The Bible is God’s Word written, God’s Word through men’s words, spoken through human mouths and written through human hands. ~ John Stott
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Would Jesus Do Multi-Site? #WJDMS
Would Jesus start a multi-site church? This is the question that stuck with me when I finished watching the video of two multi-site guys and one who is theologically against multi-site. However, none of these three men ever ask this question. In fact, as engaging as this video was, there are a lot of questions that they never address that I’d love to hear them answer. Watch the video and then join the discussion. Are there questions you would’ve asked?
http://www.vimeo.com/13082622
Here are a few of my questions:
1. Would Jesus start a multi-site church? If He had the technology then that we have now would He have used it? Jesus was incarnational and attractional but I don’t see Him as being attractional in the same way that MacDonald and Driscoll are attractional.
2. Would Paul start a multi-site church? When Paul said I have become all things to all people so that by all means I might save some does “all things” and “all means” include video venues? If he could’ve spoken via video to the Church in Colossae, Philippi, Ephesus and Galatia all at the same time, would he? Isn’t Paul’s statement largely about contextualization and not about indiscriminately using everything the culture uses when communicating ideas?
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Did Jesus Claim to be God? [Matthew]
I have talked with a lot of people who argue that Jesus never said the words, “I am God.” So, if that were true, why does orthodox Christianity teach that Jesus is, in fact, God in the flesh?
First, I would say that the Gospels present us with four perspectives on the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus and I find them to be trustworthy. We have these four witnesses to the divinity of Jesus who are quoting Him and giving us a record of His activity on earth.
As I have studied the Gospels and the languages and culture of these early followers of Jesus, it is clear that they were thoroughly convinced of Jesus’ divinity and that they
communicated that fact very clearly to their original audience. They showed that Jesus
was God both by what He did and by what He said.
Jesus’ Actions Confirm His Divinity
The Gospels are filled with all of the evidence for Jesus’ divinity, so for the sake of this post I’ll highlight just a few events in the life of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 1:23
See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us.’
It’s not every day that a virgin conceives and the significance of the baby Jesus fulfilling prophecy and being named “God is with us” isn’t lost on Matthew’s Jewish audience.
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Networking, Resourcing, and Multiplying the Local Church
I started blogging in 2004 to chronicle my move from New Orleans to Boston to become a church planter. Seven years later I’m starting fresh with blogging. This is my first post at nathancreitz.net.
A lot has developed in the past seven years. I met, dated and married my wife; I graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity; my wife and I had a girl and now have a boy on the way.
A lot has remained the same over the past seven years. I’m passionate about engaging a post-Christian culture with the Gospel; I’m energized by making disciples; I’m committed to networking, resourcing, and multiplying the local church.
With all that in mind, I wanted to start fresh with a new blog. This blog will focus on my
role as a disciple maker and church leader. I want to share what I’m learning as a young, local church leader. I want to share what I’m learning as I make disciples. I want to share what I’m learning about ministry in a post-Christian context. I want to share what I’m learning as I spend time with God in prayer and in the Word.
This won’t be a leadership blog or a theology blog or a technology blog. This will be a blog that combines all of those issues (and more) that might face a local church leader. As I share things that I’m learning I hope you will take a moment and join the conversation.
If you’d like to learn more about me, here’s a link to my bio. I will also add sermon audio and videos from time to time so you might want to check out my media page. I’d love to hear from you, either in the comments section, on Twitter, or you can contact me via email.