US soldier guilty of Iraq murder
US soldiers have had to answer a number of accusations of abuse
A US soldier has been convicted of murder for his involvement in the killing of four Iraqis who were shot and dumped in a Baghdad canal in 2007.
Sgt Michael Leahy Jr had confessed to investigators that he shot an Iraqi in the back of the head from close range.
His lawyers argued that the stress of being in a conflict zone for so long meant he was unable to reason properly.
But a panel at a court martial in Vilseck, Germany, dismissed the claims and will decide Leahy's sentence later.
The 28-year-old army medic, from Lockport, Illinois, faces a maximum life term in jail and a dishonourable discharge from the army.
'Fear and madness'
The victims were a group of Iraqis who were detained briefly and questioned over an attack on a Baghdad military base.
Leahy was one of a group of soldiers who took detainees away after it was decided there was not enough evidence to charge them.
Blindfolded and gagged, the four were then shot and dumped in a canal.
During interrogation in January 2008, Leahy told military investigators he had shot an Iraqi in the back of the head with a pistol.
The Associated Press reported that a video of the questioning was played at his court-martial hearing in the US army's Rose Barracks earlier this week.
"The detainee I shot fell back on me," he was heard to say in the videotape.
His lawyer, Frank Spinner, argued that Leahy went along with the killings because he was dazed from a lack of sleep.
"The tragedy resulted not so much by design but rather the working of fear, danger and madness attendant on many combat operations," Mr Spinner said in his closing arguments.
But prosecuting lawyer Cpt Derrick Grace said the soldiers could not be allowed to claim that they were protecting themselves "from future harm".
Leahy was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder by the nine-person panel.
Several other soldiers also face charges for involvement in the same incident.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Here We Go Again
'US missile strike' hits Pakistan

Casualties are feared in a suspected US drone attack in north-west Pakistan near the Afghan border, officials say.
Reports say that a missile fired by the drone destroyed a building used by the Taleban in the Kurram tribal region.
"Smoke can be seen over the area where the missile struck," a security official told Reuters news agency.
The US has launched dozens of similar attacks in recent months, mostly targeting Taleban and al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan's tribal regions.
Kurram, which is less than 100km (62 miles) from the Afghan capital, Kabul, served as the most important launching pad for the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1980s

Casualties are feared in a suspected US drone attack in north-west Pakistan near the Afghan border, officials say.
Reports say that a missile fired by the drone destroyed a building used by the Taleban in the Kurram tribal region.
"Smoke can be seen over the area where the missile struck," a security official told Reuters news agency.
The US has launched dozens of similar attacks in recent months, mostly targeting Taleban and al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan's tribal regions.
Kurram, which is less than 100km (62 miles) from the Afghan capital, Kabul, served as the most important launching pad for the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1980s
Here We Go Again
'US missile strike' hits Pakistan
Casualties are feared in a suspected US drone attack in north-west Pakistan near the Afghan border, officials say.
Reports say that a missile fired by the drone destroyed a building used by the Taleban in the Kurram tribal region.
"Smoke can be seen over the area where the missile struck," a security official told Reuters news agency.
The US has launched dozens of similar attacks in recent months, mostly targeting Taleban and al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan's tribal regions.
Kurram, which is less than 100km (62 miles) from the Afghan capital, Kabul, served as the most important launching pad for the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1980s
Casualties are feared in a suspected US drone attack in north-west Pakistan near the Afghan border, officials say.
Reports say that a missile fired by the drone destroyed a building used by the Taleban in the Kurram tribal region.
"Smoke can be seen over the area where the missile struck," a security official told Reuters news agency.
The US has launched dozens of similar attacks in recent months, mostly targeting Taleban and al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan's tribal regions.
Kurram, which is less than 100km (62 miles) from the Afghan capital, Kabul, served as the most important launching pad for the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1980s
New Testament Quetions: Week 5
1. Redaction criticism is the study of the author’s editorial choices in writing the scriptures and how these choices correlate both to the author’s theology and the characteristics of the intended audience. When studying the Sypnotic Gospels, this form of criticism brings to light different aspects of the story that one author finds pertinent and in turn shows what he thinks is most important for the reader to understand. This not only gives a small look at the personalities of the evangelists, but also opens up the possibility of finding plural meanings in a single event. For example, Luke, at the genesis of his gospel, includes the story of John the Baptist being filled with the Holy Spirit while still in the womb of Elizabeth, while Mark omits this event and begins his gospel with the story of John the Baptist preparing the way for the Messiah. From this one can conclude that both evangelists find that John the Baptist plays an important role in the story of Christ, but some events regarding him have more or less value to their audience. Mark was most likely writing to Gentiles and was mostly concerned with showing the impressiveness of Jesus, whereas Luke focused on the Holy Spirit and it’s power. Because this story contained a depiction of a move of the Holy Spirit but didn’t show the impressiveness of Jesus, Luke includes when Mark excludes it.
2. In modern times, the Gospel of Mark is most pertinent to a situation that involves a believer preaching apologetics. Due to the nature of Mark’s audience, which included: pagans, cynics, philosophers, and epicurean-natured people, Mark wrote with an extreme emphasis on the importance and deity that is Jesus. Throughout his gospel, he is often quick to point out the power and accuracy involved with Jesus’ endeavors. Through this style of presenting the Gospel, one would have to be blind to not see the A + B = C style with which Mark writes. With this undecorated way of presenting the gospel, one could use this cut and dry method of presenting the proof of Jesus being the Christ in an apologetic situation.
3. A new Christian and an audience of non-believers such as agnostics and atheists would probably find the Gospel of Mark to be the most appealing. Due to the emphatic nature of the Gospel of Mark concerning the proof of Jesus as the Christ, a new Christian would find Mark appealing because it would be simple to read and act as a reinforcement to their weak faith. Also, an agnostic and atheist audience would also find this Gospel appealing due to the matter-of-fact manner in which Mark chooses to use when writing. Most atheists or agnostics rely heavily on science for explanations, which, in turn, creates a mindset of: “This is only a fact if there is enough evidence to back it up.” Mark uses this manner of conveying and convincing people of the truth within his writing of his Gospel. The lack of emphasis on the Holy Spirit that Mark omits (but Luke includes) helps to clarify the story of Jesus without adding another tangle that can be hard to understand to those outside of the faith. Through his form of presenting the Gospel, Mark would appeal most to: Christians, and non-believers such as atheists and agnostics.
2. In modern times, the Gospel of Mark is most pertinent to a situation that involves a believer preaching apologetics. Due to the nature of Mark’s audience, which included: pagans, cynics, philosophers, and epicurean-natured people, Mark wrote with an extreme emphasis on the importance and deity that is Jesus. Throughout his gospel, he is often quick to point out the power and accuracy involved with Jesus’ endeavors. Through this style of presenting the Gospel, one would have to be blind to not see the A + B = C style with which Mark writes. With this undecorated way of presenting the gospel, one could use this cut and dry method of presenting the proof of Jesus being the Christ in an apologetic situation.
3. A new Christian and an audience of non-believers such as agnostics and atheists would probably find the Gospel of Mark to be the most appealing. Due to the emphatic nature of the Gospel of Mark concerning the proof of Jesus as the Christ, a new Christian would find Mark appealing because it would be simple to read and act as a reinforcement to their weak faith. Also, an agnostic and atheist audience would also find this Gospel appealing due to the matter-of-fact manner in which Mark chooses to use when writing. Most atheists or agnostics rely heavily on science for explanations, which, in turn, creates a mindset of: “This is only a fact if there is enough evidence to back it up.” Mark uses this manner of conveying and convincing people of the truth within his writing of his Gospel. The lack of emphasis on the Holy Spirit that Mark omits (but Luke includes) helps to clarify the story of Jesus without adding another tangle that can be hard to understand to those outside of the faith. Through his form of presenting the Gospel, Mark would appeal most to: Christians, and non-believers such as atheists and agnostics.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Week 1, 3, and 4 of New Testament Questions
WEEK 4
1. In comparison to people of ancient times, many modern people reject some aspects of Jesus’ life and teachings because they find them: intellectually, socially, and aesthetically unacceptable. For example, the belief in Jesus’ miracles that occurred during his ministry has recently become subjected to doubt and interrogation in regards to the stories’ validity. This move towards doubt, as opposed to faith, in these stories is a result of recent developments in science and in society’s shift from theism to naturalism. Modern societies now hold the mindset that everything can be explained using science, therefore there are no miracles originating from a supernatural source, but instead only interesting occurrences that are naturally inspired. Another rejection of Christ in modern society lies in his teachings that “…no one comes to the Father, except through Him(Jesus).” This exclusive teaching of one absolute truth producing salvation is often frowned upon in the postmodern world due to it’s “robbing of people’s right to choose” their faith and finding different ways to attain salvation.
2. Jesus’ teachings regarding absolute allegiance to Him and living a life for Him correlate to his teachings of humility in a very interesting way. It seems as though what Jesus is saying is hypocritical and oxymoronic in that he is telling people that He is the answer to all spiritual questions and needs, but teaches that all should live lives of selflessness and strict humility. There is hidden beauty to this puzzling picture, however. The beauty lies in the fact Jesus was God incarnate. For God to become something he created, man, in order to redeem humanity shows the most selfless and humble love that can ever be expressed. In simile form, it is as if an engineer created a machine and after the machine malfunctions, the engineer turns himself into a bolt that is missing within the machine in order to make it again operate successfully. In this light, his teachings of absolute allegiance to him (due to his act of humility) and living a humble life correlate in a strange paradox.
3. Modern biographers would most likely differ from the way the evangelists chose to, in regards to presenting the life of Jesus. One way that they would differ would be in that they would most likely avoid statements of exclusivity that Jesus made regarding Christianity being the sole venue to receive salvation. Postmodernism has created a world that no longer believes in absolutes, and Jesus’ teachings were very much absolute. However they would probably emphasize his teachings of loving one another in order to be able to twist Jesus’ statements into a postmodern box of accepting all beliefs of spirituality being equally valid. Also, modern biographers would emphasize miraculous occurrences that took place throughout Christ’s ministry in much more of a detailed sense so that, if possible, they could be proved or disproved on a scientific level. In this skeptical world, one desires as much detail and information in regards to an extraordinary event before one ascribes to believing it to be valid. These are just a few examples of how most modern biographers would differ in presenting the story of Jesus.
WEEK 3
1. Within the gospels there are many interrelationships, differences in wording and order, and the use and revision of source materials that affect belief in the divine origin and inspiration of the Bible in varying ways. With these differences in mind, many scholars and people find it hard to believe that the words in scripture are of divine origin. Some scholars, such as J. Wellhausen, concluded that most of the material within the gospel of Mark was fabricated and that Matthew and Luke both took Mark’s gospel and created their own documents. However, on the other side of the argument, some people find these differences and use source materials by the writers of the gospels to be an argument for the validity of the material within the text. Their argument contains strength in the fact that if the events expressed in the text were important enough to be written and recorded, then they must also be valid and as monumental to human history as Christians claim. Also, they believe that the differences in the text show the different author’s point of view on what was important to convey, and by combining all of the gospels one could fully grasp all aspects of what the divinely inspired texts were intended to convey.
2. According to dictionary.com, a myth is: “a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.” After understanding the question, one asks: “What is a myth’s relation to history and myths’ relationships to universal human experience?” In human history myths have always played a major role in society’s function and operation. Myths would often serve the purpose of explaining why things were the way they were. For instance, some cultures may believe that a drought was due to the anger of a “rain god.” Due to these belief systems, many cultures of the past, and of the present, would sacrifice things such as: animals, humans, and money to please the deities and to find favor in the specific areas that the deities ruled over. Myths’ relationship to universal human experience correlates with the aspect of human nature that desires a purpose outside of simple existence. Human nature is unlike that of animal nature in that it has an extreme desire to have a purpose or an explanation as to why things are the way they are. Consequently, myths would facilitate by answering human nature’s questions of purpose.
3. According to the definition of myth, the Bible does contain myths. One example of how the Bible parallels the definition of a myth lies within the story of Jesus Christ. His supernatural existence and redemption provides Christians with a hero and a purpose for existence. Another story within the scripture that could be viewed as a myth is that of Noah. After the great flood God created a rainbow as a sign that he would never destroy the Earth again, this story explains the meaning behind the natural phenomenon of rainbows. One could take every story in the Bible and call it myth due to it’s supernatural nature and the explanations that hide behind the literal story, however Christians choose to take these miraculous events literally and live their lives according to the lessons learned whilst studying the Scriptures.
WEEK 1
1. There were different events during the intertestamental period that prepared for the coming of Christ and the rise of the church. One of these events is found in the Jewish people experiencing a long period of displacement, prejudice and a semi-loss of identity. These things did not only hurt the Jewish people in numbers and morale, but also seem as though they were a necessary precursor to the events that would soon befall them. For example, when Alexander the Great came from Greece-Macedonia and conquered the Persians (who at that time were ruling over the Jewish people and land) the Jewish culture was subjected to extreme “hellenization.” Through this influence from the Greek world, the unity of the Jewish people was severed by the division of the Jews who adopted this new Greek lifestyle as opposed to those who were adamant about preserving the holy way of living. This severed state set the stage and created the need for a leader to arise and lead the Jewish people. When the need arose, so too did the willingness to listen to someone for advice, which created an opportunity for Christ to rise and have an impact. Also, with the Greek influence on the Jews, this allowed for the apostles to understand the superpower culture of their time, which enabled them to later communicate their beliefs of Christ being the Messiah and the Christian faith in an effective way and one that would be relevant to the Greeks. Thus the faith was advanced through this massive group of people learning of Christ as the Messiah and influencing the rest of the world with their newly adopted faith.
2. The Jewish culture in Palestine often tended to be culturally backwards in comparison to the Greco-Roman culture. Concerning social lifestyles, Jews held fast to their strenuous beliefs and rules, sharply contrasting people of the Greco-Roman culture. Inhabitants in the Greco-Roman culture often engaged in immoral and blasphemous acts according to the Jews, and due to the Jews’ overwhelming fear of God they held fast to their strict rules. Another difference between the culture of the Jews and the Greco-Romans was in their standard of living. The Greco-Roman culture had luxurious housing, community bath-houses, running water, and paved roads as compared to the Jewish culture which seemed to be less luxurious and less technologically advanced.
3. Much like the Jewish culture, the Christian Church shares the common attribute of being culturally backward. Within the cultures, the reason for this is centered on the same goal of pleasing God, but is inspired by two different motivations. The Jewish people were backward culturally due to their following of strict guidelines and rules for everyday life but the motivation to follow these rules was based out of fear. The Jews feared God would punish them like they had experienced in the past, so they decided to remain as safe as possible by following as strict of guidelines as they could in order to keep God’s favor. Even though Christianity stemmed from Judaism and is likewise culturally backward, the motivation for the Christian Church to be culturally backward is not out of fear, but out of love. The response to redemption ignited a love for God and a love for the people. The Christian Church no longer experienced the fear of pleasing God, but instead acted with a zeal for morality as a response to the love that they had received through Christ’s saving grace.
1. In comparison to people of ancient times, many modern people reject some aspects of Jesus’ life and teachings because they find them: intellectually, socially, and aesthetically unacceptable. For example, the belief in Jesus’ miracles that occurred during his ministry has recently become subjected to doubt and interrogation in regards to the stories’ validity. This move towards doubt, as opposed to faith, in these stories is a result of recent developments in science and in society’s shift from theism to naturalism. Modern societies now hold the mindset that everything can be explained using science, therefore there are no miracles originating from a supernatural source, but instead only interesting occurrences that are naturally inspired. Another rejection of Christ in modern society lies in his teachings that “…no one comes to the Father, except through Him(Jesus).” This exclusive teaching of one absolute truth producing salvation is often frowned upon in the postmodern world due to it’s “robbing of people’s right to choose” their faith and finding different ways to attain salvation.
2. Jesus’ teachings regarding absolute allegiance to Him and living a life for Him correlate to his teachings of humility in a very interesting way. It seems as though what Jesus is saying is hypocritical and oxymoronic in that he is telling people that He is the answer to all spiritual questions and needs, but teaches that all should live lives of selflessness and strict humility. There is hidden beauty to this puzzling picture, however. The beauty lies in the fact Jesus was God incarnate. For God to become something he created, man, in order to redeem humanity shows the most selfless and humble love that can ever be expressed. In simile form, it is as if an engineer created a machine and after the machine malfunctions, the engineer turns himself into a bolt that is missing within the machine in order to make it again operate successfully. In this light, his teachings of absolute allegiance to him (due to his act of humility) and living a humble life correlate in a strange paradox.
3. Modern biographers would most likely differ from the way the evangelists chose to, in regards to presenting the life of Jesus. One way that they would differ would be in that they would most likely avoid statements of exclusivity that Jesus made regarding Christianity being the sole venue to receive salvation. Postmodernism has created a world that no longer believes in absolutes, and Jesus’ teachings were very much absolute. However they would probably emphasize his teachings of loving one another in order to be able to twist Jesus’ statements into a postmodern box of accepting all beliefs of spirituality being equally valid. Also, modern biographers would emphasize miraculous occurrences that took place throughout Christ’s ministry in much more of a detailed sense so that, if possible, they could be proved or disproved on a scientific level. In this skeptical world, one desires as much detail and information in regards to an extraordinary event before one ascribes to believing it to be valid. These are just a few examples of how most modern biographers would differ in presenting the story of Jesus.
WEEK 3
1. Within the gospels there are many interrelationships, differences in wording and order, and the use and revision of source materials that affect belief in the divine origin and inspiration of the Bible in varying ways. With these differences in mind, many scholars and people find it hard to believe that the words in scripture are of divine origin. Some scholars, such as J. Wellhausen, concluded that most of the material within the gospel of Mark was fabricated and that Matthew and Luke both took Mark’s gospel and created their own documents. However, on the other side of the argument, some people find these differences and use source materials by the writers of the gospels to be an argument for the validity of the material within the text. Their argument contains strength in the fact that if the events expressed in the text were important enough to be written and recorded, then they must also be valid and as monumental to human history as Christians claim. Also, they believe that the differences in the text show the different author’s point of view on what was important to convey, and by combining all of the gospels one could fully grasp all aspects of what the divinely inspired texts were intended to convey.
2. According to dictionary.com, a myth is: “a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.” After understanding the question, one asks: “What is a myth’s relation to history and myths’ relationships to universal human experience?” In human history myths have always played a major role in society’s function and operation. Myths would often serve the purpose of explaining why things were the way they were. For instance, some cultures may believe that a drought was due to the anger of a “rain god.” Due to these belief systems, many cultures of the past, and of the present, would sacrifice things such as: animals, humans, and money to please the deities and to find favor in the specific areas that the deities ruled over. Myths’ relationship to universal human experience correlates with the aspect of human nature that desires a purpose outside of simple existence. Human nature is unlike that of animal nature in that it has an extreme desire to have a purpose or an explanation as to why things are the way they are. Consequently, myths would facilitate by answering human nature’s questions of purpose.
3. According to the definition of myth, the Bible does contain myths. One example of how the Bible parallels the definition of a myth lies within the story of Jesus Christ. His supernatural existence and redemption provides Christians with a hero and a purpose for existence. Another story within the scripture that could be viewed as a myth is that of Noah. After the great flood God created a rainbow as a sign that he would never destroy the Earth again, this story explains the meaning behind the natural phenomenon of rainbows. One could take every story in the Bible and call it myth due to it’s supernatural nature and the explanations that hide behind the literal story, however Christians choose to take these miraculous events literally and live their lives according to the lessons learned whilst studying the Scriptures.
WEEK 1
1. There were different events during the intertestamental period that prepared for the coming of Christ and the rise of the church. One of these events is found in the Jewish people experiencing a long period of displacement, prejudice and a semi-loss of identity. These things did not only hurt the Jewish people in numbers and morale, but also seem as though they were a necessary precursor to the events that would soon befall them. For example, when Alexander the Great came from Greece-Macedonia and conquered the Persians (who at that time were ruling over the Jewish people and land) the Jewish culture was subjected to extreme “hellenization.” Through this influence from the Greek world, the unity of the Jewish people was severed by the division of the Jews who adopted this new Greek lifestyle as opposed to those who were adamant about preserving the holy way of living. This severed state set the stage and created the need for a leader to arise and lead the Jewish people. When the need arose, so too did the willingness to listen to someone for advice, which created an opportunity for Christ to rise and have an impact. Also, with the Greek influence on the Jews, this allowed for the apostles to understand the superpower culture of their time, which enabled them to later communicate their beliefs of Christ being the Messiah and the Christian faith in an effective way and one that would be relevant to the Greeks. Thus the faith was advanced through this massive group of people learning of Christ as the Messiah and influencing the rest of the world with their newly adopted faith.
2. The Jewish culture in Palestine often tended to be culturally backwards in comparison to the Greco-Roman culture. Concerning social lifestyles, Jews held fast to their strenuous beliefs and rules, sharply contrasting people of the Greco-Roman culture. Inhabitants in the Greco-Roman culture often engaged in immoral and blasphemous acts according to the Jews, and due to the Jews’ overwhelming fear of God they held fast to their strict rules. Another difference between the culture of the Jews and the Greco-Romans was in their standard of living. The Greco-Roman culture had luxurious housing, community bath-houses, running water, and paved roads as compared to the Jewish culture which seemed to be less luxurious and less technologically advanced.
3. Much like the Jewish culture, the Christian Church shares the common attribute of being culturally backward. Within the cultures, the reason for this is centered on the same goal of pleasing God, but is inspired by two different motivations. The Jewish people were backward culturally due to their following of strict guidelines and rules for everyday life but the motivation to follow these rules was based out of fear. The Jews feared God would punish them like they had experienced in the past, so they decided to remain as safe as possible by following as strict of guidelines as they could in order to keep God’s favor. Even though Christianity stemmed from Judaism and is likewise culturally backward, the motivation for the Christian Church to be culturally backward is not out of fear, but out of love. The response to redemption ignited a love for God and a love for the people. The Christian Church no longer experienced the fear of pleasing God, but instead acted with a zeal for morality as a response to the love that they had received through Christ’s saving grace.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Jonathan Dodson's Words
Dodson - The Church: A Gospel-Centered Community, Part 2 Jonathan Dodson
Continued from Part 1
Even though Jesus died to remake people into better worshipping, missional communities, the Church still remains imperfect. The family of God is dysfunctional. Why? Because at the center of community we too often have a set of rules, not the gospel.
Gospel, the center of community
Most communities fluctuate in their success based on how well people keep the rules of the community. For instance, if I join a book club my acceptance in the club will likely go up or down based on how well I understood the book, know the author, and can discuss his ideas. My sense of acceptance from the community is related to things I do, not who I am.
The same is true for most community outlets in this world. If I am part of a Fantasy Football community, my sense of significance will ride upon how well I know my player stats and football trivia. Bottom line, the strength of a community is often determined by how well I perform, by what I do or don’t do, not who I am.
Rules vs. the Gospel
All too often Christian communities have rules at their center, not the gospel. If you read the Bible, don’t drink beer, and “go to church,” you’re accepted. If you do the opposite, you are not accepted. This is religion, not the gospel. As Tim Keller puts it, religion says “I obey a set of rules, therefore I am accepted,” but the gospel says “You are accepted by sheer grace in Jesus, therefore you obey.”
As dysfunctional people, we need something more than performance to bind us together. We need something that provides acceptance and forgiveness even when we fail one another. We also need something big enough to satisfy our infinite appetites for community—something divine. We need Jesus.
Jesus Is Sufficient
Jesus is sufficient for our failures and successes in community. He offers forgiveness for our failure to receive his acceptance and for seeking acceptance and significance in everything but God. With Jesus at the center of our church, we will find greater joy, love, acceptance, and purpose than anywhere else. As a result, we will want to share it, to multiply it, by bringing others into the church.
Community Is Based on the Gospel
The gospel of Jesus makes us new people. It is his grace that forms the center of true community. As a result, Christian community is based on who you are, new people, not what you do. Acceptance and family membership is based on the gospel, upon our repentance from seeking significance in acceptance from persons and things other than God, and reception of God’s acceptance of us in Christ.
Continued from Part 1
Even though Jesus died to remake people into better worshipping, missional communities, the Church still remains imperfect. The family of God is dysfunctional. Why? Because at the center of community we too often have a set of rules, not the gospel.
Gospel, the center of community
Most communities fluctuate in their success based on how well people keep the rules of the community. For instance, if I join a book club my acceptance in the club will likely go up or down based on how well I understood the book, know the author, and can discuss his ideas. My sense of acceptance from the community is related to things I do, not who I am.
The same is true for most community outlets in this world. If I am part of a Fantasy Football community, my sense of significance will ride upon how well I know my player stats and football trivia. Bottom line, the strength of a community is often determined by how well I perform, by what I do or don’t do, not who I am.
Rules vs. the Gospel
All too often Christian communities have rules at their center, not the gospel. If you read the Bible, don’t drink beer, and “go to church,” you’re accepted. If you do the opposite, you are not accepted. This is religion, not the gospel. As Tim Keller puts it, religion says “I obey a set of rules, therefore I am accepted,” but the gospel says “You are accepted by sheer grace in Jesus, therefore you obey.”
As dysfunctional people, we need something more than performance to bind us together. We need something that provides acceptance and forgiveness even when we fail one another. We also need something big enough to satisfy our infinite appetites for community—something divine. We need Jesus.
Jesus Is Sufficient
Jesus is sufficient for our failures and successes in community. He offers forgiveness for our failure to receive his acceptance and for seeking acceptance and significance in everything but God. With Jesus at the center of our church, we will find greater joy, love, acceptance, and purpose than anywhere else. As a result, we will want to share it, to multiply it, by bringing others into the church.
Community Is Based on the Gospel
The gospel of Jesus makes us new people. It is his grace that forms the center of true community. As a result, Christian community is based on who you are, new people, not what you do. Acceptance and family membership is based on the gospel, upon our repentance from seeking significance in acceptance from persons and things other than God, and reception of God’s acceptance of us in Christ.
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