welcome to the story.

I think sometimes it might be important for us to distinguish what type of music is shaping the context that we are writing in. Sometimes I wish I could hand every one a cd to listen to while they read whatever it is that I�ve written. I think music helps make writing make sense. It couches the feeling and guts and captures the perspective of the author. With that in mind, I�ve been writing the last few days to David Crowder�s new album, A Collision. And its within the words and sounds of those songs that I�m finding the articulation of the very things that I�m thinking and settling in on. I�m also sitting outside on a deck with Anna�s mac. It�s 9:45. Cloudless, star filled night. And low 60s. If that�s not an attempt at romanticizing a moment, then I don�t know what it is. So that�s where I�m at right now as I attempt to expand a little bit on my thoughts from a couple of nights ago. And you really might want to go back and read what I wrote a couple of nights ago to really know where I�m coming from. And even then I�m not sure those paragraphs will be of much help in understanding where I�m arriving at. I was talking (writing) a lot about what it meant to understand history from a narrative approach. About how we needed to understand what the purpose of why God created humanity and why God created earth and the heavens (sky). About how God begins the whole story and about how God says the whole story is going to climax (not �The End� of the story, but the turning of the page to the next chapter, etc). And we really have to start with the first two chapters of Genesis and end with the last two chapters of Revelation. They kind of frame everything for us. Without us understanding the whole purpose of the Genesis/creation project and how it got lost. We can�t properly understand the rest of the narrative. We can�t understand the point of Israel. The point of the prophets. The point of Jesus. The point of the cross. The point of the Holy Spirit. The point of the church. The point of �end times�. All these things that have theologies of their own are intricately tied to the first two chapters of Genesis. But what we�ve done is read out of our present our own needs and desires and misunderstood the point of it all. This has caused to us interpret the above topics in some misleading ways. So I think I�ll talk a minute about salvation. Which I got into a little bit the other night. Salvation, to me at least, is not so much about the individual soul being saved, but about the whole of creation being saved from its fall. This isn�t a tree hugging �green� theology. Although I�ll explain why nature is explicitly tied to the whole story as well later on. Creation being saved from the fall basically implies that God�s primary agenda in the world from Genesis 2 on has been all about restoring the Genesis/creation project. Somehow we�ve read about the stories of how God has been using individual people (within the context of community) to bring about this �new creation�, and interpreted that the main emphasis of God�s agenda is the salvation of the individual. I don�t think anyone would hardly disagree with that. Because its been somewhat fed to us since we were born. If I asked 10 people why God sent Jesus to this world, 10 people would say to give us a way to heaven, to save people, to give me eternal life. Again, this is highly subtle and sounds good but I don�t think most of us realize just how much changes based on the subtlety of emphasis on the differences between the two. I think some of that is wrapped up in why God sent Jesus. Why Jesus himself came. But I�m beginning to realize how much of Jesus coming to earth has to do with the restoration of what was lost in Genesis. Namely, the loss of paradise, the loss of creation, the loss of true humanity. The individual finds his place within the salvation story. But that�s just it . . . the salvation story is primarily about God sending His son to restore creation. Creation involves not just humanity, but the earth, the heavens, the paradise that was created. But what was accomplished on the cross was really only a foretaste. A small glimpse. C.S. Lewis even goes as far as to assume that the miracles of Jesus in the gospels were not done for the point of showing people his power, illustrating his deity. But the miracles that happened were types of creative outbursts where new creation, restoration of the Genesis project, humanity set right, were taking place. His book miracles really expands on this idea. So in the quick up to date timeline. God creates paradise. The perfect humanity. The perfect creation. The perfect earth. The perfect heavens. Adam and Eve do something stupid and blow the whole thing. So instead of just scratching the whole creation project. He decides to go ahead and use the traitor race of humanity to bring about the restoration of what they broke. So he calls out Israel. Creates a community to go out and live differently. Go out and reach back to the past. Go back and live like we were supposed to live in the Garden of Eden, thus becoming an example to the rest of the world of what is possible. So he calls out a community to move forward towards the future, where all will be restored, while reaching back to the past. A necessary paradox to understand and to develop later. This community keeps dropping the ball. Keeps messing up. So he sends Jesus into the story. Maybe the reason was that he realized that the old way just wasn�t working. Just wasn�t getting through to them. But if he entered humanity, walked and talked among them. Came and gave a model for living. Gave a really big sacrifice . . . his life. Then that would inspire. That would really break through to them. So Jesus life was not only about providing a way to be saved �individually� but also how to restore what was lost. It�s both/and. But I can�t help but wonder why we�ve neglected everything but the salvation of the individual soul. When that�s the only concern, its no wonder that we�re left with the current state and theologies of the church today. And as I kind of set this thought down for a while, I�d like to say one thing before I hit �publish�. Maybe the reason much of modern Christianity spends so much time talking about heaven and the salvation of the individual soul from this earth, from this temporary time and into eternity, is because they don�t really like this earth. They see culture as sacred or secular. I see it as either redeemed or in need of redemption. And maybe I�m a pagan. But I actually like culture. I like earth. I like people. I like people who aren�t Christians. So I want to do what I can to not only help people do the �eternity� thing. But I want to help them become better humans. I want to help make this world a better place. I actually want to see all of humanity and creation restored to what it was supposed to be. Not just destroyed (along with all the homosexuals and Democrats) so that all the Christians can go to heaven. Which is essentially what the salvation story/gospel is for a good majority of the church. I really want to see God fulfill Revelation 21 and 22. And restore what was lost. To set the world right. It's a novel idea I know. But one that I think deserves some merit. And thats all I got tonight.