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Theology comes from the Greek theologia, and is "the study of God". As a follower of Jesus it is my belief Christ is who He said he was - the Son of God. My beliefs, as the beliefs of others, are tested, challenged, and refined daily through experiences and input. As a follower of Jesus I have chosen five words upon which to organize my Living our Theology for this section. A person with another Worldview or religious belief system may chose other terms and sections. Living our Theology is where the "tire hits the road" As Francis Schafer wrote year ago "How Then Shall We Live". I found Terry L. Miethe’s The Compact Dictionary of Doctrinal Words, helpful throughout Seminary, use it below, and recommend it for your bookshelf. Living our theology, our faith, what we believe about God, is the "bottom line". Faith without works is empty. (James 2)
Theological
Term Miethe’s
Definition Comment Christology The
study of the life, persons, works, faith, and
divinity of Jesus Christ My
Goal is to be more Christ like each day and grow in
understanding Him Ecclesiology Comes
from the Greek ekklesia, "church" "Doing
church" with fellow believers is vital to Christian
living. Pneumatology From
the Greek pneuma meaning wind or spirit and
is the study of the Holy Spirit I
believe as Jesus promised the power of the Holy
Spirit is as active today in believers as it was at
Pentecost Soteriology From
the Greek soteria , safety Is
the study of salvation and the cross for
Christians Eschatology From
the Greek eschatos meaning the last, ; thus,
the study of future or last things Our
Christian faith requires endurance and our spirit
is eternal In this section, Living our Theology, we will explore practicing our Christ centered theology. We will discuss "putting it all together" using the above theological terms under four unifying headings: Building
our Christology Life with
Christ at the Center Believers’
Church Ecclesiology Christian
Community creates Dynamics for our walk with
Him Ministry
with Pneumatology The
Power of the Holy spirit in a
believers’
Community Faith
Eternal - Soteriology / Eschatology Endurance
/ Blessing, Opportunities, Challenges
READ: Matthew 4:18-22, I Corinthians 15, Colossians 1:15-23, Hebrews
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS Christianity is religion of surrender paradoxes; – he who loses his life shall find it, the last shall become first, humble yourself to be exalted, and he who holds onto life shall lose it. What are the steps? How do we grow in Christ reaching the assurance…He is Lord? For me it started with a decision within myself that I have increasingly shared publicly. "Markers" in my Christian walk; loving parents, family church upbringing, high school Youth Fellowship. When I made an adult conversion at age 26, the image of putting the Cross of Christ at the center of my mind and my "life under new management" was very important. Fortunately, dear Christian friends Dean and Lois Griffith, also shared their faith with my new bride Karen. Within weeks both of us, (after being in church our entire lives) found an adult relationship with the Lord. We independently decided, Jesus was most important in our lives. This willingness by both of us to put Jesus at the center of our lives has drawn our marriage of 35 years closer each day. Professor Stan Nelson shares in his lectures the Christian walk is dynamic not static. Professor Rick Durst shares the example of the Carpenter from Nazareth entering our house (life) and beginning to change things for kingdom living, room by room. When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, they dropped their net, left a family fishing business and followed Him to become fishers of men. The rich young ruler could not make this commitment. Jesus wants all of us. Jesus asks us to turn all over to Him. He will become steward of our talents and use them in His kingdom. He forgave Peter for denying Him three times, and Jesus knows His followers will have "dry" periods. God has blessed the Cowley family to be stewards of a challenging medical device business from which to minister in His world. The reward of marketing products that help people from our small business provides our team (including our son John and his lovely wife Candace) an opportunity to grow, develop, and minister in our vocations. Walking with Christ is an inward and outward journey. Jesus first spent forty days in the wilderness tempted by Satan before moving forward with His calling. From time to time we are called to take a spiritual inventory of our lives and listen to God for new directions and challenges in his kingdom. After success in Galilee, the Father called Jesus to head for Jerusalem. Those who challenged this calling were asked to get behind him and follow. The total surrender Jesus had for serving His father can be felt in Luke’s great travelogue (Luke 9:18-19:44). Four years ago, after auditing a class at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (GGBTS), I felt called to undertake advanced education in theological studies. In addition to the challenge of testing my skills with some very bright young students, God has richly blessed my Seminary years. The faculty, stimulation, learning, and relationships are cherished. One of my prayers is that God will equip more laypersons through seminary studies to enrich their faith walk with Jesus. Jesus testified before Pilate "For this reason I was born and for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth." Paul in his first letter to Timothy, (1:15) gave him a trustworthy saying: "Christ came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst." Humbling ourselves before God is a key step to discovering His plan for our lives. Paul tells Titus (2:11-12), "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and live a self controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age." Jesus promised (Mt. 16:25) whoever wants to save his live will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. He asks for total commitment, nothing less. Marriage, children, family, friends, business, spirit, and my will are all His. Understanding Christ’s humility makes becoming co-workers in His world, our mission. Jesus simplifies Worldly issues; we live life with no regrets as we see Him change lives around us. Building a trusting marriage, living for family, growing and maturing our children, becoming fishers for Him, helps us mature in servanthood in the world. Our self esteem starts growing with the Master builder in our lives. Karen and I take pride watching our children grow in their faith and know our family faith values clear.
READ Matthew 16:13-20, Matthew 18, II Peter 1:5-8, I Peter 2:9-10
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS They will know we are Christians by our love. We are standing on Holy Ground! Jesus gave us two great commandments, to love God and love our neighbor. (Mk. 12:29-31) Paul reminds us: "now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (I Cor. 13:13). We can have all knowledge and many gifts but without love we are but a "clanging cymbal" scripture tells us. Love is patient, kind, does not boast, envy, be proud, become angry, and keeps no record of wrongs. A tough order, but Jesus taught us the importance of the community of believers. When a believers’ church community allows His spirit to flow in their lives; other lives will be changed – repent and believe - generally one or two at a time. At Caesarea Philippi Jesus asked Peter…Who do people say the Son of Man is? Peter answered, "You are the Christ, son of the living God". Jesus went on to bless Peter and state that believers, such as Peter would be the ROCK upon which "I will build my church". The early church expanded on Peter’s strong witness for Christ Acts 2:38-41 and was a sharing community of believers (Acts 4:32-37). In II Peter the "ladder" of spiritual growth; goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, ends with brotherly kindness, and love. In his first epistle Peter likens the body of believers to a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, declaring his praises that are called out of darkness to light. Stanley Nelson sees an important purpose of believers is to lead people from darkness to light. Sam Williams states growing healthy Christians is the church’s main purpose. Karen and I have been involved in small Christian caring / sharing groups for more than thirty years. Sam Shoemaker, was an Episcopal Pastor in Pittsburgh PA in the 1950’s. He began the "Pittsburgh Experiment", small Christian sharing groups in downtown business offices and home throughout the area. Spreading to Chicago, and other cities we were fortunate to discover the importance of accountability and growth through "small groups" in our Christian life. Karen has shared leadership of a Woman’s group, "The Biblettes" for more than 18 years since we moved to California. We are fortunate to belong to Bay Marin Community Church which defines "Family Groups" as its major thrust in moving "seekers" from its Sunday morning evangelistic praise service to growth on the Christian walk. Christ calls His body, the local believers church, to care for and disciple each other. Sunday worship, praise, and spirit filled sermons are important disciplines of "church" today. Karen and I have found that weekly study, sharing and prayer with a group of 10-15 believers (where non-believers are welcome) has been key to our growth and maturity as Christians. We see God answer prayer and deal with authentic issues in each believer committed to the body. The ground is level at the foot of the cross; thus I encourage all believers; Pastors, lay leaders, lay believers, and non-believers to get involved in small Christ centered caring groups. A man named Jesus 2000 years age used a group of 12 as the first discipleship Group. There is power in prayer. Prayers are not always answered the way one hopes. Jesus prayed that if it is the Father’s will the cup (his death on the Cross) would pass. God had a greater plan. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Answered prayers in our group include; a father showing love for his Christian daughter, a mother who disowned a loving daughter repenting, a pastor friend seeing a 180 degree turn in his bishop and affirmations of his church body. Yet, thorns remain for believers. Paul notes this, so His power is made perfect in weakness.
REFLECTIONS Where two or more are gathered, there I am also. Jesus promised His presence when believers are together.
READ: John 3:8, John 14:15-21, Matthew 11:1-6, Acts, 2, I Cor. 12 and 13.
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born in the spirit. (Jn.3:8) The decision to serve Christ encompasses all parts of our life. Following a Biblical Christology (view of Christ) we have faith in Him as Immanuel, Savior, and Messiah…Lord of our life. We are in close community with fellow believers and growing in understanding Christ with a Bible based, Christ centered church. John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to observe the ministry of Jesus. In Matthew 11:4 Jesus replied to John’s disciples; "Go back and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Jesus was doing ministry with God’s power. A counselor, the Holy Spirit, provides dynamic power for believers’ meeting today to minister to needs in His kingdom. "Lone Ranger" Christian living, without a caring spirit filled community is a difficult road. Stan Nelson indicates, "The spirit does not come with separate programs of his own. The spirit, together with the Father and the Son, creates and redeems. His redemptive work is to effect the presence and power of God’s kingdom in history, primarily through the church and Christian living." He goes on to write, "In one sense the Holy Spirit is a new dynamic power and presence in our world. The Spirit’s arrival ushered in the new age, and the Spirit makes all things new. God is God and God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)." Dr. Nelson goes on to outline how the Holy Spirit brings order to; created Life, a Believer’s Life, congregational Life. The Bible teaches us to call upon the power of the Spirit by affirming and developing unity with believers for the power of the kingdom today. (I Corinthians 12) The power of the Holy Spirit was with our unified church body at Marin Covenant Church the year we occupied our new church building and God blessed financial giving nearly 100% above any previous year. Spiritual power can go far beyond the community of believers. In Acts 2:6-7 we are told while Galileans were speaking; each person listening heard in their own native language. After hearing Peter and other disciples witness, Gamaliel, a Hebrew scholar and unbeliever, advised fellow members of the Sanhedrin, "Leave these men alone. Let them go! For if there purpose is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God". We know the rest of the story. God speaks spiritually through all His children. President Jimmy Carter, a Christian, brought Moshe Begin, a Jew and Anwar Sadat, a Muslim together at Camp David in 1978. A Godly spirit of peace, rather than war in the Mid-East emerged. Billy Graham, Robert Schuller, Bill Hybels, Bill Bright, Elisabeth Elliot, all are examples in our generation of Christians with a passion for their mission for the Lord. Markers in my life are blessings from the power of His spirit within me. Among our blessing have been: the gift from God of our two children, a love of developing businesses, our family home purchase solely with the power of his spirit in California, being a part of the body at Marin Covenant for years, discovering Golden Gate Seminary, being a part of our children’s marriage to lovely spouses, and now having a passion to be used by God to help equip lay persons for the Lord’s work. We pray the power of the Holy Spirit is a part of this Web-site and our continued teaching. If we are; fully committed to Him, a part of a small body of believers for encouragement and correction, we can receive as Paul states in Roman 8:15ff a spirit of sonship …co-heirs with Christ and indeed share his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
REFLECTIONS We live at a very unique time in history: freedom of religion, separation church / state and super power peace. One can grow from a believer’s decision, to discipleship within a community of believers, to allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us, our families, neighborhoods, communities, nation, and eventually to the ends of the earth!
READ: John 3:16, John 1:1-14, John 14:1-7, John 17, John 20:24-31, Psalm 23, Rev. 21 and 22.
SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS I come to the Garden alone while the dew was still on the roses, and the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses, (Refrain) And He walks with me and he talks with me and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known. He speaks, and the sound of his voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing, and the melody that he gave to me within my heart is ringing (Refrain) I’d stay in the garden with him though the night around me be falling, but he bids me go; thru the voice of woe his voice to me is calling. Living our theology presents challenges. There are the winters of life, sudden deaths, unexplained bombings in Oklahoma City, plane crashes, lost jobs, family upheavals, addictive behavior, and thorns, that are mysteries. This past winter my Father went home to be with the Lord. Standing at the foot of the cross, with fellow believers, and "holding on" to our faith becomes necessary. This is where I must avoid separating my theology; God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit are one. John 3:16, perhaps one of the most quoted scriptures tells us that God so loved the world that he gave in death His only Son Jesus Christ, that believing Him we may have everlasting life. Visually, I like to think that Christians have a theology built on the Rock foundation of the Old Testament, supported by the pillars of our Christology, Ecclesiology, Pneumotology, Soteriology. The roof, if you will is our Eschatology, the assurance is our spirit will be with Jesus for eternity. Jesus was pre-existent with God in the beginning, he has gone ahead to prepare a place for us, he is the great shepherd, He Is Lord, and he promises our spirit will be in a new heaven and new earth with Him. In John 17 Jesus is closing his earthly ministry with prayer to the Father. He states, "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world….They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours." Paul, near the end of his ministry notes that his life has been poured out like a drink offering and the time has come for his departure. In II Tim. 4:7 he states, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Endurance, as Paul witnesses, is a key. I think of Mother Teresa who had walked with Jesus in her life and left this life with a prayer on her lips to Jesus as she met Him. Unity of her work for the kingdom. I Tim. 1:5 The goal of His command is love which comes from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and a sincere faith. She had led a life of love. Too often the Christian life is pictured as missing worldly pleasures, when it is the joy of being there for a fellow human being in need. J. Kenneth Eakins’ recent book Becoming One shares a personal story "of how one couple forged a love to last a lifetime…and beyond". I recommend it for all married couples or those about to be married. In the book Ken tells how his dear friend in Christ Stan Nelson stood by him and his wife Marian in a time of great need. This is an example of the unity God desires for Christians to live in community. Both of my wife Karen’s parents (Lee and Larry Osgood) died suddenly (ten years apart) after living full Christian lives. Both times I answered the phone in California from South Dakota, and faced the challenge of relaying this difficult news to Karen (who each time was ironically starting a joyous day in the shower). After a brief prayer for God’s spirit to be with me, with a deep breath, we sat with tears and shared the news thanking God for their full lives and their spirit that was with us. A grieving process began, but our faith, family and friends provided needed support.
REFLECTIONS Help me, as we approach a new millenium, to understand and act upon the urgency of the Gospel in our society and nation today. We live at fortunate time. Super power peace is at hand, our nation provides an opportunity for free religious expression, and the means for sharing the Gospel have are great. The stakes are high. Lives throughout the world need to be changed spiritually to avoid; moral decay, drug destruction, needless human death and spiritual death. The danger of terrorist and / or super power atomic warfare looms. Help our Christian community to be equipped for good works, the renewing of lives in name of Jesus Christ. HOW GREAT THOU ART.
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