parables of a prodigal world

The cross is a symbol... One that symbolizes far more than all the blogs on the Internet could ever describe. We, too, as disciples of Him who died on the cross, are symbols... Symbols to the world around us. But what good are symbols? They are glimpsed and forgotten, right? They have no lasting import, do they? The world today is far too cynical to be swayed by symbols, isn't it? People will do and believe what they choose to do and believe. Free will, baby! Free will!!! Nor are we, as disciples of Him who died on the cross, influenced by the symbols of this fallen world, right? Think about it. Then contemplate again the mystery, grandeur and magnificence of the cross. Grace and Peace, Raffi

Trevin Wax has written another insightful and illuminating piece over at Kingdom People about what he sees as the deficiencies of the new presentations of the gospel message, admitting that the message has historically been over-condensed, but also warning of the dangers of marginalizing hugely significant aspects of the message in an effort to give a more prominent place to themes that may have been historically overlooked or muted. Again, I am greatly indebted to and support Trevin in his effort to bring us all back into a proper balance when we're talking about fresh ways to communicate the truth of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ in today's world. But one aspect of the piece struck me, and it struck me precisely because it incorporated a phrase that, I believe, has gone a long way in marginalizing what both Trevin and I believe to be an nonnegotiable component of the gospel. The passage in question reads as follows: The substitutionary atonement gets left out in man...

Two clips I've run across over the last few days have impacted me particularly powerfully, and a strange feature with both of them is that I can't really pinpoint why. I guess they collectively touch upon themes or traits that I've recently been considering at some length, one that has become marginalized of late while the other has taken center stage with little tempering. The human Jesus of Nazareth possessed an immeasurable number of virtuous characteristics, but two that stand out particularly, for me, were these: Boldness and Creativity. These were also central features of the early church, and of virtually every hero of the faith I've ever come across. But like I said, boldness has gotten a bad rap of late, while creativity has become a almost a virtue without boundary. I don't have much to say about the latter development, because I think it will play itself out as more and more people engage in empty creativity such that, eventually, the market will sort its...

As we begin our countdown to the celebration of the most important anniversary in all of human history, please, please take 30 minutes out of your day and listen to this. And, come Easter Sunday, CELEBRATE!!!!!!!!!!!! Celebrate like the whole world has been turned right-side-up. And may the celebration redefine your life...resurrect you, if you will. N.T. Wright on Easter (After a reading of Luke 15 and a lengthy introduction, the actual sermon begins at the 11:30 mark) Grace and Peace, Raffi