Heart of the Matter Broadcast
Live from Salt Lake City Utah, this is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology., where we do all we can to worship God in Spirit and in truth. And I am Shawn McCraneyFounder of TGNN and developer of the fulfilled perspective—calling people to faith outside of religion., your host. Let’s hit tonight off with a prayer.
Understanding Christian Faith
I want to go to the board really quickly and establish how I understand the Christian faith today.
Show 53 – The Launch
October 30th 2018
How do we learn to love the way God wants those who desire Him to love? But a contextual reasonable study of the Word. But in light of everything about Jesus' finished work I just shared, how do we know what applies to us now and what was only to them then?
The 1948 Filling Station
Imagine that you are looking at a gas station – the year is 1948. You are standing on the corner of 5th and Main in some typical American town. What’s there? What we would today call a gas station but what they would have called a “filling station.” Four men (called “service” or “filling-station attendants”) stand shoulder to shoulder in clean pressed white uniforms and hats. They are motionless and at attention, waiting in the shadow of an enormous spinning Standard-Oil station sign slowly spinning like a quarter on a table above them. They are all clean shaven. They are all earnest, statuesque, and prepared to serve.
A Buick Roadmaster Convertible Sedan rolls gently in off the street toward a white and red pump but before it comes to rest the four attendants have moved around it in what appears to be near choreography. “Good morning,” says one, says the other, says the third. “Filler-up?” the fourth asks cheerfully. Given the go ahead, the attendants glide into action. One begins washing the windows on the left side of the car and another services the windows on the right – they meet in the middle on the windshield.
While the lead attendant fills the tank, the last attendant checks the tire pressure, the windshield wipers and then the oil levels in the car. The gas pump clicks to a stop. The hood of the car is firmly pushed shut, and while the pump attendant collects $3.95 from the customer, the others wipe the chrome, spot check the general condition of the vehicle, and then, with smiles and heart-felt warmth, bid the driver farewell with waves and tilts of the head. “We’ll see you again soon!” says one. “Thanks so much for coming in today,” says the other. “You be careful out there, now.” Replies the third. The cash collecting attendant sends the Roadster back onto the road with a sincere, “Appreciate ya” and the attendants, almost running, return to their place under the sign, stand shoulder to shoulder, and wait for another opportunity to serve the paying customer.
Descriptive, Adoptive, Prescriptive, and Restrictive Text
Suppose it is now present day and a family from another country inherits this filling station location – except now it is called a self-service gas station. In preparation to reopen its doors, the family rummages through some old file drawers and discovers the short descriptive story you just read. They wonder: “What in the story applies to operating the station now and what can be discarded?” In the end, what they are really asking is: What is descriptive narration from that day and age, what is adoptive, what is prescriptive, and what is restricted to that day and age?
THE 1948 STANDARD OIL Station
(Fill in Descr. 1st)
DESCRIPTIVE TEXT FOR THAT DAY
ADOPTIVE TEXT
PRESCRIPTIVE TEXT FOR ALL AGES
RESTRICTIVE TEXT FOR THAT DAY
FILLING STATION
We can borrow from this concept today. Gas stations supply fuel and other services to people. All sorts of changes have made so much about the filling station over (The pumps, services, price).
FOUR MALE FILLING STATION ATTENDANTS In ALL WHITE
We have employees that run gas stations today. Employees – male, female – dress in any way they want. Due to economics of that day having four grown men serving each car is economically impossible today.
THE GIANT SPINNING STANDARD OIL SIGN
We have signs today too. Legal names are important in the operation of a business. Illumination laws no longer permit signs the size of the SO sign.
They are all clean shaven. They are all earnest, statuesque, and prepared to serve. Employees can be on site to help get gas in cars. That someone is dressed and ready to serve (if needed) in getting gasoline. Due to economics, outward appearance has taken a back seat to function.
BUICK ROADMASTER
Analysis of Texts
We still have automobiles. Most automobiles still use gasoline. The engines and smog certificates required on the Buick are not possible today. In time all fossil fuel vehicles will be gone.
Customer Interaction
ATTENDANT ALL HAPPILY GREET THE CUSTOMER
Standard business practices have employees greeting customers. As a customer, it is nice to be greeted but it is not necessary in order to get gasoline. Due to harassment laws, employees must be careful what they say to others.
Services Offered
(The Service Station Attendants use to check the tires, wash the windshields, and fill the tank for people in that day). This is still possible – for instance in Beaver Utah there is a station. It is a good thing to check the tires, and the oil, and the windshield wipers on a car – that is the principle – but that isn’t the job of a gas station employee. Due to legalities, it is too dangerous to check the tires on every car that gets gas.
Gasoline cost very little in the day. Gasoline still costs money. Businesses charge for products and services rendered. The Price of Gas is restricted to that day. Cannot be sold at this price today.
This little story is an example to help illustrate the differences between Description, Adoption, Prescription, and Restriction when reading a text – in this case, the text is describing a filling station circa 1948. So, what happens when we apply the same analysis to the Apostolic Record or what people wrongly call the New Testament? In other words, which passages are descriptive in the record and what are adoptive, prescriptive, and restricted to that day and age – and how can we tell?
Unfortunately, most Bibles today offer little insight into the situation – and this is where our most announcement comes into play tonight –
As a means to explain what we have been setting up over the past several months and as a means to try and bring you into this work too, we are going to lead you through four short videos which are all focused on this super important, Herculian effort ahead of us. The following four videos have been created by our very own Cassidy Bublitz, (with the help of her hunky husband Matt) and with music by Mallory Lundqvist (with her hunky husband watching the kids while she composed). The website where all of this can be found has been created by Michael Anderson in Sweden who has done such a wonderful work for this ministry.
So my many thanks to them for their time and skills. Now, I am asking YOU to take the next few minutes to consider the first video of four – and then we will come back and talk about it.
RUN VIDEO NUMBER ONE – the Pier and its Pilings.
The announcement is we have entered into the creation, production, and ultimate publication of a brand new Apostolic Record, or what people have long called, the New Testament. It will be unlike ANYTHING that has ever been done before and it will all lend to the betterment of believers today as they consult the Bible. Who is doing this? We are. Who exactly is we? In the actual creation – it’s just Me. All by my lonesome. Of course, I have supports at home, and volunteers here who do so much to keep the ministry rolling on and out to you, but in the end some may wonder who the hell do I think I am that I can undertake such a task?
Years ago, when we first entered into ministry, we were in great debt, I was traveling back and forth from Huntington Beach to Salt Lake to do ministry, and one night, in desperation, I took a bike and rode to the Beach where I had spent countless hours as a kid. The night was super clear, windy, and the ocean whitewash was alive with amazing phosphorescence. I prayed, literally calling out to God to speak into my desperate heart. I did not know how on earth I could manage what was ahead of me. I was not able.
I wasn’t getting anything except the urge to leave the windy berm and to take my bike and ride north, toward the pier you just saw in the first video – which was three miles up the coast. So I started riding. The bike trail I started out on was dark and strewn with homeless people and some drunk teens. And I just kept riding.
Riding and Revelation
Riding – a bit against the wind that resisted my forward progress – and toward the lights of the pier downtown. The closer I got to the pier, the more “developed” the path was becoming. I first encountered better lighting, then some clearer restrooms, less homeless, and then better snack shacks, and then hotel with illuminated pools and festive events echoing into the cool night air. People started showing up on the bike path – as they often do even late at night around the pier – and before I knew it I had arrived and stood next to an open air restaurant under it. It was bright and loud as people were enjoying themselves and the ambient night.
As I turned around to head back home God stopped me in my tracts and spoke. It was a direct, precise message that went straight to my soul. I was not thinking of getting an answer nor was I really expecting one – I had simply moved on in faith that He would work things out in our lives. His voice first came to me in a question. He plainly asked: “How did you get here?” Amidst the clamor of people laughing and talking, I replied in my mind, “I rode. I peddled.” He then asked, “Did you build any of this?” Somehow I knew He was referring to the pier, the hotels, the restaurants, and the illuminated facilities all around me. In my heart I said, “No.” And then he said, clear as a bell: “You just ride – you peddle – and I will do the building” – referring to the ministry I was so troubled over.
I returned home without a care in the world. And this is what we have done over the years. We ride and He builds – and He has more than proven true to this promise. Let’s show you what this looks like: RUN the Why Shawn Video here.
Addressing Concerns
We have anticipated some of the kickback that will come as a result of this endeavor. The first might be:
• Just who the heck does he think he is attempting to do something like this?
I would reply that just because many biblical translations and versions are typically done by committees today does not make them superior to ones that are produced by individuals. I mean, who was Erasmus, Tyndale, Coverdale and Luther? They didn’t think it evil to approach the text and translate it, did they? I would also suggest that having a Ph.D. was never demanded of the apostles who composed the record, so I don’t think one is required today to reasonably present them either. Anyway, we are going to take all the biblical scholasticism already done and use it to create an even better Transversion through the use of “proprietary, one of a kind formatting.” More on that in a minute.
Specific Accusations
The next accusation that can sound really sinister when it flies out of the mouths of some will be:
“He is creating his own Bible that will support His own views!”
First of all, every Bible version I read today that has a commentary is guilty of this very thing when they explain passages through their eschatological stances and their Trinity bias, and their pushing for an afterlife of eternal hell for the unsaved. So I am not alone in this. Where I am alone is I don’t see the scriptures themselves supporting such man-made traditions – and so I will not include them. This Transversion of the Apostolic record will merely point out what the scripture says! And let me tell you, that will TERRIFY the dogmatists.
We also suspect that we will also hear that I am just “trying to be another Joseph Smith,” who produced his own Bible version called “the Inspired Version,” also known as the JST.” I am not doing this because Smith did it. I am doing it for the same reason the creators of the ESV, and The NIV, and the NASB, and the ASV and “the Message” (and all the other version or translation) have done it – I see a tremendous need – one that has never been filled and in this day it is needed MORE than ever. Additionally, Smith retranslated passages based on what he said was direct revelation from God. I will be using the Greek, and standing on the broad shoulders of Godly men and women who have analyzed and re-analyzed mss evidence and I will use their findings to help.
Introduction to the Transversional Apostolic Record
Convey what the BIBLE actually says and NOT what I (or others) want it to say. Some may also say something like: Well Tolstoy and Jefferson produced versions of the Bible according to their liking – what’s so great about this? First, I am not producing a Bible to my liking, I am remaining true to the best translations on earth. What I am doing to my liking is couching the word in reasonable history and context to help people see how it applies to them today. Finally, some may think the project is impossible to do given the person involved – (me) as it seems like it is an endeavor that would require an army, ten million dollars, a headquarters, and a benefits package for all involved . . . that no “one person” has the ability to adequately complete such a task well, responsibly, or accurately.
Let me humbly ask in response to this: Have 98% of our weekly HOTM programs provided people with great insights and information? Have most of our books – which we did not seek for publication perfection when we compiled them – served to inform and assist others? Most importantly, have our twice weekly verse by verseTGNN’s Bible teaching series—book-by-book, through the lens of fulfillment and spiritual liberty. sermons measured up to expectations week in and week out? There is one person responsible for all of this stuff, all of its depth, breadth and value – God. All I am doing is riding – like all of us do in life – while He does the building. And I trust that He will build this better than ANYTHING He has EVER built through us in the past. So I am going to go “off-road for the next five-full years – sixty months – all the while continuing to do HOTM, ChristiAnarchytoday, and two different verse by verse sermons every week.
The Transversional Apostolic Record Project
But like the first video pointed out, in order to provide this biblical platform which will stretch out over the stormy waters of biblical antiquity, we need your support. For you to be the pilings to underwrite this platform. Well at this point, you may be wondering what will make this approach to a new record beneficial and purposeful as compared to what has been done in the past? Let’s take a LOOK (at Video NUMBER THREE) that will help explain some basics.
(RUN “What is the Transversional Apostolic Record?” Come back to Shawn at Board)
First, we are going to take the Open Source King James Bible.
KING JAMES VERSION: Each and every word, verse and passage . . . .
- Antiquated pronouns and words
- Translation pieces from NIV, ESV, NASB, ASB, YLT, etc.
GRAYSCALING (Descriptive verses Prescriptive Passages): We will GRAYSCALE every passage according to APPLICATION today.
- Prescriptive Passages that are to all Christians of all ages (BLACK)
- Adoptive Passages that were to the Jews, the Apostolic Church and to modern Christians today (DARK GRAY)
- Descriptive Passages from the Apostolic Church before it was taken that have no material application to believers today (MEDIUM GRAY)
- Restrictive Passages that were given to Jews prior to conversion and have no bearing on believers today (LIGHT GRAY)
Additional Steps in the Project
STEP THREE – EIGHT will be our “FOOTNOTE FOCUS
Major Issues (MI)
- Critical text issues
- Translation Issues
- Evidence Issues
Better Greek Terms (BGT)
- Appealing to better English words to replace antiquated KJ terms.
Point Outs (PO)
- The Nature of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit
- Calvinism
- Afterlife Punishment
- Subjective ChristianityA direct, personal relationship with God—free from institutional authority, guided by personal relationship, faith and agape love.
- Fulfilled EschatologyStudy of “last things”—TGNN teaches all biblical eschatology was fulfilled in 70 A.D. More
- End of Material ReligionA fulfilled system of temples, rituals, and laws—replaced by direct spiritual relationship.
Clarifications (CLA)
- Referenced and compiled in the back as if a Dictionary of Terms
- a. Birthright
- b. Dokeo or Dogma
- c. Why Evil
- d. Our own evil
- e. The Fall
- f. Fear-flight-fight
- g. Fire
- h. Fire-Light-Dark-cold
- i. Five wells of water
- j. Forgiveness
- k. Free Expression
- l. Grace
- m. Hope
- n. Humility
- o. Idolarty
- p. Miracles
- q. the Most Perfect System
- r. Revelation
- s. Setting Captives Free
- t. Seven world crisis
- u. Seven things God used
- v. Six day Creation
- w. The Spirit World
- x. Tabernacle
- y. Three Tabernacles
- z. Flesh and Spirit
- a. Birthright
- b. Dokeo or Dogma
- c. Why Evil
- d. Our own evil
- e. The Fall
- f. Fear-flight-fight
- g. Fire
- h. Fire-Light-Dark-cold
- i. Five wells of water
- j. Forgiveness
- k. Free Expression
- l. Grace
- m. Hope
- n. Humility
- o. Idolarty
- p. Miracles
- q. the Most Perfect System
- r. Revelation
- s. Setting Captives Free
- t. Seven
The Transversional Apostolic Record
Subjects Covered
World crisis, Seven things God used, Six-day Creation, the Spirit World, Tabernacle, Three Tabernacles, Flesh and Spirit. Major theme supports found in other passages in the Apostolic Record.
Illustrations & Insights
25 major classes are addressed in illustrations and insightful summaries:
- Afterlife
- Bible
- Calvinism
- Eschatology
- Faith
- Freedom
- God
- Jesus
- Kingdom
- Knowledge
- Love
- Man
- Maturity
- Religion
- Sacrifice
- Seekers
- Subjective Christianity
- Suffering
- Total Reconciliation
- General Topics
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
FINALLY, here is what the Transversional Apostolic Record will not cover!
No maps of Israel, no geographical information, no biographical information of characters, no didactic instructions (that’s what they are called, “point outs”). So many Bible versions include these insipid instructions like, “Just as Jesus forgave so should every Christian forgive.”
None of that schtuff. We’ll let the Spirit move the reader by allowing the Apostolic Record to say what it says, with some contextual insights, and some information that will help see whether the narrative is Descriptive, Adoptive, Prescriptive, or Restrictive to the day and age. Also, no historical references will be made (unless they relate to eschatology), nor will there be much relative to cultural insights of that day or applications to church-playing today.
Support for the Transversional Apostolic Record
Our final video tonight has been prepared to help you understand what kind of support we are looking for over the next 60 months as you serve to be the “Pillars or Pilings” of the creation and publication of this Transversional Apostolic Record. This endeavor, unlike the others, will require funds from you – at the end of the day, some fairly substantial funds – which we will collect and save over the next 60 months to make the hit much less painful when it comes time to publishing.
The funds will go toward everything necessary to putting the Transversional Record together: to have it compiled, edited, illustrated, placed in “Indesign” and the ultimately printed and bound. We will also make it available electronically and in ebook form. We will then need to promote it in all English-speaking Nations. We hope to then take it internationally through subsequent language translations as the Lord provides.
We need you – we actually need a lot of you both in quantity and in quality – to make this happen. So please tell your friends. And I am asking you now – and I will ask you in the future – to sacrifice some of your precious time and hard-earned income to support this important work as it will do more for the faith, hope, and love of believers today than anything we have ever been done in this ministry.
The Record will serve to make the faith reliable, understandable, and “reasonably applicable” to this modern age. It will be a fantastic strike against the non-biblical traditions and stances Christians have taken in the past. It is a work that will do more to open the eyes and hearts of seekers than any previous translation or version, and it will allow the original languages to speak to the modern audience in profound and otherwise unseen ways experienced in the past.
Three things to know before we show you our last video presentation for tonight:
- All who support the creation, production, and publishing of the Transversional Apostolic Record will be invited to a catered Publication Party five years from today. If you are a seeker that loves God you don’t want to miss this (for one I am not cutting my beard or hair for the next five years and some unfortunate winner of a door prize will get to buzz it all off that night – if I’m not bald by then).
- We need systematic support – meaning monthly support – and any amount is greatly appreciated – $5, $10, $20, $100 a month – whatever you can sacrifice for the cause. We will be including the names of the supporters in the first edition – and everyone who supports (great and small) will receive a first edition at the Publication Party.
- Finally, we need your prayers – and there is a Prayer Support Sign up on the site. If you cannot do ANYTHING else, please do the MOST important thing and for the next five years include us in your prayers.
So, having said all of that, let’s take a look at the fourth and final video for you tonight:
RUN VIDEO NUMBER FOUR
I am selling this – I am pushing for your support. No, God is not telling you through me to give. No, this is not a petition.
A Unique Spiritual Opportunity
I am personally just asking you to straight up give to the ministry systematically every month for the next sixty months – to sacrifice your time to pray and to sacrifice something like the price of two Starbucks Iced White-Chocolate Mochas a month to help create, publish and distribute this timely unique Apostolic Record to the world.
Participation in a Groundbreaking Faith Initiative
Have you ever been able to participate in a ground floor, one of a kind, unique opportunity? Like getting in on the first McDonalds or owning a little piece of this little company called, Apple.
Well, spiritually speaking, relative to the faith called Christianity, this is one of those times as this Transversion will play a remarkable role in God bringing down what has existed in the faith for far too long – division, denominationalism, and even deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. among believers – by showing the world what God HAS accomplished through His only Human Son and that His abiding law today is to . . . Love.
Supporting the Transversional Record
Go to www.hotm.tv and look for the link to www.thetransversionalrecord.faith
And we will see you next week here on HOTM.
