Core Grace
is the ability
to hold the tension
between affirming
my own individuality
and acknowledging the legitimacy
of other’s needs
long enough
for Jesus to crucify
my self-centered false identity
and reveal
His greater redemption
for all of us.
In other words,
(by analogy with core strength training)
it is what enable us
to substitute Christ-like Responses
for selfish Reactions
God’s Kingdom is Coming
But not as they expect
Or I expect.
The fear of God should “pressure” me
To prioritize treating my family
With the fruits of the spirit
Even over accomplishing
What I thought He told me to do.
The premise of Discipling by Jesus is that uniting with Christ is what enables us to become fully human, as we learn to love our Selves and Others as Jesus does.
Continue readingI recently learned (probably from Seth Godin) that there are two types of roles: certified and performative. Roles defined by certification can be faked; for example, a man can sit in a medical office, examine patients, and give advice without really being a doctor. Conversely, the mere act of executing a performative role makes it authentic: if you get on a stage and sing to an audience, you are a singer, regardless of whether you are “qualified” to be there.
Today, as for much of its history, being a Christian is primarily defined by certifications: baptism, confirmation, membership, statements of faith, etc. As a result, there are endless arguments (and divisions) regarding about who is “really” a Christian.
What if it was other way around? What if there was something we could do, such that the very act of doing it was proof that we are being united with Christ, regardless of our beliefs or motives?
Continue readingIn response to the recent storming of the US Capitol.
I hate it.
I hate You.
Look at You. “All powerful.” “All wise.” “All loving.”
Yeah, right. Have You seen this world?
Worse, have You seen those who dare to call themselves Your people? Your representatives? Your priests?
The only real answer is Jesus.
The only real problem is sin.
The only real work is the cross.
In the end, we only have Him.
Join us on The Great Reset (via Zoom or YouTube Live at Tue Dec 29 1PM PST) as we work through the revelations from last week’s episode.
Question: How should we respond when we are hurt by the actions of other believers — who themselves are hurting?
Perspective: Seek the cross and grace of Christ, as the only true cure for our pain — and theirs.
Continue readingNext Tuesday, June 16, 2020 our Biastes public discipleship men’s group will continue using The Great Reset in Education as a lens to explore issues of racism and repentance in the wake of the Killing of George Floyd.
How can we retrain ourselves to measure everything against the reality of Jesus Christ — instead of our own understanding?
Cf. Peter rebuking Jesus — and vice versa (Matthew 16:21-25)
Create systems where we are repeatedly:
We continue this Season’s focus on The Great Reset of Education at Tuesday 6/2, 1 PM Pacific.
How do we raise up those who follow to represent Jesus better than we have?
(Inspired by the Agile Manifesto)
Continue readingJoin us on Zoom or YouTube/Facebook Live to co-create the video of this episode at 10 AM PST on Friday, May 1st, 2020 AD.
Question: How do we develop unconquerable joy?
Continue readingBringing Heaven to Earth. One Cross at a Time.
[Update: see my background thinking in Draft 2]
Christianity Beyond is a movement of ordinary people who are learning how to make the same kind of extraordinary impact as the Jesus they love. We honor all the ways people have sought to follow Jesus in the past and present, but dare to go beyond that in order to demonstrate to a watching world just how good and worthy Jesus is.
I feel like I need to repent of something.
For the last decade or so, I have been focused on understanding and promoting Transformational Christianity, which is based largely on Kingdom theology. I believed — and still believe — that the Kingdom of God is a powerful Biblical metaphor for understanding what the church and Christians are supposed to be doing on the earth.
But I think we’ve missed something. To be fair, everyone else in the gospels — the crowds, the disciples, even John the Baptist — also missed it. But that’s still no excuse. Especially since we have their example.
We have forgotten the cross of Christ. We have preached the life of Jesus in the gospels, and the power of the Holy Spirit in Acts, but overlooked the crucifixion that made both of those meaningful. We have sought the glory of Christ without sharing in His sufferings.
We want to bring the Kingdom of God — which is a good thing.
But we have tried to bring the Kingdom without first going to the cross. Which is a bad thing.
Oops.
Dear God,
Forgive me for falling into the same trap your early followers did, of getting so excited over the promise of the Kingdom I totally missed what you were actually doing. I confess that I still do not understand the cross of Christ, or why you had to die. Which is why I resist the fact that I have to die. And forget to tell people that they have to die, as Jesus did. We have — forgive the pun — watered down Baptism to an empty ritual, instead of a way to share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I am sorry. Please forgive me by your grace, by that very same death on a cross I have so foolishly neglected. Have mercy on those I may have misled or failed to help along the way. Help me to do my part in bringing back the fulness of the gospel to your people.
And, um, please let me know if there’s anything else important that I’ve missed…
I ask this in Jesus name, Amen.
