King Jesus and the Pastor

This is a kind and thoughtful note from Don Bryant, which was posted as a comment last week but I thought I’d post it separately because of what it says about some initial resistance to any kind of suggestion that we have to re-think what “gospel” means but which also expresses the pervasive attitude that the way we are evangelizing now has got to change. Anyway, here’s the note:

Scot,

The King Jesus Gospel is one of those “had to read it all in one sitting” kind of books. I originally set out quite skeptical of your assertion, wondering if it was needlessly upsetting the cart on what is the Gospel. But it touched something deep in my soul, as well as my mind.

I think the turning point of the book for me was “the Gospels are Gospel”, as well as the Nicene Creed is Gospel and the Church Year is Gospel. I get that. I agree with that. I am a man trained in Evangelism Explosion and there is so much good there. But I have felt it always put me in a box and didn’t let the fullness get out. But how to let the fullness get out? Your book points the way.

I am a pastor and in my churches I have found masses of people who are “saved” as if the right lever has been pulled. It drives me up a wall. No fascination with Christ, no world and life view, no ethical vision, no serious engagement to see Christ become all in all. They are saved, and that’s about all they know or need to know. Unfortunately, this is not a stereotype. And I do believe that there is something in the way the Gospel is presented that leads them to see it this way.

I am 62 and have had years upon years of evangelism, preaching and spiritual formation. The “get saved” framing of the Gospel bears much of the responsibility to what the church is ending up with. I am still not sure how to navigate my way out of this, but it’s clear it needs to be done.

I am not satisfied that “Jesus completes Israel’s story” is a substantive communication phrasing, though the reality is there. Jesus as second Adam has always stirred my imagination, something that Paul uses to create a “gospel culture.” Perhaps many shy away from that because it raises the ghost of the imputation of Adam’s sin and moves on to the issue of double imputation and therefore becomes problemmatic right out of the gate. But the reality is there – Christ creates the new man, the old creation is passed away and all things have become new.