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Ragamuffin Gospel: #6 – Grazie, Signore

Chapter 6

Decide, Trust and Show Heartfelt Gratitude

  1. Decide. Take Action. The gospel of grace calls us to action! This chapter calls us to arms, to action, to get out of the bleachers and onto the playing field. Manning we are indecisive, caught between a rock and a hard place because we cannot will ourselves to accept grace.
  2. Trust. The love of Jesus demands trust. We are accepted just the way we are. “Trust at the mercy of the response it receives is a bogus trust.” In other words, you can’t prescribe Jesus’ response to your prayers or predicaments–you simply have to trust Him!
  3. Show Heartfelt Gratitude. “The third characteristic of our response to the gratuitous intervention of Jesus in our lives is heartfelt gratitude.”

Grazie, Signore, for Your lips twisted in love to accommodate my sinful self;
for judging me not by my shabby good deeds but by Your love that is Your gift to me;
for Your unbearable forgiveness and infinite patience with me;
for other people who have greater gifts than mine;
and for the honesty to acknowledge that I am a ragamuffin.
When the final curtain falls and You summon me home,
may my last whispered word on earth be the wholehearted cry,
“Grazie, Signore.”

 

From the Chapter

  • Story of the palsied kiss…heartwarming and insightful
  • First, the love of Christ and His gospel of grace calls for a personal, free, and unconventional decision.
  • Luke 16:1-8: Parable of the Shrewd Manager. Unbelievers put us to shame. Imitate their shrewdness!
  • When Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened,” He assumed we would grow weary, discouraged, and disheartened along the way. He knew that following Him was as unsentimental as duty, as demanding as love.
  • When we wallow in guilt, remorse, and shame over real or imagined sins of the past, we are disdaining God’s gift of grace.
  • Preoccupation with self is always a major component of unhealthy guilt and recrimination.
  • Catholic woman’s vision of the Bishop’s confession: I CAN’T REMEMBER. Nice.
  • The Gift of the Magi: Woman sells hair; husband buys special combs for her.
  • Mark 14:3-9: Mary pours expensive perfume on Jesus and He marks the occasion for all to remember. “He wanted the tale of this woman’s recklessness told and retold across the generations until the end of time.
  • Amadeus, film about Mozart and Antonio Salieri. Salieri whispers, “Grazie, Signore” Thank You, Lord. This song of Salieri lies at the heart of our response to the graciousness of God and the gospel of grace.

« Chapter 5

Chapter 7 »

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Ten Questions: #5 – How could a good God allow so much evil, pain, and suffering — or does he simply not care?

Summary

  • Many times when people ask this question, they are in the midst of great suffering.
  • Jesus himself warned us we would all face trials and suffering; it’s important to help our friends see this truth with love.
  • As Christians, we believe in three seemingly incompatible truths — God is good, God is great, and evil is real.
  • Remember the illustration of driving in the fog by following the taillights of someone just ahead of you.
  • Evil was not created by God; instead, he gave us a choice.
  • People desire a place without suffering–and God has promised that! One day…
  • God knows about suffering: Jesus suffered in unimaginable ways.
  • God can bring good out of all kinds of evil and suffering.

The question that’s not always a question

  • Realize that when your friends are experiencing pain they are probably not asking for explanations as much as they’re looking for empathy, concern and tangible expressions of love. See James 2:15-16, 1 John 3:18-19
  • Here’s a scripted answer to consider:
    • “Well, that’s a really good question that we can talk about sometime, but I’m pretty sure what you need most right now is not a deep philosophical discussion about pain and suffering. Let’s talk about that later. For now, how can I help you get through this?”

The problem of evil

The conundrum: God is good, God is great, evil is real. How do we deal with this reality?

  • Solution 1: Deny God’s existence — and, with it, the reality of evil.
    • as soon as you throw out the idea of God, you’ve also thrown out the meaning of evil
    • C.S. Lewis: “A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.”
    • If all we have is a human race that evolved by chance without a God in the picture, then there is no absolute standard.
      • If there is no absolute standard, then there is no real evil.

Consequently, atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.45-46

  • Solution 2: Make evil part of God–thus deifying it.
    • Primarily an Eastern thought, especially Hinduism and Buddhism and through New Age teachings in the West.
    • If everything is a part of God, so is evil…the Dark Side of the force.
  • Solution 3: Diminish God’s power
    • This teaches that God himself is a growing, changing being who is caught up in the struggle against evil, and he has only the power of persuasion to aid him in his efforts to, hopefully, win out one day over it
    • There are major problems with this teaching!
  • Solution 4: Diminish God’s goodness
    • Some suggest that God knows about evil and has the power to vanquish it, but apparently doesn’t care enough to deal with it.
    • During bad times it’s easy to forget the good things that God has provided.

Living in the Tension

  • There is a God — One who is good, who is great and who nevertheless allows real evil in our world for a season and for his greater purposes.
  • It’s wise to admit we don’t have a simplistic solution

Addressing the question with our friends

  1. First point of light: the world is as Jesus predicted John 16:33
  2. Second point of light: evil was not created or caused by God. Real love can never be forced.
  3. Third point of light: the cause behind most suffering is human. We live in a world where people do what they want to do, and therefore all kinds of sin, abuse, and damage occur. God didn’t want any of this and he warns us against it all.
  4. Fourth point of light: we live in a fallen world. Romans 8:19-21.
  5. Fifth point of light: God will finally judge evil. 2 Peter 3:9.
  6. Sixth point of light: God suffered too. Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:14-16.
  7. Seventh point of light: God can bring good out of bad. Romans 8:28.
  • He can use pain to deepen our character (Romans 5:3-4).
  • He can use pain to reshape us as his sons and daughters (Hebrews 12:10-11).
  • He can use pain to give us a more spiritual and eternal perspective (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
  • He can use pain to protect us from ourselves.
  • He can use pain to grab our attention and teach or redirect us in ways that will be important in our lives.
  • He can use pain to lead us to himself.

Tips for Talking About This Issue

  • Remember that many times people’s questions are not really questions, but cries for help. Pray for wisdom and discernment, but lean toward the side of listening and serving.
  • Don’t overreact when your friends blurt out some strong feelings about God or their faith. Remember, “Skeptics argue with each other, but true believers argue with God.” (See Psalm 13)
  • It’s better to admit you don’t know what to say or to say nothing.
  • Don’t tell people that loved ones died because “God must have needed them in heaven” or “This must have been God’s will.”
  • It’s rarely appropriate to quote Romans 8:28 to people in pain; rather, encourage them and love, support and serve them.
  • Remember that prayer is almost always an appropriate response.
  • Don’t underestimate the encouragement and influence you can have on people’s lives by simply being there to love and serve them.

Questions for discussion

  1. Why do people tend to not think about God when their lives are going well, but then blame him when bad things happen?
  2. How would you describe to someone “the problem of good?”
  3. Why is it difficult for people to reconcile the three truths that God is good, God is great, and evil is real? Have you ever struggled with any of these?
  4. Why does the denial of God leave us with no absolute standards? Why is a standard for judging good and evil vital for life in this world?
  5. What does it mean to you that God offers a choice–to love and follow him or to not love and follow him? How does that affect your approach in talking to friends about this question?
  6. How do the words not yet apply to God’s dealing with evil and suffering in the world?
  7. Describe a time when God brought “good out of bad” in your own experience or in the life of someone close to you.
« Question 4 Intro Question 6 »
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Accepting Donations: PayPal Plugins for WordPress

Yes, Please! I need a way to accept donations with PayPal now!!

I wish there was an easy, 1-2-3 answer to this common request, but there are so many options within WordPress and other website tools for collecting donations. What’s really cool is that you’re reading this because you have or anticipate having people that want to support your new church (yes, I know it’s God’s church, but you understand).

In this article, I’ll do my best to highlight some options that seem to answer the question on what plugins to use for PayPal. In addition, we hope to give you some information that will make you a bit smarter on the whole subject. As always, make sure you discuss this with your launch team, leadership team, board, etc., before jumping in head first!

Your first big decision is whether you want a Donate Button or a Donation Form. The button is quick and easy and it immediately takes the user to PayPal to complete the transaction. The Donation Form provides additional options for collecting user info, explaining donation options, etc.

Before we get started, let me cover a few basics on setting up a PayPal account and how to install a WordPress plugin. If you’ve got this covered, jump down to the Plugin Review section.

Some Basics

Setup a PayPal Account

If you haven’t setup a PayPal account, start with PayPal first.  Here’s their current link for setting up an account.

You might want to take a look at this article for detailed instructions. As a bonus, this article includes how to accept donations via Facebook. Sites are constantly changing, so you take your time and read through the steps as you go.

WordPress Plugins

If you’re reading this article, I will assume you have a website based on WordPress. Plugins allow you to add great functionality by simply adding them to your site. You don’t have to be a developer to do this! Here’s an article on how to install plugins.

WordPress Plugins for PayPal

Plugins come with a wide range of options from free to premium to free with premium upgrade options. My advice is to take a serious look at the free plugins first, but don’t be afraid to pay for an upgrade. Sometimes these are not very expensive, but give you access to technical support or features that really enhance your site.

Tip: One thing you can do is simply add a PayPal button on your site. This isn’t a plugin, but it’s the easiest possible option for accepting donations. Here’s an article that shows you how.

WordPress Metrics

As you look at plugins, here are some metrics provided by WordPress to consider before you invest the time to install and configure a plugin. Every plugin includes important information that gives you helps you decide beforehand. Here are three factors to consider before reading any details:

  1. Last Updated
  2. Active Installs
  3. Rating

Church Planter Metrics

If the plugin has been updated recently, has lots of active installs and has a top-level rating, it’s worth taking a look at.  Note: It is possible that it’s brand new and therefore doesn’t have a lot of installs or a good rating, I just prefer something that’s been around the track a few times before jumping in! Once we get beyond the starting point, it’s time to look at how the plugin will work for you. For church planters, these are the 3 top things I think you are looking for in a plugin:

  1. Ease of use
  2. Mobile friendly
  3. Recurring giving

Summary of Plugins

Free Plugins
# Plugin Name Last Updated WP Installs WP Rating Ease of Use Mobile Friendly Recurring Giving
1. PayPal Donations Dec 2015 40,000+ 4.9  5  5  Yes
2. Seamless Donations Dec 2015 10,000+ 4.0 4  3  Yes
3. PayPal Donation Button Nov 2015 2,000+ n/a  5  5  Yes
4. Exquisite PayPal Donation Apr 2015 1,000+ n/a  5  4  Yes
5. Charitable – Fundraising & Crowdfunding Nov 2015 600+ 5.0  4  4  No
6. Custom Post Donations Nov 2015 1,000+ n/a  4  5  No
7. Donations Made Easy — Smart Donations Aug 2015 5,000+ 3.8
8. WP Easy Paypal Payment Accept Nov 2015 20,000+ 4.2  4  5 No
9. WordPress PayPal Jan 2016 1,000+ 4.0  3  5 No

Premium (Paid) Plugins
# Plugin Name Price Last Updated WP Installs WP Rating Ease of Use Mobile Friendly Recurring Giving
1. Give $62 Jan 2016 6,000+ 4.8
2. Total Donations for WordPress $28 Oct 2015 1,032 4.83
3. EDD Donations $39 unk unk unk
4. Gravity Forms $199 unk unk unk

Keeping these factors in mind, let’s look at the FREE plugins first.

2016-01-27 18.47.41Free Donation Plugins

#1. PayPal Donations

  • Tagline: Easy, simple setup to add a PayPal Donation button as a Widget or with a shortcode.
  • logo-PayPal_DonationsDescription: Adds a PayPal donation shortcode and sidebar Widget to WordPress. The options menu lets you setup you PayPal ID and a few other optional settings. You can choose which donation button you want to use or if you want to use your own button. You can also set an optional default purpose and reference which can be overridden on each inserted instance with the shortcode options or in the Widget settings. There is also options available for currency, localization of the button, custom payment page style and the return page.
  • Sample using shortcode: [paypal-donation]
  • Pros: Very simple to configure and implement. Once your settings are done, you can use the shortcode to have a Donations button anywhere (post or page). The widget was simple set configure as well. One feature I really like is the ability to enter reference text which lets me know where the button was clicked. Recurring donations are simple for the user as well. The advanced page even lets you override the theme’s styling so the button is centered in the widget or page.
  • Cons: I don’t have any cons for this one. There’s a good reason why over 430,000 users have downloaded this plugin!
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: December 2015
    • Active Installs: 40,000+
    • Rating: 4.9 of 5 stars (17 users)
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/paypal-donations/

#2. Seamless Donations

  • Tagline: The Most Popular Donations Plugin for WordPressseamless-donations
  • Description: Five Minutes to Your First Donation. Seamless Donations is so easy to install and configure that your Web site can accept donations via your PayPal account within five minutes of downloading the plugin. Automatic Repeating Donations. You can instantly give your donors the option to make their donation repeat automatically. You can turn on on the option with a click, which gives your donors a checkbox to make any donation repeat. Seamless Donations is free and will never, ever charge you a commission.
  • Sample using shortcode: [seamless-donations]
  • Pros: If you’re looking for a quick and relatively easy way to build a donations page, this might be a good option. I like the fact that there are “thank you” templates and a landing page for acknowledging the donation. This plugin has some donor management features to help you keep track of your donors. As advertised, it’s very easy to setup.
  • Cons: Since the form is built on the fly by the plugin, you aren’t able to control size and layout very well. As you can see by the simple shortcode sample above, the form takes up a lot of space. The widget below demonstrates that issue as well.
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: December 2015
    • Active Installs: 10,000+
    • Rating: 4 of 5 stars (39 reviews)
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/seamless-donations/

#3. PayPal Donation Button

  • Description: A simple PayPal donation button WordPress plugin.PayPal-Donation-Button
  • Pros: This plugin is as advertised: simple. Not a lot of options, but it definitely works in page, posts and text widget using the shortcode.
  • Cons: The plugin requires that I use my email address rather than my merchant id. That’s a show-stopper for this plugin in my mind.
  • Sample using shortcode: [paypal_donation_button]
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: Nov 2015
    • Active Installs: 2,000+
    • Rating: only 2 have rated this plugin
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/paypal-donation-button/

#4. Exquisite PayPal Donation

  • Tagline: The perfect solution for enabling PayPal donations at your WordPress site.Exquisite PayPal Donation
  • Description: A simple, elegant, responsive and extensive solution for accepting Paypal donations at your WordPress site. Choose between a preferred currency and a multi-currencies selection drop down, and let your visitor decide on the amount, while still at your site. The plugin is 100% translatable and the Paypal payment page will be presented automatically in the same language as your website pages. The form can be used by drag&drop in the widget areas, via a short code in the posts and pages of your site or hardcoded by calling a function anywhere in your website. More on: http://www.dream-scape.net/plugins/exq
  • Sample using shortcode: [Exq_ppd_form]
  • Pros: Another simple plugin to generate the PayPal donate button. Add the plugin, enter your PayPal email or merchant ID and you’re just about done.
  • Cons: As you can see above, the layout takes up quite a bit of space on the page. One other “feature” is purpose for the donation is left blank when you’re taken to PayPal. I prefer to have control of this text as it helps me maintain consistency.
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: April 2015
    • Active Installs: 1,000+
    • Rating: only 3 have rated this plugin
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/exquisite-paypal-donation/

#5. Charitable – Fundraising & Crowdfunding

  • Tagline: Charitable is a powerful, extendable fundraising plugin that gives you full control over your website donations.Charitable
  • Description: Charitable is the WordPress fundraising alternative for non-profits, built to help non-profits raise money on their own website. You can accept PayPal or offline donations right out of the box, with support for other gateways available as extensions.
  • Sample using shortcode: [campaigns]
  • Pros: This plugin helps you build “campaign” pages for your donations and keeps track of donations within WordPress. I can see this being very useful, especially if you want to target specific areas.
  • Cons: From the author’s FAQs: “Support for recurring donations will be added as an extension, but is not yet available.” Also, it looks like the custom post type created by this plugin conflicts with another plugin I installed for donations. This probably isn’t normal, but I didn’t want to lose that info as a warning.
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated:  November 2015
    • Active Installs: 600+
    • Rating: 5 (15 reviews)
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/charitable/

#6. Custom Post Donations

  • Tagline: WordPress PayPal Plugin. Create custom PayPal donation forms in your pages or posts. WordPress Plugin for PayPal integration.custom-post-donations
  • Description: WordPress PayPal Plugin. This WordPress PayPal plugin will allow you to create unique customized PayPal donation forms to insert into your WordPress posts or pages and accept donations. WP Plugin for creating custom PayPal donation widgets. PayPal for WordPress. WordPress ecommerce. Newly Added sidebar widget functionality!
  • Sample using shortcode: [cpDonation key=’1′]
  • Pros: Allows you to created several donation buttons and gives you the shortcode reference to including these in your post or pages (as you see above). There is a premium version (less than $20) that gives you a lot more options, so if you want to go with donation buttons, this is probably a good choice.
  • Cons: The plugin doesn’t provide a means to setup recurring donations.
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: November 2015
    • Active Installs: 1,000+
    • Rating: none
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/custom-post-donations/

#7. Donations Made Easy — Smart Donations

  • Tagline: The all in one donation plugin, create different kind of donations, set goals, monitor your results, donation forms, thank you emails and more…Smart-Donations
  • Description: The all in one donation plugin, create different kind of donations, set goals, monitor your results, create donation forms, set thank you emails. Currently it supports paypal, stripe and five different styles of donations
  • Sample using shortcode: [sdonations]1[/sdonations]
  • Pros
  • Cons: I don’t like the shameless sales-pitch for their pro version from the Smart Donations menu for Progress Indicators and Analytics. The giant graphic that displays “Pro Version” doesn’t sit well with me, but maybe that’s just a pet peeve! Also, the Settings sub-menu doesn’t provide typical settings–it’s more of an advanced, developer page.
  • Metrics
    • Last updated: August 2015
    • Active Installs: 5,000+
    • Rating: 3.8 (20 reviews)
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/smart-donations/

#8. WP Easy Paypal Payment Accept

  • Tagline: Easy to use WordPress plugin to accept paypal payment for a service or product or donation in one click.WP-Easy-Paypal-Payment-Accept
  • Description: Easy to use WordPress plugin to accept paypal payment for a service or product or donation in one click. Can be used in the sidebar, posts and pages of your site.
  • Sample using shortcode: [wp_paypal_payment]
  • Pros: Very simple to configure and implement. It’s nice to set options in one place and use the shortcode or widget wherever you want.
  • Cons: As the title implies, this is geared more toward processing payments than accepting donations. While configuring the dropdown menu options is easy, it’s probably not the best choice for a church planter. I don’t like the layout of the form in either the shortcode or the widget.
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: November 2015
    • Active Installs: 20,000+
    • Rating:  4.2 (24 reviews)
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-easy-paypal-payment-or-donation-accept-plugin/

#9. WordPress PayPal

  • Tagline: Easily accept payment in WordPress by adding a PayPal button to your website. Add PayPal Buy Now, Add to Cart, Subscription or Donation button.WordPress-PayPal
  • Description: WordPress PayPal plugin allows you to easily create PayPal Buy Now, Add to Cart, Donation or Subscription type buttons. It generates dynamic buttons using shortcodes that enable PayPal checkout on your WordPress site.
  • Sample using shortcode: [wp_paypal button=”donate” name=”P4P” amount=”100″]
  • Pros: Easy to install.
  • Cons: The shortcode requires a predetermined amount, doesn’t provide the user an opportunity to change that amount and doesn’t allow for recurring donations. All in all, this one falls well short of basic church planter requirements.
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: January 2016
    • Active Installs: 1,000+
    • Rating: 4 of 5 stars, (5 reviews)
  • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-paypal/

2016-01-27 18.47.47

Premium Donation Plugins

#1. Give: $62 (Premium AddOn for PayPal)

  • Tagline: Democratizing Generosity – Empower your cause: start accepting donations on WordPress with Give.give
  • Description: Give’s goal is to “Democratize Generosity”. Give is the most robust WordPress plugin available for accepting donations. Upon activation, Give provides you with powerful features towards helping your raise more funds for your cause.
  • Pros:
  • Cons:
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: January 2016
    • Active Installs: 6,000+
    • Rating: 4.8 of 5 (79 reviews)
  • Link: https://givewp.com

#2. Total Donations for WordPress: $28total-donations

  • Description: Total Donations is an easy-to-use but powerful WordPress plugin for accepting online donations. Donors can quickly contribute to your non-profit, church or political organization using an intuitive donation form while the administrative panels allow you to manage your tasks, progress bars and campaigns with ease.
  • Pros:
  • Cons:
  • Metrics:
    • Last updated: October 2015
    • Active Installs (sales): 1,032
    • Rating: 4.83 (47 reviews)
  • Link: http://codecanyon.net/item/total-donations-for-wordpress/9985487

#3. EDD Donations: $39

  • Tagline: An Online Giving Plugin for Your Churchedd donations
  • Description: Accept one-time or recurring* donations. Donors can enter a custom donation amount. Show a donor history page where donors can view all of their transactions. Send email receipts to donors. Create an unlimited amount of campaigns or funds. You can accept donations through many different payment gateways, such as PayPal, Dwolla, or Stripe.
  • Pros:
  • Cons:
  • Metrics (not available)
  • Link: https://www.wpforchurch.com/wordpess-products/edd-donations/

#4. Gravity Forms: $199 (Developer version required to get PayPal Add-on)gravity-paypal

Found, But Not Reviewed

erased-1506847-1280x960Here are some I found, but didn’t seem like it was worth reviewing (sorry developers!).

  • DC – Easy WordPress Paypal Payment/ Donations Plugin: This WordPress plugin makes it very easy to accept payments online on your WordPress website. Our highly customizable plugin / shortcode enables you t…
    • Description: This is a Paypal WordPress plugin provided by DART Creations
    • Less than 10 installs.
    • https://wordpress.org/plugins/dc-easy-paypal-payment-donations/
  • Donation Form: Simple, effective plugin to create a donation or contribution form that links from your website to a PayPal payment page. Built by ContactUs.com.
    • Description: Donation Form | ContactUs.com. The “Donation Form” by ContactUs.com adds a simple donation tab and payment form integrated with PayPal onto your WordPress installation. The donation plugin is easy and fast to install, and effortless for your users or website visitors. The Donation Form is integrated with a free ContactUs.com account which you can create from within the plugin.
    • Last updated: 2 years ago
    • Active installs: 200+
    • https://wordpress.org/plugins/donation-form/
  • WP Paypal Simple Donation Widget. Very is a simple PayPal payment/donation sidebar button. Put your own custom text, minimum payments amount and more. This widget will display a standa…
    • Last updated over a year ago
    • Active installs: 1,000+
    • One review…not good.
    • https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-paypal-simple-donation-widget/
  • Paypal Payment Shortcode
    • Last updated: 2 years ago
    • Active Installs: 200+
    • Link: https://wordpress.org/plugins/paypal-payments-shortcode/

Outdated Plugins — Warning: Avoid thesedo-not-enter-1243682-1279x851

Old Plugins that are still around, but haven’t been updated in 2+ years. I’m including these in case you run across them…please don’t use plugins that are not maintained!

  • WordPress PayPal Donation Plugin. https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-paypal-donations-plugin/
  • Donate Plus.  https://wordpress.org/plugins/donate-plus/
  • Donations Widget. https://wordpress.org/plugins/donations/
  • WP-Webmoney.  https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-webmoney/
  • EasyDonation. https://wordpress.org/plugins/easydonation/
  • Multi Currency PayPal Donations. https://wordpress.org/plugins/multi-currency-paypal-donations/. Actually, I was hoping this one would work, but there are bugs in the plugin that prevented it from allowing me to setup the PayPal account. Too bad. It
  • For the most part, this post is out of date, though the title is provocative: http://www.churchwebsiteideas.com/7-donation-wordpress-plugins-for-your-church-website/

Related Articles

Here’s an excellent article that covers much of this topic, though it hasn’t been updated in a while.

Conclusion

Finding the right plugin to process donations to your church is an important and worthwhile task. I hope this article streamlines your effort and points you in the right direction. Our desire is to support church planters by giving you tools, resources and information that saves you time so you can keep focused on finding the lost and feeding the found!

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Ragamuffin Gospel: #5 – Cormorants and Kittiwakes

Chapter 5

Awe and Wonder

As Manning begins this chapter, he explains how science has squelched our awe and wonder of creation to the point that we have “become immune to the glory of creation.” So true for many, but I love it when we read about research scientists that dedicate their lives to their fields and come to the conclusion that there must be a divine creator. They see order in the minute details that even electronic scanning microscopes can’t show. For many, the more they study and understand their science, the more the stand in awe of the One who created it all.

The title for this chapter deceived me. Friends of ours in Jamestown regard the Cormorant1 as an invasive, ugly, useless bird that merely leaves a path of destruction in its wake. As I read the first few paragraphs, I was expecting a terse comparison of those who miss the splendor of the world to that of the Cormorant, the ugly bird that depletes the local supply of fish for everyone! Instead it seems that Manning is captivated by nature and these are just a few that caught his eye, “…gulls and gannets, puffins, cormorants and kittiwakes.” I suppose this is a lesson in keeping an open mind and not jumping to conclusions!

God wants us to explore our world, to be amazed by His creation. To one the cormorant is a nuisance, to another a wonder of creation.  To some, there is no use for religion because scientific endeavors seem to have an explanation for everything while others see the beauty in the creative hands that made every living thing.

This is why the arts are so important, why music still pierces the hearts of the most successful (as defined by society), the greatest and the smallest. Movies attract us because we want to be transported to a different reality, to be shocked and awed by special effects. Spoken Word performances evoke emotion that defies science and forces us to look beyond mathematical explanations. Music plays in our heads long after the song has ended. Why? Because we are spiritual beings, not just some combination of atoms!

The spirituality of wonder knows the world is charged with grace, that while sin and war, disease and death are terribly real, God’s loving presence and power in our midst are even more real. p.99

When we take time to reflect on that which surrounds us we see beauty beyond explanation. To see someone smile from deep within or laugh uncontrollably defies scientific explanation. How can a melody cause me to cry like a baby? Why do I play the same song over and over again? It’s weird, but not really that strange. Okay, some are stranger than others, but seriously there is no satisfactory scientific explanation.

As I read this chapter I hear words from the great Psalm of David:

Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Psalm 51

One of my favorite psalms penned by David from one of his lowest moments on earth. Here he repents and pleads with God to restore joy, the joy of God’s salvation, not the wonder of his own hands. Move us to real authentic joy.

Our society has taught us that constantly want the newest version, the next best thing. In essence this suggests that what we have isn’t good enough. Such thinking has created so many problems, but the one that relates to this chapter is the loss of our sincere appreciation for that which is around us. We’re so busy looking for the new model we don’t enjoy what we have…as if that was important at all!

Our relationship with Christ is something to be in awe about! Our society applauds the skeptic, but does little to recognize those who actually study and see God’s hand in the middle of everything we do…that takes too much time and effort. We’re part of a 15-second sound-bite world that doesn’t have the patience to read and seek to understand. Help me Lord to move beyond this, to invest the time to learn.

I do not ask to see the reason for it all; I ask only to share the wonder of it all.p. 105

From the Chapter

  • By and large, our world has lost its sense of wonder.
  • God is being edged out of His world by science.
  • As civilization advances, the sense of wonder declines
  • We become immune to the glory of creation.
  • We avoid the cold and the heat. We refrigerate ourselves in summer and entomb ourselves in plastic in winter.
  • We miss the experience of awe, reverence, and wonder.
  • So often we religious people walk amid the beauty and bounty of nature and we talk nonstop. We must rediscover the gospel of grace and the world of grace.
  • Fiorello LaGuardia story about the women who stole a loaf of bread.
  • Our gracious God speaks to us in [The Moviegoer] and issues a call “to choose between generativity and stagnation, between continuing to have an impact, or sitting around waiting to die…”
  • Erma Bombeck: I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it, live it, and never give it back.
  • We are either living a little more or dying a little bit (Norman Mailer)
  • The spirituality of wonder knows the world is charged with grace, that while sin and ware, disease and death are terribly real, God’s loving presence and power in our midst are even more real.
  • The gospel of grace is brutally devalued when Christians maintain that the transcendent God can only be properly honored and respected by denying the goodness and the truth and the beauty of the things of this world.
  • The Jews related to a covenant God who had initiated the contract.
  • Human love, with all its passion and emotion, is a thin echo of the passion/emotion love of Yahweh.
  • Yahweh does not conform to the human-logic model
  • Unjust? To our way of thinking, yes. Thank God! I am wonderfully content with a God who doesn’t deal with me as my sins deserve.
  • We should be astonished at the goodness of God, stunned that He should bother to call us by name, our mouths wide open at His love, bewildered that at this very moment we are standing on holy ground.
  • Surprise me, amaze me, awe me in every crevice of Your universe.
  • Joshua Abraham Heschel: “I do not ask to see the reason for it all; I ask only to share the wonder of it all.”

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Notes:

1 Cormorant. The gangly Double-crested Cormorant is a prehistoric-looking, matte-black fishing bird with yellow-orange facial skin. Though they look like a combination of a goose and a loon, they are relatives of frigatebirds and boobies and are a common sight around fresh and salt water across North America—perhaps attracting the most attention when they stand on docks, rocky islands, and channel markers, their wings spread out to dry. These solid, heavy-boned birds are experts at diving to catch small fish. Cormorants are voracious, and the term “cormorant” has been applied to gluttonous, miserly, or avaricious persons. Cormorants are ridiculed because of their awkward movements on land, their harsh croaks, and their obnoxious method of feeding their young.

2 Kittiwake. A small, cliff-nesting gull, the Black-legged Kittiwake breeds along northern coasts and winters out at sea.

3 ignominy. A situation or event that causes you to feel ashamed or embarrassed; deep personal humiliation and disgrace; disgraceful or dishonorable conduct, quality, or action.

4 Fiorello H. La Guardia. http://www.britannica.com/biography/Fiorello-H-La-Guardia

5 The Moviegoer. The Moviegoer is Binx Bolling, a young New Orleans stockbroker who surveys the world with the detached gaze of a Bourbon Street dandy even as he yearns for a spiritual redemption he cannot bring himself to believe in. On the eve of his thirtieth birthday, he occupies himself dallying with his secretaries and going to movies, which provide him with the “treasurable moments” absent from his real life. But one fateful Mardi Gras, Binx embarks on a hare-brained quest that outrages his family, endangers his fragile cousin Kate, and sends him reeling through the chaos of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Wry and wrenching, rich in irony and romance, The Moviegoer is a genuine American classic.

5 metanoia. Change in one’s way of life resulting from penitence or spiritual conversion.

6 hesed. In the Old Testament, hesed is a central theological term. It is a key attribute in the Lord’s self-description in Exodus 34:6-7, as well as an obligation that is placed on all of His people in Micah 6:8. Normally, hesed describes something that happens within an existing relationship, whether between two human beings or between God and man. In human relationships, hesed implies loving our neighbor, not merely in terms of warm emotional feelings but in acts of love and service that we owe to the other person simply because he is part of the covenant community. God’s people are to do justly, to love hesed, and to walk humbly with their God.

 

 

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Ragamuffin Gospel: #4 – Tilted Halos

Chapter 4

Saved Sinners

The subtitle for this chapter should be Saved Sinners as Manning uses this term several times directly and indirectly. The emphasis makes sense: we are all sinners, the distinction is only between those who have accepted Christ and those who have not.

One of my goals in life is to be an encourager, one who lifts others up when they’re down. I can only do this if I’m willing to accept that I am nothing without the saving grace of Jesus Christ. My aim is to listen well and be sincere–nothing contrive, no check marks on a list or notches in my belt, simply authentic.

In conversation, the disciple who is truly poor in spirit always leaves the other person feeling, My life has been enriched by talking with you.p.81

As we come to trust Jesus completely, we stop judging others because we understand our own position in this world–we are all saved sinners! This allows us to relate with everyone. The key is not to put ourselves first, but to always put Christ first, trusting that He will span the gap between us. Those who are truly humble “do not pretend to be anything but what they are: sinners saved by grace.”

I really appreciate Manning’s confession about his six weeklong Lenten “renewals” where he was called out by someone who acted as his “mirror.” Whether or not we have valid excuses for our actions, we need to remember that “to whom much is given, much is required”Luke 12:48.

  1. The foremost characteristic of living by grace is trust in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.
  2. Second characteristic is Poverty of Spirit: Blessed are the poor in spirit.
  3. The third characteristic is honesty.

The discussion of honesty reminds me of a Billy Joel song. Though distinctly not a Christian song, sometimes we can (and should) learn from the world (see Luke 16:1-15). From the song, “honesty is such a lonely word, everyone is so untrue.” We all think we need to wear masks, to put on our church face, to be something someone expects. The play Manning mentioned in the beginning of the book, The Great God Brown, was all about masks that allowed the actors to pretend to be someone else, to gain an advantage that ultimately was all vanity.

Yet honesty doesn’t mean being a tyrant! We can be honest and caring at the same time. The key is to be more concerned about our brother or sister than we are about ourselves.

The question the gospel of grace puts to us is simply this: Who shall separate you from the love of Christ? What are you afraid of?

Honesty is so important. We raised our girls with this truth: lies will always come back and bite you. I think this is quite true, but what we like to do is mask something as truth that is in fact a lie. We’re bombarded with political correctness, social expectations and other artificial pressures that all attempt to teach us that truth isn’t always the right thing. We know this isn’t right, but it’s so easy to just accept that we’re often afraid to speak the truth, even in love, because of the potential side effects.

Perhaps the term transparency is better at encapsulating honesty. I can be honest, but not say what I’m thinking. When I’m transparent, I don’t hide behind excuses like, “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” I’m not suggesting we be insensitive because transparency works both ways! In any case, if we assume we’re on #3 because we have fully accepted #1 and #2 above, this should be a natural next step. On the contrary, if I’m wrapped up in my own little world, overly concerned about me, then I can’t possibly be honest with someone, let alone transparent.

All in all, our shiny little halos that we tend to polish as if we’re people that are just a little bit better than others need to disappear. We are given the gift of grace to share with others. Only then will we see what grace is all about!

From the Chapter

  • The tilted halo of the saved sinner is worn loosely and with easy grace. We have discovered that the cross accomplished far more than revealing the love of God.
  • The saved sinner is prostrate in adoration, lost in wonder and praise.
  • Thus the sequence of forgiveness and then repentance, rather than repentance and then forgiveness, is crucial for understanding the gospel of grace.
  • Do you really believe that:
    • the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is gracious
    • He cares about you?
    • He is always, unfailingly present to you as companion and support?
    • God is love?
  • You are wrong if
    • you have learned to fear this loving and gracious Father
    • you have learned to think of the Father as the judge, the spy, the disciplinarian, the punisher
    • you think Abba is our enemy
    • you believe Abba is intent on trying, tempting or testing us
    • you think Abba prefers and promotes suffering and pain
  • Trust defines the meaning of living by grace rather than works.
  • The deeper we grow in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the poorer we become–the more we realize that everything in life is a gift.
  • Honesty is such a precious commodity that it is seldom found in the world or the church.

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Ragamuffin Gospel: #3 – The Ragamuffin Gospel

Chapter 3

This chapter explores the love Jesus showed to the least in society as demonstrated by his actions. Much of the chapter focuses on the lowly position of children and the assertion that we must be like children when we approach Christ. Jesus taught this by His daily actions where he never held back from embracing those that were considered outcasts by the Jewish elite. The lowly status of children and the importance of dining with someone was very interesting to consider. We’ve talked a lot about children, but the cultural significance of having someone over for dinner provides a key insight into the Pharisees hatred of Jesus.

It’s funny how most church activities revolve around food (at least they did when I grew up), breaking bread together involves being vulnerable. In Jesus’ time on earth, sharing a meal with someone was more than just having some food, it was sharing life together. It was a process to have a meal. I remember being invited to dinner in England (our neighbors) for the first time. What I learned quickly was this had little to do with the food, though it was fine, it had much more to do with getting to know one another. I don’t remember when the dinner started, but I do remember that it wasn’t officially over until 11pm!  This makes me want to have people over more often, to spend time sharing a meal, cleaning the dishes, just hanging out, with people who are in our local church as well as those who are not part of any church. It seems my life has become too compartmentalized, too structured and scheduled. I pray that God opens these doors as I begin to get more involved in our community.

The last part of this chapter was really significant in my mind. The Alcoholics Anonymous buzzword: H.A.L.T. is significant. Too many times poor decisions are made when we are hungry, angry, lonely or tired.

  • Hungry: Most of the time we can fix the hungry problem by going to the fridge or pantry…most of us don’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from.
  • Angry: The problem of anger is generally the result of not getting what we want or feel entitled to receive. It doesn’t really matter why we’re angry, what matters is how we deal with that. We need someone to confide in, someone who will listen without judging — and yes, we need to be that kind of person as well.
  • Lonely: I think we’re lonely a lot more than we realize. The “I can do it myself” mentality often leads to loneliness because we think we need to do it by ourselves. We think that asking others for help is a sign of weakness, something that reveals our inability. We really were meant to be a community of believers doing life together. The more we share the ups and downs of life together the more we avoid being lonely.
  • Tired: Oh my are we ever a tired people! Go, go, go! Where’s my list of things todo…rush, rush, rush! I’m tired just typing that! We will be tired because of the expectations and responsibilities. As parents this never ends. As employers, employees, pastors or parishioners, life makes us tired. What we do when we’re tired makes all the difference in the world. There’s no surprise that the 4th commandment is there for a reason. God knows we’re going to be tired. Plan on it and take a Sabbath weekly.

All kinds of problems happen when H.A.L.T. is violated. Lord I pray that we become a community that recognizes our weaknesses and learns to live together. Help us to turn to you in these times, for sure, but to learn to turn to each other, to be the cord of three strands that cannot be easily broken.

Jesus spent a disproportionate amount of time with Ragamuffins

  1. The least, the last, the lost and the lonely
  2. He related to the upper class as well, but not to gain clout or position

The kingdom belongs to
people who aren’t trying to look good
or impress anybody,
even themselves.

The Kingdom belongs to those who come like children

  • Odd story about a Zen monk, a tiger, some mice and a strawberry. The point is to focus on the here and now, but it’s a bit odd.
  • The past is crucified with Christ, victories and disgraces, all now have a new focus
  • Children in ancient Jewish society “had no status at all–they did not count.”
  • “Jesus gave these scorned little ones a privileged place in the kingdom”
  • The napioi were Jesus’ image for the uneducated and ignorant

Jesus deals the death blow to any distinction between the elite and the ordinary in the Christian community.

  • There is nothing we can do to earn any position in the Kingdom, it is all by the grace of Christ.

Sharing a Meal

  • “In the Near East, to share a meal with someone is a guarantee of peace, trust, fraternity and forgiveness–the shared table symbolizes a shared life.”
  • When Jesus met Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), He was judged by the Pharisees immediately–he broke their law.
  • By dining with these “sinners” Jesus took away their shame, humiliation and guilt–He restored their dignity.

Jesus feasted while John fasted Mark 2:18-19

  • Jesus demonstrated what it meant to live with joy
  • He laughed, cried, smiled — he lived on earth like a real human

H.A.L.T.

  • Hungry, angry, lonely or tired. An AA buzzword: “Don’t let yourself get H.A.L.T.”

 

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Chapter 4 »

 

Notes:

1 napioi, nēpioi.  Used 15 times in the New Testament in various forms. From Mounce: “an infant, babe, child, Matthew 21:16, 1 Corinthians 13:11; one below the age of manhood, a minor, Galatians 4:1; met. a babe in knowledge, unlearned, simple, Matthew 11:25; Romans 2:20.”

2 eudokia. From Mounce: good will, favor, Luke 2:14; good pleasure, purpose, intention, Matthew 11:26; Luke 10:21; Ephesians 1:5, 9; Philippians 2:13; by impl. desire, Romans 10:1; Philippians 1:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:11.

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Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ

This morning’s Our Daily Bread devotion referenced Philippians 3:17-21. I was struck by the words “with tears” as Paul describes those who are enemies of the cross of Christ.

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…

Yesterday I thought a lot about worship through music, especially about being part of a team that leads others in worship. As I read this passage my heart is heavy for those that don’t know Christ, for those who can’t join in worshipping with all their heart because they are living lives far from God.

As a follower of Christ we are privileged, we are adopted into the royal family. I’ve seen many who wear that title with pride or who declare themselves saved without any inward or outward change. I hope that we would learn from Paul’s example and see the world through tears, not tears of pity, but tears of true sadness for the lost, the lonely, the broken-hearted. Tears for those who have set their minds on earthly things. Is this making sense?

Lord help us to lead well, to boldly accept the role as ambassadors of Christ. At the same time remind us to be humble, to be meek and yet not weak. Give us discernment to see the world through your eyes and the wisdom to say the right thing at the right time to the right person so they will see you clearly. I can’t help but believe if we were able to do this our churches would be filled with those seeking the redemptive power of Christ and we would have many confessing Christ and being baptized! I dream about a baptism service that takes longer than a football game!

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Ragamuffin Gospel: #2 – Magnificent Monotony

Chapter 2

An intriguing title for a chapter that forced me to look for an appropriate definition. It seems that Manning wants to help us focus on the constant, consistent, even monotonous theme we find throughout the Bible: God’s love. He loves us through creation, through the Fall, in our sinful nature, in our best and at our worst.

Another recurring theme in this chapter is the call to prayer. From Isaiah’s paean of praise1 to the call to be men and women of prayer, Manning implores us to see the God of compassion, to stop blaming and see the love of God woven in the Gospel of grace and understand that grace is the active expression of his love.

Yet if we were truly men and women of prayer,
our faces set like flint
and our hearts laid waste by passion,
we would discard our excuses.

Manning provides several examples of how the legalistic interpretation of sin leads us nowhere. “If your God is an impersonal cosmic force, your religion will be noncommittal and vague…but trust in the God who loves consistently…a loving God fosters a loving people.” I love the example of Jonah’s reluctant call as a prophet and how his desire for God to fit his definition is completely ignored by God (funny how that works!). As kids, we recall the story of Jonah as the man in the whale saved by God, but this misses the point. I am Jonah, the man who wants God to listen to me. I’m the hothead that calls God to strike down those who are worse sinners than myself! Thankfully God doesn’t react to my selfishness or that of billions of other people. God is love.

It’s interesting how we quickly read beyond the first three commandments, how we have convinced ourselves that we are not like the Hebrews that Moses led. When we shape God into the image we demand we are guilty right out of the gate. When we stop reading the Bible in Exodus because of guilt that we are reminded of by the legalists, we miss the point — God is the God of grace — read the whole story!

The Word we study has to be the Word we pray…from sitting still in the presence of the living Word and beseeching Him to help me understand with my head and heart His written Word.

Manning implores us to accept ourselves so we can begin to grow. There is some tension here, especially in our culture, because we tend to define success in terms of wealth and position, of power and popularity. There is no support for this notion in the Bible at all. Our call in this life is to “go and make disciples” not become wealthy and popular. We need to be attractive magnets to those who are far from Christ. The key ingredient is love. “Love is a far better stimulus than threat or pressure.”

I’ve told my wife, “I love you” a thousand times and I will likely tell her another thousand times. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t think that’s boring or monotonous. 🙂 God tells us over and over again He loves us. This is a Magnificent Monotony. Thank you God!

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Notes:

1 Paean, as in Isaiah’s paen of praise to the all-powerful Creator: song or lyric poem expressing triumph or thanksgiving.

 

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Ten Questions: #4 – Wasn’t he a wise teacher, why try to make Jesus into the Son of God?

Summary

  • Many people believe Jesus was given a “divine promotion” after his crucifixion that he never claimed for himself.
  • Contrary to that belief, the dramatic explosion of devotion to Jesus points back to his teachings as the source.
  • The New Testament record affirms that Jesus was believed to be the Messiah and that Jesus’ followers trusted in him, prayed to him and worshiped him as such.
  • Jesus made multiple claims to equality with the Father, and he never sought to change the perceptions of his listeners.
  • Jesus predicted that all his claims would be proven by his death and resurrection.

Introduction

  • The beginning of this chapter is quite interesting as Mittelberg takes time to describe how followers of Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise know as the Buddha, was transformed from a “spiritual guide with unique insights and wisdom” into a movement that became a major world religion.
  • Gautama did not want to be considered as a divine person, in fact, he was actually not interested in discussing the existence of God at all, but many Buddhists today treat the Buddha as deity and worship him as such.
  • The belief that Jesus was just a good teacher has been around a long time. Thomas Jefferson notoriously cut up a copy of the New Testament to remove all references to Jesus’ miracles or his divinity. Many people take this approach today.
  • Muslims claim he was a great prophet, but assert he would never claim to be the Son of God.
  • Jews consider him a great teacher, but certainly NOT the Messiah.
  • Even some who profess to be Christians gravitate toward this position—this is a dangerous and slippery slope.

An Explosion of Devotion to Jesus

  • The common claim today is that belief in Jesus as a unique, divine person evolved over the first three centuries, not while eyewitnesses were still alive. Yet as it turns out, the best historical scholarship shows that simply is not the case.
  1. First of all, every New Testament writer refers to Jesus as the “Christ,” or Messiah; they were proclaiming that Jesus was the preeminent Priest-King sent by God to fulfill his promises.
  2. Second and Third, the earliest and the latest New Testament authors alike use the most exalted titles and divine honors for Jesus; there was consistency.

Here’s the key point to remember: there never was a time when the earliest community of followers of Jesus did not regard him as far, far more than a good teacher.

Just who did Jesus think he was?

  • Jesus referred to himself as “the Son of Man” eighty-two times in the four Gospels (even more than the “Christ”).
  • This refers back to Daniel 7:13-14, where Daniels foresees “one like a son of man” being given all power and dominion.

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” said Jesus.  “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

  • This couples the title, “Son of Man” with the prophecy in Daniel and the frequent occurrences in the New Testament.
  • The reaction of the Pharisees confirms Jesus’ claim.
  • There are numerous examples of Jesus’ adding to the teaching with “but I say…”
  • What’s interesting is that in all these cases Jesus had ample opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings about what he was really saying, but he did not. Instead he reinforced his claim to be the Son of God, true deity, and equal in nature to God the Father.

Evidence that Jesus’ claims are true

  • Just what was it the convinced Jesus’ followers he was the Messiah?
  • His death, which no one disputes, provides convincing evidence. But it was his resurrection that changed everything.
  • Christianity did no begin with a group of people trying to remember and follow Jesus’ teachings, it began with the belief that God resurrected him from the dead.
  • Jesus told them in advance that he would die and then be resurrected by God

Reasons for believing the reality of the resurrection

Three facts to conclude that the Resurrection is an actual historical event:

  1. No responsible historian denies that Jesus died on a Roman cross
  2. The tomb in which Jesus’ body had been buried was found empty
  3. People had experiences that thy were convinced were encounters with Jesus

Tips for Talking About This Issue

  • Remember that many opinions are based on incomplete information as well as fictional sources such as novels, movies and TV shows. Encourage them to take time to look into these matters, even to read the Gospels as a starting point.
  • Beyond the Bible, here are some good books to consider:
  • Remember the Gospels are at the very least a reliable historical record about the life and teachings of Jesus. Our friends can respect and learn from the Gospel report without first having to decide whether the Gospels are the inspired Word of God.
  • Even if our friends are skeptical, it’s good to encourage them to keep an open mind and even to approach this with a simple prayer.
  • It’s important to remember, and to impress gently upon our friends, that if Jesus is who he claimed to be, then understanding and embracing what he taught is a really big deal.

Questions for discussion

  1. What did you believe about Jesus as you grew up? Have your views changed? If so, why?
  2. What is the most convincing evidence for you that Jesus truly is the Son of God, deity incarnate in humanity?
  3. What are the most serious challenges you’ve heard to the teaching that Jesus really is God in human flesh? What did you do (or can you do) to address those challenges and bolster your own confidence?
  4. How might your answer to the previous question prepare you to help your friends understand the reality of who Jesus is?
  5. Imagine you’re in a conversation with a friend who, after some discussion, finally acknowledges that Jesus seems to be more than a man and probably is the Son of God. What could you say next to help your friend take steps toward actually receiving Christ at as his or her own Savior?
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Ten Questions: #3 – Why trust the Bible?

Summary

The opening story in this chapter depicts what appears to be a conflicting account of a tragic accident. This is ultimately resolved to show how both parts of the story were correct and sets the stage for improving our understanding of how the gospel accounts are told from different perspectives and how this actually gives us more understanding, not less.

Seven examples are provided, each with some insight that helps us understand how we can be confident in the validity of Scripture. Here are a few key ideas:

  • We should begin by realizing that we’re only getting limited perspectives on the story—with an incomplete listing of the details from eyewitnesses
  • Suspend judgment, live with the tension of differing accounts, trust the integrity of both people and seek to discover more information
  • Key point: During the centuries before the printing presses, scribes could—BUT DID NOT—artificially harmonize variations in the Gospels.
  • Published Resources: The Big Book of Bible Difficulties (Baker Books, 2008) and New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (Zondervan, 2001).

Often people who raise issues are repeating rumors, but don’t know any specifics, just “sound bites” from news or social media. This approach is used to avoid actually learning the truth (which takes time and effort). Study the facts and get the whole story.

We can take a positive approach by showing that

  1. The New Testament is a reliable historical document
  2. The historical record presents Jesus as the unique Son of God
  3. Jesus, the Son of God and therefore the One with real authority, taught that the whole Bible is the inspired Word of God.

Real Questions or Spiritual Smoke Screens?

  • Quite often people are just blowing smoke. Considering asking, “I’m curious, which ones bother you the most? What mistakes and contradictions have you found?”
  • Gently ask them if there may be some reason they’re hoping that the Bible isn’t true. “Is there something in your life you’re afraid you’d have to change or give up in the Bible turns out the be what it claims—the Word of God?”

Myths About Bible Myths

There is growing skepticism in our culture as news reports on moral failures, scams, etc. This actually creates misinformation and people don’t often take time to investigate the issues for themselves.

Objection #1: The Bible is very old and was written by gullible, illiterate people; therefore, we can’t trust it.

Discerning the Truth. The truth is that societies in any age have both gullible as well as discerning people.

Telling the Truth. Many people lost their lives because of their associations with Christianity. Who dies for something they know is false? Nobody.

Objection #2: The Bible was written too far after the events actually happened to be considered reliable.

Early Creed. Matthew and John were written by two of the original twelve disciples; Mark by the “secretary” of Peter. Luke was a companion of Paul, a kind of first century “investigative reporter.” Like the others, he wrote his account well within the life span of the companions of Jesus.

Not Just “The Bible Tells Me So” There are non-biblical sources that corroborate events of the early Christians.

Objection #3: Even if it was accurate at first, the Bible was copied and translated so many times that it surely has been corrupted.

The Facts About Translation. Most people don’t really think about why they have this objection. Today’s modern translations come directly from the ancient texts, not intermediary translations.

Communication in the Ancient World. In an oral culture, people knew how to accurately retell stories; that’s how they communicated. The New Testament has some 20,000 lines of text, and of those, only about 40 lines are in question—none of which affect doctrinal issues.

Objection #4: The Bible has stories that sound like myths; maybe there is truth in there somewhere, like in Aesop’s fables, but you certainly can’t call it true in a historic sense.

Oddly enough, many who object to the Bible would support the idea of the Big Bang theory…that sounds pretty open minded! (Genesis would support this theory as well.)

Those in Jesus day didn’t argue that he performed miracles, they objected to him doing them on the Sabbath.

Objection #5: The New Testament consists of carefully chosen books, banning others that shed light on the real Jesus of history.

The simple truth is this: all those so-called gospels are much, much later than the Gospels in the New Testament. By contrast, the New Testament was completed by the apostles (or those they approved).

Objection #6: How can one religious book be right and all the others wrong? Isn’t it more likely all contain some truth, and all contain some error?

The Bible goes far beyond giving good advice: It teaches us about a Savior, about the need to rely on his righteousness instead of our own.

The Bible has predictive prophecy, which was later fulfilled—to the letter.

Jesus’ crucifixion was described in detail before Roman crucifixion was even invented.

Objection #7: Since ancient mystery religions taught tales of dying and rising gods, isn’t it likely Christians borrowed those ideas and invented a Jesus who claimed to do similar things?

Another reference to the fictional work, The Da Vinci Code, suggests that these ideas were projected into the Gospels. However, these ideas we refuted long before Dan Brown wrote his book. See: The Gospel and the Greeks: Did the New Testament Borrow from Pagan Thought?

Objection #8: Since you can make the Bible say anything you want it to say, why should we give it any special credence? Doesn’t it all come down to subjective opinion, anyway?

This objection points to a real danger—our subjective opinions.

On a daily basis, people reinterpret the law to make it say what they want it to say (e.g., taxes and traffic tickets).

We cannot alter Scripture to suit ourselves. Instead, we need to humbly let the text alter us.

The Positive Case

  1. The New Testament is, at minimum, a reliable historical record
  2. The historical record presents Jesus as the unique Son of God
  3. Jesus, the Son of God, taught that the Bible is the inspired Word of God

Tips for Talking About This Issue

  • When people question the Bible, don’t take it personally, don’t get defensive
  • Not understanding something in the Bible means you’re in good company, even Paul is quoted by Peter saying that, “some things that are hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16).
  • The Bible is a big book! No one can master it all!
  • Remember that people have been reading the Bible for centuries and it’s still being debated
  • Suggest that they read one book (e.g., Mark or Luke) and jot down questions as they go. Agree to walk with them through the journey. Be patient.

Questions for discussion

  1. Have you ever been in a discussion with an unbeliever who argued against the validity of the Bible? How did you respond?
  2. Can you think of a time when two people recounted the same event—with two seemingly different scenarios? What is the best way to get at the real picture of what happened? How might this help you explain the so-called contradictions in the Gospel accounts?
  3. Have you ever seen someone use arguments against the Bible as a smoke screen to avoid the implications of its teachings in his or her life? How did you respond, or how might you in the future?
  4. The chapter quoted Mark Twain as saying, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” What are some examples of biblical teachings that might intimidate people?
  5. Why do you think books that are critical of the Bible, such as The Da Vinci Code, have such an impact on people’s opinions? How can you become better prepared to face these challenges?
  6. In the past, how have you faced questions you’ve had about the Bible? What has most helped you?
  7. Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16). How do these words affect your own commitment to learn and study Scripture?
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