Book Review: Is God a Christian? R. Kirby Godsey

As soon as I learned of Dr. Godsey's new book, I ordered it. I was anxious to read it though I expected us to differ on numerous points. I was anxious because I expected to be challenged by Dr. Godsey. For those who do not know who Dr. Godsey is, he served as the 17th President of Mercer University here in Macon. Dr. Godsey was a great president who did many, many good things for Mercer University, though he was often in trouble for his teachings on Christianity with the Southern baptists who supported Mercer. Agree with Dr. Godsey or disagree, he has been viewed as a brilliant and influential man. So my expectations were that the book would be equally brilliant and influential.

It was not. It was a sad disappointment. It was filled with flawed logic and half truths concerning the Christian faith that Dr. Godsey claims to associate himself with. While I expected our views to be different, I didn't expect what I read - over-generalizations and misrepresentations.

I am sorry to say that this book will not bring most evangelical Christians to the table for honest discussion because it is less than honest about evangelical Christianity. My last word here... disappointing.

Let me give you a couple of examples of what I mean:

In the Preface: "We seem eager to believe that God is only on our side. Scholars know better. Theologians know better. Most preachers know better." Where does Dr. Godsey get his information that "most" scholars, theologians, and preachers know better? Is he insinuating that we (theologians and preachers, and scholars) teach and preach something that we know is not true?

He follows that with an accusation that we are teaching congregations to be exclusive and mean-spirited. All of this he ties to the teaching of exclusivity in Christianity.

Pg 21 - "Christians need to get over it. Jesus is not God's only word." Jesus is then equated as a word of God with creation, Adam, Mother Teresa, Muhammad, Pope John XXIII, Gandhi, MLK, the Qur'an and more. Godsey never really explains what he means but does say that to disagree with him by claiming that any word is THE WORD of God or from God is "a form of myopic self-centeredness that presumes to place ourselves-our vision and our understanding - at the center of God's universe."

Further - pg 22 - anyone who believes "that Christianity alone or Muslims alone have sole access to the ultimate reality that underlies the meaning of the universe" is irrational. Really? Why? Why can someone not have truth?

One last one: pg 23 - "Jesus showed us that we really come alive only when we see beyond ourselves to our essential connectedness to one another, including Muslims and Jews and Buddhists and others." No reference to Jesus' actual teaching is given. Probably because there is none.

Shared Leadership is Hard

New City Church is led by a team of elders. Our elders are equal in authority. This means that our elder team makes decisions together and all share an equal "vote" on the decisions we share in leading the church. As New City church downtown's Lead Pastor I am considered the "first among equals." This simply means that I lead the team of elders who govern and shepherd New City Church. I am first among EQUALS which means that while I may lead our Elders, we are still equal. I have no more authority than any other elder. My vote carries the same weight as his vote. We believe that this best describes the example of church leadership, and elder specific leadership that is described in Scripture... but this isn't a post on how we are structured as much as it is on how hard this sometimes is.

Most church planters make all or almost all of the decisions of the church in its first days, months, and even years. A leadership team of some sort (external elders who are not a part of the plant, internal leadership who are not yet elders...) is put in place to help in decisions and offer wisdom, but most often the decision rests on the planter. I am not saying that this is right or wrong, only that it is largely a fact.

Over time the elder team develops from within the church - as it has at New City. As the elder team grows (and it should) it also becomes more diverse (as it also should). Now decisions are shared. With diversity comes differences of opinion, different informational needs in order to make decisions, schedule conflicts, time conflicts (especially for lay-elders), and sometimes just plain conflict! All of this often leads seemingly to a slowing of forward motion and loss of energy as decision making on larger items requires much more effort, longer discussions, the acquisition of more and more information, and much more time.

It would be much simpler and much faster as well as less draining if one man (read if "I") just made the decisions. There is truth to that. It would be simpler, and faster... and much more dangerous. Shared leadership is hard - this transition can be very frustrating and draining... but it is good and necessary. Team leadership brings wisdom that one person doesn't have. It brings perspective that no single leader can possess. It brings options that and solutions that one leader may never have thought of. It brings accountability that not only protects the body of Christ, but also protects each leader. Shared leadership is hard, but it is good.

I write this for any planter who hasn't made it to this point! The transition is hard. But it will be and is worth it.

Sometimes Subtraction is really Multiplication

Ten months ago, New City Church downtown was a single campus, not quite three years old. We seemed to finally be pushing to or through the 200 mark in regular attendance (one of the growth barriers in church world). A month later we sent out around 25 regular attendees to launch New City Church Milledgeville.

Rebounding growth began slowly... until late this summer we were again pushing through the 200 barrier with some consistency. Then came August 14, 2011 when at age of 3 years and 8 months we sent out 50 regular attending, hard working, giving, people who are sold out on the mission and vision of New City Church to plant New City Church Warner Robins...

So if we looked at the numbers of subtraction (after all we are subtracting!) we would see:

200-25 = 175 -50 = 125... all in the span of 9 months...

But sometimes Subtraction is really Multiplication!

With most of our Mercer University crowd not back yet, downtown was at 170 yesterday.

The new Warner Robins campus was at 125 (send out 50, get 125?!?!)

Milledgeville on move in weekend ExPlOdED! 380

Let's see... 170 + 125 + 380 = 675

By subtracting 75, we have almost tripled in attendance... which means we have almost tripled in influence, in opportunity, and in the number of potential missionaries that we can equip to advance the Kingdom! Incredible.

I am about #s - it is true - in that numbers represent people, and I love to see people transformed by Jesus through the gospel! And the more people I see being transformed by his radical love and work, the more excited I get.

I am amazed at the work that God is doing in our midst. I give him all of the credit (glory) for what is happening in and through New City Church... and I am enjoying the ride!

Our MC is bigger than some churches!

New City Church's attendance for it's launch in January 2008 was 100 people. Of that 100, we probably had a strong core of about 50 - including children! And yes, our children were strong, attending weekly and being involved in most everything that we did.

A month ago we started a new Missional Community. I am co-leading with a couple - Amy and Justin Weaver. Last night we met and with several of our core folks absent we had another packed house with more first timers - exciting! The problem is, the MC is already too big! Though we can all squeeze into the house (as long as some people don't make that night and it isn't raining so the younger crowd can run and play outside), there is no way that we can get to know one another well, have good, full, gospel discussion, and there is no room to grow - hard to be missional when there isn't room for new-comers.

Our new MC is bigger than the core that planted New City Church!

That is AMAZING - I would never have imagined that many people right from the start. AND we have 9 other MCs!

It is exciting - not just because of the numbers, but because it is evident in our discussions that Gospel transformation is happening... Jesus is being worshiped and followed.

It is overwhelming - we need to add at least 2 more MCs TODAY, and we aren't ready.

Wow.

What Is a Missional Community?

What Is a Missional Community?
by Jeff Vanderstelt / original article found on the desiringgod.org site

Family
First of all, a missional community is a group of believers who live and experience life together like a family. They see God as their Father because of their faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and the new regeneration brought about by the Holy Spirit. This means they have and know of a divine love that leads them to love one another as brothers and sisters. They treat one another as children of God deeply loved by the Father in everything — sharing their money, time, resources, needs, hurts, successes, etc. They know each other well. This knowledge includes knowing each other’s stories and having familiarity with one another’s strengths and struggles in regards to belief in the gospel and it’s application to all of life (John 1:11-13; Romans 12:10-16; Ephesians 5:1-2).

Missionaries
God’s family is also sent like the Son by the Spirit to proclaim the good news of the kingdom — the gospel — and fulfill the commission of Jesus. A missional community is more than a bible study or a small group that cares for other believers. A missional community is made up of Spirit-led and Spirit-filled people who radically reorient their lives together for the mission of making disciples of a particular people and place where there is a gospel gap (no consistent gospel witness). This means people’s schedule, resources and decisions are now collectively built around reaching people together (Matthew 3:16-4:1;John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 13:2).

Servants
Jesus is Lord and we are his Servants. A missional community serves those around them as though they are serving Jesus. In doing so, they give a foretaste of what life will be like under the rule and reign of Jesus Christ. Living as servants to the King who serve others as he served presents a tangible witness to Jesus’ kingdom and the power of the gospel to change lives. A missional community serves in such a way that it demands a Gospel explanation — lives that cannot be explained in any other way than by the Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus (Matthew 20:25-28; John 13:1-17; Philippians 2:5-11; 1 Peter 2:16).

Disciples
We are all learners of Jesus our rabbi who has given us his Spirit to teach us all that is true about Jesus and enable us to live out his commands. Jesus commanded us to make disciples who believe the gospel, are established in a new identity and are able to obey all of his commands (Matthew 28:19-20).

The missional community is the best context in which this can happen. Disciples are made and developed:
1. through life on life, where there is visibility and accessibility
2. in community, where they can practice the one anothers, and
3. on mission where they learn how to proclaim the gospel and make disciples.
Jeff Vanderstelt is a pastor at Soma Communities, an Acts 29 church in Tacoma, WA. He coaches and trains church planters, serves on the Board of Acts 29, and leads the Soma movement in vision and teaching.

*The original article can be found here, on the Desiring god site.

Bittersweet Day - Sending Out 50 to plant a new campus

Today is a bittersweet day... today is the last day downtown for around 50 people who will launch New City Church Warner Robins next Sunday night.

It is bitter because we love this group and watching it grow has been amazing. They have worked hard, given much, and served well in a city that isn't their home. They will be greatly missed.

It is sweet because so many in this group GET IT. They love their city and want to see the gospel advance and transform lives, and they know that the best way to see that happen is not by gathering in Macon, but by gathering in their own city. It is sweet because they are leading this charge!

I am thankful to be a part of this work that God is doing. I am excited about the tremendous potential that lies before us as we follow Jesus - who has gone before us and prepared for this day!

New City Church warner robins

Launching August 14, 2011

6:00 pm @ The River Church / 2440 Hwy 127, Kathleen

Baptisms Rock!

Starting Strong... New City Church Warner Robins

On August 14, at 6:00PM one of New City's bands will begin playing the first official nccWR song set. We'll sing together for the first time in WR. We'll pray together for the first time in WR . The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be clearly communicated from the Scripture for us for the first time in WR . We'll follow Jesus by calling people to repent and believe the Gospel for the first time in WR. We'll share the sacrament of communion together for the first time in WR. It will be incredible! For those who have been longing for this day - and praying for this church there will probably be tears of joy and happy laughter.

New City Church downtown started with 20 +/- people and 2 months of prayer and planning. The mission we understood - how we would carry it out was mostly a mystery! We had little idea what Missional Communities would actually look like - most of us had never heard the word missional. We had no idea what it would mean to be With and For our city and engage its people right where they were. Still, in January of 2008 we launched weekly services - filled with church planting ignorance!

Not long after that start, the seeds for New City Church Warner Robins found soil in a few from Warner Robins who dreamed of something different for their city. Little by little the number of people coming to Macon from Warner Robins grew... and they formed a Missional Community. Early on we communicated to those first travelers from Warner Robins that their Missional Community was more than a Missional Community - it was the first of a core group of people who would one day plant a church in their city. And they continued to grow and formed another Missional Community. And they continued to grow and have just recently started their third Missional Community with a fourth in the planning stages!

Here's where I am going - These communities of people in WR know the mission - gospel transformation. They get the vision. They have worked, served, and given to see the mission and vision happen. August 14 is NOT their start date! They have already begun and they are off to a strong, strong start!

I was asked recently by a church planter in the starting days of a plant, "what would you do differently if you could start over with your plant?" My answer: nothing. I really wouldn't. BUT I can say this... our WR Campus Pastor, Patrick McConnell, and the teams and team leaders getting ready for the launch of New City Church Warner Robins have no idea how far ahead of downtown's start that they are! God has graciously put together an incredible group of people and an incredible opportunity in Warner Robins!

I am so excited about August 14... I am more excited about what has already happened in Warner Robins and what is going to happen after August 14! If you are in WR and not in church, or know someone in WR without a church home, let me STRONGLY suggest that you join us August 14, 6:00PM at The River Community Church's building for the continuation of New City Church Warner Robins!

New City Church ALBANY?

Planting the gospel by planting new churches has been our vision even in the dreaming phases of New City Church downtown. Our vision statement includes this:

We dream of a church intent on planting new churches that will engage cultures around the world.

By "intent on planting new churches" we mean aggressively seeking to plant new churches. I recently explained to another church planter that at New City Church we are constantly looking for ways TO plant churches as opposed to reasons why we can't (not large enough, not enough money, not enough leadership support...).

A few months ago I received an email from a pastor an hour away who wanted to talk with me about church planting. That email led to other emails and phone calls and meetings and an Acts 29 Boot Camp and seems now, to us taking another aggressive step in seeing our vision happen. This week the Elders of New City Church welcomed Andy Blankenship on board as the lead planter of New City Church Albany!

Andy, Mary Kathryn, and their 3 little ones will be moving later this month to Albany. Andy has taken a position in a nearby school system where he will work as he learns his city, trains with the New City Elders, and begins the process of planting a new New City Church.

I am constantly amazed and very thankful!

Registration is OPEN

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REGISTER HERE.