Gospel Fluency (Book and Videos)

by Michael Reed
in Gospel

Today our women’s bible study began this week with their fall study on the book: Gospel Fluency by Jeff Vanderstelt. If your schedule allows, and you are a woman, you are invited to join them at 9:30am at Element, even if you missed this week’s study, join in next week!
 
However, if you are not a woman or aren’t able to make a mid-week morning study, we still highly recommend you pick up this book to read it. This is a subject that we as leaders strive for Element to have as part of its culture: to see every conversation we have through the lens of the gospel.
 
How does the good news that Jesus has come to rescue and redeem His people (you and me) speak truth into every situation we face today? How do we become fluent in the language of the gospel and apply these truths to our own hearts, fears, desires and identities? How do we,  as well as to our family members, coworkers, neighbors, friends, and those we come into contact with become re-centered on Jesus’ words and works? How do we move from cliché slogans to heart felt responses that lead people to further faith and submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? The answer is a greater understanding of the Gospel.
 
This book is the tipping point of that understanding. Gospel Fluency  looks at what a community committed to speaking and hearing gospel truths looks like. The book focuses on the gospel as applied to every aspect of our lives in order to become “fluent.” It reminds us to extend grace when we don’t want to, and support each other when we try.
 
We would love if Element’s culture was so saturated in Gospel Fluency, that whenever someone from our city has contact with a member of Element, they encounter Jesus in both word and deed.
 
Please consider picking up this book. If reading isn’t the way you learn (you probably haven’t read this far) then check out these videos on the subject.
 

Part 1: What is the Gospel


Part 2: Gospel Fluency

 

Part 3 & 4 Q&A


The Jellyfish Jelly Burger

by Michael Reed
in Gospel

Last night I babysat a couple of boys from our church so his dad could attend our Redemption Group session. Towards the end of the night, as they were getting tired, we put in a DVD that they wanted to watch: SpongeBob.
 
We watched Jellyfish Hunter, and a scene caught my attention. You can see it here, watch from minute 2:29 to 4:13:
http://watchcartoonsonline.eu/watch/spongebob-squarepants-s2-ep19a-jellyfish-hunter/
(Sorry for Copyright reasons I can't find a good version to embed directly.)
 
What follows in the blog may seem like a stretch, but go with me here.
 
What happens in this scene is that the sponge has something incredibly good. He can’t help himself but to make noises of delight while he eats his Krusty burger that has been modified with Jellyfish Jelly. The other fish, I’ll call him Steve, notices and asks SpongeBob for a taste. Upon experiencing what I could only describe as a “life altering burger,” he cries out, “Amazing. I’ve got to tell someone about this.” Then he breaks out into a song starting with, “Hey all you people!”
 

Read more

The Mediocre News (The Mediospell)

by Michelle Gee
in Gospel
I hope you all know how much I love Element and our Sunday gatherings, but occasionally, one of my favorite things to do is attend another church’s service. It’s always a tangible reminder of how diverse the Church is, and how beautiful it can be to see traditions expressed in such different ways.
 
Before I go on any further, I want to clarify that is blog post is NOT an indictment of another particular congregation I recently visited. There is so much division within the Church, and the last thing I want to do is throw stones at a body of believers—especially since my perceptions are based off only a single service I attended. However, I do think it is important for believers to critically engage any local church they attend, and to continually discern the truth in what we hear. If anything, this post is an assertion of the Gospel, and a reminder of why it is so important to preach Christ crucified in all that we do.
 
The church my husband Jon and I visited is geared toward the recovery community. It was a wonderful sight to behold how well they have managed to reach that specific subculture. In many ways, I saw elements of a good missional strategy—understanding the needs of the community, adopting the language of that subculture, etc. We were met by a warm and vibrant group of people, and were quickly welcomed in.
 
Throughout the service, however, I felt increasingly uneasy at what I was hearing. The lyrical content of the songs we sang together, while uplifting, was vague in their focus of worship. Communion was likened to having “the best conversation you can remember, where you felt completely safe and heard.” The message mainly consisted of the pastor’s argument that theology is not so important as much as practice, and that we all must develop our own personal theology.
 
Now, I do believe there is some truth to what the pastor said. In communion, we are reminded of the safe, intimate access we have to God, where we are fully known and heard. When it comes to theology, it is true that little will be transformative if it hasn’t taken root in our hearts and actions. However, what left the message feeling so hollow to me was the omission of what all these truths hinge on: the Gospel.
 
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus has defeated Satan, sin, and death, and is making all things new—even us! This good news, or story, is rooted in the actual historical event of Jesus’ death and resurrection—a singular event we can point to as proof of Christ’s work, and the ultimate expression of His love for us. I’m saddened to say that none of this was mentioned throughout the service we attended. It is because of Christ’s victory over sin that we can feel safe and heard. Jesus tells us that in communion, his blood is “of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). While we may often hear of “God’s love,” we can know as believers His love is not some vague feeling, but demonstrated through an action that has already occurred. We can be absolutely assured of His commitment to us, because the Cross happened.
 
Regarding theology, while it is Jesus and not theology that saves us, it is important to understand the practical role of theology in our lives. As one of my professors used to say, “Right theology leads to right worship.” As we continually grapple with the ideas of who God is, we gain clarity, and can more accurately convey who He is to others. While I did agree with this pastor that Judaism is a religion that focuses more on orthopraxy (“right practice”) rather than orthodoxy (“right belief”), it’s a stretch to say Jesus didn’t emphasize theology. We are studying right now in our current sermon series at Element, Jesus consistently asserts His authority as the Messiah. Jesus claims that He alone is God and able to forgive sins. He makes controversial, exclusive statements about exactly who He is—separating the truth from lies.
 
In a way, I’m thankful for the experience of visiting this church, because it reminded me of how powerful the Gospel message is. Likewise, I was reminded of how mediocre our “good news” can sound when we fail to tell the whole story of Christ’s redemption. As Romans 1:16 says, “…I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” As we near Resurrection Sunday, let’s remember that every good thing we are free to experience in Christ hinges on the Cross, and as Paul said, “preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23).