A theology not worth smuggling is not worth having. Becoming a practical theologian means drawing from the very best of theological product, but doing so connected to the life of the Church by theological process. A theology worth smuggling serves the Church well because it is based on listening to God rather than just talking and writing about God – the kind of reflection that cultivates intimacy with Christ, the core of the missional life.
-Earl Creps, Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders
A theology worth having . . . that sounds interesting.
For many years, I thought theology was something that only people who wanted to be pastors studied or cared about. Then I went to Bible college for two years and discovered that I had a theology. Theology is, in simplest terms, just the understanding of God that we have based on Scripture. In reality, we all one; we just may not know it because we've never called it that.
The quote above really makes me think: Do I have a theology worth smuggling? Is my understanding of God and how He relates to the world, to us, something that I would risk my life to smuggle into a place where it was against the law? Or is it just a convenience and an assurance of heaven when I die? Am I just looking for a simple list of things to do? Or am I really trying to build a relationship with God that so deeply impacts who I am and the way I live that it goes with me everywhere?
We can talk about what Scripture says about things and keep it just head knowledge. Or we can take what we know Scripture says and translate it into how we live. To translate it into how we live means that we listen to God and His promptings in our lives and we love God and others as we love ourselves.
Ultimately, a theology worth smuggling becomes a part of the core of who we are. We aren't who we are without it. And it makes us a bold witness for the Kingdom in all we do - no matter the cost.
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