For: The Essentials Blue Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.
QUESTION:
Part A: How has your understanding of the theological phrase, the "Kingdom of God" been challenged/shaped by this section of Simply Christian?
Part B: What particular theological idea (within one of the four theological ideas on the Nature of God presented in Dan's material) do you believe has the most importance for the next 10-20 years of worship leadership? Why?
ANSWER:
This section of “Simply Christian” was incredibly stirring. The way NT Wright describes the story of Israel, and then the arrival, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus is powerful.
God’s Kingdom was totally backward to Jesus’ contemporaries. It introduced, “...what the true God was like, ... by loving one’s enemies, turning the other cheek, going the second mile (1). Jesus was God’s exclamation point on His rescue plan. Jesus was His answer to the echos that cry for beauty, justice, spirituality and relationship. Heaven met earth and they are joined forever.
I especially was challenged by the chapter dealing with the gift, ministry and “point” of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not just heaven on earth, the Spirit is heaven IN us who believe. Wright points out that, “Without God’s Spirit, there is nothing we can do that will count for God’s Kingdom” (2).
I believe that the nature of God as Trinity is the most important idea for us as worship leaders. We live in an age where we have never been more connected technologically, yet never more isolated from each other. This world is filled with broken relationships and lonely people.
We need to communicate God’s heart and desire for relationship with us. We also need to love others unconditionally and give them a place to belong. The church often expects people to believe first, then belong. Kingdom thinking says otherwise: Let God draw man to Himself by loving them through us, the Temple, where heaven meets earth.
1. NT Wright, Simply Christian, Harper One, 2006, P. 101
2. Ibid. P. 122
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