About the Blog and the Blogger

INTRODUCTING THE BLOG …

Why is this blog called “One Resolve”?

The name comes from a favorite Scripture verse of mine. The apostle Paul once said: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24, ESV). Paul said these words to some elders at a local church, and he said these words in the face of the imprisonments and afflictions that awaited him because of his faith in Jesus. In spite of impending persecution and suffering, Paul’s one resolve was “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

My context is different than Paul’s but my resolve is the same. Several years ago the story of the gospel was shared with me and God used that message to save me from my sins. It is the same message that Paul was being persecuted for and it is the same message that is being preached by Christians today. As a result of God’s grace in my life, which is given through Christ alone, my one resolve is “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

What is the purpose of this blog?

This blog serves several purposes. One, I ultimately desire that this blog would be used “to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” I hope that those who are Christians would be strengthened in their faith in the gospel and that those who are searching would come to faith in the gospel for the first time as a result of this blog. Second, I wanted to offer reflections on matters of religion, spirituality, culture, and currents events from a Christian perspective. These are certainly hot topics of our day and I decided that it would be good for me to join the conversation. Third, I enjoy writing and I wrote often during seminary. However, life has a tendency to overwhelm and this inclination could paralyze my joy in writing. This blog serves as a way to keep writing as a way of life rather than something I do on the side.

May God grant this blog to serve these purposes and also use it for far more abundant purposes than I can ask for or imagine.

Where did the picture in the header come from?

A good friend from undergrad named Kyle Kraemer took that picture and gave it to my wife and me on our wedding day.  The picture is of three trees in the middle of a Midwestern field, which serve as a perfect reminder of the gospel.

 

INTRODUCTING THE BLOGGER …

Some of the random people who will end up reading this blog may want to know about the blogger. My name is Bryan Lair. I am a young adult who has an MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I live in St. Paul, Minnesota with my lovely wife of over four years and my one year old daughter.  I am also a church planter (see Between Two Cities).  Perhaps what defines me the most as a person is that I’m a Christian. In today’s culture, being a Christian can mean almost anything, from those hippies who confess that “Jesus is my homeboy” to the killjoys who believe that the greatest sin is to drink beer or dance. To clarify what I mean by Christian, and the beliefs I affirm as a Christian, consider the following characterizations that describe me:

Christian – I affirm that Jesus is the Son of God who died for my sins, was crucified and buried, was raised on the third day, and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Protestant – I affirm that the final authority in the life of the Christian and the church is not church tradition, but rather the Holy Spirit speaking through the Bible.

Reformed – I affirm that the chief end of all things is God’s glory, that Scripture is the final authority in the Christian life, and that salvation comes in Christ alone through faith alone and by God’s grace alone.

Calvinist – I affirm that humanity is depraved, that God saves whoever he wills, that Christ died for the church, that the gospel of God’s grace is irresistible, and that God stays faithful to his promise to bring to completion his work in those who believe.

Evangelical – I affirm the need for the gospel to be proclaimed and shared so that people may be saved from God’s wrath through faith in Christ.

Christian Hedonist – I affirm that the purpose of humanity is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.

Missional – I affirm the importance of living within culture as a missionary who is biblically faithful and culturally relevant, like Jesus was in the Gospels.

The seven terms above describe me well in general but not in great detail. The above terms do not mean that I’m a fundamentalist-religious right-Republican. In the political world, I am an Independent who has libertarian leanings. In addition, the above characterizations do not mean that I’m limited to the views described above. I’m a finite person that desires to enjoy and know the infinite God of the universe. Since I’m aware of my finiteness then I am open to different worldviews as long as they do not contradict the clear teachings of Scripture. I hope that the above gives you an idea about the blogger behind this blog.