Yesterday on his jesuscreed blog, Scot McKnight raised this question:
If you could tell a new follower of Jesus the five most important elements of following Jesus, what would they be?
Here is how I answered:
1. Forgive all who have hurt you.
2. Seek forgiveness of all whom you have wronged.
3. Let your memory and imagination and attitudes be transformed by the Gospel of the love of God in Christ.
4. Pray (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, submission).
5. Do all this together with others.
I also appreciated comments by others mentioning casting out all idols and one’s finances in order.
5 comments:
Perhaps also, a good dose of Bible, Lewis, Schaeffer, and Wright's new book, "After You Believe." What other good readings (or specific Bible books) might be beneficial for a new follower of Jesus?
After having read 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed by Scot McKnight, I think that is the first book I would give to a new believer. And I would want to meet for coffee once a week to talk about what they had read.
After that, perhaps N.T. Wright's Simply Christian (with chapters 1-4 optional or read after the others). Maybe The Shack to help fuel the imagination (or The Lord of the Rings or C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy or Narnia Chronicles ).
I agree with Pastor's original ideas. I'm thinking something along the lines of:
Watch me to see how I talk with God and with others.
Watch me to see how I act.
Watch me to see how I use God's provisions in my life.
Watch me to see how I show God's love to you and others.
And then, follow up with me if you need clarification.
Really neat, Rick! Sounds very much like Jesus. Thanks for sharing that.
Rick, after further thought, how about swapping out the "I's" for "we's"? It's together that we best express who Christ is. Not sure I'd want anyone to pattern themselves just on me for very long, although Paul didn't hesitate to invite people to imitate him. But they would imitate him in his living in community.
Post a Comment