Truth/Story/Miracle

Dr. Larry Hart is a genius.  Lecturer.  Teacher.  Theologian.  Guitarist.  Singer.  Tall.  Preacher.  Pastor.  Author of Truth Aflame.  He, among other professors, taught me the 'ologies: Theology, Ecclessiology, Pneumatology, and probably several others as well.  I mostly paid attention in his classes and I hope that he'll be glad to know that a lot of what he said has stuck with me over the years. 

Most of the wisdoms that I credit Dr. Hart for relate more to the complicated life of a pastor than the complex depths of theological truth, but one thing he said about Jesus really stuck.  Jesus, he said, came preaching, teaching, and healing.

It wasn't just a statement that Dr. Hart made in passing.  Those three biblical action verbs -- preaching, teaching, and healing -- formed the foundation of an entire required course at Oral Roberts School of Theology and Missions -- The Preaching & Healing Ministry.  They come directly from Matthew's description of Jesus' early ministry -- Matt. 4:23: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.)

I've spent the last ten years or so debating the significance and depth of those three terms.  Initially I found the idea of condensing Jesus's ministry into one six word sentence just too simplistic.  This is, after all, the savior of the world here that we're talking about.  Surely there was more to what he did than 6 words... and really only three of those were descriptive.  (We can discuss the significance of "and" in that sentence in another blog...)  Surely I could come up with something better.

So far, I've failed in those attempts.  Jesus came.  Jesus preached.  Jesus taught.  Jesus healed.  That sums it all up pretty nicely.

So, while that basic statement remains, I have decided to change the nature of those terms to make them more acceptable to the way my mind works.  After all action verbs -- which are all the rage in some preaching styles and on resumes -- are only truly worthwhile when they're attached to an object.  Preaching and teaching what?  Healing who and how?  Yes, Jesus did that.  Yes, we as pastors should as well.  Why?  How?  What?  When?  Where?  When you answer those questions as well, then you're really onto something.

I've landed this past year on another simple concept, Dr. Larry Hart inspired if not yet approved, that to me captures how I understand Jesus's ministry (and therein, how I expect to perform ministry).

Truth, Story, and Miracle.

Jesus preached Truth.  Jesus taught in Story.  Jesus healed through Miracles.

This Easter at CapeNaz we're going to explore those topics.  What is the truth?  What is the story?  What is the miracle?  We'll preach it.  We'll teach it.  We'll miracle it up all over the place!

We'll explore those questions.  It might get a bit philosophical at times.  It might have a decided lack of those ever popular action verbs.  It will, though, give us a profound and complete view of who Jesus really is, what Jesus really did, and why that really matters for us.


P.S. -- In addition to giving credit in this blog to Dr. Larry Hart, I would be remiss not to mention a few of the other seminary professors who contributed greatly to my spiritual and pastoral formation.  Dr. James Tollett.  Dr. James Barber.  Dr. Charles Snow.  Dr. James Breckenridge.  Dr. Mark Appold, who was rivaled as a scholar only by the late Dr. Howard Ervin.