Jon Goodwin

Fruit>Power – Jesus said it.

Jesus did not desire to overturn Roman rule.  He desired to overthrow the throne of your heart.  The overthrow of the throne of your heart would then lead to a radical transformation of your life.  His Kingship, though internal, would manifest itself outwardly.  The fruit of this would then be seen, heard, and felt.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control would all be present.  At the same time outbursts of anger and an argumentative spirit would be among things that would no longer be present because the fruit that was produced would eventually choke out these poisons.  

In world where it still appears as though Rome is ruling, does it appear to those who are watching you that Jesus is ruling you?  

There were attempts made to take Jesus and make Him king.  Whenever His followers pursued influence over holiness Jesus always countered with correction.  Domination and power over are never the goals of the kingdom of God.  It is power under.  As we live a life under the influence of our King and we allow His influence to permeate every facet of life and flow forth in such a way that the aforementioned fruit becomes available and accessible to all who come in contact with us.  

If you spend all your time guarding your garden, your vegetables will eventually get choked out by weeds. True, birds, rabbits and rodents might never eat your fruit but guess what?  If you spend all your time tending your garden, weeding it, watering it, pruning it, you will also not have the birds, rabbits, and rodents eating your crop?  Why?  Because you are also present.  Yet at the same time, you will produce way more fruit.  Simply put, if your whole life is spent watching for evils to fight versus cultivating the good around you that you can control, your fruit production will always suffer.  At the same time those around you will suffer because God in His providence has called you to produce His fruit and give it away to those He has put in your path.  

Jon Goodwin

Brokenness>anger, fear, and judgment

Jonas Salk is quoted with “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.”  When I read this quote, I can’t help but ask the question: where has the hope gone.  

Years ago, I did a sermon series and through the series I included the following big idea: for, not against.  With the idea that the church world needed to be known more for what they were for than what they were against.  I fear that we are living in times when this is often not the case.  Sadly, much of the church world has taken their cues not from the Scriptures but rather they have taken their cues from culture and politics.  I fear that many Christian leaders may have replaced time in their studies with time spent with their favorite cable news commentor.  We must get back to the place where we, like John Wesley, strive to be known as men and women of one book and not men and women of one political persuasion.

I was born in 1979 and grew up in the height of the purity culture and culture wars.  Like many in that era who were from the more conservative persuasion, there was a time when I was a disciple of Dr. James Dobson and Rush Limbaugh.  When I was in my 20’s I tuned both of them out.  I distinctly remember the day that I was at work and had Rush Limbaugh playing in the garage bay that I was working in.  I was struck with the thought; all Rush did was make me angry.  I was not full of compassion as Jesus was when He surveyed Jerusalem and wept over those who never get it.  I was just mad because people were living like they would never get it.  

With Dr. Dobson it was different.  I have fond memories of things that came from his organization like “Adventures in Odessey” and the recommended book for my wife and I, “The Strong Willed Child.”  At the same time, when I think of Dr. Dobson, I have a much different perspective than many.  I know this will upset many but again please remember I am sharing my perspective that I gained as a youth.  It is one that I have carried with me since the 80’s when Christian’s began reading every label in the grocery store to make sure they were boycotting the proper company.  This stuck with me.  Dobson to me, even as a child, represented a voice that typically sounded kind but took every opportunity he could to point how the church was under attack.  During this time, his views were tied directly to politicians.  For many people of my generation, we grew up believing a politician, not Jesus, was the hope of America.  Some of you probably even had a friend or relative that had a picture of Ronald Reagan somewhere in their home and every two years you got a voting guide that was either mailed to your home or passed out in your church.  This voting guide told you exactly how to vote and somewhere in the process you were told, this is the most important election ever. 

In the mid to late 90’s there was a season where I attended a King James only Independent Fundamental Baptist Church.  Here, protecting the 1611 KJV Bible was seen as more important than protecting anything else.  Some refer to this not as King James only but King James ugly.  There was an ugliness that existed in this isolationist cult-like corner of Christendom.  I believe they truly love Jesus, and they truly will be in heaven someday but when they get there, they will be shocked to find that St. Peter isn’t going to be speaking the King’s English at the pearly gates.  They will be equally as shocked when they realize that the worship in heaven might include cymbals and won’t be a collection of their favorite hymns.  The most shocking of all is that they will encounter not just fundamental Baptists in heaven but will worship with people that they thought would never be there.  They would see Lutherans, Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, Charismatics, Wesleyans and others.  While my first question to Jesus might be, “can you introduce me to your mom,” they will be asking “why are all these reprobates in heaven?”  This may sound harsh but what I learned in this period of my life was that everyone was wrong and liberal but us.  

I no longer ask Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Dobson, or Independent Fundamental Baptists for their opinions when I seek to engage with the world around me.  I now ask Jesus.  I look to the character, actions, and words of my Savior.  Limbaugh made me angry, Dobson made me scared, and the Fundy’s made me judgmental.  Jesus provides another path.  I am now full of hope.  I am now more compassionate.  I am now more patient.  I am now more forgiving.  I am now more loving.  I hope that I am now more like Jesus.  

Above all, I am heartbroken. 

I routinely pray that I would resemble Jesus who went up on the mountain top that overlooked Jerusalem and wept.  Even though Jesus knew that the people in the city below would viciously murder Him, He wept over their spiritual condition and the future that awaited them.  He wanted better for them.  Ultimately, this broken heart, drove Him to walk back down that mountainside, walk back into Jerusalem, and walk to the cross where He would be crucified to pay for the sins of His executioners and others.  There He would declare, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

I find heartbreak is a much better place to live out my life than anger.  Heartbroken people tend to live lives determined to heal where anger when it sits long enough often only creates wounds and division.  Jesus, the Great Physician, offers healing where much of His church offers outrage.  He offers hope where those who claim to follow Him often offer judgement.  

Friends, let’s not forget, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood.”  When we do, our outrage is directed towards those that Jesus directs grace towards.  May we too weep over our cities.  May we too pray, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we become men and women of hope.  Jesus did not just weep over the nation; He provided a solution and invited them into a right relationship with His Father.  He provided hope.  Restoration of humanity was no longer just a dream but a reality to be grasped.  This is found in Christ alone.  

Jon Goodwin

Get Curious

Allow me to begin with my thesis statement; curiosity is the fruit of maturity.

As I have grown in my faith and become more and more convinced of the truth found Matthew 22 it has caused me to become way more curious about people.  For those of you not familiar with Matthew 22, let me catch you up to speed.  

In Matthew 22 Jesus is asked a question, “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest.”  Jesus replies with, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”  He does not end here.  He goes on to say, “and the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.  All the law and the prophets hang on these two commands.”

Obviously, we know that we are to love God and to love others if we are Christians.  But let me ask the question, have we ever thought of the idea that loving your neighbor is like loving God?  Jesus says, the second command, the command to love one’s neighbor, is “like it”.  The “it”, being the first command of loving God.  He also would go on to say in Matthew 25 that what we do to others, we do to Him.  How we treat the poor, the imprisoned, the sick, etc, is felt by Christ Himself.  I didn’t say it.  Jesus did.  Loving others, is in fact, the fruit that is produced when our heart loves God properly.

As a Bible college and seminary student, I was taught to be a student of the Bible and to be a student of God.  In my churches growing up I was taught the same.  In the summer Christian summer camps I attended, I got the same message.  I was taught to be a student of the Bible and to love God and to love people.  Yet, something was oddly missing in my spiritual formation and for much of my formal training and in my time in church.  While I was taught to love others, I was also taught to fear them.  Avoid sin.  Avoid sinners.  Don’t drink, don’t dance, don’t chew, and don’t go with girls who do was actually said in a church I attended at a child.  

This mentality is at odds what we see of Jesus in the Scriptures.  For as many live their lives trying not to have sin rub off on them, Jesus lived in such a way that righteousness rubbed off Him and onto others.  

There seems to be an us versus them idea that has crept into much of the church world.  Amongst the churchy, you can hear it in the verbiage that is used to describe people who are not Christ followers.  Many Christians use “the world” as labels for those outside the church and use it in such a way that it’s more like a derogatory term of insult than anything else.  Sadly, far too many Christian communities do not resemble a lighthouse but rather a holy huddle hiding its light under a bushel basket, fearing the influence of the world and seemingly forgetting they are the ones who are to be doing the influencing.  

I would suggest that this is not a sign of spiritual maturity but rather a blatant showing of spiritual immaturity.  Safety is not the call that God has on the life of His followers.  In fact, He said, they hated me, don’t be surprised if they hate you too.  

Allow me to reiterate my thesis statement: curiosity is the fruit of maturity.  How does this tie into what I said above.  Well, if Jesus was serious about what He said in Matthew 22 and how we treat others is in fact felt by Christ, then our spiritual formation should not just include Theology Proper (the study of God and His attributes) but should also include anthropology.  While my use of anthropology might not be the proper sense of the word here, I think you understand what I mean.  We must be students of those we are called to love so that we can more effectively love them. 

The truth is this, because I love God, I seek to know Him.  Many Christians say they love their neighbors but do zero homework on how to love them better.  The first way to demonstrate one’s love is to get to know the object of the love so that you can love them more effectively.  Get to know their stories and get to know the whys behind what they do.  This is not hard, but it also isn’t popular.  Get curious.  Approaching one’s neighbor armed with trite statements like, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it” will never lead to life change.  Approaching others with a genuine love and curiosity is where true connection happens.  Much of the problem is that many church people have treated those who aren’t in the church as targets of a command (Think the Great Commission) rather than objects of their love.  People aren’t goals to be conquered they are valuable image bearers of God to be cherished. 

These ideas have led me down a path over the last several years that have caused others to call me woke, been the reason for verbal confrontations and social media ones, and even been reasons people have left my church.  Yet, I cannot stop.  My curiosity of others has caused me to research many topics that I lacked knowledge in.  My research sprung up from a deep seeded conviction that I could not love people well if I did not understand their stories.  Questions like, why has there been so much racial unrest in our country?  Why do men and women of color cry out “Black lives matter”?  Why are people trying to sneak over our borders?  What is redlining?  Why is quality healthcare more accessible for the wealthy?  Why is quality of education based on where you were born when my state has the “same standards” for all schools?  Why are women limited in many places with what they are allowed to do?  There are so many questions to be asked, and these questions should be asked.  After all, its hard to love people well when we don’t know their story.  Where did you come from?  Where do you desire to go?

Simply put, I cannot claim to love people if I am unwilling to my homework.

I am quite aware that there will be some who read this and struggle with the words that I write because of their deep seeded belief that people need Jesus and the message of the cross is where power exists to change lives.  I too believe that it is in the power of the cross that brings true change, but I also believe that we ignore both Christ’s example and many of His teachings if we limit our call to merely preaching the Gospel.  After all Jesus fed the hungry, Jesus healed the sick, Jesus elevated women, Jesus defended the downcast, Jesus shared meals with sinners, Jesus offered hope to criminals, Jesus instilled value into the lives of all He met, and so much more.  This list is not exhaustive, but it is a demonstration of the fruit of the Gospel.  I cannot claim to love someone and at the same time be content with their pain.  Jesus did all these things and died on the cross.  

While I recognize that food does not save a soul, I do believe it can be a step toward salvation. When you tell a starving person, “you need Jesus” do you know what they are thinking?  They are thinking, “no, I need a sandwich.”  Start where they are.  Love them there.  That’s what Jesus would do.  

In conclusion, get curious.  As the hard questions.  Sit at a table with a person who is living a life you disagree with and ask words of clarification.  Share a coffee with a person who votes differently than you and ask them to articulate their why.  And PLEASE, don’t use their answers as a means to judge them more effectively.  Use their answers as a means to love them better.