Why should you listen to Dave Nadler?
(These are some thoughts from people who know Dave and have experienced his life and teaching over many years.)
Experience & Vision
Dave has served Christ since he was 21 years old. He remains acutely aware of what it meant to be spiritually dead – and what an extreme gift faith is. He has shepherded and taught in his local fellowship for nearly 40 years. While wary of church and opposed to religion, he loves the Bride of Christ with a sincere love. He desires to see people find the freedom that can only come from following the King. His experience in founding Pulse 101.7 and other local mission works give him unique insights into God’s work in our city.
Solid Interpretation
It is common to believe that there are many interpretations of Scripture. Dave has dedicated his adult life to learning how to allow the Bible to interpret itself. When this approach is applied, there really is very little wiggle room on what the Living God is saying. You can count on Dave to have done (and continue to do) the work of allowing the Bible to interpret itself.
A Sifted World View
We are all creatures of our own culture. Our world views are a reflection of our family backgrounds, our experiences, and our perceptions about ourselves and others. Part of healthy life process is to allow our own world view to be reshaped and molded by God’s world view – which is timeless. A sifted world view has been passed through the grid of God’s Word over and over again, and is never above being sifted once more. Dave has given careful attention to the shaping influences of the Scriptures upon his world view.
Reasoned Questioning
Isaiah says, “Come now, let us reason together. Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” Dave knows how to listen to people, to process from a God-centric world view, and to connect needs and longings with the Story. There are many very important questions to which we all owe ourselves answers. Dave honestly reasons through these questions with a commitment to intellectual honesty and an enlarging faith.
Weaver
In Hebrew, Nadler means “needler” or “weaver.” Dave has dedicated his life to examining the tapestry that is the God Story, and seeks to help others find the freedom that comes from “knowing the truth.” Once again, if the Word of God is allowed to interpret itself, anyone can find the true Kingdom path blazed for us by Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith. A good life-weaver understands the materials, purpose process and hoped-for beauty of what is being created by the only True and Living God.
Dave has loved his wife for 40+ years, launched 2 awesome sons and a captivating daughter, and enjoys the privilege of being a part of their (currently) 6 quickly growing grands’ lives. He and Burnadette have faithful friends, a loving community of brothers and sisters, and have found a fruitful place in their city. They have been blessed with a Kingdom life.
Crazed Conclusions?
There are a lot of discarded and broken things in our world. Media. Proven traditions. Families. Discourse. Politics. It is a long list. And to be fair, religion is broken as well. Our gods have many faces which comfort and cajole us. And this includes “christianity.”
“Little Christs” or christians don’t even show up until the book of Acts, after Jesus had returned to heaven. While He did declare that He would “build His Church,” my guess is that He has often been disappointed by what has – and is – being done in His Name.
Jesus was all about the Kingdom. He is the KING over the earth. Scour accounts of the life of Jesus and you will discover a few references to “church” – and dozens about the Kingdom.
My conclusion? The Kingdom is not synonymous with church. The church grows out of the advance of the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is all about Christ the King. KING – KINGDOM – CHURCH appears to be the order taught in the Scriptures.
If what I am saying makes sense to you, I urge you to consider a Kingdom paradigm shift. If religion is leaving you flat, join me in the rediscovery of King and Kingdom.
Fourthstream.com may be what you need to fuel your adventure!