Okay, the much debated message is now online! You can get it here, or download it directly from the link to the right (way down). The "notes" file is actually the PowerPoint as a PDF file. It's all pictorial, so it may be hard to follow with the slides, but I think they help. This is from the 4th service, if that matters, it changed very little from service to service. No expectations on my end--but if you want to hear what I said, here it is.
Thanks to all who have chimed in--the feedback is truly helpful and it's a great test of my belief that a blog is a place to have a "real" and sometimes a little messy conversation (if you start cussing, I might have to edit that part ;-) ).
13 comments:
I was at the sermon. I found your blog after you mentioned it. I thought the message was powerful and right on. I have been a member of the church since '94. I believe in our mission, vision, and core values. But, this has been a year of change... We are speaking bolder and speaking the truth. Joann is preaching and your sermon so appropriately reminded us of equality of sin and need for grace. As a democrat - loved hearing that all christians are not democrats. As a mom I look forward to the day when you will be in a position to influence my children to live authentically.
rock on steve - God's using you in a powerful way!!!
Thanks Rhonda!
Matthew P--I didn't know you were reading. Thanks for writing. I feel very honored.
Maybe you don't understand the concern, I could have done a poor job with my explanation. Let me try again.
This link shows the single Chasm illustration.
http://www.greatcom.org/laws/
Sin is what seperates man from God. The first Chasm is Sin.
In BTBF establishing guide the lesson on "Sharing your faith has an illustration similar to the one your showed with only one Chasm, and the cross bridges it.
In your sermon, You used a double Chasm illustration.
The Single Chasm illustration has only ever been used to illustrate salvation.
No matter what your intention was, why do you have two? And why did you do it at a time when talking about restoring the trust.
No matter what you intended to say.
What I heard was we have to bridge the first Chasm so that God can be free to bridge the second.
I will follow through with Lunch. Pick A Steve any day this week. I will be there.
I didn't label you a heritic, I said be careful.
Is it possible is what I said, yes Steve no matter what you intended to say, I heard something else.
Thanks for Clarifying Cody. I've got a feeling we agree on most of this. Sorry if I took offense--I'm returning your call and I'm anxious to meet for lunch!
Casey~ I am reading Don Miller's Blue like Jazz too and I am really enjoying his perspective!!! I am also doing a research paper on Post-Modernism! I agree with your comment, It was really funny to me because I posted a similar comment on Steve’s last post and my last post talked about post modernism and BLJ. Look at us young kids attempting to be so culturally relevant. : ) lol
I echo the sentiment on BLJ. It's a great book. Miller's writing style is so warm and conversational - it's a super-easy read. $5 at Half Price. No excuses.
Steve,
No cussing? I'll try to follow the rules. I just finished listening. Great job, well thought out, nicely done. I new your hire would pan out. :) I loved the distinction of form and style to substance and function. I think the adjustment on the two caverns we talked about would help Cody out a bit. Hope you guys have a great lunch and conversation. Steve loved the subtle challenges. It hits dead on with a lot I have been feeling and you and I have been talking about. Not sure my new body is ready for this conversation yet, but I think we are getting closer.
I feel odd that I haven't contributed to this converstaion--as I usually jump in and say something foolish very quickly. But I think anything I would say has already been said, but there is something I would add, Steve--although its unrelated. One thing I've really learned from your speaking is tone of voice stuff. When you speak, I can hear the passion in your voice, and the way you emphasize certain phrases, slow down or speed up the speech, etc. all contributes to a wonderful teaching style. I know you felt this talk had little substance, and although I disagree with that, the way you say things often gives it even more substance. Thanks for teaching me how to teach!
FEED BACK -
Not everyone gets a chance to get feedback on how the message was received. What a great opportunity to evaluate how well we communicated what was on our heart.
A Close Friend's Monday Top Gun Group -
(I would be happy to provide you a contact name of that group if you like.) The Group Summerized your message like this. Man created the first chasm by sinning. Then man went on to create the second chasm by not living out his faith. We have to restore the damage of the first chasm before we can move to the next.
My Life Group Tuesday Night - My Life group leader said that the two Chasm model is the proper way to evangilize and some people may only in their life time be called to lead one or two of their neighbors to the Lord. He went on to say that because of cults and the fact that people have heard all the EE stuff we have to build relationships first in order to win them to the Lord. (I didn't challenge anything he said or bring up my objections to the model because I didn't feel it was appropriate - we have some baby Christians in our group.)
My Wednesday Morning Bible Study - This group is a more mature group and we have a much more passionate discussion because of that. Before I gave my opinion the idea was that there is something culturally that chrisitans must over come before they can move to the second chasm.
The discusion ended with us agreeing that:
1. We need to live out our faith.
2. That while any habitual sinner is seeking the Lord we welcome them, however their is a Biblical model for when to break fellowship in order to drive that person to repentance and that is when a person embraces their sin thus disagreeing with God's standard all the while why claiming to be a Christian. We made a distintion between falling into sin and making a provision for sin. We made a distinction between a homosexual in the congregation and a homosexual bishop.
3. The two chasm model is a flawed model and that we need to stick with the single chasm for salvation.
I co-lead a Top Gun Group on Thursday night -
I will open up the discussion on what they thought of the message and report it.
I hope this helps.
That's good cody. I thoroughly aggree that there is only a single chasm and hate that so many are having to address that point in the message. That whole illustration was given in less than 30 seconds and referred to a conversation I had that week.
As before, my intent was to say that we often have to build trust/credibility with someone before they let us speak to them of Christ. There is only one chasm; sometimes we have to work to earn the right to show it to someone. I believe the photo I used was far too drastic an illustration and greatly contibuted to this point being misunderstood.
Cody, if you encounter others struggling with that point, it's in the message between 38:16 and 38:37. Without the photo, it's much more clear. Thanks for your efforts to help communicate the intention. At the very least, it's certainly generating discusson.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME STEVE! AWESOME!It was such a blessing to hear you speak again! James blew me away and brought me to tears…..
“Do not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are Turing to God.” How relevant! I think I am going to read James tonight b/c I realized how much I can relate to him, I was “sleeping” next to the Messiah for so long! I know in the past that I have probably made it seem undesirable to be a Christian and that hurts me deeply. (I believe God has forgiven me of that and will use it to better my understanding of his grace) But James made a revolutionary transformation. I feel like I have made the transformation but I am still wondering how God is going to use it I guess. Thanks for the message!
Questions:
1. I am not sure what the controversy was about, did I miss something?
2. I feel like you explained modernism and post modernism but I could use a little more explaining about post modernism’s role in today’s church, I have my ideas but am not completely clear on it. I think you said we don’t “belong” in either category which I agree with.
I am going to share your lesson with a group of my girlfriends; we were discussing PM last week. YWAM published an article “the future of the church” about PM and it was kinda sketchy and had me wonderin what I believe about it, b/c like you said I don’t want to be left behind in this culture. I tried to find it online but I couldn’t. Oh well, ttyl. GREAT JOB! You’re still a great speaker/ teacher.
I hope I get to see you, Wendy, and the girls in Dallas!!!!
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