Reveal / Defend
Years ago, I was on staff at a church where the worship leader and I had radical differences about theology. One week, I preached a message declaring that everyone in the room was a spiritual giant. I was speaking to our identity, our original innocence, and the invitation to participate in the finished work of the Cross.
The following week, the worship pastor stood with an actual whip in his hand and preached the opposite. He declared we are prone to wander and that God looks away. “There are no spiritual giants in this room,” he said. It was heartbreaking. His theology, to me, was wrong, toxic, and deeply flawed.
I stood in the back of the room for the third and final service. “Father, what am I doing here?” I asked. And then He reminded me who He is and who I am. LOVE. Measureless, other-centered, self-giving, transforming LOVE.
“You’re here to be LOVE—to be a walking revelation of My affection.” He said. “You’re here to reveal, not defend.” He reminded me that Love keeps no record of wrong and thus has no right to be offended.
Then my Father highlighted a fella who stood in the back row, arms stretched wide, tears streaming down his face. “That man is having an encounter with my love.” My Father said.
For a split second, I was annoyed. “But the message is wrong, toxic, it’s deeply flawed!” I thought. Then just as quick, my heart shifted as I heard my Father whisper, “Yes, Jason, the
message is wrong, toxic, it’s deeply flawed. But one encounter with My love is more powerful than anything else. My love is transformative, sustaining. My love is the long game. And I’ve never limited myself to your poor theology.”
That moment defined my ministry. God meets us where we are, in the middle of our flawed theology. He speaks in the language of our understanding.
I realized that man was unlikely ready to hear the good news as I had discovered it; he was lost in the knowledge of good and evil, a prodigal who only understood slaving, the context of transaction. It’s heartbreaking, but the whip message was the language of his understanding.
Was his understanding deeply flawed? Yes. But that’s the road he was traveling, and thus that’s the road our Father met him on. Our Father chased Him down and embraced Him, knowing that embrace would ultimately, over time, and hopefully in this life, reveal the Gospel. The good news that would set him truly and fully free. There is no shadow of turning with Thee, and thus there is no earning, no whip. Love is unconditional.
The point? Our Father did not limit His kind affection to the flawed words coming from the man on stage. No, our Father ran to meet his son, who only wanted to know he was loved! Our Father knew that over time, His measureless love would transform any part of the son’s wrong, toxic, and deeply flawed theology.
I’ve given my life to rethinking my theology. It matters. The closer we are to knowing Greater Love — the more our God lens is like Jesus — the more we experience eternal life. But it’s a journey.
My journey into this union grace has been 51 hard-fought, intentional years where my Father continues to faithfully meet me in my wrong, toxic, and deeply flawed theology.
And this is why I’m encouraged today. You see, I’m not alone. And while it’s taken me 51 years of growing conviction in this Greater love gospel, these days, I meet people who are just as confident at half my age. And then there are the fathers and mothers who are mature in their union – LOVE.
Union, grace, it’s in the ether. We have books, and language, ministries, people, the church, deep and wide, maturing in love.
Right now, there is a spiritual hunger in our world, while at the same time, there is an awakening within the church. Yes, there are distorted versions of Jesus being presented and leveraged, but there’s also a groundswell of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends who are convinced in His affection.
Yesterday, I recognized that man from the church years ago in the upraised arms of hundreds of thousands as we celebrated Charlie Kirk’s life and mourned his death. And I heard my Father whisper. “Yes, Jason, some of the message is wrong, toxic, it’s deeply flawed. But one encounter with My love is more powerful than anything else. My love is transformative, sustaining. My love is the long game.”
I watched yesterday in the liberty of a gospel that doesn’t require agreement or the “right” theology. A gospel that isn’t limited to our finite fears but is a measureless love that casts out fear. A Love that meets us where we are and, thank God, doesn’t leave us there but journeys with us. A love that transforms.
Many are worried about how Charlie’s passing has been politicized. Some are concerned about the left, others about the right. We live in a dualistic world, where the knowledge of good and evil always creates a vortex that pulls people in. It is a tired and powerless waste of time. There is no eternal life to be found in it.
But here’s a word of encouragement: we’re not here to defend, but to reveal. May we grow ever sure in His love.
My heart goes out to Charlie’s wife and kids, his family. Praying grace, grace, grace.
TOM COLE / PURE HEART
In this conversation, Tom Cole and Jason explore the transformative journey of faith, emphasizing the importance of love, community, and vulnerability. Tom shares his personal story of encountering God amidst struggles with addiction and confusion, highlighting the pivotal role of love in understanding God’s nature.
The guys discuss misconceptions about God, the impact of church hurt, and the necessity of authenticity in faith. The dialogue culminates in a powerful affirmation of God’s unconditional love and the healing that comes from embracing vulnerability. Tom and Jason also explore themes of healing, identity, and the transformative power of God’s love. They discuss the importance of understanding God through personal experiences and the Beatitudes as a guide for transformation.
The conversation delves into the significance of breaking shame through confession and the journey to discovering one’s true identity. They also touch on the awakening to innocence and the exploration of new modalities for connecting with God. The discussion concludes with light-hearted taco stories, emphasizing community and connection
For more on Tome Cole
Website: https://www.pureheart.rest/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Heart-Tom-Donna-Cole/dp/1604779934?tag=afamilystory-20
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Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
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ETHAN WILDE CLARK / CONNECTION COMMUNITY & AUTHENTICITY
In this fun and engaging conversation, Jason and his son Ethan explore the complexities of faith, family, and the next generation’s relationship with the church. They discuss personal encounters with God, the importance of authenticity, and the challenges faced by youth today.
The conversation also touches on parenting philosophies, church trauma, and the transformative power of love and identity in Christ. Through their candid exchange, they highlight the significance of fostering genuine connections and understanding in a rapidly changing world.
For more information on Ethan Wilde Clark:
www.linktr.ee/wilde.assembly
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Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
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FRANCOIS & LYDIA DU TOIT / AWAKENING TO THE I AM-NESS OF GOD
“We’ve preached man in Adam; we need to preach man in Christ.”
In this conversation, Francois and Lydia du Toit discuss with Jason the power of the gospel and the revelation of our identity in Christ. Francois speaks to our oneness with God and explores the idea that faith is not something we do, but something that happens to us when we grasp the truth that we are in Christ and experience the fellowship that comes from this realization. They also highlight the joy and confidence that comes from living in this reality and the impact it can have on our daily lives.
Francois and Lydia share the beauty of living in the present moment and highlight the significance of living from innocence and the freedom it brings. They share about encountering the love of God in all our relationships. The conversation concludes with a prayer for blessings and fruitfulness in sharing the message of who we are in Christ.
“We’ve preached man in Adam; we need to preach man in Christ – you cannot preach man in Christ before you see him there. To see him there, you have to have your understanding unveiled. Only faith can do that; only faith can see what the flesh cannot see. Because faith is to your spirit what your senses are to your body.”
For more information on Francois du Toit:
www.mirrorword.net
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Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly
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