So, what do you tell your kids about Santa?

I recently received this question, and have yet to respond to the person’s email (please forgive me Jamie!).  But it is a great question, and one that I think is worth sharing with a broader audience.

Below I will share a quote from Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church Seattle and the link to an article he wrote on the subject, as I have found it to be the most helpful and satisfying response to the question at hand.

But before I do, here is my initial two cents to contribute:

Santa Clause is an amalgamation of a lot of stories concerning a real, historic person.  Over time, these stories have made it difficult to separate the truth of who he was, what he did, and why he did it, from the false accounts, reasons and motivations.  Because of this, I am more prone to give grace on the subject rather than demonize the caricature or squash the spirit of finding joy in such a person.

So, like Driscoll, I hope and aim to redeem Santa for my kids.  This means that I do not tell my kids that “Santa doesn’t exist,” or “Santa is the enemy” or that “Santa is just a marketers’ scheme to get parents to spend money on toys they can’t afford to please their children who will forget about them in a week.”  I do tell them that Santa Clause is really a way for us to dress up, remember and celebrate a man who was so captivated by God’s love for him, that he couldn’t help but share it with others by loving them in return.  This looked like giving others gifts as a way of showing that love.

At Christmas time, we celebrate the greatest gift ever given out of love, the birth of the God-man, Jesus Christ, God’s Son. And we too celebrate just like St. Nicholas by giving gifts to others.  Its ok to dress up and pretend (we do it all the time), but we are not visiting the real Santa when we go get pictures at the mall, nor do we think if we leave some cookies and a Coke, Santa will be refreshed as he goes from house to house delivering toys.

There is one area where I am likely to drop the hammer of error when it comes to Santa.  That is the damnable lie that there is a list and if you’ve been good you will be rewarded, and if you are naughty, you won’t get anything.  This is not how gifts work.  Gifts are all of grace, or they are not gifts at all.  This is the greatest lie surrounding Santa, and I believe it needs to be corrected and confronted at every turn.  God did not give His greatest gift to the world because the world was more good than it was bad.  He gave it (His Son, the greatest gift) because He so loved the world! (John 3:16).  Anything else that reeks of receiving a gift because I’ve earned it is merit, not grace, and it has nothing to do with Santa, God or the reality of Christ’s birth during this holiday season.

Here is an exerpt from Driscoll’s article:

So, as the parents of five children, Grace and I have taken the third position to redeem Santa. We tell our kids that he was a real person who did live a long time ago. We also explain how people dress up as Santa and pretend to be him for fun, kind of like how young children like to dress up as pirates, princesses, superheroes, and a host of other people, real and imaginary. We explain how, in addition to the actual story of Santa, a lot of other stories have been added (e.g., flying reindeer, living in the North Pole, delivering presents to every child in one night) so that Santa is a combination of true and make-believe stories….We do not, however, demonize Santa. Dressing up, having fun, and using the imagination God gave can be an act of holy worship and is something that, frankly, a lot of adults need to learn from children.

Link to “What we tell our kids about Santa” by Mark Driscoll

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/mark_driscoll/2010/12/what_we_tell_our_kids_about_santa.html

New Books: Church, Gospel, World, Reforming?

Well, yesterday I came home and had several new books waiting for me.  I thank the folks at Crossway who keep on sending me good and interesting reading material.  I want to highlight a couple of these and tell you all to be on the lookout over the next couple of months for some reviews.

The first book to mention is Total Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis.  This book had been previously published only in the UK, but thanks to Crossway and the new publishing banner of Re:Lit, it is now available here.  I have only scanned through the book, but the first chapter is promising.  The gospel is word-centered and mission-centered, so our churches need to be based on the word and on mission – love it!  I actually first about this book from a friend of mine over in South Africa (cheers Stephen!)

Book #2 – Wordliness, by multiple authors, but edited by a pastor’s pastor, C.J. Mahaney.  I wasn’t sure what to think of this book when I first started seeing it pop up on the web, but knowing C.J.’s other books (Humility: True Greatness and Living the Gospel-Centered Life) and pastoral heart (if you need some exposure, go check out his blog), I’m confident that this book will be insightful and helpful in discerning where and how the gospel applies to our world in our cultural situation.

Book #3 – Reforming or Conforming edited by Gary W. Johnson and Ronald D. Gleason.  This book appears to be a collection of various scholars critiquing the emerging church movement.  I haven’t dove in at all, but I will be interested to see if they distinguish between emerging and emergent.  Some of the chapters do seem fascinating (like “It’s Wright, but is it Right? An Assessment and Engagement of the “Emerging” Retreading of the Ministry of Jesus.” Caveat: I find myself being hesitant to read books like this.  I have read some thoughts by some of these guys on the internet and find myself not agreeing with their conclusions.  That being said, I do find myself appreciating the concerns they bring up.  Reading this will hopefully bring the fundamental issues to the front with constructive critique and positive assessments instead of just the reactionary tendencies demonizing those who differ.

Book #4 – Death by Love: Letters From the Cross by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears.  This book looks fascinating.  Its written as a series of letters addressing real live situations and people, with the full theological truth of the gospel.  I wasn’t expecting that, and I like it.  I honestly can’t wait to get into reading this one.  It seems to have a lot of potential of to help all pastors and lay leaders alike appreciate the depth of theological reflection, without losing sight of its pastoral implications.  This book also features some helpful answers to FAQ’s concluding each chapter (thank you Dr. Breshears for that!).  This is similar to their previous book, Vintage Jesus.

So, if you haven’t already done so, you should subscribe to my blog (button on the top right) and watch out for these forthcoming reviews.

Mark Driscoll’s new book Death By Love

Here is a preview site for Mark Driscoll’s upcoming book, Death By Love.  I always find Driscoll’s books and thoughts true to scripture and contextually fresh, so needless to say, I am looking forward to this one.

For more info, check out the Death by Love website.  You can also go to Mars Hill Church for more resources, as well as Acts 29 Church Planting Network.

Review: Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll

Let me commend to everyone who reads this blog the book Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll and co-Authored with Gerry Breshears. I have mentioned it in some previous posts (here), but want to take the time to give you all a brief synopsis, and my take on why I think it would be worth your time reading. First, my synopsis.

This book does a fantastic job at doing systematic theology regarding the person and work of Jesus Christ with the typical, everyday skeptic or new Christian in mind – and that is invaluable! After having just taken a seminary class on the subject (Christ and Salvation), I must say that I was hard pressed to select one of the many books we had to read as a good resource to put in the hands of somebody either questioning Christianity or recently brought into the family of God regarding this important, and sometimes daunting, subject.

Driscoll’s book does an excellent job, first identifying the major questions and point of discussion. The book is oriented around 12 key questions; they are:

Chapter 1 Is Jesus the Only God?

Chapter 2 How Human Was Jesus?

Chapter 3 How Did People Know Jesus Was Coming?

Chapter 4 Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?

Chapter 5 Why Did Jesus’ Mom Need to Be a Virgin?

Chapter 6 What Did Jesus Accomplish on the Cross?

Chapter 7 Did Jesus Rise from Death?

Chapter 8 Where Is Jesus Today?

Chapter 9 Why Should We Worship Jesus?

Chapter 10 What Makes Jesus Superior to Other Saviors?

Chapter 11 What Difference Has Jesus Made in History?

Chapter 12 What Will Jesus Do upon His Return?

Each chapter then discusses the controversy (or controversies) surrounding these questions, both in their historical and contemporary setting. Spread throughout the chapters are various quotes or insights that are pulled from not only the Christian tradition, but from pop culture and other religions. Driscoll then does an excellent job pointing to scripture and what the Bible says regarding these questions and various interpretations, or problems, we may have. Dr. Breshears then concludes each chapter with a most helpful FAQ that probes into a handful of subquestions that fall under each larger question. This format makes this a great resource for 99% of the people who would be interested and who walk through the doors of your church, or favorite local coffee shop or pub.

Now, some people may be put off by one of two things, or perhaps, both: 1) Systematic Theology, or 2) Mark Driscoll. First, regarding the Systematic Theology. I know its en vogue to question or downplay the significance of Sys. Theology these days in favor of Biblical Theology, but that really is a shame. I am personally of the opinion that we vitally need both. We need our Biblical Theology to help inform our Systematic Theology, and we need our Systematic Theology to help understand our Biblical Theology. That being said, this book is a welcome Systematics book which keeps the story of Scripture alive and in view, while being relevant and thorough in probing the subject of Christology.

Now, for those put off by the fact that its Mark Driscoll, let me say that there are several Driscoll-isms that come through in this book, and you may not like that. I would encourage you to still read this book and ask: “Does this book communicate the truths of Christ’s person and work in a way that is true to Scripture, honoring to God, edifying to believers, and accessible to non-believers?” I think for anytime we find ourselves criticizing another brother for his personality or style, if we can slow down to consider those questions, we would be better served than making quick conclusions. I believe that Driscoll comes out on top regarding all of those questions.

I wanted to read Vintage Jesus for a very selfish reason (And no, its not because I like reading everything Driscoll puts out – even though I do!): I wanted to understand how to communicate theology in a way that is faithful to scripture and engaging to non-Christians. Having read Vintage Jesus, I can say that I have a somewhat better understanding of how to do so, and for that, I am grateful. This is why I commend this book to you – whoever you are!

Whether you are a believer wanting to be challenged and strengthened in understanding the person and work of Jesus Christ, or a a seminarian looking to be challenged in how to communicate the truths of Scripture, or a non-Christian questioning how any rational human being could believe in such a story that centers on this one person, your time will be well served by reading this book.

My personally favorite part of this book is the section Driscoll deals with the fact that “Jesus was a dude.” Great stuff – funny, insightful and challenging. The book is scattered with great content communicated in witty ways. I again, highly recommend this book to you.

Preaching Development – Driscoll on Preaching Schedule

When should a preacher get “out of the pulpit” (for a day or two)?

Mark Driscoll has some usually good insights into preaching, specifically how to plan out your year in light of the ebb and flow of church life and ministry.

Worth checking out here in its entirety.

What are yours – pastors, students, church members?  When do you think a pastor should be in and out of the pulpit?

New Mark Driscoll Video – Biographies

The Importance of Reading BiographiesAnother good little video from Driscoll, on the value of reading biographies and learning from someone’s life, not just their theology.

I really want Mark Driscoll to address this…

So, please, go here and vote for it a few times. 

#9	If salvation is by faith alone (Romans 3:28), then why are there so many verses that say or imply the opposite, namely that salvation is by works (James 2:24, Matthew 6:15 & 7:21, Galatians 5:19-21)

I think that this would be interesting to see/hear how Driscoll approaches this.  I know he’s a Reformed, Calvinistic Evangelical – so there’s something he’s definitely going to say regarding “salvation.”  I think this question brings up other issues that aren’t explicitly about “salvation” as much as they are about the rest of our lives after the typical moment we label as that time when we were “saved.”  Anyway, I’d really like to hear him preach on this, so do me a favor and go there and vote!So, please, go here and vote for it a few times.  It’s a close race between it and the birth control question (Sorry for the formatting issues below)    

Seriously – ASK!

Go to this site and vote for your favorite questions. This is for an upcoming series that Mars Hill Church in Seattle will preach through in the beginning of the year; we pick the questions, which will then be turned into topics and then Mark Driscoll and his teaching team will preach on those topics the first few weeks of 2008.

There are some great questions that would be interesting to hear Driscoll preach on.  I’m actually pulling for the question concerning Election – just because that is a topic I am studying and wrestling with, so I’d love to hear a preacher I respect and admire to address that issue. But figure out your own issues, go to the site, vote up to 10 times (either all different questions, or 10x for 1 if you wanted to), and lets see what Mark will preach on come 2008.

Click here to go to the Ask Anything site.

Great Question

Why do we give some of these guys (like Rob Bell, Joel Osteen, Mark Driscoll) such a hard time (and I am in this boat), when they seem to be the only ones at least and trying and in some ways successfully “engaging the culture” we live in? The original question posed by Anthony was:

Question: how come people who claim to have the best theology to deal with transforming and reaching “the culture” seem the be the most ill-equipped, uncreative, and unsuccessful at actually speaking to “the culture?”

I would have to say that I think Driscoll stands outside of Anthony’s critique – at least to some degree.  I included him because he takes alot of hits (at least it seems) from some of his Reformed brothers and sisters.  Thoughts, comments, suggestions?Check out the original post over at Anthony Bradley’s blog.

Mark Driscoll Video – On Text and Context

Here’s a great 2 minute video of Mark Driscoll laying out the importance of understanding the Context of Scripture (both Biblical/Historical and Contemporary) so that the timeless truth of the Text can be effective for today. Worth checking out.  This is a promo video for the upcoming Resurgence conference in Feb. 2008 – Text and Context.

Click here.