Restoration & Transformation Jan. - Feb., 2010
On Spiritual Transformation
Royce Ogle
02/24/2010 - The often quoted phrase "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" is more often than not taken out of context and misapplied, putting "self"in the seat of power only God deserves to occupy. The "work(s)" we do are in the knowledge that our part of the equation is to humbly walk with God as He directs. Paul's absolute confidence in God's ability to transform believers into the image of Christ should encourage each of us that in our own lives and the lives of those in our faith communities, God is at work!


The Next Restoration Movement
Keith Brenton
02/22/2010 - In short, the Restoration's prime movers were men dedicated to restoring a unified, non-denominational church at a time when a new nation had been formed of many united states. Their modus operandus was much the same as that of the nation's founders: issue a sort of declaration of independence (Barton W. Stone's document, the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery) and then a sort of constitution (Alexander Campbell's Declaration and Address). Within a few years, their groups discovered each other and merged as a unity movement called "The Christian Connexion" (sometimes "Connection"). It was all very modern, very rational, very institutional, very corporate, and very American. As well as very, very focused on the church.


Rethinking Romans 12:1-2 – Hear it Again, Only This Time in Context
Matt Dabbs
02/20/2010 - I cannot tell you how many times I have heard in a sermon or Bible class Romans 12:1-2. I am not certain how many times I have quoted this verse at different times to different people. It is a powerful verse on its own. But it is an even more powerful verse when heard in its original context. In Romans 9-11 Paul was working through God’s plan for Israel and how God had made good on and continues to make good on His promises to the patriarchs. These three chapters are littered with references to God’s grace, mercy, and plan for all people (but especially Israel).


Maturation Journey
Tim Woodroof
02/19/2010 - "Each journey recounted in Scripture involves far more than geographical transition. Biblical journeys require leaving an old life behind and progressing (slowly, arduously) to something new and unknown. There are dangers and challenges along the way. . . . God uses the 'journey theme' to teach us something important. Not just lessons about Abraham and his wanderings. Not just lessons about fickle Israel and her forty-year walk. Lessons about ourselves … about the shape of life … about the story of all those who refuse to settle for “Egypt” and, instead, launch out courageously for the home they only see dimly through the promises of God."


The Restoration of Discipleship
Brian Mashburn
02/18/2010 - "There is such a huge difference between a religion that seeks to help people imitate Jesus Christ in heart, character, priorities and mission and a religion that seeks to imitate the historical church's external worship practices, belief systems, gathering habits, life philosophies and superficial doctrines. ... The focus on the church as a pattern for how we are to "do church", rather than a focus on Christ as a pattern for how we "do life," is a focus riddled with danger. Life-stealing, legalism-producing, religion-focused, anger-inciting, divisive danger that distracts people from the only Source of salvation of any kind. I have seen (in myself as much as in others, mind you) as much un-Christlikeness come from the (well-intentioned) focus on the church as I have from any other misguided focus on the planet."


The Future of the Churches of Christ
K. Rex Butts
02/15/2010 - "I am suggesting if the Churches of Christ wish to have a healthy and missional future, we must restore the function of the early church and not necessarily its form. By restoring the function of the early church, we are placing discipleship as our primary objective. That is, we are striving as a body of local churches for our churches (and every individual Christian within the local church) to live just as Jesus lived, to think as Jesus thought which leads us to speak and act as Jesus did. We sought to restore the form of the earliest church and along with that came a bunch of hermeneutical assumptions too numerous to go into at this point but are nevertheless not without question. The belief was that the restoration of the primitive church form would result in Christian unity. However, that has not been the case."


When Is Restoration Successful?
Rubel Shelly
02/12/2010 - In this brief article, first published in Lovelines in June of 1993, Rubel Shelly articulates simply and powerfully the only principle of restoration which can succeed, using the metaphor of restoring classic art. . . . "In the spring of 1990, it was my good fortune to visit Rome ever so briefly. While I was in the 'city of seven hills,' work was going on to restore some priceless art. The Sistine Chapel is one of Rome's most familiar tourist attractions. It was built in the fifteenth century and serves as the private, official papal chapel. Conclaves for the election of popes are traditionally held there."


The Restoration Movement Fulfilled In Jesus Christ
Edward Fudge
02/08/2010 - The restoration ideal can serve a valuable purpose as a scraper, a handy tool for cleaning layers of dried and encrusted paint from the furniture in an attempt to make it shine as at the first. This can be done without glamorizing the first-century church beyond its true state as revealed in the New Testament. We must also remember that restoration is only a tool that can be helpful in serving God, not an end within itself. It is not the only tool, nor is it indispensable, for others may approach the Scriptures with a humble heart and learn what God ultimately desires, even if they never think in terms of "restoring" anything.


Transformed Into the Image of ... The Church?
Ben Overby
02/06/2010 - I must confess that I’m part of a growing number of Christ-followers exhausted by the powerlessness of our churches to both articulate the real goal of humanity and provide practical guidance toward that end. And when I say I’m exhausted, I’m not exaggerating. I’m not a virtuous man. That is to say, I’m not a good man. However, the one thing I want more than any other is to be good, to have the dispositions described by Jesus. I don’t mean that I want merely to be able to keep commandments. An old fashioned stoning can coerce people to comply. No, I want to keep the commandments because I want to keep the commandments. I want to do the right thing and want to want to do the right thing. And that’s the virtue taught by Aristotle and in an even superior manner taught and lived by Jesus. After all, it was Jesus who said we didn’t have a shot at the kingdom of heaven unless our righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the most righteous people of his day—the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus insisted that it wasn’t enough to do the right thing. To be good people, to be filled with His joy, he insisted that our will had to be completely changed, retrained, or recreated.