People often ask us what the Core Christianity is all about. Since it has been a year now that we have been writing for Core Christianity, the staff thought it would be helpful to share with you, our readers, a little bit about our inside discussions, our goals, and our hopes.
So, what is Core Christianity? Well, its part apologetics and part theology. It's about giving an answer for the hope we have as Christians, and it's about learning to understand God and his world. We like to deal with the joys, struggles, difficult/confusing questions, and challenges of life. We want to help people understand what God is doing right in the middle of this disorienting world. Discover seeks to share a robust Christianity with every person.
At Discover, we address the challenges. We address our tendency to mistake the story of Gods saving work for a story of our own achievement and success. We also address Gods story, the gospel, the glory of Christ, the wonder of the Trinity, and the promise of a new creation. Basically, we write theology and we try to make it as relevant and accessible as possible.
This world distorts a right perspective.
As days, weeks, and years pass, life can feel pointless, like we're just chasing after the wind (Eccles. 1:14). We know that God gives our lives meaning and purpose. Still, even with God at the center of our lives, we often feel overtaken by the mundane: a thankless job, a troubled church, family strife, addiction, death, sickness, or money problems.
Even when life seems to be going well, we sense that there must be something more than wealth, success, and respect. The rewards for worldly success, more often than not, lead to loneliness. Does God have anything to say to this? What is Gods response to twenty-first century people who are confused and disoriented in our fast-paced culture? We think God has a lot to say about real life – its tragedies and challenges.
Here are a few of our posts that tackle challenges facing people today:
- Why Are Christians So Intolerant?
- 5 Reasons Why Faith and Science Are Compatible
- 6 Reasons Why Porn Is Not Harmless
- Is It a Sin to Drink Alcohol?
- Why Is Christianity So Close-Minded and Exclusive?
- What God Has to Say about Lemons and Lemonade
We tend to mistake Gods story for a story of self-improvement.
God has spoken to us in our struggle and to our needs, but sometimes we fail to recognize his answer because we have mistaken Gods story for a story of moral improvement. People come to Gods Word looking to fit God into their lives: How does the Bible address my situation? Where is God in the midst of all my suffering? Without understanding Gods gracious purpose in history, it's easy to produce bad answers to good questions.
Since Adam and Eves rebellion at the beginning of history, humans have sought to live by the story of their achievements, successes, failures, or losses. In our confusion, we can twist the Bible to invent a religion of self-improvement and good morals. Instead, we need to realize that the Bible addresses us in ways we have never imagined, and God has spoken in ways we could never have invented. God speaks amazing words of grace in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here are a few of our posts that display Gods grace:
- Say No to Cheap Grace
- Grace Is Disruptive
- When I Don't Feel Thankful
- 4 Ways Christ Conquers Our Fears
- 3 Things to Know about Union with Christ
- The Prince Who Came to Serve
God desires that we discover his story, the gospel, in everyday life.
Much of the Bible is in story form, and these stories are true. They reveal Gods work in the past, they explain his work in the present, and they display his promise for the future. Gods Word reflects what God is doing in history. Through the Bible, God shows us our place in the world he created. To find yourself in Gods story is to come to understand what God is doing in your life, in the church, and in the worldGod wants us to see that we are participants in his work of salvation and new creation.
Here are a few of our posts that show how we can participate in Gods mercy and grace:
- What Does It Mean to Be a Christian, Really?
- Why Does the Trinity Matter?
- Church Is Boring
- Growing Up Christian in Secular America
- How to Talk to Skeptics and Atheists
We hope that you will discover yourselves in Gods story.
When we discover ourselves in Gods story, we come to understand that God is with us through pain and pleasure, confusion and confidence, doubt and dependence. God is the one who is at work in the world to save it. God is the one who has promised to gather a people from all over the world, from every tribe, tongue, and nation to know him and be known, to love him and be loved, and to worship him forever. Jesus himself told his disciples:
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:1820)
Here are a few of our posts dealing with church, missions, or worship:
- 5 Overlooked Gifts of the Spirit
- 6 Things to Do to Help Your Kids Get Church
- Gods Church Has a Mission
- What Is a Sacrament?
- 12 Reasons I Love My Smaller Church
If you like what you have read, please share it. Our writing is for people who are lost, lonely, weak, suffering, tired, searching, or just plain bored. If this is you, or if this is your neighbor, we hope that our writing can benefit Gods cause in the worldGods mission to redeem a people for his joy and our delight.
This is Gods story. He invites us to discover our lives in it. Our hope is that you would come to understand Gods purpose for your life, the church, and his mission to redeem a people to the glory of his name.