I sat across the table from him frustrated. We were meeting weekly, but it didn’t seem like he was getting it. I was sharing all I knew, yet none of it clicked. I kept waiting for the spark in his eyes, that light that would let me know he was as excited about doctrine as I was. It never came.
I was a young and inexperienced discipler. My idea of discipleship was flinging mud against the wall. I’d dumptruck as much information as possible on this guy and cross my fingers, hoping the Holy Spirit would mature him. Thankfully the Spirit works despite our ill-conceived efforts, but we should still pursue a better way.
As Michael Horton observes in his new book, Core Christianity: Finding Yourself in God’s Story, “We study things we care about” (15). If that’s true about our hobbies and work, it’s even more true about what we believe and how we disciple. In the end, Core Christianity will expand your love for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Four Ds
Horton starts with four Ds—drama, doctrine, doxology, and discipleship (17)—all of which are knit together by Christ. Every drama points to him; doctrine is about him; doxology ends in praising him; and discipleship happens as a result of our praise to him, prompting us to love God and neighbor.
Core Christianity begins with the person of Christ and immediately undercuts the individuality poisoning evangelicalism. Horton critiques our tendency to define Jesus in relation to ourselves instead of on his own terms through the drama of Scripture: “Jesus is not swept into your story. You are swept into his” (24, 150). This line sets the stage for everything else Horton says.
Tough Topics
Horton tackles tough topics and distills in-depth doctrine for the layperson. First, in establishing the identity of Jesus, he observes that when charged with blasphemy for making himself equal to God, Jesus never rejects the charge (29). Moreover, a Jesus who “never claimed to be the eternal Son of God” never would’ve been crucified (28).
Second, Horton briefly discusses Joshua’s conquest of Canaan. “How could a good God do this?” he asks (60). Horton takes the classic approach of discussing God’s patience with the Canaanites: he gave them time to repent and and then showed mercy in localizing the judgment. Horton also connects God’s judgment to his goodness. “We really do not know how sinful we are. If we did, we’d see God’s justice, righteousness, and holiness as absolutely essential to his goodness” (28). This section was exceedingly helpful.
Core Christianity: Finding Yourself in God's Story
Michael Horton
Third, Horton’s discussion of Scripture is masterful. He tackles the discrepancies in the Gospels’ accounts of resurrection, addresses the way some treat Scripture like a science textbook (71), and undercuts our tendency to seek private words from God over hearing the gospel preached as “facts of universal significance” (69). He also lays out the case for a high view of Scripture and a high view of Christ by observing that the God-man relied on the Old Testament as “authoritative, inerrant, clear, and as being fulfilled [by him]” (72, cf. 101). For example, Jesus explained the truth about himself on the Emmaus Road by taking his disciples to the Scriptures (133). A high view of Scripture doesn’t prevent us from highly esteeming our risen King; it’s one way we follow him faithfully.
Finally, Horton demonstrates the importance of dealing with death when making disciples. This is a topic one rarely sees among “basics” for the Christian disciple. “Christian hope is not a general upbeat attitude,” he writes (148). We see our world for what it is, but we don’t lose hope since “we know it’s not the final chapter. . . . Jesus Christ is for people who are dying” (148).
Excellent Resource
Horton excels at addressing difficult doctrines with clarity and wisdom. He’s not afraid to tackle issues facing Christians, and does so graciously and confessionally. For instance, he writes:
There is a certain danger in trying to gain converts—and keep them—by promising Jesus as the answer to all sorts of questions we ask. Instead, we need to let him tell us who he is and what he came to do. (131)
Core Christianity should be an essential resource for discipleship. I can see it being used with great benefit in Sunday schools and small groups. It stands out from the crowded discipleship/Christian living category. The book isn’t just for theology geeks, but for every Christian.
