Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. Ezekiel 33:7

Many of us are pioneers in the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early ‘70s when the radical and transformative reality of Jesus Christ broke out of cold cathedrals and came alive on the streets, changing millions of lives worldwide. The historical Jesus — the Son of God — exposed the lies of all systems and rose again, not to make us correct, but to give us Life.

Between then and now, there are many questions about the original message and its transformative power today. We believe those questions hold the discovery that will lead us to answers to our current problems.

So we are embarking on a 30-day journey into discovering there is more to learn from those myriad of questions that lie between the answers than we can from the answers themselves.

In many ways, questions are superior to answers.

Answers are trying to solve a problem. Questions help us identify with a problem, understand someone’s situation, and bring up our own vulnerability and our mutual need.

Answers you can put in a notebook and then close the book on them. Questions are open-ended; we walk and talk about about them while we walk each other home, and we keep the book open.

Today, there are so many voices. They all claim to be declaring the way. But they can’t all be right, because they are not all saying the same thing. So how do you know? With so many voices, how do you find the truth? You do like Ezekiel and Habakkuk did — you do as God commanded them — you climb to the top of your watchtower and you listen. You listen for what you recognize as God’s voice. You learn how to recognize it from all the other voices. You recognize it as God’s voice because it agrees with the scriptures and the Holy Spirit confirms it as truth in your heart.

You listen, not for what is wrong so you can squash it, but for what is right so you can lift it up. The source doesn’t matter. Truth can come from anywhere. This keeps us positive and optimistic, affirming truth wherever we find it.

Learning to listen means being receptive. It means being humble. It means admitting you don’t have all the answers. Listening means there is someone more important than you out there to listen to. It’s the way we engage in conversation and listening is the most important part of that.

Keep seeking, keep asking questions, but most importantly, keep listening. You just might find the answer that lies between the answers.

Too Many Teachers

Words and music by John Fischer

Too many teachers and not enough truth

Too many preachers and not enough proof

You’ve got to find it

You’ve got to find it yourself

None off these people can give you any help

So many believers, there’s so much to believe

So many deceivers, so many being deceived

You’ve got to find it

You’ve got to find it yourself

None of these people can give you any help

If my reach doesn’t go beyond my grasp

Then what’s a heaven for, and for what do I ask?

Too many answers, too many connoisseurs

Too many cancers and too many cures

You’ve got to find it yourself

None of these answers can give you any help

If my reach doesn’t go beyond my grasp

Then what’s a heaven for, and for what —

Tell me for what do I ask?

For what do I ask?

For what — for what do I ask?

Too many pleasers, too many want to be pleased

Too many teasers when we all have a disease

To be forgiven you’ve got to want to forgive

Got to know Jesus if you want to live

Introducing our new podcast, Between the Answers 

Beginning September 18 through mid-October, the daily “Between the Answers” Podcast will look back to the pioneers of a historical phenomenon: the Jesus Movement, examine why it transformed into a broader social and political force over time, and ask questions about the Movement’s original message and its transformative power today. Our premise lies in the questions we need to ask between the answers.

Join John & Marti for today’s podcast, “The Watchman’s Call” by clicking on the logo below: