JESUS THE LORD

There continues to be the assumption that we North Americans all think the same. This impacts our gospel presentation and what we are asking people to accept in our twenty-first century culture. We want people to accept our Lord, instead of THE Lord. In my movement we want people to become excellent Wesleyans, as if that is the hallmark of a Christ-follower.

It is our perspective that a genuine follower of Christ will exhibit the characteristics of a Wesleyan. Any conduct outside those parameters is questionable. I believe other movements encounter the same holy delusion. We do need to honor our chosen denominational heritages, but not at the expense of sequestering Jesus in our limited understanding of Christ followership.

Charles Van Engen in his book, Mission on the Way, states: “…to confess with one’s mouth and believe in one’s heart Jesus is Lord---that is all there is. Nothing else really matters. All else is to be held lightly. Everything else is negotiable. Thus when we call people of other cultures and faith to confess ‘Jesus is Lord,’ it is not our Jesus (exclusivist), nor is it a Jesus (pluralist), nor is it amorphous idea of Jesus Christ (inclusivist). Rather, it is Jesus the Lord, who calls for conversion and transformation of all who confess his name.”

He brings to the fore that the gospel story calls for biblical conversion and transformation apart from any “other” perspective imposed additions, or traditions. The call is to radical Jesus Lordship, not denominational Lordship. A particular movement may help us refine our commitment to Christ, but it must never define it. And therein lies the challenge.