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Todd Hunter on "Three Is Enough"

Posted Apr 30, 11:22 PM | 0 comments | by Steve Knight | Link

Keith Giles has posted audio of a talk given recently by Todd Hunter on the topics he is writing about in a forthcoming book from Intervarsity Press. (Note: The file is available through Giles’ “Subversive Underground” podcast on iTunes.)

Here are some quotes I transcribed from the talk:

“The story we’ve been telling ourselves is not adequate for producing discipleship or mission. [Talk about evangelicalism’s focus on getting people to “pray the salvation prayer” so that they will go to heaven when they die.] ... What is that, if not a religion that actually invites people to omit Jesus from their actual life? What we’ve basically given people is a religion that secures their death, but there’s nothing actually in there that could inform an imagination for living a Christian life—especially life for the sake of others. ...

“What we’ve said is that going to heaven when you die is the story, and it’s a reductionism. We’ve made the whole story equal to that. We’ve made the two co-terminus, [and] they’re not. Going to heaven when you die—we do go there, but that’s not the point of the story. ...

“Where’s it going in the end? Being God’s covenant partners and friends. Now that’s a story that’s adequate for giving people an imagination for what it means to be a Christian.”

Hunter outlines the sections in his book:

Section 1: Theological and Social Problems

Section 2: Presenting a Positive Alternative for What It Means to Be a Christian

Section 3: “Three Is Enough”

Hunter summarizes the “positive alternative for what it means to be a Christian”:

“To be the cooperative friends of Jesus”

“Seeking to live constant lives of creative goodness”

“Through the power of the Holy Spirit”

“For the sake of others”

Hunter, who has a strong Vineyard background, says, “When I read John 14, 15, 16, 17, the Holy Spirit was not intended to be a controversial doctrine. He was intended to be the continuing presence of Christ animating his Church to continue his ministry. To not live in that is, in my judgment, to be sub-Christian. I mean, the mark of Christianity in the Bible was, ‘Are you filled with the Spirit?’ And that people could see it in the way that people lived their lives …”

On the subject of “Three Is Enough,” Hunter explains, “A triad requires no leadership. ... It’s three people doing three simple things: pray, grow, and serve.” (He goes on to expound on each of these three points in the talk.)

Randy Gorden was present for Hunter’s presentation, and he has posted a lengthy reflection. Gorden writes, “In his upcoming book Todd Hunter (aka Todd) will bring forth an alternative perspective in which church returns to the idea of being church (aka people based). He will present an approach that does not require a building, does not require a Christian worship band, does not require even a house to meet in, not even a 501 non-profit tax exemption certificate from Uncle Sam so that tithes can be written off of your taxes at the end of the year.”

Previously: “Todd Hunter Launches ‘Society for Kingdom Living’”

(HT: Stephen Shields)

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