Introduction to Go & Tell

The Apostle Paul said his goal was to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection (Philippians 3:10).

Is that your experience?

The apostles testified about the resurrection with great power (Acts 4:33). Can you?

If you were asked to explain your hope in the resurrection (Acts 26:1-23)... Are you prepared?

I designed this course with three outcomes in mind. That you would be empowered to: - Live a resurrection life. - Powerfully proclaim the resurrection. - Explain how we know that Jesus is alive.

But before we get there, let's be honest. A lot of people are bored by, "Jesus rose from the dead."

Yes, it's a message - and a reality - that's changed our lives and our world. But most people are more excited about Easter dinner than the Easter service. Or, for younger participants, there's more anticipation for the Easter Egg hunt than the Easter sermon.

And that's understandable because all the surprise is gone. We know what to expect. The inner monologue sounds like, 'Ok, got it: Christians believe this guy came back to life a long time ago, and that's really important to them. Weird, but whatever works for you, I guess. Can we eat now?'

So can we get past the sentimentality? Instead of playing the religious game, can we talk, human to human, heart to heart, about the power of the resurrection of Jesus?

If we can't get real, then we're going to be stuck in the ditches of tradition, superficiality, and nostalgia.

Yes, Easter is revolutionary! But has it transformed our lives? In tangible, demonstrable ways?

I want to be up-front with you: I'm not a professional historian. I don't have a Ph.D. in Ancient History or the New Testament. But I've studied these questions for many years, and will be directing our attention to the scholarship of leading experts throughout the course.

My area of focus is spiritual formation. I earned an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and am currently enrolled in a D.Min. program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I hope my background and perspective give you a unique insight into the resurrection. In particular, I'm interested in how the resurrection transformed the lives and communities of the early Christians.

Why? Yes, their stories hold apologetic and evidential value for why it is reasonable for us to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. But importantly - and here's a theme you will see throughout Go & Tell - just as the resurrection transformed them for God's mission, so our ascended Lord is now transforming us for his mission.

One last thought: what will get you into shape: reading about weightlifting, or weightlifting?

It's common sense and backed up by research into adult learning: if you write down and discuss with others what you are learning, and put it into practice, you'll experience more benefit than if you just read the lessons. Of course, you get to decide how much you want to participate.

As we get started, we need the Risen Jesus more than anyone or anything else.