Walking With a Limp (The Anatomy of a Disciple Series)

Brad Bell, considered a gifted communicator, strives to be culturally relevant. His seeker-sensitive church appeals primarily to GEN-Y and is predominately frequented by twenty-something and thirty-something seekers and believers alike. It was with great anticipation that I awaited the arrival of Brad's book, Walking with a Limp, and Dr. Rick Taylor's companion book, The Anatomy of a Disciple. Regrettably, I was disappointed and in particular with Walking with a Limp.In my opinion, Brad Bell, a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, an institution with an ardent dispensational(1) bent, communicates quit differently on paper than he does from the lectern. I rather prefer Brad's writing to his oratory. It isn't that Brad is not an articulate speaker or skilled expositor of the word of God; quite the opposite is true. His expository teaching is for the most part very good, in a Cliff Notes kind of way. Nevertheless, what I read did not coalesce with what I have personally experienced when listening to Brad teach. I find the former more palatable than the latter. To the unaware and indiscriminate, there are implications to words and many have eternally consequences. You would do well to parse his words carefully, both verbal and written, and find whether they concur with scripture, interpreting scripture with scripture.The following excerpt from Brad's book is the type of hyperbole that frustrates me in seeker-sensitive and emergent churches, "When asked about your relationship with God, you say, `Fine. Good.' But you have no idea. So you read more. Pray more. Give more. Serve more. Share your faith more and wait to grow more spiritually. You dress up for church... You try Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, a midweek small group. Maybe the answer is hidden in the acoustic worship set or closing prayer... You get in line for the next church program and curriculum, wonder why you're so burned out..."This reminded me of something I read in the book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable," by Patrick Lencioni. Lencioni writes, "It's the lack of conflict that's a problem. Harmony itself is good, I suppose, if it comes as a result of working through issues constantly and cycling through conflict. But if it comes only as a result of people holding back their opinions and honest concerns, then it's a bad thing. I'd trade that false kind of harmony any day for a team's willingness to argue effectively about an issue and then walk away with no collateral damage."(2)The reality is, we are conditioned to "go along to get along." People, not just "church people," don't want to really know the truthful answer to the obligatory questions like "How are you doing today?" let alone "How's your relationship with God?" So we respond with the compulsory "Fine" or "Good" to alleviate them of the tortuous potential of actually caring.I read Brad's book first. It is a quick read and took just a few hours. I immediately followed up with Dr. Taylor's book; Rick too, is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Mid way through the reading of The Anatomy of a Disciple, I became aware of a notable contrast between Rick's book and Brad's book, namely, the subdued presence of the Holy Spirit in Walking with a Limp. Francis Chan would call him "The Forgotten God." It's not that the Spirit isn't mentioned, He is, albeit only11 times in the entire 156 pages as opposed to 81 occurrences of God and 61 occurrences of Jesus. In The Anatomy of a Disciple, there where 33 occurrences of Spirit, 61 occurrences of God and 80 occurrences of Jesus in 314 pages. I mention this because the symmetry seems disproportionate, as if the Holy Spirit is essentially "forgotten," or, at best, a tertiary thought. I shouldn't be surprised considering the dispensational view of Dallas Theological Seminary. This called to my remembrance the words of the hymn penned by Reginald Heber; "Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons blessed Trinity!"In chapter three Brad borrows from the sport of rowing to title the chapter, using the coxswain's calls as a metaphor for recognizing God's voice. He writes about the early church as described in the Acts of the Apostles (though I'm told it is only descriptive not prescriptive) stating, "They faced the same perceived theological contradictions Christians have been arguing over for centuries. For example, did you choose God or did God choose you? The answer is yes. At a moment in time you chose God, yet in that very moment God orchestrated the circumstances in your life, which brought you to that decision. The Bible communicates both realities and doesn't apologize for what would seem to be a contradiction."What is interesting to note, is Brad's phraseology, i.e., "perceived theological contradictions" and "what would seem a contradiction." Many Calvinists, like J.I. Packer, D.A. Carson, and John MacArthur to name just three, appeal to antinomy when supposed contradictions exist in God's word.(3) They perceive this to be a "real contradiction," when in fact it is an only an "apparent contradiction." In this sense it means something that goes beyond reason but not against reason."(4) It appears he believes no real contradiction exists and perhaps assents to the paradox. Unfortunately, his contradictory non-answer to the age-old question is perplexing to say the least, especially in light of his recent expository series on Ephesians and his invocation of Romans chapter nine.Robert E. Picirilli writes, "How does conditional election relate to the Scriptural presentation of salvation by grace? Most import here is the fact that faith is not a work and has no merit (as Ambrose apparently thought). Did faith present itself as a claim to merit, salvation could not be by faith and by grace at the same time... For now, it is sufficient to observe that it is the Bible itself that presents salvation by faith as salvation by grace, thus making clear that there is no contradiction. As Paul insists in Romans 4:16, salvation is by faith that it might be by grace. Faith, rightly understood, is the opposite of works."(5)Predestinarian or Double-Predestinarian, what is necessarily true, is, if there are some of His creatures who are elected before the foundation of the world to be saved from their sins, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, justified, filled with the Spirit, sanctified, glorified, and destined for the Kingdom of God, then, conversely, there are those of His creatures who are not elect and have no hope for salvation and will die in their sins (damned). What is egregious is the doctrine that says God decreed, "before the foundation of the world," that some of His creatures are not elect, reprobate, and therefore predestined for eternal misery and an eternity in hell, simply for His good pleasure. Decreed to be so damned before the foundation of the world for His purpose, as an exhibition of His sovereignty, for His glory.John Calvin writes, "He has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world... All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death."(6) In light of this, Brad Bell's, non-answer is not sufficient nor does it assure his flock or lead them in one direction or the other. Don't believe me, an Arminian; believe Calvinist Loraine Boettner who writes, "Those who hold the doctrine of Election but deny that of Reprobation can lay but little claim to consistency. To affirm the former while denying the latter makes the decree of predestination an illogical and lop-sided decree. The creed, which states the former but denies the latter, will resemble a wounded eagle attempting to fly with but one wing. In the interests of a "mild Calvinism" some have been inclined to give up the doctrine of Reprobation, and this term (in itself a very innocent term) has been the entering wedge for harmful attacks upon Calvinism pure and simple. "Mild Calvinism" is synonymous with sickly Calvinism, and sickness, if not cured, is the beginning of the end."(7)Lest you think this is an aberration, think again. "If this was a classroom -- let's say this is a college classroom --and I say hey you did great today here's a gold star, and you did great today here's a gold star, and I gave gold stars to everybody, did I really honor anybody? No, because I gave it (salvation) to everybody. So who cares? Because I gave it to everybody, there is no value in it. The value comes when someone gets it (salvation) and someone doesn't (damnation). That is when the value is given. If God chose everyone, then what value or merit would that be?"(8)Any orthodox Christian would agree with Brad if he means that there cannot be a universal salvation for all of His creatures, al la Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, Tony Jones, etc., etc., etc. Christ died, rose again, and redeemed us with universal atonement for all His creatures. "Universal atonement is the view that best accords with the bona fide gospel offer of salvation to all. It is true that Calvinists affirm that salvation is sincerely offered to all by the gospel, but their affirmation has to fly in the face of the apparently otherwise implications of their doctrine of atonement The Arminian view that salvation was provided for all in the atonement gives weight to the gospel offer and impetus to his proclamation... Hoeksema, for example, finally observes that the preacher of the gospel is not at liberty `to change the Word of God into a well-meaning offer of salvation to all men on the part of God.' In other words, he realizes that salvation is not being offered in the gospel to the non-elect; only just condemnation is being offered. Always the Calvinist is saying more than that sinners will not accept the offer; he is saying that they can not. And an offer that can not be accepted is not really an offer at all."(9)I wish I could give a thorough review of this book because there is so much to be at odds with. In particular, it appears disingenuousness to feign evangelism (which leads to discipleship and fellowship) and an offer of salvation to all, when unconditional election and limited atonement are held by the proclaimer to be de facto. The love of God and His salvation are implied, by the proclaimer, to be freely offered and freely given to whosoever believes, when in fact the potentiality never really exists for those who are not elect. The proclaimer proclaims that salvation's value is necessarily derived from the damned.If you are diametrically opposed to Calvinism in any variation or the doctrine of predestination, then don't bother reading this book. In my estimation the thoughts, beliefs, and actions are incongruent.------------------------------------------1. DTS Doctrinal Statement, Article V - Dispensations, Dallas Theological Seminary, <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/boettner/predest.pdf>2. Lencioni, Patrick M., The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, (2002), p.923. Walls, Jerry L., Joseph R. Dongell, Why I Am Not A Calvinist, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 2004, pp. 115, 154-156, 159.4. Geisler, Norman L., Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2007, p. 28.5. Picirilli, Robert E., Grace, Faith, Free Will: Contrasting Views of Salvation: Calvinism & Arminianism, Randall House, Nashville, TN, 2002, p.57.6. Calvin, John, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, (1536): pp. 742. <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/sermons.viii.ii.html>.7. Boettner, Loraine, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1932, 1959 - 61 p. 78, < http://www.ccel.org/ccel/boettner/predest.pdf>.8. Bell, Brad, The Well Community Church website, Weekly Sermons, 2014/02/16, LOVE FIRST LOVE: SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES / EPHESIANS 1:3-14, <http://thewellcommunity.org/podcasts/sermons/ephesians-13-14>9. Picirilli, Robert E., Grace, Faith, Free Will: Contrasting Views of Salvation: Calvinism & Arminianism, Randall House, Nashville, TN, 2002, pp. 115 - 117.

I automatically love a book with an appropriately provocative title. So Walking With a Limp sucked me in just by seeing the cover!But more importantly, in June 2012, I had the privilege of going to Israel with my pastor, Ron Johnson. We went on a tour composed of a mishmash of people from The Well Community Church and Hume Lake Christian Camps. Brad Bell is the founding pastor of The Well in Fresno and led the trip, along with Rich Ferreira, the Director of The Joshua Wilderness Institute.Brad was a gracious leader, sharing insights and tips for leading a trip to Israel, which Ron and I did last year. On the trip, we got to see Brad’s heart for Jesus and his honesty. Several guys on the trip were there because Brad was pouring into them and gave them opportunities to teach at various locations.So it was with excitement that I learned about the Anatomy of a Disciple curriculum that Brad and Dr. Rick Taylor were putting together at The Well. The following is an all-too-brief review of the book.The book is very manageable at 156 pages and certainly meant to be, since the companion book, The Anatomy of a Disciple, weighs in at 314 pages. One of its very appealing marks is its very accessible, street-level language. Bell meant to be raw, honest and uncomplicated.The title comes from the Genesis 32 story of the Old Testament patriarch Jacob wrestling with God, although he doesn’t know the identity of the wrestler until afterward. At the end of the match, God (or his angel) touches Jacob’s hip, essentially dislocating Jacob’s hip and giving him a limp for the rest of his life. Jacob is renamed Israel (“he strives with God”) and will forever be reminded of his encounter with God by walking with a limp. He will never be the same.And that’s what Bell hopes will be the case for his readers as they read his book. Of course, like a good writer, Bell keeps the Jacob/Israel story for the end, revealing it in ch. 13.The layout of the book follows the Anatomy of the a Disciple (AoD) curriculum, consisting of “four concentric rings of authentic spiritual growth” that go from the heart on the inside, to the mind, the choices and the compassions on the outside. Bell contends in the bulk of the book that our hearts need to be Humbly Submitted; our minds must be Biblically Formed; our choices should be 1) Sacrificially Generous leading to compassions that Intentional Blessing; 2) Morally Discerning leading to compassions that are Culturally Engaged; and 3) Relationally Healthy leading to Inclusive Community.This organization keeps the book on course and your mind following right along with it. I was helped by this to stay with Bell as he led me on a path similar to the recent skein of books including David Platt’s Radical, Francis Chan’s Crazy Love, and John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life. Bell’s differs in its spare simplicity, its California-sounding vernacular and its inevitable connection to the AoD curriculum.More could be said, but I’ll end by encouraging you to get this book and read it with other people. There are good heart checks along the way and Bell reviews God’s gracious call on his life while a womanizing, drunk star athlete at Fresno State. You can totally relate to this author. He does not sound like an academic locked in an ivory tower far away from the members of his church. Rather, you understand this husband/father/pastor and his real human struggles.Really, this is a quick read that the Holy Spirit might use to surgically show you the areas in your life that need work.