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My colleague Joe Dongell, Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary has authored one of the best essays that I have ever read on Christian Holiness. President Elect Tim Tennent offers a response to Joe’s essay.

Here is an excerpt:

For many Christians, the Bible feels like the federal tax code: complicated, contradictory, and awkwardly cobbled together over many years. Small wonder that our libraries are filled with commentaries promising to decode the puzzles we stumble over as we read. But if we press on, we will discover that the trail sometimes rises up to a high point, to a lookout with a panoramic view of everything below. Standing above it all, we can now see that the maze of twisting trails actually makes sense. A meaningful, unified landscape emerges.

A well-educated man once asked Jesus to identify the most important of all God’s instructions. Quite a challenge, given that 613 specific commands had been tagged and categorized by the scholars of the day! How would Jesus answer? You could say that Jesus “took the man on a hike” to the highest overlook of them all, to a view that simplifies everything: “You shall love the Lord your God”, and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus not only declared that no commandments were greater than these, but that the whole of Scripture (the law and the prophets) depends on just these two commandments (Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-28).

The apostle Paul presses exactly the same point: “…he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments…are summed up in this one sentence, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 12:8-10; Gal. 5:14; see Deuteronomy 6:4; Leviticus 19:18)

John Wesley, the fountainhead of the Methodist revival, had obviously hiked to this very overlook and gazed out across the same landscape. He never tired of reducing everything (the gospel, his ministry, Christianity) to this exquisite simplicity: Love. To wander from this not only leads us away from Wesley, but surrenders away the heart of Scriptural Christianity.

Read the rest.

What do you think?

Asbury Theological Seminary - Orlando is sponsoring three events:

Thursday, June 18, 2009: Dr. Daryl Smith
Mentoring: Leaving a Jesus-Shaped Legacy
*co-sponsored by International Christian Mentoring Network

Thursday, July 16, 2009: Dr. Kandace Brooks
Creative Celebration of the Sacraments

Thursday, August 6, 2009: Dr. Brian Russell
Learning to Speak Human: Preaching for 21st Century Mission

Each seminar will be held on the Orlando campus: 8401 Valencia College Lane; Orlando, FL 32825
Time: 9 AM - 4 PM
Cost: 1) Register for a single seminar: $15.
2) Register for all three: $35.

For more information or to register: Summer in the Son at Asbury’s Orlando campus

The Florida campus of Asbury Theological Seminary has gained official approval through its accrediting bodies to begin offering the Doctor of Ministry degree. It’s track will be a distinctive one: Transformational Innovation.

I will be offering the first course: Biblical Interpretation in Life and Ministry this July.

Read the official press release.

More information will be forthcoming. As a member of the faculty, I am excited about this development and am looking forward to working with missional leaders who are seeking new and innovative ways to advance the Christ following movement in our day.

I have a very busy week of speaking. I am giving seven talks (six of them new ones) at the following four events. I hope that some of you can join us.

3 “Unleashing the Scriptures: Reading the Bible Missionally for the Church and the World” Kingdom Encounter (Orlando FL). This event will be held at Asbury Seminary’s Orlando campus. There are many excellent speakers and seminars.

4 “Reading The Shack (Pt 4)”, 1st United Methodist Church (Winter Park, FL). This is the fourth and final installment of the series “Conversations on the Shack.” I’ve started a blog with links and resources.

5-6 “(Re)Aligning with the Heart of God” The Human Event (Orlando, FL)

6-8 Student Retreat, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (Vero Beach, FL)

I am preaching tomorrow (Nov 13, 2008) as part of the 10th Anniversary celebration of Asbury Theological Seminary’s Orlando campus. My message is titled “(Re)alignment” and is rooted in Matt 4:17-22 and 16:24-28. Chapel begins at 1 PM. The address is 8401 Valencia College Lane; Orlando, FL 32825. I hope to see you there.

Here is a teaser:

Game Changer: The Death and Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus’ death on the cross and God the Father’s action of raising the Son from the dead on the third day is the ultimate game changer in Creation. Our future is suddenly open because it is secure. Through Jesus’ sacrificial death for sin, suffering and injustice and his resurrection for the sake of God’s ultimate victory, we can now make sense of the past because the future of Creation is guaranteed. Thus, we can now live purposively and courageously for God’s mission in the present.

Jesus’ call becomes a call to live free as the people whom we were created to be. We can live unfettered by the fears that rob the masses from true life. We live as dead men and women walking.

When we (re)align our lives in light of God’s game changing actions in the life, death, and resurrection, our lives become paradoxical. We learn to relish risk. We begin to fill more alive because we are dead to the world. We understand profoundly that our future is utterly secure because of what Jesus has already accomplished. This unleashes us to be free in the present. We live purposefully and courageously in the present.

We learn the truth of sayings such as:

One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.
Andre Gide

A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are built for. William Shedd

© 2008 Brian D Russell