Don't Stop Believing: Why Living Like Jesus Is Not Enough

by Michael E. Wittmer

Must you believe something to be saved? Does the kingdom of God include non-Christians? Is hell for real and forever?These are big questions. Hard questions. Questions that divide Christians along conservative and liberal lines.Conservatives love their beliefs and liberals believe in their love. Each pushes the other to opposite extremes. Fundamentalists imply that it doesn’t matter how we live as long as we believe in Jesus, while some Emergent Christians respond that it doesn’t matter what we believe as long as we live like him.Theologian Michael Wittmer calls both sides out of bounds and crafts a third way that retains the insights of each. He examines ten key questions that confront contemporary Christians and shows why both right belief and right practice are necessary for authentic Christianity.Here is an urgent reminder that best practices can only arise from true beliefs. Genuine Christians never stop serving because they never stop loving, and they never stop loving because they never stop believing.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Faith, Cultural, Nonfiction, Christian Living

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2008

About the author

Michael Wittmer is currently Professor of Systematic Theology at GRTS in Grand Rapids, MI. He is the author of Heaven Is a Place on Earth, Don’t Stop Believing, The Last Enemy, and Despite Doubt. He and his wife, Julie, live in Grand Rapids, Michigan with their three children: Avery, Landon, and Alayna.

Reviews

[Shaun]

Let's say for instance, you decided to invite five of your Christian friends over for coffee in order to engage in conversation about spiritual things. Each of these five friends has a different story of how they came to faith and none of them attend the same church or is even part of the same denomination or church network. The coffee is made, the treats are out and the agenda is set. You've written a series of questions out on cards and placed them in a basket on the coffee table. The idea is that you will pass the basket around and each person will choose a question. In turn, each guest will answer the question on their card and then the group will engage in up to five minutes of discussion before moving on to the next question. Once introductions have been made and your guests are settled, you put your ice breaker activity into action. It looks like Jennifer will go first. Her question is, "Will non-Christians go to heaven?" She very quickly answers with a confident, "No, only those who believe in Jesus Christ will enter the kingdom of heaven." While you agree with Jennifer's answer, it turns out not everybody else does. Bill says, "God is a loving God and since He can't be inconsistent with Himself, He wouldn't send anybody to hell, therefore everybody will be going to heaven." Sam jumps in and says, "I agree with Jennifer, but want to point out that it is unnecessary for us to worry about those destined for hell, because their conscious torment will be only temporal and not eternal." Thus ended the first discussion and it was on to the next question. As the ice breaker activity progressed, each question brought more of the same. It seemed that no two people had exactly the same belief on any of these spiritual questions. While it seemed to last forever, the tension-filled evening eventually came to an end. Your guests thanked you for your hospitality, but you wonder if any of them will want to come back any time soon. What began with such high hopes left you in the depths of despair. You certainly didn't think that your Christian friends could have such a wide range of beliefs. You can't help but wonder who's right and who's wrong. Are your friends truly Christians, are you? Without a better alternative, you drop to your knees in prayer, hoping that God will show you a way through this darkness....

Does any of this sound at all familiar to you? Yeah, me too. As I encounter friends, acquaintances, and sometimes complete strangers out in public, I am finding with more regularity that there is less and less consensus on what it means to be a Christian. This apparent Christian identity crisis is precisely what Michael Wittmer is exploring in Don't Stop Believing: Why Living Like Jesus is not Enough.

The groundwork for what the reader can expect to find in this book is laid out in the introduction and first chapter. This book takes a look at some of the key questions that are being asked in Christian circles today. Wittmer asks and then answers a new question in each chapter by contrasting the views of postmodern innovators on the one hand and conservatives on the other. He concludes each chapter with a third view, "eliminating the extreme views of each party and uniting them around a biblical center" (Wittmer, 2008, p. 13). The main concern Witter is trying to get across in this book is that both the postmodern innovators and conservatives must be careful not to err on the opposite extreme in attempting to repair what they perceive as the mistakes and abuses that transpired amongst those who came before them (Wittmer, 2008, p. 19).

Chapters two through eleven asks the reader to consider the following important questions:

* Chapter 2: Must you believe something to be saved?
* Chapter 3: Do right beliefs get in the way of good works?
* Chapter 4: Are people generally good or basically bad?
* Chapter 5: Which is worse: Homosexuals or the bigots who persecute them?
* Chapter 6: Is the cross divine child abuse?
* Chapter 7: Can you belong before you believe?
* Chapter 8: Does the kingdom of God include non-Christians?
* Chapter 9: Is hell for real and forever?
* Chapter 10: Is it possible to know anything?
* Chapter 11: Is the Bible God's true word?

Chapter twelve brings it all together by helping the reader to better understand how much of the disagreement we see in Christian circles today is rooted in the liberal and conservative disagreements of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Wittmer closes the chapter by suggesting a possible third way that brings together the ethical concerns of the liberal and the conservative's concerns for the historic doctrines of the Christian faith. Wittmer sums up this third way well in the following question, "Rather than emphasize beliefs or ethics, can't we agree that following Jesus demands both faith and practice?" (Wittmer, 2008, p. 176). Taking the time to seriously consider this and the many other questions posed throughout this book will give the reader an opportunity to examine their own beliefs and will hopefully bring them to a more Biblically sound understanding of their faith and the practice that should naturally follow.

Being more towards the middle to conservative side of the spectrum, I can't say that my beliefs were necessarily stretched and challenged by this book. I would expect those who are at either extreme of the spectrum, postmodern innovators (i.e. emergent) on the one hand and conservatives on the other to be more challenged by this work. For me, the dialog that emerges between the competing views in each chapter was very insightful and helpful. Should you want to explore Wittmer's sources a bit deeper, there are forty two pages of notes towards the back of the book. The book ends with discussion questions and case studies for each chapter, which would make this book ideal for a small group or Sunday school setting. My rating for this book is four out of 5 stars.

Michael E. Wittmer is professor of systematic and historical theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and is also the author of Heaven Is a Place on Earth: Why Everything You Do Matters to God (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004).

Disclaimer: This book was provided for review by Zondervan.

[Benjamin Murray]

When I first read this in seminary, I thought, "Oh boy, isn't this a little simple?" But as I have aged in years of ministry since doing my MDiv, I have grown to appreciate how Dr. Wittmer put so many doctrines into succinct units of thought. His illustrations really do help as well.

I am considering working through this book with those in my church that want a "deeper" dive into theology. I know it isn't the same as one of the massive tomes by Grudem, Horton, Bancroft, or Erickson-- nor is it specialized like an OT or NT theology like Ladd, Goldingay, Dunn, or von Rad-- nor a historical theology book like _____. This book is intended to be a great introduction or stepping stone for the involved layperson at your church. I also think this book is a great review for the pastor who would rather not have to crunch through technical minutiae.

[Ryan]

Spot on. Both right belief and right action are important for the Christian life. Postmodern liberal thinking that caring for the needy and social justice are more important than correct doctrine is wrong. Fundamentalist conservative thinking that only correct belief about God matters regardless of care for actual people is also wrong. If Jesus wasn’t actually who he said he was, his moral teaching and good example wouldn’t be relevant to us. If Jesus is truly the son of God and rose from the dead, his moral teaching and commands to care for the needy out to be of utmost importance to us. You have to take both, not pick one or the other.

[Steve]

The search for a third way has almost become a cliche - but a third way is what Grand Rapid Theological Seminary's Mike Wittmer has provided. To every action there is an equal but opposite reaction. The emergence of emergent is in part a reaction to conservatism. Wittmer has provided us with an irenic book, that provides a third way between the extremes of fundamentalism and the liberalising influence of emergent.

Many controversial topics are addressed; these include: must we believe something to be saved? Are we generally good or bad? homosexuality; penal substitution; does the kingdom of God include non-Christians? hell, can we know anything at all? The inerrancy of the Bible.

Each chapter utilises the diagram of a pendulum illustrating the postmodern and conservative extremes and the third way that Wittmer proposes. He sees strengths in both sides and incorporates them into his triangulated third way.

Particularly helpful was his chapter on penal substitution. Something that is rapidly becominga shibboleth among conservative evangelicals. This chapter examines the question: Is the cross divine child abuse? He looks at some of the problems advanced with penal substitution: it is too individualistic, it is too limited and too soft on sin. He assesses strengths in the penal substitution view, but maintains that it does not explain everything (p 93). He then combines the penal view with the Christus Victor model, which alleviates the problems of a 'business transaction' view of the cross: Jesus purchases our life with his death. 'Penal substitution is the heart of the Christus Victor, for it explains how Jesus accomplished his misson' (p. 94). Both views are required to do understand the atonement.

Not all postmoderns or conservatives will agree with Wittmer's approach - he will either be too postmodern or too conservative for the extremes - but for the open-minded he has produced an excellent resource. It is well written and accessible.

Wittmer is a professor of systemtaic and historical theology this comes through in the copious footnotes (they account for almost 20 per cent of the book). Here Wittmer shows us how the debates are not new but have echoes in the past. He is able to draw upon Calvin, Kuyper, Augustine, Luther, Aquinas as well as contemporaries such as McLaren, Padgitt, Rollins, Plantinga and Warren.

A set of study questions and brief case studies make the book ideal for small group discussion. This is one of my books of the year; it deserves to be read widely.

[Brianna Silva]

Refreshingly respectful, balanced, and compassionate... but for me, ultimately unconvincing.

The author addresses the emergent/progressive stream of Christianity with heart and thoughtfulness, which I appreciated. But there were quite a few areas where I felt he didn't fully understand the view he was dismantling, because some of his arguments missed the point or assumed a conservative stance in order to work... which again, misses the point.

In many other cases, his responses to complex logical or moral issues was grossly unsatisfactory for me. Rather than addressing the hardest questions head-on, I felt again and again that he simply circumnavigated them, lazily surrendered them to "mystery", or even made arguments that I thought were plainly irrational.

Still, it was nice hearing an alternative view delivered in a grace-filled, friend-to-friend tone, rather than a confrontational, angry one, which sometimes rears its ugly head in conversations about hell, salvation, other religions, human sexuality, etc.

tl;dr Good contribution to the emergent vs. evangelical Christianity discussion, but fell short of convincing me on almost all points.

[Bob Hayton]

I’m guessing that many who will read this review will be younger evangelicals who are aware of the Emerging Church movement. Many are intrigued with the idea of doing church differently. We’ve awakened to inadequacies in the church our parents raised us in. For people like us, the generational appeal of the Emergent movement is strong. Polarizing doctrines along with the conservative-liberal divide turn us off. A welcoming community of large-hearted lovers of Jesus sounds both authentic and attractive.

This desire for authentic Christian fellowship is not wrong by itself. Doing church in new and tantalizingly different ways isn’t either. Luther, Wesley and Moody attest to that. Yet the newness of the Emergent movement is often all that is needed for it to earn sharp and stinging conservative rebukes. Such smug dismissals only prove the point of these “postmodern innovators”, as Michael Wittmer dubs them. Conservative Christians today are infected with a rampant modernism that assumes it has arrived. With everything figured out, conservative Christianity has no room for postmodern Emergent craziness.

Put me down as one conservative who doesn’t think we’re above criticism. I tend to see the Emergent movement as reacting against some very real deficiencies in some versions of conservative Christianity. Before reading Don’t Stop Believing: Why Living Like Jesus Is Not Enough, I wouldn’t have been able to articulate all of this exactly. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was that seemed right about the Emergent phenomenon. With Michael Wittmer’s book, however, I’m much more equipped to think through the all the ramifications of the postmodern innovations so popular today.

Wittmer isn’t afraid to listen to the postmodern innovators. Listen and learn. From what I can gather from reading the book, Wittmer hails from a staunchly conservative background. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is intimately familiar with independent Baptist fundamentalism like I am. From such a background it is easy to see how many of the Emergent criticisms would hit home.

Postmoderns claim we conservatives often love the sinner’s soul more than his body. We aim for conversions more than lasting social change. We care more about deathbed conversions than good works and justice. Our churches are not welcoming and inviting to the unchurched, and our world-view comes off too cocky and self-confident. We have everything figured out and don’t struggle with doubt or pain. We care more about scientific and logical proofs for inerrancy than we do for the Bible’s overarching themes and meta narrative. We’re too quick to distance ourselves from the world than be friends to publicans and sinners.

There’s more. Must you believe something to be saved? Are people good or bad? Is Homosexuality acceptable biblically? Doesn’t penal substitution turn the cross into divine child abuse? Does Hell really last forever, and would a loving God really send anyone there? Is it really possible to know anything for certain? These questions and more are raised, and carefully dealt with in Wittmer’s book.

As one can see, with the Emergent movement, valid criticisms and sincere questions often get muddled together with a more radical revision of the fundamentals of the faith. In light of how many postmodern innovators are quick to embrace full fledged inclusivism (the idea that people will likely be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ), and their lack of owning up to virtually any non-negotiable beliefs, it is easy to see why many dismiss the movement as a whole, out of hand.

The strength of Wittmer’s approach lies in his patient hearing out of both sides. He sketches the conservative view and the postmodern reaction. Then he paves a middle ground that holds to a high (conservative) view of Scripture while appreciating insights from the postmodern position. He argues for a both/and approach which often does more justice to the Bible than either extreme. While he ends up defending conservative doctrines, he is not afraid to challenge conservative methods and motifs.

Such a discussion could easily become tedious and overly philosophical or theological. Wittmer’s writing style is so clear and lucid that with the help of illustrations and personal anecdotes, he makes the discussion fun to read. His many charts help convey his point even more clearly. The diagrams capture the discussions well, summarizing the perspectives of each side along with his middle ground approach.

Postmodern innovators and Emergent church leaders are not likely to change course as a result of this book. What I hope happens, is many a young evangelical is equipped and encouraged to opt for a conservative Christian approach that aims to both believe and live life here on earth well. As Wittmer puts it: “Genuine Christians never stop serving because they never stop loving, and they never stop loving because they never stop believing.”

If you are looking for a helpful introduction to the postmodern/Emergent church discussion, look no further than Don’t Stop Believing. And if you are concerned for a friend, or even for yourself, about the doctrine-is-optional appeal of postmodernism, pick up this book. You will be challenged, and encouraged in the faith.

[Trent Esch]

Must Read
In the essential unity, in the nonessential liberty, in all things purity."

[Joelendil]

This book covers not only why faith (right beliefs/sound doctrine) is a central part of true biblical Christianity, but also seeks to clarify some of those core beliefs. Various chapters briefly address such issues as epistemology (how can we know truth?), the substitutionary atonement, the existence of eternal suffering, etc. I think that, in general, Dr. Wittmer expounds these doctrines with great clarity and Scriptural integrity.

Dr. Wittmer phrases many of his comments as an attempt to find a middle path between those he refers to as "post-modern innovators" (i.e. the more anti-doctrine/dogma wing of the emergent-church as typified by Brian MacLaren, Rob Bell, etc.) and conservative churches that have become reactionary and isolationist. I appreciate the call to conservative churches to not overreact to liberal theology by neglecting good works, social justice, and Christ-like love for all people (cf. James 1:27, Galatians 6:10). However, the way he phrased much of this sounded to me more like an attempt to compromise with people whose doctrine is clearly heretical rather than a warning to those who are doctrinally sound to not over-correct and abandon the Scriptural things that the "post modern innovators" are doing well (sometimes better than the average conservative church) merely because some over-emphasizing them to the exclusion of the Gospel.

Overall: an edifying thought-provoking book, but I felt like the author was a bit too weak in some of his phrasing. He avoided being insulting (which is great!), but I was expecting a bit more emphasis on how dangerous wrong belief is (like you see in biblical books such as Jude, Galatians, or the pastoral epistles).

[KC]

Interesting discussion from a Calvinist perspective, which I am not very familiar with. It is, as I see it, a recasting of the faith vs. works debate, only it identified the "postmodern innovator" approach as the one favoring works (ethical behavior) over the acceptance of any particular doctrine, creed, or truth claims about natural and ancient history.

The author uses a philosopher's toolkit to support a postmodern conservative view, where the inerrancy of the bible and the non-deconstructability of traditional Christian teachings and current conservative interpretations. The discussion is useful, but the areas in which he is unwilling to concede do more to reveal his blind spots and tribal loyalties than to buttress his rhetoric.

His top-down approach (based in accepting a theistic self-evident ontology) to epistemology (rather bottom up, by appealing to our senses, reasoning, and available sources) was a welcome innovation, but honestly, at its core, was more Taoist than Christian, at least in the way he was presenting Christianity. Still, an important contribution to a worthwhile discussion.

[Mark]

Wittmer's book Don't Stop Believing provides a strong case for the necessity of a right belief system in the Christian faith. Too much of the Christian subculture is saturated with feelings-oriented material that speaks little of how crucial absolute truth is to Christianity. There is helpful material concerning various problems with the Emergent church as well as problems with existential Christianity. I particularly liked the chapters that critiqued Grenz' and Franke's Beyond Foundationalism, a book which champions existentialism and tries to make the case that it is compatible with Christianity. This is a very helpful book for learning how to stay on track with orthodox Christianity in the midst of a world and even a Christian subculture that is producing so much wrong thinking.

[Nathan]

One my new favorite books! I don't agree with the finer points of some of his chapters, but his overall approach to the question of "how much should our changing culture cause us to change our message" is excellent! It is written at a lay-man's level (for example, if I were teaching a high-school Bible course, this would be a required text because high-schoolers are on the front lines of this question, and they could "get" this book) yet I don't think there is a seminary professor who wouldn't benefit from it. Was I you, after finishing The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, this would be the next book I ran out (or logged on) to buy!

[Jonathan Kelly]

Searching for any kind of middle ground in theology is often looked down on by both conservative Christians and postmodern Christians. Wittmer does a solid job giving a strong case for not simply finding the middle ground, but doing so through biblical understanding.

[Jay Risner]

Timely. Solid.

[Cray Allred]

very helpful

[Trevor]

The points Wittmer makes are very similar to those made by Jim Belcher in "Deep Church."

[Lisa]

I didn't always agree with Dr. Wittmer and sometimes I felt he was over my head.