Time Magazine

Sitting on my desk is a recent copy of Time Magazine. The main reason that I still get it is that they offered to almost pay me to receive it (that’s an exaggeration, before you start asking for details). It is the edition with the world’s 100 most influential people. Interesting collection of people from Obama to Sarkozy, Pacquiao to Nadal, Oprah to Palin and Michelle Obama to Rush Limbaugh. A largely predictable list that doesn’t stir massive response from this sporadic Time reader.

However, I have one complaint about the list. One person is missing. The faithful biblical expositor. Oh yes, Rick Warren made it on to the list after a year of critique from various sides. I’m glad he’s on there. But I’m thinking about faithful preacher at the normal church on 53rd and Main. I’m thinking about the faithful expositor at 13th Presby-Bapto-Angli-Independent Bible Church. I’m thinking about the unknown preachers I shared a week with recently in a country many people have not heard of. I’m thinking about the relatively no-name preacher in a relatively unknown church somewhere. Preachers like you. Preachers like me. Preachers who study the Word and faithfully, prayerfully present the meaning of the text and emphasize its relevance to the lives of their listeners. Preachers who plug away for little or no pay (on earth), for little or no thanks (on earth), for little or no acclaim (on earth).

Only eternity will tell how much genuinely lasting influence has been exerted by the preachers who’ve looked beyond fame and position to serve faithfully in this vital ministry. Unnamed preacher in unknown church. Time missed you. Eternity will not. Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know your labour is not in vain in the Lord!

This is the cover story on this week’s Time magazine cover. Interesting title. The article begins,

“More than money, more than politics, ideas are the secret power that this planet runs on. Here are a few you need to know about . . .”

Having studied under Haddon Robinson, it is like music to my ears to find someone affirming the importance of ideas. After all, communication is all about ideas. People live and die for ideas. All day, every day, we are in a world of ideas. Some big, some small, some you wouldn’t give a penny for, others you can stake your eternity on. Ideas matter, and indeed, this planet does run on them.

So I was interested to read the ten ideas that were included in the feature. You won’t be surprised to read that it was not a stunning list. The end of customer service (this is not new news in England!), how we can address global warming, something to do with technology and cooking, something else about aging gracefully, and even the coming constant TV coverage of global sports events. All somehow novel, yet strangely familiar as they reflect the concerns of contemporary society.

I’ve heard Haddon Robinson say several times that there are basically only eight to ten grand ideas in the Bible. Each preaching text has its own variation, but essentially these are built on the core ideas found repeatedly throughout the Bible. In Q&A sessions he is often asked to list these ten great ideas. In his own style he soon changes the subject, even if he’s started to list off two or three “great ideas.”

The truth is we don’t need Haddon’s list, if we spend enough time in God’s Word we are able to list off our take on the big ten. We may not need Haddon’s list, but this world does need what the Bible gives to us. Time magazine’s list of ten ideas will be obsolete in weeks. But the Scriptures remain vital and highly relevant.

There are ten ideas that are changing the world. Several of them converge powerfully in the Easter story. Preach the big idea of the text, and know that you are preaching part of the great story, the master narrative of truly important ideas. This planet runs on ideas. As we preach them, by God’s grace, we participate in changing the world!