Last week during The Nines webinar/conference Brian McLaren (not someone I usually get much from) said, “The Gospel is not an evacuation plan but a transformation plan.” It something that has stuck with me for a week.
Yesterday I was thinking about the difference between Western and Eastern Christianity theologies. We in the west are very good about recognizing the vast gap between man and God. I mean look at the title of my blog: “man of depravity.” The depravity of man is something that western theology believes in to the core. Eastern theology focuses more on God transforming man and the subsequent unity that man and God experience in relationship.
American Christianity focuses a lot on the gospel being an evacuation plan; when everything falls a part we have the way for you to get to safety (heaven). We are depraved, there exists a large gap between us and God, so we need a way to be evacuated from our decrepit state.
But I think a good understanding of the gospel also realizes that it is a transformation plan. Jesus in the “The Lord’s Prayer” says “on earth as it is in heaven.” God has transformed us to be able to experience unity with him, so in turn we bless the earth in order that they might experience the same thing.
Not many pastors are preaching on that though.
