New Wine, New Wineskins

New Wine, New Wineskins: http://www.new-wineskins.org/

NW is a program of Multnomah Seminary to build a "Theology of Engagement with Culture." I went to an introductory meeting today. Two Profs spoke as well as a few of the student leaders. Dr. Metzger described the following story for a speaking event at Portland State University in a lecture on paranormal psychology:

(Paraphrase, but written as if in the first person):
I spoke to a class at PSU on evangelicalism and presented the basic message of the Bible, discussed some of the misunderstandings of Scripture that resulted in some of the "problems" that many people have with Christianity. During this whole time, one young woman in the class was loudly conversing with others and making remarks during the talk which really angered me. After the 25 minute presentation, she was the first to ask a question, "Do you think you're better than me." After some time to collect myself to contain my anger (because of her apparent inattention during the talk), I asked if there was something in my talk that made it sound as if I thought that way. Her reply was that she was a sinner, and not a part of the "club" that goes to heaven. (More on this story later).

This seemed to me (this is Derek talking now!) as a very difficult question and I wondered how I would take the question and respond positively. We discussed this quite a bit with many students saying that they would apologize on behalf of the church for those who may have made her feel that way along with some carefully crafted language about free will, etc. However, Dr. Metzger had an interested response (to the effect of), "Christ has freely given an invitation that anyone can accept." His response is that there is no "club" that has a restricted membership.

The end of the story finds the young woman conversing with Dr. Metzger and some of the students from Multnomah who came and at one point after hearing the gospel responded, "that's all you have to do?" What a tremendous witness!

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: "We should not only look at what Jesus said/did, but at what He became: a servant!" --Dr. Harper

-Derek