This is the first of the LIVE teaching sessions, and we are going to explain a very simple distinction between Bible Study and Theology, which could be a game-changer for your faith journey.

If you grew up in the church, you may have been told to read your Bible, and God will speak to you through the text. Maybe you went to Bible Studies only to leave confused or disappointed. Oftentimes, churchgoers are told to just open their Bible and follow the principles or directions they read in it. We will see how this can sometimes be very bad, even harmful, advice.

There is a way to respect the Bible without the pressure of figuring out “God’s will” every time you open it! There is hope for growing in your faith in a healthy way that allows you to develop theology (your attitudes toward God) with a healthy approach to Biblical studies (seeing how other people developed their theology).

We have been told for years that the Bible will tell us what to do; it is a guidebook for life; it has all of the answers we need. This has caused many of us to “follow God’s word” without any respect or understanding of the design and purpose of the Bible. Some of the most dismissive and disrespectful uses of Scripture come from the people who quote it the most!

PAID subscribers ($5 per month OR $30 per year) will usually get access sooner, be able to participate in future live sessions, and access more community activities.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

* Each live session is about 20 minutes or less.

* Each live session includes the FOUR CORE PRACTICES of healthy Christianity.

* Most of the session is the teaching component on a specific topic.

* You can hop off the Zoom meeting anytime you want. You can engage by asking questions or leaving comments in the chat.

* A recording of each live session will be published about two weeks later for everyone, including free subscribers.

If asked for a passcode…

Join Zoom Meeting https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83041080917?pwd=e3rGWY9n267foQqNVoGhltrbo6paEv.1

Meeting ID: 830 4108 0917

Passcode: 8RtaVx

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 10, which Governor Abbott signed into law, requiring all public school classrooms to prominently display the Ten Commandments. Although it may face legal objections, I would like to take this opportunity to explain why this law is a poor idea from a Christian perspective. I am not speaking as a school official or employee, but as a follower of Jesus.

This episode addresses some of the theological concerns I have with this type of legislation. I welcome (and I sincerely mean that) any feedback, critique, or challenge to my arguments. I only ask that they be done respectfully. Please refrain from simply responding with a single Bible verse apart from any context or explanation.

This episode will be FREE to everyone for a couple of weeks.

As mentioned in the episode, below is a section of the New Testament from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. You can find it at Bible Gateway and explore the context further if you would like. You can also select various translations to read or hear them differently. The version I chose is the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV).

2 Corinthians 3

3 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Some people need letters that speak well of them. Do we need those kinds of letters, either to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter. You are written on our hearts. Everyone knows you and reads you. 3 You make it clear that you are a letter from Christ. You are the result of our work for God. You are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. You are a letter written not on tablets made out of stone but on human hearts.

4 Through Christ, we can be sure of this before God. 5 In ourselves we are not able to claim anything for ourselves. The power to do what we do comes from God. 6 He has given us the power to serve under a new covenant. The covenant is not based on the written Law of Moses. It comes from the Holy Spirit. The written Law kills, but the Spirit gives life.

7 The Law was written in letters on stone. Even though it was a way of serving God, it led to death. But even that way of serving God came with glory. The glory lasted for only a short time. Even so, the people of Israel couldn’t look at Moses’ face very long. 8 Since all this is true, won’t the work of the Holy Spirit be even more glorious? 9 The law that condemns people to death had glory. How much more glory does the work of the Spirit have! His work makes people right with God. 10 The glory of the old covenant is nothing compared with the far greater glory of the new. 11 The glory of the old lasts for only a short time. How much greater is the glory of the new! It will last forever.

12 Since we have that kind of hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses. He used to cover his face with a veil. That was to keep the people of Israel from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were made stubborn. To this day, the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. The veil has not been removed. Only faith in Christ can take it away. 15 To this day, when the Law of Moses is read, a veil covers the minds of those who hear it. 16 But when anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Holy Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, freedom is also there. 18 None of our faces are covered with a veil. All of us can see the Lord’s glory and think deeply about it. So we are being changed to become more like him so that we have more and more glory. And this glory comes from the Lord, who is the Holy Spirit.

Feature Focus

How we define the commonly used word “church” affects so much about our approach to faith and God. It’s worth seeing if we are defining it in ways that help or hurt us.

In this issue, we feature a short article I posted in July 2022: “The Dictionary Got One Wrong”

If you do a quick online search for the definition of church, you will immediately find phrases like “a building for Christian worship” or “a religious organization or denomination.” This is so unfortunate because there is a much better way to understand church, especially from the original intention and meaning of this word.

This is no matter of mere semantics. What we believe influences how we act, and as long as our primary conception of church is as a place to bring people for services and events, we will have a misguided approach to Christian identity and practice.

Check out this quick read.

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

How do YOU keep things simple?

I thought I would try turning the tables and asking readers and listeners if anyone had simple strategies of their own, especially for the holidays.

Just last weekend, our simple church group met in a home and took the passage in Matthew about Jesus’s birth and applied a simple and reproducible strategy. We identified 3-2-1.

3 interesting items

2 questions

1 main takeaway

We had tremendous conversation and it was as though we were realizing parts of the story for the first time. Each of us came up with different items and questions. There was some overlap, but each person’s unique perspective helped inform the group’s response and vice versa. It was biblical. It was communal. It was simple. It was reproducible. Anyone, anywhere, with any level of Bible knowledge could engage in the activity.

But what I am curious about today is what you have found that works well. What is a simple practice that you have done with family, children, friends, or on your own? Do you have any strategies or activities that help you during the holiday season, in particular?

Recommended Resource

If you have lost a loved one, then you know the holidays can be especially difficult. Now may be just the right time for you to take advantage of the available support.

“GriefShare is a network of thousands of grief recovery support groups meeting around the world. GriefShare is a program with direction and purpose. With GriefShare you will learn how to walk the journey of grief and be supported on the way. It is a place where grieving people find healing and hope.”

I have attended GriefShare sessions myself and I have written about that experience here. I also discovered that they have recently revamped their material with new research and insights. They feature experts in grief and recovery from all around. I just cannot say enough about the high quality of the GriefShare program.

Even if you don’t feel like you are ready to join a group, I want to highlight a specific event GriefShare offers called “Surviving the Holidays.” It is offered in person and online, and I have included a short 3-minute video with information about this program. For more information about events in your local area, go here.

What’s Up?

I have some big dreams for 2024 and I hope to share some of them soon. One thing I can share now is that I have created a customized coaching process that I plan to launch next year. It is a holistic approach that will help clients reflect on their lives from multiple angles, Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social.

Through the coaching cycle, I work with the client to develop a profile, identify priority areas, set goals, and overcome barriers with tools and resources for their particular needs. While it could be helpful to anyone, my ideal client is someone involved in K-12 education, whether it is a student in high school, a parent/guardian, or an educator working at any level in the system.

Because of my experience for the past two decades in multiple roles and at all grade levels of public education, I can bring a unique element to this kind of coaching relationship. I will help the client distinguish between personal and systemic factors affecting someone’s journey in the education system so that the client can focus energy where they have the most control.

Before formally launching this service, I am looking for anyone interested in participating in one coaching cycle for FREE. Instead of paying for the coaching, I would ask for your honest feedback about the process so I can continue to refine my skills.

If interested in this customized coaching plan, leave a comment below or reach out to me through any of our social media platforms.

BOOK SPECIAL!!! Get You Don’t Have To Do That FREE!!!

I am giving away a limited number of copies of my book. The catch: You make a promise to write a review (as long or short as you want) on Amazon after reading the book. If you want to take me up on this offer, then please comment below or reach out to me through any method available. (Some conditions apply.)

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about featuring your writing in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Feature Focus

I am so excited to share this interview with you all! Educators, parents, community members, pastors, youth pastors, and students should all tune in to this one. Before you return to work after Thanksgiving break, give a quick listen to this conversation with Lorie Goggin, Executive Director of Reset Mentoring in Williamson County, Texas, and take in some knowledge, inspiration, and practical resources. Be encouraged in the work you do with young people. All of our students are trying to figure out life in this complex world, and teenagers in the juvenile justice system are no different. They have hopes and dreams, too, but they also carry a lot of trauma and face significant challenges.

Please, please…I sincerely ask for your feedback…after watching or listening to this episode with Lorie.

GO TO THE INTERVIEW WITH LORIE GOGGIN

From their website:

Working exclusively with Williamson County Juvenile Services, Reset Mentoring is a non-profit organization that was created to help teens RESET their lives... Whatever that looks like for them! Over the past 10 years, we have found that one size fits all just doesn’t work. The teens we work with are as different as you and me. They have their God-given talents, dreams, and future and we have found that for them to succeed long-term we need to walk alongside them in their next best step.

Lorie’s bio:

Lorie is a mom to three grown children, Maggie, Mason and Sarah and a nana to her two sweet grandbabies who she absolutely adores, Frankie and Maxton! In addition to raising children of her own, Lorie is a published author and has worked with teens in both church and school settings. When she began volunteering inside the Williamson County Juvenile Justice Center in November of 2009, she never imagined that God would call her to begin a faith-based mentoring program to help youth at-risk in our community. However, over the last 14 years, she has used her degree in education plus her background in managing call centers and instructional design to help create programs and build teams to come around the youth once they have been released back into the community. Besides nana and mother, it has been her favorite role, and she hopes to continue building bridges and safety nets that will allow the teens that Reset Mentoring serves to continue to develop, learn and grow into their full potential.

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

Measuring Success - Sending Capacity

Church reformer, Reggie McNeal, has talked about the need to change metrics for success when considering our faith and church paradigms. One key shift I want to focus on today is Seating Capacity vs. Sending Capacity. This admonition isn’t so much a specific action to take but a strategic mindset to hold.

Conventional church structures are largely measured with one question: How many people are coming? In other words, seating capacity is a priority. The aim is to fill seats, or pews, and use that metric to determine effectiveness. If a church can say it is "drawing a crowd" and has the numbers to back it up, then it is viewed as successful by many standards. Over my time in pastoral ministry, I attended more than enough conferences, retreats, and seminars to know this is true. Church growth models and methods have become an industry unto themselves in our part of the world. Making a congregation larger, by whatever means necessary, has become the prime directive of many church leaders. I have been personally entrenched in this mindset before.

To change the scorecard to what I believe is a much healthier metric, we attempt to measure our effectiveness by our sending capacity instead of our seating capacity. Now, rather than counting how many people are coming, the key indicator is how many people are GOING. The church is meant to be missional, on the move; a living, breathing organism. Therefore, the church is people - followers of Jesus - that are influencing the world in which they live.

A critical shift, then, is to move from judging ourselves by how often we are taking people out of their natural contexts, such as work, home, school, the marketplace, etc. so that they can have "church" experiences; and move to judging ourselves by how effectively we are equipping one another to minister and serve IN their natural contexts, like at their job, in their marriage, on their campus, with their neighbor, and other arenas of life. Wouldn’t this be a more common sense, real-life approach?

While many conventional churches work to avoid what are called "growth barriers" (those obstacles to certain levels of congregation size), simple churches are most effective when they are working to overcome "impact barriers" (obstacles that interfere with missional living in various real-life contexts). We want to address what it is that is preventing us from making an impact in our community and our ordinary, everyday lives.

It is also important to realize that bigger is not always better, and 'mega' is not always the ideal. The truth is that Jesus usually had much more intimate interactions with people. The early churches that we know of in the New Testament met in homes mostly. There is a connection between 2 or 3 (or 12 or a household) and spiritual growth. In other words, my argument is that a group of 4-5 believers that are effectively serving in their world and living out their faith on mission is as effective and biblical (perhaps, more) than a church of 400-500 attendees that is doing little more than showing up for services.

Recommended Resource

As a follow-up to this week’s Feature Focus and my interview with Lorie Goggin, I want to be sure you all know how to find out more about RESET Mentoring and support, or connect with, this awesome ministry.

Follow Reset on Facebook.

Explore the Volunteer Opportunities with Reset.

What’s Up?

PRAYERS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

I share one of my “Prayers for Everyday Life” in the audio recording of this issue.

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Feature Focus

In issue #6 of this Marc’s Minutes newsletter, I featured part 1 of the article entitled, It Is Good to Question. I encourage you to go back and read or listen to that if you haven’t already.

Today, I share Part 2. As I have said before, “Unquestioned answers are often more dangerous than unanswered questions.”

Curiosity. Questioning. Reflection. These are essentials to spiritual and personal growth.

Here is an excerpt from part 2 of “It is Good To Question”:

Whether Jesus was interacting with religious authorities, His own disciples, disabled individuals, government officials, men or women, He could meet them where they were and take them somewhere else at the same time with just a question. His questions were differentiated to apply to their unique situation because of who they were, and His questions also demonstrated a supernatural capacity to lift them above their circumstances because of who He was. … Jesus was exceptional at asking the right questions in the right ways.

The full post is actually short, but it contains a very practical way to use the questions of Jesus in your own devotional or prayer time. I did this over a period of several months and it was great.

Check out the article here.

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

EVERY MEMBER FUNCTIONING (Participatory Model)

Today we look at another principle behind the strategies for simple church meetings or gatherings.

In the movie Patch Adams, the main character (played by the late Robin Williams), declares his belief that every person is both a doctor and a patient. Likewise, we believe every person is a teacher and a learner. Based on the "priesthood of believers" philosophy presented in the New Testament, it is appropriate to expect each follower of Christ to be both giving and receiving ministry. The goal is to focus on a participatory model that involves and engages everyone (all ages included) as much as possible.

This may differ significantly from some people's perception of "church" if it has been shaped by an experience of an identified clergy (pastor, priest, worship leader, etc.) preaching to a mostly passive audience during a church service. While that can be effective and very beneficial at times, in my opinion, it should not be the norm as all parts of the "body" are needed to contribute for healthy growth and true service to occur.

There are no spectators. (Keep in mind that levels of participation will naturally vary for any number of factors just like they would in any family activities. The point here is not that every person is equally active in every meeting at all times, but that the structure itself is not meant for a hierarchical system where one person leading the group is the norm.)

Recommended Resource

Instead of sharing a resource in this issue, I just want to take a moment to thank our Veterans. Serving in the military is a sacrifice that I have not personally made. I am grateful and appreciative of those who have demonstrated that level of discipline and bravery to serve our country in this capacity.

I frankly wish we were in fewer military conflicts around the world, but that in no way diminishes my respect and admiration for the men and women serving our nation through the armed forces. To my friends and relatives who are Veterans, thank you!

Regardless of the political and social challenges we face, I am still very proud to be an American! Our freedom is precious. Happy Veterans Day!

What’s Up?

PRAYERS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

I share one of my “Prayers for Everyday Life” in the audio recording of this issue. This one is called “The DMV.”

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

* We have a new YouTube channel! (Just getting it off the ground.)

* Online community coming soon!

* Online courses coming soon!

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Feature Focus

Here is PART TWO of my conversation with Lindsay. She helps me understand another perspective on how young adults are finding their voice, how they have been affected by the school system and church along their journey, and what they believe about God’s voice.

Please send me your feedback on Substack or any of our media platforms and let me know what you think of these interviews.

If you missed part 1, you can find it at the link below.

You can also go to YouTube and watch the entire interview in one episode.

Much appreciation and gratitude to Lindsay for participating in this interview!

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

The D.N.A. of the Church

Today, we are doing something a little different. Instead of sharing a specific strategy, I want to share a principle that is the foundation for many of the strategies we do share here. The credit for this concept goes to Neil Cole who originally fleshed it out about 20 years ago in his book, Organic Church, which is really one of the best and most basic introductions to church being done simply.

The idea is that the church, meaning the body of Christ, as Jesus developed and explained it, is made up of essential “DNA.” These three elements are present in any genuine faith community, and you don’t need other components added on to make it “real church.”

* DIVINE TRUTH: It is important and necessary for people to interact with the Word (Jesus) and word (Bible) directly themselves. Additional curriculum or resources may be beneficial supplements at times, but should never replace direct engagement with the "curriculum" already divinely provided.

* NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS: Face-to-face fellowship where everyone has an opportunity to interact and participate is important so that all members of the group can build up, learn from, and minister to one another.

* APOSTOLIC (ACTIVE) MISSION: Our identity as the church comes from the fact that we are empowered and sent by God to bring a specific message to the world around us. The purpose of any true church does not end with how they treat the people in their group but also includes how they are representing God to those outside of the group.

If you read or hear these aspects and think to yourself, Wait a minute! I have these already with my family or friends. These don’t require me to “go to church.”, then you get it! Services and structures that we have made may be supplemental at times to our faith, but they are not necessary to produce it like this DNA.

Recommended Resource

One of the hot-button issues that gets a strong reaction from most people is DEI, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. A major component of DEI initiatives is often an effort to promote anti-racism. Some people hear these words and are immediately triggered (another word we like to use a lot these days), but there is a way to engage in civil, honest, productive dialogue around these issues. Believe it or not! The key is finding the right people who are willing to listen to diverse voices and perspectives, and who also have the platform to influence many others.

One of those people is Chloe Valdary, and my recommended resource is her Theory of Enchantment. If this is a topic of interest for you, or if you are skeptical of programs that address this topic, I suggest checking out some of her work. I have a thorough write-up about the Theory of Enchantment and Chloe’s approach here.

What I will briefly share here is that I have been exposed to a variety of DEI programs and equity initiatives over the past few years, which I outline here, and Ms. Valdary’s work is unique in this field. The philosophy, if you will, behind the Theory of Enchantment is based on three principles.

Principle 1: Remember that We are human beings, not political abstractions.

Principle 2: Criticize to uplift and empower, never to tear down or to destroy.

Principle 3: Root everything you do in love and compassion.

What’s Up?

PRAYERS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

I share one of my “Prayers for Everyday Life” in the audio recording of this issue.

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

* We have a new YouTube channel! (Just getting it off the ground.)

* Online community coming soon!

* Online courses coming soon!

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Feature Focus

My special guest, Lindsay, joins me to continue our podcast series on Voice. How are young adults finding their voice, how has the school system and church affected that journey, and does God have a voice? We get another perspective on these questions from Lindsay.

Lindsay’s interview is divided into two parts on the podcast. However, the entire interview can be viewed on YouTube as one complete interview. Part 2 of the audio interview for the podcast will be released soon. Hope you enjoy it and remember to like the episode or send me feedback.

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

Today’s strategy is the BYE BYE BLESSING. You can certainly come up with a less cheesy name, but the simple point with this practice is to close out any meeting or gathering with a chance for people to voice out loud how they were blessed, encouraged, challenged, or inspired by another person in the gathering.

EXAMPLES:

* I was really moved by Hannah’s story. Thanks for sharing it.

* I appreciate the question Simon asked about… It made me think I might not be crazy because I have been confused by the same thing.

* I learned something new from Kaitlyn.

* Thanks, Josh, for praying for me earlier.

As with all of these strategies, we want to reinforce the reproducibility of any of these practices to show that it is the body of Christ, with all of its members, at work to produce growth and health. People can often underestimate their impact on others and this “bye-bye blessing” to just take a brief moment before everyone scatters can help ordinary people, like you and me, realize we are making a difference. It is one more small way to counter the mindset that you have to be a professional theologian or clergy to be able to share profound spiritual insights.

Recommended Resource

With the terrible events unfolding in the Middle East, I am reminded this week of the work of Carl Medearis. Instead of sharing one recommended resource, I invite you to check out any of the books, articles, or video courses offered on his website.

What’s Up?

PRAYERS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

I share one of my “Prayers for Everyday Life” in the audio recording of this issue.

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Feature Focus

Unquestioned answers are often more dangerous than unanswered questions. This is something I truly believe, especially when it comes to faith and religion.

Closer Than You Think is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The key to great learning and spiritual development can be found in our questions. Check out part one of this article I wrote on the power of questions. I hope you find something practical that you can use in your life.

Let me know what you think of “It Is Good To Question” (part 1). Here is an excerpt to get you started:

Few things in the Bible paint so clear a picture of our condition as the questions we ask. In encounters with Jesus, people asked questions that revealed their religious tendencies, meaning their inclination to judge, impose upon others, label, categorize, and be superficial. Examples of questions that are asked with impure motives, absent of genuine curiosity, include:

* Why does he (Jesus) eat with tax collectors and sinners?

* Why do your disciples break the law on the Sabbath?

* Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating food with unclean hands?

* Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?

* Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

We find a pattern of religion in these kinds of questions. They are posed with the intent to change the other, not oneself. They deal with who is in or out, labeling people as superior or inferior based on what they do. The above inquiries seek black-and-white answers that maintain a hierarchy. Their intention is to establish rules for how the “in crowd” lives while making everyone else subordinate. There may be something valuable in some of these questions, but true enlightenment is not the impetus for asking questions in this manner.

Find a better and more useful way of asking questions in the rest of the article here.

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

POTLUCKS

This one is a quick and easy suggestion for any small group or simple church or house church gathering. It is always great to have food when you can. The best fellowship and bonding and learning often happen around a table while sharing a meal.

The key to keeping it simple and easily reproducible is to share the responsibility for meal prep. Avoid making it one person’s job to prepare a full meal and avoid the habit of having the host do all the work. Each person brings a small dish or a snack.

This way individuals can choose what to bring and account for their own food allergies and preferences. In the groups and church meetings I have been a part of since leaving the institutional church, we have never required anyone to bring anything. This is an important component, as well. As much as possible, you want to make everything optional and always allow people to participate at their comfort level.

Good food. Good meat. Good God. Let’s eat. Potlucks!

Recommended Resource

For this issue, I am actually recommending a resource that my very own simple church group is reviewing together in the coming weeks. It is a podcast series from Tim Mackie, one of the founders of The Bible Project, called Exploring My Strange Bible.

For so many of us, the Old Testament is a confusing piece of ancient writing. Without some basic understanding of context and writing styles of the original authors, we don’t see any relevance to the teachings of Jesus or to our own lives today.

Tim Mackie is one of the best at opening up Scripture so that it becomes easier to understand while still maintaining its complexity and literary genius. This particular recommended resource is a free podcast (3-part series), which offers a crash course on the Torah. You will learn what Jesus and the apostles thought of this section of the Hebrew Bible and how they used it to present the good news about what God is really like.

If you are a Christian wanting to deepen your appreciation of the story of the Bible or if you are a skeptic who is tired of hearing some Christians quote Scriptures and turn them into cliches and platitudes, then I think you will enjoy, and benefit from, Mackie’s series.

What’s Up?

I’m turning the tables this time. Instead of saying what’s up with me and Closer Than You Think, I would like to hear what’s up with you.

What is a question you have about faith, God, Christianity, etc. that has always bugged you?

Superhero Support

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Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

* We have a new YouTube channel! (Just getting it off the ground.)

* Online community coming soon!

* Online courses coming soon!

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Feature Focus

My special guest, Simon, joins me to continue our podcast series on Voice. How are young adults finding their voice, how has the school system and church affected that journey, and does God have a voice? We get another perspective on these questions in this episode.

Listen to the whole episode!

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

Today’s strategy is SENTENCE PRAYERS. Keep in mind the whole point of these strategies is to offer simple, easily reproducible ways that someone can create meaningful, spiritual connections. We don’t want to water down our faith experiences, but we do want to recognize that they don’t have to be complicated events that require professional religious officials to facilitate them.

One thing I have observed over the years is a huge reluctance by most people to pray in front of others out of fear. People often don’t feel they will pray correctly or they will sound silly. This is unfortunate, but completely understandable given our traditional church structures and practices. This strategy is one more way to counteract the apprehension, keep it very simple, and still have meaningful prayer (even if it only takes seconds to do).

The strategy is to simply pray one sentence. Here are some helpful prompts:

* God, give me more _____ today. (Fill in the blank with a fruit of the Spirit or character trait, such as joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, or grace.)

* Lord, I feel _____ right now because….

* God, one person I hope you bless today is _____.

* Lord, thank you for my _____. (Examples: Thank you for my wife. Thank you for my job. Thank you for my lungs. Thank you for my co-worker’s great idea for our company. Thank you for my air conditioning.)

It literally only takes a moment, but it is not without profound meaning because it still requires personal reflection.

Recommended Resource

My recommended resource is related to my previous Marc’s Minute “Feature Focus” on God’s Will. It is a FREE book available from Frank Viola, called Rethinking the Will of God. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It is short, easy to read, and absolutely FREE!

What’s Up?

PRAYERS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

Just for fun, I will occasionally be sharing “Prayers for Everyday Life.” These are brief thoughts and prayers of a modified spoken word variety. I am doing this mostly because I need to exercise the muscle of risk-taking with creativity, and it helps me express thoughts and feelings in a different way. I welcome your comments and invite anyone to share their own “prayers for everyday life.”

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Feature Focus

How do we figure out God’s will?

The focus of this issue is a post I wrote one year ago that helps us answer this question, but probably not in the way you have usually heard it answered. I hope you take a few minutes to read or listen to the article and let me know your thoughts.

This is a topic near and dear to my heart because I think we have inadvertently led many young people astray with our advice about what God wants them to do with their lives.

Here is an excerpt:

“I want to know God’s will for my life.” Have you heard someone express that sentiment? Have you thought it yourself? The Church has been happy to answer this question for people. We have books, sermons, and resources telling us how to find God’s will, answer God’s call, and live in such a way that we miss neither.

The problem is the popular notion of answering God’s call or finding God’s will is so strongly tied to our contemporary condition of occupation obsession. We live in a context that has young citizens go to school for years where they have to decide on a career path for life. Then, they go off to college and spend tons of money to specialize in a particular field of study. We are hyper-focused on having everyone figure out their career, and what they will do for the next 40 years, and this context drives our teaching on God’s will.

What we end up with is a series of conversations about whether it is God’s will for a person to be a doctor or a teacher, to attend this university or that university, to devote their lives to this occupation or that one. There are enough current sociological reasons why this is unwise, including the fact that the job market is ever-changing and many of the jobs young people will occupy may not even exist yet. Thanks to technological advances, more work is remote and the workforce is more mobile, switching from one role to another or from one company to another more often. Also, there is the proven fact that our metrics for ranking students and colleges (grade point average, SAT tests, college ranking reports, etc.) are all based on misleading, inaccurate junk data. For these reasons alone, we should abandon much of how we direct young people to discern God’s will for their lives.

But I am here to argue an even more significant reason. God doesn’t work this way. It is bad theology from the start. All the problems listed above are society’s problems in general, but this concern is ours as Christians to resolve. Pastors, teachers, parents, and youth leaders, we can and must do better.

Read or listen to the rest of the article here.

Keep It Simple Strategy

If you are meeting with friends, in small groups, or just working on your own faith journey, then check out this week’s simple and reproducible practice tip that you can try anytime. Remember, you can always find many more FREE materials at Grace In Motion.

PRESCRIPTION vs. DESCRIPTION

Today’s simple and reproducible tip that you can apply anytime you are reading something in the Bible, whether you are alone or in a group Bible study, is to ask the question, “Is this PREscriptive or DEscriptive?”

It is important to note that most, or all, of the letters in the New Testament are occasional letters, meaning there was an occasion, or cause, for them to be written. None of the writings occurred in a vacuum, but rather each is responding to a very particular context. With that in mind, just because something is being described for us to know what happened then does not always mean it is being prescribed for us to know what should happen now.

In fact, more often than not, that is probably not the case. Most of the issues we encounter warrant more research and deeper reflection than just plucking verses or stories out of the Bible and saying, “See, this is what we should do. The Bible says so!” That can actually be a dismissive way of handling such a sophisticated historical and spiritual text as the Bible.

Recommended Resource

What’s Up?

Join my Chat!

https://closerthanyouthink.substack.com/publish/post/136224048

Superhero Support

You can use your superpowers to serve and bless others while supporting the work of CTYT. The quick and easy thing to do is SUBSCRIBE or SHARE.

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here are other ideas…

* Write a guest post. (Contact me in the comments about having your own writing featured in a future CTYT post.)

* Join me for a podcast episode. (I’m always looking for people to interview and chat with.)

* Leave feedback in the comments.

* Follow CTYT on Instagram.

* Follow Marc on Twitter.

* Buy the book: YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT

* Like our Facebook page.

* We have a new YouTube channel! (Just getting it off the ground.)

* Online community coming soon!

* Online courses coming soon!

Thank you for reading Closer Than You Think. This post is public so feel free to share it.