The Number One Need Today?

16 Comments

1. D.A. Carson might say that one of the most important things is that God wants His people to know Him more intimately.

   I would say we do this mainly through Scripture. There is a huge lack in not only knowledge of Scripture but how to interpret Scripture. There are even very famous teachers (Rick Warren and Beth Moore come to mind) who aren’t very well versed in interpreting Scripture.

   A popular level work on this subject would be good. There are quite a few good books on how to read the Bible but less on how to interpret and understand. I suppose an extremely basic guide to exegesis and hermeneutics without using those words of course. !
   Jeff

2. Jeff:
   Good observation here. If we don’t have a handle on what God says, then everything else we say will only approximate truth.
   Hermeneutics is a fine place to start!

3. If there is one topic that is central, and critical, to Christianity today, it must be Christ as savior. He is still the son of God and our lord and savior. I might entitle the book “Christ in you,” or something like that.

4. I think that all Christian writing should come to a halt for about 20 years and that we should engage in intense study and memorization of Scripture. There are so many books, none of which have the power to save, nor are they “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit.”

   I’m halfway joking, but then, I’m halfway not.
   — x

5. Hum…so you are saying that the number one need today for a Book has already been written? Can hardly contend with that one.

6. Rob…as you know many books have been written on Jesus as Savior and as Lord. Certainly he is the central figure of all Christendom and the whole of reality is summed up in him (Col 1:15ff). How do you suppose another book like this would hold the number one spot? Moreover, “Christ in you” sounds human-focused almost. Is it Christ or “you” that is the focal point?

7. Col 1:27ff actually came to mind. Also, my thoughts focused on the completeness of our relationship with God through Christ in this age as well as the full manifestation of God’s promise in the age to come. I think Col 1 sums up some of my thoughts very well.

   Although there are so many topics that would bring great benefit, if I were to want to write one more book, I would probably want to develop the specific context around Christ our savior.

   So, the focal point of the book would be Christ our savior nested in the message to all that it is God in Christ in us (2 Cor 4:10,11; Rom 8:9, Etc.), which would serve as both an effective introduction to those who are not yet Christians, and as a point upon which to refocus as Christians.

   I see the other great ideas in the responses to your interesting question. Concepts around Christ our savior are what came to mind for me.

8. Thanks for unpacking this, Rob. Sounds like a worthy title/topic indeed!

9. I have to agree with X and then Jeff, in that order. The scripture is simply so amazing to sit and read and see what God has done and is wanting to do, that is bring sinful people to redemption through Christ. We don’t need another Prayer of Jabez, The Purpose Driven Life, or The Shack, for those are lousy substitutes for the true daily bread (but I suppose none of the authors would suggest they should be a substitute; it is simply my perception the larger percentage of Christiandom in America treats them as such).

   With the return to scripture comes the necessity to properly interpret and understand. I agree with Jeff, that a book not using the terms exegesis and hermeneutics would be beneficial to the average Christian.

   One observation – It is sad to me that lay Christian has abdicated there responsibility to seek, understand, and teach the scriptures to those “professional” ministers and pastors. So maybe a book could be written on this subject and advocate believers return to scripture and to train themselves properly in interpretation!! ;)

10. Not to discount the benefit of explaining the scriptures in plain and simple language, perhaps Christianity has lost some focus on scrupture as given by God and faithful minister’s who have translated God’s Word.

    I wonder how much diversity of Scriptural understanding there would be among denominations if the only written texts that we had were the Bible.

    A book about turning to Scripture as the sole source for faith and practice? What a great idea! I wonder how many “professionals” would promote a book that promoted such self-reliance.

11. Now that I’m thinking about this after writing and reading these comments, maybe we need to back up even further and help people to develop a love for the Scriptures in the first place. They won’t want to read about interpretation if they don’t have a love for the Bible in the first place. Maybe this is the job solely for the Holy Spirit. But I write posts on my blog now and then about why I love getting into the world of the Kingdom of God and how it’s better than any fiction or other entertainment. This kind of goes along with how I don’t understand why preachers need to use cute stories and illustrations when there are so many right there in the Bible. They are as illustrative and interesting as anything else. Just rambling.
    Jeff

12. This isn’t too far from what the others have said. The books title would be whatever the editors decreed, but, assuming that the publisher is one who lets the author have a voice in the title, I would call it something like: It Really Matters. The point of the book would be to try to get the readers to see that the kinds of things they might expect churches or Christianity to give them–happiness, fellowship, carry-in suppers, entertainment, spiritual buzzes, etc.–are meaningless apart from a strong foundation in biblical content and basic doctrines. After a general introduction, I would go through particular areas; e.g. it really matters whether you believe that the Bible is inerrant or not; it really matters that there is only one God in three persons; it really matters that we are so sinful that, even if we appear really “nice” to others, we are not fit to be in God’s heaven; it really matters that there is salvation in no one but Jesus Christ, etc. In short (that’s an expression one uses when it’s way too late to be short), the most-needed book would try to call people away from the purely experiential and social dimensions of today’s church life to the truths on which the church is based.

13. Ooh…nice one Win. I like the title and the motif because “it really matters” what we believe. I’m reminded of a quote from J. P. Moreland, “beliefs are the rails upon which our lives run.” Truly we live from the inside out and our beliefs “really matter.”

    Incidentally, Doug Groothuis is finishing up his final draft on an apologetics text entitled “What Matters Most” for IVP.

14. Hum….seems reasonable that if we love the Scriptures then we will want to know the Scriptures. After all, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. We pursue what we love because we are creatures driven by our desires.

    Of course it’s the job of the Holy Spirit to set it into our hearts to know and love God’s Word, but the Spirit does not work in a vacuum but uses many means as well to accomplish His work in and through us.

    Sadly, when our kiddos were growing up and going to a Christian high school, they had Bible classes every semester. They were required, for instance, to memorize Matthew 5-7 before moving from 9th grade to 10th grade. They learned a great deal about the Bible but were never taught a love for the Bible. It was just another text book and discipline to successfully pass. Had there been a class on loving God’s Word, then perhaps it would have made a bigger difference in learning God’s Word.

    What exactly would you write on in a book on loving God’s Word?

15. Just off the top of my head:
    -the more you read the Bible the more you want to read it
    -the Kingdom of God is reality, right side up, and it’s fascinating to get to know this reality as opposed to this world which is upside down. Fulfillment is found here, not in the world.
    -Having a relationship with the good, righteous, loving creator of the universe is an awesome thing. We know Him through the Bible. How could anyone who is a Christian not want this?
    -Take people through Scripture on zeal/enthusiasm, the wonder of knowing Him
    -Psalm 19 has to be one of the best things for this, I did a post on that

    Just a few things without thinking too hard.
    Jeff

16. Martin Buber (1878-1965) had some interesting comments on relationships indicated by our heavenly Father.

    In Buber’s perspective, man is a being made for relationships at three levels – with his fellow man, with the world, and with God. We can not be man and Christian in this age without all three.

    Perhaps a book about the one important topic must also encompass all three.

    See the new topic “What do Augustine, Pascal, C. S. Lewis, and King David have in common?” for more.