Theo News

Spoiler Alert: Christ Wins!

In Romans 8:36, Paul quotes Psalm 44:22,

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered”.  He goes on in verse 37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us.” How providential that Paul writes this to the church which would soon be at the center of oppression.

On July 19th, AD 64, a fire broke out in Rome and burned for six days, causing terrible damage. Some believed Emperor Nero was to blame.  So, in an effort to divert blame from himself, Roman historian, Tacitus records that, Nero found and tortured a group of christians until they confessed.  Nero argued that the christians were trying to destroy the city.  They were after all “a class hated for their abominations” (Tactius, Annals 15.44).  Nero used this as justification to begin killing christians.  Some were thrown to the dogs, others were crucified, and still others were burned at the stake to serve as lights for Nero’s parties.

But in the midst of all this oppression, in the face of that “hideous strength”, Christ wins.  Nero went on to become a symbol for all that was corrupt and debased.  While two of the martyrs whom Nero executed, Peter and Paul, would go on to be loved and revered.  Christ wins and Nero loses.  Rome would become the center from which the gospel message would go out.  When Jesus commands His disciples to “go out and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), who would have thought that they would “go out” traveling on Roman roads? It should be no surprise that we love best those stories in which the underdog triumphs.  After all, our Creator does too!

The Apprentice

Most people are probably familiar with the show The Apprentice.  It is not as popular as it once was, but what is interesting about it is the winner of the contest doesn’t just get a lump sum of money or a prize.  Rather they get the opportunity to work under Donald Trump, who has been an incredibly successful businessman.  You get the opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade under someone who has been there and knows what it takes to be successful.

In almost any job this is usually the most successful model for training people and, it is no surprise, this is usually the most successful model for ministry as well.  It is also the way that the Apostle Paul did ministry. Look at these three passages from Paul’s letters to the Thessalonian Church:

1 Thessalonians 1:5-7 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-10 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

Paul calls on the Thessalonians to remember, to picture how he acted when he was around them.

A few observations. Paul says by imitating him, the church ultimately became imitator’s of the Lord. And as they model themselves after him, they became models for others. He has this interesting phrase: “we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well”. The people could see up close and personally how Paul lived his life. Paul would share his own happiness and pain with the church and they would share their own happiness and pain with him. They didn’t learn in a vacum.  Paul didn’t just send them letters telling them how to be a follower of Jesus Christ. He showed them, through intimate fellowship, by the way he lived.

I have been guilty in the past of using the “quality-time-with-my-family” excuse as a way to avoid ministry opportunities.  This isn’t to say that quality time is unimportant or that we ought to fill every moment with ministry. But the best thing I can do for my daughter is model a life of service to Jesus Christ and His people.

Our greatest desire with Theo is that it would open up avenues of conversation about the ideas within our episodes and that kids would see how those ideas are lived out in more mature christian lives.  We believe it is vital for your children to be in a discipleship relationship (either with yourself or another mature christian) where they are being guided and shown a life committed to Jesus Christ.

The God Who Died and Bled

How to Make an Eternal Impact for Every Christian Parent

 Click here to read the featured article in the April 2012 issue of Parent Life magazine from Lifeway.

He Must Increase

My daughter is about to have her first birthday. And I can’t believe it. Before I was a parent, I inwardly mocked those parents who wanted their kids to slow down and not grow up so fast.  But I get it now.  There is a growing list of things that she can do on her own. She no longer needs me to hold her arms as she takes steps. She no longer needs me to hold her bottle. She can play by herself, she can feed herself, and yet I know that in the scheme of things she is still relatively dependent on me.  Her independence is only going to increase. And I’m not sure I’m ok with that.

But when I’m honest with myself, when I’m clear-headed, I realize it’s not about me. It is about my daughter, and what’s best for her.  And it is good for her to grow.  It is good for her to learn how to do things. If I truly lover her, not as my possession, but as a child of God who was put into my care, I will root for her growth because it’s for her good.  And as she grows, I know that she is going to become more and more independent and less dependent on me.  There will come a day when my wife and I will not be the center of her universe. I wonder if this is how John the Baptist felt. In the book of John, we’re told that John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for the coming Christ.  And he does it very well.  He has a dynamic ministry; he is baptizing people left and right, he is doing so well that the pharisees ask him if he is the Christ, Elijah or The Prophet.  But as Christ’s ministry begins, John starts losing followers to Him.  What’s his response?  “He must increase and I must decrease”.  He might have responded by trying to regain control.  “No! Follow me!”  But he knew that it was better for him to be cast aside and for Christ to become the central figure in his followers lives.

I am a good thing for my daughter.  Out of all the men in the world, God chose to make me her father.  But I’m not the best thing for her.  Jesus is.  I pray everyday that as she grows up she would place her faith in Jesus Christ and then desire to follow Him all the days of her life.  I know though, that means I will not be the central figure in her life.  He will.  “He must increase and I must decrease”.  And that is the best thing for her.

Quote from Joni Eareckson Tada

 “Justification? Forgiveness? Redemption? How can these great doctrines of the Christian faith – as well as others – be presented to children? Whitestone Media has found a way with their new animated series Theo. He’s an endearing (albeit animated) theologian who climbs down from the dusty ladder of his theological library to lead boys and girls on an adventure of discovery about Christian doctrine. And I recommend the series to the young ones in your care!” 

– Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

Quote from Jay W. Richards Ph. D.

 

Christians have been trying to teach the Bible and theology to their children for two thousand years—with varying degrees of success. Whitestone Media's series Theo Presents makes it look easy. They combine first rate production quality, brilliant animation, and solid biblical content. Rather than dumbing down the faith and the Bible, they make both accessible, compelling, and entertaining to kids. Theo Presents has blessed our family.

Jay W. Richards, Ph.D.
Executive Producer, The Call of the Entrepreneur, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller Indivisible.

God's Peace

I have a confession: I am a weakling. I grew up idolizing the tragic hero. The man or woman who has the deck stacked against them.  The one who has every reason to believe they are going to fail, has every reason to be discouraged but still trudges on, does their duty, and fights the good fight.  But I realized something, I am just not that guy. I constantly need encouragement.
Recently, my wife and I got home from church and our 10 month old daughter was in a foul mood (I never knew a baby could be so rebellious). She was screaming and carrying on and there was nothing we could do to soothe her.  We were dealing with some difficult matters and having a very upset little girl on our hands was doing nothing to help our pain and anxiety. I was getting more and more discouraged until I finally prayed out to God, “Please give us some kind of encouragement; this is just too overwhelming”. But things continued as they were and, eventually, I started asking God “Why wouldn’t You do this for us?  Why won’t You encourage us?”  

At the end of the day, just before her bed time, I took my daughter for a walk to a park close by and we plopped ourselves down next to our favorite tree. As we sat there with the wind blowing through the leaves and sun setting, I was staring at my daughter as she looked around in wonder at all the new sights and sounds.  It was music to my soul. God’s peace at last! 

Walking back, I wondered how much of God’s peace I miss out on because I fill my life with noise and activity. My typical strategy for dealing with pain is to distract myself from it. I watch t.v., read a book, work on some project, anything to keep my mind off of the pain and anxiety.  Bringing it before God and letting Him speak to me in the midst of it is usually a last resort. When David says of the Lord, “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:2-3a), he is talking about something deeper and more profound than “He helps me not think about my pain.” If I’m honest with myself, not only is my distraction strategy ineffective, it prevents me from receiving the gift that God really wants to give me: His Peace.

 

A Faithful Man

I am not a Saint Patrick scholar, nor do I agree with every thing his sect of Christianity claims.  But as one raised in an Irish-American family that had corned-beef and cabbage every Saint Patrick’s Day, the holiday has a special place in my heart. There is plenty of myth surrounding Saint Patrick, but here are a few things we do know about him.  He was kidnapped by a group of Irish Marauders at the age of sixteen, and taken to Ireland where he became a slave.  After several years he escaped and returned to Britain. In Britain he studied to be a priest and became a bishop. Eventually, he felt God’s call to return to Ireland and spread the gospel among the Irish.  He says of his return to Ireland:

In his autobiography (Confession), Saint Patrick writes:

I testify in truthfulness and gladness of heart before God and His holy angels that I never had any reason, except the Gospel and His promises, ever to have returned to that nation from which I had previously escaped with difficulty. 

He spent almost thirty years sharing Christ on the island until he died.

. . . Without any doubt, in that day we shall arise in the brightness of the Son, that is, in the glory of Jesus Christ, and, all redeemed, we shall be, as it were, the sons of God and co-heirs of Christ, and made like to His image in the future. For from Him, and by Him, and in Him, are all things: to Him be glory for ever. Amen.

It is difficult to read a passage like this without thinking of the many Irish who are “sons of God and co-heirs of Christ” because of the works God accomplished through Saint Patrick. Any choir director will tell you every good choir needs a diversity of voices.  Thanks be to God for the many Irish voices which will be singing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come.”

Win a FREE copy of God's Grace!

In honor of our second DVD God’s Grace releasing Tuesday March 13, we are going to give away a FREE copy of the DVD to the best drawing of one of our characters. Choose a character from one of our episodes, create your drawing and post on our Facebook fan page. We will decide on March 23rd who the lucky winner will be. Will it be you?