Faith | Chad Gibbs

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Rally to Restore Unity

May 2, 2011 in Faith, General with 0 Comments

I like Rachel Held Evans, in part because her name is a complete sentence, but also because she is talented writer who thoughtfully wrestles with some of the more difficult questions in Christianity. This week Rachel is holding a virtual rally on her blog. It’s just like a real rally, with signs and guest speakers, but without the porta potties. It’s being called The Rally to Restore Unity, and the goal is to, “lightheartedly combat some of the vitriol coming from the online Christian community by unabashedly ripping off Jon Stewart, working together to solve the water problem, and proving once and for all that we can have a sense of humor about non-essential theological differences.” I hope you’ll go visit Rachel’s blog and participate in the rally, and if you can donate to Charity:Water

Wisdom and Stature

April 27, 2011 in Faith with 8 Comments

I’ve always been fascinated by these questions, not because I believe they are important, but because I enjoy discussing things that probably can’t be answered. Luke says, “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”, and it was the ‘grew in wisdom’ part that always got me thinking.

We are taught that Jesus was fully God and fully man. In what sense do you think Jesus knew he was fully God, and when do you think he knew it? Obviously as a child Jesus said he was about his father’s business, but do you think at that moment he had all the wisdom of God? At the age of 8 do you think he could have aced a Calculus 3 quiz, or do you think he knew Auburn would win the 2010 National Championship? What about when he was 30? Continue Reading…

Good Friday

April 22, 2011 in Faith with 3 Comments

Last night we went to the Maundy Thursday service at our church, and sometime during the evening it dawned on me that I am 33-years-old, the same age Jesus was when he went to the cross, and to be honest, it freaked me out a bit. I thought back to the day I turned thirty, and remembered how I freaked out then too. Not because I had lived another decade, but because I was the same age Jesus was when he began his public ministry. Continue Reading…

A Higher Calling

April 20, 2011 in Faith, Sports with 12 Comments

Does God call some to be professional athletes? I understand sports stars have an incredible platform, and ten percent off those salaries is a hefty tithe, but the world of pro sports just seem like a spiritual wasteland. The temptations of money, sex, and drugs are probably second only to the temptations faced by rock stars. These days I almost assume athletes are bad people until they prove me wrong, which is my fault not theirs, but it’s hard to watch SportsCenter and not think that way.

What is Truth

April 13, 2011 in Faith with 17 Comments

I read the other day that C.S. Lewis considered the Book of Job unhistorical, and this got me thinking, which isn’t always a good thing. Jesus said, ‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’ I’m no theologian, but I assume this means we can look to the Gospels and get a pretty good sense of what God the Father is like through the life of Jesus. Jesus told stories to teach us. Or at least I suspect they were stories. I don’t think anyone claims the parable of the ten virgins was about ten virgins Jesus actually knew. So that being said, could one assume God the Father uses stories to teach us as well? Would it be out of character for God to inspire an ancient writer to pen a story that, while not historical, still teaches us a lesson? Or should one consider all Old Testament stories historical fact, and why?

You’re the Inspiration

April 5, 2011 in Faith with 37 Comments

I suppose there is a book out there that changed your life. A book you have bought multiple copies of to give away. You probably have dog-eared copy sitting on your night stand right now. For many it is Desiring God by John Piper. For others it is Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Or maybe for you it was a C.S. Lewis book, or Rob Bell, or Mark Driscoll. Point is, most of us have a book, besides the Bible, that greatly impacted our relationship with God. Continue Reading…

You’ve Got Mail

March 30, 2011 in Faith with 30 Comments

“…and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Chris Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:15-17 Continue Reading…

Seeing the Unseen

March 23, 2011 in Faith with 5 Comments

What do you see when you pray? In your mind’s eye, how do you picture God? Usually for me it’s the standard: old man, white hair, white beard, robe. Why is that? And does that say something about me and my relationship with the Almighty. It’s not something we are ever really taught to do, but we aren’t taught not too either. In fact of all the sermons I’ve heard on prayer, I don’t recall one ever telling me how I’m suppose to picture God, or if I even should. At times I try and not see the old man version of God, and picture a bright light or something, but that never lasts long, and soon the old man is back. Continue Reading…