Whether it’s Rob Bell’s latest book with an alternate perspective on hell, or the “New Perspective on Paul” articulated by N.T. Wright or the modalism of the Oneness Pentecostal Church, there are significant theological debates swirling around the church today. We need scholars and church leaders to dive deeply into these issues and bring clarity to the theological confusion they create.
Yet most of these theological debates are pretty far removed from the average person who walks through your church doors on a Sunday morning. A young married couple struggling with fertility is probably not struggling with the complexity of the Trinity. The recent college graduate trying to get a job is probably not trying to figure out what he thinks about atonement theory. The empty nesters attempting to retire in the next few years are probably not attempting to understand John Piper’s view of righteousness.
But rest assured that good theology is still relevant and critical to the spiritual vitality of those in your ministry.
Those in your church may not be concerned about the latest doctrinal controversy, but they are asking theological questions. They are asking questions that have profound implications on their view of God and desire to follow Him.
Here are a few common questions that surface in the hearts and minds of people in your ministry—questions they may be afraid to ask or unable to articulate. Along with each question are the core theological concerns being vocalized, the related EFCA doctrine, and a reflection question for you as a pastor or church leader.
1) Can the bible be trusted as a reliable and credible source of information?
Between books and online resources, people in our ministries are exposed to more information and resources than ever. They also know that much of what they read online or hear in the news is not entirely reliable. Many people in church want to trust Scripture, but they have learned to approach it with a similar skepticism or uneasiness. And they are reluctant to voice this skepticism for fear of how they might be perceived or of receiving shallow responses that inflate their concerns.
If we are not willing to address those questions or concerns, we can give the impression that we are fearful and intimidated or that our faith is not grounded in anything beyond opinion or tradition.
It is absolutely essential that we explain how Scripture stands up to scrutiny by using Scripture itself (internal evidence) and other resources (external evidence). We need to communicate our view of Scripture as the inspired, authoritative and inerrant Word of God, but we also need to show how we arrived at that position.
How can I build awareness of and confidence in the reliability of Scripture in my circles of influence?
2) Why is there so much suffering and hardship in the world if god is in control?
With greater access to information comes greater awareness of the severity and scope of suffering worldwide. The cliché statements “God is in control” or “Everything happens for a reason” don’t seem to stand up when genocide strikes one country, famine hits another or natural disasters devastate entire regions. Suffering prompts unavoidable questions about God’s nature: If God sees all this hardship or evil, why doesn’t He intervene?
Personal tragedy magnifies the intensity of this question and leads many—even those sitting next to us on a Sunday morning—to conclude that God must be unresponsive, heartless or entirely unable to do what He says He can do. This leads to a shrunken view of God that slowly leaks into other areas of life, often replacing hope for transformation with spiritual disinterest or distrust.
Have I personally wrestled through the questions of suffering and evil in a way that allows me to address this compassionately and biblically?
3) If I am saved by God's grace, why do I often feel like nothing I do is good enough for God?
Many Christians can respond with the right verses and Sunday school answers about salvation, yet on the inside they battle a pervading sense of spiritual inadequacy. The reasons for this struggle can vary greatly, but a sense of uncertainty and concern for God’s approval may be more prevalent and toxic than we realize. Not only can it diminish what Christ did on the cross, but it also overlooks the active presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, leading to warped views of service, twisted motivations for obedience and increased pressure on human relationships to provide the acceptance we long for from God. Over time, this lack of clarity regarding the relationship between grace and obedience can truly devastate the spiritual life of individuals and communities, while grossly misrepresenting the uniqueness of Christ and what He offers the world.
How can I help crystallize God’s grace in the mind and heart of believers around me so that obedience is seen as an expression of faith rather than the means of obtaining approval by God?
These are certainly not the only questions those in our ministries are asking. As you give people in your churches opportunities to ask risky questions, admit doubts and be transparent, you will find that they are searching for good theology—but perhaps not in the way you once thought.
Katie Dudgeon serves on the Madrid CityTeam with EFCA ReachGlobal in Spain. In 2010, she received her M.Div. from Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Calif., while working on staff at First EFC of Fullerton, Calif.
3) If I am saved by God’s grace, why do I often feel like nothing I do is good enough for God?