Kingdom Culture Pt3 – Theology

Theology is the way we think about God and his Word. I firmly believe that whatever our theology is will be expressed in how we live our lives. What we believe really does matter. We rediscovered this truth on 9/11 as several young zealot muslims commandeered a passenger plane and sent it hurtling into the twin towers of manhatten because they believed in the ideas they had been taught.

I have had the privilege of being apart of several church and denominational affiliations over the years both growing up and in my ministry experience. I have seen churches strong on God’s Word and churches strong on the Holy Spirit. I agree with the maxim: If you just have the Word, you’ll dry up, if you just have the Spirit you’ll blow up but if you have both the Word and the Spirit, you’ll grow up…food for thought.

2 Tim 3:16 -17 says, “All scripture is breathed (inspired) out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”

Some Christians approach the bible like they approach a buffet at a restaurant. They pick and choose what they want and leave out what they don’t want. We are all guilty of this sin at times and it is really dangerous for our own relationship with God and the example we set to the world around us. While none of us are going to get it right all the time, we need to do our best to intentionally study, interpret and apply Scripture with the tools, counsel and wisdom that God has provided us.

Paul exhorted Timothy In 2Tim 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Pauls teaching implies that we can mishandle the word of truth and form a theology that is shameful to Jesus, God’s people and the world.

Paul again continues to exhort Timothy by saying in 1 Tim 6:2-4 “Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understand nothing.”

At Activate Church we are seeking to be biblically faithful yet culturally accessible and this requires a commitment to developing a theological framework that is consistent with scriptural teaching that is expressed in everyday life. I believe that theology should have a practical expression to it because God shows us in both the Old Testament and the New Testament that he cares about the practical details of our lives. Our theology must be connected to our practice.

Lead the Change!