In Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy, the author asserts “nothing fundamental has changed from biblical times.” Willard is making the case that Jesus — his gospel and teaching — are still essential, foundational, and above all true, even 2,000 years later in a world of holographic Tupac, 4G LTE mobile Internet, and a map of the human genome.
He elaborates:
“The multitudes of theories, facts, and techniques that have emerged in recent centuries have not the least logical bearing upon the ultimate issues of existence and life. In this respect they only serve to distract and confuse a people already harassed witless by their slogans, scientific advances, ‘labor-saving’ devices, and a blizzard of promises about when and how ‘happiness’ is going to be achieved.”
I hope you’re encouraged as you read that. Whatever you’re working on this week, it needn’t be a new, proprietary, as-yet-undiscovered message that is guaranteed to usher people into personal happiness.
What Willard is saying is that God has already outlined the means and message of the life abundant. This message doesn’t need be updated, only translated and communicated. Whatever you’re working on this week, you need only burrow down deep into the old message, absorb it, and then use your gifts and tools to illuminate it and point people toward it.
Jesus is able to save and liberate, so there’s no need for us to devise an original soul-wellness regimen to accomplish these ends. The pressure is off. That’s not to say the work isn’t vital and exhausting — it is — but at least you’re not responsible for taking the place of the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
Now, edit your films, sing your songs, and tell your stories knowing nothing fundamental has changed.
Scott McClellan is the Editor of Echo Hub and the Director of Echo Conference. You can follow him on Twitter: @scottmcclellan.