The Jesus Gap – What Teens Believe About Jesus

One of the books I wanted to read as 2017 started was The Jesus Gap. I started reading it months ago, but somewhere along the way got off track. So, I decided to get back on track and set aside some time to really dig into it.

After reading it, I went back through the things I highlighted and marked.  Once I typed it up, it filled almost four pages in a Word doc.  Needless to say, there is a lot of useful information in the book.

Bradbury shares the motivation behind writing the book.  She was taking a class on Christological foundations.  The final project was to conduct a small research study on your own ministry to determine what teens believed about Jesus.  She was surprised by the results from her group.

As she continued to study this topic, she decided to find out if what was true of the teens in her youth ministry was true of others teens.  That brought about her survey and this book, The Jesus Gap.

For those who work with students, the question that will linger in your mind as you read this book is this:  “Is this true of the teens in my church?”  I asked that question a number of times as I read the results of her research.

While there is too much information in the book to boil down to one post, a couple of things kind of rose to the top in my thinking.

One is how students look at Jesus as both God and as being sinless.

According to Bradbury’s research, when students were asked the question, “Is Jesus God?”  44 percent of students answered “Yes,” 44 percent said “No,” and 12 percent confessed, “I don’t know.”

There are a number of conclusions a person could draw, but the numbers are a little startling.  Consider that the teens from the survey had a church background, were active in their congregations, and yet under 50% of them agreed that Jesus is God.

When asked if Jesus was perfect (or sinless), 34 percent of teens affirmed Jesus was perfect. 57 percent said Jesus was not perfect.  9 percent said, “I don’t know if Jesus was perfect.”

So even a smaller percentage agreed that Jesus was perfect.

Along with sharing the statistics and results of interviews, Bradbury also shared some practical steps youth workers can take to strengthen the Christology of the teens in their churches.

One area where I think The Jesus Gap is helpful is that it removes the blinders from our eyes.  We have to assume that what is true of Bradbury’s original research study in her group and then the following larger study she did, is also true on some level for the students in our sphere of influence.  One of the take-a-ways I have from this book is to find out where our students are and what particular truths about Jesus we might need to address in the future.

Another interesting thing Bradbury brought out is why students question that Jesus was perfect.  Early in the book she referenced some research done by Scott McKnight in Christianity Today where he concluded this:  “We all think Jesus is like us.  Introverts think Jesus is introverted, for example, and extroverts think Jesus is extroverted.  To one degree or another, we all conform Jesus to our own image.”

Students seemed to carry this idea when they viewed Jesus.  Here are a couple of quotes from students in Bradbury’s book talking about why Jesus wasn’t sinless:

“Jesus was God’s Son, after all He was human.  It’s really hard to know.  You’d think he would be perfect.  But humans – it’s impossible to be perfect.”

“Jesus sinned because he was a human being like the rest of us.
Even the best people in the world sin.”

One challenge to students seeing Jesus as perfect is wrestling with His divine nature.  If He was human like us, the conclusion many of them draw is that He sinned, because all people sin.

Bradbury also revealed a distrust for Scripture.  She shared responses from students that shared the opinion that the Biblical writers left our Jesus’ sin intentionally, in an effort to make Him appear more godly.

After sharing results of her research, she offered this conclusion:  Don’t assume teenagers view Scripture the same way you do.  Perhaps we operate under the assumption that because we have talked about the Bible and have a certain set of beliefs, our students hold those as well.  The Jesus Gap reveals that for a large number of teens, it’s not true.

The challenge is to not only read the results of Bradbury’s research, but then apply it to your particular context.  This is a good read for those who work with students and could create some good discussion.

Life Is _____________

I had the opportunity to read Jesus Is ____________ about a year ago. Judah Smith’s follow-up Life Is _____________ was a good continuation of what he shared in his previous offering.

Smith uses solid insights, personal stories and doses of humor to reveal from various passages of scripture that Jesus is life. In one chapter he writes these words: “Jesus is always more. More than what? I’ll let you fill in the blank . . . He’s more than bankruptcy. More than sickness. More than sin. More than murder. More than divorce. More than tragedies, tsunamis, wars or famines . . . What are you facing? He’s more.”

Most of the Biblical accounts that Smith uses are probably not new to those who have grown up in church. He brings a new perspective that is refreshing for those who have familiarity with the passages, but writes in a way that communicates with a reader who might be new to these verses. Smith also writes with a practicality that is helpful to the reader. He brings the person of Jesus into our current culture and context.

As an example, he writes about one of the most well-known verses in scripture – John 3:16. Then he asks this question that puts that verse in a new light: “God loves the whole world? This doesn’t make sense. This is crazy. What about bad people? What about indifferent people? What about those who mock him to his face, who flaunt evil and flout his commands?” It gives a new filter through which to think about God’s love.

Probably one of the most powerful moments of the book for me was what Smith shared about his daughter’s birth. He writes about his dad’s battle with cancer and how one day God told him that Smith and his wife would have a third child, a girl, who they were to name Grace. When she was just a day old, they took Grace to church. Smith felt a strong urge to go hold his newborn daughter and took her to a room off stage. That moment, as he looked at his little girl, it was a reminder to him that even though life doesn’t always go the way we want (his dad lost his battle with cancer), God is good and loving and sustains us. He gives us grace to sustain us.

Life Is __________ is an encouraging book that points people to the love of God and how it has the power to change our lives. This book would be a good resource for personal reading and for small group discussion.

The Ultimate Covenant Keeper

For the past week or so, I’ve been reading through the book of Jeremiah. He was a prophet of God that was given a pretty difficult task. The nation of Israel had continually disobeyed God and repeatedly turned away from Him to the point He was ready to punish them. It’s kind of like the child who continues to try your patience until you have no choice but to enact some form of discipline. Jeremiah is given the unenviable task of being the messenger of the bad news – God’s judgement is coming.

What is interesting in the pages of Jeremiah is the glimmer of hope that God continues to provide for His people. He made a covenant with David that He was going to keep and I love the way it is expressed in Jeremiah 33:19-22:

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 20 “This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, 21 then my covenant with David my servant — and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me —can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. 22 I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’ ”

Isn’t that great imagery? If you can break the cycle of day turning to night and night turning to day, then God will break His covenant with David. You can count on God keeping His promise just like you count on the sun rising and setting each day. He will keep His promises, even when we break ours. God is the Ultimate Covenant Keeper.

Help YouVersion Hit 100 Million Installs

I started using the YouVersion app well over a year ago. I use it for looking up passages while in large group gatherings and also utilize the reading plans that are available. A couple of weeks ago I received an email asking for help in reaching 100 million installs.

The email shared this info about the app: We launched the YouVersion Bible App on July 10, 2008 with one simple mission: to help people make the Bible a daily part of their life. God has brought about some pretty amazing growth in those five years, and now a very exciting milestone is on the horizon. That’s where we’d love to get your help.

It looks like the Bible App could hit its 100-million install milestone on or near the 5-year anniversary of the App Store on July 10. It’s going to be a stretch, and it will take extraordinary measures from the capital “C” Church to make it happen.

If you don’t use YouVersion, go check it out. If you do, share this info with friends. It’s a great tool to spend time in the Bible.

90 Day Challenge – The Home Stretch

It seems hard to believe, but we are in the home stretch of our 90 Day Challenge. If you have kept up with each day’s reading, we are in the final week. This week takes us into the last book of the Bible – Revelation. While this book can be confusing at times, one thing is clear: Jesus wins! He defeats Satan, sin and death and “makes all things new!” No matter how the details unfold, Jesus will remain King of King and Lord of Lords. Our job is to be faithful to Him, no matter what events occur. As you continue through the challenge, be encouraged! While we don’t know how many chapters there are remaining, we know how The Story ends.

Next week, for those who have finished the challenge, we want to have some resources available to encourage you in continue in your habit of spending time in God’s Word.

Perhaps you want to repeat the 90 Day Challenge and read through the New Testament again. I have a resource on my desk right now called “31 Days with Jesus.” It is a 30 day plan to read through the Gospel of Matthew. We will have a few more that are designed to encourage you in your time with God.

90 Day Challenge – Week 11

Last week took us through the book of Hebrews and into the book of James. The writer of Hebrews speaks to the fact that Jesus is our Great High Priest, that He is far superior to the sacrifices that were offered in the past. By His one sacrifice, He took care of all of our sin. One of the verses that stuck out to me was 10:14 – “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Jesus came to rescue us and overcome sin and death for us. Sometimes the letter of Hebrews is hard to understand, but contains such great truth.

The letter of James is so practical, making sure to tell us that we need to live out what we believe. It’s not enough to say we know God; we need to show it in what we do.

I hope the time you are spending in God’s Word through the 90 Day Challenge is helping you grow in your relationship with God. We are getting near the end of the challenge and I hope it’s helping to create a habit that will continue past the 90 days.

We plan to have some resources available after the challenge is over so you can continue to grow through time in His Word.

Keep up the good work!

90 Day Challenge – Week 7

We are over half-way through our 90 Day Challenge and today will take us into Day 50. Today’s reading also brings us into 2 Corinthians. There are some tough issues that Paul has to deal with in the church of Corinth, but as you read the letter, you see how deeply cares for the church. The letters to the Corinthian church help us understand how to deal with delicate issues in the church family.

We need your help! Since we are over half-way through this challenge, it would be great to get a sense of how things are going. There is a very short, anonymous form you can respond to that will help us see how things are going. If you took the challenge, please take 30 seconds to give your response.

Whether you are on track, behind or using a different plan, our goal is develop a habit of spending time with God.  Small investments over time will lead to a growing relationship.  Keep it up!

90 Day Challenge – Week Four

Yesterday we concluded week four in our 90 Day Challenge. Today’s reading concludes our time in the Gospels and moves us into the book of Acts and then into the letters of the New Testament. Also, after completion of Tuesday’s reading, we will be one-third of the way through out challenge! I’m hoping that all of those who have accepted the challenge are staying with it or trying to get caught up. Again – remember – the goal is to create a habit of spending time with God through His Word. We gain when we grow in our walk with God.

As we read through the Gospel of John, we were reminded why spending time in His Word is important. In chapter 15, Jesus uses the word picture of vine and branches. He states very clearly in verse 5 who plays what role: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Sometimes we need that simple, yet straightforward reminder that we need to stay connected to the vine. Regardless of our best efforts or ideas or plans, apart from Him, we can do nothing. Only by staying connected to Him can we bear fruit.

As we continue to go through our 90 Day Challenge – or use whatever reading plan you are on – remember that image. He is our source of life and health and growth and we need to remain connected to Him.

Keep it up!

90 Day Challenge – Week Three

We are done with week three of our 90 Day Challenge. Yesterday was day #21 and we are beginning week four today. If you are taking the challenge, stop for a moment and give yourself a hand (go ahead, I’ll wait)…

I do think it is important to celebrate our progress along the way. Maybe for some of us, this has been the most consistent we’ve been or even the longest we’ve stayed with a reading plan. Even if you have fallen behind, don’t get discouraged. Remember – our goal is to develop the habit of spending time regularly with God. The 90 Day Challenge is just a tool to do that.

One thing that has grabbed my attention as we have gone through the Gospel of Luke is Jesus’ teaching on prayer. In Luke 11 the disciples ask Him to teach them to pray. He gives the model prayer and then tells a story about a neighbor who comes at midnight and knocks on the door asking for bread. In Luke 18 we hear the Parable of the Persistent Widow. In both stories, the point seems to be that a request is granted because the person was persistent in asking.

In Luke 11, the NIV uses this phrase to describe the request: “shameless audacity.” In Luke 18, the judge grants the widow’s request because she “keeps bothering” him.

Jesus characterizes God as a Father who cares about His children and loves to give good gifts to them. So, rather than seeing God as a judge to be bothered or a neighbor to be woken up, we should see God as a Father who wants us to ask. The takeaway from these two teachings for me has been that I should ask God for the things on my heart. As I look at the decisions that need to be made in the coming months, I should ask God for His direction. I guess the question I could ask myself is this: have I brought my requests to God with “shameless audacity?”

90 Day Challenge – Week Two

Yesterday concluded the second week in our 90 Day Challenge. If you started on January 7 and stayed current, you finished the Gospel of Mark and are jumping into the Luke’s account.

Reading Mark’s Gospel right after finishing Matthew’s showed how both men approached their accounts differently.  Mark’s is shorter and focuses more on Jesus’ ministry, while Matthew gives more details regarding Jesus’ birth and childhood. Just like listening to two different people who were witnesses to the same event, both writers give us a unique perspective on the life of Christ.

If you are a part of the 90 Day Challenge, keep up the good work!  Now that we are a couple of weeks into it, hopefully you are hitting your stride and are finding a good time in your schedule to carve out time to spend time with God.  We’ve used this phrase throughout the month of January as we have talked about the habits that help us to grow spiritually:  We are made up of the commitments that we make over our life and the habits that we develop.  The 90 Day Challenge is designed to help us develop the habit of spending time with God.  Keep it up!

This weekend, we also handed out two more books. Not sure how many are completing the challenge, but we have handed out nearly 70 books.  If you are taking the challenge, we’d love to hear from you.  Go to out 90 Day Challenge Facebook page and let us know how it is going.