Theology is pretty sweet.  A deep and rich theology is necessary for the Church.  Good theology will alert the pastor to the Wolves that are invading his flock.  Good theology will alert people when their beliefs are not in line with the revelation of our Lord through the Word of God.  Good theology can excite.  Good theology can also detach the head from the heart.

Great theology unites the two.

Great theology is concerned with Orthodoxy as well as Orthopraxy.

Great theology is bathed in love.

 

A member of my Church (named Steve) has a friend from work (named Aamed or Achmed, I’m not certain which) who is an Egyptian with a Muslim background.  I do not know if he was a practicing Muslim or not.  But Steve spoke with his friend at work with love.  He told him of Christianity and its Christ.  Aamed (I’ll just stick with that name for now) was intrigued.  He stated he wanted to learn more about Christians; their religion sounded quite foreign to him.  Steve invited him to our church; a good learning opportunity for Aamed.  So Aamed came on Sunday.

After walking in the doors, seeing the people, being greeted, watching as hugs were exchanged,  Aamed noticed something.  The interaction of the people were not forced.  The people were not being respectful out of cultural obligation.  Courtesies were not simply exchanged.  Love permeated every interaction Aamed witnessed.  He leaned over to Steve and said, “I have never witnessed so much love in my life.”

Bill (our senior pastor) preached on God the Father.  He preached God the Father as Abba, Daddy.  He preached on the intimate relationship our Daddy has with us, despite what our jaded culture says, despite what our broken relationships with our fathers tell us.  This is the message that Bill’s Daddy in Heaven is teaching him now. 

Tears were poured out by the congregation.  God was illuminating to us the truth of his love for us.  Our good theology fell short.  Our hearts became connected to our heads, and we now have Great theology.

Aamed heard of a God radically different than Allah.  He heard of Yahweh.

Aamed was hearing Bill during the sermon, and the music prior to that.  But Aamed heard another voice throughout the service.

Aamed was in conversation with the Holy Spirit.

After the service, Aamed came up to be prayed over, by Christians.

 

 

And that’s just one of the things that God is doing in His people right now.  Yahweh is calling His beloved children to Himself.  In fact, He is running to meet them (Luke 15:20).