Some Christians are satisfied with an "Arrived Jesus," a Jesus who had fully arrived at the moment of his birth in Bethlehem. He had nothing to learn, nothing to discover, no choices to make, and no place to go except to follow God's tight script for his life. His life was static. Yet, other Christians believe in a "Becoming Jesus," a Jesus who faced many crossroads and decision points, struggles and crises, all of which shaped his faithful response to God. This "Learning Jesus" was born into a world of stereotypes and bias and he, like others, had to overcome these human boundaries in order to become the Savior of the world. Jesus was an imaginative learner and an inspiring teacher. Like all human beings, he was a human becoming.
Stephen D. Jones is copastor of the historic First Baptist Church of Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of eight books, including Galusha . . . Crisis and Courage in a Civil War Pastor (2021), Breaking Free from our Cultural Obsessions! (2014) and Peaceteacher: Jesus’ Way of Shalom (2007). He has served churches from coast to coast in the American Baptist Churches USA.
