The failure of big God theology, October 6th, 2025.

Introduction.

Last week, a random thought occurred to me, and so naturally I thought I should share it with

the world, or at least the portion of the world that is on X.

This is what that looked like. It is impossible

to have a consistent big God theology if at the same time you treat culture and politics

as a no-fly zone. As this sentiment garnered no little attention, it seemed to me that it was a topic

that was worth unpacking a little bit more. So let's do that, shall we? A lot of what currently ails the church is related to this particular topic.

It is this issue that we have somehow gotten wound tight around our axle,

and the more we gun the engine, the more it tends to smoke.

Consider this an attempt to talk about it without gunning the engine.

Compared to what?

If you grew up accustomed to the kind of thing

it passes for evangelicalism in the world of big box churches, where every worship service was a kettle

of warm goop, and Jesus was your invisible sky buddy, your first encounter with the preaching

of John Piper, which your YouTube algorithm had somehow rudely handed to you, was like a two-year-old taking

a sip of bourbon. Okay, I don't know. The kid got up early, his parents had had a party

the night before, and there was a glass with a little bit left over sitting on the coffee table.

That first encounter with Big God theology was a true spiritual encounter. Something important

was really there. Compared to the pablum that was the usual

menu item, that ribby steak was really something. Compared to that paper cup with some room

temperature tap water in it, the bourbon was startling and eye-opening. There are things like this in the

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