Charles here is my hypothesis

Charles here is my hypothesis

CONTEXT

Charles Kiser is TOTALLY committed to following the Lord Jesus Christ one day at a time.

During this season of his life, Charles must juggle MANY balls.

By the grace of God, Charles has been able to juggle these balls.

Yet upon close examination, there might be a shortage of time used for theological conversations.

It is noted that during a typical week Charles needs to commute between his many responsibilities. And during the time of his commute, he has been known to carry on phone conversations safely using his speakerphone.

Therefore it is POSSIBLE that IF Charles were to call a person during the times of his commute and that person wanted to talk about theology then it could be a wise way to redeem his time for the glory of God.

Note that Charles knows a man named John S. Oliver who enjoys talking about theology. Both Charles and John have smartphones.

Note that the calendar of Charles is crowded contrasted to the calendar of John.

Note that the lifestyle of Charles turns and twists as needed. The lifestyle of John remains comparatively constant.

HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis | Definition of Hypothesis by Merriam-Webster

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypothesis

A hypothesis is an assumption, an idea that is proposed for the sake of argument so that it can be tested to see if it might be true. In the scientific method, the hypothesis is constructed before any applicable research has been done, apart from a basic background review.

So here is my hypothesis that can be proven or disproven based on much practical experimentation.

IF Charles were to make it a high priority of call John during his commute and while there were zero children in the vehicle to cause distractions, then there is a POSSIBILITY that these men just MIGHT engage in mutually edifying conversations that center around biblical theology.

Note that John is in the process of creating the blueprint for the launch of an online ministry this summer that is centered around PRAYER. SO during the coming days and weeks, ALL matters related to PRAYER will be on his mind.

Just to get the ball rolling here are 3 sets of sparks to start meaningful theological conversations.

Here are the first set of sparks.

There is the principle of START WITH WHY. So what are the considerations about prayer related to why? For example a. why do you pray, b. why are there prayers during church gatherings, and c. why are children taught to pray? If prayer is just an irrelevant religious activity then a. there is no value for the Christian, b. it is mere noise on Sunday mornings, and c. we do a disservice to impressionable children to lead them to do this activity? Note that as you and I better understand the WHY of ANY subject then that can become the compass, engine, and fuel to orient and develop the HOW, WHAT, and WHO.

Here are the second set of sparks.

During my season of preaching at the church for homeless people my sermons often got back to the vital importance of FAITH as it relates to how my audience could maintain good fellowship with God during the week. They were experiencing much stress and all kinds of complications. I did not need to tell them to pray. But what did resonate was to offer biblical insights to improve their faith during tough times. SO let us talk about FAITH as it relates to prayer. What stories and insights can you tell me? What understandings of the Scriptures have helped you over the years?

Here are the third set of sparks.

The Bible says that faith, hope, and love are essential. Then there is the grand love chapter, 1 Cor 13. SO kindly help me to better understand how not only FAITH relates to prayer but how do HOPE and LOVE relate to prayer?

Let me be clear that while I enjoy pondering the theoretical parts of life, that is not the whole story. For me, it is essential that my theology is rooted in biblical doctrines and that they point to or undergirds practical applications. 

For example, the New Commandment is to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Yet the real world implications of those 3 words spans thoughts, words, and deeds. Prayers for others and self is involved in loving others as Christ first loved us.

OBVIOUSLY, these are simple questions that do not have simple answers. Surely there is no right or wrong reply. YET may I suggest that just PONDERING such matters is useful for personal spiritual growth. THEN to enter into a DIALOGUE with another person that cares about such matters is yet another way to perceive such fuzzy matters.

Note that a similar message was also sent to Charles, Paul, Barrett, Ben, Darryl, Ted, and Tommy. That does not mean that ANY of them are excluded from this experiment. It is just to let them know that John is genuinely interested in moving forward in his life in this way.  And it my way to request your best prayers for my fellowship with those brothers in Christ.

BOTTOM LINE

So let me be BLUNT. I hereby request that YOU, yes I mean YOU, call me with the core purpose to discuss theology related to prayer.

IF this happens REPEATEDLY it is my hypothesis that it will be both mutually beneficial and it will glorify God as we grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ.

It is possible that the hypothesis is in error. BUT the ONLY way to disprove it is by MUCH experimentation.

While this hypothesis relates to phone conversations during a commute, yet as an alternative note that John is receptive to receiving calls when you are at home, at a coffee shop, at work, at a fast-food eatery, in a park, in an airport waiting room, or other location with minimum distractions. While such a call would glorify God and lead to mutual spiritual benefits, also it would not count toward the evidence of this hypothesis. 

What say you?

I wait for your phone call 972-948-4014.

Shalom

John