about. But remember, don’t cover your stinginess under the shadow of prudence!

- We have to start with God’s gracious character and generosity. This gives us a better set of resources to deal with the hard cases.

3. Hospitality can endanger our reputations and our experience of privilege

- transformative hospitality assumes that true hospitality moves in both directions! Other people need to be enabled to used their gifts of service!

4. We hesitate to do significant hospitality because we are worried about losing time and money.

- protecting family time and rest are important things to do, and there are times when we have to limit our hospitality!

- Francis Schaeffer: It is not sinful to be finite!

5. Hospitality endangers our plans

- hospitality interferes with our idea of efficiency and measureable results

6. Hospitality can interfere with our cherished way of life

- a shared way of life in good and compelling, and when we welcome people that are different than us, it can change our own identities.

- we have to be wise about what values we change, and which aspects of our community we are willing to adapt.

Discourse on hospitality as resistance

- our acts of welcome and respect toward people different than ourselves are particularly important when the world says they aren’t worth our time

- when we welcome these types of people, their self-assessment changes. Our opinions are influenced by what people think about us! There is nothing more dangerous than being invisible or having a place to contribute.

- in this way, hospitality is an important means of pursuing justice.

- the most vulnerable people in the world are those without vibrant relationships. These people need places to share their gifts! They need a home!

7. When in ministry, we must separate dignity from need! Otherwise we can easily humiliate the people that we help.

- hospitality reminds us that respect does not need to be drained from relationships when someone has significant needs.

8. there is peril in hospitality because it is effective in forging relationships, so it can be exploited by ambition. Don’t turn hospitality into a form of commercial exchange! We are goal oriented, which can be a dangerous thing.

- Hospitality cannot just be a strategy for church growth or evangelism! There are few contexts that are better for sharing the gospel.

9.  Hospitality is dangerous because it draws us so close to God’s mystery. It’s full of surprise and mystery!

- it can be crazy and unpredictable!

- when you talk with practicioners of hospitality, you often find that you get more than you give! God moves through these circumstances to effect the givers.

- however, we cannot carve our days into mundane things and the things that we think will effect the kingdom! We cannot build this distinction into our days!

The Henry Center is pleased to announce two upcoming events.

First, in partnership with Lausanne 2010, it will host a conversation on conversation on global Christianity and cultural engagement on March 17, 2010 at 9am in ATO Chapel.  The TIU community and the local evangelical community is invited to this exciting conversation, which will feature such leading evangelical thinkers as Tite Tienou of TEDS, Doug Birdsall (Executive Chairman of Lausanne), Andy Crouch of Christianity Today, Bethany Hoang of International Justice Mission, and Peter Cha of TEDS.  Skye Jethani of Leadership Journal will moderate the discussion.

Trinity is one of a select group of locations for Lausanne gatherings, including New York City, Boston, and Pasadena.  Please join the Henry Center and other distinguished guests for the March 17^th conversation.

Visit http://www.lausanne.org/global-conversation/chicagotrinity-gathering.html for more information.  The event will likely be live-streamed and recorded for later posting on this website.

Second, on Wednesday, March 17^th at 1pm in ATO Chapel, the Henry Center will sponsor a Scripture & Ministry lecture by Dr. Christine Pohl of Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Kentucky) on “Practicing Hospitality in Troubled Times: Promise and Peril for the Church”.  The lecture is free and open to the entire TIU community.

The following is a brief description of the talk:

Offering hospitality to strangers was a distinctive feature of ancient Christian life. The biblical texts and tradition, Jesus’ practice and explicit teachings, and the needs of the ancient church and world combined to make hospitality a central aspect of Christian discipleship. In the last 500 years, transformative understandings of hospitality have been mostly lost, and with them, some crucial insights into Christian witness, social ministry and congregational life. Giving fresh attention to an ancient practice allows us to see the close connection between theology and everyday life, and offers promise and challenge to the contemporary church.

Clearly, the issue of hospitality relates broadly to essential Christian themes and practices.  Attendees of the lecture will benefit from a richly scriptural and theological look at a Christian calling that many attempt to practice but few fully appreciate.

Please join the Center for these two upcoming events, which are free and open to all.

live blogged by Chipper Flaniken

February 9th, 2010

—————————————————————

The Henry Center for Theological Understanding welcomes Wayne Ogimachi as a part of the ongoing Timothy Series. Pastor Ogimachi will be speaking at the TEDS chapel services on February 9th and February 11th.

A graduate of UCLA and Fuller Theological Seminary, Wayne Ogimachi has experience in youth, campus, and pastoral ministry in southern California. He also served for 17 years as the Pastor of Christian Layman Church in Oakland, CA, during which time he also helped start the Asian American Christian Fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2000, he moved to Seattle to plant Lighthouse Christian Church in Bellevue, Washington, where he currently serves as Lead Pastor.

—————————————————————-

Scripture passage from John 21:15-23 (read by TEDS student)

Pastor Ogimachi

Introductory comments:

Born in Chicago…moved to southern California when two years old. Pastored for 17 years in the Bay area. Then moved to Seattle to plant a church that he is still with (Lighthouse Christian Church). Attended Fuller Seminary…tough experience for him spiritually. Lots of new learning for a lifetime of ministry, gained a broader perspective of church history, gained a better understanding of theological controversies, rubbed shoulders with bright faculty and professors.

Spent seven years at Fuller doing his MDiv.

Did lots of different ministries during that time. Including prison ministry. Began to fall in love with the church as the vehicle for God’s kingdom.

Went to seminary with no intention of becoming a pastor. Thought he was going to do campus ministry (didn’t have a positive view of the institutional church during college years at UCLA - was involved in a vibrant parachurch organization).

Hard times during seminary: financial crises, relational issues, feelings of inadequacy, academic struggles. During those years, would often doubt God’s call on his life. Wondered if God could use someone like him effectively in ministry.

On the the passage:

Peter in a crisis of faith in John 21 - Peter had claimed he would die for Jesus rather than forsake him. Then he had a “humpty-dumpty” moment where things fell apart.

We have all had these types of moments. Like during Pastor Ogimachi’s experience in youth ministry.

But remember, Jesus wanted to help Peter pick up the pieces. Wanted to be sure Peter would meet him in Galilee. And they had breakfast together…which signified relational warmth in that culture.

But there was still an “elephant in the room” between Jesus and Peter. This is a common experience among many of us!

And for Peter…the elephant was his denial of Jesus! This is the same Peter that Jesus wanted to use to help build the church (Matt 16:18).

Jesus never tries to shame or blame Peter. Instead Jesus decides not to dwell on the past…but he didn’t minimize the sin either.

So Jesus asks, “do you love me?” (John 21:15)

This question just hangs in the air…and everything in Peter’s life hangs in the balance. This is a “defining moment” - the day that changes your life forever.

How do we know if we love Jesus?

1. If we love Jesus, we will long for personal communion with him and to be with him.

2. We will love the things he loves (Micah 6:8).

3. We will hate the things that he hates (Proverbs 8:13). There are things that Jesus hates!

4. We will long for Jesus to return. Has this longing been put on the back burner? What about in your life? If we love Jesus, we will long for his returning. Paul does! (2 Tim 4:8)

5. We will keep his commandments. This is a tangible outworking of love!

Regardless of past failures, those who love Jesus can be recommissioned like Peter was. We can rejoin the mission and take up the cause! We can serve the King and his kingdom!

Main point about loving Jesus: Jesus will only entrust his sheep to those who love him and his people. To those who deeply and absolutely love him! These are the only safe shepherds!

One of the things about seminary is that it can make you discerning, but it can also make you cynical. Are you becoming critical thinkers, or just becoming critical?

Anecdote: The church will be changed and renewed by people that love the church and are deeply committed to it! Pastor Ogimachi heard this in seminary and it profoundly impacted his life. Would he then stand on the periphery and criticize, or throw his hat in the ring and try to be a part of the solution?

So our prayer should be that God would protect us from cynical attitudes.

Wouldn’t you give your children to someone that you trust? That also love your children? Jesus is the same way. He will only entrust people into the care of people that love Jesus Christ and his sheep.

Quote: “There are two kinds of people…those who takes risks for God, and those who criticize and malign the first group.”

Back to the passage:

Jesus tells Peter that loving the kingdom will not be easy! Love brought Peter a task AND a sacrifice! We don’t love Jesus unless we are prepared to take up his cross.

Do you love Jesus? Our seminary years should increase our hearts for the Lord! Beware of coming out of seminary with a cold heart!

Will you follow Jesus to the end of your life? Will you get discouraged when the road gets hard, or will you be distracted by what God is doing in the lives of others?

Peter had this “distraction problem”. He looked at the apostle Jesus loved and asked Jesus about him. Do you get distracted by how God is using other people in ministry!

Again, sacrifice is going to happen in ministry!

Pastor Ogimachi: My hardest year in ministry was in 1996. Staff conflict. Several months of terrible discouragement. Lots of humbling moments and discouragement. Things I thought were going well were not going as well. Then the Lord told him, “if this is really going to be a good church, someone is going to have to lay down their life!”

When you see a healthy church - or even a healthy marriage or relationship - you can assume that it came at a major cost to someone. Even the healthiest churches and marriages have high costs!

If we don’t love God, we will be a danger to a church. But the more we love Jesus, the more ministry he will entrust to us.

Jesus trusts leaders that fall in love with him!

End live blog…thank you for joining us! Pastor Ogimachi will speak again during the TEDS chapel on Thursday, February 11th.

February 3rd, 2010

live-blogged by Chipper Flaniken

(Streaming video is available here)

Welcome to the live blog for the “All Israel” conversation at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School!

Please see below for an official advertisement concerning the conversation. The live blog will begin momentarily.

——————————————————————————————-

On February 3, 2010 from 7pm-9:30 in ATO Chapel at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, the Henry Center, in conjunction with Chosen People Ministries, will host a conversation entitled “‘All Israel’ and the Church: A Conversation on Scripture, Eschatology, and Evangelism”. Conversational partners will include Dr. Mitch Glaser of CPM, Dr. Douglas Moo of Wheaton College, Dr. Willem VanGemeren of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dr. John Feinberg of TEDS, and the moderator, Dr. Richard Averbeck of TEDS. All are welcome and invited to this free event.

The following outlines possible avenues of discussion:

In Romans 11 Paul makes the case that God has not cast off his people Israel, despite their rejection as a nation of Jesus, their Messiah. His final argument that God isn’t finished with Israel is that “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:25-27). What did Paul mean and how will this come to pass? Who constitutes “Israel,” the biological seed of Abraham or his spiritual seed? Is the salvation in view spiritual, national, socio-economical, or all of these? Has this promise been fulfilled during the NT era by individual Jews and Gentiles turning to Christ and hence “filling up” the “all Israel?” Or is the promise to be fulfilled in the end-times at the return of Christ? If the latter, will only those biologically Jewish be saved, or will there also be a massive turning to Christ among the Gentiles? Whatever the answers to such questions, what are the implications for how Christians should understand the modern state of Israel? And, of most practical importance, how should one’s understanding of Rom 11:25-27 impact one’s attitudes toward and efforts in evangelizing Jews?

——————————————————————————————-

How and When Will All Israel Be Saved?

Conversation with Dr. Feinberg, Dr. Moo, Dr. VanGemeren, Dr. Averbeck (moderator), and Dr. Glaser beginning shortly!

Introductory comments by Dr. Averbeck (moderator) and opening prayer.

Dr. Averbeck is professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has been at Trinity since 1994.

Dr. Douglas Moo - former professor at TEDS for about 20 years, now teaching at Wheaton College. He is the author of A Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, as well as several other commentaries and books.

Dr. John Feinberg - Chair of the Department of Biblical and Systematic Theology and professor of biblical and systematic theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has been at Trinity since 1983. Author of “No One Like Him: The Doctrine of God”.

Dr. Willem VanGemeren - Director of the Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies program and professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has taught at Trinity since 1992.

Dr. Mitch Glaser - President, Chosen People Ministries - involved in Jewish evangelism in several countries.

Main passage for the evening is Romans 11:25-27

Four questions for evening panel:

1. How does Romans 11 fit into Paul’s argument in the book as a whole?
2. To whom does Paul refer when he speaks of all Israel in Romans 11:26?
3. What is your understanding of how and when Israel will be saved?
4. How does your understanding of Scriptures relate to your views of Jewish evangelism today and into the future?

Comments from Dr. Moo:

Question 1:

Will provide little argumentation and little nuance given time constraints

Look at Romans from several perspectives:

A. Takes Romans 9-11 to be integral to Romans as a whole

B. We must make sure that we do not forget Romans 1-8 when trying to understand Romans 9-11.

For example, there are significant issues in Romans 4 concerning the “people of God”.

Thus, people in Romans 1-8 seem to have no ethnic discrimination - spiritual ancestor is Abraham.

C. There is much about “the land” in the Old Testament, but not a lot about the land in the New Testament

see Romans 4:13 - “heir of the world”

Main Point: There seems to be a universalizing hermeneutic in Romans.

Question 2:

If Abraham is indeed the father of those who believe…we might expect the word “Israel” to naturally appear in Romans 9-11.

Also - Galatians 6:16 - Paul uses the word “Israel” to describe the “church”.

But Dr. Moo does not believe Paul does this in Romans 11.

He notes that there is a distinction in verse 25 between Israel and the Gentiles.

Therefore, when Paul predicts “All Israel” will be saved…there is an ethnic component to this, but it does not mean all the Jews that have ever lived. The phrase has a “representative” significance according to a significant number of Jewish people - but not all.

Question 3:

When will All Israel be saved?

There are indications that Paul might be thinking of a process through history. All Israel is being saved…when all of the elect of both Jews and Gentiles are saved. This seems unlikely…

Why might the temporal situation be important?

Dr. Moo: Thinks a significant number of Jews will be saved when Christ returns in glory.

Why? Focus on key verses - note importance of “until” in verse 25.

This naturally suggests there will be a change in the situation at some point in time.

This hardening of the Israelites will cease at a certain time…there will be a significant turning to Christ among the Jewish people.

Question 4:

What are the implications of all of this?

Dr. Moo: seems to be a clear pattern of Old Testament prophecies finding fulfillment in the new people of God in the New Covenant era.

So Romans 11:25-27 - how does it fit into this pattern? Dr. Moo thinks there is a contrast here between Jews and Gentiles. Text “pushes him in that direction”. It forces him to that conclusion about ethnic Israel. But he does not draw many significant consequences from that claim.

Also, it seems as though the promise Paul makes here in Romans 11 does not mean that the Jews will inhabit a certain land.

Finally - what about Jewish evangelism?

Dr. Moo: No significant basis in this text or others that there should be a particular focus on the Jews as far as evangelism. The Gospel should be taken to all nations.

Comments from Dr. Feinberg

Question 1:

Jesus is the savior for all people groups.

God promised great things to Israel in the past, but will they be fulfilled? Have these promises been canceled?

The trustworthiness of God and Gospel are at stake.

So what does Paul say in chapter 9? Israel has an election to privilege, which is not the same as an election to salvation.

Salvation is for a remnant - not from merit - but from grace.

Chapter 10 - Paul shows that Jews who do not turn to Christ…they can’t blame anyone but themselves

Chapter 11 - What about the promises to Israel unconditionally? Chapters 9-10 don’t clearly answer these questions

Paul addresses this in chapter 11. Verse 1 - God has not cast away the Israelites

Why?

There is still a remnant of Jews coming to Christ - such as Paul

Israel’s falling away is part of a divine strategy to win Gentiles and Israelites to Christ.

God will reap a whole number of Israelites

In sum:  God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled despite the delay! God’s Word can be trusted.

Question 2:

What is the meaning of “All Israel”? It seems as though Romans 9-11 are about ethnic Israel, otherwise it is hard to see how they fit into the book. If not, the contrasts in chapter 11 make very little sense.

But what does “all” mean?

- Doesn’t refer to every Jew that has ever lived…many did not have right relationships with God

- Doesn’t think this is a reference to the church

- Paul doesn’t intend to include OT believers

- Paul doesn’t think that all NT believers will be saved…but a remnant will be saved.

So to what does “All” refer?

See Romans 11:25 - Part of the Jewish nation during the age when Paul was writing will be spiritually blinded. But the blindness will be temporary until the Gentiles have been received in “fullness”.

Paul contrasts current spiritual blinding with future spiritual sight.

Question 3:

When will the future come? No specific date in Scripture.

Dr. Feinberg things it will become at the second Advent

So does “All” refer to every Jew alive at this Second Advent? Possibly, but it also might just refer to the nation as a whole. Some might still be turned away.

A judgment of sheep and goats will come according to Jesus…so these goats may be only Gentiles and the sheep Jews…but Jesus doesn’t say this.

Never underestimate the sinful obstinacy of mankind!

God is certainly able to save every Jew alive.

How will they be saved?

Zechariah 12 - post-exilic passage

What does Zechariah 12 say? Seems to predict a day in which God will fight for Israel and confuse the enemy of Israel. Israel’s enemy will be defeated. But also…

…verse 10 - grace will be poured out on the people of God

Thus, the Israelites will be moved to plead for forgiveness and then turn towards the Lord.

Again, when will this be fulfilled?

In the climatic battle at Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation. Jesus seems to confirm this in Matthew 24.

Dr. Feinberg: None of what I presented contradicts Paul’s explanation in Romans 9-11

Question 4:

Romans 11 is not a mandate for Jewish evangelism…the Great Commission is.

But this should be an encouragement to bring the Gospel to the Jews. There is no evidence that the fullness of Jews has been brought in. The remnant is incomplete. Evangelism to the Jews is not futile!

In the coming day…the nation as a whole will respond to Christ.

How far are we from these events? Hard to know…but the Tribulation could start this year for all we know.

Also, seeds sown could bear fruit in in the future when Jews look upon Christ and repent.

Regardless of how far we are from these events…we should be obedient to the Great Commission, and we don’t want to see anyone experience a Christ-less eternity.

The passages tonight encourage us to evangelize.

Comments from Dr. VanGemeren

Question 1:

Paul has a concern for all people…the voice of God in Scripture is an echo of the Creator.

At the same time, Paul argues that all  people may be spiritual children of Abraham (see Romans 4). Abraham received inheritance…and all with faith in Christ will share in this.

Paul sees himself as a representative of Israel called to be a light to the Gentiles. The Jewish people have received much light, and as such he is called to be a light to the nations.

Paul is zealous in his ministry to the Gentiles in order to provoke Israel to jealousy (see Romans 11). He is jealous for salvation for both groups.

Also, there is a mystery in Romans 11 and Romans 16. Paul knows that his mission is in accordance with Scripture and the mystery of God.

Where God has accorded to him an insight as to redemptive history…the prophets didn’t understand this.

Question 2:

There was a hardening, but there is and will be a believing community from Israel. Paul thinks that Israel will again be a part of the people of God. He is speaking of ethnic Israel…not necessarily a political reality

God’s purposes with Israel are not over yet. His gifts and his calling are irrevocable (Paul’s).  And note that the citations he uses demonstrate that he depends on the OT for his descriptions and understanding as described in Romans 11

All of these acts are in accordance with the Scriptures…mysterious as to how it will work out. Salvation is by grace…but of course not every Jew will be saved!

God has loved all humanity as he may have mercy on all of them. He shows mercy to humanity! So all Jewish people, guilty and unfaithful, may call on God and be saved!

Israel’s salvation is brought together with the Gentiles.

But…

1. Israel is “the natural branches” - close relatives of God

2. They are still the beloved according to Abraham. Isaiah 41:8.

3. Most importantly - as Paul received a dramatic vision of Christ…so it may be that the Redeemer will come to dramatically save the Israelites

So, the salvation of ethnic Israel must and will be part of the nations.

Questions 3 and 4:

Israel is not at the center of Paul’s Gospel…the center is Jesus Christ!

Paul sees himself as an ambassador to the world. He does not simply address individuals, nor does he limit himself to the Christian church. He lays claim to the cosmos.

At the same time, Paul’s commitment to Scripture raises the question of God’s fidelity. Romans 9-11: Paul wrestles with the place of Israel in redemptive history. The OT books were the Scriptures for Paul. See Isaiah - representative texts. Paul is truly a representative of others.

Paul so well knows these texts that he is able to comment on the order as presented in the OT texts. So Paul provides a bridge between these two worlds. History from one sequence of events helps us see what God is doing in the context of Paul.

This is what Paul means by “mystery”. Isaiah 59 - Paul’s citation of this text makes the most sense in response to all of Isaiah as a whole

Paul sees a vision of the new humanity. Israel will be sharing in the benefits of God’s goodness. Paul’s provocation to jealousy for the Israelites therefore comes from his understanding of Isaiah’s condemnation of Israel for rejecting God’s goodness. From this it is clear that the Jews cannot bring themselves into God’s presence.

Then we see that the “Redeemer will come from Zion” - this is what motivates Paul! Salvation is God’s alone…Israel and the nations alone cannot produce salvation (see Isaiah 59:20, Romans 11:26).

Isaiah 60:19 - the Lord will be the everlasting light (for the Jews).

- God will come and intervene on the behalf of his people. But the freedom of God’s mercy does not allow us to predict the form or the time during which this will unfold. Israel strayed from the Scriptures…even at Pentecost the Jews became more Torah focused. Torah wisdom was central, and it became more divisive.

Finally, how do Christians communicate with Jews?

- evangelical Christians have a unique privilege of building bridges. But we are often not aware of the discussions that have been transpiring over the past 2,000 years! We need to educate ourselves…studying the Second Temple period is recommended. We have islands that evangelicals are not aware of. We are often unaware of God’s continuing grace during the Second Temple period.

Evangelicals must not think that Israelites are either all right or all wrong. Anti-Semitic leanings are to be absolutely condemned, but our fear of it should not lead us to opposite extremes either.

Comments from Dr. Mitch Glaser

Intro: Dr. Glaser is  Messianic Jew from Brooklyn. Became a Christian during the Jesus Movement out in California. He “takes Romans 9-11 personally” - as he assumes Paul does as well.

Question 1:

Thinks that Paul uses Romans 9-11 as an attempt to bear his soul to the Israelites. It is evangelism in and of itself.

- The “All Israel” in Romans 9-11 refers to all ethnic Jews that accept Jesus Christ as Savior before the Second Coming.

- The fullness of God’s promises will not come to the Jews until they accept Christ.

Additional points:

- Dr. Glaser thinks Romans 9-11 refers to a cataclysmic, End Times event. So Dr. Glaser is looking to evangelize to the Last Gentile (laughter).

- Jeremy Cone - Harvard Theological review - quoted Origen…the fullness of the Lord’s portion will not be complete until the Israelites come to faith in the End Times. This will complete the fullness.

- Robert Murray M’Cheyne agrees, so does Spurgeon

Spurgeon quote: the day will come when the Israelites will be gathered…but until then the glory of the church will not be complete.

Question 2:

Who is All Israel?

It seems impossible that “all Israel” includes Gentiles. There seems to be a clear distinction here.

“All Israel” will be ethnic Jews that receive the fullness of God’s promises before the Second Coming. Again, this will be a cataclysmic event.

Question 3:

Jerusalem will be saved…God will intervene (reference to Dr. Feinberg Sr. and his comments on the matter).

Important to note that God takes the initiative in pouring out his Spirit. The nation of Israel will not be saved by weapons of war made by human hands…but by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will lead the Jews to repentance.

So Romans 11 is a fulfillment of Zechariah 12

Question 4:

For the church to evangelize the world without evangelizing the Jews in disgraceful

Romans 1:16 - must view this passage in view of Romans 11. It implies a priority rather than a sequential order of events. Same language as Matthew in seeking “first the kingdom of God”

So there must be a priority of concern…and Paul focused on Gentiles of course…but it did not lessen his concern for the Jewish people. He often evangelized to the Jews before he evangelized to the Gentiles

Thus, Paul’s behavior in Acts is a commentary on his language in Romans 11

J Hudson Taylor story

- we learn that one mission does not negate our command for another mission!

- Gentiles have a lot of love for the Jewish people, but sometimes Dr. Glaser often feels like evangelism to the Jews feels like a great omission rather than part of the Great Commission

- There is a uniqueness to Jewish evangelism in regards to the special role the Jews play in God’s soteriological plan.

Reaching Jews for the gospel must be a priority concern for all Christians since it the final step before the second coming

We need to connect Romans 11 to Romans 10 - all who call on the Lord will be saved. No distinction at the foot of the cross. Jewish people are saved the way Gentiles are saved. The Word of God produces faith in the hearts of those who believe in every age!

- We are God’s instruments of those who be part of the End Time Remnant. The Gospel must be preached to the Jews, no matter when that day will come.

Romans 11:11 - Salvation has come to the Gentiles to makes them jealous. Paul sees a special role for the Gentiles in bringing Jews to faith…so of these Gentiles will be in the audience today, or perhaps watching on screen!

Five Minute Break for Refreshments

Questions from Speakers to Fellow Speakers

Dr. Glaser to Dr Moo - something dramatic happens when the Jews accept Christ it seems in Romans 11, do you agree?

-Dr. Moo agrees…the resurrection will occur

-Dr. VanGemeren - His hope is that there will be salvation of Israel, and then the consummation of the ages.

Dr. VanGemeren to Dr. Moo - doesn’t think that all prophecy is fulfilled through the church (which Dr. Moo seems to think). There is a special role for Israel in the final days.

Dr. Feinberg - because of unconditional nature of OT covenants…there is something in store for the Israelites. Romans 11:25-27 is about the salvation of Israel per se.

Dr. Moo - Sees the pattern of fulfillment in the NT, but Dr. Moo thinks that people in this era fulfill that pattern. Christ fulfills the prophecies, which are extended to the church and not Israel as a nation necessarily

Dr. Moo to Dr. Glaser on evangelism - Dr. Moo doesn’t think that Jewish evangelism should be a priority. Points to Romans 2 and the reversal of the Romans 1:16 pattern.

Dr. Averbeck to Dr. Glaser and Dr. VanGemeren - what about this issue of the land?

- Dr. Glaser - what about all the prophesies that speak about the land and the kingdom that are not quoted in the NT? Do we have the right to say that because some prophecies are fulfilled by the church, that therefore all will be fulfilled by the church? Dr. Glaser thinks not.

- Dr. VanGemeren - God is faithful, but he is also sovereign and free. Let’s not bind him with our interpretations. The NT accords with Moses and the Prophets, but it is not a one-to-one relationship per se.

Question and Answer: End of Live Blog