The Vine Madison

The three core values of the Vine Church are gospel, community, and mission.  Discipleship—following Jesus' example and adhering to him—involves living out all three.  

Jonathan Parnell has a great excerpt on discipleship from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor who deeply followed Christ in the midst of Nazi Germany, even to the point of death: 

Discipleship means adherence to Christ, and, because Christ is the object of that adherence, it must take the form of discipleship.

An abstract Christology, a doctrinal system, a general religious knowledge on the subject of grace or on the forgiveness of sins, render discipleship superfluous, and in fact they positively exclude any idea of discipleship whatever, and are essentially inimical [or hostile] to the whole conception of following Christ.

With an abstract idea it is possible to enter into a relation of formal knowledge, to become enthusiastic about it, and perhaps even to put it into practice; but it can never be followed in personal obedience.

Christianity without the living Christ is inevitably Christianity without discipleship, and Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.

 

Continuing the same theme of racial reconciliation that Zach Nielsen explored in his sermon this week, what is it like to be a part of a church in a multi-ethnic neighborhood?  The above clip shows a glimpse of a new church plant in Seattle's Rainier Valley, one of the most ethnically diverse regions in the country, but also a neighborhood stricken with poverty, crime, and other social problems.

Deacon Danny Chi remarks about the church's diversity:

We’re not here to be diversified just to be diversified. That’s what the world wants. But the difference between the world and us is that we want to be multi-ethnic and multi-cultural because Jesus has a heart for that.

Indeed, there is a great temptation within us to keep our churches "safe", which often leads intentionally or unintentionally to monoculture.  Much like the ancient city of Babel, we can fail by creating an atmosphere of exclusion beyond our four walls, erecting within our hearts a tower to the testament of our own superiority.

Jesus' heart for the church is the exact opposite—welcoming in "aliens and strangers" and "breaking down the dividing wall of hostility" (Ephesians 2)—so that all peoples of all colors and tongues might be welcomed in to celebrate God come down to be with his people.

This past Sunday, Zach Nielsen shared in his message on racial reconciliation that there are no grounds for racial superiority, because all men and women of all races and ethnicities are each created in the image and likeness of God.

Kim Riddlebarger, pastor at Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, explores in more detail the deeper implications of what it means to be an "image-bearer" of God:

Because all men and women are divine image-bearers we are truly like God, and we possess all of the so-called communicable attributes of God–albeit in creaturely form and measure. This is what constitutes us as “human” beings, distinct from and superior in moral and rational capabilities to the animal kingdom. In fact, the creation of Adam and Eve marks the high point of the creation account (Genesis 1:28-31), as God pronounced the first man Adam to be “very good.”

The ramifications of the fact that we are divine image bearers are multifaceted and profound…

This is the thread that ties us all together.... the love of God in Christ.

Go to this link for some great Bible reading plans for the year 2012.

(HT: Justin Taylor at Gospel Coalition)