In his short book, Why Study History, Rowan Williams explains that modernity has an odd relationship with history. The past is not ‘the present in fancy dress.’[1] At times theologians have treated the past as if accounts from the past just need to be repristinated for today. It is enough to repeat what has already been said as long as what has already been said is true. At times respect for the past has bordered on thoughtless idolatry. There can be a false confidence that what has been said by our predecessors—if they are from the tribe we like—is self-evidently right and final. Yet the past isn’t just the present in fancy dress. Williams is right to say that “Superficial correspondence in what’s done or said should not mislead us as to the labour needed for understanding.”[2] He goes on to explain that “A Christian in fourth-century Antioch, another in eleventh-century Bremen, and another in fifteenth-century Paris may be saying very similar things about certain matters at first sight” but what exactly they might mean by those things may be quite different given their conceptual frameworks.[3]
Rowan William’s words have a lot to say to some recent efforts at theological retrieval.
I’ve never met anyone else who shared the same “life verse” as myself.
Still, the short verse, from a very short passage from the Gospel of Mark has shaped me in significant ways. I would describe it as the most important verse for how I think about life, ministry, and to be honest, everything else.
“He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.” – Mark 3:14
In this short passage of Scripture Jesus had just gone up to a mountainside to call the disciples to himself and to give them a mandate. Whereas typically disciples would flock to Rabbi’s, asking “Rabbi, can I study under you,” Jesus flips the order of things. He calls them and entrusts them with something. Jesus lays out what the life of a disciple is all about.
Be with Jesus.
Become like Jesus.
Go with Jesus.
The Christian life is more simple than we make it out to be. It’s relational. It’s about being with Jesus. The result is becoming like Jesus. The taks is to go with Jesus.As you go start the new year pause for a few moments of stillness. Breathe deeply, let go of your worries, and focus on on the simplicity of this call. Don’t stress yourself about making sure you pick the right resolution, find the right podcast, incoporate the right new spiritual discipline in 2025. Come back to the simplicity of what the Christian life is all about. Being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, going with Jesus.
Remember when many of us were concerned about consuming misinformation through Facebook? Your aunt or uncle shared some “news” that was absolutely alarming to them but you probably saw it for what it was, some “disinformation.” Well gone are the days when we had to worry about disinformation on Facebook (at least I hope they are gone). Unfortunately, there is another social media platform that is a source of news—and disinformation—for millions: Tik Tok.
A study published by the Pew Research Center last month revealed some interesting trends. “Among adults, those ages 18 to 29 are most likely to say they regularly get news on TikTok. About a third of Americans in this age group (32%) say they regularly get news there, a higher share than in years before. This compares with 15% of those ages 30 to 49, 7% of those 50 to 64 and just 3% of those 65 and older.” If such a large percentage of adults are regularly getting news through Tik Tok you can only imagine the percentage of teenage GenZers are getting news through there as well. If you guessed that percentage was high, you’d be right. A study in the UK confirmed that Tik Tok was the highest consumed news of source for teens. If that trend mirrors percentage of users in the US (66% of teens use Tik Tok, 62% use Instagram, and 59% use Snapchat) then it’s safe to assume that Tik Tok is also the most consumed news source for teens in the US.
For example, roughly eight-in-ten Black teens (81%) say they use TikTok, compared with 71% of Hispanic teens and 62% of White teens. (There were not enough Asian teens in the sample to analyze separately.)
Teens’ use of certain social media platforms also varies by gender. Teen girls are more likely than teen boys to report using TikTok (73% vs. 60%), Instagram (69% vs. 55%) and Snapchat (64% vs. 54%). Boys are more likely than girls to report using YouTube (97% vs. 92%), Twitch (26% vs. 13%) and Reddit (20% vs. 8%). (Report from Pew)
What’s the Issue?
Misleading edits, fake news stories and deepfake images make the rounds on Tik Tok and easily go viral as the algorithm continues to push the most engaged with trends. “When we enter this kind of world, where things are being manipulated or can be manipulated, then we can simply dismiss inconvenient facts,” said Hany Farid, a computer science professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who sits on TikTok’s content advisory council. Sometimes the misinformation is harmless—Did Taylor Swift Really Dump Travis Kelce? I sure hope not—other times the misinformation has a significant impact on what things teens rally behind and how they interact with fellow classmates and adults in their lives. Tik Tok acknowledges the presence of videos that “that mislead users by distorting the truth of events and cause significant harm to the subject of the video, other persons or society.” All of this sounds bleak. So, what are we to do? As someone who has close relationships with kids you can use your relationship to help instill critical thinking skills which will not only help them as they consume social media—specifically news on social media—but also the skills that will transfer into other areas of life like school, the workforce, and adulthood in general.
The next time a teen shares an interesting piece of news with you—whether you think it is 100% factual or whether you think it might contain some misinformation—I would encourage you to remember the following truth:
Consumption requires reflection.
You can adopt the following paradigm—P.A.C.E.—to encourage reflection:
P-Pause: Are we assuming that what we are seeing is correct? Pause before deciding and jumping to conclusions.
A-Ask: Emotionally, why am I reacting to this news? What would be different if this news were true? What would be different if it weren’t true?
C-Curiosity: What good reasons might someone who disagrees with this have for disagreeing? How can I put myself in their shoes? What, if anything, would someone have to gain by hyping this news up or exaggerating about it?
E-Engage: If this is true, what do I need to do about it? What is a reasonable response? What responsibilities do I have to do something?
This P.A.C.E paradigm can be especially helpful as viral videos come out regarding major, world-changing events. By helping teens reflect and respond appropriate you help set them up not only to be good teenage consumers of media but you set them up for a lifetime of being careful, critical, but charitable thinkers.
“The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at the times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
On Monday we honored the work and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The quote cited above could just as well be applied to King himself. Unwilling to stand in comfort and convenience, King stepped up as a leader in the most challenging of times. Over the last few days you might have read the pledge that King required everyone who marched with him in Birmingham to sign. It begins with the pledge to “Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.” King’s work for racial equality and racial reconciliation was grounded on the teachings of the Jewish Messiah who reconciled the world to Godself. King asked that his partners would “Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.” Those who marched ought to “Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men (people) might be free.” If you haven’t read the pledge I would recommend doing so, it’s certainly worth the time to check it out and meditate upon it.
Besides meditating on these commitments, how might you honor King’s work and further God’s goal of reconciliation? Intervarsity Press’s @EveryVoiceNow offers the following suggestions:
1)Research and Receive Stories about the Civil Rights Movement: With an attitude of learning, engage with both written resources and real people. Initiate conversations on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in the lives of those in you your relational sphere.
2)Engage in communal reflection: Read and reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s Challenge’s to the American church. Consider discussing his exhortations with your church community group. [I would add with your YL Mission Community!]
It’s that time of year again, the time for people to post the book’s they’ve read, to announce their favorite books, and to share with others the books they’ve loved. This year, because I’m working on a new book on the doctrine of atonement, I focused on reading books and lots articles on various theologians’ takes on atonement. The articles don’t show up here but those books do. Also, I moved into a new ministry role this year in Young Life, so there was a new focus on learning more about GenZ. In light of all of that, I present to you the forty-three books I read this year along with my favorite book of 2023!
Youth Ministry as Mission: A Conversation About Theology and Culture – Brian Hall and Patrick Mays
This book captured a lot of what I think about how to approach youth ministry. It emphasizes the missional nature of youth ministry, not only that it emphasizes the need for cross-cultural intelligence when dealing with generations other than one’s own. Written in dialogue with Lesslie Newbigin’s theology–and including a narrative element–this book invites youth ministers to approach their ministry as a missionary would: learning to listen, hearing the cultural narratives, coming alongside, being “incarnational,” etc. I originally started my time in seminary in a missiology program. Later I switched over to theology. In the final year of my PhD in Systematic Theology I went back and finished that missiology program that I had left incomplete. Given my missiological emphasis and my new role with Young Life this book was right up my alley.
A quote from one of the narrative sections captures the heart of the book:
“All the things we did in the Czech Republic we do here. We live among the people, we learn their language and culture, we craft ways to translate the gospel, and we find creative ways to articulate and embody the gospel that makes sense in this context where God has called and sent us.” (30)
What if youth ministers approached their ministry in this way? Imagine the fruit that would bear!
Now on to the books I read this year…
January
Introducing Christology – Stephen Wellum
Conservatism – Roger Scruton
The Satisfied Life: Medieval Women Mystics on Atonement – Jane McAvoy
Aspects of the Atonement – I. Howard Marshall
The Women are Up to Something: How Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch Revolutionized Ethics – Benjamin J.B. Lipscomb
Mapping Atonement: The Doctrine of Reconciliation in Christian History and Theology – William Witt and Joel Scandrett
February
Atonement: Soundings in Biblical, Trinitarian, and Spiritual Theology – Margaret Turek
Cultural Identity and the Purposes of God – Steven Bryan
Reformed Dogmatics in Dialogue: The Theology of Karl Barth and Jonathan Edwards – Uche Anizor and Kyle Strobel
March
Timothy Keller: His Intellectual and Spiritual Formation – Collin Hansen
Youth Ministry as Mission: A Conversation About Theology and Culture – Brian Hall and Patrick Mays
Speaking Across Generations: Messages that Satisfy Boomers, Xers, Millennials, Gen Z and Beyond – Darrell Hall
The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power in Augusta, Georgia – Curt Sampson
April
On the Tree and the Cross: Georges Florovsky and the Patristic Doctrine of Atonement – Matthew Baker, Seraphim Dankaert, and Nicholas Marinides
On Writing (and Writers) – C.S. Lewis
Fans First: Change the Game, Break the Rules & Create an Unforgettable Experience – Jesse Cole
May
Continental Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction – Simon Critchley
Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population – Tim Elmore
June
C.S. Lewis: A Very Short Introduction – Roger Clark
Gospel Eldership – Robert Thune
July
Managing Generation Z: How to Recruit, Onboard, Develop, and Retain the Newest Generation in the Workplace – Robin Paggi & Kat Clowes
Prodigal God – Tim Keller
August
Calvin on Sovereignty, Providence, and Predestination – Joel Beeke
Golf is Not a Game of Perfect – Bob Rotella and Bob Cullen
The Election of Grace: A Riddle without a Resolution? – Stephen N. Williams
God has Chosen: The Doctrine of Election Through Christian History – Mark Lindsay
The US Constitution: A Very Short Introduction – David Bodenhamer
September
The Defining Decade – Meg Jay
A Leader’s Guide to Unlocking Gen Z – Hannah Grady Williams
On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living – Alan Noble
October
Four Stages of Psychological Safety – Timothy Clark
Atonement: An Introduction – Jeremy Treat
November
Christianity and Science – Herman Bavinck
Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents―and What They Mean for America’s Future – Jean Twenge
Christus Victor – Gustaf Aulen
December
An Infinite Fountain of Light: Jonathan Edwards for the Twenty First Century
Jonathan Edwards on Genesis – Brian Borgman
Into the Heart of Romans – N.T. Wright
Postcoloniaism: A Very Short Introduction – Robert J.C. Young
Atonement – Eleonore Stump
Christian Philosophy as a Way of Life: An Invitation to Wonder – Ross Inman
What are Gen Zers looking for when it comes to hearing the good news proclaimed? How can we meet them where they are at when they’re faced with the gospel? How will this shape how you proclaim Christ?
A study conducted by the Barna Group between the months of December 2020 and January 2021 found that when Gen Z connected with a faith-based talk, the most important thing they were looking for was that they felt a personal connection to God. This was the top thing that GenZ was looking for, much like Millennials, but at a higher rate 48% vs. 37%. The second most essential outcome for them was that they “found it applicable to their life.” This was about the same as millennials (32% vs. 34% respectively).
GenZ’s emphasis on relationship is good news for us at Young Life; we are a highly relational ministry! That’s what we’ve always been about. On top of that we’ve always focused on the “person of Christ.” So, we are poised to speak in ways that are effective. I love how Darrell E. Hall puts it in his book, Speaking Across Generations: “Charisma does not matter as much to Zers. Being relational does. It’s possible to be a charismatic personality without being a relational person. Zers would prefer their preacher be a relational person than a charismatic personality.”
The Big Idea: According to Gen Z, What Makes a Good Talk? That it’s Highly Relational!
What does this mean for us?
As you plan a club talk or campaigner lesson, ask yourself: Which aspect of Christ’s relational nature am I highlighting? E.g., Authenticity, Faithfulness, Safety, Inclusion, Comfort, etc.
Are you building the relational equity necessary to be heard? In other words, are you earning the right to be heard before you give a club talk or a campaigner lesson?
Open up to Luke 8:40-56. How many relational adjectives can you use to describe Jesus?
Sit down with your next club talk. What is the core relational truth you are talking about?
Listen to a club talk. Can you identify the relational theme?
The Bible beautifully weaves together various images and metaphors to illuminate the identity of God’s people. Whether portrayed as a body, a marriage, or a building, these vivid depictions help us grasp who we are. Among these images, one especially stands out in current cultural landscape: Family.
“I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:18).
“Stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother’” (Matt. 12:49-50).
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19).
When a family thrives there is a sense of safety and belonging. Unfortunately, not all have experienced safety and belonging within their families of origin. Even worse, some have yet to experience that feeling of belonging within the family of God. It is God’s desire for us—be it through church interactions, missions, or collaboration with fellow Christians in ministry—to feel that we belong, because ultimately we belong to Him.
In the ministry I work for, Young Life, we say we’re committed to the concept of “belonging” but sometimes it can be hard to know how to move towards a greater sense of feeling like we truly belong and making others—staff, volunteers, and kids—feel like they really belong. I’m sure that the ministry you may be a part of would say the same thing! In light of that I’m offering this monthly Belonging Resource. We’ll cover things like Cultural Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Diversity, Equity, and a host of other topics that can help us move towards a deeper sense of belonging.
This month I’m recommending a podcast episode. It’s not very long but I think it’s worth the time! In it you’ll be introduced to CQ—something I’m well aware that you might already be familiar with—and you’ll be posed with a question that might be useful for sparking some interesting conversation.
In this podcast episode you’ll hear a question posed about the courage to be your authentic self. This is ultimately a question about belonging.
“How much courage is required for me to be my authentic self on this team?”
You might want to process that question with the teams you lead and the teams you are a part of. You might even want to reflect on how the kids you lead answer that question for your ministry. Remember, though, this is a question that demands vulnerability and safety to answer honestly. But if you set that tone when you ask it, I bet you’ll get some thought-provoking answers that will help you move towards a space where people won’t feel the need to feel courage to be who they really are. And that will lead to a greater sense of belonging.
Luke Stamps and I talk with Jordan from the London Lyceum about T.F. Torrance and evangelical theology. We cover topics like: Why don’t most evangelicals know him? How does Torrance relate to evangelical theology? Differences? Similarities? What does Torrance think about atonement? What about theosis? And much more.
This year I focused on reading books and articles on the doctrine of creation, theological anthropology, vocation, and prayer. However, I still went back to my first love: Doctrine of Atonement. In light of that, I present to you my favorite book of 2022!
Rethinking the Atonement New Perspectives on Jesus’s Death, Resurrection, and Ascension by David Moffit
The blurbs on the back of the book should be enough to catch any reader’s attention. Richard Hays says that this book “compels us to rethink what we thought about the New Testament.” Amy Peeler writes that Moffitt has changed how she conceives of her faith. Kevin Vanhoozer calls this book a “Copernican Revolution” in atonement theology. Alan Torrance declares Rethinking Atonement to be “field changing.” Can a book really live up to that level of praise? While I’m not ready to join those top-scholars in how they extol the virtues of this book I’m more than willing to say that this book really led me to consider some key elements of how atonement happens. This book makes a forceful case for thinking about atonement in a broader sense—including the entire atoning work of Christ, from incarnation to ascension, and not just the work of the cross—without ignoring the narrower sense of atonement. This is actually something I’ve written about elsewhere, so I really appreciated the exegetical arguments Moffitt makes for a broader sense of atonement. However, what really gave me something to ponder—and I’m guessing it is what the scholars who endorsed this book are referring to—is that the heart of atonement, where atonement climaxes is Jesus’s work as the heavenly high priest that happens in the heavenly holy of holies. As Moffitt writes, “Hebrews’ emphasis on Jesus’s living presence in heaven—the location where the author consistently claims Jesus made his offering—implies that it is not the death/slaughter of Jesus that atones [he means the “narrow sense”] but the presentation of his life before God in the heavenly holy of holies.” (98) To be honest, I’m not sure what I make of these claims. Nevertheless this has served as the most provocative, and exegetically robust, account of atonement I’ve read in years.
Fuller Seminary’s Library
Now on to the books I read this year…
Total Books Read in 2022: 48
January
1.Recovering our Confessional Heritage – James Renihan
2.An Orthodox Catechism – Hercules Collins
3.God without Passions: A Primer – Samuel Renihan
4.Divine Ideas – Thomas Ward
5.Accessible Atonement: Disability, Theology, and the Cross of Christ – David McLachlan
6.Gentle and Lowly – Dane Ortlund
7.Plain Theology for Plain People – Charles Octavius Boothe
February
8.Cultural Intelligence: Improving Your CQ to Engage Our Multicultural World – David Livermore
9.The Good News of our Limits – Sean McGever
10.On the Priesthood – John Chrysostom
March
11.Deeper – Dane Ortlund
12.Axioms of Religion – E.Y. Mullins
13.Refutation of the Heretical Doctrine by the Rev. Edward Irving Respecting the Person and Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ – J. A. Haldane
April
14.Why I am a Baptist – Tom Nettles & Russell Moore
15.Taking Hold of God: Reformed and Puritan Perspectives on Prayer – Joel Beeke and Brian Najapfour
16.You are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World – Alan Noble
May
17.Believing Philosophy: A Guide to Becoming a Christian Philosopher – Delores Morris
18.Metaphysics – Anna Marmodoro and Erasmus Mayr
19.From Chaos to Cosmos – Sidney Greidanus
20.Planting a Church Without Losing Your Soul: Nine Questions for the Spiritually Formed Pastor – Tim Morey
21.Monotheism and the Rise of Science – J.L. Schellenberg
22.Gospel Fluency – Jeff Vanderstelt
June
23.Empower: 4 Keys to Leading a Volunteer Movement – Jeff Martin
24.Preaching for the Rest of Us – Rob Gallaty and Steven Smith
25.The Trinity: An Introduction – Scott Swain
July
26.What Great Ministry Leaders Get Right – Jimmy Dodd and Renaut van der Riet
27.A Discourse Concerning God’s Act of Adoption – Anne Dutton
28.How to Be a Patriotic Christian – Richard Mouw
August
29.Why I am a Christian – John Stott
30.Junipero Serra: California’s Founding Father – Steven Hackel
31.Becoming Human: Meditation on Anthropology in Word and Image – John Behr
September
32.Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith – Adam Christopher
33.Eastern Orthodoxy and Science – Christopher Knight
October
34.Jonathan Edwards and Deification – James Salladin
35.Uncovering Calvin’s God: John Calvin on Predestination and the Love of God – Forrest H. Buckner
36.What is Experiential Calvinism? – Ian Hamilton
November
37.God and Abstract Objects – Einar Duenger Bohn
38.Liturgy in the Wilderness: How the Lord’s Prayer Shapes the Imagination of the Church in a Secular Age – D.J. Marotta
39.You Need a Better Gospel: Reclaiming the Good News of Participation with Christ – Klyne Snodgrass
40.Cultural Intelligence: Living for God in a Diverse, Pluralistic World – Daniel Bock
41.Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself) – David Zahl
December
42.Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation – Parker Palmer
43.Rethinking Atonement: New Perspectives on Jesus’s Death, Resurrection, and Atonement – David Moffitt
44.Resolving Everyday Conflict – Ken Sande
45.The Call, 20th Anniversary Edition – Os Guinness
46.Your Calling Here and Now: Making Sense of Vocation – Gordon T. Smith
47.Divine Missions – Adonis Vidu
48.Exploring the Glory of God: New Horizons for a Theology of Glory – Adesola Joan Akala
Eat. Think about snacks. Why snacks? What kind of snacks? Will crinkly candy wrappers and crunchy potato chips be a distraction in your cabin?
Pray. Paul instructs us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). So when it comes to cabin time when should pray? Right when you start? At the end of the meeting? Yes, but more than that… Pray on your way to club, during club, and as you head back to cabin time. What should you be praying for? Pray that the Holy Spirit will move in kids’ hearts, provide you with wisdom, and guide conversations.
Love. The depth you are looking for in cabin time is built on a foundation of trust. If the kids don’t trust you then you’ll get a bunch of surface level responses to your questions. [This also applies to how much the kids trust one another in the group.] If you’re taking leaders to camp who do not know kids well, do something together before getting on the bus. Give new leaders an opportunity to learn kids’ names, and give kids an opportunity to feel comfortable around leaders. Cabin time starts before you even get on the bus… Still, the bus is a great opportunity for developing a foundation for cabin time. Why do you think that’s so? What could you do on the trip to camp?
Look. Look over questions before club. Then, as you listen to the talk, think about which cabin time questions will be best for your group. You may not need to ask every question provided, but know that the speaker has suggested these questions knowing the details of the talk.
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 