Kingdom Roots with Scot McKnight

Racial tension is as at a high point. The embodiment of the Kingdom found in the New Testament and lived out through the Church was to be a vision of unity and diversity. The Church in America, unfortunately, has remained one of the most segregated organizations instead of being a vision for unity and diversity. Pastor Derwin Gray and Transformation Church is a shining light of how the Church can be the type of diverse community it was intended to be. Hear about Pastor Derwin’s journey of planting Transformation Church, the challenges they faced from being a multiethnic church, and steps any church can take to become a richer expression of the diverse Kingdom of God. Suggested Resources: The High Definition Leader: Building Multiethnic Churches in a Multiethnic World by Derwin L. Gray (https://goo.gl/f9C1yB) The Fellowship of Differents by Scot McKnight (http://goo.gl/61WUrV) Follow Pastor Derwin on his website (http://www.derwinlgray.com), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Derwin-L-Gray/117534411600257) Twitter (https://twitter.com/derwinlgray) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/derwinlgray/)

When God calls His people into mission He doesn’t call individuals, rather He calls a community. Paul exemplifies this reality with his missionary friends. These friends are indispensable to how God used Paul to bring the kingdom to take root in the 1st Century world. Some of Paul’s closest missionary friends included Priscilla and Aquila who provide a beautiful example of an entire household doing ministry together. Epaphras is another great example of how Paul befriended a nonbeliever, led them into a relationship with Jesus, and sent them out to do ministry. Have a question for Scot? In a few weeks, Scot will be fielding your questions from any of the topics discussed on Kingdom Roots. If you would like to send in your question(s) please email them to Chaz Robbins at crobbins@seminary.edu.

In the words of the great theologian Bill Withers, “We all need somebody to lean on.” It can be very tempting to make ministry into a solo endeavor and not realize the importance of having friends to be with you as you do ministry together. Paul gives a clear example of how ministry can and should be done together with other people. Relationships prove to be an essential element of his missionary work. If you would like to send in your question(s) for our special listener asked questions episode please email Chaz Robbins at crobbins@seminary.edu.

What’s on the heart of Northern Seminary’s President Dr. William Shiell? On this week of Kingdom roots we cover everything from Bill’s favorite parts of being a pastor and preaching to his transition as Northern Seminary’s President. The mission of Northern Seminary is to equip the Church to change the world and that mission is clearly heavy on Bill’s heart. Suggested Resources: Ezekiel: God’s Presence in Performance by William D. Shiell (http://goo.gl/1fVrXZ) Delivering from Memory by William D. Shiell (http://goo.gl/IHBrND) Reading Acts: The Lector and the Early Christian Audience by William D. Shiell (http://goo.gl/qARxYy)

Should the Church and its believers have confidence in the reliability of Jesus found in the Gospels? Dr. McKnight tackles this question and more for followers to be confident of the person of Jesus as described in the Gospels. When we correctly study Jesus and his life in light of faith the result is the deepest possible understanding about Jesus. If the Kingdom is going to take root now, then we need to seriously pursue this study of Jesus. Recommended/ Mentioned Resources: Jesus and the Victory of God by N.T. Wright (https://goo.gl/21rYta) Jesus Remembered (Christianity in the Making, Vol. 1) by James D.G. Dunn (https://goo.gl/21rYta) The Historical Reliability of the New Testament by Craig Blomberg (http://goo.gl/s4WYi0) The Historical Reliablity of the Gospels by Craig Blomberg (http://goo.gl/lXyXiC)

Who was Jesus in reality? This question should be central for those of us who have our faith in Jesus. In this episode Dr. McKnight guides listeners through the extensive quests attempting to uncover the historical Jesus. What is discovered from these quests? How does the Church need the historical Jesus and how should it interact with the study of the historical Jesus? These questions and more are answered in this episode. Recommended/ Mentioned Resources: The Jesus We’ll Never Know by Scot McKnight in Christianity Today (http://goo.gl/qVwLTb) The Historical Jesus in Recent Research Edited by James D.G. Dunn and Scot McKnight (http://goo.gl/Z7XVQF) The Meaning of Jesus: 2 Visions by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright (https://goo.gl/U3EOKV) Paul and Palestinian Judaism by E.P. Sanders (http://goo.gl/kxjSJK) Jesus Have I Loved but Paul? By J.R. Daniel Kirk (https://goo.gl/MY4U8y)

Church leadership and structure in the New Testament is much more concerned with the character and transformation of the person leading than the role they play. If we want the Kingdom to take root like it did in the 1st Century then Church leadership and structure needs to reflex the cruciform character of Jesus. The character of the King determines the character of the Kingdom and King Jesus leads His Church by calling her leaders to take up the model of servant leadership that He exemplified in His life. Books Mentioned: Inhabiting the Cruciform God by Michael Gorman ( http://goo.gl/lh8Qec ) The Cruciform Church by Leonard Allen ( http://goo.gl/4683BG ) The Case for Servant Leadership by Kent Keith ( http://goo.gl/4ePHxN )

Ever feel discontent with your ministry? Join our conversation with Brian Zhand as he unpacks his journey of why a pastor of a large and successful church would risk everything in a quest to find a richer, deep fuller Christianity. Brian’s story is a journey into faithfulness of Christianity’s great theological tradition. If Christianity is going to thrive into the coming generations we need to listen to the deep thinkers and practitioners of the Church like Brian Zhand. You can find Brian on Twitter @BrianZahnd (https://twitter.com/BrianZahnd)or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BrianZahnd/timeline). Brian Also blogs at http://brianzahnd.com. Books by Brian Zhand: Water to Wine (http://goo.gl/oPZ29k) Beauty Will Save the World (http://goo.gl/qO1FyT) A Farewell to Mars (http://goo.gl/J6kwwO) Suggested Books from Podcast: The Spirit of Early Christian Thought by Robert Wilken (https://goo.gl/7erzAu) The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard (https://goo.gl/MIEOT5)

How did people learn in the 1st Century? What kind of school would Jesus have attended? Dr. McKnight tackles these questions and more in a discussion about education in the 1st Century. The way education was carried out in the 1st Century has a lot to say about how Jesus did discipleship. Understanding discipleship is more than transferring information; it’s rooted in a personal relationship that brings transformation. Interested in Northern Live? You can learn more about Northern Seminary’s live-streaming platform and sign up for an on-line event at seminary.edu/live.

Meals and table fellowship were so significant in Jesus’ ministry that it has been said, “Jesus could have been killed simply because of the people with whom he ate.” Scot McKnight unpacks 1st Century meals and the way Jesus allowed Kingdom realities to break through in the meals of Jesus and his followers. Discover how Jesus turned routine meals into Kingdom realities, which means a new society was being formed around evening dinner tables and people got converted at the table with Jesus. Suggested Resources: A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World God’s Design for Life Together By Scot McKnight: http://goo.gl/61WUrV The Food and Feasts of Jesus by Douglas Neel and Joel Pugh: http://goo.gl/h73Tby Interested in Northern Live? You can learn more about Northern Seminary’s live-streaming platform and sign up for an on-line event at seminary.edu/live.

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” By living out powerful statements such as his quote above was how Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and work helped the Kingdom take root in some very toxic soil. Investigating his life and work helps the Church today be wise in examining the culture, the condition of the Church, and how to powerful bring the Kingdom into any context. Join Scot McKnight as he unpacks the biggest elements of Bonhoeffer’s legacy. Suggested Resources: Biographies: Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography by Eberhard Bethge ( http://goo.gl/bzUa2c ) A Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Charles Marsh (http://goo.gl/SSQmCW ) Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas (http://goo.gl/Exdv74 ) Bonhoeffer’s Work’s Life Together (http://goo.gl/oJWckQ ) Discipleship (formally titled “The Cost of Discipleship”) ( http://goo.gl/qQXtkC ) Letters and Papers from Prison ( http://goo.gl/G3md2u )

What was the message of the early Church and how did that message take root in those who were listening? The message that the Church proclaims is critical in guiding what the Church is all about. This proclamation needs to include the full expression of how Jesus is the complete resolution to the story of Israel. In this episode Dr. McKnight provides the framework to continually grow in understanding the message of the early Church and being able to proclaim that message in and through the Church. Resources Mentioned: The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight ( http://goo.gl/OymzhF ) Theology on Mission Podcast Episodes: What is Preaching and Why Bother? By David Fitch and Geoff Holslcaw ( http://goo.gl/37XdZ4 ) Preaching or Teaching? By David Fitch ( http://goo.gl/UZ4hc1 ) Learn more about Northern Seminary’s Master of Arts in New Testament at www.seminary.edu/MANT.

Have you ever wondered how the new perspective came to be and the implications it has for the Church? In this episode Dr. Scot McKnight tackles the big questions of what is the new perspective on Paul? Why was it necessary to have a “new” perspective? Who are the main scholars leading the way for the new perspective? This episode also unpacks the implications that the new perspective has on the Church and the Christian life. Books and Authors mentioned by Dr. Scot McKnight: The Apostle Paul and the Christian Life: Ethical and Missional Implications Edited by Scot McKnight and Joseph Modica (http://goo.gl/1WyEYU) Paul Among Jews and Gentiles and Other Essays by Krister Stendahl (http://goo.gl/GX6BsW) Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion by E.P. Sanders (http://goo.gl/kxjSJK) The New Perspective on Paul by James Dunn (http://goo.gl/LDkqEY) Paul and the Faithfulness of God by N.T. Wright (http://goo.gl/Vvodfp)

Theology needs the Church and the Church needs good theology. This episode dives into the reason of why the Church and Theology cannot be mutually exclusive. If the Church is to do good theology, Church leaders need to understand it is a life long commitment of study that centers on allowing oneself to be soaked in how Scripture itself does theology. Scot mentions three books to get started on the journey of doing good theology: 1) The Great Theologians: A Brief Guide by Gerald McDermott ( http://goo.gl/KWLrwi) 2) The Story of Christian Theology by Roger Olson (http://goo.gl/YpQ2po) 3) Reading Backwards by Richard Hays (http://goo.gl/LjanXr) Be sure not to miss an episode of Kingdom Roots with Scot McKnight by subscribing to the podcast on iTunes or Sticher. Learn more about Northern Seminary’s Master of Arts in New Testament at www.seminary.edu/MANT.

Leading the church through change is one of the most difficult things a church leader can face. In Paul’s letter to Philemon he gives a vision of how to lead a church through a challenging shift. Most followers of Jesus desire to live out the deepest realities of His Kingdom through change. However, they often need a leader to lead them to a place they couldn’t get to on their own.