In order to reach the nations, we will have to cross cultures academically. What God has joined together . . . At some point in the past, missiology and theology, as split as academic disciplines. If you examine the literature, it would seem there is a great chasm that few can ever cross. At times, theologians will write on missiology (e.g. Andreas Köstenberger, Peter O’Brien, Christopher Wright). Rarely does it work the other way. This is not surprising. Seminaries tend... Read more
I once had a good friend jokingly say, “I can’t tell if you are a liberal or a fundamentalist.” I think that is one of the nicest things someone could say to an evangelical. The Protestant Reformation happened in part due to Catholics’ overemphasis on tradition, which had come to trump Scripture as the church’s functional authority. However, we are not for that reason immune to the same tendency. This is one way some denominations sustain their existence. Everyone within... Read more
In some ways, one might say the one true God is no different from false gods. In a recent article, translated on Chinese Church Voices, a Xinjiang pastor writes on the topic of discerning true and false gods. He specifically seeks to help churches wrestling with cults like Eastern Lightening. Accordingly, the pastor suggests one focus on the essential attributes of God. He mentions the following: 1. God is spirit. He not only has life but also person-hood. 2. God... Read more
What is the personal history behind my book, Saving God’s Face? Why did I write this book? Years ago, I had a startling realization. Theologians and pastors have long taught on the glory of God and its central importance in the Bible. However, because I was living in East Asia, it also dawned on me that this sort of talk about God’s glory, praising him, and magnifying his name was simply another way of talking about honor and shame. When... Read more
In order to introduce my new book, I’m going to give away all kinds of Kindle books (besides my own). This is how it will work. In two weeks, I’ll start a four-week series introducing the major themes of the book. Each week, I’ll discuss a different theme that follows the major sections of my new book Saving God’s Face: A Chinese Contextualization of Salvation through Honor and Shame. Each week, I’ll pick a winner at random and give away... Read more
No one wants to look stupid. People don’t tend to believe things in the hope that they will get laughed at. People would pretty much mock you if you depend on “Uncle Rico” for dating tips.That’s what Chinese call “losing face.” Why? “Face” is about placing value in something or someone. Previously, we saw that Jesus explains faith in terms of face. By seeing faith in light of “face,” we are reminded that faith is public, not private. No one... Read more
Should Christians want to “save face”? This post clarifies a part of my previous post that might sound confusing the first time one hears it. Last time, I looked at John 5:18, 22–23. I said, “Saving faith is saving face. In particular, I’m referring to God’s face. The goal of our faith is seeking God’s glory by honoring Christ. Paradoxically, there is a way in which we are supposed to seek honor. How then do we purse face in a... Read more
Have you ever noticed how Jesus defines faith in terms of face? Jesus asked his critics, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” Too often, we define faith in terms of believing a certain set of doctrines. Of course, this is true to some degree, however I think we may be compromising the main idea by settling for what is merely true. If we... Read more
Look what 3-years and a lot of coffee can do. It’s now ready at Amazon.com. The Kindle version is coming soon. Saving God’s Face: A Chinese Contextualization of Salvation through Honor and Shame I’ll follow up soon with more information. Read more
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