What is the Gospel?

This is a blog that I want people to respond to! Please put your comments/thoughts. When you hear the word "Gospel," what do you think? When you think about "the Gospel," what do you think? When you use the word "Gospel" in conversation, what are you refering to? When you share the Gospel with someone else, what do you say? When enough people have posted their thoughts, I will post mine. Thanks, guys!

Spiritual Growth and the Kingdom of God

I just typed out a long message to a friend on Facebook having to do with these two topics. It was so long that I thought I should use it as much as I can, just to save on typing time. So, here is an exact replica of what I typed. Sorry if I didn't contextualize it for a proper blog post, but I didn't feel like it. You'll get the idea...

Well, if nothing else, I can tell that you've got a lot on your mind based on how much you've written. And it's definitely bothering you a lot! That's good! Truth be told, the sorts of topics you are struggling through are common battles for Christians, especially in this culture. That has been my experience, at least. You've made a lot of progress into the internal debate and wrestling with these topics, I can tell. As for what I may share with you as pertains to this topic, I hope you explore what I say in Scriptures and pray about it. I don't pretend to have all the answers, and I'm still in process as well, especially in regards to how useful I am to God.

So, first, I'm glad that you are able to see that doing a lot of stuff for God does not mean you are a good Christian. There are plenty of people who work in the church and do plenty of "work" for God that are mean, nasty, not nice people. Having spent time in ministry yourself, I'm sure you've met at least one, probably more, of those people. If you haven't, then consider yourself warned. A lot of people acknowledge that being a good Christian isn't measured by how much you do. Most people don't take the next step. To see that there is something wrong in how the modern American church measures spiritual health means nothing if you don't do something about it! And by doing something about it, I mean, acknowledging and addressing the issue in your own life. Ask yourself, "what does it mean to be a 'good' Christian?" What qualifies? What is the true measure of spiritual maturity or spiritual growth? We know that it's not the doing of stuff. So, what is it?

On a deeper level, ask yourself the question: who the hell cares? Why is being a good Christian important to you? Or maybe, why is being SEEN as a good Christian important to you? Who or what is it in your life that can tell you that you're a good Christian or not? That person, that entity is the person or entity to whom you have given power and to whom you are submitting. Maybe it's God, which again begs the question: what is real spiritual maturity? How does God view your spiritual development? And why do you think He views it that way?

To address the concern about advancing the Kingdom of God, we have to first answer the question: what is the Kingdom of God anyways? It's a term that we throw around pretty freely in the Christian community, and if I am not mistaken, we operate with the unspoken definition of the Kingdom of God as meaning, "the number of people who believe in Jesus." So, is that it? If so, then the only way to really advance the Kingdom of God is to get other people to pray a specific prayer or believe Jesus died for them so that they won't go to hell when they die. The generally accepted definition of the Kingdom of God revolves around a solitary moment in people's lives when they pray a certain prayer that some pastor or speaker or friend is telling them to pray. What about the rest of a person's life? What about everything that a person may or may not do after that prayer in their life? Does the Kingdom of God not have to do with that, too? I hope so. Otherwise, we're wasting our time trying to be "good," and we should just do whatever we want.

God is concerned with more than just how people He's going to let into heaven when they die or when He just wipes away the world. He's concerned with the whole life of a person. He's concerned with your whole life! Allow me to submit to you a new definition for the Kingdom of God, which is the realm of existence in which God's explicit will and desires are fulfilled, followed, adhered to. The truth is, your heart is of critical importance to God's Kingdom. Could it be true that perhaps His Kingdom is still advancing, but not in the outward and visible way we like? Maybe God's Kingdom is advancing deeper into your heart and life, an entirely more difficult and uncomfortable process altogether.

So, with all that said, my only advice to you is this: do not rush to leave this portion of your life, because it is of value. Take a deep, spiritual breath, and begin the difficult process of learning to listen and wait on God. He will reveal all things to you in due time, and it will be worth it when He does.

Obviously, I am passionate about this particular topic. These are things that I've given a lot of thought to. I hope they help. If not, just throw these thoughts out and ask another question. Thanks for reading!

Ryan

It's Been Three Months

By now, I've had a total of three people say to me that I never post anything on my blog anymore. According to my profile, I have a total of four followers of my blog. Therefore, 75% of my fan base is asking me for a new post. 50% wouldn't have been enough, but since a full 75% of my followers are asking for a new post, I must oblige.

When I first started blogging, I would oscilate between different ideas of what I wanted my blog to be about. In the end, I didn't really make a decision because even if I did decide that this blog was only going to be about what I was reading and how it was affecting me, I would inevitably just want to write about something else. (That's just an example of how I think and work). So, since it's been three months, I think that a general overview of what's going on is in order.

My venture with Student Venture is over. I did not finish my support raising, which saddens me, but by now, I have made peace with it. God intended for me to apply and go through the process because He brought out a lot of very deep-seated junk in my heart through the process. I had a good conversation with Shawn Faulkner at the end of it all, discussing the reasons why it was good for me to move on. I did mourn the loss, but at the same time felt a certain degree of relief as well. The weeks leading up to the official end of my "internship" were agonizing, and not in a fun way. I now work as a Starbucks barista, which is more fun than perhaps it should be. It's a good job, and helps out with so many practical things like insurance, a regular supply of coffee (I'm a serious coffee drinker now), stock options, 401-K, and the list goes on. It also affords me time to search for my next move, have time to read and study, and spend time with friends. I still have a student that I tutor from Poway High School, and we meet twice a week.

Spiritually, life has been intense. Along with my accountability partner David Toney, I have begun a year of very intentional, pro-active spiritual discipline. For those of you who know me, it will come as no surprise when I say that I am not a naturally disciplined person (I haven't blogged in three months). Much as I would love to avoid it, discipline is a necessary and unavoidable piece of spiritual growth, or spiritual formation as Dallas Willard calls it. The book I am reading by Dr. Willard, Renovation of the Heart, is playing a big part. This book has done much to debunk many of the misconceptions about my Christian walk that I've held for so long. It has helped to dispell much of the hopelessness and despair that I have felt towards my own spiritual maturing process, while calling me to a godly level of personal action and discipline in playing an active role in my own spiritual formation. This is by no means an easy book to read and digest, as it is so intense and packed tightly with wisdom. I am a little over half way through the book, and already know that I could spend a year on it without wasting my time. This is a book that I would recommend to literally anyone and everyone who wants to be serious about their spiritual growth. If there is anyone who feels like they are genuinely a lost cause and are only trying not to screw up so royally that they alienate everyone that they know and love, pick up this book! Don't wait until you feel neck-deep in your own junk with seemingly no way out.

*Warning: What follows is entirely too many words about what music I've been listening to. There is nothing else in the paragraph that follows. If you don't want to read it, skip ahead!

Musically, I've been going a few different directions all at the same time. Just recently, I purchased a number of different albums that I've been meaning to pick up and a few that I didn't think I would enjoy so much. I got "Fiction Family" by Fiction Family, which is a cool album. It is a single project by Jon Foreman (lead singer for Switchfoot) and Sean Watkins (guitarist for Nickel Creek). The album seems split between Nickel Creek and Switchfoot style songs with the differences being really obvious, but no less enjoyable for it. For the general public, I would listen to the album before buying it; it won't be everyone's cup of tea. I got Brooke Fraser's most recent solo project "What to Do With Daylight." She is one of the lead singers for the Australian worship band Hillsong United. Her solo work is some high quality song writing. She obviously writes out of her own experience, which lends a naturalness to her songs that is highly enjoyable. Particularly track 3 on that album "Still In Love" is a great, fun song. Personally, that track is the song that I have always wanted to write. She just did it first and better. Oh well! I'm not a professional musician anyways. I did pick up the first album by The Ting Tings "We Started Nothing." It's just a fun 10-song album that literally flies by. There is some decent lyrical work, with meaning and significance hidden carefully, but discernible if you take the time to find it. But you probably won't because you'll either be just having fun with the music, feel weirded out by certain tracks, or dismiss the album entirely as too mainstream or poppy. I've enjoyed it, but would definitely place this album in the "ear candy" category. Doesn't mean I won't throw the album in and crank it while driving down the road! And if you only listen to one track on the album, don't listen to the singles that everyone already knows. Listen to the last track "We Started Nothing," including the highly enjoyalbe and extended instrumental at the end of the track. Through the recommendation of a friend, I got into a new band called We The Living, so named after a novel by Ayn Rand. The lead singer leads on piano, which obviously intrigued me. I first listened to their song "Best Laid Plans." I instantly liked the song, though the vocals initially sounded somewhat contrived. From what I read on their own website, they have released one album in two parts: "Heights of the Heavens" and "Depths of the Earth." Cool titles, but more than that, as well. As a sound, the band is trying for something grandiose and epic, which they do accomplish to a degree. There aren't any songs that simply blow me away, but the album is quite enjoyable and easy to listen to. You won't anger anyone by playing this album, but they might not look up the album later either to buy it themselves. If there are any listeners out there who are especially calloused and scoff at the romantics of the world, do not buy this album. It is an emotional album. If you are naturally emotional, and enjoy normal sounding chord progressions, you will like this album. As a band, they have a lot of musical potential, but they may not capitalize. What they do with their second, and if they get one, third albums will dictate how big a name they become and whether or not they have real staying power. Lastly, I bought Ryan Adams' album "Easy Tiger." Ryan Adams is just a stinking good artist, and this album only further confirms this. I now own four of his albums and thoroughly enjoy them. There is no other artist that I know of yet with whom I would so confidently listen to an entire album without worrying if I'm going to enjoy it. There are a few tracks that I enjoy especially, namely "Goodnight Rose," "Two," and "Halloweenhead." The funniest moment on the album for me is by far on "Halloweenhead" when Ryan Adams actually calls out "Guitar Solo!" a minute and a half into the song. He is one of the few who can pull that off. The last track, "I Taught Myself How to Grow Old," is delightfully reminiscent of his "Heartbreaker" album with its wailing harmonica melodies. A good album for anyone who enjoys some original song writing, a little harmonica, a little blues, a hint of country, and anyone who has forty minutes to listen to good music.

So, that's that, my adoring fans. This is my latest post. You asked for it, and now you got it. Maybe a little more than you bargained for, but that's how it goes. Hope you enjoyed it. I would like to post more often that once every three months, but no promises!