Sin as Debt

We tend to think of debt in only economic terms. Jesus believed debt is also relational. He taught us to pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

If someone hurts you, you have two choices. You can make them pay. You can cut them out of your life. You can gossip behind their back. You can smear their name on your Facebook page. Or you can pay. You can forgive them. You can choose not to make them pay. You can seek reconciliation.

You pay or they pay. Either way there is a debt.

The irony is that if you make them pay you pay even more. Someone once said that not forgiving someone is like drinking poison hoping it will kill your enemy. Jesus way is cheaper.

How Jesus is Unique

The questions people ask about Jesus are pretty standard issue these days. Did he really teach that some people go to hell? Did he believe he was the only way to God? If he is God then why does he allow suffering? How much of Jesus does a person need to know or believe for him to be their way to God? What happens if we reject him? These are some of the questions in our minds.

All of these questions are worthy of being answered, but there are deeper questions. Questions like what is unique about Jesus? Can he be trusted? Should I follow him with all I am worth? These are the questions of our hearts.

This week at Restoration we will talk about these deeper questions beginning with what makes Jesus unique among all the religions of the world? If you are in town come by and see us.

Churches in Denver

We Need Perspective More Than Principles

We start a new series this week called, "I-Relationships." As I have studied the Bible it has dawned on me, once again, that the focus is not on mastering a bunch of self-help principles. There are plenty of principles in the Bible, but the focus is on our perspective.

I forget principles. I often do not have the will power to do them in the heat of relational battle. I find it much easier to focus on my perspective. For example, if I focus on being happy in my marriage, Kim and I both suffer. If I focus on blessing her everyone is happier. This is much more simple than trying to remember the 55 new ideas I picked up at the last marriage conference we went to.

The Bible teaches several simple and yet radical perspectives on relationships. These will be our focus the next few weeks as we study some of the most influential texts in the Bible.

If you are in Denver I hope you will join us.

Top 10 Books for 2010

I read a ridiculous number of books last year. This year I plan to read fewer, but better books.

Here is my top 10 list for 2010 in no particular order:

1. Whole Life Transformation by Keith Meyer. One of the most practical books on spiritual formation I have ever read.
2. The Good and Beautiful Life by James Bryan Smith. I preached a series based on this book. It paints a wonderful vision of what the Christian life can be.
3. Plato's Republic. Don't laugh! I learned so much about the thinking that shaped the culture Jesus stepped into 2,000 years ago from this book.
4. Transforming the City by Eric Swanson. Eric is a friend. He preached for me yesterday. He has given me so many categories for seeing cities and churches from a missional viewpoint. He shows how synergistic evangelism and service can and should be.
5. Prodigal God by Tim Keller. Keller is the best apologist, for the masses, alive today.
6. Same Kind of Different as Me by Denver Moore and Ryan Hall. Cried like a baby reading this one. Helped me see the homeless in a new way. Inspired me more than the last five books I have read on justice and mercy.
7. Sticky Church by Larry Osborne. A must read if you pastor a church and care about unity in the midst of change.
8. One Thing You Must Know by Marcus Buckingham. Defines leadership and management with great precision. My favorite leadership book of 2010.
9. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs. I read three books on marriage last year. This was the most simple and helpful. If couples got this right they would do well.
10. Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. Read this one again for the third time. Dallas is the preeminent thought leader in spiritual formation.

Honorable mention: Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki and Beyond Gender Roles by Gilbert Bilezkian.