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RESOURCING CHRISTIAN CHURCHES JANUARY 9, 2011

A BOOK LIKE NO OTHER n TWO NEW FEATURES FOR OUR YEARLONG THEME

®

SPECIAL ISSUE

The BibleLift it up. Live it out.

What better time than 2011 to focus on the Bible? This year marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Version of the Bible, and in Christian Standard we’ll be lifting up the Bible all year long. This week’s special articles are the first of many about everything from how we got the Bible to how we teach it.

Friends and advisers—our contributing editors as well as colleagues here at Standard Publishing—gave us dozens of ideas for the year. But even with all their excellent input, we couldn’t agree on what to call our year of the Bible.

“Year of the Bible,” seemed a little pe-destrian and maybe even presumptuous. This was not some proclamation or edict but just a theme that would surface in our 2011 issues.

Some felt passionately in favor of “Discovering God’s Story,” a theme with much to rec-ommend it. The Bible, after all, is connected from beginning to end by the chronicle of God’s love and redemption. When we see the Bible as this story, instead of a collection of unre-lated ancient manuscripts, its message comes alive. And besides, Discovering God’s Story is a wonderful new book from Standard Publishing that will help many connect the Bible’s parts better than ever. (See the interview on page 16.)

Someone suggested “The Bible: Read it. Know it. Live it.” We liked the staccato way it communicates our passion for God’s Word. But some thought it seemed too much like a basketball cheer. (Y-a-a-y Bible!)

We suggested several possibilities to several advisers and finally settled on “The Bible: Lift it up. Live it out.” Our goal this year is to help readers incorporate the Bible’s life-chang-ing potential into everyday life while attracting others to its truth.

We’ll pepper our issues with a wide variety of theme-related essays. And every week, two new features will challenge and inspire:

“The Bible, My Guide” presents testimonies from Christian leaders about how the Bible has changed them.

“It’s in the Bible,” by Victor Knowles, tests our knowledge of Bible facts, quotes, and characters. See if he can stump you!

As you think with us about the Bible this year, we hope you’ll discover new ways to “lift it up”—teach its truths to others—and “live it out”—demonstrate those truths at home and through your church’s ministries.

Those make good goals for all of us, this year and any year.

FROM THE EDITOR

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What to CallOur Year of the Bible?

BY MARK A. TAYLOR

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In the 1950s Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking became a surprise best seller. Robert H. Schuller took up his mantle a generation later with a host of self-help books with a variation on the theme, the power of “possibility” thinking.

It has been pretty easy for cynics to dis-miss Peale and Schuller and their ilk. Too easy, too Pollyannaish, so much “pie in the sky” for the gullible, the critics crowed. Young wags tittered, “There’s something appalling about Peale and something ap-pealing about Paul.” Maybe, though, Peale was on to something.

Change Is PossibleNow along comes research psychia-

trist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge and his message of hope based not on

religion or positive thinking but on scientific evidence that thought can actually rewire the brain to accom-plish what used to be thought impos-sible.

In this remark-able book you’ll read stories of

a blind person who now can “see,” of mentally slow persons raising their IQs, of stroke victims regaining functions they thought they had lost forever, of deaf persons who can now hear, of ag-ing memories becoming almost youth-ful again, of the curing of obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and many other phenomena.

Once into Doidge’s stories, I couldn’t

put the book down. As a pastor, I have always taught that, with God, amazing things are possible. It’s the gospel. Here is scientifically respectable proof I haven’t been blowing smoke.

Here are a few beliefs we need to change:

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” That might be true of old dogs, but not of old humans. We can keep on learning, even into extreme old age.

“You’re given x number of brain cells at

birth and you’ll never get any more. When they’re gone, they’re gone.” Not true, ac-cording to new evidence that the brain can, after all, grow new ones.

“Nobody can function with just half a brain.” (Who hasn’t spat out the ulti-mate insult: “If you had half a brain you’d know . . . ”?) Think again. After meeting Michelle, a woman born with her entire left hemisphere missing, you’ll change your mind. In a case of massive brain re-organization, her right hemisphere has assumed many of the left’s normal duties, and Michelle leads a rich, mentally alert life, reading, holding a part-time job, in-

teracting with her family, enjoying mov-ies. As the author says, “Half a brain does not make for half a mind.”

“It’s genetic,” we say when we mean, “It can’t be helped.” But the work of one of the scientists Doidge studies “even showed that thinking, learning, and acting can turn our genes on or off, thus shaping our brain anatomy and our behavior—surely one of the most extraordinary discover-ies of the twentieth century.” Thus the an-swer to the old argument of whether we are products of heredity or conditioning is “yes.” Genes are determinative, but so is conditioning.

This is a hopeful book. For old people. For stroke victims. For victims of dyslexia. For phantom limb sufferers. Even for the blind and deaf. Just as the heart can grow new paths to compensate for blocked blood vessels, so we are learning that the brain can develop new paths to compen-sate for the loss of old ones.

Unlike computers, with which our brains are so often compared, brains are constantly adapting, learning (and learn-ing how to learn), and, if necessary, re-wiring themselves. Discipline also plays its part; like a weak muscle that must be strengthened, the brain must be exercised to regain lost abilities (as through a stroke) or take on new ones (in cases of mental disabilities).

You can tell I like The Brain that Changes Itself. You don’t have to be brainy to understand it. Doidge is an adroit writer, a gentle guide, able to con-vey difficult concepts with grace and clarity. He tells mesmerizing stories. Much more research must be done, but

Changed Lives, Reformed HeartsBY LEROY LAWSON

FROM MY BOOKSHELF

The Brain that Changes ItselfNorman Doidge, M.D. / New York: Penguin Books, 2007

Dark Journey/Deep Grace: Jeffrey Dahmer’s Story of FaithRoy Ratliff and Lindy Adams / Abilene: Leafwood Publishers, 2006

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Just as the heart can grow new paths to compensate for blocked blood vessels, so we are learning that the brain can develop new paths to compensate for the loss of old ones.

Continued on page 15

New Testaments would require approxi-mately 30 million gallons of ink, enough to fill 9,372 truck trailers, a truck convoy that would be nearly 600 miles long.

James MacDonald wrote, “More books have been written about the Bible than any other subject, and more authors quote the Bible than any other source.”

Timely and TimelessIsaiah wrote, “The grass withers and

the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Though the Bible is an ancient book, it remains rel-evant to the issues and problems we face today. It transcends the times and cultures in which it was written.

Fundamentally, the Bible is God’s auto-biography. The Bible tells us who God is, what he has done, and what he likes and dislikes. It tells us who we are and what we can be. It tells us of past things and helps

God’s Word accomplishes God’s pur-poses.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without water-ing the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the pur-pose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10, 11).

A Message that Circles the WorldThe whole Bible has been translated

into more than 450 languages. Portions of it have been translated into nearly 2,500 languages. In many cases, Bible translators not only translate the Scriptures, but they also develop written languages for tribal groups that have not had them before.

More than 100 million Bibles are sold each year. In 2009, the United Bible Societ-

ies distributed 431 million portions of Scrip-ture throughout the world. In the same year, Gideons International distributed more than 79 million Scripture copies worldwide. That is 150 copies every minute.

Since the invention of the printing press, at least 12 billion Bibles and New Testa-

ments have been published and distributed. To get some feeling for the enormity of that figure, their publication would take nearly 9 million tons of paper. This would fill ap-proximately 495,240 railroad cars, or a train 4,716 miles long. The paper would require the cutting of 120.6 million trees, the tree production of 241,200 acres. The Bibles and

A BookLike No Other

BY WARD PATTERSON

For 65 hours one October several years ago, students at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, read the Bible aloud at a crossing in the heart of the university campus. Standing under a tent and reading into a microphone in 30-minute shifts, they read from Genesis to Revelation.

Erica Wothen, a senior student and member of His House Christian Fellowship, led more than 200 students in the event. Erica said, “We came together to read the Word. We didn’t worry about what we would say or do. We just read and watched God move.”

When we come to the Bible, we realize we’re opening something extraordinary.

More than 3,000 passages in the Bible present it as the Word of God.

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us to understand the present. Further, it gives us insight into what is yet to be.

A.W. Tozer expressed it well when he wrote, “The Holy Scriptures tell us what we could never learn any other way: they tell us what we are, who we are, how we got here, why we are here, and what we are required to do while we remain here.”

I find it hard to improve on the words of an anonymous writer who made this observation:

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are un-changeable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is a traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword,

and the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven is opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who tamper with its holy contents.

Many Do Not BelieveAs impressive as the Bible’s circulation

and influence are, many still question its authority, inspiration, credibility, and rele-vance. At least one in five of our neighbors never read the Bible. Many would say they believe the Bible is out of date, is filled with errors, and is neither reliable history nor

relevant morality. Yet, there are many rea-sons to believe the Bible is God’s Word.

Special ClaimsPaul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is

God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righ-teousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

More than 3,000 passages in the Bible present it as the Word of God. Scripture is portrayed as the work of both God and human writers. God, through his Holy Spirit, directed the writing, but he did it with human writers who revealed them-selves as well as God in their writing. Peter wrote, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For

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prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20, 21).

The Word of God has the reproductive power of seed (1 Peter 1:23; Luke 8:11), the cleansing power of water (Ephesians 5:26), the nourishing power of food and drink (Jeremiah 15:16; Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2), the revealing power of mir-rors (James 1:23-25), the consuming and refining power of fire (Jeremiah 5:14; 23:29), the illuminating power of light (Psalm 119:105, 130), the cutting pow-er of swords (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:17), and the irresistible power of ham-mers (Jeremiah 23:29).

Jesus declared, “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). He quoted from Scripture in his teaching. He saw his work as the fulfillment of the inspired Scrip-tures.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, un-til heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished (Matthew 5:17, 18).

Fulfilled PropheciesThe Bible is filled with prophecies that

have come true. For example, it is said that

in the Old Testament there are 61 major prophecies concerning Jesus Christ. They were written long before he came into this world, but they came true. The prophet Micah predicted the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Isaiah predicted he would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14).

Archaeology’s ConfirmationAn inscription at Caesarea bears the

name of Pontius Pilate, who figures so prominently in the crucifixion of Jesus. A short time ago, an ossuary, a limestone burial box, was found with an interesting Aramaic inscription that may date to the first century. The inscription identified

the body that was placed in it as that of “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” Was this the James who was an active leader in the church in Jerusalem? We cannot know for sure, but there seems to be that possibility.

Wonderfully PreservedThe Jewish scribes were meticulous in

their copying of the Old Testament Scrip-tures. They counted the number of let-ters in each line of the text and guarded it against error.

Then too, we have more than 5,300 ancient manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. There are also more than 10,000 ancient Latin manuscripts and

9,300 early versions or translations. Thus we have nearly 25,000 early sources establishing our text for the New Testa-ment. Then too, the New Testament was completed about ad 100 and our earliest New Testament manuscripts date from ad 125.

Objectivity and BrevityBible heroes are portrayed with both

strengths and weaknesses. Moses was re-luctant to lead the Israelites. Jacob was a deceiver. King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged the death of her husband. John the Baptist, in prison, questioned whether Jesus was truly the Messiah.

The restraint of the writers of the Bible is often striking as well. Mat-thew, for instance, records the cruci-fixion of Jesus at Calvary in 23 brief verses. His account is factual and ob-jective. He does not include his feel-ings about the event.

Such objectivity and brevity dem-onstrate the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit in the creation of the historical accounts.

Changing LivesThe truths of the Bible are both

simple and profound. There are truths a child can understand and respond to. There are also truths that a life-time of study and experience will not exhaust. Sir Walter Scott wrote, “The most learned, acute, and diligent stu-dent cannot, in the longest life, obtain an entire knowledge of the Bible. The more deeply he works the mine, the richer he finds the ore.”

Every Sunday, people assemble for worship whose lives have been trans-formed by the Word of God. They are living proof of the truth proclaimed by Paul to the Romans that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the mes-sage is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). They have learned the Bible is addressed to them. They have heeded its warnings and accepted its promises. They have built their lives on its teaching.

Praise God for his Word!

ward Patterson (1945–2006) served as associate campus minister at indiana University from 1972 to 1973 and as campus minister there from 1974 to 1991. Then he taught at Cincinnati (ohio) University. This article is adapted from one that first appeared in The Lookout March 2, 2003.

A BOOK LIKE NO OTHERContinued from page 7

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That was 24 years ago, and my experi-ence in memorization has proven to be a real blessing. I came up with enough memory work that it takes me half an hour a day, six days a week, to review it. The things I memorized as a child stay with me without continual repetition. But memory work I’ve done as an adult will be lost without regular review.

Selecting MaterialEach person will have his own idea

what he wants to store in his memory bank. The most valuable material for me have been passages of Scripture. Moses told the Israelites, “These command-ments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7). The Israelites didn’t have pocket Bibles in those days, so they depended on memorized Scripture to obey these commands.

The psalmist wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). What Scrip-tures can you recall that will keep you from sin?

I selected some great Bible texts, such as the Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13), Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), and some of

Choosing What You Remember

BY BRIAN GIESE

It has been said, “Education is everything you have learned minus all you have forgotten.” How can you be certain you remember the most important stuff?

One way is by memorizing the information and regularly reviewing it. I was motivated to do just that when I was told I probably was going to become legally blind. I asked myself, What do I want to have in my head if I get to the point where I can no longer read?

What do I want in my head when I can no longer read?

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the best-loved Psalms (23, 100, 103, 150). I also included many verses that could be used to share the gospel with others. The Bible includes facts to be believed, com-mands to be obeyed, promises to be en-joyed, and warnings to be heeded. Several verses fit each of these categories.

I also memorized texts that dealt with my particular sin struggles. I wanted to be able to quote these back to the devil when-ever I was tempted.

Finally, I chose Scriptures that helped me vocationally. Since I was a preaching minister, I selected verses that could be used for benedictions, invitations, Com-munion and offering times, weddings, and funerals.

Other memory work that was not di-rectly from the Bible included principles, quotations, and proverbs from other literature and from life experiences. These cover a wide range of topics such as mar-riage, parenting, leader-ship, counseling, ethics, and theology.

I included quite a bit of material on apologetics—defending the Christian faith and the authority of Scripture. Then there were Bible facts I wanted to remember—the Ten Com-mandments, the 10 plagues, the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 apostles, etc.

I could provide more details on the types of material I selected, but these will suffice to spark your imagination. Much of

Get your copy of the 2010 Christian standard CD-ROM, and you’ll have a whole year of Christian standard at ready reference.

This helpful tool contains every 2010 issue, conveniently indexed and searchable. Click on an article or author in the index, and you’ll go to the issue that contains it. Click on that issue’s table of contents, and the article will pop-up on your computer screen.

Use the CD-ROM for research or to find teaching and

what you choose is subjective. It depends on your own needs, gifts, and interests. For me, half the fun of memorizing is selecting what to include.

As my needs and circumstances change, the content of my memory work has adapted to those changes. Now that I am retired, some of my old memory work is no longer as relevant, so I have replaced it with new material.

The Reviewing ProcessI silently review my memory work each

day while walking. I walk two miles a day, or do the treadmill for half an hour. Either

way, it is just enough time to review the memory data for that day, and it enables me to accomplish two tasks simulta-neously.

It is important to have a set time for review. Find what works for you. If you have dif-ficulty falling asleep at night or have a long commute to work, or another time in your daily routine that would work

better, go for it!I take one day off each week.

The BenefitsMy memorization efforts definitely have

been worth it. The Scripture I have memo-rized has provided the greatest blessing.

Repeating key passages of Scripture works on your heart as well as your head. Memorized verses also can be shared with others in time of need.

Most of the nonbiblical memory work has been helpful at times. Some of the less practical items have been dropped and re-placed by more beneficial information.

Examples of the most frequently used material are “how to know the will of God,” “60 principles of leadership,” “steps to squelching gossip,” “communication that resolves conflicts,” “creation vs. evo-lution,” “habits of highly effective people,” “principles of the Restoration Movement,” and “why Jesus is the only way.”

Vital SubjectsOne of my seminary professors said, “If

you could remember just one good para-graph summarizing each course you took in college and seminary, you would be a highly educated person.” That statement was one of the principles that guided me in assembling my memory work. That does not mean I necessarily focused so much on summing up school courses, although there was some of that. But I primarily ze-roed in on subjects I deemed vital to me both spiritually and pragmatically.

The bottom line is: Don’t leave what you remember to chance. Be intentional about it. Pray for wisdom concerning this project. Work at it and you will be blessed and be a greater blessing to others.

After serving 45 years in vocational ministry, Brian Giese is now retired and living in Kewanee, illinois.

preaching illustrations. Find articles to share with friends, church staff members, elders, deacons, and teachers.

You’ll use this new tool again and again—every word of the 2010 Christian standard issues on one disc! Find articles you missed. Compile articles by your favorite author. Use the Communion meditations as you lead worship.

This resource-packed product is available only from Standard Publishing. Not only will you want one of these yourself, you’ll discover that it makes the perfect gift for other church leaders you know.

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Repeating key passages of Scripture works on your heart as well as your head.

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I didn’t understand the TV commercial the first time or two. But now every time I see it I get a warm feeling the advertiser no doubt wanted to plant in my subconscious. When we understand what is happening, we can almost read the minds of the commercial’s participants.

A woman reaches out to stop a man who unknowingly almost steps into a busy street—a kindness that averts a potential tragedy. Then a young man who saw that hurries to give a hand to a mother trying to manage a child in a stroller, who in turn is watched by a third person. Other sequences follow, with each observed kindness motivating a good deed to someone else.

It’s a bit painful for a preacher to say, but there is a good deal of truth in the poem that starts, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” What we watch has a profound influence on what we do.

A series of testimonies starting today in Christian standard about the Bible’s impact on one person’s life will represent a similar kind of power and blessing at work in many lives. The editor asked, “How has the Bible changed the direction of your life?”

“It hasn’t,” was my immediate reaction. In my case, the Bible has confirmed, instructed, and shaped the direction of my life. It has given definition, explanation, and encouragement to what I watched at work from my earliest years.

My parents were followers of Jesus. They believed the Bible was the Word of God. They knew it was absolutely dependable as a guide for them and their family. Their lives and choices were shaped by the words of Jesus and those who followed him, and by the authority of the Bible’s record of God’s will and God’s law.

It was easy to see the contrast between our family’s life and that of so many others we watched, some from a distance and some from up close. We experienced much more peace than distress, joy even during seasons of sadness, hope and not despair, simplicity and not duplicity, purpose rather than confusion, and a commitment to purity.

None of that came from worldly wealth. Our circumstances were modest. Those good qualities and circumstances came from pursuing the “prize to which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” And I met and married a woman whose family believed and lived by the same principles and followed the same shepherd.

Some place along the way I adopted a favorite verse of Scripture, though I can’t put a finger on just when that was. It is a sentence in John’s Gospel that has (in the words of a J. B. Phillips’s book title about the Bible) a clear “ring of truth.” For many years now it has been printed

on the little half-sheets of paper I use to write personal notes. Jesus is talking about being both the door to a safe place and the shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.

“I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly.” That’s the New American Standard Bible’s translation of the second half of John 10:10, the verse on my note paper. “Have it to the full,” the New International Version says. The King James Version says “more abundantly.” It’s all good.

The never-ending final stanza of life will come when we have graduated from this first little bit. Then all the real tension of death will be removed by our faith that what the Bible says is true. “I go to prepare a place for you.”

John, in the Revelation, tried to describe it, but mere words failed him. In the 21st century we toss around the word awesome pretty freely; but it’s too small a word to describe Heaven.

But my favorite verse isn’t talking just about Heaven’s home. It also assures me that when I am a Jesus follower during the years in this flesh, an abundant, meaningful, effective, satisfying, valuable, and full life is my privilege. There will be pains and pressures, setbacks and slips, surprises and disappointments, very wonderful times and possibly very terrible times. But nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ.

I saw that assurance lived out at home. The Bible has confirmed the rightness of that direction. And it has shaped the steps of this disciple.

Marshall Hayden recently retired from a long ministry with worthington (ohio) Christian Church. He is a chairman of Standard Publishing’s Publishing Committee.

God’s Word—the Life Shaper the BibleMy guide

BY MARSHALL HAYDEN

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That resonated with me all week long. I knew I was preaching to a group divided into three parts—non-Christians, nomi-nal churchgoers, and former Catholics—and that I needed to preach on a basic level, but she had never heard of most Bible characters at all.

The next Sunday I asked everyone to turn to Genesis in their Bibles. (We had handed out Bibles so I could give book, chapter, verse, and then the page number so everyone could find it when I preached.) I explained we were going to start with Adam and Eve, and I was going to preach on basic Bible characters until Christmas (about three months).

After that service the vast majority of people told me they were extremely ex-cited because they didn’t know anything about the Bible characters I had preached on that day. One person said, “I had heard those names before, but I really didn’t know who they were until today.”

Just Like the EthiopianConsidering all the Bible helps avail-

able today, why don’t people know more about the Bible?

I believe we live among people not un-like the Ethiopian eunuch, whom Philip led to Christ (see Acts 8:26-40); in fact, I call this the “Generation of the Ethiopian Eunuch.” In this postmodern world, I would suggest most people, just like that Ethiopian, don’t know the most basic Bible teachings.

I see several parallels:• The Ethiopian was looking. He want-

ed to know more, and was willing to open-ly talk about it. He didn’t know what the Scriptures meant. He desired to learn, but all he could really do was flounder in his own ignorance.

Ethiopian EunuchBY JEFF ARTHURIt happened about six months after our church launched in 2007.

I had preached about Abraham and Isaac that Sunday morning. After the ser-vice, one of our ladies told me she was famil-iar with Abra-ham and Isaac, because she had drawn the image of Abraham offering Isaac to God while pursuing her degree in art. But she had never heard of other Bible characters I had been talking about in my sermons.

Generation of theWe know many like him today.

In this postmodern world, most people, just like that Ethiopian, don’t know the most basic Bible teachings.

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• The Ethiopian was willing to ask ques-tions and listen to the answers. When Phil-ip asked him whether he understood, the Ethiopian quickly admitted he didn’t, and asked for help. Even as Philip presented the gospel, the Ethiopian pointed to water and asked why he couldn’t be baptized. While we in the church focus on baptism being a part of the presentation, I would suggest that the Ethiopian was asking questions be-cause he wanted to learn more.

• The Ethiopian was successful: he was educated, respected, powerful, influen-tial—a mover and a shaker. He was one of the high-ranking officials in the coun-try and had the ear of the queen. Most of the people in our new church are well-educated and successful professionals. Yet they, like the Ethiopian, have no idea who Jesus Christ really is.

Philip’s RoleNow let’s focus on Philip’s role in this

process:• Philip knew how to explain about Jesus

and salvation. Please notice, Philip didn’t ask the Ethiopian to wait while he went to find someone smarter. Philip immediately started explaining the Scriptures, and on the Ethio-pian’s level. While we don’t know what Philip told the Ethiopian, I believe a good chunk of the information was about what Christ had done in his life. Personal testimonies are more powerful than we may believe.

• Philip entered the conversation with the Ethiopian very easily. Most people make talking about Christ harder than it really is. Just start where the person is. At my church, our vision is to build the spiri-tual bridge from where we are to where Christ wants us to be. That’s precisely

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At my church, our vision is to build the spiritual bridge from where we are to where Christ wants us to be.

Philip knew how to explain about Jesus and salvation. Please notice, Philip didn’t ask the Ethiopian to wait while he went to find someone smarter.

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what Philip did in his conversation with the Ethiopian.

• Philip didn’t judge the Ethiopian. It is so important to see Philip’s attitude. The man was a eunuch, yet Philip didn’t judge him or make fun of him. The Ethiopian was wealthy, and it probably showed; yet Philip wasn’t intimidated. Philip didn’t react to the Ethiopian so much as he reached out in kindness with the love of Jesus Christ.

• Philip followed the Lord’s leading. When you think about it, Philip did some-thing that was seriously strange. He left a place where he was able to tell hundreds of people about Christ to walk along a road where he would encounter hardly any-one. Why would the Lord want him to do that?

While we know the answer for Phil-ip, the answer for us and for our service to Christ is still unfolding. Why would Christ ask us to go where he is leading? Why would he ask us to serve in unusual places?

I admit I don’t know all the answers, but I suggest it is possible God leads us to the most unusual places because making an impact on one soul for Jesus’ sake is still what it’s all about. Helping to bring people to Christ is still about helping one person at a time.

Our ResponsibilityIf I’m right and this is the “Genera-

tion of the Ethiopian Eunuch,” it’s not about this generation’s being all that dif-ferent from other generations, but about recognizing our increasing responsibil-ity to honor Jesus and build the spiritual bridges. If you are reading this and you are a minister, know that we must lead in

GENERATION OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCHContinued from previous page

explaining Scripture and making practi-cal life applications. If you are reading this and are not a minister, know that you should play a role in explaining Scrip-ture.

If I claim Christ as my Savior, I must take responsibility for helping build spiri-tual bridges into others’ lives, so that when the time comes I too can positively respond when someone says, “How can I know Jesus unless someone explains him to me?”

Jeff Arthur is founding minister of Meadowbrook Christian Church in Fenton, Missouri. He is also a life coach for individuals, families, and corporations with Compass Global Group in Kansas City, Missouri.

AMAzING TRUTH 1. I sold my birthright for some lentil stew. Stupid!2. I called my wife a heifer and lived to tell about it. Whew!3. The sick were laid in the streets in hopes that my shadow would heal them.4. Not even a great fish could stomach my attitude. 5. I was told to take a wife of harlotry.6. My Mediterranean diet included locusts and wild honey.7. I was told to lie on my left side for 390 days and on my right side for 40 more.8. Though my house was filled with frogs, I chose to live with them one more night.9. I temporarily lost my mind and ate grass with the cows.10. Worms dined on me before and after I died. Yuck! 11. When I started beating my donkey, he started talking to me.12. I was told to dip seven times in a dirty river to get rid of my skin disease.

BIBLE CHARACTERA. John the BaptistB. HoseaC. EzekielD. EsauE. JonahF. NaamanG. BalaamH. NebuchadnezzarI. PeterJ. SamsonK. PharaohL. Herod

ANSWERS: 1. D (Genesis 25:29-34); 2. J (Judges 14:18); 3. i (Acts 5:15); 4. E (Jonah 2:10); 5. B (Hosea 1:2); 6. A (Matthew 3:4); 7. C (Ezekiel 4:4-6); 8. K (Exodus 8:8-10); 9. H (Daniel 4:28-37); 10. L (Acts 12:20-24); 11. G (Numbers 22:22-34); 12. F (2 Kings 5:1-14).

You’ve Got to Be Kidding!BY VICTOR KNOWLES

It’s in the Bible

Ever read, hear, or see something that was so beyond the pale that you said, “You’ve got to be kidding?” Although every word of God is true, there are some stories or incidents in the Bible that almost make us say, “You’ve got to be kidding!”

Match the amazing truth with the correct individual.

Philip didn’t react to the Ethiopian so much as he reached out in kindness with the love of Jesus Christ.

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BY RICK CHROMEY

Are You Like a Cat or a Dog?Cats and dogs are radically different

beasts.Perhaps you’ve heard this joke: Dogs

say, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, you must be a god,” while cats say, “You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, I must be a god!”

Maybe that’s why God gives cats nine lives. They need a bit more grace for such foolish thinking. Nevertheless, a dog is loyal to a fault, protects the master, and loves to be petted. You call a dog by its name and it comes running, eager to lick you all over. A cat may hear its name but behaves indifferently. A feline will lick your toes and what’s left in the cereal bowl, but if you’re not necessary to that moment, you really don’t exist. A dog snoozes at your feet, but a cat sleeps on your head. A master can train a dog, but a cat trains his master.

You might say dogs need a lord while cats need an entourage.

Depending on your affection for dogs or cats, you may find these traits

attractive or repulsive. And yet, many of us, especially at this time around his table, behave more like a cat. We drink from the cup and swallow the bread with little regard or reflection. We are preoccupied by what’s for lunch or where’s so-and-so. We allow critical thoughts about a song, a person, or an activity to control our mind. In a sense, we allow disunity and distraction to detour our worship.

Such things are not new temptations for Christians who gather for this ancient meal. Paul criticized the Corinthian congregation: “I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you” (1 Corinthians 11:17, 18). Division and double-mindedness are the nemesis to Communion. The Lord’s Supper, using ordinary elements that anyone can purchase, is a unity meal and a common feast for all believers.

And yet it’s an extraordinary, intimate,

personal worship experience.Do you approach this meal like a dog

or cat? Are you relying upon grace or nine lives? Is Christ your Lord or just an entourage of many “gods” you’ve befriended? Do you long to lie at the Master’s feet or flick your tail and do it your own way? This meal is a pack meal. We are one church, gathered together with one purpose under one Lord through one baptism.

And maybe that’s also why God spelled backward is “dog.”

rick Chromey is a motivational speaker and leadership trainer/consultant living in Eagle, idaho. His web site is www.rickchromey.com.

CHANGED LIVES, REFORMED HEARTSContinued from page 4

these early returns are heartening.There is much, indeed, to be said for

the power of positive thinking.

Hearts Can TurnThere is also much to be said about the

power of the gospel to change persons. When the grace of God confronts the ter-rors of guilt, grace wins and makes possible the rewir-ing of the soul. This transforming for-giveness is what the cross of Jesus is all about. So we preach, so we believe.

But Roy Ratcliff ’s convictions were tes- ted as few preachers’ are. It was Jeffrey Dahmer who put him to the test.

Ask Wisconsin natives about Dahmer, and they’ll tell you more than you want to know about their state’s most famous na-tive—and most notorious. When the news

broke in 1992 that this serial killer of 17 had been apprehended, America breathed a sigh of relief—and disgust. He not only killed his victims, but he hacked them into pieces, froze some parts, and cooked and ate others.

Finally, the monster was behind bars and out of public attention, condemned to serve 15 consecutive life sentences.

Then Roy Ratcliff, a church of Christ minister, received a phone call that changed his life. Would he be willing to baptize Jeffrey Dahmer? Dark Journey/Deep Grace explains why Ratcliff said yes.

The author told the story at the Wis-consin Christian Convention. I was impressed with his wisdom and grace. Humbly, matter-of-factly he explained that, as repulsed as he was by the crimes, he had no choice. As a minister, he be-lieved (like Doidge, but for different reasons) that even this “chief of sinners” could repent and reform, confess and be restored. Even a mind as warped as

his could be spiritually “rewired.” He still had to pay for his crimes; baptism wouldn’t buy his freedom. Nor could it undo the terrible damage he had inflict-ed on others. But it could open the way into newness of life.

So the preacher baptized the murderer and continued teaching him until Dahmer was himself a murder victim, killed by a fellow inmate.

And Ratcliff? This minister who had never been in a prison until he answered Jeffrey Dahmer’s plea now has an ongo-ing prison ministry. When called, he said “yes.” His life has never been the same.

Two books this month, one about a brain that can change itself and the other about a heart that can be reformed. There is hope.

Leroy Lawson, international consultant with Christian Missionary Fellowship international, is a Christian standard contributing editor and a member of Standard Publishing’s Publishing Committee. His column appears at least monthly.

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CHRISTIAN STANDARD INTERVIEW

How did Discovering God’s Story come about?

This book started to develop about 13 years ago. One of our salesmen at the time was noticing he was selling Bible story children’s books to adults who were new Christians. These adults wanted to get a grasp of the Bible, and we had a book called The Young Reader’s Bible. Peo-ple were buying it to get an overview of Scripture because they came from no biblical background. This salesman asked, “What would a Young Reader’s Bible for adults look like?” And the wheels started turning.

Would you call Discovering God’s Story a storybook? A commentary? A Bible handbook?

That’s basically it. It’s a unique com-bination. The subtitle is a Fully Illustrated Bible Handbook in Chronological Order. Once I got the idea, I started putting to-gether this proposal for a chronological treatment of the entire story of Scripture. So really, it’s part Bible handbook, it’s part one-volume commentary, and it’s part Bi-ble storybook for adults.

Are new believers the intended audi-ence?

I love to teach the Bible and I have found that no matter who I was talking to—a new believer, a seasoned believer, or a skeptic—when I started talking about the entire Bi-ble story from beginning to end it always brought a lot of respect for what the Bible is. With this book, a new believer can sit down in two hours and get a good understanding of what the Bible is. But for those of us who have a much broader background, it’s also great for us to say, “Oh yeah, that’s why Mi-cah and Isaiah sound so much alike. They prophesied at about the same time.” So I believe it has a broad audience.

What is the format of the book? The book deals with 100 key events in

Scripture arranged in chronological order, laid out in two-page spreads, and illustrated with some of Standard Publishing’s classic Bible art. There are a number of features that appear on every two-page spread in the book. There is a running time line at the bottom of each spread that shows how each event relates to other biblical events and also how each one relates to secular events. This is really appealing to seasoned believers who can see that when David was on the throne Homer was writing The Iliad and The Odyssey. Or, when Socrates was teaching, Ezra was leading the Jews back from exile. So it gives seasoned believers the understanding of how God was acting simultaneously through world history.

What differentiates this book from

other Bible chronologies?There are a number of chronologi-

cal Bibles that help you read through the Scriptures over the course of the year in a chronological fashion. This is really a handbook, a help—it’s meant to be a refer-ence tool. There have been charts and time lines in Standard’s library for many years, but that’s just a part of what’s here. This is a fully illustrated handbook with a time line, a Bible reading plan, a one-volume com-mentary. It’s a lot of things in one.

Isn’t it conventional wisdom that the Bible is just a collection of stories?

That’s the kind of mythology that’s out there about Scripture. So many folks go to a university and will be taught that the Bible is just a random collection of folklore, of legend, of stories that have pretty much been pasted together. Nothing could be fur-ther from the truth. The Bible’s take on itself says the plan of God was begun before the creation of the world. This is a phrase Peter, Paul, and John use, talking about Jesus be-ing in the plan from the beginning of time.

From creation, God had a cogent plan. We have one continual story of God cre-ating, then finding a way to redeem the prize of his creation—human beings. All of Scripture is consistent and works to-ward that end. All the way from creation to the completion, that is yet to happen, with Christ coming again.

Jim EichenbergerBY BRAD DUPRAY

Having taught junior high and high school and served as a school principal, Jim Eichenberger has a passion for education. He holds a master’s degree in educa-tional administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield and an under-graduate degree in Christian education from Lincoln (Illinois) Christian College. As a Christian educator, Jim has been a contributor to Standard Publishing since the 1970s and has been employed by Standard full-time since 1995. Thirteen years ago Jim began developing the concept of a chronological treatment of the Bible that would have broad appeal to Christians of all maturity levels. That concept has come to fruition in Standard Publishing’s newly released, Discover-ing God’s Story: Fully Illustrated Bible Handbook in Chronological Order, available at Christian bookstores and at www.standardpub.com/discoveringgodsstory.com.

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COMING EVENTSSouthern Illinois Congress

of Leaders will meet from 8 am to 4 pm Jan. 22 at the West Frankfort (IL) First Christian Church. This year’s keynote speaker will be Bob Russell. For more information visit www.si-col.org.

OBITUARIESGalen E. Skinner, 81, of

San Bernardino, CA, died Aug. 17, 2010. He was born in Omaha, NE, on April 11, 1929. His ministry began in Eau Claire, WI, while he was a student at Minnesota Bible College. He left Wisconsin to plant a new church in Bloomington, IL, and later returned to Wisconsin to be-

come executive director of the Wisconsin association formed to encourage new church planting. In 1965, he became president of Minnesota Bible College in Minneapolis, serv-ing until 1973. During his presidency the college relo-cated to Rochester; MBC later became Crossroads College. He later moved to California where he held ministries in La Habra and La Mirada, followed by a short ministry in Hawaii. He returned to San Bernardino, CA, and worked with the Golden Valley Chris-tian Church until he started a new church in the mobile home park where he lived. The church grew, moved to a new location, and became Community Christian Church;

he continued to minister there until illness prevented his in-volvement. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Myr-tle, and one son, Michael. He is survived by his second wife, Loretta; two sons, Brent and Bruce; one stepson, Robert; one stepdaughter, Beth; and two grandchildren. On Aug. 27, a memorial service was conducted by his friend, Dr. John Rowe, in San Bernar-dino. Memorials may be made to the Galen Skinner Endowed Scholarship Fund, Crossroads College, 920 Mayowood Road, Rochester, MN 55902.

OUR EXCHANGEWorkers Ready for Service

Dr. Richard Ralstin, a teacher at Riverside Christian

School in Lost Creek, KY, is seeking to serve the Lord by adding a pulpit ministry. The Saint Louis Christian College graduated has been a faith-ful minister for many years. Contact him at (928) 266-7204 or General Delivery, Riverside Christian School, Lost Creek, KY 41348, or coachralstin@netscape.net.

Needs of ChurchesBixby (OK) Christian

Church, a congregation that averages 75 for worship, is seeking a full-time minister. Applicants should believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, have a good work ethic, a bachelor’s degree from a Bible college, and be married with a wife willing to work alongside her husband. Ap-plicants should be energetic, possess good communication skills, be willing to work with various age groups (youth through senior adults), and also serve with community organizations. Responsibili-ties include preaching both morning and evening services, leading an informal adult Bible study on Wednesday nights, visiting the sick and shut-ins, and performing other pastoral duties. Salary is negotiable. Send resume and a picture of family to bcc74008@yahoo.com or Bixby Christian Church, Attn: Min-ister Search Committee, P.O. Box 953, Bixby, OK 74008.

The Paxton (IL) Church of Christ is actively seeking a full-time associate/youth minister who is also willing to advance to the senior minis-ter position in the future. The

After 14 years of service, Donald R. Jeanes has announced he will retire as the 14th president of Milligan College on July 15. The board of trustees has asked him to serve in the role of chancellor follow-ing his retirement. In this role, Jeanes will continue to work with the college’s leadership to maintain important external relation-ships. He will also play a vital role in the successful completion of the college’s Forward Ever campaign.

Jeanes began his presidency in 1997 and under his leadership the college has achieved record enrollments, successful fund-raising campaigns, major renovations of buildings and grounds, construction of three new buildings, the addition of a half-dozen new academic programs, accreditation of profes-sional programs, and reaffirmation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The 1968 graduate of Milligan College served as director of financial aid and assis-tant business manager at Milligan while at-tending Emmanuel School of Religion, where he received his MDiv degree in 1972. He then served on the faculty and administration of Atlanta Christian College and completed doc-toral coursework at Emory University.

An ordained minister, Jeanes has served as minister of Spring Branch Christian Church in Houston, TX, and First Christian Church in Johnson City, TN. He has served on numerous boards, including Mountain States Health Alliance, Christian Missionary Fellow-ship, and Christian Church Foundation for the Handicapped.

Jeanes’s wife, Clarinda Phillips Jeanes, a 1971 Milligan graduate, has served the col-lege in numerous ways, including providing oversight of college landscaping, renovating the Taylor-Phillips Hospitality House, and es-tablishing the Associated Ladies for Milligan to support student scholarships.

Jeanes Retiring as President of Milligan College

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church prefers a married man with a wife who is commit-ted to serving alongside him. Duties include working with the junior high and senior high youth groups and mentoring leaders for younger children’s programs. Minister would be part of the education min-istry that oversees Sunday morning classes and WOW (Worship on Wednesday), which is the church’s out-reach for families. Musical ability would be a big plus. Salary is negotiable. Paxton is located on I-57 about 100 miles south of Chicago. Send resume, a copy of two recent sermons, and a picture to The Paxton Church of Christ, Attn: Elders, P.O. Box 299, Paxton, IL 60957, or to minister John Davenport at jdavenport55@yahoo.com, or to the secretary at pxtnchurchofchrist@gmail.com. Call (217) 379-4443 for information.

Miscellaneous NeedsSylvan Hills Christian

Service Camp, a camp in rural central Pennsylvania,is seek-ing a camp manager. Respon-sibilities include administrative duties, such as communicating with supporting churches, scheduling year-round usage of the camp facilities, and over-

seeing paid staff. The manager is also responsible for main-taining the camp’s buildings, grounds, and equipment. The position reports to the chairman of the camp board made up of representatives of supporting churches. Com-pensation package includes a private residence overlooking

the camp. Interested appli-cants should send a resume to Steve Salmon at lhpreacher@gmail.com or First Church of Christ, 330 N. Vesper St., Lock Haven, PA 17745; phone (570) 748-3519. Inquiries must be postmarked by Jan. 15, 2011. The camp Web site is www.sylvanhills.org.

Visioneering Studios Architecture, a niche firm focused on “designing destinations that lift the spirit” and the 2008-09 Solomon Award winner for “Best Church Architect,” opened two new design studios in Novem-ber. The new studios are located in Chicago, IL, and Charlotte, NC, and complement Visioneering Studios located in Los Angeles, Denver, and Atlanta.

Randall Coy, previously director of plan-ning and design for General Growth Proper-ties, is leading Visioneering Studios-Central in Chicago as regional director. David Dial, previously president and chief steward for Living Stones Architecture, is leading Visioneering Studios-East in Charlotte. Dial has designed more than 120 church facili-

ties in addition to many mixed-use, hospital, and urban planning projects. He previously collaborated with Visioneering Studios on the award-winning Elevation Church project in Charlotte, which won both “Best Church Architect” and “Best Church Design: Renova-tion Project, 800 to 2,000 seats.”

Visioneering’s other current projects include Northeast Christian Church (Louis-ville, KY); Saddleback Church (Orange County, CA); National Community Church (Washing-ton, D.C.); and Parkview Christian Church (Chicago, IL).

Visioneering’s unique philosophy of “archi-tectural evangelism”— designing integrated “live, worship, play” environments—has led to its steady growth and current expansion.

Visioneering Opening Two New Studios

How does the Bible connect the story of God’s plan to what has happened in the developing history of humankind?

I believe that when people understand what the Bible says about itself, they will see it as being rooted in history, and not see it as a fairy tale or legend. Scripture frequently talks about secular rulers and geographic places. The Bible is not “Once upon a time in a land far, far away. . . .” When people realize this, it causes some thinking, which helps people reevaluate what the Bible is. And I hope it also spurs them to deeper study.

Does the Bible have appeal to readers beyond the religious implications? Can

it be viewed as a simple piece of litera-ture?

I’m certainly hoping that this book will find an audience beyond the church. For so many people the Bible is the best book they’ve never read. We have grown up in Western civilization and, without argument, the Bible is a central document of Western civilization. It’s really unthinkable that a truly educated person would not be familiar with a key document of their civilization and yet, so many are. Bible illiteracy is a problem within and outside the church.

How would people use this book as op-posed to just flipping open a Bible?

One of my colleagues here said that one of the things he likes about the book is that it has a lot of entry points. What he means is you can pretty much flip open any page and find something of interest, but it’s really de-signed to be read from beginning to end to give that full story of Scripture. It’s an intro-ductory book—it is not an apologetic book, it’s not a salvation tract—it simply attempts to let the Bible say what the Bible says. It’s certainly something to be flipped through, but it’s meant to be read to get the entire story, the entire plan of God’s salvation.

Brad Dupray is senior vice president, ministry development, with Church Development Fund, irvine, California.

CHRISTIAN STANDARD INTERVIEWContinued from page 16

biblically. Rightly confident that the Bible addresses life’s practical issues, we pro-claimed biblical answers to everyday prob-lems. We listened as people told us what bugged them: relationships, self-esteem, success, emotional health—or the lack of any of those. We combed Scripture for passages that provide answers. We supple-mented Bible study with insights from be-havioral science. We drew contrasts with conventional, secular wisdom. We made “how to” the catchphrase of every sermon and every Bible study and “inspirational” the objective of every program.

And in the main, we gave pretty good answers. Now and then we conveniently may have lifted some biblical texts out of context or borrowed some sappy phrases from shallow self-help hucksters. But we were right in our estimate that the Bible would supply us with some powerful, practical insights.

Feeding a FalsehoodBut in so doing, I fear we unwittingly

fed the falsehood, not far from any rebel-lious human heart, that God can be domes-ticated. Humans in general want people to be good, so our hearers were glad to find a God who sets moral standards. Humans in general want to be liked, so our hearers were content to find a God who likes us. Humans especially want to run their own lives, so our hearers were anxious to keep God as distant as possible. But humans want help when their self-sufficiency seems insufficient, so our hearers still expect God to be available when they call the 911 prayer-and-forgiveness line.

Thus the practical God we proclaimed was easily received as the deficient god of moralistic therapeutic deism. Everything we stressed may have been true, but little we said challenged the universal human tendency to create gods in our own im-age.

Practical, Not RelevantI think we can describe what hap-

pened this way. In the pursuit of the practical, we missed the relevant. The

Nothing alarms church folk quite so much as problems with the young folk. So it was about five years ago with Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton’s book, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers.

Smith and Denton’s research produced the phrase “moralistic therapeutic deism” to describe the typical American teen’s view of God. It’s “deism” because the god of the typical teen is mostly distant and uninvolved. It’s “therapeutic” because that distant god still wants everyone to have a happy life and occa-sionally is willing to get involved when a person has an unhappy crisis. And it’s “moralistic” because this god wants people to be nice and fair to each other, which teens think is the upshot of all world religions.

So America’s Chris-tian kids have a problem. But I worry over a more serious problem. It’s bad if Christian teens think this way about God.

But it’s worse if Christian adults think this way. Unlike Smith and Denton, I don’t have research about what American Christian adults think. But I’ll venture an unresearched conclusion anyway: given the way we typically have preached and taught, I think many churches have lots of moralistic therapeutic deists who are over 21.

What We’ve DoneWe church leaders can blame our-

selves for this sorry situation. To be sure, we acted for what seemed like good reasons. We want to make the Christian message accessible and relevant to people outside the church. No more dry theol-ogy, no more doctrinal disputa-tion, no more arcane vocabu-lary. To be heard, the Christian message needed to be presented in practical terms. “Give me something on Sunday to get me

through the week!” was the demand that we answered.

And certainly we aimed to answer it

IN OPINIONS, LIBERTY

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The Cure for Moralistic Therapeutic DeismBY JON WEATHERLY

We church leaders can blame ourselves for this sorry situation.

two are not the same. A hardware store is eminently practical, but it doesn’t tell me what my life is all about. If I am consumed with the “practical” issue of getting through the week with its prob-lems and annoyances, will I ever think about what lies beyond those problems and annoyances? Will I understand why I am here and where I am headed? Will I come to grips with my deepest needs and longings, or will I just shuffle through the rat race with moderately better speed and comfort?

As we have preached and taught the Bible’s practical wisdom, we may unwit-tingly have neglected the Bible’s central message. Certainly the Bible has a central message, and it is eminently relevant.

Consider how that central message is stated in Luke 24:44, “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’” It takes just a quick look at the original-language sentence structure to see that in this state-ment Jesus is not just saying there are some now-fulfilled predictions here and there in Israel’s sacred books. He said the entirety of Israel’s Scriptures are “fulfilled” in what he had just accomplished. And if we peruse the variety of texts to which the New Testament connects Jesus’ story, we see how true that is.

We are accustomed to thinking Jesus fulfills the promises of the prophets. But Jesus himself says he fulfills all the sa-cred books: the Law, which shows what God’s righteousness is and how people fail to keep it; the prophets, who pro-claim human failure but promise the fulfillment of human longing; and the Psalms, the inspired words that God’s people sang to express their devotion and their despair.

Fulfilling It AllHow does Jesus fulfill all of that in his

death and resurrection? He enters fully into the story. He lives under the Law. He experiences the same testing that led oth-

ers to fail. He partook fully of the lowli-ness, obscurity, and weakness of people who live in a world dominated by evil. In what seemed like the end, he let the evil powers do their worst to him. And in do-ing that, he overcame evil, bound it up, set it at naught, and turned the history of hu-man rebellion into a promise of God’s final victory.

Note well what this means. Everything the Bible says ultimately connects to the cross. So when we preach and teach the Bible but fail to make that connection clear, we have failed to preach and teach what the Bible is really saying. Making the connection is more than simply tagging on an invitation to appropriate Christ’s

saving death for oneself. It is helping people understand the essential, organic, unbreakable connection between what the Bible says on any particular topic and what Jesus accomplished when he died and arose.

Doing this has an elegant advantage: it makes our message practical and relevant and true, all at the same time. We can ad-dress the same workaday matters that we have believed our listeners need. But in doing so, we will share not just what to do but the deep, essential why, which takes us to the God of the cross. That is the relevant point to be made—that we struggling, suffering, dying people have a God who has struggled and suffered and died with us and for us—alongside us and in our place—bringing a victory that overcomes our inherent weakness and inevitable fail-

ure. In making this great connection, we have laid bare the great truth that puts all the Bible’s wisdom and all of our experi-ence into a singular, coherent, utterly rel-evant perspective.

The Foundation of the CrossSounds good, but is this stretching to

make a point? Well, consider the issue of relationships. Clearly the cross informs those: Jesus gave himself willingly in self-sacrifice for undeserving and ungrateful people.

Take self-esteem or emotional health. The cross shows us not only God’s persis-tent, costly love but also our deep need to give ourselves similarly for others.

And then success: who can miss the implication that the cross turns it upside down? On these or any other issues, what does the Bible teach that doesn’t in the end stand on the foundation of Calvary?

We Christian church folk ought to get this well. We make it a point to keep the cross central by sharing the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day. But rightly done, our ob-servance must be more than a mere “time set aside to remember.” Our remembering the cross needs to be organic to everything we say and do in worship as we preach, teach, sing, and pray. And then it needs to remain organic to everything we do and say when we worship outside our Lord’s Day assembly.

Why did we ever wonder whether ob-serving the Lord’s Supper could be “seeker sensitive”? What did we imagine seekers ought to seek?

To cure moral therapeutic deism, take one cross constantly. It yields real moral-ity—knowing how the cross defines and drives what is right and good. It yields real healing—from the One who heals us by his wounds.

And distant deism? The God of the cross is not removed from our experience. He entered it.

Jon weatherly is vice president of academic affairs and professor of New Testament at Cincinnati (ohio) Christian University.

It’s bad if Christian teens think this way about God.But it’s worse if Christian adults think this way.

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When we preach and teach the Bible but fail to make a clear connection to the cross, we have failed to preach and teach what the Bible is really saying.

With the help of our con-tributing editors, Mark and I decided to put an extra-special emphasis on Scripture in 2011. As we plan issues and assign articles on everything

from how to study the Bible to how the Bi-ble has been safeguarded through the cen-turies, my mind has wandered to Bibles of old. I don’t mean the Gutenberg Bible, but the ones from my own past.

I still have my first pocket New Testa-ment, a gift from my grandparents. The well-worn King James Version is nestled in its original cardboard box, with my name painstakingly written in cursive on the back. Inside is a sheet of paper with the first devotion I ever presented to our church youth group. It was written in manuscript form and memorized, just as I do with sermons today. The devotion is rather pedestrian, but hey, I was 13 when I wrote it.

The most valuable Bible in my library is a leather-bound Thompson Chain Refer-ence Bible—New International Version. If my office catches fire, I’ll retrieve it first. With a concordance, dictionary, and lots of other bells and whistles, that one vol-ume would cover me until I could build up a new library.

A wonderful volume on my shelf is an absolutely exquisite New King James Version Bible that Dusty Rubeck gave me as a gift. From its look and feel, I figure it cost about a $1,000, more or less. Seriously, it has the most buttery leather I have ever felt.

In our family room I have two Bibles from my grandfather, George William Stone. They are rather ordinary, befitting his simple tastes. One is as well-worn as the old saddle hanging in his barn. The other is a hardbound Bible he received lat-er in life. I remember watching him read in the evenings. He always read a Zane Grey novel or that hardbound Bible.

I went through a phase in my 20s when

I worshipped the Bible. That was not so good. The book doesn’t save anyone. Jesus, not the record of his doings, is the object of our adoration. Nevertheless, my mem-ory bank still holds the details of a long study of the book of Romans I completed during those years.

I hope the memories of Bibles from my past keep coming during our yearlong emphasis. Bibles tell stories, both inside their pages and through the hands that have passed over them. They leave a lega-cy from generation to generation, as they tell the old, old story. And, thankfully, so it goes.

AND SO IT GOES

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THE Storyand My Stories

BY PAUL S. WILLIAMS

I still have my first pocket New Testament, a gift from my grand-parents.

THE MCDONALD’S advertising slogan—“I’m lovin’ it”—might speak more truth than we ever knew. A new study, led by researchers from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, found that consumers can forge such close emotional bonds with a brand that they are willing to sacrifice time, money, energy, and reputation to stay attached to it. If forced to buy a competing product, some consumers even suffer separation anxiety.

It is brand attachment that explains consumers’ devotion to Apple computers or Chevy trucks, fans’ intense reaction at celebrity deaths, and the agony of teenagers who are denied their favorite brand of jeans. Through brand attachment, the study suggests,

consumers see the brands as an extension of themselves.

—“Brand Attachment and Brand Attitude Strength: Conceptual and Empirical Differentiation of Two Critical Brand Equity Drivers,” Journal of Marketing, November 2010, by C. whan Park, Deborah J. Macinnis, et al (http://www.marshall.usc.edu/assets/135/22824.pdf)

“THE WAY WE LIVE is eroding our capacity for deep, sustained, perceptive attention—the building block of intimacy, wisdom, and cultural progress. Moreover, this disintegration may come at great cost to ourselves and to society. Put most simply, attention defines us and is the bedrock of society. . . . Yet increasingly, we are shaped by distraction.”

—Maggie Jackson, journalist and author, Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age (2009)

Associate Professor of CommunicationsMilligan College, Tennessee

BY SIMON J. DAHLMAN