Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Chapter 22: More Identity, Less Method

I DENTITY IS A powerful force. The Jewish people had identity as the people of God. They had a family history that connected them to God, with centuries of stories about heroic feats of faith, as well as dismal acts of cowardice (sometimes by the same people). This deep-rooted identity allowed the Church to be established as a continuation of that history. The Gentiles could be grafted into the tree because there were already roots that went deep into the ground of history. When the roots of identity are shallow, Christians can become confused about who they are, where they came from, and where they are going. When this happens, they often revert to methods, which is why the Traditional, Pragmatic, and Emerging methods have become so popular. Throughout history, when the Church has forgotten its Sacred Roots , methods have been emphasized, resulting in Jesus being cropped from the picture . By finding identity in the Story, a church can stay clear of the perils of the Traditional, Pragmatic, and Emerging methods (see Figure 21). Also, with a few adjustments, the Traditional, Pragmatic, and Emerging methods can retain many of their positive qualities and continue to enjoy their distinct practices and heritage. Liberating The Traditional Method The primary difficulty for Traditionals is to realize they can embrace the Great Tradition without being disloyal to their commitments to the Bible and the Cross . In other words, embracing the Church’s Sacred Roots

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