So many Gods, so little time. Seems to be the cultural mantra. For those to whom the Bible is important let’s recall Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (KJV). Two things come to mind. 

First,  the plural form employed speaks to a multitude of Gods to choose from, but also a desire of Jehovah (Yahweh) to be the God of their relationship and trust. Following the nature of the Holy Trinity and a similar respect for scriptural authority we can consistently see throughout the gospels the message that Jesus desires to be more than just one of many. John 14:6 has been parsed and isogeted many ways but at the end of the day it is written in red and is a declaration of the supremacy of Christ and of salvation found in only one, in Jesus Christ, son of God, savior of mankind.

Jesus did not suffer, die, and give his life as the atoning sacrifice for our sin to be one of many ways to get to heaven. Where is our Christology, and in the day of the megachurch movement, where are the disciples that are perpetuating sound teaching and nurture for the next generation of disciples of Jesus Christ? I know that they are out there, and even here right where I am, so why is there a metric of measurement delcaring that we are in effect making less progress in making Christian disciples today than a generation ago?

On December 13, 2010 the Barna Group released their findings through extensive research that revealed 6 megathemes on the state and effect of Christianity and it is disturbing (http://www.barna.org/culture-articles/462-six-megathemes-emerge-from-2010). “The influence of Christianity on culture and individual lives is largely invisible.” That statement grieves me greatly!

We are at our very best a transformational movement of the living God! There was a day when Methodist meant movement and transformation rather than institution and atrophy. We must awaken to the need of a found Christology and a renaissance of orthodoxy, especially when it comes to the role of the local church and our responsibility to define what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and then model that while cultivating others in that very process. Lord give us strength and courage for this hour, let us awaken to hear your beacon call. And my our words and efforts be a movement of a Christology found in a world of spiritual confusion!