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Reconstructing A New Understanding Of The Gospel

Posted Aug 4 2010 by Jonathan Brink in , with 4 Comments

Ed Stetzer, President of Lifeway Research and noted author, just wrote what I think is one of the more important posts he’s ever written.  I’m biased but I think he hits the nail on the head regarding the inherent tension we felt over the last ten years  in culture regarding the Gospel.  I especially appreciate his admission that the New Reformed Movement shares the tension with the Gospel.  It’s not just an emerging church thing.  To move forward we need a more robust, biblically discerning Gospel.

“Secondly, evangelicals need to regain a confidence in the gospel. Why? It appears to me that evangelicals are considering what it is, how it should be lived, and how it is best proclaimed. Even Christianity Today entered the fray by doing a series entitled, “Is Our Gospel Too Small?” Their articles addressed the question of how we might best consider the gospel.

I find it interesting that two of the most newsworthy movements in the church from this first decade of the millennium were the emerging church movement and the new Reformed movement. While they had plenty of differences between them, one thing they shared in common was this: they were both seeking a better gospel. The emerging church wanted a broader gospel (more holistic) while the new Reformed movement wanted a bloodier gospel (more cross-centered). The successful post-2010 church will have worked through the confusion and set a stake in the ground for a more robust, biblically discerning gospel.” (emphasis mine.)

I don’t think I could have asked for a better reason to read my book.  Until we begin reconciling our understanding of the Gospel the tension won’t go away.  But we can’t just keep arguing the old differences.  We have to reconstruct a new understanding of what problem God is actually solving in the story.

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Discovering The God Imagination: Reconstructing A Whole New Christianity explores a profound possibility. What if we’ve misunderstood the Gospel? What if our historical approaches to Christianity have been distorted by the very same problem they are attempting to solve?  Available today from CreateSpace and Amazon. Order from CreateSpace and use code 5GFARGT9 to receive a 15% discount.

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About the Author

Jonathan BrinkI am an business development and communications consultant. I am also the senior editor and publisher for Civitas Press. I recently published, Discovering The God Imagination: Reconstructing A Whole, New Christianity. (Civitas, 2011)View all posts by Jonathan Brink →

  • http://openmindedconversations.blogspot.com/ jshmueller

    If I read him correctly, the need for the more robust gospel is a lack of religious memory, not a misunderstanding of the story. At least there is an open admission here that something is not working and that it's not just a question of better methods but a necessary rethinking of what the message is itself.

  • http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

    Josh, I won't disagree with you about what you think he is saying. I would actually agree that this is Ed's assumption about what he's saying. But then I would ask if the problem is actually memory.

    But what struck me is his admission that both movements were essentially arguing for the same thing, a better understanding. If the last ten years has shown anything it is that even with a critical approach from both camps, the old way of thinking just can't resolve itself.

  • http://openmindedconversations.blogspot.com/ jshmueller

    If I read him correctly, the need for the more robust gospel is a lack of religious memory, not a misunderstanding of the story. At least there is an open admission here that something is not working and that it’s not just a question of better methods but a necessary rethinking of what the message is itself.

  • http://jonathanbrink.com Jonathan Brink

    Josh, I won’t disagree with you about what you think he is saying. I would actually agree that this is Ed’s assumption about what he’s saying. But then I would ask if the problem is actually memory. nnBut what struck me is his admission that both movements were essentially arguing for the same thing, a better understanding. If the last ten years has shown anything it is that even with a critical approach from both camps, the old way of thinking just can’t resolve itself.

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