Why Thinking Out Loud?
At the start of this new chapter of ministry, Nathan Rittenhouse asked me a characteristically pointed question: “Are we a podcast that does ministry, or are we a ministry that does a podcast?” When it became clear that it was the latter, we soon realized our mission and vision were undergoing a transformation. In this first blog post, I’d like to offer a small picture of our aims here at Thinking Out Loud.
Bridging The Gap Between Discipleship and Apologetics?
Our mission is to bridge the gap between discipleship and apologetics and our vision is to join with the church in cultivating mature Christians. In practical terms, the aim is to bring people to the place where their lives match their convictions.
To further clarify this endeavor, we need working definitions of both discipleship and apologetics. At its most basic, the word discipleship refers to the ongoing dynamic between a teacher and his students. 2011 saw the release of a remarkable documentary titled, Jiro Dreams of Sushi. The film chronicles the life of 85-year-old Jiro Ono, a man widely celebrated as one of the greatest sushi chefs in the world. Jiro’s tireless focus in the kitchen is mirrored in his daily habits. He’s done the same thing for most of his life: he awakes at the same time every morning, eats the same breakfast, sits in the same seat on the train, arrives at his sushi shop and settles into his work routine, buffered by these familiar rituals. His entire life revolves around the creation of this one dish and every day he pursues this grueling and exacting task, making sushi that meets the highest possible standards. Not surprisingly, he carries this obsessive regimen into his sleep, where he dreams of new recipes.
Though the film’s title may initially give the impression of a whimsical artist chasing inspiration, Jiro’s actual practices make it clear that his dreams have more in common with the cashier who staggers away from a long shift only to hammer away at the register in her sleep. In keeping with Japanese custom, Jiro doesn’t provide explicit instructions for any of his apprentices in the kitchen. Instead, they must carefully observe him, emulate his habits, and, above all, try to cultivate his exquisite sense of taste. Here we have a powerful picture of discipleship in action. For those of us who recognize Christ as Lord, the hope is to watch him closely, learn from his habits and demeanor, and come to the point where we internalize his manner of being, so that our deeply ingrained responses reflect his. If it’s not clear by now, discipleship goes well beyond a dogged sense of obligation to embrace full adoration.
Jiro’s apprentices may chafe at some of his critiques, but it’s clear they deeply admire him. Dallas Willard once said, “I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I.” Just as every chef will add a personal touch to each of the recipes she’s learned from her master, so each of us will bring our God-given personalities to bear on our devotion to Christ. Our prayer at Thinking Out Loud is to help Christian men and women discover the joy and liberation of living their lives as Jesus would if he were them.
Though it includes formal aspects, Christian apologetics is certainly not limited to them. The default image of an apologist as an academic or a supremely gifted public debater may be deeply entrenched, but we need to broaden our horizons if we want a holistic picture. If 1 Peter 3:15 is a biblical command, it applies to everyone—not just academics and gifted communicators. The heart of Christian apologetics is our relationship with Christ and it is his transformative presence that inspires questions. This is what Peter is getting at when he instructs us to “set apart Christ as Lord in our hearts.” If discipleship is a bit like learning to cook a beloved recipe, apologetics is not unlike talking about a person you deeply cherish. Not everyone can offer a technical breakdown of the evidence for the resurrection, or a detailed analysis of the cosmological arguments. All of us, however, can speak from the depths of our hearts about the relationships that are most vital to us. If Christ occupies that place in our lives, we can articulate our devotion to him in word and deed. One of the major aims at Thinking Out Loud is to recover a holistic vision of apologetics, one that is available to everyone.
What about Evangelism?
In his Great Commission, Jesus tells us, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20)” Christian ministries have put a great deal of focus into the “go therefore” aspect of Jesus’s command, while largely neglecting the less glamorous and far more hands-on work of discipleship. Yet when we look at the state of many of our churches, the problem isn’t a lack of resources. Indeed, the surge in theological and apologetic ministries and publications constitutes a veritable embarrassment of riches. No, the major problem dogging our congregations isn’t anti-intellectualism; it is spiritual immaturity. Though we remain committed to “seasoning our speech as with salt” for those outside the church who are listening in, our main focus at Thinking Out Loud is on fostering spiritual maturity in believers. As Paul said to the church at Colossae, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Colossians 3:28)”
